toothpaste

This morning, I heard Abi calling me from the powder room. "Ma, do you have a new toothpaste?" I knew it. I saw yesterday the almost empty Colgate but I intentionally didn't dispose it because I was planning to cut it and show the kids how to consume it thoroughly. So I did.

"Was that how you were doing it in Mindoro?", he asked me enthusiastically. I said, "Yes and No. Yes, we cut the tube to get the last paste inside and No, we never had Colgate then. We had Maxam. Colgate was too expensive for us." When I inserted the toothbrush inside the tube through the cut portion I saw the amazement on his face while saying "Ohhh!".

Life now is too easy for our children, don't you think so? Take for instance my two Grade 5 children. Their teachers almost do everything for them in school. In fact, the teacher assistant is doing all the cuts outs for their class activities (she is perhaps scared that the son/daughter of an ambassador or a CEO will go home crying with a cut on his/her little fingers). They are also required to bring gadgets for research (trip to the library is a thing of the past?), their school projects are done in the computer and send to their teachers' prezi (no more print out materials supposedly fastened in folders) no notebooks, no books etc. My kids are in a school environment where competition is also downplayed because I was told each one has her/his own phase of development.

So different from our days then.

That is why my husband and I talk about it constantly. How do we motivate the children to dream higher, to study harder? How do we tell them that what they have now does not guarantee a good future unless they realize the value of excellence. Mediocrity is not the name of the game in this world.

Every time I am asked about how it is to have kids enrolled in an International School with an IB curriculum, I cannot give a 100% satisfaction in my reply. Blame it in my being an Asian, or being schooled with competition always in my mind, but I still prefer sending my kids in a traditional school back home.

Yes, it would mean stressed weeknights and weekends,  real projects, graded recitations and endless
assignments but on the other hand all these hard works would translate to perfect grammar, sharp mathematical skills, creative and resourceful hands and minds. And for me, this kind of system (stressful as it maybe) in the Philippines allows their student to develop strong character, strong person inside who will know eventually how to survive regardless of the circumstances.

Of course, i can also see positive traits in my children since entering an IS. They speak more confidently, they argue/discuss with facts and good logic, they can navigate well the internet and its applications, they can draw sound conclusions and it has also become apparent to me that their social skills have improved tremendously.

For now, I am just weighing things. I can't do anything. I just try to balance things at home. Hoping that I am doing it right. Hoping that I am raising them well. Hoping they will be good citizens of the future.