“Mummy, I want to play that toy and I can’t reach it! Can you please help me get it!”
When I have already reminded them to get change for school but they are in the playroom reaching for a toy.
“Mummy, mei mei keep disturbing me!”
“No!! Is gor gor disturbing me!”
Round 1 of fight starts!
When I am busy preparing lunch.
“Mummy, I want to read that book. Can you read for me?”
When mummy has already read 3 books and its really getting late for bed.
“Mummy, I want to eat that cookie in that cookie jar up there!”
When I am busy with cooking and is time for lunch soon before they get to school.
“Mummy, I want to do craft. Can you help me with it?”
When I have already told them it’s time for school and is time to change.
Sounds familiar?? It helps a lot if they can do certain things on their own so that I can make lunch for them in time for their school. It helps if they don’t take their own sweet time to do other things or getting themselves distracted when it’s time to get change for their school. It helps if they can just put on the shoes and we just head out. It helps.
It doesn’t help when I have to keep hurrying them. It doesn’t help when they keep doing other stuffs instead of changing or putting on their shoes when it’s time to go. It really drives me mad when they were told to do something and they take their own sweet time. I have to keep screaming at them “Hurry up!! We are late!”. Yes, I know there are many articles about not hurrying the children and that we, adults, should take a breather and enjoy life just like them. I do enjoy my moments together with my kids. I do take my time slowly with my kids but not when it’s time to get to school or attending some events.
No matter how early I start preparing them. At the very last moment, I still have to shout “Hurry up!”. Enough is enough. I have to teach them how to read the time and set up a daily routine for them. As the kids are getting older, they need to know when to do what and when not to do what and being late is not good. Hopefully they are able to understand and follow the routine.
I started off showing them flashcards about different types of clocks. Followed by multiplication of 5 (this helps in learning about minutes later).
Next, we have numbering the clock and learning about hour, hour hand, minutes and minute hand. The kids had fun turning the clock and not forgetting learning about clockwise and anticlockwise.
We learn about fraction using the clock too, which they get to learn what it means by 1 hour, 1/2 hour and 1/4 hour.
Now is the reading of time in both digital and analog format. My boy has a little difficulty on memorising his 5 time table, nevertheless, he has a better understanding on reading the minute hand and telling me the correct time.
My girl can’t really work on the above yet but she loves playing with the “pasting” of the time. Good chance to teach her numbers too! Ah… she is delaying time here by posing for my camera. LOL!
Lastly, we had a short story telling time. I did a simple reader where the kids will have to draw out the minute hand and the hour hand to show the exact timing in the story. It was fun!
Ok, we are done with learning time. Guess what? Is time for play now!!
See ya!