Peter

December 9, 2008

But back down here, I experienced the sweetest little thing from the most unexpected of places, or person.

In the form of Peter. He is the most rascally, ill-bred kid ever. He screams "Shut up!" at people 10 times his age, and other almost incomprehensible, bad words. He doesn't listen. He does things opposite of what he's told. He bullies everybody indiscriminately. Just a very mean kid.

But then! Just when he was about to leave yesterday, with his mother already by the door waiting for him, he run to me and hugged and kissed me goodbye. I was taken aback. He had a huge smile on his face as I bid goodbye. That was really the sweetest thing.

Whereas the other kids on whom I thought I left a very good impression, and who wanted me beside them, read books for them and all that pseudo motherhood thing, just left without a goodbye.

December 9, 2008

I find myself so endeared towards Peter, the bulliest kid I've ever known (not even Edward my cousin can beat him). His energy is equal to 10 children. At the same time, he can be VERY annoying and I bet Tiffany & Nirmala can't forgive him for that -- they who have had to endure him for years.

Today, his mother came to pick him up and asked Tiffany about the new teacher named "TV". I am touched I have made such an impression on him that he told of me to his mom. His mom is named Gita so we had a short conversation about that.

During afternoon tea, Peter helped me with feeding the very delicate Joleena with jelly ace. He held the cover open so I won't have a hard time feeding Joleena. I was so glad (and assured) to know that behind this greatest rascal is an extremely (ok, this is exagg) good boy. Maybe he needs attention or has so much of it. I only hope he doesn't grow up to be such a bully.

December 10, 2008

I just noticed that the top 2 bullies in school (Peter & Gabbie) are actually the most vulnerable. The other boys like Leo, Stephen, Noor, Daniel don't like to sit on my lap and Nirmala's. And they're the nicer boys! While the bad boys like sitting close to us. Should that explain their need for attention? I wish I studied a bit of Psych.

December 11, 2008

Yesterday, I entered the center to the hugs of the children; Peter, Hailey, Leea and even Jasmine who isn't really as maparaygun run up to me. In the afternoon, they were watching a movie and when I joined them, Leea sat on my lap while Peter and Jasmine moved beside me, with Peter leaning on me. I never thought I'd have such effect on these kids who've only known me for 3 days. Or maybe that's the nature of kids.

Peter is the most difficult kid to put to sleep. I pity Nirmala having to do that job. I pat the rest of the kids who want to be patted and I can't help but gush whenever I succeed in it. This is a side of me that I think I always had but which my short patience overcomes at many times. Anyway, Peter yesterday was being a bully again. After around 30 mins of Nirmala trying to put him to sleep, he stood up to give me high fives and hugged me then went back to his bed, and finally, stayed put. Success!

December 11, 2008

I enjoyed today. Emily was in the room and all in her 5 years, I can already tell she's gonna be a fierce girl who can stand up for herself. Today, she protected not just herself but the other kids from the bully, Peter. And she would say, "Me don't want that!" What an attitude.

Peter was really mean today, sending Nirmala to near rages herself, but she's been very effective in handling the two bullies, Peter and Gabby. This afternoon, Peter asked me to pat him to sleep but I told him I can't, that Nirmala will take care of him. He kept on asking again. I wish I had said yes. I would want to see if he would skip his customary pre-sleep tantrum if I were to put him to sleep.

December 18, 2008

Today is my 2nd to the last day of work. And I already miss my fave students in class. I'm gonna break rules whatever basta I have to take at least one souvenir shot of them. Diane mentioned they don't allow taking photos of students to ward off pedophiles. So I have to ask permission.

Yesterday, Peter run to his mother who was carrying a gift and asked whom it was for. The mother replied, "For Tiffany!" Peter then told his mother, much to my surprise, "Get one for her as well!" he said, pointing at me. It was embarrassing and even more, touching. Peter is one of those students -- or the only student I think -- who doesn't forget to say goodbye before leaving. The other kids are just so excited to be picked up by their mothers and fathers that they just cling to them so tightly and whisper the smallest goodbye or none at all. I understand of course. But Peter does cling to his mother but manages a big smile, high fives and hugs before leaving. He really is a lovely kid, at one extreme, and horrible, in another.

