Celebrating Shan Le's 4th Birthday at Urban Toddlers

We celebrated Shan Le's 4th birthday at his school on Thursday 14 October 2010.  His birthday is on 18 October 2010 but we decided to do this little party earlier as he needs to attend speech therapy in the afternoon on his birthday.

We had a very close shave on Thursday and we almost missed the time the school allocated for parents to hold birthday parties.  Well, we actually arrived at 1.20pm when we were supposed to start at 1pm.  After 1.30pm, all the kids will start to leave. It was a hectic day really.  Our driver, Samir, had to go for a minor operation and I had to drive down to Maadi with Irene to collect the cake and cookies.  I was held back because of work and left late.  Worse, I could not find find my way to Kum's Cake and spent about 15 minutes circling Maadi looking for the place and got muy bumper dented in the process :-(

The worst part is getting stuck for a good 10 minutes in Kasr El-Nil street in downtown Cairo.  I should not have taken that road! But fortunately, the road cleared up and I managed to get to the nursery in time for the party.  We rushed to place the cake and laying out the plates and serviettes while the teachers and helpers get the kids to sit down.  We sang the birthday song for Le Le in both English and Arabic, blow the candles, cut the cakes and finishing them up all in 10 minutes!!!

The sad thing is that I lost the video clip I took with my Android phone....

拜读三字经

善乐这一个月以来每日上下课在车里都听着朗诵[三字经]的CD。也不知道是他的记忆力好呢还是[三字经]的文字押韵的太好，他已经能背下二十八四句168个字：


人之初，性本善。性相近，习相远。苟不教，性乃迁。教之道，贵以专。
昔孟母，择邻处。子不学，断机杼。窦燕山，有义方。教五子，名俱扬。
养不教，父之过。教不严，师之惰。子不学，非所宜。幼不学，老何为。
玉不琢，不成器。人不学，不知义。为人子，方少时。亲师友，习礼仪。
香九龄，能温席。孝于亲，所当执。融四岁，能让梨。弟于长，宜先知。
首孝弟，次见闻。知某数，识某文。一而十，十而百。百而千，千而万
三才者，天地人。三光者，日月星。三纲者，君臣义。父子亲，夫妇顺。


希望这中华“蒙书之冠”能为他奠定良好的论理，道德以及语言基础。

解读三字经

最近我正在收看百家讲坛钱文忠教授解读[三字经]，感触良多．[三字经]据说是宋朝以来传统中国儿童的启蒙读物．'人之初，性本善．性相近，习相远' 短短十二个字的开头就包含了中国儒家的深层思想．我们先不去争论这哲理是否正确．毕竟，千百年以来人性是否善恶各家一直争论不休．钱文忠教授将［人之初，性本善］论为我们对人类的美好期望的看法，我是非常赞同的．可是我也意识到人的善性是需要后天的教育方能展现的．

回顾我当初为善乐命名的时候，我就是希望他這一生萬事都 '以善為本, 為善最樂'．我們終究無法照顧他的一生. 我們可以作到的就是灌輸他正確的價值觀, 讓他一生受用不盡. 我們深切相信, 只要他能以善待人, 他會感覺他的人生是快樂的. 当初想法至今没变. 可是认识了[三字经]后让我更进一步的思考要如何灌輸他正確的價值觀. '养不教，父之过'. 把孩子生下来却不教育他, 是父亲的过错. 教育孩子可不仅仅是给与他知识而已.更重要的是灌輸他正確的價值觀.


在现今的教育制度, 重心是放在学习知识上. 正确价值观的教育则是次要. 因为我们国家的多元化, 国家教育对于价值观的灌输是相当敏感的. 必须提防以一个种族或一个宗教的观点来设定'正确'的价值观. 基本的是非对错事没什么敏感. 但其他的价值观比如[三字经]及儒家所倡导的孝悌就不一定是所有人所一致认同的. 对我而言, 教育的重心应该放在正確价值观的灌输. 既然校园注重于知识的教育, 家中身为父母的我们就必须加强教育孩子正確的价值观而不是一昧的督促学校课业的得失. 这是我的个人看法也是我对于善乐的教育方针.


要如何实践就得深思一翻了......

