Playing Dress-Up

Like all parents I’m sure, we love dressing up our children, especially when there is a particular reason to; special dress yellow/black/white day for national day, dress in a costume for an end of year concert, dressing them up in national costume for hari raya etc etc. We just love to do it to see how ridiculously adorable they look. Pweshes babah loves it more if he believes that his child’s costume is the best out of the lot (over-achieving parents reading this can relate right?)

This was why when Raiyan’s old school had a come to school in black, white and yellow day, in conjunction with His Majesty’s 60th birthday and whoever had the best costume wins a prize (!), Jef went out of his way to create a costume for Raiyan. This during the time when Alisha was probably just a week old AND when he was incredibly busy being the Secretariat for the Brunei National Tattoo which was starting around the same time. Yet his determination prevailed and he managed to stay up sewing and concocting his creation with the best hopes that his son will win the coveted prize.

Of course with knowing how sensitive Raiyan is to change and things that are obviously strange to him, we were very apprehensive on whether or not he would wear it. Sadly, even after being offered a giant bag of Doritos, he absolutely refused to wear it and went ballistic in wanting to take it off, as you can see below. It was so traumatic for him that he went straight to sleep and ended up not going to school. And the costume still hangs, unworn, in the closet till this day.

Take it off!!

AAAGGHH!!!

Fast forward to now, when we have already started to notice him trying to play dress up on his own and understanding the concept of the purpose of it which is to “pretend” to be the person/thing he is dressing up as.

This week at ISB was book week so the whole week was filled with many activities involving books, including book sales, parents reading to students, students reading to parents, decorating classrooms following the theme of the book and many more. Jef volunteered to read “Ducky Dives In” to Raiyan’s class on his last day of leave last Monday and managed to get everyone engaged by quacking and flapping their arms whilst going through the story. Thinking how the children are familiar with that character, he decided Raiyan should come as Mucky Ducky the main character of the book to today’s “dress up as your favourite book character” day.

Recycling and modifying an old costume that I had worn for a costume party we attended 7 years ago, Jef spent the whole of Wednesday night making Raiyan’s ducky costume complete with the eyes, beak, wings and bushy tail. And yes, he was overly anxious the whole time he was doing it knowing he is again running the risk of Raiyan not wanting to wear it like the last time, but was nonetheless determined we give it a try.

I am happy to report that it was a success!!! In fact, it was beyond our expectations because he continued to wear it throughout school, throughout the afternoon and until he fell asleep at night! Alhamdulillah!! What an AMAZING progress!!!!

doesn't he look JUST like mucky ducky above?

Well Done Raiyan!!!