Aikido 7th Kyu Grading Test

Grading test about to start.. Can you spot the boy from the pic?

Last round of practice before the test

Our boy had his 2nd Aikido test - 7th Kyu grading on the last day of 2011 which he passed with yellow belt.  He started Aikido classes a year ago.  We initially signed him up for unlimited classes but changed to once a week classes after 3 months.  He would have advanced faster if he had attended classes more often but we simply don't have the luxury of time.  Now with us moving further away from the dojo, he can only afford to attend classes once a week.   Not that there isn't any Aikido dojo around where we live but for now, we'll stick to the present one as the boy prefers it this way.

Other than attending Aikido and art classes, the boy is joining his 1st dhamma class in our neighbourhood tomorrow morning.  That's enough to keep his weekends occupied and for now, we have no intention to send him for tuition classes, not yet as the mommy thinks the load is still  manageable for her but of course  a SOS distress signal will be sent out when things start to get out of hand and that is the time when she has to let the outsourced tutor takes over.  She hopes this day will never come as she still prefers to coach her son personally. *fingers crossed*

Aikido 8th Kyu Grading

Waiting for the grading test to start.. look at my boy's nervous face. Haha..

Test about to begin.. graded by the chief instructor, Sonny Loke Sensei (6th dan black belt)

And yeah.. he made it to the rank of 8th kyu (the lowest rank of Aikido).. Way to go, boy!

Subang SS15 Rojak & Cendol @ PJ State

My plate of rojak - RM4.50

I send the boy to his Aikido class every Saturday afternoon.  It's an one hour class but most of the time it drags until  1 1/2 hours or later.  On some days, I will bring a book and sit on the seats provided for parents while waiting for him.  On other days, I will drive a short distance to this mamak restaurant selling only rojak and cendol.   

The signboard of the restaurant reads Subang SS15 Rojak & Cendol but I am not sure if they are related to the famous rojak stall in SS15.  Anyone cares to enlighten?

Cendol.. soo refreshing!  RM1.70

His First Aikido Test

The boy is having his first 8th kyu Aikido Test end of this month.   He is quite excited about it and even drew out the steps on his own initiative, without being told.  I first signed him up for the unlimited classes package but we barely made it there twice a week due to time constraint so now he goes there once a week instead.

I am happy to see that he is slowly showing interest in the martial art after 5 months.  At some time during the earlier stage, he found having to practise the same steps repetitively dull and boring but this is what Aikido is about, its technique is very subtle and usually requires long time of practice until you get it right.  Unlike Taekwando that practises on strikes and kicks, Aikido practises more on twirling and twisting and as it progresses, the use of weapons like sword and staff.

Other than his Aikido lessons, he has his Robotics and Hanyu Pinyin classes at his school every Saturday and Sundays are his only rest day but not for long as I intend to send him back to Sunday school in the neighbourhood but the mommy has to complete the induction and buddishm course (4 sessions of 3 hours each) before he will be accepted.

On another note, I got this from my boy few days before Mother's Day, a tad backdated but I want this recorded in the blog.

Awww..  Sweet..

1st Yoshinkan Aikido Class

The higher grade Aikidokas in training

Ian went for his Aikido trial class last Saturday afternoon.  I signed him up for the starter programme soon after the class ended.  The starter programme allows him to have unlimited lessons for 3 months.  He was so eager and excited that he couldn't wait to wear his new dogi set (uniform) and wanted us to take him there the next day.  After going through  the timetable, there's a total of 8 classes in a week that he can attend but too bad we just don't have this much of time to spare.   I think the best I can do is to let him have a back to back of two sessions (1 hr each) on Saturday and another one on Sunday but then again it depends solely on whether he has exams approaching or not. :(

I fell in love with the ambience of the dojo (training centre) the moment I stepped in, very airy and filled ith natural sunlight.  It's converted from a spacious old bungalow.  The flooring of the dojo is covered with tatami mats.  My boy loves the mats so much that he can't resist rolling on them as soon as the class ended. LOL....

This starter group was led by a handsome young guy with black belt

Ian trying to copy his peer's movement

All set to go for his 11am session in his new dogi set(uniform) yesterday

Why hubby and myself choose Aikido......

