Wow! This was quite the weekend. My wife was at an EAL conference in Bangkok, so I was home alone with the girls. It began with the three of us going to a junior school play, then a viewing of Spinal Tap with a friend at Singapore's new art house theater on Friday night. Saturday found me at an all day PD session with Penny Kittle followed by me returning to The Projetor with the girls to see Yellow Submarine. Sunday morning we woke up and went on a three hour hike through Mac Ritchie Reservoir and the Tree Top walk. At home we chilled for a bit and headed to dinner and new shoes for us all.
Below are tidbits of the conversations from the weekend:
Me, "What did you think of that movie?"
Skye, "It was weird. Why were the blue guys so mean?"
Me, "I'm not sure. What did you think the movie was about?"
Skye, "That music and love make people better?"
Kaia, "I liked the Hiliary guy"
Me, "You mean the Nowhere Man?"
Kaia, " I didn't like how they were so mean to him? I also liked when that guy ate everything, including himself and then there was nothing left."
Skye, "I liked the songs. But I didn't like that glove."
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On the hike:
Skye, "Can we watch Ever After when we get home?"
Me, "I don't really like that show. I said we can check it out a few times, but I don't like you watching it."
Skye, "But we love it."
Me, "That doesn't make it good for you."
Kaia, "You know how daddy feels about Barbie."
Skye, "But this is not Barbie."
Me, "Do you know why I don't like these characters?"
Skye, "Because they wear make-up?"
Me, "Not just that. I don't like to see girl characters who are so worried about being girls. Always worried about what they wear, who they like, and gossiping. I see girls as so much more complicated than that"
Skye, "What is gossip?"
Me, "It is when you are always talking about other people, instead of worrying about yourself. I like to see girls on TV who are like the real girls I see everyday. Smart, funny, brave, tough. Girls like you. You like many different things. You play with boys and talk to them about things you are good at and things you love. Like the girls in Wildd Kratts. You don't see the girls on that show, worrying about how they look or trying to impress boys. They are too busy learning about animals and making cool machines.
Skye, "Like Ruby Gloom?"
Me, "Exactly. I want you to see girls on TV that inspire you and make you think about cool things. I want them to be strong and funny. Because that is how I see you two.
Skye," I'm tired."
Me, "That's good. You should be. You are exercising and spending a lot of energy. Try not talking so much and just breathe deeply. Sometimes when you get tired, but you have to keep walking. There is no other way to get home. Complaining only makes you more tired. So enjoy yourself. Think of every step and keep moving. Look around. We are not going anywhere, so there is no getting there. We are just walking, spending time together and enjoying the nature.
Skye, "I'm still tired."
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Kaia, "There's something in my shoe."
Me, "Yeah? What do you want m to do about it? Stop and take care of it. There are two kinds of people Kaia, those who complain and wait for other people to fix things for them, and the kind of people who just suck it up and solve their own problems. I would love it if you were the second type of person."
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Kaia, "Can we explore that creek a bit off the trail?"
Me, "Sure."
Kaia, "Will you come with us?"
Me, "No. I think I will just lay here a bit and watch the clouds."
Kaia, "But we want you to come."
Me, "Sometimes Kaia, it is good for kids to explore away from their parents. Go see what you find and just keep it your secret. I don't need to always be there behind you. Take Skyelar, be careful and see what is down by the creek. Kids need time for adventure without their parents approval or supervision."
Skye, "Come on Kaia, let's just go?"
Kaia, "Can we get our shoes wet?"
Me, "If that is what you want to do, just don't complain later when your socks are wet."
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Me, "Wow. Guys we did it! I'm so proud of you both. It's pretty amazing that you just walked all that way. I am so impressed you could do that. You can also bike to East Coast Park, paddle board, you can snorkel. There are some kids your age who would complain the whole way. It makes me happy we can do these things with you now."
Kaia, "Can we climb that volcano in Indonesia soon?"
Me, "You keep doing the stuff I mentioned and we can definitely climb that volcano."
__________________________________________________________________________________
There was some less profound and less inspirational stuff too. After buying new shoes
Kaia, "But I want to wear them for PE."
