Guess who has the quality of a diplomat?

Ms Angeline: Matthias, so what did you have for breakfast today?
Matty: Sausage bun.
Ms Angeline: How about me?  Can you share with me?
Matty: There is one for me and one for 妹妹.
Ms Angeline: Huh?
Mummy: He is telling you subtly that there is none for you.

***

Matty: Can I go to the airport today to pick up 姑姑?

Mummy: Sure, just remember to tell 公公 to bring you along.

(30 minutes later)

Matty:  Maybe I won't go to the airport.

Mummy: Why?  I thought you wanted to go?

Matty: I might be busy.

Mummy: What are you going to be busy with?

Matty: See how later... if I am busy I won't go.  If I am not busy then I will go.

***

Elaina: Why so long never take the bus to work?

Papa: I won't be driving today.  Would you like to walk me to the bus-stop?

Elaina: No, I am busy.

Mummy: Hmm... what are you busy with?

Elaina: You know... I need to eat my breakfast and take my shower.... I have a lot of things to do.  The bus-stop is very far and I feel tired walking there.  I think one time is enough already.

Perplexed!

Couple of weeks ago while chatting with an acquaintance from work, she started to talk about her daughter and how excited she was after being on a waiting list for one year, her daughter is finally going to the preschool of her choice.

She went on about how she hoped the little girl will get used to the environment, which lead to my question if she had considered putting her daughter in some sort of playgroup for once or twice a week during this one year of waiting to get the little one used to being in an environment away from home.  Her answer to that was that she didn't like that idea because it would be all play and the daughter wouldn't be learning anything anyway.

Shortly after that, we parted ways and I headed to the train station to catch a train home but her statement left me wondering what else would she had wanted a two year old toddler to achieve?  Isn't acquiring social skills, learning to co-exist and play alongside with another child, learning how to behave and react in an larger group all important lessons of life?  Or as parents, do we only deem something as important if it can have a grade tagged to it?