It's finally here, my first day homeschooling my eldest. I learnt today, that I don't really know my son. I learnt today that he is a totally different person from whom I thought he was. I learnt today that I have to unlearn so many things. I learnt today that there are so many things I need to learn from him.
Day one started with nothing great. Just another day. Then he asked me to go swimming again with him because he wanted me to practice what he had taught me yesterday. He is not the best swimmer in his team. He has never won anything in the top three. But he won my heart when he displayed his passion and patience in teaching me something over and over again - skills I could not grasps. He put in so much effort coming up with new ideas in making things simpler so this mom of his could manage breathing, kicking and hand movements. I was amazed to see the confidence in him as he continued coaching me for an hour. Not to mention the praises he kept pouring out as he watched me struggle to keep my head up above the water and cordinating my legs and hands all at the same time. He made me feel good and yet I have to admit I was very embarrased. Looking back I felt embarrased because I never had much patience when teaching him all these years . I am embarrased that I had no passion in teaching him all these years. I am embarrased because I had no words of praise when teaching him all these years.
Today, our strained relationship took a different turn. It was as if my blinded eyes were opened. Opened to see the real child in him. Opened to see what's in his heart. Opened to see things through his eyes.
When the lesson ended he told me " Mummy, you just get this and this right and you'll be able to beat daddy at swimming! I'm going to teach you all the other strokes too. Wow, he had so much confidence in me. Daddy used to be a life guard and he tells me that I could actually beat him at this.
Boy, what great lessons I learnt today from an eight year old!!
Swimming lessons anyone?
Daddy has to start practising so that he won't be beaten easily :)
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