Our bathroom is back to normal. Well, now the floor tile is two-tone, and it’s not as well laid as the original tile. But at least we can use the bathroom again, and that’s the main thing. I am constantly amazed at how simple pleasures in life can be so luxurious when you do without for several days (weeks).
I took more photos of the process, but the plastic case of my camera’s SD card has chipped, and I can’t get anything to read it. I’ll be running to the computer market this afternoon to try to rescue the images.
Sprite is taking a break from homeschool since all her friends are also free for summer vacation. Some of them have as little as one month free before they continue back to school in mid-August. I feel so sorry for these children. Yesterday, a 12 year old sat in my home and discussed whether or not she’d go to graduate school after college. I really doubt that when I was 12 I even knew what graduate school was! How many of your children consider such adult things? In China, it’s rather common among the educated classes.
I think the pressure on Chinese children is terrible. It’s so competitive even at quite early ages. Testing into middle school (6th grade) seems to be when it becomes seriously high pressure. Most of Sprite’s friends are at this level, so they have little time to play at all. So when they are free, we drop everything to socialize!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m glad your bathroom is back in functioning order! Seems like it was a long haul.
I do feel there is a lot of pressure on children here too on so many levels. My 11 year old talks about what she will do in the army – compulsory for girls and boys after high school – but I haven’t heard her talk about college yet.
We have a much lighter schedule during this 2 month break so the children can play with their non-homeschooled friends.
Hope you can get those pictures cause I’ve been waiting to see what was done.
Martha´s last blog ..Our New Baby
I sooooo know what you mean! Last year we had a family join our homeschool group from China. They didn’t feel the public or private schools challenged their children enough so they choosed to homeschool until they “found a more suitable instituion”. Those poor kids were pushed so hard and this family thought that the rest of us were so lazy and did not care about our children’s future. I remember the mother once asked my then 9 year old what career he was going to pursue after college………..my son replied “well I don’t know yet, I think it would be neat to be a missionary, engineer, soilder, artist, writer or a director………”. The mother was discusted that my son at age 9 did not have a more clear direction of his life or any set career goals yet. So sad in my opinion.
I am very happy to hear you have your bathroom back! I remember when our main bathroom went out once and we all had to use the small one. By the time we finally got the other bathroom fixed and were able to use it, we felt like spoiled little children getting to use TWO bathrooms! hahahaha!
Mandi´s last blog ..Pictures of cabinets that are done so far…..almost
Glad that your bathroom is in working order again. It is definitely a luxury to have 2 facilities in the house!
I can relate a little to the pressures of grades and education at a young age as it was a number one priority in my childhood. But at least I had the balance of well, everyone else around me that were a bit more relaxed when it came to grades and beating everyone else. I know there is much pressure in Korea as well. We take much for granted here in the US, such as being able to choose to continue our education if that is our desire!
Marsha´s last blog ..Four inches and four free tickets!
It breaks my heart to hear things like this. All children deserve time to just be children. I love to hear my boys’ laughter while they’re “wasting time” role-playing Star Wars or playing chase around the yard with the water hose–not to mention the countless hours spent on the trampoline perfecting their front-flips and trying relentlessly to land a back-flip. Why worry about all the seriousness of adulthood until you have to? I will gladly bear that burden for them a while longer! I know the time will soon be here that they will put away childish things, but I hope they will hold the memories of a happy, playful childhood forever.
Yeah for a bathroom! It seemed like it took forever for it to get fixed and usable.
Have I told you how much I love the look and feel of this new site? I love it!
Mommy Reg´s last blog ..Cooking With the Kids
Jamie, Thanks so much! I’m glad you feel at home here at my collage. It’s like I’ve moved into a spacious, newly built home after being in a cramped apartment!