Here is the reason why humans cannot fly, according to the 7-year-old:
If humans can fly, there would be no need for cement or asphalted roads.
If there are no cement or asphalted roads, the grounds will be filled with grasses, weeds and other vegetation.
If the grounds are filled with grasses and weeds, there would be lots of insects.
Soon, insects will take over the world, and wipe out the humans.
Therefore, humans cannot fly.
Do you have another theory on why humans cannot fly???
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Math Endowment Fund
My girl received this award today. Her daddy and I are so thrilled. Of course she had always performed very very well academically. But this is the first time she received a money gift, courtesy of the Ivy Sy Math Endowment Fund Scholarship (2008).
The requirements are: the student's Math grades for the past 3 gradings must be 95 or higher. My girl's grades are either 99 or 98. The student's Math CEM should be 95 or above. My girl got 99+. So, we applied last month. I thought we would not be able to get the award because we received no phone call. And there are more qualified students out there who have won in Math competitions. Out of the many students who applied for this endowment fund, only 2 students from grade 5 and grade 6 are chosen. And one of them is my girl! To God be the glory!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!
My son came home from school shouting very loud, I am sure the whole neighborhood can hear...
Son : Mommy! Mommy! I have a surprise for you!
Me : (He reached home by then, so I do not have to shout back.) Wow! What is my surprise?
Son : (taking out a paper from his school bag) Here! A card I made for you!
Me : Wow! This is so nice... its so sweet of you. Why do I get a card today? ( I was thinking he might answer something about valentines day or that he loves me, etc.)
Son : Teacher said we cannot give it to our girlfriends e. We can only give it to our mommies. So you get it.
Wow! I should be grateful to the teacher.
Son : Mommy! Mommy! I have a surprise for you!
Me : (He reached home by then, so I do not have to shout back.) Wow! What is my surprise?
Son : (taking out a paper from his school bag) Here! A card I made for you!
Me : Wow! This is so nice... its so sweet of you. Why do I get a card today? ( I was thinking he might answer something about valentines day or that he loves me, etc.)
Son : Teacher said we cannot give it to our girlfriends e. We can only give it to our mommies. So you get it.
Wow! I should be grateful to the teacher.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Does Noah know about the mosquitoes?
One day, a naughty little neighbor made a big hole in our main screen door. We were not aware of it until we noticed lots of mosquitoes flying around at dinner time. Then, we knew, there must be another new hole. (Yup! This has happened before.) As usual, we had to bring out the electric mosquito zapper. But still, there were several flying around, bothering us as we were having dinner.
That night during bedtime...
Girl : Ma, does Noah know about the mosquitoes?
She is asking about Noah of the Ark fame. Now, I have always taught my kids that God made all things great and small, that means pesky insects included. Whenever they ask why God created insects like mosquitoes and coackroaches that could harm us. I tell them that when God created these insects, they were not intended to harm humans. It is because we humans do not know how to take care of them and the environment, and the world is so polluted now, that is why these insects have to bother us humans fo their food. My girl already know this. She also knows that Noah had all the animals of the land and air inside the Ark, (except for the fishes and sea creatures - their kind can obviously survive the flood). So, why would she ask a question for which she obviously know the answer? I suspected that this is just an opening or a preliminary question for another major question which would entail another lenghty discussion. And since it is already bedtime, I tried to discourage further discussion...
Me : Why don't you ask Noah yourself when you go to heaven?
Girl : But ma, surely, Noah would know about the mosquitoes, right?
(hmmm, very persistent.)
Boy : (Sounding very incredulous!) Atsi, you don't know the answer? Of course if you ask him, Noah would NOT know about the mosquitoes!
Me and Girl : (surprised) And Why not?
Boy : Because Noah DOES NOT speak English!
No wonder I suffer from insomnia...
That night during bedtime...
Girl : Ma, does Noah know about the mosquitoes?
She is asking about Noah of the Ark fame. Now, I have always taught my kids that God made all things great and small, that means pesky insects included. Whenever they ask why God created insects like mosquitoes and coackroaches that could harm us. I tell them that when God created these insects, they were not intended to harm humans. It is because we humans do not know how to take care of them and the environment, and the world is so polluted now, that is why these insects have to bother us humans fo their food. My girl already know this. She also knows that Noah had all the animals of the land and air inside the Ark, (except for the fishes and sea creatures - their kind can obviously survive the flood). So, why would she ask a question for which she obviously know the answer? I suspected that this is just an opening or a preliminary question for another major question which would entail another lenghty discussion. And since it is already bedtime, I tried to discourage further discussion...
Me : Why don't you ask Noah yourself when you go to heaven?
Girl : But ma, surely, Noah would know about the mosquitoes, right?