忙碌

忙碌！进入任期的最后一年原本应该是可以从容的应付业务上的一切。没想到这第三年是如此的难熬。办公室的装潢工程已经展开，我几乎天天都得加班。周休二日也时常需要回办公室监督工程。能给与家人的时间越来越短。精力都投入了业务也无法提起精神和乐乐玩耍。回头思来，这牺牲是不是太大了？唉！多说没用，谁叫我是个尽心敬业的老实人 ;) 怎么说也不能辜负乡亲父老上司下属的重望吧！做不好我也没脸面对妻儿父母。业务虽然繁重，可是每当完成了一项任务都带来激励自己的动力。就这么埋头苦干下去吧! 总会有海阔天空，日出天明的一天。现在向往的是八月份的短暂假日让我回国稍微喘一口气。埃及还有许多景点我还没去。为了不留下遗憾，我必须精心安排安排，重点的尼罗河轮船古埃及之游我一定得腾出时间落实。原本想从埃及到不远的欧洲捷克布拉格度假。看样子机会渺茫的很。

乐乐随我来到开罗也有两年多了。他也快四岁了哦。说实在，我不该接着份差事。开罗的环境和严重污染对乐乐的早期成长必定有负面的影响。刚来到这儿的时候他还不到两岁。后悔莫及！这是他的命数吧。老天保佑，乐乐他也没有多大的问题，只是语言上迟缓了点。他还是相当开朗和讨人喜爱。幼儿园的老师和校长都很疼爱乐乐，说他每日都带着灿烂的笑容上学堂。除了会话，乐乐其他方面的发展都还算正常。我们也让他到特别学习中心上辅导课程，希望他的会话能力会得到专业的辅导。乐乐的进步虽然不算迅速，可是他现在已经开始领悟到会话的功能。希望他会尽快打开任督二脉，畅所欲言！

Shan Le First Stage Performance at Urban Toddlers' Christmas Concert

Shan Le gave his first stage performance during his pre-school, Urban Toddlers', Christmas Concert, on 16 Dec 09, just two days before the long winter break.  Sadly, I was not there as I was down with a very bad cold.  Irene managed to take a few video clips of Shan Le's segment but you will probably have a hard time looking out for him.  While he did not really sing, he certainly demonstrated his skill in "taking cover".  All the kids  were probably stunned by the huge turnout.  Not only the parents turned up, but also the grandparents and probably uncles and aunties...

Hi Daddy!

Today is a memorable day of my life.  It is Friday weekend, but I went to work this morning to trim down my to-do list.  I returned home at about 1pm.  As I walked up the stairs to the upper floor of my apartment, I flashed a big smile at Shan Le who was sitting on the sofa of the living area with his mother.  Unexpectedly, he said 'Hi Daddy' to me!  This is the first time ever, since his birth three years ago, that he called me Daddy in a spontaneous and directed manner.  My heart was breaming with joy!

Yesterday, we brought Shan Le back to the Learning Resource Centre in Maadi for the development skills assessment.  Unfortunately, as he was still recovering from his cold and taking anti-biotics, Dr Eman decided to perform the assessment next week after he has fully recovered.  Not to make a wasted trip, we sat down with Dr Eman for 1.5 hours to go through the ADOS results in detail.  The outcome of the assessment puts Shan Le on the Autistic Spectrum but Dr Eman said that the results should not be taken as conclusive.  She commented that she observed quite a lot of improvement in Shan Le's language and social abilities as he played with his mother yesterday.  So, Shan Le will be going for the developmental skills assessment and followed by therapy sessions to help him overcome his developmental difficulties, in particular language and speech.  The eventual diagnosis will depend how Shan Le reacts to the intervention programme.  Personally, after doing a fair bit of research and reading on the subject, I think Shan Le is not autistic but he is displaying some symptoms of the condition, which could be due to other developmental issues.  As his father, I will want to give him all the help he can get to overcome his difficulties so that he can grown up well and go to normal schools.

Shan Le is doing well at Urban Toddlers and also attending some activities at Dados in Zamalek.  The teacher said that Shan Le has been good and he was able to sit with others in a group listening to stories and singing songs.  But he has been missing school quite often for the past two weeks as he fell sick with acute tonsillitis and cold, almost consecutively.  His nose is still dripping today and the anti-biotic is giving him loose stools.  I hope he can adjust quickly to the weather here and rejoin school next week.

新的开始

奕云和乐乐七月底回国后我全心投入工作。虽然无法事事尽善尽美，可我自问已经尽我所能把工作做好。三个月的努力换来了三个星期的假日让我可以享受短暂的天伦之乐。期间，我们还到了香港和澳门游玩。可是我没有想到这段期间的经历会让我打消原本的计划。

这次回国我们带乐乐去看了儿科心里专科医生。他的成长似乎有迟缓。我姐夫和同事也注意到他的某些特殊症状并建议我们求医。在初诊，医生也认为乐乐有自闭症的表现。不过他的症状轻微。医生建议我们让乐乐进行自闭症诊断测验 (ADOS) 或先行语言会话护理 (Speech Therapy)。

