The baby in the child

This is Elkan's final year as a child, although most people will call him a pre-teen.  This morning as I watched him walk to school, I am reminded of the first day he entered into Primary one.  Time moves slowly when you are in it, but when you think back, you realise it has flown by. 

Look how skinny Elkan was!

This is his PSLE year, and he is being hothoused to prepare him for it.  Academic achievements have never been a top priority for our family, much to the amazement and chagrin of some of the children's school teachers.  We like our children's creative way of learning and expressing themselves about the world and we believe that there is an inevitable tradeoff between academic results and a free-spirit. 

However, I felt that it would not be fair to him if we do not help him to demonstrate to the world in marks, what he is capable of. So he is being hothoused, and being a very teachable and compliant child, it has been rather easy so far. 

Nonetheless, there are times when I go overboard, and he will tell me, in his gentle manner, :"I am very sleepy mum..."  I will look at him, and suddenly realise that PSLE or not, he is still a child, and that this is also the last year of his childhood. 

Like all parents, we love our children, and we constantly have reminiscences of the days when they were babies, infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, early-primary-school children.  I often wish there was a machine that will allow us to travel back in time and enjoy a day in each of those times again. 

Elkan was 3 years old and Elias was 16 months old!

I have a favourite children song when the boys were babies.  It goes like this:-

"Itty, Bitty, baby boy,
Daddy's dream, Mama's joy.
Smallest in the family,
Yet so much joy that you bring,
To your Daddy and me.

Yes, I know, that you will not always be small.
Yes, I know, that you will grow strong and tall.
Yet my little guy, you're just the right size today,
To hold in my arms and look in your eyes and say..."

I managed to find a youtube video with that song.  The baby is not any of mine, but is just as cute.

May all the parents out there, always remember the baby in your child.