Working with Children Check and a bit about me.

Recently, I enquired about volunteering at the Down Syndrome Association.

I got hooked up to their volunteering department which told me to get my Working with Children Check and Police Check done before I could do any work.

Here in Australia, you need to apply for a Working with Children Check in order to work with children, volunteer or not. It is how the Australian government protects its young ones. So thats what I did!

I like working with children.

Well, most of the time..except when they run all over me and start pulling my hair.

But usually, working with them brings me great joy. I guess you can say I feel very "motherly" or in another perspective, "clucky".

I grew up as the eldest sister looking after two very naughty little brothers. Not to mention, I am ranked 5th in the hierarchy of cousins from my father's side. There are 16 of us, of which most of the younger ones I saw grow up. I like and still love my role as bigger sister which brings me to my next point.

The reason I picked the Down Syndrome Association rings close to my heart.

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The one thing I regret about coming to Australia is missing out on my brother's life. The brother that frustrates me sometimes, makes me ecstatically happy the next, and lets me sit back and wonder most of the time whats in that little head of his.

His name is Luke. He's the middle child. He's down syndrome and autistic. And I love him to bits.

Being here, so many miles away from home, I don't regret leaving Singapore, I don't regret leaving my family and friends behind, but I do regret not being there for Luke. It pains me to know that I can't rejoice in his every improvement; the new word he learnt, the sentence he haphazardly strung together, the new ideas he formed in his head. I'm sad that I'm missing out on all that. His hugs, his grumpiness, his laughter, his hand movements, his OCD, his no-urgency walk as if nothing else exists in this world except for him and his toys even if his life depended on it!

I miss him.

Sometimes, I wish I could do more for him. When I'm back home for holidays, I want to spend time with him but its hard. Luke likes his solitude. Nothing irritates him more than if you disturb his nice little perfect world.

I guess I'm not doing this cause I feel obligated to Luke. No, no. But I think I take it more as a dedication of my time in Luke's name. Plus I think it'll be exciting to relive those moments I've had with Luke in those little kids lives!

I'll blog about it when it happens!

Sidenote: This volunteering thing is actually pretty hard because their bulk of volunteering happens during my work hours! Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

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Anyway,

Dear Lukey,

If only you'd know that you inspired me to do this. And that I'm dedicating this volunteering in your name!

Miss you and Happy Belated 19th Birthday!!

Love,
Jie jie =)

Here are some photos I dug up taken wayyyyy back in 2004!! We look so young then!!