因为我们觉得乐乐患有自闭症的可能性不大，我们决定先让他进行护理，看看他的进展再思考下一步该怎么走。第一次护理乐乐表现不佳。护理师也认为他有自闭症的轻微症状。那时我的内心是十分难受，担忧乐乐的未来。护理师在了解我们的家庭环境后建议我们纠正一些不良的习惯。比如，我们得让乐了自己坐定进食，不可四处玩跑的喂他。我们也得迫使乐乐说出他的要求。乐乐也得按时早睡。在全家的配合下，乐乐在短短的两个星期内有了明显的进步。在回开罗的前一天，护理师认为乐乐不是患有自闭症，但他有些语言能力方面的障碍。他建议我们在开罗进行护理并推荐了一家护理中心。

因为乐乐需要一个稳定及健全的家庭环境，我们决定回来开罗从新开始。没有任何人可以取代我父亲的职责。如果按我们的原定计划，乐乐的状况可能会恶化。我独自在开罗也必定无法安心的工作。结果将会是两头不着岸。回来不久后我们就带乐乐到新加坡护理师介绍的护理中心。这里的医生在看了新加坡护理师的报告后建议我们让乐乐进行ADOS。这是为了彻底排除自闭症的隐忧方可对症下药。测试结果还没出炉，不过看乐乐近日来的表现，我相信他是正常的。他近日越来越活泼，语言能力方面也有不错的进步。他也不会像以前那么怕生了。

护理只是辅助，更重要的是让乐乐在开罗的生活过的充实，有优等的学习环境。我们现在正积极地寻找幼儿班还有其他的辅助课程比如唱歌，跳舞或音乐。为了让这一切可以落实，我们也聘请了一位司机，也正在张罗一位全职的家佣。这样一来奕云可以全新的照顾乐乐而我也可以更专心的工作。努力工作留下让后人赞许的基业固然重要，但家庭妻儿还是根本。优先次序我心底必须亮如明镜。

Letting Nature Takes Its Course

Soon after our son Le Le turned 18 months old, we were wondering when we should start giving him "toilet training".  However, we find the training quite impossible to start because our boy has not started talking yet.  We do not know when he needs to relieve himself.  So we just let him stay on with the diapers and let nature takes it course.

A few days ago, Le Le started to change his behaviour in a rather weird manner.  We frequently found him pulling down his diaper and pee in his shorts.  He also touched his little penis every now and then and even pulled down his shorts altogether, running around half naked.  Irene and I were wondering what was happening to our boy.  It suddenly struck us that he was becoming uncomfortable peeing into the diaper.  Our boy is ready for toilet training!  So we took him to his little potty in the toilet and told him to "shhi shhi" into the potty.  Walla he did just that!  I was so relieved and it looks like we can save a bit on the diapers from now on.  Of course he still needs to wear diapers during his afternoon naps, in the night and when we were going out.

However, Le Le still don't call us when he needs to relieve himself.  He shows it by touching his penis or by pulling us towards the toilet.  Well, I guess it will take some time before our shy little boy learn to voice his desires.  We will also have to learn along the way with our bundle of joy!  Here's a new video and photo for all our friends to enjoy!

New Video and Photos

Here is a new video uploaded on my YouTube Channel > Tanoura Dance on board the Nile Pharaohs in Cairo.

I have also updated Shanle's photo album in my MSN Space.

Enjoy my friends!

泪在眼眶里打转

泪在眼眶里打转。我以忘记曾经何时感受过同样的没落。今天我目送着妻子和儿子进入登机门内，千万的不舍涌入心头，泪水几乎夺眶而出。这次是奕云第一次独自带着我们两岁大的儿子乘坐长途航班。希望她能应付得来。他们现在正在飞往新加坡的途中。一个钟头内就要落地了。要不是迫不得已，我真的不希望一个家人分居两地。可是乐乐的近来状况真的不是太好。三个月来他不断的生病，令我好难受。看他瘦弱的身躯和暗淡的脸颊，最明智的决定就是提早让他回国，在他祖父祖母们的呵护下好好的休养生息。唉！这几个月好不容易建立的一丁点父子之情又要受到岁月无情的啄食。希望明年我回国度假一家团聚时，乐乐他还会记得我这个父亲。

A Painful Decision

The past three months have been very difficult for me and my family. Times were so bad that I have to make a painful decision... to send my wife and son back to Singapore. Actually, they were supposed to fly home today but I had to postpone the flight to Sunday because Irene fell sick two days ago. I had to stay home for the two days to look after her and Le Le. I had to keep the two apart as much as possible to avoid Irene passing on the flu bug to the boy.

Le Le has just recovered from a serious bout of gastroenteritis. Just last month, he was sick for a week from acute bronchitis. And in August, he was down for almost two weeks from flu. I think it is time to pack them home. I believe they will be better off in Singapore to recuperate where the air is cleaner and public hygiene is better.

I really do not want to risk them staying on and be hospitalised should more serious ailments hit them. More importantly, they will be well looked after by our parents back home. I think I have made a right decision. I will miss them dearly, especially my son who has just started to bond with me. I don't know if he will still remember my hug and scent when we next meet in Jan 09, three months from now.

