First Week

Three days of the week they have gone to the masjid for the summer program. Finally I have the house all to myself for 3 hours on those 3 days. The first day I entertained guests. The second day I did some work at the library. The third day, which is today, I napped.

However, the summer program is also hard work for me, because they were all given assignments: memorizing surahs. S is now doing An Naba. N just finished Al Aadiyat. H is still working on Al Zalzalah.

Yesterday, H had his first assignment: Al Zalzalah.

it wasn't easy. He still can't pronounce R correctly. He stutters. He has a little trouble repeating after us. So memorizing for him took quite some time. S has somewhat the same problem, though since she can already read, it's less of a hassle. N, on the other hand, seems to have been bestowed with an ability to memorize simply from hearing. Her auditory senses are excellent Masyaallah.

I may have been complaining of her lack of attention and what nots. Many a times I told myself, "This girl had better have something with which to compensate for her lack of attention." That something surfaced to my sight today. Hubby has said this to me a LOT of times, but I have always waved them off. He's right. She does have the capability to 'get it' rather quickly.

However, I was picking them up yesterday at the masjid. As N ran out the door headed towards the van, her teacher came to me and asked,

"What's wrong with her?"

Before she stated the problem, I already knew it. N is quiet. She speaks very softly. If she doesn't feel like it, she will not speak, even if coaxed, or commanded to. Even to us, she doesn't necessarily comply when told to respond verbally. I knew what the problem was, and I explained it. If it was exasperating to me, imagine how it would be for strangers.

When we got back home, I repeatedly told N to please respond to her teacher. I somewhat ignored her yesterday, to get my point across her bland expression. She got my point.

Today, when I picked them up, she came home elated, and said,

"I talked!"

In addition, she also made a new friend. They came home happy today. The opposite of yesterday when S fumed, sulked and blurted,

"It's not fair! You always get more homework when you're older!"

Today seems to be a different case altogether.

Hubby at first complained about the price of sending them to this program.

"We might as well just teach them at home," he said.

It's not so much about the teaching to me. It's more about them mingling with other people, forming bonds, and experiencing a school-like setting.

H seems to be blending is just fine. With his chirpy personality, I suppose he doesn't have any problem of being too quiet. In fact, it's just the opposite,to which he declared,

"I always talk a lot!"

Today I learned that there is another boy who talks more than him. Surprise, surprise.

The girls are more shy, which is not such a bad thing, but still needs to be worked on. Most people would be shocked to learn that both hubby and I are originally shy people. It's true, and I think the girls have mostly picked up on this trait even before they were born. I struggled to overcome this trait when I came to the United States. Hopefully the girls will be able to overcome it also, though I don't necessarily deem it a bad trait. Talk about societal pressure. Everyone is now somwhat forced to become extroverts.