8 Months

I'm back.

Wow, 8 months. I didn't realize my last post was that long ago. Then again, life (especially with kids) has a way of keeping you so preoccupied that you lose track of time.

Much has happened in the last few months. The kids are just wrapping up with their summer break, and now comes the usual dreading-to-go-back-to-school fears. Also brings me back to the times when I was in primary (elementary) school, and preparing to start a new grade. The kids do find it fascinating when I share my stories of my youth.

I remember how we would go to Lee Sam road to shop for new school bags, though invariably the trend then was one of those 3M polyester Lego-yellow backpacks. We'd then make a trip to get new school uniforms- the usual white short-sleeved shirts and navy blue shorts, white socks and white shoes. I do miss the concept of school uniforms- so much less work- as you don't have to worry about how to dress the kids. Also, everyone dresses the same, so there would be minimal competition regarding clothes. I wish our kids' school implemented this.

I also shared with the girls how I was a mommy's boy and had major separation anxiety. Come to think of it, ironic that I ended up here in the USA, but I digress. I remember how it was so bad during kindergarten that my Ah Kong ended up actually accompanying me to school for the first month! He'd sit in the corridor outside of the classroom and I was able to see the back of his head through the window. And if he ever moved away momentarily, I would get nervous. And this was before the era of cellphones or ipads, so he would have absolutely nothing to do except sit and wait for me for those few hours of classes.

I remember how bad it was for standard 1- I held on to my dad and cried so bad, not wanting to let go for dear life, that the headmaster actually came up to me with a cane in his hand; something that is not socially acceptable anymore perhaps.

Boy, I was high-maintenance as a kid.

It was fun though that during our last trip back to Malaysia, we were able to make a visit to my primary school. I was able to show the girls where their daddy went to school, where the canteen was (a word that is foreign to them), or where I squatted to brush my teeth whenever we had our dental checkup at school.

How time flies, and the roles revese.

"...and the son becomes the father...."