Dear Ysa,
I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to congratulate you earlier due to unavoidable circumstances. I am so quite busy especially now that midterm is fast approaching. But hope, this message would not be too late for you…
To graduate with the highest honor is truly a pride of your parents. They are so lucky for having a child like you… According to your mom, aside from being a brilliant young lady, you are also responsible and loving child. You know, your behavior is a product of your self-perception. I’ve heard that you want to become a doctor someday. If you perceive yourself as a good doctor in the future you will act accordingly. What you see is what you will be. It is important to have a deep realization of self significance in our personal lives.
Success is basically the sum total of the little triumphs in the different areas of our lives. Success is not only you are becoming a doctor, owned anything you dreamed about or have a large bank account… It is how many lives that you’ve touched.
You have a commitment with yourself, with your family, with your friends, with the school, with the teachers, with the society, with the state, with the people around you and with our God. This is a personal engagement on a daily basis. This shall make you whole and your success complete.
The things we believed to be true and the things we believed to be right are significant in our study. It has great impact in the way we answer questions and in the way we study our lessons.
You have a destiny ahead of you. You are still marching towards that mission. This mission is the one that gives meaning and significance to our lives. Marching towards that mission is the progressive realization and internalization of all that you ought to be and do.
If you want something to happen in your life just always think about it and believe that it will happen. By thinking of the things that your heart desires, you attract the universe to resonate that energy for you. The more you visualize that more it will realize. Don’t ever falter from believing that you will be a good doctor someday. If you will constantly think that you will be a good doctor, then you will be a good someday.
You must thank your family especially your mom for always putting a smile in your face, for lifting your spirit whenever it is low, for the constant advice or for simply wasting their time with you talking and giving encouragement. You’ll see, it will mean a lot to you.
You deserved to be a Class Valedictorian because you are so brilliant and too smart... You showed perseverance to achieve your dreams... Congratulations!
To graduate with the highest honor is truly a pride of your parents. They are so lucky for having a child like you… According to your mom, aside from being a brilliant young lady, you are also responsible and loving child. You know, your behavior is a product of your self-perception. I’ve heard that you want to become a doctor someday. If you perceive yourself as a good doctor in the future you will act accordingly. What you see is what you will be. It is important to have a deep realization of self significance in our personal lives.
Success is basically the sum total of the little triumphs in the different areas of our lives. Success is not only you are becoming a doctor, owned anything you dreamed about or have a large bank account… It is how many lives that you’ve touched.
You have a commitment with yourself, with your family, with your friends, with the school, with the teachers, with the society, with the state, with the people around you and with our God. This is a personal engagement on a daily basis. This shall make you whole and your success complete.
The things we believed to be true and the things we believed to be right are significant in our study. It has great impact in the way we answer questions and in the way we study our lessons.
You have a destiny ahead of you. You are still marching towards that mission. This mission is the one that gives meaning and significance to our lives. Marching towards that mission is the progressive realization and internalization of all that you ought to be and do.If you want something to happen in your life just always think about it and believe that it will happen. By thinking of the things that your heart desires, you attract the universe to resonate that energy for you. The more you visualize that more it will realize. Don’t ever falter from believing that you will be a good doctor someday. If you will constantly think that you will be a good doctor, then you will be a good someday.
You must thank your family especially your mom for always putting a smile in your face, for lifting your spirit whenever it is low, for the constant advice or for simply wasting their time with you talking and giving encouragement. You’ll see, it will mean a lot to you.
You deserved to be a Class Valedictorian because you are so brilliant and too smart... You showed perseverance to achieve your dreams... Congratulations!
Love,
Tita Mariel
I've also posted below the email of Ysa's dad (with his permission)...
To All My Brothers and Sisters,
Ysabelle’s Graduation went very well. Indeed, I am a very proud Father cheering her loudly whenever her name is called. Other than being the class Valedictorian, she also received numerous awards:
• Excellence in Academic – Students with Straight “A” marks in their 3 term marking (only 4 students received this award)
• Excellence in Learning – Students with at least 7 out of the possible 9 in their learning skills. She got 9 out 9 Excellent Marks (only 6 students received this award)
• Citizenship Awardee – Students who demonstrated an excellent attitude towards helping others and making a difference to the life of others. Outstanding and commendable works for the achievement of quality life in the school. (only 8 students made the list)
• Excellence in Leadership – Demonstrated an Outstanding leadership amongst her peers within her class and school. Provided greater leadership in their student council, Organized events and functions for the school, school student council and the whole population of the OPPS (only 3 made the list)
• Prestigious “Ontario Principal Student Leadership Council” – Over all leadership and representing excellently her school to numerous inter school functions within the province of Ontario (this is for Ysabelle Only). A Plaque has been presented to her as well.
