First of all, thank you all for the concerns. I took the doctor's advice with a pinch of salt...but being the typical taurusian, obstinate and all, I didn't follow his advice especially on the breastfeeding part. I understood where he was coming from but wasn't fully convinced just like all you mothers out there. *smile* Anyway, the pain is almost gone but there is still a dull ache.

Today is the first day of the mid-year exams for some of our children. I remembered when I was in school, exams would be the only stressful period for the year. Of course, at that time, I did not know what stress means. I'd feel butterflies in my stomach, a slight queasy feeling. I would be very jittery, wondering whether I could answer all the questions and after the exams, I hated it when my friends would compare answers and I happened to overheard that I got it wrong!

This will be my daughter's 3rd time taking exams. I tried to remember how I felt back then when I was young - to remind myself that she may be feeling the same way too. I have seen parents who forget that they were once young and instead of giving empathy to the child, they ridicule her for feeling afraid. Funny it seems that now as I type this I feel that butterfly-feeling in my stomach. Maybe, my daughter is feeling that too as she sits now for her first paper.

I try not to have high expectations on my children. Every little achievements they make, brightens my day. Children, nowadays are forced to grow up faster than they should. When my daughter and I was revising on how to answer a comprehension passage, I was surprised that a child at 8 is expected to think and find reasons why certain sea animals are becoming extinct. I supposed it has to do with thinking skills. I wondered whether this is the best approach of inculcating thinking skills or is there a better approach?

I don't like to compare my children's achievements to others- not that I am not proud of them. But I think comparing my children to others is unhealthy. Every child is unique in his own. Comparing him with others in his cohort is unjustified and unfair. Labeling him as EM1, EM2 pupil is not necessary - to me. Some people I know have asked me how do I benchmark my children's achievement if I do not compare?

I benchmark their achievements now to their achievements before, not to other people's children. If tomorrow, my child achieve better grades that she did before, that to me is more a success. Then again, grades to me is not as important as the effort that was put in. My children has a long way to go.

Education is not just making the grades, selected to join Olympian Maths or Robotics competitions or making into the top schools. Education is a character building process. Education does not stop by getting into the pretigious universities and getting the degrees. Education is a journey where we learn, use and share our skills with others.