Btw, morning's tennis was so-so, coz i didn't play particularly, consistently well ): Apparently, after tennis training when I play for leisure wiv Nick n Wesley, I played so much better!!! >.<

2 words: Confidence issue. I seriously have to work on this. It's lyk the barrier to everything for me. :S I've been trying to step out and give myself confidence, by taking charge of helping SJ in EP stall's various admin stuff. However deep down inside, I know I need more than just that. I just know it.

Anyone hav any suggestions for me to overcome this more effectively? :D

Ok now to switch the mood mode to the ON section...EVENING!!! I actually thought it was going to be rather boring at my grandma's house, but turns out, I was an FOC tutor that day. Which 'alien' would learn from me? xD Hahax it's none other than my little young cousin, Jia En!

Super cute to see her running about. But the fun part was when I had to teach her English. My aunt kinda told her that she could ask 'kor-kor' teach her english. She must have thought it was a great idea, coz she kept on asking her mother to take the book out quickly! XD Cute fella. Then she scurried towards me and gave me a big smile. Of course, I smiled back lor, asking her wad she wanted me to teach her. And she gleefully turned the pages to see which fancies her.

I was quite surprised that despite being so young, she didn't go for the pictures to sketch. She actually went for the words with dotted lines. You know, the usual 'tracing the words' kind of kindergarten work. (oh the book isn't her homework, it's just a book her mum i.e. my aunt bought for her.) And all along, she didn't realise she didn't take a pen or pencil. -.-

In the end, a pen was chosen, with no ink. -.- So she went to and fro trying to find 1 with ink. Super funny to watch! XD

When a pen with ink is finally ready, the next funny part came when she tries to pronounce the english words. Her handwriting is so umm...kiddo! XD It's cute, though she still couldn't decide which is her dominant writing hand. Ultimately, it should be right hand ba. And because my grandma's place is kinda small, she was using my lap as a table!

Oh ya pronunciation! I keep reading the her 'dog', but she can't seem to pronounce the 'd' right. Hence, it means 'gorg'! Hahax and when she realises she can't pronounce, she give a squeaky laughter. Really a joy to have! Adding to that, she also keeps on asking mi help her write certain words which she duno how to. The thing I am surprised was that, she is really really attentive when I'm teaching her. o.o I try to be as casual as possible liaox, but she really puts a lot of effort in writing for me to see! ;) Quite evident when she asks me to look at what she wrote after every letter, and I must constantly give her the thumbs-up. XD

She then got kinda tired of writing and started drawing...snakes, which she also can't pronounce even in Chinese! HAHAX funi!!! Well they aren't really snakes, just scribbles of swirly lines then spammed the length of the page. XD I really wanted to teach her more, she wanted me to teach her more. How did I know? Coz she nv stopped writing although I could see that her hand getting stiff liaox. :S She even shook her right hand to loosen it after imitating mi. XD She really is a funny character...

Can you imagine a kid doing all these in front of u? Hahax...

Well from my experience with Jia En, I managed to do a lot of self-reflection of myself. 

1. I am actually very patient, just like what my uncle says! :D Of course, Jia En had a bit of baby temper and didn't want to rewrite certain words again, but I just kept on going at her pace. Whatever she wanted 2 learn, I try to help her learn the quickest way possible. ;) I kept my cool and just slowly teach her at her pace, rather than my fast pace, which apparently worked dividends! :D

2. There isn't one rigid way of teaching a child. At 1st, I thought she understood how to trace the lines, but apparently, she couldn't trace it all at once. Therefore, I pointed to each trace line ONE BY ONE, guiding her as to join which point to which other point. ;) Adding to that, at the start I thought I could just take the pen and write the correct letters so that she will comprehend. However, after a while, I realise the best way to teach her, is actually to hold her hand and write the alphabets one by one. Different kids pick up certain things at different levels of comprehension. 

3. last but certainly not the least, kids love pictorials. So try and act out some things like flying. Lucky I didn't take video of wad I did. :P 

Wow I did learn a lot from her! Amazing wad a kid can teach you. ~三人行必有我师~ always remember this... ;)

Really do hope I can teach her though. ;)

If you wanna fight,
I'll stand right beside you. 

The day that you fall,

I'll be right behind you,

If you don't believe me,
Just look into my eyes,
Coz the heart never lies

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