(hmmm, very persistent.)
Boy : (Sounding very incredulous!) Atsi, you don't know the answer? Of course if you ask him, Noah would NOT know about the mosquitoes!
Me and Girl : (surprised) And Why not?
Boy : Because Noah DOES NOT speak English!
No wonder I suffer from insomnia...
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Should I be comforted?
The father of the children left yesterday morning for his annual trip to the Hong Kong Fashion Fair. Last night, I thought of driving the kids to my parent's house to have dinner since we have not joined them for a family meal for a long time. As I was driving on a busy intersection, a passenger jeep on the opposite lane carelessly overtook another passenger jeep using my lane. Thus, he was running head-on to my vehicle at top speed. I had to stop to give way or else, we will surely have a head-on collision.
After a few minutes...
Son : Mom, can we contact daddy through YM?
Me : No, daddy did not bring his laptop this time.
Son : Did he bring his cel phone?
Me : Yes.
Son : Can your cel phone reach him even if he is in another country?
Me : Yes. We have roaming.
Son : (breathing a sigh of relief) Whew! That's a good thing.
Me : Why? You want to talk to him later before you sleep?
Son : Not really. Its just good to know that I can call him if you get killed by that jeep.
Should I be comforted by that thought?
After a few minutes...
Son : Mom, can we contact daddy through YM?
Me : No, daddy did not bring his laptop this time.
Son : Did he bring his cel phone?
Me : Yes.
Son : Can your cel phone reach him even if he is in another country?
Me : Yes. We have roaming.
Son : (breathing a sigh of relief) Whew! That's a good thing.
Me : Why? You want to talk to him later before you sleep?
Son : Not really. Its just good to know that I can call him if you get killed by that jeep.
Should I be comforted by that thought?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Star Class
That is what they call the Honors section at my children's school. They have a Star Class per level starting at Grade 5. Membership to Star Class is by invitation only. The school administration and teachers look at the students' grades and overall performance, including all academic and non-academic achievements from Kindergarten to Grade 4. Then, they choose the top 40 students for the Star Class. The school emphasizes that being in the Star Class is a privelege and therefore the students really have to perform well academically or they will be 'demoted' to a regular class the following school year.
Last year, my girl received an invitation to join the Star Class. She is in Grade 5 this year. I had second thoughts then, on letting her join the Star Class. I was thinking of the academic pressure. I do not want her to spend her whole free time buried in assignments and books. I want her to have other recreational activities like swimming, church activities, piano lessons and Chancel Repertory.
She wanted to join the Star Class because she was sure most of her friends will be there. So, Star Class, it is.
I'm glad of the decision. The girl has been most responsible since the start of the school year. I do not have to remind her to do her assignments or to review her lessons. She always wakes up on time for school and was never late for class. Being in the Star Class instills responsibility in itself. The girl has also learned to love her classes. She claims the teachers of the Star Class are way 'cooler' than the teachers of the regular class. The teachers have different ways of presenting their daily lessons which are more interesting to the students. That's a big plus factor in learning.
Last week, I witnessed an oral group declamation contest in Chinese. Each class has to recite a chapter of the Psalms with corresponding actions. I immdiately saw the difference in the performance of the Star Class. Even while lining up, the students were already more quiet and disciplined than the regular classes. Their performance was well-coordinated, their pronunciation clearer, their diction was more precise. They were truly the run-away winners.
This week, my daughter joined the "General Information" Contest. Now, my daughter is no stranger to competitions. She joins various competitions each year; but for her, the pressure to win is bigger this year because she would be representing the Star Class. For her, it would be embarrasing if another student from a regular class wins. Aside from that, all the other contests like Math or Science were all won by her classmates from the Star Class. The night before the contest, (which parents were not allowed to witness) I told her to pray about it and leave everything in God's hands. If she wins, she should thank God and give God all the glory for giving her enough knowledge. And if she loses, maybe God is teaching her a lesson... in humility perhaps? Well, now, we are thanking God and praising God because she was able to answer just one question that the other contestants were not able to answer. She won only by one point!!
Would I recommend Star Class to other students and parents? Definitely Yes! Not just for the academic advantage but for the responsibility and the attitude that being in the Star Class develops; for the pressure to excel, to have the opportunity to be the best that they can be.
My daughter said: There's not much difference between the Star Class and the regular class. The only difference is that during recitations, in the regular class, only a few raise their hands; in the Star Class, everybody raise their hands, and the teacher does not know whom to call...
Last year, my girl received an invitation to join the Star Class. She is in Grade 5 this year. I had second thoughts then, on letting her join the Star Class. I was thinking of the academic pressure. I do not want her to spend her whole free time buried in assignments and books. I want her to have other recreational activities like swimming, church activities, piano lessons and Chancel Repertory.
