Denice

Just when I thought I have been numbed by graduation moments whenever March comes, it soon became my son’s turn to march on the stage to get his “moving up” certificate having successfully made it to the next level from Junior Casa 1/GLLP 2 to Junior Casa 2. This is his first taste of a graduation ceremony.

I did not cry during my own graduation from college, but tears fell when it was my son’s. It was a struggle to hold back these tears of joy as I marched with my son. It was a struggle to pretend that the graduation song wasn’t penetrating deep into my emotional nerves to mark a great milestone. It’s cliché but true: it’s wonderfully different once one becomes a mom. A very special feeling is born that only a mother understands.

I am mighty proud of you Kyle David, my beloved son! Daddy and I love you so much. May Almighty Yahweh bless you always.

I read somewhere that the best time to take a break is when you don’t have the time to. So I guess I should’ve taken a break today eh… although I just came back from a two-week hibernation from the corporate world.

The tons of papers “for my urgent attention” welcomed me back from my vacation leave as I stared at my desk. Furthermore, I didn’t know I was in for at least two meetings for today, plus at least two client calls and a PTA meeting in between for this week alone. To top it all, I will have one more warm body to accommodate in my team who needs all the guidance from me. Did I mention that I have nearly a thousand emails to check? Whoa, welcome back, Ms. Me. Brace yourself for the full speed ahead!

Today was a special day for my family because we attended the Gymboree Olympics held at the Grand Atrium of Shangri-La Plaza. This marks Gymboree’s 6^th year in the Philippines.

On the way there, Kyle seemed puzzled that we told him we’re going to attend Gymboree Olympics but our car did not pass through the normal route but rather through Ortigas. We arrived in green which represented Serendra team.

Kyle finally believed he’s in Gymboree indeed when he saw his teachers and classmates.

If Kyle was excited, I was doubly ecstatic and a bit nervous because Kyle was a contestant for the beach ball throwing (game appropriate for Level 7 students). He was one of the five Serendra students tapped for this game. I felt that I was the one competing — his victory and otherwise are also mine. So this was how it felt, I finally said to myself.

In the end, it was his best friend Yvan who won while Kyle still won a medal and consolation prize. We were still very happy because for us, what’s important is that Kyle did his best and that he enjoyed this day.

Whenever Sunday comes, I make sure Kyle and I have sufficient time for bonding. Apart from the time I make for this, free time for me means being with Kyle for longer times to share activities together. This include going to the groceries, playing with his cars and transformer robots and of course, reading bedtime stories before he goes to bed..

Recently, I read from a parenting magazine that exposing a child to greeneries or outdoor scenes will help him concentrate in class. Now that he’s attending alternative pre-school, I make sure our itinerary for the day includes taking Kyle to a park.

Since Bonifacio High is close by, my family takes advantage of the park before the place gets fully saturated. There are so many scene stealers within this mini LA in Fort Bonifacio. For me, however, nothing is more watch worthy than seeing my son enjoying the greeneries as he runs, jumps, rolls over and walk hand in hand with his mama and daddy.

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I swear I’m such a night person. Looking back, the articles I’ve written for magazines and broadsheets were all done in the evenings. The same for most of the presentation materials I’ve prepared.

There’s something about the hours of darkness that stir my imagination and ideas like a windmill. But that’s a concern for someone who’s got a day job and a son who has to be early in his class — and it happens to be me!

Because of my day job, I am learning to sleep early and head off to work early as well. But what drives me more to get up early is the thought that I can have the special privilege to prepare my son’s baon and be in the same car with him on his way to pre-school (my office is along the way, that’s way).

These days, I’m beginning to think that I’m veering away from my nocturnal history and finally adjusted. I’m glad that my brain can still be trained to “think” in the daylight. Besides, medical experts say it’s healthier.

* * *

Next to temperance, a quiet conscience, a cheerful mind and active habits, I place early rising as a means of health and happiness.
- Timothy Flint

Early rising not only gives us more life in the same number of our years, but adds likewise to their number; and not only enables us to enjoy more of existence in the same measure of time, but increases also the measure.
- Charles Caleb Colton

When one begins to turn in bed, it is time to get up.
- Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley

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At age four, I sense that Kyle’s interest revolves around automobiles, books and magazines (still about automobiles and robots), and techno gadgets which include laptop, a desktop, cellphone, headphones and yes, a camera (I’m not so surprised because photography happens to be among the favorite hobbies of his dad and mom). His lola and titas are happy that most of their recent photos where they look great were taken by Kyle.

In this photo, Kyle the music aficionado shows the world he is his mother’s son.

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Some kids are quite advanced for their age, some are somewhat behind compared to their contemporaries. I have yet to meet “normal” kids though, technically speaking. “The only normal people,” it has been said after all, “are the ones you don’t know very well.” Children are unique in their own way (and I hope and pray teachers remember this).

Parents who are blessed with kids (no matter which category their children belong) should remember that kids will be kids and need all the guidance they can get. I top the list of parents I need to remind about this lesson.

A few days ago, my heart was jumping for joy about what my four-year-old son’s skills and abilities. We were on the supermarket’s cashier lane when we forgot Kyle’s favorite canned tuna. His dad said without mentioning which isle, “Kyle, can you please get a can of tuna in the shelf.” Kyle took his adventure and went back with the can of tuna and the specific variant we always buy for him. Lo and behold, this is another manifestation of my son’s abilities in geography!

Yesterday morning, however, Kyle accidentally broke our neighbor’s clay pot which contains our neighbor’s plant while playing ball. He rushed to me while on the verge of crying (as if to tell me, “yes mom, I know what guilt feels like”). If it were intentional, he would have certainly heard from me. But I was watching him all along to know that it wasn’t. So I asked the caretaker to clean up the mess and we headed to the nearest wet market to buy a replacement pot.

Thankfully, we were able to purchase a clay pot quickly and we asked the caretaker to re-install the plan using the replacement pot. I attached a note of apology to the pot and as soon as the neighbors were awake, it was his dad who personally apologized and Kyle followed suit. Thankfully too, the neighbors have forgiven him.

I’m hoping that as Kyle gets older, he’ll learn the message that goes beyond “if you break it, fix it.” What I hope this will instill in him is that “if you break it even if you don’t mean it, fix it and don’t forget to make amends with the person who owns it.”

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