Home-school Updates : Letter, Counting and Traditional Market

I didn’t posted Tania’s daily Home-school progress these couple of days because we lent our camera to Tania’s uncle and our internet connection was a very troublesome matter. Tania’s Mommy’s camera is not the sophisticated hi-end with the built-in camera to be use as substitute. However, Tania still learns every day. She has finished the ‘learning book’, even the one that required reading and writing. The reading part she persuaded us to read it to her and she will answer. For the writing part she will tell us what the answer is and then ask us to dictate the letter. She is getting better and better at ‘drawing’ letters. 

In order to support the growth of her writing, I gave her sheets of letter tracing to help her with controlling her pencil strokes. However, I did not push her to finish the whole page and only do it when she has the mood. We do this between 15 – 30 minutes every day. Other time, we learn creatively and artistically. 

top: Letter tracing. Bottom left: Counting puzzle. Bottom Right: Color  by number

Last week, we took Tania to the traditional market, simply to introduce her to it. We mostly took her to the supermarket or mall to shop. But local vegetables etc we usually get from traditional market and we need to go there very early and she’s not up yet. However, we timed her sleep and able to took her last week. 

We asked her what she thinks about the traditional market. She said it is noisy, too many people, smelly and dirty. HAH! Typical city spoilt kid answer. So to make sure she does not turned in to one. We (I) am determined to take her more often. We talk about how the people plant the vegetables and other crops and then take it to the traditional market to sell. That money will be use to buy food, clothes and pay school fee of their children. And that we are helping each other by purchasing from traditional market. I hope in the long run, she will be able to understand and look past the smelly and dirty place to see a way to live sustainably. YAY! To local produce!

Now, you may think this is a bit too much of information. But I think Tania is more than capable to understand this. And Kids need to learn the reality and understand what they can contribute to it. Tania already understands Mommy and Daddy do not have lots of Money to buy her EVERYTHING that she wanted. We will buy her what she need but when she wanted something we will see whether mom and dad have enough money to spend or not. Usually when she said, Can I have this or that to a toy or books, and we have no money, we are very comfortable to tell her, “I am sorry dear. Mommy and Daddy don’t have money now. Can we get it some other time? Or if you really wanted it we can make a piggybank especially for this?”. She always obliged and happily went along. She understands now that Mommy and Daddy works and get paid and the money is used to buy many things in our lives and we need to make sure we have enough for everything. I am blessed to have such an understanding kid.

I feel very blessed to live and to raise a child in this life situation. We have enough money and a little bit more to cover everything in life. We are not rich in money and swamp in treasures. My child grows in reality and knowing that she need to work hard to earn living and to give thanks for whatever we are given. I do hope when our life gets way better than today. All of us will not forget to give thanks and to remain in simplicity. --