Since we are still in Syawal, perhaps I would write something about it.
We had our raya this year in my hometown. Something I always look forward to now. Though not very "meriah" this year as only me and my elder brother with grown up kids and another single brother and sister at home. IMHO, raya would only be meriah if there are kids and kids, marching around the house.
Raya has been better when I have my kids.. ever since I am a mother. Since I label raya=kids.. then of course I feel that way. Even though raya is a religious celebration, to me as a person, raya was rather meaningless since 1992 (can't remember the Hijriah year then!). My mother passed away on the last day of Ramadhan 1992. That year onwards, there was no actual raya for me. I don't remember hearing any takbir nor having the raya dishes and biscuits that year. Raya 1992 was alomost non-existent. All I remember was reciting quran for her, preparing her for burial. This was all on the eve and the morning of Hari Raya. There were solat raya as well as solat jenazah. My house was full of people paying their last respect to my Mom, not visiting for Hari Raya. Most of my relatives and cousins came back for hari raya and that year they came to my house with tears. I spent the last two weeks of her life with her. With no regrets of missing 2 weeks of Spring classes. But I was a zombie for the rest of Syawal. I don't remember having any celebration even back on campus but one kenduri tahlil arranged by one of the PhD students who happened to be my second cousin.
For the next few years after that, I did not look forward to Hari Raya. Especially having to go back to my hometown.. the video of raya 1992 kept playing in my head. Raya 1995, my sisters and I decided to celebrate Raya elsewhere. We went to Jakarta.. for holidays!
I guess, over the years, after I got married and have kids, the memories slow down. Of course it's still there, it's not as strong as before. I kind of get over it. Though it still bring tears to my eyes whenever I think about it. And the radio never fail to bring the memory up! Every ramadhan, without fail, there'll be a segment in the radio asking callers to call in and relate their sad stories in ramadhan!! I was ever tempted to call but never did so because I would cry even before I made the call.
So.. that was THE Hari Raya. These days, I made efforts to make raya a happy one for my kids. The usual thingy of having new clothes and such. And this year the learnt the meaning of "counting" their duti raya. And keep asking for more! That's the meaning of raya for kids these days!! The only happy thing that I cannot create for my kids.. to kiss their grandparents hands on Hari Raya as when we got married, both my parents and my hubby's parents had passed on!
Whatever you are feeling on Hari Raya, I wish you all a blessed Hari Raya. Hope it was and will be a good one.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Abondoned
If this blog can talk, I'm sure he felt abondoned! I have no time nor the passion to write for the past one month. Blame it on the festive season and the office workload that I have!
But I've been doing some blogging in my head.. really! These are what I wanted to talk about but never get around to sit down and write:
1) The famous hari raya (0f course)
2) My extended "retirement" .. duhhh!
3) Hand Foot and Mouth (something the kids infected with just before puasa)
4) Ear infection (something Eussuv is prone to since he was a baby and having it at this very moment - he has 4 days of MC this week)
5) The growing up boy - this is rather a sentimental feeling of a mother!
And really.. there are other tons of things that I can write about but never get around to do it.. (excuses.. excuses!)
Oh well... perhaps some day!!
But I've been doing some blogging in my head.. really! These are what I wanted to talk about but never get around to sit down and write:
1) The famous hari raya (0f course)
2) My extended "retirement" .. duhhh!
3) Hand Foot and Mouth (something the kids infected with just before puasa)
4) Ear infection (something Eussuv is prone to since he was a baby and having it at this very moment - he has 4 days of MC this week)
5) The growing up boy - this is rather a sentimental feeling of a mother!
And really.. there are other tons of things that I can write about but never get around to do it.. (excuses.. excuses!)
Oh well... perhaps some day!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Final countdown postponed!
Have you ever been in a situation when you feel like you were riding so high and suddenly you just crushed down, free fall! That's what I'm feeling now! Well it's kinda expected but at the same time I was hoping I would continue the ride. Well... I have a choice. But perhaps it was meant to be that way.
I'm rambling like nobody's business. Then again.. it is nobody's business. I AM writing MY own blog anyways!!!
I'm rambling like nobody's business. Then again.. it is nobody's business. I AM writing MY own blog anyways!!!
Monday, September 15, 2008
The unfortunate ones
I wrote this last week but never get around to publish it until now. Better late than never!
A three year-old boy fell into a big pot of boiling "gulai" yesterday. 50% of his body was scalded. Even the TV footage was dimmed as to hide the boy's pain (I guess!) This boy was playing alone while the parents were busy preparing dishes to be sold at the Ramadhan bazaar, including the gulai kawah. He was lucky to have survived!
On the same day, another boy lost 4 of his fingers while helping his father with the sugar cane machine to produce the sugar cane juice to be sold.
