T co-emceed his school’s holiday concert on Thursday evening and did a great job speaking and performing in front of 200 guests. His teacher let us know the week before of this role and we were thrilled for him! She said he was doing a great job and asked us to practice with him. HeContinue reading “A Moment to Shine”
Tag Archives: growth mindset
Creating Space for Something New
“The park is fading away,” T said with sadness during a recent bedtime, as I was tucking him in. He said that several mulberry trees had been chopped off over the late summer. Earlier in the summer, the trees provided great enjoyment, after the hubby and T noticed a group of seniors picking wild mulberriesContinue reading “Creating Space for Something New”
“Every Day is a Blessing”
T snuck up on me while I was reading on the couch and with a mischievous grin, he said earnestly, “Every day is a miracle.” I still chuckle at this exchange and I also see the wisdom, intended or not, in his innocent words. Yesterday morning, I attended the funeral of a family friend andContinue reading ““Every Day is a Blessing””
Building a Child’s Confidence
With less than a handful of days of school left, I’m leaving with one key takeaway: confidence is built and nurtured. T’s Grade 4 year flew by. Many things clicked this year. With his CYW’s continued support, T has grown academically, personally and socially. Even daycare staff have noted how far he has come. ThereContinue reading “Building a Child’s Confidence”
Cooking with T: Hong Kong Tomato Beef
Our 10-year-old got a taste of being a cook when he helped me make dinner and filmed it for a reel. Caregivers of neurodiverse children can attest that they can be very selective eaters, due to sensory sensitivities, such as smell or texture. I’ve learned to let go of worrying about what T eats orContinue reading “Cooking with T: Hong Kong Tomato Beef”
Teaching Kids Personal Life Management
My friends and I, now in our 40s, think fondly about a class that we took 30 years ago in Grade 9, which remains one of the most useful classes ever. “Personal Life Management,” or PLM for short, covered practical life skills, including financial literacy, through reflective discussions, journaling and assignments. I thought about PLMContinue reading “Teaching Kids Personal Life Management”
Meeting a Karen
“Aren’t Karens mean?” T asked when I let him know we found him a tutor. It was not the first time he’s made such a comment. The other time was directly at a grocery cashier named Karen. Thankfully, in the case of his new academic support, she has been wonderful and kind so far. FindingContinue reading “Meeting a Karen”
It’s All in the Details
An important lesson that school teaches kids is that details and presentation matter; and they help move average towards excellent. Two weeks ago, we learned that T had to complete a diorama about a Canadian region of his choice and accompanied by a research report and presentation. My first thought was “What fresh hell isContinue reading “It’s All in the Details”
Lost in Translation
Learning a new language is hard. Having a laugh with it, intentional or not, makes it fun. Like other Grade 4 public school students, T started French class this year. It’s a good thing the hubby is fluent, so he can help T with the work, as needed. His CYW shared photos of T’s presentationContinue reading “Lost in Translation”
This Grateful Heart
When chaos disrupts my peace, gratitude helps reframe my focus to face the challenges ahead. On our recent flight home from a wonderful family vacation in Mexico, T had a full-blown meltdown during boarding. The hubby had deleted his favourite game from the phone, which I had advised the hubby against giving to T beforehand.Continue reading “This Grateful Heart”
Full STEAM Ahead: Nurturing Creativity and Curiosity in Neurodiverse Kids
It turns out our sweet T has burgeoning skills other than driving me batshit crazy. I say this with love and fondness. 😇 I recently watched the documentary “I’m Tim,” about the rise and tragic loss of EDM artist Avicii, whose upbeat music T and I enjoy. It struck me how supportive his parents wereContinue reading “Full STEAM Ahead: Nurturing Creativity and Curiosity in Neurodiverse Kids”
Window to His Soul
Art is healing, inspiring, a form of self expression and for caregivers, a glimpse inside their children’s thoughts. Before Christmas break, T’s teacher sent home his fall school work, which included his journal. This past week, I started reading his daily journal entries and they are a delight. I remember my very first journal, aContinue reading “Window to His Soul”
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile
Christmas was full of relaxation and melancholy. We kept plans to a minimum – family dinner on Christmas Eve and dinner with friends tonight – and otherwise, lazy days at home. On Christmas, I opened my eyes at 7 am and T’s head was poking through our door like a ferret. I quickly shut myContinue reading “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile”
The Scarecrow
What are the urban legends we tell to keep people in line? On a recent Sunday grocery run with T, as I parked the car, he said, “There’s an owl on the roof.” I love that T notices things that we normally miss. There indeed was an owl on the roof of the supermarket, picturedContinue reading “The Scarecrow”
Running for Life: “I’m Not a Quitter”
Thanksgiving is quieter and simpler this year. Two years ago, I hosted dinner for Ma and my sister; the latter had just moved in with us after receiving her terminal cancer diagnosis. Last year, Ma was at the Philippines for an extended visit and I don’t remember if we even did anything for Thanksgiving. SoContinue reading “Running for Life: “I’m Not a Quitter””
The Stories We Tell
Stories inform, inspire, and illuminate life’s complexities and contradictions. Earlier this week, our team at work participated together in a learning and reflection activity to pay respect to National Truth and Reconciliation Day, which is observed on September 30. We watched a short documentary that featured interviews with survivors of the residential school system. MyContinue reading “The Stories We Tell”
“Up My Butt!”
This is a wholesome and positive post, I promise. Two weeks into the new school year 4, T and our family are settling into more structured days. Some good news, T still has his Child and Youth Worker support for academic subjects. It is very rare for a 4th grader to have this support andContinue reading ““Up My Butt!””
The Boy with the Big Outdoor Voice
“Oh my God, when is that baby going to stop crying,” our 9-year-old said loudly during our recent flight home from Banff. I was horrified and amused. The woman behind us burst out laughing. Such is the life with T, who is never shy to speak his mind, even and especially when things are bestContinue reading “The Boy with the Big Outdoor Voice”
Born This Way
We kicked off T’s summer by marching in Canada’s largest Pride parade and championed freedom to information. I have a leadership role on my work’s Pride employee group and was part of the team that organized our march. For the second year, we chose the theme of intellectual freedom and reused signs from last year,Continue reading “Born This Way”
Goal Posts
Grade 3 is in the history books and we’re kicking summer off with soccer. T has recently developed a love for soccer. Thanks to his CYW, he had his own soccer ball and played soccer at recess with a group of boys. There were bumps along the way, as T gets upset when he doesn’tContinue reading “Goal Posts”
My Life With T 