A Homemaker’s Diary

I remember almost 2 decades ago (the time when I went to school), parents sent their school going children to well known tuition centre in the hope that their children will score great results in Penilaian Darjah 5 later became UPSR, then SRP later known as PMR and of course the big SPM! Though most children show improvement in their performance in school and the main exam, some simply waste parents’ money by “belajar main-main” and later hang out at shopping mall with friends.

The trend in education is pretty much the same now. Parents still fork out large chunks of money to spend on sending their children to good reputable tuition centres…and the rate per subject in big city like KL is like RM60-80 per month…(imagine if you have 3 children taking big exam in the same year and each need tuition for 3-4 subjects..isk!) Those who want extra attention and privacy (and can afford) even hire private tutors to come and teach their children at home.

But what if you as the parents could be a part of the learning tools, not only financially but physically take part monitoring and gauging how well (or not well) your son/daughter is doing. You don’t have to wait until the trial exam results come out and being asked to come to school to collect report card (and later feel frustrated because your precious child is not performing). You have the option now.

It’s called Webucation – education and knowledge delivered 100% via the Internet. Imagine not having to rush here and there to send off your child from school, to home, to tuition centre, back to home again..or not having to force your child to sleep early on Friday night because he/she has to wake up early on weekend to go to tuition.

And being a non morning person myself, I always hate to wake up and learn during the time of the day when my mind is not at its optimum level to grasp new lessons. I spent 5 years in boarding school and not once I was able to (really!) study during the afternoon prep time (although I obediently attended every compulsory session and slept through the hours in my baju kurung sekolah, with my head dozing off on the meja sekolah) Thankfully there were night prep time and extension hour till 11p.m (for PMR year) and later 12a.m (for SPM year) for me to stay up and study.

My point is everybody has different optimal time to study. With something like online tuition, I can study anytime, anywhere I want as long as there’s Internet connection and a laptop. I wonder how my result would be like if I have that kind of approach 15 years ago…not that I have any regret since I did score 4A’s for my UPSR, 8A’s for my PMR, and 7A’s with single aggregate for my SPM.

But things could be nicer for our future children, right? Or are you still holding on to the old value of educating children with real teachers/tutors and piles of text/reference books and past years exam papers?

P/S: Oh, for those who are interested in this new trend of webucation, feel free to contact me for more info.

May the year 2010 brings the best in everyone of us! No new year resolution for me, just greater determination to achieve more in life..InsyaAllah!

Lately there are many things that I look forward to..

Simple things like the opportunity to eat and drink in peace whenever the son is finally asleep at 3 am..

Our day out on weekend even though I have to handle a non-stoppable toddler in the car..

A walk around the shopping mall even if I have to carry a sleeping child on my shoulder..

Hubby’s day off from work which means I will have extra hand at home to look after the son so that I can grab some drink, go to toilet or take my shower..

Having a high need son makes me learn on how to be grateful of many small things in life that people usually take for granted, though I have to admit most of the times I long for the old life I used to enjoy..but this is what I asked from God, He gave me a son to raise and I’m going to carry out my responsibility as a mother to the best of my ability, even if I will be the last one to sleep, the last one to eat, the first to rise and make sacrifice in life..

Last weekend we managed to go to Banting to buy kerepek for niece’s wedding reception next January. The first time we bought 10 kg of kerepek ubi masin but once we brought home, SIL only managed to pack 400 small plastic packaging out of that. So we went again last Thursday (Hubby came home early from work as requested by his American manager in the spirit of Christmas..hehe!) to buy another 15kg.

For those who are interested to buy kerepek ubi in bulk, you can try to find the shop – Kerepek House 7F. It is not that difficult because the shop is quite near to the main road – the opposite side from Hospital Banting and Banting Police Station. It is located in the kampung area, not a commercial shop lot, mind you.

As you drive, please look out for the Fazz Enterprise signboard.

They have many kind of kerepek and keropok (jajan) to choose from. We bought muruku kacang peas, another 2 types of muruku, popia mini, tumpi kacang dal, kerepek ubi manis, kerepek pisang salai, kerepek bawang, kerepek pisang tanduk and many more (which I can’t recall their names..heh!)

Check out our hasil tangkapan for ourselves. We are currently out of balang kuih and tupperware to fill in all the kerepek..hehe!

For those who need the complete address and contact number, please check this picture.

The address printed on their kerepek packaging is different from the one stated on the receipt. And for those who have been there, if you noticed, the phone number on the signboard by the road side is no longer valid.

The shop opens till 9:30pm if I’m not mistaken. So if you try to reach there after office hour hopefully you can still make it and buy your choice of kerepek in bulk (if somehow you managed to brave the slow traffic along the kampung road from Dengkil to Banting..huhu!)

We have been busy for the past few weekends..reason? Niece #2 is getting married and SIL is busy taking care of everything. And us trying to be helpful has done whatever we can to share the burden with her.

So last weekend we managed to reach Banting (will update more about the Kerepek House once I have edited the pictures) and bought 10kg of kerepek ubi which will be packed into guest favors for the wedding reception. We also bought assorted kerepek and muruku for 5 more kg in case SIL need to feed relatives who come to her house the day or two before the wedding (hari pasang telur?)

This weekend we will go to Melaka to buy dodol piramid for 40kg…(SIL’s family will go as well since we plan to makan ikan bakar at Umbai afterwards) Then once we manage to get everything back home, Niece #1 and SIL will be packing those things into the goodie bags. The 800 pcs of cupcakes will be collected on the 8th Jan, and whoever at home akan dikerah tempek riben on top of the plastic containers..keh keh!

SIL plan to rebus telur pindang on Friday before the wedding and I am doing my part of simpan kulit bawang since the past few weeks..haha! We decided to contribute 200++ of gred C eggs for such purpose which will cost about RM50++..(that’s the least we could do on contribution part since I am unable to do more for hantaran, sirih junjung or bunga pahar this time..isk isk..masa dan tenaga tu belakang kira la kan..)

Personally I love wedding, for me it’s the time when we gather with family members, contributing whatever we can for one happy event. I even love the scouting part and getting the items for the event…heh!