This is the price these boys have to pay to "help" their parents to earn a living. But how about their own future? What will become of them?
I shuddered thinking of the pain the boys have to go through. How did the parents feel? Guilty? I'm not trying to blame the parents but at least, they have to think in the best interest of their children. They shouldn't expose the children to the high risks of being hurt and eventually affecting the children's future. I guess they have no choice.. but still.. !
And this.. is just the tips of an iceberg. I'm sure there are many more out there having the same fate or worse!
A three year-old boy fell into a big pot of boiling "gulai" yesterday. 50% of his body was scalded. Even the TV footage was dimmed as to hide the boy's pain (I guess!) This boy was playing alone while the parents were busy preparing dishes to be sold at the Ramadhan bazaar, including the gulai kawah. He was lucky to have survived!
On the same day, another boy lost 4 of his fingers while helping his father with the sugar cane machine to produce the sugar cane juice to be sold.
This is the price these boys have to pay to "help" their parents to earn a living. But how about their own future? What will become of them?
I shuddered thinking of the pain the boys have to go through. How did the parents feel? Guilty? I'm not trying to blame the parents but at least, they have to think in the best interest of their children. They shouldn't expose the children to the high risks of being hurt and eventually affecting the children's future. I guess they have no choice.. but still.. !
And this.. is just the tips of an iceberg. I'm sure there are many more out there having the same fate or worse!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Countdown begins ..
10 more working days and counting...
I really feel like dancing.. yeap.. in the rain.. but of course I hope it will not rain forever. I hope for lots of sun too...
Words cannot describe how I feel. A mixture of happiness, sadness, anxious, nervous.. everything.
InsyaAllah things will be well... in many ways.. in any ways!
I really feel like dancing.. yeap.. in the rain.. but of course I hope it will not rain forever. I hope for lots of sun too...
Words cannot describe how I feel. A mixture of happiness, sadness, anxious, nervous.. everything.
InsyaAllah things will be well... in many ways.. in any ways!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Fasting Eussuv
Ramadhan is here again. Alhamdulillah. I guess every parent would face a tough time teaching the kids to fast, well at least in the beginning. Same here!
Didn't have so much problem with Irsyad (as usual).. as it comes naturally to him. At 6 years-old he managed 15 days.. could have completed 20days but he got chicken pox on the last week.
Eussuv on the other hand, had only 1 day last year - he was 7 then. This year, I am quite determined that he must at least try - a few days. I did not expect much becos I don't want to force him. But I have reminded him many many times that this year he must be strong and try to fast as many days as he could.
So, this is how it went for the past 3 days:
Day 1: Happily bangun sahur and eat rice, slowly. Kept himself busy with TV, PS2 and computer games during the day.. Mummy kept asking "Eussuv, are u OK?". And he confidently smiled and said "I'm OK!". Fine. The day before the boys have discussed that they wanted to go play football at the playground as usual. I said, we'll see first, surely you'll be too tired to play, it's the first day of fasting!".. Well, I was wrong! Both of them went off to play football! Eussuv was very happy and playful as usual. No complaint at all. I was VERY surprised. By the time they got back from the playground, it was already close to 7pm. I could see Eussuv's tired face. But still no complain. He managed to complete it till the end with no complaint, no whining!! Well done! By 8:30pm, he's already deep asleep.. what a day for him..
Day 2: School day. Sahur with rice, mummy suap.. ! Reached home from school at 6pm. looked at the watch and said .. "lambatnya!! Baru pukul 6???" .. and keep saying that until berbuka. He had 4 different types of cold drinks in front of him (buat sendiri!!) ..and keep stirring it while watching the clock! He completed day 2.
Day 3: Another school day. Looking more energetic. Bought himself cold drinks from a stall near his schook while waiting for the van. Completed day 3. Down by 8:30pm.
So.. it was OK after all. I'm glad I did not force him last year and it seemed to be quite natural to him this year. Perhaps he's a bit babyish.. perhaps his maturity comes later as compared to Abang.
We really should not underestimate our kids. Though I know I should also not compare Irsyad and Eussuv, but when you have a good benchmark to start with, you cannot help but compare. By now, I really understood that they are different and have different paces of development, of which I should be able to know and guide them accordingly.
Not easy being a parent huh!
Didn't have so much problem with Irsyad (as usual).. as it comes naturally to him. At 6 years-old he managed 15 days.. could have completed 20days but he got chicken pox on the last week.
Eussuv on the other hand, had only 1 day last year - he was 7 then. This year, I am quite determined that he must at least try - a few days. I did not expect much becos I don't want to force him. But I have reminded him many many times that this year he must be strong and try to fast as many days as he could.
