"Oh yes, I'm the great pretender."

We came home late from Samira's house. Taufik was tiredd and grumpy. It was going to be a battle of wills getting him to have his bath and into bed. I announced firmly that "It's time to have a bath Taufik." "No mommy!" he said to me. "Either that or you'll have to stay in the bedroom until you're ready to have a bath." I responded. He was growing mad. I could see the flare of defiance in his eyes, but he toddled off to the bathroom anyway.

As I switched on the bathroom light he said to me, "I no love mommy. I love Far." His voice was quivering, he had started blinking trying to squeeze out a tear or two. The little pretender.

We finished bathing without much struggle and with only one condition from Taufik, "No wash hair, Mommy." he commanded. Deal, I thought.

On the way to the bedroom, squeaky clean and smothered in my big towel, he dawdled at the telephone. "I want phone Far." he said to me. I knew what that meant, it meant he wanted to bawl into the phone to complain to Far of my dictatorial manner. I thought a distraction would be good. I drew his attention to his aquarium and the bright orange fishes we bought yesterday. I changed the light to the new ultra violet light so that the colours on the fishes would shimmer brightly. We enjoyed a quiet moment of gazing at the fishes. "Mommy, I want phone Far." he said it quite calmly and so I thougth why not.

As I dialed, he started squishing his face, blinking his eyes rapidly, "I want Far." he kept saying, his voice quivering more and more as he worked up his emotions. He wasnt sad at all, but he was imitating all the posture and expressions of great sadness. He started what was supposed to be snivelling but was instead a poor copy of the original thing.

The call connected and Kim was on the line, Taufik started crying then, and as I passed the phone to him, his crying became genuine. Voila! True emotions at last. He managed to work himself up to such a frenzy that now the grief was real.

I smiled, and was laughing inside. But now that he was genuinely upset (and I am sure he had already forgotten why he was upset) I hugged my little poom poom ("No Mommy, I'm-a-Peem Peem.) while he bawled on the phone.

He is the most adorable pretender ever.

Choosing Taufik's school.

It was another wonderful day. Simply because I was feeling so happy from having made that ever important decision of selecting the best school for Taufik, one that was within our budget. I can feel Allah's (SWT) hand in this so strongly. Taufik, inshaAllah if nothing goes wrong, will be enrolling into Pan Asia International School. An international school based on the American curriculum (it's one big con amongst all the pros, but I guess USdollars is cheaper than Pounds Sterling) with beautiful infrastructure, a happy, clean and joyful atmosphere. Most importantly, it is an Islamic school that celebrates the Ramadhan, Eid Ul Fitr, teaches Arabic, Qur'an, Solat and enables Taufik to befriend an international muslim community.

It is to me incredible that the school is approximately 2 and 1/2 years old and Taufik being that very age. There are only two Islamic International schools here, and I cannot stress enough how 'timely' this school is for me. I hope that it will give Taufik a good start in his life.

The journey in coming to this decision was a lesson in itself. How my heart yearned (and still yearns) to enrol Taufik in a beautiful school using the UK National Foundation curriculum. I believe that British education instil in their students a life long love for learning. They pursue knowledge and education out of a love, passion, and enjoyment of it. And I had set my heart on International Park Place, a gorgeous brand new school, excellent environment and a principal with calibre and owners with a vision. But though we could just afford it, it would stretch our finances a tad uncomfortably. I told myself that if our economic situation improved we might move to IPC, but let's see how it goes first with Pan Asia.

The Singaporean curriculum came under serious consideration because of their excellent achievement in science and maths, and the high pressure in their environment builds character (or destroys it too?), not to forget the exposure to Mandarin. But the choice for me is very clear, I prefer a child who loves and enjoys learning, derives pleasure and happiness from it, rather than a child pushed, prodded and pressured to perform. Where is the joy of learning? What misery it is to endure years and years of education under such stresses. But if it was slightly cheaper, or nearer Taufik could well have been in a Singaporean school.

I saw soooo many schools. I fell in love with some, felt sad at the state of some, was inspired by a few. I couldnt afford many, the few I could, many didnt meet my requirements, I was afraid that I would never find that perfect combination of being affordable and yet ambitious. But...I think I have found it in Pan Asia. Please ya Allah, bless this decision of mine.

The spiritual side of Taufik

A short funny incident I had with little poom poom the other day. Kim was driving my pick up truck while Taufik and I sat in the open air at the back. It was a beautiful night and the sky was clear with a rich sprinkling of stars. Inspired by the majesty of the night, I told my son, "Far loves Allah soooo much. Mommy loves Allah so much." and my son chirped "Taufik love Allah so so so much...Mommy? Allah purple colour?"I had to laugh my head off. Purple is his most favourite colour.I also once read a book about a mulatto boy who lived with a horde of siblings together with his white mom in the black ghettoes. Frustrated about the discrimination he faced, not belonging to either the white or black world, he asked his mom, "What colour is God?" Her answer, "God is the colour of water."If there had been an answer, this was a beautiful answer.Love,Ninap.s. Here is a picture of Taufik on a piggy ride after a walk by the beach in Denmark.