Me, "If you are not a bit more grateful I will take them back right now! I am so tried of you being such an ungrateful spoiled brat! Take some time to enjoy what you have before you start complaining about what it isn't!"
Below are tidbits of the conversations from the weekend:
Me, "What did you think of that movie?"
Skye, "It was weird. Why were the blue guys so mean?"
Me, "I'm not sure. What did you think the movie was about?"
Skye, "That music and love make people better?"
Kaia, "I liked the Hiliary guy"
Me, "You mean the Nowhere Man?"
Kaia, " I didn't like how they were so mean to him? I also liked when that guy ate everything, including himself and then there was nothing left."
Skye, "I liked the songs. But I didn't like that glove."
__________________________________________________________________________________
On the hike:
Skye, "Can we watch Ever After when we get home?"
Me, "I don't really like that show. I said we can check it out a few times, but I don't like you watching it."
Skye, "But we love it."
Me, "That doesn't make it good for you."
Kaia, "You know how daddy feels about Barbie."
Skye, "But this is not Barbie."
Me, "Do you know why I don't like these characters?"
Skye, "Because they wear make-up?"
Me, "Not just that. I don't like to see girl characters who are so worried about being girls. Always worried about what they wear, who they like, and gossiping. I see girls as so much more complicated than that"
Skye, "What is gossip?"
Me, "It is when you are always talking about other people, instead of worrying about yourself. I like to see girls on TV who are like the real girls I see everyday. Smart, funny, brave, tough. Girls like you. You like many different things. You play with boys and talk to them about things you are good at and things you love. Like the girls in Wildd Kratts. You don't see the girls on that show, worrying about how they look or trying to impress boys. They are too busy learning about animals and making cool machines.
Skye, "Like Ruby Gloom?"
Me, "Exactly. I want you to see girls on TV that inspire you and make you think about cool things. I want them to be strong and funny. Because that is how I see you two.
Skye," I'm tired."
Me, "That's good. You should be. You are exercising and spending a lot of energy. Try not talking so much and just breathe deeply. Sometimes when you get tired, but you have to keep walking. There is no other way to get home. Complaining only makes you more tired. So enjoy yourself. Think of every step and keep moving. Look around. We are not going anywhere, so there is no getting there. We are just walking, spending time together and enjoying the nature.
Skye, "I'm still tired."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Kaia, "There's something in my shoe."
Me, "Yeah? What do you want m to do about it? Stop and take care of it. There are two kinds of people Kaia, those who complain and wait for other people to fix things for them, and the kind of people who just suck it up and solve their own problems. I would love it if you were the second type of person."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Kaia, "Can we explore that creek a bit off the trail?"
Me, "Sure."
Kaia, "Will you come with us?"
Me, "No. I think I will just lay here a bit and watch the clouds."
Kaia, "But we want you to come."
Me, "Sometimes Kaia, it is good for kids to explore away from their parents. Go see what you find and just keep it your secret. I don't need to always be there behind you. Take Skyelar, be careful and see what is down by the creek. Kids need time for adventure without their parents approval or supervision."
Skye, "Come on Kaia, let's just go?"
Kaia, "Can we get our shoes wet?"
Me, "If that is what you want to do, just don't complain later when your socks are wet."
__________________________________________________________________________________
Me, "Wow. Guys we did it! I'm so proud of you both. It's pretty amazing that you just walked all that way. I am so impressed you could do that. You can also bike to East Coast Park, paddle board, you can snorkel. There are some kids your age who would complain the whole way. It makes me happy we can do these things with you now."
Kaia, "Can we climb that volcano in Indonesia soon?"
Me, "You keep doing the stuff I mentioned and we can definitely climb that volcano."
__________________________________________________________________________________
There was some less profound and less inspirational stuff too. After buying new shoes
Kaia, "But I want to wear them for PE."
Me, "If you are not a bit more grateful I will take them back right now! I am so tried of you being such an ungrateful spoiled brat! Take some time to enjoy what you have before you start complaining about what it isn't!"
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