LAST week I shared a list of three distinct events on how December was off to a great start. This week, my list continues but comes in combinations and crossovers.
A week after the SEA Games, my kids joined The Young Musketeers. Meagan won silver for 16 and under. Marcus won gold for 10 and under. He also won bronze for 12 and under. My first Christmas joy goes to my son’s leap in personality.
When Marcus was in prekindergarten, he only spoke to one person in class the whole year. When he went to the big school, he also had one friend for the next two years. I remember when I was planning his seventh birthday at home; I could only invite three kids—his Pre-K friend, that friend’s brother and his one friend from kindergarten.
I always loved my son’s traits as an introvert. He was more into his violin, latest toy collection and math. I found it fascinating that he could be so deeply focused on one task. I also appreciated how affectionate he was with people he cared about. Today, the one boy he spoke to in Pre-K remains to be his best friend, even if they are no longer in the same school. I am truly grateful to see that Marcus has stepped out of his comfort zone while keeping his core.
On December 15, he performed his longest piece yet in violin, “Concertino 3” by George Perlman. While I was taking the video, I felt fondly surprised by how my son can embrace seemingly difficult things with such relaxation.
I look back and attribute it to him starting with “learn through play.” His free art and play time since he was one taught him to embrace mistakes with fun and resolve. I am grateful for his new friends who laugh, listen and support him.
Most of all, I believe Marcus has been truly lucky to have great mentors who push and nurture him. So next in my gratitude list are my kids’ coaches. I always prayed for teachers who would nurture my kids like their own. This involves lots of patience because I know how headstrong my kids are.
Teacher Lois has been Marcus’s violin teacher since he was four years old. I remember one time a while back, I was quietly listening in while hiding outside her music room.
Marcus was a bit sleepy during the class, but I heard teacher Lois’s calm encouraging voice. She did not get angry but reminded him to do better. At career day that year, he said he wanted to be a musician when he grew up. Teacher Lois prepared him no differently than if it were a major recital. Later on, at Grade 1, his school actually invited him to play during the intermission for one of the school program. I was worried if my shy boy would have the courage to do a solo in an auditorium full of hundreds of people. Thanks to Teacher Lois’s tutelage and days of practice, Marcus, in his cute red bow tie, made another step outside his comfort zone.
When Marcus was eight, I felt it was time he decided if he wanted to continue his classes. When I asked him, he immediately said he wanted to continue. Now, even if he is more into sports, he still consistently looks forward to his classes without prodding. When I saw Marcus’s proud but shy smile as he approached Teacher Lois after his recent recital, and how Teacher Lois embraced him with kind words, I understood better why. Thank you, Teacher Lois, for sharing to Marcus your time, talent and, most of all, warmth, which my once-shy boy really needed to come out of his shell.
I have shared about Teacher Karl’s role in Marcus loving math. In my son’s words, “Teacher Karl teaches [math] properly and in a fun way.” Through the years, they have developed a closer bond because of their love for toys. Teacher Karl would ask Marcus about a toy he might like. His most recent surprise was gifting Marcus with a bobble head Sheldon Cooper for Christmas. Thank you, Teacher Karl, for accommodating both my kids to your schedule. I admire and am grateful to you for being a great teacher and friend to my son all these years.
In the past year, Marcus has devoted most of his free time to his fencing classes. In the beginning, I was not sure if he would like the speed and combative mindset of the sport. I saw how confused he was with the rules and how tired he was after his two-hour practices. He was very lucky to have coaches in Republic Fencing to guide him. Coaches Eric, Alvin, Don and especially Lucio would push him hard but, at the same time, they also knew which buttons to push for him to love the sport.
As 2019 comes to a close, may we as parents also take time out to thank all of our kids’ “Coaches for Life.” A special birthday shout-out to my sister, Joan, who has and continues to be my kids’ most unique, funny and caring “coach” in the world. We all love you a gazillion times.