Parenting 103

It's been a good week.

It didn't start off so well, when I loss the coin toss to attend Parent-Teacher meet.
I'll spare the details... least to say that I better practice on my coin tossing...
Sure, we want some feedback on how the child is doing in school, but i'm not sure whether I really want to know every infringement that happens...

Oh, oh yes, as I was saying, it's been a good week.
Being the school holidays last week, plus my own resolution (and lots of prayer) to be more loving, I tried being less "uptight" - don't sweat the small stuff. And it worked somewhat - I actually enjoyed the relationship better, when I wasn't snapping at every little thing, and nagging.

Ok, also ignoring the 2 incidents events of outright lying to get out of homework, but relatively (compared to the past) it's been a good week.

I felt bad coz I couldn't take leave coz of work, so my lovely wife arranged a family holiday on Saturday. And we had a great time - minibus took us (w 2 other families) to Johor, where we visited a kelong (my son got to fish in a floating net breaming with hungry "milk" fish or Ikan Bandeng - almost shooting fish in a barrel, only easier.
We had to pay RM1 for each fish we caught, and another RM2 if we wanted to take it home. Was a bit strange until I realized that once a fish is caught, it is left jumping in a dry barrel till it dies - quite a loud (fish really strong and keeps jumping) messy (bit bloody) affair. And if u dun want it, they'll freeze it to be sold to the market. They tell me that once the fish is hooked, it dies eventually - so they don't throw it back.
After that, we got to eat lunch, and at the risk of being the obscene Singaporean - the food was really cheap! We had soup, veges, toufu, steamfish (w this lovely assam samble sauce), deep fried calamari (really really good), fried chicken w thai sauce, curry prawns (really nice too, lots of spices, curry leaves and dried prawns), desert - more food than we could finish, and all for RM15 each. Amazing stuff - definitely returnable.
We spent some time in shopping mall, before heading to Royal London Circus show. Now, being spoilt Singaporeans, we got front row seats - and it was really good fun. First time to a live circus, and being right in front, was really quite good fun. If only the trapeze artist didn't fall on top of me, it'll would have been more enjoyable...
Well, all in all, it was an overseas holiday, for abt $300 for the whole fam!

Oh yes, back to being less uptight, I was proud to say that after church, whilst talking with some friends, I saw my oldest disturbing my youngest till he cried, then when bored, started poking and disturbing my daughter (I watched from the corner of my eye, but didn't say anything and surprising didn't get angry). Ok, I was not impressed when he complained to me that one of his siblings hit him (in retaliation no doubt) - and I recounted his misadventures, that IF YOU CAN'T TAKE IT, DON'T DISH IT OUT!!!

Well, it's a start. I need to work hard at being loving, and to show it, be less uptight/nitpicking - but what a big hill to climb, and a long way to go. But's its a start.
Training in righteousness (both for my son and myself), is a long term thing - there's no instant obedience unfortunately. Took Israelites 40 years to get to promise land, took me 20+ years to finally repent before God... and just as God didn't give up on me, I gotta work hard and persevere.

It's a good week - gotta give thanks to God, when I can.