1.  Aikido is a non-aggressive martial art.  Basically, that you can't really start a fight with Aikido - you can only finish one. Aikido doesn't encourage kids to have Power Rangers Syndrome, in which they go around punching and kicking their friends, siblings, dogs, and cats. Aikido technique starts when someone else "breaks the rules", i.e. attacks.

2.  It teaches him to be calm and alert.

3.  It teaches him self defense

4.  It teaches him to work in harmony with the environment

5.  It makes him tired!!!  LOL....

Happy And Not So Happy

While in the car on the way to the boy's school this afternoon, we had this conversation:

Mommy:  Boy, you'll have science robotic class followed by Han Yu Pin Yin class tomorrow morning, ok.
Ian: Ok.. Oh, I will be happy first then not so happy..
Mommy: ^_^

He loves science and had been bugging me to enrol him to the science robotic classes organized by his school's PIBG.  He wanted to take up Taekwando too at his school but the timing clashed with his other activities. After some research and recommendations by a friend, I decided to enrol him for Aikido instead.  This boy is always filled to the brim with energy and loves all kinds of physical activities and both daddy and mommy think it's good to let him have some exercise to wear off the extra energy. 

Glass Painting Workshop @Pusat Sains Negara

I received a phone call from Cik Kimi of Pusat Sains Negara half an hour before the glass painting workshop started.  She called to remind me of this workshop we had signed up earlier.  Her thoughtfulness and effort was really commendable and I was totally impressed.    

The workshop was held on the top floor of the centre.  We got to choose a glass among glasses printed with different species of dinosaurs.  My boy chose one with T-Rex design and started his project right away.  He was given a brush, a cup of water to wash the brush and glass paints of different colours.

 Work in progress

Some of the kids' finished work and my boy's on the right

He finished his glass painting work in 30 minutes and shortly after, started with DIY keychain. 

How to make DIY keychain:

1. Put the shrinkable inkjet plastic sheet over your chosen picture image and trace the image with a permanent marker pen.

2.  Colour the picture image

3.  Cut out the picture image

4.  Punch a hole into the top of the finished sheet and put into a preheated oven at 200 degrees

5. Powder the oven tray with talcum powder so that it won't stick

6. Watch your dinosaur shrinks in the oven to the desired size

7.  Allow the shrunken picture to cool

8.  Attach it to a key ring and it's done!

Compared to the workshop we attended the day before that required lots of complicated steps and skills, help from mommy was inevitable  This one required less effort and the steps were literally simpler that my boy could finish his task without much problems.  Mommy had most of the time mingling with other parents while the children kept busy with their works.

As we had finished our works, we decided to leave early as the room was getting cramped with more participants coming in.  I didn't know there was another certificate of attendance issued to my boy until Cik Kimi called yet again for my home address so that she could mail it to me. Really paiseh. Hehehe..

My fried meehoon Malay style and my boy's roti telur and dhal.  We both had air limau ais.

While on our way back home, my boy complained of hunger so we dropped by at our nearby mamak restaurant.

Before and and after the haircut

Before heading home, I took my boy for a haircut at the nearby barber shop and guess how much I was charged.  RM10 for a child hair cut!  I remember it was only RM8 not long ago at the same place and there's one within the vicinity that charges RM9 with a lollipop given FOC and it's even cheaper at RM5 only at our old house area.  Looks like RM10 can't really buy much these days, huh..

Juicing The Creativity Workshop @Pusat Sains Negara

We went happily for the workshop yesterday afternoon at Pusat Sains Negara (National Science Centre) with no knowledge that it had ended by noon. :(  This "big head prawn" mommy had mistaken this one for the other one which she had also registered his son and that the class was in the afternoon. Luckily the officer in-charge, Cik Kimi was so helpful that she took down my mobile number and promised to call early this morning should anyone did not turn up and so she did.  They had the second and last session of the same workshop this morning.  Thank you so much, Cik Kimi!

Never mind that we landed there on a wrong date and time, we nevertheless enjoyed our time there doing colouring while waiting for the 2.30pm science show that we missed the other day.  There were two science experiments being carried out on that day. 

