Walking One Mil for Little Picnic

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Musa had his first picnic with his kindergarten friends and teachers today. This picnic was called engai (園外) which is literally out of garden (園 refers to ‘kindergarten’). It’s a simpler version of ensoku (遠足), another common term in Japanese kindergarten life, which means “excursion”, a more serious and farther trip that usually needs guardian to accompany the kid.

For this little picnic, the kids have been prepared since a week before by doing simulation. One day, they were brought to walk around the kindergarten. In another day, the teachers asked the parents to bring the kids lunch without box and necessary equipment such as waterproof mat, plastic bags, plus wipes. At that time, the rain was falling, so they moved simulation location from school yard to the classrooms, Musa and friends were practiced to:

  • unfold and fold the mat
  • open their bento (in onigiri wrap or sandwich wrap, whatever foods without box) and eat without table
  • cleaning their hands without water
  • put everything, including the water bottle, to be fit into their school rucksack (usually they put more stuffs in a tote bag)

How was the Day-D? The result was awesome! Continue reading →

Hajimete no Undokai

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Despite the wheezing and terrible cough since the night before day D, Musa fought his weakness to join his first undokai, which was happened to coincide with “Health and Sports Day” holiday in Japan. He almost gave up to go and kept saying “I’m feeling not good”, but his motivation came out as we arrived at the venue and he was able to join all the programs for nenshou group (年少組) until finished. What a beautiful moment to remember the whole life 💙

https://www.instagram.com/p/BorR7ErgpMK/

[The full story will be written in Bahasa Indonesia with picture captions in English]

Sekilas Tentang Undokai

Undokai adalah salah satu event yang paling ditunggu ortu anak sekolahan di Jepang, apalagi yang newbie macam kami 😂. Secara bahasa, undokai berasal dari kata undo (運動) yang artinya olahraga (exercise, sport) dan kai (会), yaitu sebuah pertemuan atau kumpul-kumpul (gathering). Kebayang, kan, maknanya? Acara ini semacam pesta olahraga di mana tiap sekolah mengadakan sendiri-sendiri untuk muridnya. Cuma sehari aja, tapi di situ jadi ajang anak-anak untuk unjuk kebolehan di depan keluarganya. Bukan hanya orang tua, para native biasanya rombongan nontonnya sama kakek, nenek, paman, bibi, atau saudara si anak. Di Ota-ku, area yang kami tinggali di Tokyo, untuk anak-anak berkebutuhan khusus, mereka disatukan dalam satu ajang undokai tersendiri yang diselenggarakan oleh pemerintah kota. Keren, ya, udah kaya Asian Games atau Olympic aja ada versi “Para”-nya juga.

Umumnya undokai diadakan sekitar Oktober sebelum, saat, atau setelah Hari Kesehatan dan Olah Raga yang jadi libur nasional. Namun, sebagian sekolah tingkat SD ke atas ada juga yang lebih dulu mengadakannya di bulan Mei. Menurut saya strategi ini bagus, sih.. jadi kehebohan persiapannya nggak terpusat di satu periode yang sama seperti di Indonesia ketika peringatan Hari Kemerdekaan. Belanja di toko banyak saingan, nyewa baju harus rebutan, semua sibuk beresin tugas masing-masing nggak bisa saling gantiin.. dan sebagainya. Hehe. Efek baiknya juga, TK-TK yang umumnya tidak punya lapangan jadi bisa pinjam gedung SD yang sedang kosong (tidak ada undokai di bulan Oktober). Gedung SD di Jepang memang standarnya harus punya lapangan yang cukup luas untuk kegiatan olah tubuh. Kalo TK palingan halaman buat playground aja punyanya.

The elementary school yard which was used for undokai by Musa’s kindergarten

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[Bento Musa] My First Onigirazu

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Posted from egadioniputri‘s Instagram

Simple bento with autumn colors (only one container!) for the boy who’s not in a good mood about school these days 😂 #recipega … Menu 👩‍🍳 🍙 Onigirazu (sandwich-like onigiri) with tuna and mayonnaise filling 🎃 Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), chicken sausage, and edamame in spaghetti skewer 🥚 Fried egg 🥕 Steamed carrot 🍑 Kaki (Japanese persimmon) and jelly in the tiny container … 📝 Today’s RANT .. Drama sakit-sakitan anak TK ini belum berakhir, tapi karena “konstipasi” dan “batuk sisa-sisa asma” bukan sakit yg berbahaya DAN udah dikonfirmasi dari tes di RS bahwa virus ditubuhnya negatif, plus kambuhnya penyakit super random (terutama lagi suspected saat ia sedang stres), nggak mungkin dong bolos terus-terusan, jadi pagi ini pun doi gambare berangkat ke sekolah diantar Papa karena Mama harus check-up adek di RS 🙃 Semoga nggak harus jemput lebih cepet kaya kemarin 😅.

Boy or Girl?

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I posted this reflection while announcing “our heartbeat” gender on Instagram in two parts. Read till the end to know the answer 😉

boy-or-girl-announcement(2)

In my perspective, images of raising a son is like preparing a responsible leader, while taking care a daughter is more focusing on how to nurture an educator for the next generation after her. Even though I often hear that girl is easier to manage rather than a boy, IMHO… NEITHER OF BOTH is better. Double standard or virtue in having boy VS girl are no longer existing nowadays. I personally will let my son to cry if he needs and please my daughter to go out at night with clear boundaries. The most important thing, in which I still keep learning too, is parenting them with unlimited love no matter what. Because Allah always does the same to us 😭 Continue reading →