Push or Encourage?

Last Sunday, my first two kids took a Music Theory Exam along with 700+ other kids. Their piano teacher, Ms. Nancy, encourage them to take it so they could be the same level in their music as well as their school grade. It's a great idea. I do think my kids plays better piano than I can now. They're only ages 9 and 8.

Leaving my 5 and 2 years old with my husband, I herded the other three to a nearby university to take the test. We left early to have plenty of time to find the place. It wasn't too bad. Google map and a phone call to a few people confirmed my destination the week before.

What really surprised me when I arrive was the sheer number of Asian family milling around the lobby. I kid you not. It was like an Asian parents convention. About 80 percent of the early arrivals were Asian. Asians every where. I am surprised, and at the same time, not.

It's been known that an Asian parents will push their kids more than the others. It's the stereotype anyway. I said stereotype because I and other Asian parents I know are not THAT bad in pushing their kids.

I don't push. I encourage. There's a big difference you know. I would never spank my child just because they don't want to have an 'A' average. I take away fun things like shopping for the 7th set of Pokemon cards, and they might also missed the newest Disney movie release...but I believe it's not the same thing.

My husband and I think of it as a reward system. The kid who maintains an A average, and does their homework on a timely manner gets a lot of "incentive" as opposed to the kid who never does anything on time. I try not to say anything negative. What's the point in that.

DH and I are also softies. Which means that my kids who doesn't care for homework very much gets rewarded sometimes because our softy parent hearts cannot stand the disappointed look. I hope my kids are not on to us.

I'm still learning every day how to encourage without being pushy. It's a fine balance to walk on.

My Photo Hunt #16 - Gross

Grab the Photo Hunt code.
Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Here We Are Again

Do you remember that love song from 80's? I think Peter Cetera sung it. I love his songs. He's the album I reached for if I wanted to be dramatic in love. I have the lyrics below, just in case you know the tune and wants to sing along. I'm like that. I hear a line, and a song goes in my head. It's annoying sometimes, because I really wanted to talk about the book which arrive today. Actually, I received two books. I thought the first seller cancelled, and I decided I have enough of waiting, and bought another one. It turned out the first seller didn't cancel, and now I have two of the same books.

As a side note, my friend in New Zealand, Tart, tried to send me this book twice with chocolates! It never arrive. Turned out she had to declare the chocolates or the book is dead mail. I wonder if NZ post office burned my book along with my chocolates? They could have at least sent the chocolates over! That was over a year ago. What a waste of good book that was...and I am not even going to start on the chocolate. I was pregnant with DS4 then and I really wanted that New Zealand chocolates. Being a good and perceptive person that she is, she sent me some. I could have cried. I didn't get either.

The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons is the book I am talking about. It's not publish in the states at all. It takes extra effort to get it. The first in the series is The Bronze Horseman, then Tatiana and Alexander. These are long books, but they are really great books. You get history, you get romance, you get fantastic sex, you get angst, and just about everything in between. It will make your heart race, it will make you mad, it will also make you sigh with love.

My friends over at The Book Bitches are nuts for this book. One more than the other, I think. Actually, that's saying it mildly. She's insane about this book. In a good way, I think. She's the reason why I went all out and ordered this book overseas because I can't find it on my usual hunts. I almost paid 50 bucks for it from Australia. Whew.

So, if you ever feel like going on a grand adventure, witness and get involve in an epic tale of love and war and treachery, you can't find anything better than this series of books.

I do believe this songs goes with the series too! Now, stack up on chocolates, tissues, and find a most comforatable spot and start reading.

After All by Peter Cetera

Well, here we are again;
I guess it must be fate.
We've tried it on our own,
But deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight.

I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new.
Every memory repeats,
Every step I take retreats,
Every journey always brings me back to you.

CHORUS
After All the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
After All that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me, After All.

When love is truly right
(This time it's truly right.)
It lives from year to year.
It changes as it goes,
Oh, and on the way it grows,
But it never disappears,

CHORUS

Always just beyond my touch,
You know I needed you so much.
After All, what else is livin' for?
CHORUS