1st Experiment: Chemical reaction -- Add in hydrogen peroxide (acid) in a tall cylinder, add a squirt of dish dishwashing liquid, add a tablespoon of potassium iodide (chemical salt) and stand back.  A foam of oxygen bubbles and soap rises quickly up the cylinder and out the top, like toothpaste squirting out of a tube (see below picture)

2nd Experiment:  Freezes a small balloon filled with water in liquid nitrogen (similar to dry ice block but even lower temperature of -196 degrees Fahrenheit) in less than 30 seconds.  Cold=shrink, hot=expand were also demonstrated where an inflated balloon were placed in a box filled with liquid nitrogen, it shrunk but when it was let free in room temperature, it's back to its normal shape in a mere few seconds. Amazing! At least for me and my boy la..

We arrived at the science centre this morning at 9.35am and had two and a half hours creative and fun time with Mr Nakano, a volunteer from JICA (Japan International  Cooperation Agency) who spoke fluent English.  He announced that he was to share with us something that he learned whilst in Jakarta -- The making of a propeller and a kite.  Here it goes...

   

A propeller made out of a bamboo stick, cardboard, plastic bottles and rubber punched from sandals.

A lucky number was found on the plastic propeller.  Must go and try my luck.. Lady luck seems to start shining on me lately *wink* 

The kite was made mainly from straws for its frames, the propeller from plastic bottle cut outs attached with rubber bands through the hole of the straw to provide power to the kite. 

How to fly:

1. Wind the rubber band by twisting the front propeller. 

2. Hold the kite pointed in the direction you want it to fly and slightly upward. 

3. Hold the propeller in place so the rubber band will not unwind. 

4. Release your kite with a light toss and here you go.. wheeee...

Wheeee... mommy, my "threadless" kite can really fly, no more pulling threads. :)

All participants were presented with an attendance certificate and a group photo together before leaving.  Can you spot Ian in the photo?  He's just next to the right of Mr Nakano with only his head visible. :)

We are looking forward to tomorrow's workshop: Glass Painting.  Stay tuned for the updates.

You might be interested to read other related post entries too. Please click on the link below to read.

http://inspiredmomx1.blogspot.com/2010/12/walking-with-dinosaurs-in-dinos-alive.html

http://inspiredmomx1.blogspot.com/2010/12/dinos-alive-pusat-sains-negara.html

Last but not least, wishing everyone here A Happy Winter Solstice!  I am enjoying a bowl of chilled, soft yet bouncy tong yuen now, made by my mom in-law.  It's the yummiest tong yuen I have ever tasted..

My bowl of chilled tong yuen. Yumz!

1st Swimming Lesson

Practising frog kicking

He was taught some breathing exercise and frog kicks on the first day and he seemed to enjoy it very much.  I just googled some you tube clips for him to view on different swimming styles and he was all excited about them especially butterfly style. LOL...  He will be having his second lesson tomorrow and yes, we signed him up for the twice a week lessons and hopefully he can at least stay afloat in water before the school starts again next year.  What??  In 6 weeks' time?  Am I too optimistic or is it too tall an order for my boy?  Well, we'll see. :P

Playing Sports On Rainy Days..

Badminton Racquets

Table Tennis

Basketball

It rains almost everyday and we have to resort playing sports indoor these days.  There was no way I could find my old badminton racquets so I ended up buying two from the lower range.  I also got a table tennis set but haven't got around playing it. 

We had  followed our timetable religiously and went for our one hour exercise from 8am to 9am every morning until ONE MORNING WHEN...

I had a game of badminton with hubby two Sundays ago at this badminton hall that I sprained my arm muscles after 20 minutes into the game.    So no more exercise for the supposedly  2 days which I have promised my boy to nurse my sprained arm but it has since stretched far beyond that as the laziness within me creeps in after that 2 days of sleeping in till 9am. Gosh! Oh No..

Hey, mommy mommy wakey wakey... You are my mentor and you just cannot simply call it quits knowing very well that perseverance does pay off handsomely and in this case to instill perseverance and never give up attitude in your  boy.   Hey.. Wakey wakey...

Dhamma Sunday School

Ian with his Sunday school classmate

We reached Dhamma Sunday School a bit early last Sunday as Ian wanted to borrow books from the library.  There was a fire drill session going on conducted by the Bomba officers.  We took the opportunity to snap photos of my boy and his classmate from the Dhamma school with the fire truck as background. 

He has attended two sessions so far and can't wait to have his third one this coming Sunday. He had good experience on his first session when he was rewarded with a little dino soft toy by his teacher after giving a correct answer to a question. :)

Basketball Session

Ready...Aim...