All in all, Ysabelle received 5 medals and 1 Plaque. The Valedictorian Medal is big and heavy.
Thanks for all your support and love to her. She is very grateful to all of us. She did her best to make us very happy and proud of her. She also wants to be a Medical Doctor someday and to be specific a Pediatrician. Let us all hope and pray that she will be able to achieve that with God’s Help and Love.
Please tell Mommy that she’s part of that as well. Ysabelle never forgets her at all.
You are an ideal teenager... I salute you for being a young achiever... Like mother, like daughter... I still remember when were young, your mom was trying so hard to get good grades in school through studying her lessons and doing her assignments at home while we, her siblings were playing on the street... The reason why your grandpa always get iritated with us (3 boys) and he even compared us to your mom... Wow, bida si ate para kay tatay!!! Yehey!!!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate this great gesture Mariel. I know that you are all very proud of Ysabelle's accomplishments as well. Truly, I am so pleased with what is happening to her. She is very humble but confident, without any insecurities in life, but most of all with strong faith with our Dear Almighty God. BTW, Yam is exteremely intellectual boy. I hope to see him in the garland of success in the future.
ReplyDeleteBeing the Mother of Ysabelle, it brings me joy and tears to reminisce and bring to my mind the day she was born. She was so bubbly and having a fabulous time with her Dad and seems to be very hungry.....She drank 2 small bottles of milk and then played with us....What a joyful day! Knowing where she is right now does not surprise me at all because she is an almost perfect daughter to us. I can always say that all my personal sacrifices just to be with them during their formative years are now paying off. Here are some words of wisdom that guides me in raising my own 2 beautiful and charming, smarty little girls.... Ysabelle and Eileen.
ReplyDeleteThe preschool years are a fabulous time to discern between praise and encouragement. Praise can be defined as an expression of admiration –approval for achievements or for good qualities. “Nice work”, “You’re the best”, and “You are so smart” are examples of praise. Praise is given when the addressee (in this case, the parent) finds value in what a child has or what they are doing.
Encouragement is different. By definition, it is support that inspires confidence and a will to continue or develop. “That is the most beautiful picture I’ve ever seen” is evaluative and judgmental, where as the statement, “Tell me about your picture” gives your child the opportunity to express herself.
While praise is an acceptable way to acknowledge a child in the short run, encouragement will go the distance. Consider what motivates you to say something. A genuine compliment or praise is better than fluffing it up to manipulate your child’s future behavior.
Help shift your positive words to more encouraging statements with these tips:
Involve your child. Ask questions instead of always giving them your opinion. “How did you figure out where to put the smallest cup?” engages them more than “Nice Job”.
Tell it like it is. A simple, judgment-free statement like: “You put your socks on by yourself” tells your child that you noticed. It also lets him take pride in what he did.
Notice your perception. Ask yourself: Does my reaction help my child feel a sense of control over his life or to constantly look to us for approval? Are my reactions helping my child to become more excited about what he’s doing, for the sake of doing it, or does he just want to receive a pat on the back?
Watch your level of intensity. Words like: always, best, most, hate, and never are extreme expressions that may leave your child with inappropriate expectations. Trade in “You always make me smile” for “I love being with you” and “You never sit still” with “Let’s see how long your feet can be quiet”.
Balance the light with the dark. Pointing out only positive behavior and ignoring inappropriate acts gives your child a skewed view of the world and herself. Although positive reinforcement is easier and may feel better in the moment, it robs your child of knowing what he needs to improve.
In life, we experience a range of challenges, disappointment and disapproval, along with celebrations, pleasure and acceptance. It is simply a part of our human experience. Preschoolers get a slanted view of reality when we only dish out positive words and praise. Encouragement fosters personal consideration, evaluative thinking and healthy self awareness. You should be able to use this as reference in guiding them through their whole life cycle.