2 Sweetest Things today:

1) Waking up Peter quite forcedly, pissing him off for a while then he rolls around, lightens up, looks up at me, relents to my plead for him to smile and after helping him up, blurts, "I love you, Vita. I love you." Awww... then he gives me a huge hug. Peter can easily get on nerves but he easily can make me melt at the same time. Awww... lovely, bad boy.

2) Peter's mother comes with a gift for me. When I told Gita, her mother, she shouldn't have bothered, she tells me, "No worries Vita. It was really Peter who kept on telling me, 'Buy Vita a gift mommy! Buy Vita a gift!" Ahhh, and that's why I just love that kid!

December 19, 2008

Hoping works. I had wanted so much to have my photo taken with Peter and I got it. I want to have taken photo of myself with the other kids, but I guess I can only hope and get so much. I'm pleased with what i have tho.

Today marks the end of that phase of my Australian experience and I'm quite sad and relieved it's over. It kinda coincided with my move to Carlo's place and sorry to say this, I noticed I was more at home and in place at the Daycare than in Carlo's place. Nobody should mistake this as that the Santoses don't make me feel home much. They do, they really do. But it's just me, I guess. I enjoyed being with the kids. I'm gonna miss Jayden's curls that make him as beautiful as Cordon Bleu. I miss Daniel's husky voice and insistence that he's the boss. Hailey screeching. Gabby whining (and Nirmala at his every whim). The twins Stefan and Stephanie. The cutest kids/blondes ever, Ella and Lockley. Awww... I really hope I find myself...

Well, I really don't know. But one sure thing, this is one of the best parts of the trip.

December 23, 2008

I find myself thinking of Peter again. I really miss the kids. I remember on Christmas Party day, as soon as he arrived, he run to me and gave me his hug and smile. I didn't get to really enjoy it thought because it was in the middle of a game and I had to assist the kids. So I quickly sat him within the circle but he moved closer to me. Sadly, I had to assist the littler kids and from then on, he enjoyed himself. He is clingy to his mother Gita, even more than the other kids who are clingy as well but easily freed themselves to the games around them. But Peter stayed really close to Gita. I think he feels his mother is the only one to whom he can run to unconditionally. At school, Peter is so naughty that a lot of the kids stay away from him. Every bad thing that happens is blamed at him first before they find out the actual culprit. On his own, he really had to put up a tough front. But with his mom, he was a 5 year old kid. I really miss him. At least once, I was a comfort to him enough to have earned an "I love you, Vita."

~~~
From December 8-19, I helped out at the Rainbow Daycare Center in Gipps Street, Fairfield, which is owned by a cousin's friend. One of their teachers was on vacation leave and they needed somebody asap to fill in for her in the last two weeks of school before the Holidays break. The excerpts above were taken from the Journal I kept throughout my Sydney Sojourn (in its raw, unedited form, thus the grammatical and spelling errors). As the Daycare experience was huge for me, it filled up a lot of pages, especially on my favorite kid, 5-year-old Peter, of Lebanese origins.

To this day, I still remember how his mouth slowly breaks into a sunshiney smile. I can still hear Daniel's husky voice. I can still picture Emily in one of her she-bully moments, with her lips pouting and hands on the hips. I can still see Gabby's long lashes and hear his whiny voice. I still cringe at the now-invisible cuteness of Lockley, and the set of bangs that stretches over his forehead and end on top of his eyes. Those kids. I almost loved to love them.

at the back: teacher Tiffany, teacher Nirmala, owner Sylvia, me
the graduates: "I am the boss!" Daniel, my Peter Rabbit, toughie Emily, shy girl Nancy, the brat Leo, the loud-mouthed Hailey, the class fave Sarah, the hippie's daughter Aisha

~~~
Peter graduated last year from Daycare. This year is his first in the "big" school, or kindy. As a gift, I gave him a Spiderman pencil case. He might not remember me, but his mom Gita, an equally likable person, hopefully would and will remind him.