new hobby (part 2)
as continued from part 1, i showed up the next day at skygym to be understudy for my new part-time job, at least at that time. i wasn't sure then if i would be up to the job, nor if i would enjoy it..
the first lesson was gymtots, which means the kids are around 2 years old! yes, very young, and were accompanied with their moms or dads or helpers, domestically.. mind you, if you work for an expat family long enough, your english would improve by leaps and bounds.. and with an accent!!
it was free play for the first half-an-hour where the kids were free to roam around and play with whatever apparatus they like.. like the trampoline, the big bouncy plastic balls, the mini flying fox with safety seat attached, etc...
my role was to ensure the tots don't get too wild and injure themselves, but sometimes they still do, when too many tots get onto the trampoline and bounce into one another.. it was really fun watching them run around, trying out the toys and fumbling all over, laughing in sheer enjoyment when you chase after them, giggling when tickled by their mothers or helpers.. i don't think any job get any better than that.. i mean seeing kids having fun is one very therapeutic session for adults, because we adults don't know what is true fun.. we tend to see things too pragmatically, we are too bounded by gains and losses that we missed out finding true happiness.. i would recommend you sign up for session with us just to hang around and you know what i mean..
the warm-up was just as fun, if not better.. all the kids would go get a fish-shaped mat to sit on, forming a circle with me and kevin in the front.. we started by getting the tots to introduce themselves.. their heavenly voices and cute responses just get to you.. they can be so wild when playing, but when you get them to say their own names, they become so shy, so hiding into their moms' bosoms for comfort..
the music came along and we did lots of warm-up exercises, like rocking side to side, cycling in the air, doing splits, forming table using their bellies, rolling back and forth.. its a feat if you can get 70% of them to follow you, with their moms' or helpers' help!!
following that is a sing-along session as they follow actions.. really cute how they imitate us.. after which, it was free-and-easy again for them for the last 15-mins.. me for the first time, i still lack the bond with the tots, as they tend to shun strangers, which is good in its sense.. sometimes i wonder around to see if all is okay.. don't know what to talk to the moms about, so i just smiled.. haha.. nothing much i could really do..
time is running out for me, at least for now.. i still haven't got to the play school session yet!! the wild level has gone from mild to extremely high.. that for the next time..
a+
(to be continued)
