I gotta admit, a Malaysian smalltown boy raising kids in the USA can be somewhat challenging (then again, raising kids anywhere, is, no?). Enlightening, even.

It's different for my wife. She's been through it. She grew up here, with the milestones, traditions, stages of life. PreK to 12. Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior. Prom, Homecoming.

All these words were Greek to me (still are). And so, when the kids start to experience them for the first time, I quietly sit in and do the same, too.

Case in mind- the older one is now doing Show Choir. Frankly, I had no clue what that meant. I thought it was a choir, with some acting. I did choir when I was in primary school- so I thought I knew what to expect. Boy, not even close.

We had her first show choir competition recently. It was certainly an eye opener. Very extravagant, by my school's standards. High-production video, a concert stage with a PA system that would make Bon Jovi proud. Professionally made uniforms.

It was interesting to think that, as she experiences her first concert, so would I. I'd learn the subtleties of how things work. Little norms, like how parents have a button-badge of their kids' pictures on their jackets. Or how showchoir parents all seem to have the same tired-but-proud smile, from running the kids around from one thing to another.

It's a far cry from those days of toddler ballet, when jumping and spinning around chaotically was called dancing.

It's also a reminder of how we grow. Just like how I've grown older- and feel it too- you realize how quickly your kids grow. I used to think it was just a phrase when people say they'll grow up before you know it. I know now, that it's true, and I'm still learning. With both kids in (what Malaysia would consider) secondary school, they're growing into wonderful, kind and independent young women. Thankfully, boys are not in the mix yet- but someday, that'll come too. And that will be another saga altogether. After all, the Malaysian boy in me remembers when our parents used to say "no girlfriends until you're done with school!". Somehow, I don't think that would resonate well in highschool USA.