So, this is how it went for the past 3 days:
Day 1: Happily bangun sahur and eat rice, slowly. Kept himself busy with TV, PS2 and computer games during the day.. Mummy kept asking "Eussuv, are u OK?". And he confidently smiled and said "I'm OK!". Fine. The day before the boys have discussed that they wanted to go play football at the playground as usual. I said, we'll see first, surely you'll be too tired to play, it's the first day of fasting!".. Well, I was wrong! Both of them went off to play football! Eussuv was very happy and playful as usual. No complaint at all. I was VERY surprised. By the time they got back from the playground, it was already close to 7pm. I could see Eussuv's tired face. But still no complain. He managed to complete it till the end with no complaint, no whining!! Well done! By 8:30pm, he's already deep asleep.. what a day for him..
Day 2: School day. Sahur with rice, mummy suap.. ! Reached home from school at 6pm. looked at the watch and said .. "lambatnya!! Baru pukul 6???" .. and keep saying that until berbuka. He had 4 different types of cold drinks in front of him (buat sendiri!!) ..and keep stirring it while watching the clock! He completed day 2.
Day 3: Another school day. Looking more energetic. Bought himself cold drinks from a stall near his schook while waiting for the van. Completed day 3. Down by 8:30pm.
So.. it was OK after all. I'm glad I did not force him last year and it seemed to be quite natural to him this year. Perhaps he's a bit babyish.. perhaps his maturity comes later as compared to Abang.
We really should not underestimate our kids. Though I know I should also not compare Irsyad and Eussuv, but when you have a good benchmark to start with, you cannot help but compare. By now, I really understood that they are different and have different paces of development, of which I should be able to know and guide them accordingly.
Not easy being a parent huh!
Merdeka Kids
This is rather a belated entry but I insist to write about it.
The Merdeka Day, recently celebrated by the nation is one of the few events my kids enjoyed. This is what it meant for them:
1. Raising flags.. everywhere they like, in the bedroom, on top of the car, on our gate.. or even have one small flag outside their bags. This year they begged me to buy them one small flag each and one big one for the house. Yup I complied. They waived the small flag alright.. but the big one.. they wrap around their body and do the lion dance!!
2. Sing patriotic song and march in the living room. This will go on for at least 2 weeks, before and after the actual day. Oh yeah.. they love those songs, and they would sing them on top of their voices. This year they learn one new nice song.. Perpaduan Teras Kejayaan.
3. Watch Merdeka Parade and Fireworks.... on TV. I will never bring them to the real one due to the big and "rowdy" crowd. They love to watch the parade as they get to learn about all sorts of accupations according to the uniform, different types of policemen, firemen, soldiers ... and different types of cars they use. They really can learn something from this parade.. of course providing that Mummy watching with them and answer every question they ask.
4. Watch all those patriotic movies screened on TV. They especially love those with the Japanese soldiers. Again I have to explain a lot of things the Japanese did!!
This year they also get to learn about all the Malaysian states from a newspaper pull-out which has details of each state, the flag, the state song, the main town, etc..and so on.
Though I am no history buff able to tell the real history to them.. at least I do try my best telling them about this country, here and there. The most important thing is, it's an educational thingy. And perhaps inject some patriotism in them.. to be loyal to the country. I hope I feed them the right facts though!!!!
The Merdeka Day, recently celebrated by the nation is one of the few events my kids enjoyed. This is what it meant for them:
1. Raising flags.. everywhere they like, in the bedroom, on top of the car, on our gate.. or even have one small flag outside their bags. This year they begged me to buy them one small flag each and one big one for the house. Yup I complied. They waived the small flag alright.. but the big one.. they wrap around their body and do the lion dance!!
2. Sing patriotic song and march in the living room. This will go on for at least 2 weeks, before and after the actual day. Oh yeah.. they love those songs, and they would sing them on top of their voices. This year they learn one new nice song.. Perpaduan Teras Kejayaan.
3. Watch Merdeka Parade and Fireworks.... on TV. I will never bring them to the real one due to the big and "rowdy" crowd. They love to watch the parade as they get to learn about all sorts of accupations according to the uniform, different types of policemen, firemen, soldiers ... and different types of cars they use. They really can learn something from this parade.. of course providing that Mummy watching with them and answer every question they ask.
4. Watch all those patriotic movies screened on TV. They especially love those with the Japanese soldiers. Again I have to explain a lot of things the Japanese did!!
This year they also get to learn about all the Malaysian states from a newspaper pull-out which has details of each state, the flag, the state song, the main town, etc..and so on.
Though I am no history buff able to tell the real history to them.. at least I do try my best telling them about this country, here and there. The most important thing is, it's an educational thingy. And perhaps inject some patriotism in them.. to be loyal to the country. I hope I feed them the right facts though!!!!
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