She wanted to join the Star Class because she was sure most of her friends will be there. So, Star Class, it is.
I'm glad of the decision. The girl has been most responsible since the start of the school year. I do not have to remind her to do her assignments or to review her lessons. She always wakes up on time for school and was never late for class. Being in the Star Class instills responsibility in itself. The girl has also learned to love her classes. She claims the teachers of the Star Class are way 'cooler' than the teachers of the regular class. The teachers have different ways of presenting their daily lessons which are more interesting to the students. That's a big plus factor in learning.
Last week, I witnessed an oral group declamation contest in Chinese. Each class has to recite a chapter of the Psalms with corresponding actions. I immdiately saw the difference in the performance of the Star Class. Even while lining up, the students were already more quiet and disciplined than the regular classes. Their performance was well-coordinated, their pronunciation clearer, their diction was more precise. They were truly the run-away winners.
This week, my daughter joined the "General Information" Contest. Now, my daughter is no stranger to competitions. She joins various competitions each year; but for her, the pressure to win is bigger this year because she would be representing the Star Class. For her, it would be embarrasing if another student from a regular class wins. Aside from that, all the other contests like Math or Science were all won by her classmates from the Star Class. The night before the contest, (which parents were not allowed to witness) I told her to pray about it and leave everything in God's hands. If she wins, she should thank God and give God all the glory for giving her enough knowledge. And if she loses, maybe God is teaching her a lesson... in humility perhaps? Well, now, we are thanking God and praising God because she was able to answer just one question that the other contestants were not able to answer. She won only by one point!!
Would I recommend Star Class to other students and parents? Definitely Yes! Not just for the academic advantage but for the responsibility and the attitude that being in the Star Class develops; for the pressure to excel, to have the opportunity to be the best that they can be.
My daughter said: There's not much difference between the Star Class and the regular class. The only difference is that during recitations, in the regular class, only a few raise their hands; in the Star Class, everybody raise their hands, and the teacher does not know whom to call...
Friday, October 19, 2007
Kids' All-Time Favorite
The children are crazy about "Lord of the Rings" right now. They both watched the movies. The girl had read all the three books, plus "The Hobbit" and is now looking forward to the "Silmarillion." It seems they know more about Middle Earth than the Real Earth!!!
Thanks to A-hia Elliott and his blog for showing us how to use the slideshow format. It is really cool to learn from each other!
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Cottontail
This is Cottontail, our first pet. He's a gift from the children's A-Kim (wife of my brother). He was newly weaned from his mother when we got him. The children named him Cottontail because he has a cute stub of white fur as a tail. They also agreed to give him a nickname in honor of the cartoon character - Bugs. These two names, however were never used. Because we just call him "Rabbit." Yup. With a capital R.
We never had a cage for Rabbit. He was free to roam around the house. He mainly stays in the second floor though, where the kitchen is. We have a pile of newspapers on the floor made at a corner for him. He instinctively knew he was supposed to sleep there, eat there, (that's where we place his food), and even does his thing there. He was very neat and clean. Never did he mess up any furniture.
Everyday when we come home, Rabbit would come running when we open the door. Then, he would try to climb our shoes and pants. Sometimes if the fabric we were wearing is thin, oh no! His long nails would scrape our skin. Ouch! We would joke that we do not have a rabbit, we have a dog!
He mainly eats cabbages. But he likes to eat so much... he even rummages the trash can for banana peels, garlic skins, and lots of stuff which we never thought a real rabbit eats! And people think they only eat carrots!
We lent Rabbit to a family friend when we had to go abroad. Nobody would be left to take care of him. When we came back, we heard that their little girl already loved Rabbit so much, we were ashamed to get Rabbit back. We were sure anyway that he will be taken cared of by the little girl. Goodbye Cottontail. We miss you.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
SuperHeroes
Super Heroes
I was reviewing my son his lesson on the National Symbols...
me : our national flower?
boy : sampaguita!
me: good! our national bird?
boy : umm..
me : the Philippine ...
boy : eagle! (yup, not the maya we studied in our childhood)
I knew both of us were watching too many Justice League when he excitedly exclaimed...
boy : Mommy, you know what? our country even has a national super hero!
me : Really?!?
(A super hero? Am I out of date now? who is our super hero? Ang Panday? Captain Barbel?...)
boy : Yeah, a doctor J something...
me : ( I really laughed out loud) Oh! he's not a super hero. just our national hero - Dr Jose Rizal!
