Set The Bar

We arrived early for today’s swimming training. It was dark and cloudy but not yet raining.

An hour before the schedule, the coach had texted whether we would be there. I said yes while her tone showed that she expected the opposite.

When we arrived, the coach asked us to wait. I replied ‘ok’ shortly and unhappily.

Why should we wait? until the rain came?

Few minutes after waiting pointlessly, I asked her to start. We could stop anytime if needed, but just started first.

I didn’t mind a bit of rain, it wasn’t the first time they did training under the rain. But the coach made me question my self, “is it really okay?”

When in doubt, I always return to the kid,
“Be, is it okay? We might have heavier rain later,”.

The training kept going as usual, under heavy to light rain. Had a short break once when the thunder was too loud. Then, resumed it again until the end.

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For the past two years, I have already transformed into that annoying parent who doesn’t care about what people think, and strongly express my concerns. Especially while dealing with the local teachers.

But, l’ll make sure all the teachers see how serious and committed we are to the schedule. We always arrive in time (Not ON TIME), close to never cancel the lesson, pay them in advance, and make sure she is being focused in every lesson.

It paid off.

At the beginning, the 5.30 am Quran teacher often canceled the lesson. For many reasons. I didn’t say much on this. Why? It’s hard to find one like him, and Quran is important.

People would think I was crazy to make my daughter do a lesson as early as 5.30 am. But, actually, this is what we do daily on our own. I just replaced it with a proper and qualified teacher twice a week so she got another standard other than mine.

Few months went by, he rarely canceled any classes. Whenever he couldn’t make it, he would give the replacement day right away and I never said we can’t. Weekday or weekend, it doesn’t matter since Quran is the only lesson and schedule that is doable in any days, anywhere, as long as it is at 5.30am.

Recently, it’s been few weeks since I noticed he added more minutes to the lesson.

The piano teacher (the Indonesian one) was teaching her for only 10 minutes out of 20, on the second meeting and it made me write a long email to the music school principal.

We cleared the misunderstanding as soon as possible and she totally changed right away.

Ready before 7 AM (I didn’t ask, she offered it). Forty minutes lesson often turned 60.

There have been a lot of national holidays on Saturday, and she always offers to keep having the lesson online, since the school is closed on national holiday. Again, I always said yes. I won’t ask, but when she offers it, I’ll take it.

Judging from my experience who always accompanied this little girl for any offline lesson before pandemic, same people will act differently according with whom they deal with.

In Indonesia, many children are either accompanied by their nanny or granny. There was this therapist in one of the therapy centers in South Jakarta.

When it was the little girl schedule, she started and finished on time. But, whenever it was the next child’s turn who went with her nanny, she started late and finished early.

I noticed this when the little girl was having another session at the same time with another therapist while that kid had session with the therapist mentioned above.

When the little girl had started, she hadn’t. When the little had not yet finished, she had. After the session, my explanation from the therapist would be long and detailed. While that little girl, would be short and brief.

It happened all the time.

This is why it is important to set our own standard. Especially when you live in a country where being on time, discipline, and strongly committed to the schedule is not a common practice. By setting clear standard, others will understand what kind of student they deal with and act accordingly.

Sometimes, it’s taxing, being annoying. Why we should even fight for what we deserve according to what we pay. But, there’s no other way to get it than being loud and clear, then so be it.

Oh, the little girl’s answer to my question typed in bold letters above,

“It’s ok. It’s just rain,” she said.