I Love Math

Tomorrow is Saturday. Ken thinks hard what he will do tomorrow.

He has no assignments. The weather is going to be nice. One would expect that a child would want to go to the playground and just spend the day playing.

Ken comes up to his mom and makes a request.

He tells his Mom to buy him an activity book so he can do some serious math problems.

The next day, his Mom buys Ken a Math workbook. When Mom gets back home, Ken is so excited with the new workbook.

"I won't be bored anymore. I have something to keep me busy." And he jumped in and started answering the problems.

Teaching my kids problem solving early in life would hopefully prepare them for the rough road ahead.

 

Done in 20 minutes

Nataniel Ken loves challenges. So he got this puzzle as a gift last Christmas. He opened it and tried to solve it himself. But the puzzle was not the usual big pieces that is easy to connect. This one got the 100 pieces with colors almost similar. This was tough for him and he sought for help. But everybody was busy. He asked for an adult to help him. But they only told him to try it himself first. Determined, Ken did his best.

And he was done in 20 minutes.

 

A Short Story given during Ken's Christmas Party in his School

Welcome to the Annual Christmas Party of Joy Kiddy Garden Learning Center. Itong event na ito ay very important and special for our kids and for our family. It has actually become a sort of family tradition. We have been coming to this party every year for the last four years because my kids are here. Two years ago, my daughter Neya and her friend Ayela were the ones singing. This year my son Ken and his classmates are celebrating Christmas. Next year and the following years, my pamangkin will still be here so andito pa rin kami. So it is like a family tradition. Speaking of tradition, the Simbang gabi every 5 o’clock here in the church is another tradition that I invite you to attend. Lalo na bukas, because joy Kiddy is the host. Lalo na at guapo daw ang speaker bukas. Artistahin.

I would like to share a story as a reminder of what our Christmas party is all about.

Once upon a time, there were two siblings - a little princess and a little prince who was invited to a birthday party of a king. They were so excited to go to the party because they know it was going to be fun, with lots of games, singing, dancing, yummy foods, and they know that the prince will also give away gifts to those who will attend the party. The boy prince was excited what will be the games in the party? How will he win the games? Will there be good prizes for the games? The little princess was also excited with the party. She wants to wear her pretty dress going to the party. She wants to dance and sing. She was also curious what will be the gifts the baby king will give to them for attending the party. They enjoyed so much the party that they were excited for the party again next year and the following year and the following year.

At the end of the party, the king said he will give away special gifts to his friends who attended the party. The king said he will give mansion castle – a house and lot to all his friends. And so the prince and the princess were excited because they participated in all the events in the party. They were pretty sure that they will receive the special gift from the king.

So, the king was giving away the gifts to his friends, and then the prince and the princess came to the king ready to receive their gifts of a new mansion castle. But the king, asked them, who are you? Are you my friends? The prince said, your friends are my friends. I joined them to celebrate your party and I also played the games and won prizes. We are friends. The princess said, I came to your birthday party in my prettiest dress and I dance and sing and had fun in your party, we are friends.  But the king said, “I don’t know you. Even if you celebrate and join my birthday party, you did not bother to know me. You never talked to me, you never came to me and greeted me, you never played with me nor approached me. How can I be your friend? Coming to my party and enjoying it does not make you my friends. You should approach me, talk to me, play with me, build a relationship with me, that’s what makes friendship.”  A birthday party only becomes special celebration and fun if you are friends with the birthday celebrant.

As we have our Christmas party, I hope that each one of us here are friends with the birthday celebrant – the King of kings and Lord of lord, Jesus. Merry Christmas and I hope we will all have a fun and special celebration with this Christmas party.   

Thank you and God bless.

Ken singing "We 3 Kings"

 

Broken toys

As we were fixing our stuff to move into the new apartment, I told Ken that we should throw away his Batman toy because it's missing a hand and a feet. "You won't have any use of this toy because it no longer has two hands and two legs." He replied quite assertively, " but you said even people who do not have hands and feet can still be useful. This toy can still be useful!"

Sometimes, our prejudices translates into the small things that we say and think. This as we tend to separate our life perspectives into what is "reality" and what is "ideal." But little children understand things in a more holistic way. Everything is the same for all things - toys or not. How you perceive a toy is how you perceive all things.

It is a good reminder for us to have integrity in what we say. If we say that people with only one hand or one leg or one eye are differently-abled persons, it must be so too for toys!

Sick

Nataniel Ken is sick for the second day now. He had fever yesterday. Today, he did not go to school. A little while ago, he vomited the food and milk he had for dinner. This is the second time he vomited since yesterday. My wife is getting worried.

We continue to pray for healing...

First Day of School

Nataniel Ken is three years old and ready for school. Today is his first day of school. Even though it was raining, this did not stop the little boy to be excited to go to his first school day. He never let go of his school bag the whole day even though his class was in the afternoon. And because it was Ken's first day of school, we wanted to be there and so we had to absent ourselves from work. Ken's sister Neya was excited too. She was even worried she asked me, "Dad what if Ken's teacher will ask them to write their name? He does not know yet to write his name. We have to teach him!" And so, despite the pouring rain and the threat of Bagyong Butsoy, Ken went to his first day of school. Watch the video.

What's your name?

Ken at two years and 5 months. When asked:

"What is your name?"

He flashes his smile and then raises his right hands and flashes his fingers giving the "two" sign. He has mastered giving the "two" sign only recently that is why he is so proud of his accomplishment. So I just give him a hug. When asked again:

"How old are you?"

He smiles again and gives the "two" sign! I just hug him again.

Then he says, "again, again Daddy..." And so:

"What is your name?"

"Two." Hehehe...