Childhood

www.ben10.com

this is what my 2 boys are hooked on this period, pleading their PaPa to let them get onto the internet and play the online games available in this site. Caden can even tell me to go "www.ben10.com" when I pretended not to know which site to go..

Actually, it's really fun to play the games available on this site. I am just awfully amazed and envious the range of games, books, stuff that children get to enjoy nowadays. I was just chatting with my colleague this afternoon abt training chopsticks meant for children for them to learn how to hold chopsticks correctly. And these chopsticks do not come cheap, they cost abt $9-11 on the average. I did not grow up using training chopsticks so I don't quite see the need to pay $11 for a pair to train my sons. Likewise, I grew up playing jigsaw puzzles (that's probably the reason why I like to solve problems) but I haven't influenced my sons to like jigsaw puzzles. My boys get to play with remote control cars and thomas train sets..I like to get good sports shoes for the boys, but have not been able to bring myself to pay $59 to $69 for a pair of shoes (Nike, Adidas, New balance, etc). so not sure eventually will I go ahead and get a pair for them.

I just watched a documentary on Sunday which illustrated how much efforts China parents have gone through to send their children to gymnastics boarding school (which costs them a bomb). Kids as young as 5 years old (Caden's age) were being sent to the school, where they are left alone to take care of themselves as they go through a series of gymnastics training to mold them into the future country champions-to-be. It was evident that the children were not given too much free time for themselves but constant physical training throughout the day (with 3 hours of academic lessons). They are only allowed to go back to their hometown once every 6months and spend a few days back home before the next term begins. Most kids interviewed displayed a level of maturity despite their age and were very sensible. They knew that they need to practise hard enough to qualify for national team, failing which, the amount of money that their parents had paid will be gone to waste. The determination to succeed and fear of disappointing their parents were admirable. I am not sure when my 2 sons will have this mindset and be self-driven..