I was reviewing my son his lesson on the National Symbols...
me : our national flower?
boy : sampaguita!
me: good! our national bird?
boy : umm..
me : the Philippine ...
boy : eagle! (yup, not the maya we studied in our childhood)
I knew both of us were watching too many Justice League when he excitedly exclaimed...
boy : Mommy, you know what? our country even has a national super hero!
me : Really?!?
(A super hero? Am I out of date now? who is our super hero? Ang Panday? Captain Barbel?...)
boy : Yeah, a doctor J something...
me : ( I really laughed out loud) Oh! he's not a super hero. just our national hero - Dr Jose Rizal!
Friday, July 21, 2006
Medium Smart
Medium Smart
I was giving the boy some math worksheets to answer. He doesn’t really like to answer the worksheets anymore. He claims he knows how to add and subtract already. I told him he has to practice some more so that he can be better at it.
He answered, “But mommy, I don’t want to be super smart. Medium smart is already okay. And I am already past medium smart!”
I was giving the boy some math worksheets to answer. He doesn’t really like to answer the worksheets anymore. He claims he knows how to add and subtract already. I told him he has to practice some more so that he can be better at it.
He answered, “But mommy, I don’t want to be super smart. Medium smart is already okay. And I am already past medium smart!”
Thursday, June 29, 2006
His Greatest Dream
His Greatest Dream
I was helping my son answer an autograph book one day…
Boy : name…
Me : (He read it and answered by himself! Very good…)
Boy : (slowly) nick…name. Mommy, what’s a nickname?
Me : That’s the name everybody calls you.
Boy : But my name and nickname is the same, do I have to write it twice?
Me : yes, for some other people, it’s not the same, so they ask that question.
Boy : (continuing to read slowly and answer… address, birthday, likes, dislikes and so
on)hmmm… greatest dream… but I don’t remember my dreams…
Me : No, not your dreams at night. it means, what do you want to be when you grow up.
Boy : hmmm… (thinking really hard and for a long time)
Boy : I want to be a billionaire!
Me : Umm, don’t you have any other higher goals?
(I was thinking of other lofty aspirations like having solid career or a loving
family…)
Boy : I got it! I want to be a trillionnaire!!!
I was helping my son answer an autograph book one day…
Boy : name…
Me : (He read it and answered by himself! Very good…)
Boy : (slowly) nick…name. Mommy, what’s a nickname?
Me : That’s the name everybody calls you.
Boy : But my name and nickname is the same, do I have to write it twice?
Me : yes, for some other people, it’s not the same, so they ask that question.
Boy : (continuing to read slowly and answer… address, birthday, likes, dislikes and so
on)hmmm… greatest dream… but I don’t remember my dreams…
Me : No, not your dreams at night. it means, what do you want to be when you grow up.
Boy : hmmm… (thinking really hard and for a long time)
Boy : I want to be a billionaire!
Me : Umm, don’t you have any other higher goals?
(I was thinking of other lofty aspirations like having solid career or a loving
family…)
Boy : I got it! I want to be a trillionnaire!!!
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Rapids?
We were preparing to go to Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna. And as I always do before a trip, I would start to incorporate lessons like teaching them about waterfalls, telling them we are going to ride a banca upstream, about the safety precautions and so on…
I realized my 5-year-old son did not get the lesson when…
Me : (Sounding excited) Well, now, are you prepared to shoot the rapids?
Son : I don’t want to go to the Waterfalls anymore.
Me : (Incredulous) WHY?!
Son : (Sounding very unhappy indeed) Because I don’t want to shoot the rabbits.
They’re so cute and cuddly… Why are we going to shoot them?...
I realized my 5-year-old son did not get the lesson when…
Me : (Sounding excited) Well, now, are you prepared to shoot the rapids?
Son : I don’t want to go to the Waterfalls anymore.
Me : (Incredulous) WHY?!
Son : (Sounding very unhappy indeed) Because I don’t want to shoot the rabbits.
They’re so cute and cuddly… Why are we going to shoot them?...
Friday, April 28, 2006
Grandmommy
During one of those after-dinner family night reading time, the little boy was chattering away beside me. I wasn’t paying much attention to him as I was so engrossed in my book. Then I heard him ask a question.
Boy: ma, what was grandmommy’s name when she was a little girl?
Me: (not taking my eyes off the book) her name is the same, a person’s name doesn’t change. You’re Jason now, you will still be Jason when you grow up.
Boy: huh? You mean, grandmommy was called grandmommy when she was a little girl?
Boy: ma, what was grandmommy’s name when she was a little girl?
Me: (not taking my eyes off the book) her name is the same, a person’s name doesn’t change. You’re Jason now, you will still be Jason when you grow up.
Boy: huh? You mean, grandmommy was called grandmommy when she was a little girl?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
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