The list of parties that we had lined up over the period of christmas have ended one after another over the past few days. The feasting has also trickled down in accordance. The mountain of prettily wrapped presents that had been sitting in my room for the past few weeks have already been given away, and a pile of opened presents take its place.
As I glance at the new boxes of toys stacked upon one other, it seems to me that the number of presents the kids received this year, doubled what we had given. I realise belatedly that most of the toys S had received were not of cars.
My son has this single obsession with cars since he was a toddler. His conversational topics often, if not always, revolve greatly around the subject of cars. Car models, brand names, racing terms and movies spew out endlessly and expertly from him while I listen on in befuddled confusion. The 101 questions that come from him are also often in relation to cars. ('Is the Acura NSX faster or the Nissan GTR R35?')
Due to his particular interest, we have amassed (both bought and received) countless toy cars throughout his growing years. In trying to 'diversify' his interest, we have experimented with buying him remote controlled cars, tamiya, and various sets of road and train tracks, on top of the many hot wheels and tomica that he already owns.
We have also tried buying him typically boy character toys such as Ben10, Ironman, Superman, TMNT, Maxsteel and the likes, but soon realise that non-car toys could only sustain his interests for a fleeting period of 2 days maximum.
No matter what we bought, he would always go back to his little cars; running them along tracks, down makeshift slopes, pretend racing and drifting (complete with sound effects), watching the wheels turn.
He especially liked the hot wheels and tomica range because they fit easily into his palm and/or pockets whenever he goes out. The number of 'travelling companions' that he brings along each time ranges from at least two (according to him 'one car cannot drag race') to six, or however many his pockets can hold.
As such, we always fell back to buying him cars, or had people continually gifting him with cars simply because they were known to be his constant favourite.
This christmas however, he's received very little presents of cars, but we are thankful of it. We want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for the wonderful presents. But more than that, thank you for putting S's strengths and weaknesses into your thoughts, placing careful considerations in choosing him a gift that would help diversify and expand his interests away from cars, helping us along in our neverending efforts and attempts to exposing him to a wider range of experience.
For those who had gifted him with cars, thank you, because you know he loves his cars best and that christmas for him wouldn't be complete without any presents of cars to open to.
It's back to reality as I pick up remnants of torn wrappers strewn all over the floor, clearing (or attempting to clear) left over food in the fridge, and keeping away the presents that we have received.
As the new year sets upon us, I bid a reluctant goodbye to the month long hols and prep myself and S for the new school cycle to come. Oddly enough, I (kind of) look forward to the beginning of the new school year, which will be re-opening in just a few days time.
As S embarks onto a new journey in Primary 2, I am no longer the newbie schooling parent as I was at the beginning of this year. I shouldn't be nervous anymore, but yet I am. With bated breadth, I await with anticipation, the new experiences and challenges that may come, and hope to rise up to each one in my own way.
It is a mystery what 2015 will bring us. May it be a good and fruitful one for us and everyone around. Or with the recent trend on 'local upsize'; may it be a Great year!
Happy new year everyone.
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