Connections

I've learned from research and reading that the brain of the pre-school child is "a masterpiece in progress". During these formative years, the rate of connections that form in their brains is much higher than at any other stages in their life.

Today, both XX and KK's brains made some serious connections and learnt some important lessons.

We went to Terminal 3 again, this time with my parents for lunch on Sunday. On our way back to the carpark after lunch, we stopped near the toilets and waited while mum and the maid answered nature's call. KK was playing near the automatic sliding doors of the exit. Both Hubby and myself warned him and asked him to come over and stop playing near those glass doors. However he did not heed and for a brief moment we were distracted talking to Grandmum. The next time I saw KK, he was standing next to us, looking sheepish. I noticed that his right hand was red and swollen. I ask him what had happened and our suspicions were confirmed. Immediately, KK got two spanks, one from Hubby then myself for disobeying our instructions to stop playing near the doors. It was really frustrating especially when we had just warned him to come over. Luckily, we checked and he was still able to move his hand and wrist, so I guess it's just some superficial skin abrasion. Of course, KK was scolded all the way back and back at home, he was spanked one more time.

I hope his brain registers this lesson:

Playing near automatic doors = pain

Disobeying daddy and mummy's instruction = cane

XX learnt his lesson of the day in a much sweeter way. He was at the food court and I allowed him to hold onto his brother's leftover Ribena drink. He put the straw into his mouth, chewed on it a little, and instinctively tried sucking. At first, the purple liquid only went up a few centimeters each time he sucked. I thought he'll soon give up sucking as it's not producing any visible outcome. However, with each try, the liquid went higher and higher up the straw. Until suddenly, it went all the way and reached his little mouth. Ah...hmm...yum! From then on, a permanent connection was formed in his little brain - "Sucking hard on this tube brings sweet rewards!" There was no stopping the little fella from slurping and sipping all the way now. That's another milestone reached.