Reflect

My girls and I call this box 'The Reflection Box'.

What do we put in this box? Our notebooks recording our reflections of the day.

Why do we call it as such? Well, first, I have no better name to think of. Secondly, I just want it to sound big to my girls and thirdly, let's just say that I want my girls to know what does reflection means.

In this book, we share on our thoughts and feelings. I was listening to a talk recently on parenting and it strucked to me, how can we expect our children to share with us if we ourselves don't actually share with them. So before this, we just talk. I consider myself to be talking to them a lot but i still feel that it was not enough. I am sure talking but hey, they don't talk much to me. 

So in this book, I also want to see my children learn to be expressive. Previously I gave them a diary each but they felt it was so much of a commitment and soon the discipline of writing it faded away. So this time around, in this book, they will have to write only a sentence at the minumum reflecting to reflect their day.

These are some of their entries;

Arissa's, a more mature writing, 

( She should be, afterall she's 11, mind you....)

The introvert Sarra's

and my 6 yrs old Sofea, 

(Today I not afraid. Today my daddy call me. I love my parents)

The most important thing is to not be judgemental so critism is not allowed. 

The idea to do this came to me when I saw a friend of mine showed me his son's notebook. She is an English language graduate so the book was intended to polish her son writing skill. Of course, to make my girls write better is also one of my intention in having these books but my primary reason is for them to learn to share with us, and among themselves as sisters.

As for my day today, I had a quite tough day at school. I was really under pressure that I yelled and nag at my pupils. I even used physical to one of my pupils which I feel so bad about it. I wish I could write in my book about it all but on the second thought, I don't want my children to see the bad side of me, that it is okay to vent your frustration that way. Moreover, in posting status on Facebook, my husband always remind me to share only sweet and good things.

 So after a much thought, this is what I wrote;

Later on, I really reflect, regret and motivate. 

The Confession - a book I couldn't finish reading

                                

This book is special in its own way. Around this point of time last year, I was battling in surviving with an unknown illness.  I am so thankful to Allah though that I can still breath healthily today.

     Anyway, this book was actually came with a dear friend whom I have not seen for nearly 13 years. A schoolmate who continued to be my roomate during my uni days. After graduation, we only kept in touch via facebook. However, upon knowing my illness, she drove all the way from KL alone just because she was worried sick about me. Of course, there were so many of my friends who suddenly called and texted me, none can compare to her bravery spontanious act.  

    After few minutes of catching up, she then gave me this book. She said she knows that I can simply forget on anything  once I read. Boy, she is correct. She knows me inside out.

    So despite the friendship value that is so deep, I still cannot bring myself to finish reading it. Of course, fictions are not my cup of tea but I can sometimes indulge in it for lighter reading. However, this particular John Grisham's book is so draggy that I loose patience and had to abandon it. The plot is quite dull and so unlike his other books. So, this is one of those books that I can't really put myself reading. 

    Well, since I did not finish it, could anybody share with me how does it end? 

The Kids' Favaourite Simple Meal

Despite my laziness to cook, I still announced to the girls that I made them their favourite food. Their reaction would  make me melt with guilt. Kids are so easy to please and yet we make too many selfish excuses not to cook for them. 

So, today I cook Paprik Campur and I am not lying when I said it's one of the girls' favourite. it's one of the easiest to prepare and I believe it's nutricious too. You can simply put anything you want in it and since it is ketchup and soy sauce based, it is tasty and the kids simply savour it.

Just look at sofea enjoying it.