Throw..& Goal!

Yeah!

We went for the first time to the Futsal/Basketball court located in our condo this morning.  My boy has been complaining about tiredness all the time even though he has at least 9 hours sleep every day.  He did not get much exercise since school started and  had only one PE session last week in school.  It rained this week during PE session and they ended up being confined to their classroom.

I have one hour exercise session added into his timetable.  Yes, he demanded for a timetable! I did one for him during the school holidays and he liked it!  This also means the lazy mommy must also sweat herself out  a bit larr..   Hopefully the timetable, the exercise session part in particular, is being followed through by the mentor no other than this lazy mommy..Keeping all my fingers and toes crossed.

JMC Book 3 - Little Blue Bird

Mental Arithmetic Classes

I have always wanted to sign Ian up for additional maths classes but was indecisive which one to go for: Kumon or Mental Arithmetic. I personally favour the concept Mental Arithmetic adopted for the reason here.

Ian brought home a form from school for enrolment to the mental arithmetic classes and it will be held at his primary school on every Saturday. As all additional classes in his school was organized by the PIBG of the school, the fee was a fraction of the cost from sending him to a tuition center.

The class starts next Saturday and as I also intend to sign Ian up for the "Hanyu Pin Yin" (phonetic notations for standard Chinese) classes, that simply means that Ian will have his Saturdays packed with activities with morning spent at the school while afternoons, Yamaha Music School. :(

Updates - Yamaha JMC Book 3

Good Morning

March Of The Little Bears

London Bridge

It has been quite a while since I last posted updates of Ian's progress in his Yamaha JMC lesson. He started Book 3 three months ago and another three months' time , he would be in his final book 4 of JMC.

Ian had never stopped pestering about wanting to pursue musical instruments like flute, guitar and drums upon completion of JMC and obviously piano would have to be his last option and to my dismay, he likes listening to rock music! *rolls eyes*

A Dip In The Pool

I just came up from a dip in the pool with Ian. I have not done so for like ages and that explains why till today I am still hopeless in learning to swim. :(

Ian is getting more confident now and even made several jumping attempts into the pool, well, though fully equipped with all the swimming gears he can get his hands on, a kickboard, goggles, a swimming trainer around the chest and a pair of arm float, I still think that this is indeed an achievement for him, at least he has overcome his fear of water.

I intend to accompany him to the pool every evening or at least thrice a week to get him familiarized with water before he starts his swimming lessons soon. I had lived in landed houses all my life but I am beginning to enjoy living in a condo environment where we get to enjoy facilities such as sauna, gym, squash, badminton, tennis, swimming, basket ball and cycling, yes, cycling.. I can see from our condo unit that on most evenings, some Japanese residents are seen cycling around with their families in the gated compound.

We have yet to utilise all facilities other than the swimming pool and would like to explore one by one when time allows.

Free Kumon Maths Classes

I am still undecided if I should let Ian to go for Kumon or Mental Arithmetic classes. Kumon is offering two weeks free Maths classes from 17 to 30 November. The free classes offer four study sessions.

There is one Kumon centre just across the street from our condo and a lot of transport time will be saved if I go for Kumon. But then, I heard that Kumon method doesn't involve much teaching, only typical drilling and repetitive worksheets and parents pay RM120 per month to receive homework twice a week, 1/2 hour each time.

Swimming Lessons for Ian

I have always eager to enrol Ian for swimming lessons but coming to think of having to chauffeur him around apart from his music and art classes, I hesitated.

We moved into our condo two weeks ago and have been on the lookout for a swimming instructor who conducts lessons in our condo's pool for Ian. I saw a notice recruiting students for swimming lessons on the notice board of our condo's management office this afternoon. The swimming instructor charges RM450 (10% discount for kids) for 12 lessons of basic course with a guarantee that the student would be able to swim upon completion of the course. I am inclined to enrol him to the course once his exam is over this week.

I have always wanted Ian to learn this survival skills as I am totally hopeless in this area. Since young, my little boy would only "dip" in a shallow pool with water depth max to his thigh and would never dare to go beyond that. Now that we live in a condo, I trust my boy should have no problem overcoming his fear of water. I will keep my fingers crossed.