The K2 Graduation and Year-End Concert Milestone

These past few weeks has been tough for my mummy heart. 

First there was this: 

Yes, folks, I've got a (kindy) graduate on my hands.

For the first time his school decided to have a separate graduation ceremony for the K2s, so instead of receiving their certificates at the annual school concert, the little graduands got to have their own ceremony. I really appreciated the effort made by the school to do this. It meant two events (this graduation and the school concert), an additional set of rehearsals and two weekends spent in school for the teachers, but it meant that there was more time to celebrate these children at this milestone in their lives.

The programme for the night was a surprise for the parents, something Noey was very gleeful about. But my son can't keep a secret for long, and by and by, I came to realise that the children had been working on art work and a little sharing about what they wanted to be when they grew up. So what was his ambition? I'll tell you in a moment!

Saturday evening rolled by and it was a huge crowd that had gathered to watch sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, grandsons and granddaughters graduate for the first time. I was bubbling with excitement for my little man. I was not going to cry, I told myself. I didn't, but when I watched the pre-ceremony slide show with pictures of the children as wee little 3 years olds in Pre-Nursery, I did start to feel a little emotional. Where have all the chubby little faces gone??

Thankfully when the ceremony started, I felt nothing but pride and gladness over how far my little man had come. The same emotional little boy who took four weeks to stop crying and who still makes the most interesting observations came home with the "Most Reflective" award. The teachers gave each and every child an award for the character trait they had most exemplified. I thought a lot of them were spot on, including Noey's. 

After they received their certificates, the children stood on stage and proudly declared their ambitions for the future. Lots of them brought smiles to the faces of those watching. There was a little boy who wanted to be the President of Singapore, and another wanted to be "a boss like my father because I want to tell people what to do". A little girl wanted to be a teacher and come back to their kindy "so that I can teach children like me!". There was one little girl who wanted to be a Mummy because she loves children. I liked that. Her mummy is a SAHM and I think it's a testament to her time spent with her kids that her daughter wants to be a mummy too.

As for Noey, this is what he told everyone: "When I grow up, I want to be a doctor because I want to find a cure for the Ebola virus!" There was quite a roar of approval and amusement after he said that! Well, I hope that the cure for the Ebola virus is found way before then, but I love my little man's big dream and how it's really so him -- to pick up on a current issue, to be worried about a natural calamity and to want to do research! "I want to be a doctor-scientist," he has told me, and was delighted to find out that there was indeed such a thing. I'm sure his grandparents would be totally chuffed if he did decide to become a doctor! Perhaps he can fulfil their dreams in this respect the way I never did.

 

No sooner had I caught my breath after the graduation ceremony, then this and this happened:

The annual concert, and with two to watch this time! Mei performing in her first-ever performance, and Noey in his last. That day, I really felt it -- that ache as you watch your babies step out into their own. Still your babies but in so many ways, babies no longer. I was a bundle of emo-ness, I tell you.

The concert, it was great. The sessions take turns to perform their plays in English and Chinese, so Noey and Mei's play was in Chinese this year. Entitled "大微的故事", it told the tale of David and his anointing by Samuel. The second session performed the story of David and Goliath. Each year, the performances by each of the classes is cleverly woven into the story. The Pre-Nursery and Nursery children will perform group dance items and join in the group singing while the K1 and K2 children will be given roles and speaking parts in addition to group performances. In getting this to stage, the children have a lot to learn, from lines to songs, especially when it's in Chinese!

Mei and her classmates were little sheep dancing to 耶和华是我的牧者 and it was, as it always is with the youngest class, endearingly chaotic. I've seen her rehearse this dance a million times at home but on stage, Mei was excited but shy, hesitant to really get into it. Watching her reminded me that she is a wee one yet. More self-conscious than her brother, she isn't as comfortable on stage but I know she will come into her own in time to come. I loved seeing her up there. And in that adorable costume! Better yet that it was handmade by the teacher and children themselves. The headgear is made from an old white t-shirt with the front cut open and the sleeves tied to create ears. The kids then worked on sticking cotton wool on a piece of paper that was stuck to the top of their heads. It was so creative and the kids all looked so cute in it.

Noey's role was that of one David's brothers (Ozem) and while he only had a couple of lines, I thought he pulled them off flawlessly. No credit to me -- his teacher taught him! My offers to help him learn his lines were waved away impatiently. The most impressive part is that his teacher managed to teach the entire K2 class to recite Psalm 23, yes the whole Psalm, in Chinese! "So that they will carry the Word with them," said his principal when I commented on this while speaking to her after the concert.

Her words really reminded me of what we had prayed for when we chose to place Noey in this kindergarten -- that he (and now his sister too) would learn not just how to read and write, but also the word of God. To not just be prepared for Primary One but to be prepared for life with the proper grounding in Christian values, the school complementing what we teach at home. As I look back on how he's grown over the past four years, not just in stature but in maturity and understanding, I know he has been blessed by being here.

In a few days it will be the last day of kindy and after that, P1 orientation. Dear Lord, let my mummy heart hold out!