Edusave Award : EAGLES Award

Look what came in the mail today?? 

We only received this today, although the letter was dated 26 November. This time it was for DD2. Budsy is feeling very thankful and very contented.. God has been kind.. looking out for Budsy and Budsy's children.. An awesome way to end our chapter for 2014...  

Congratulations, DD2... mommy is very proud of you.

When the first award letter came for DD1 on my birthday last Friday, both DD1 and I were in tight embrace and in tears. 

It was a first ever achievement for her throughout her young life. She has always been a below-average learner, even at her best attempts. What a regular child takes to learn in one or two sessions, she may need 5-7 (or more!) sessions to fully grasp it. 

Mildly dyslexic at an early age, sickly child since babyhood through all the years in primary school, survived bullying and tonnes of negative influence from peers within our modest neighbourhood, tumultuous years of pre-teen angst that almost ruined our mother-daughter bond and other personal family issues.... we rose above adversities together. Mothers don't give up on their kids. At least, I refused to. Finally, it seems that only now we see some light at the end of the tunnel..

DD2 has been the more academically motivated but not given leadership opportunities, until this year; thanks to an extremely supportive teacher who believed in her. If not for her, DD2 won't even qualify for the award.

The takeaway from my personal experiences were :

(1) Passionate educators go a long way in moulding not only a child's academic ability, but helps children build resilience from their falls and nurtures character building so children remain grounded...

(2) As a mom, I gave my children support on anything good/positive they wished to pursue.. I was always there when they needed me, in triumphs and in failures.. I believed in their strengths.. With all that, I also made a choice. 

I chose relationship over results. 

The measure of success is subjective for every person. For us, these are the small achievements that help acknowledge all our hard work will pave the ways for success, although slowly, but surely.

I wanted to make sure that come what may, my mother-daughter relationships with both my girls will stand strong in the face of academic pressures in Singapore and all other life's tests..

Today, when both my girls hugged me and thanked me for always supporting them, despite all odds, that was when in my little heart I thanked God for granting me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. 

Living one day at a time..enjoying one moment at a time.. Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.. Trusting he will make things right.. 

Sorry for the long post. Despite the cheerful and positive Budsy you always read online, we have really been through a lot. Which is why, Budsy has learnt to appreciate all the little things in life..