I was away from them too for about the same period last year when I was in Cairo for language training. Looks like we will going to have this separation annually until I complete my posting in 2011. It's going to be a cold and lonely winter again for me in Cairo. I guess I will seek refuge by working doubly hard.

Birthday Boy Sick

Today is 18 October 2008, our son's Le Le second birthday. Compared to his first birthday bash in Singapore, this birthday is starkly quiet. I was planning to celebrate his birthday with the cake cutting at home before heading out to Al-Azhar Park or Magicland for a family outing. Unfortunately, our birthday boy fell sick last night. He started vomiting in the middle of the night. He threw up a few more rounds until about 4am before going to sleep leaving his tired parents a big mess to clean up. We had to changed the bedsheets twice. He threw up a little after the morning milk but the vomiting ceased but diarrhea set in straight after. One big poo was followed by numerous liquid poos and we had to change his diapers so many times until we were both exhausted. I called our pediatrician and he prescribed some medicine for now. Hopefully, the vomiting and diarrhea will stop. Le Le is now asleep and so is his mum. I am too tired to sleep and so here I am putting this unfortunate episode on record. I think we will not be heading out today except probably to see a doctor in the evening if he does not recover well. So no birthday photos or videos to share this time round. We will definitely make it up to him next year.

New Videos and Photos

Our little family has been taking turns to fall sick over the past few weeks. While I have fully recovered, Irene is still nursing a cough. Le Le, who recovered first about a week ago, appears to be falling ill again with block nose, sneezing and occasional cough. It must be due to the seasonal change. The mornings and nights are becoming cooler as the days go by. It's great that the summer is finally ending and the most comfortable season of Cairo is arriving soon - cool and no rain. I just hope the air clears up a bit. The pollution is getting worse I think. That is probably due to the burning of agricultural plots after harvest. Anyway, we are doing fine and here are some of the recent videos to share. I have also updated my photo album with the latest snapshots of our boy Le Le. Enjoy.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xQmCpKhzDg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opzmMQ3b7Bg

New Videos and Photos

Here are some new videos and photos of our boy Shanle. He is now going to the Irish School nearby in the mornings. So far he is settling down well and he no longer cries whenever we drop him off at school. But the teacher said that he is not mixing with the other toddlers and he usually be on his own. Perhaps it is because he has been alone with his Mum for the first few months in Cairo and is not used to interacting with others. Or maybe it is due to his own personality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2AlckPGSSo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcMCk1ZlaoM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL0JIZdpAOg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBnA9czfxdQ

Updated photo album...

Recent Videos and Photos Taken in Egypt

I have not uploaded new video clips and photos for quite sometime now. Here are the three recent videos I have uploaded on my Youtube channel and a new photo album on MSN Space. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_UKodBWJDs

Watch two other videos through the links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d90dLM6XHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0VjuyO26Ss

Below are a couple photos for your preview. Click here for the album.

回家

开罗就快开春了。不在感觉到那寒风刺骨也没再下那冷酷细雨。我要回家了！和家人离别已有四个月了。不知道我那年幼的孩儿是否依然记得我这个爸爸。为了这次驻外的机会，我的牺牲不小，错过了我儿子初学逐步的宝贵光阴。现在他走路已稳健了不少，不再摇摇晃晃招人欢笑了。可惜呀可惜。他最近生病了。病得不轻以至在医院住了三天。到现在他还没完全康复，叫人牵肠挂肚。初尝为人父的酸甜苦辣的我心里五味杂陈好不难受。真希望能在他身边用心呵护。这几天来也苦了孩子的妈了。我于心不忍却也无可奈何。回家团聚后我必须好好的补偿补偿她的辛劳。我要回家了。下个月，家就会暂时迁移到开罗了。到时候，我就能天天回家了！

Shanle's 1st Birthday

Time flies and our boy Shanle turns one today. One of the two reasons why I did not make any blog entry yet this month is because much time was spent preparing Shanle's birthday party which was held on 13 Oct 07. Here is a video clip with the highlights.



One year ago on 18 October 2006, we welcomed the arrival of our first baby boy. Shanle has been the main force behind this blog of mine and his growth provided rich fodder for sharing. Today, we brought him to the Singapore Science Centre before going on a shopping spree at IMM pampering our birthday boy with new clothes and toys. Here are some photos to share.

Dancing and Shaking

An interesting video to share. Our boy Shanle dancing and shaking away, having a whole lot of fun. This video is taken just hours after his fever has subsided. What a speedy recovery!

Learning to Walk The Hard Way

Our boy Shanle is now learning to walk on his own with the support of a sofa. But his over zealous steps gave him a painful lesson in the end.

Four-Legged Crawl

Shanle finally realised that his leopard crawl is not the right learning path towards toddlerhood. Now he no longer crawls on his belly but with his four limbs. Enjoy!