Vivacious Kids






Not having children makes less work—but it makes a quiet house. ~ Susan Glaspell


I haven’t gotten close to any of my kids for a long time (kids = students). The first kids I’d gotten close to were my Form 4 kids back when I was teaching in a secondary school in J.B. (12 years ago). I don’t know why they liked me so much but I know I liked them because they’re decent kids, courteous, intelligent and obedient. I can still remember their names: Lee Suan, Aida, Diah and Lan. We kept in touch for a while after I left the school and joined the university, but after some time we became incommunicado.
Throughout my years here, I didn’t become close to any kid ( I don’t know why) until I started teaching the executive students in 2003. These are matured, adult students. Some of them are even much older than me. I got close to some of them then. Echot, Faiz, Nicky. Just to name a few. But I don’t know whether these people can be called kids J. Far too old, I would say.
Last semester I taught these three vivacious kids: Delicia, Farhana and Kamal. I don’t know how I got close to them but I just did. Maybe because they’re not afraid to speak to me. They’re also not afraid to speak up their minds in class. And they’re just sooooooo cute, lively, intelligent and happening that I’m kind of reminded of those times when I was a student (and when I was young). And maybe the relationship that has developed between them and me is the kind of relationship I envision for my kid(s) and me one day. To quote Farhana: “If you had a kid, you’d be super-cool mom.” How I wish.
Originally posted on http://izzyz7.reciter.com on 1 August 2007




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