My Reflection on November visiting session

I have participated 4 times of the visiting KKH session. Through these four times experiences, I realized that I really love and enjoy mingling with kids. Initially, we have planned the activities for every session, but in the end we only carried out one activity successfully which is teaching them how to make finger puppets. Most of the kids like to do things actively rather than sit quietly and listen to you. They actually have their own mind on what they want to do; hence we usually just play by ears, accompany them to play games and draw pictures.

Most of the kids we met, they have parents along with them, so initially they might not be so easy to mingle. It is common that kids shrink from meeting strangers, especially when their parents is around with them, they don’t bother other people who come to approach them. To deal with this situation, I learnt that kids are easily distracted with interesting things like stickers or games. When you have successfully gotten their attention on you, then you can try to talk with them or offer help to them, they will sense your friendliness.

Sometimes, an action is more important than words. I think the kids only need companion to be with them, accompany them to do things they like, and then they will be very happy and satisfied. Boys always like to play some competing games. I have learnt a lesson that they always have a desire to excel and seek to do others down, so don’t be serious to the result but must be fair to everyone. Kids will think you favour others, even is because you actually just show more attentions to others.

Overall, I think I gain much more than I give. The objective of this activity is to bring joys to kids who are in KKH. But during the sessions, I have received a lot of great joys as well, and I found myself have an excellent rapport with kids.

KKH Week One

Like DaiXuan, I also had some nerves and apprehension going into the ward, wondering how we would be received by the children, to whom we were but strangers. Annette and I decided to approach the children at their bedsides rather than the common play area because the rest of our group seemed to be able to handle the little ones at the play area.

Hence we ventured around and chanced upon a young boy who took interest in the craft book that we were holding. Initially, he was trying to figure out how to draw the car before he gave up. He then took it upon himself to draw his horoscope after we pointed out his star sign to him, before completing the drawing with the horoscopes of his parents. I tried telling him that horoscopes occur from how people read the stars in the past and believed that they hold the answers to their own destinies, but Annette said I was too abstract. After drawing, he took interest in the "Eyewonder Earth" book that we brought along and was soon engrossed in unravelling the mysteries of the world with his mum.

Next we chanced upon a primary 5 girl in the opposite ward whom the social worker brought us to. Apparently she was too shy to play with the other kids and soon left the common area. The social worker asked if we could do something with her as well. Again, the craft book worked wonders with children as she started to draw dainty-looking dresses, butterflies, and even inscribed her name alongside her mum's, complete with heart shapes. It was truly a sight that melted our hearts. Drawing reveals the inner creative world of children just as the shy but sweet-natured girl poured her interests and heart out onto the art canvas. Her mum also expressed her gratitude and thanked us for entertaining her daughter.

Annette then read her the story of Rapunzel. While Annette was reading out the story in her usual animated way, the girl quietly sat by her side and listened. I wondered if the girl really understood the story and asked her that when the story ended. She shyly nodded. Till today, Annette and I are unsure if she really understood the story or was merely "patronising" Annette in her considerate manner. Only the girl will know. She also showed her generosity in completing the car drawing that I wanted to pass to the boy whom we met earlier, and she even wrote "Get well soon" on the card. We felt it was really heartwarming and sweet of her to do so for the boy patient whom she did not know until then. She even drew a card to thank us, and I realise now that she had probably expressed what she could not say aloud into her drawings.

Before we left, we spent some time interacting with the kids in the play area. Time flew by in the blink of an eye as we were lost in the hustle and bustle of entertaining the kids and packing up. I asked a boy (under 4 years old) engrossed in watching the cartoon show, "Tom and Jerry's", whether he liked the mouse. He nodded quietly. I asked if he liked the cat, he slowly shook his head. I asked why, and his response was, "cat.... very.... bad...", while shaking his head slightly. The three children who really made a huge impression on me struck me as very perceptive little ones, despite their tender age.

KKH Day Two

Today’s crowd was a little less active as compared to last week’s. As such, our brilliant plan of playing exciting games related to music did not quite work out well. However, I think that the kids enjoyed themselves with musical chairs, the colouring and the drawing. And to me, that is what matters most.

Song presentation was quite a flop because of the song choice. Who would have thought that “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) and “Love Story” by Taylor Swift would actually be strangers to the young kids? Instead, “Baby” by Justin Bieber, “Just the way you are” by Brueno Mars and “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga were so much better at striking a chord with them! My friend told me kids nowadays (yes, including primary school kids) tune in to 98.7. I didn’t believe her until I really witness it for myself today.

I wonder if they understand the lyrics. And even if they don’t understand the lyrics, will those lyrics actually subtly shape their value system? I have had experiences whereby some songs I listened to in my secondary school days randomly found its way into my thoughts and I find myself agreeing with the lyrics (mind you, those lyrics didn’t exactly make sense to me when I was young and ignorant in my secondary school days). What if such things happen to the kids? With so many songs about sex, it would be disastrous if they eventually understand the deeper meaning to those words they sang and find themselves thinking that sex is okay even if you’re not married.

We can’t change the songs on 98.7.

We can’t forbid the students to tune in to 98.7.

But we can teach them when to tune out by thinking critically.

KKH Day One

This is our very first time meeting the kids from KKH.

A spread of coloured markers and glitter glue on the table, random bottles and coloured paper on a small round table with tiny chairs for the kids to sit on were ready when the kids come towards us with a little apprehension. Frankly, I was probably as lost as them because I really have very little experience working with little kids like those we met at KKH.

My first ‘little customer’ was a little girl. She took the bottle I handed her and began writing her name on it. After I told her to decorate the bottle with whatever marker pens she wants or even glitter glue, I decided to join in the fun. I was absently just drawing a little flower on my bottle. When I looked up, to my surprise, the little girl was doing the exact same thing I did!

One other story is of this little girl. She likes taking different coloured markers and just randomly ‘splash’ the colours across the white piece of paper. But because of that, her hands will get stained by the colours. The thing about her is that she does not like her hands stained. So she kept rubbing. I had to take her to wash her hands for like three times. For the first two times, she does not seem to have understood what I have said. But for the last time, I showed her how to wash her hands such that the stains will be removed more effectively, she actually looked at me, smiled and washed her hands exactly like how I did!

Through these experiences, I learn that little kids learn much better when we demonstrate for them rather than just tell them in words. Actions indeed speak louder than words. J