Penamoli

The last time I wrote was on the 30th of August, as the holiday season drew to a close. Back to school, back to teaching, back to the whirlwind of planning lessons, preparing the smartboard, and navigating the wild, unpredictable energy of the classroom. Some days feel like taming a mini-storm — one minute calm, the next full of questions, chatter, and laughter. Yet, there’s always a certain magic in that chaos. Now, half-term has arrived, bringing a much-needed pause from the everyday rush. Deepavali came at the start of it, and I managed a little marathon of making murukku, coconut candy, and peanut cookies. Mornings were spent sharing treats with neighbors, and though the afternoons were quiet with no visitors, the evenings were brightened by the cheerful giggles of little ones from around the neighborhood. Still, I can’t help but feel a pang of longing for the Deepavalis back home in Malaysia — the streets glowing with lights, the scent of spices and sweets drifting from every home...

Hello, you. Yes, you — the one with the pencil in your hand, the practice paper on your desk, and maybe a few butterflies in your tummy. September is almost here. That means your 11+ exam is nearly here too. And guess what? You’re more ready than you think. This is your message — your reminder — that you've been working hard, learning, growing, and giving it your best. That matters more than anything. You’ve Learned a Lot Already Think about how far you’ve come: You’ve tackled tricky maths problems. You’ve cracked codes in verbal reasoning. You’ve trained your brain to spot patterns and solve puzzles. You’ve stayed focused, even when it wasn’t easy. You didn’t give up. That’s something to be proud of. “What if I get nervous?” It’s totally normal to feel nervous. Everyone does — even adults before big days. Here’s a little secret: Nerves just mean you care. And when you care, you try. And when you try, you grow. That’s what this is really all about. If you feel worried, try this:...

  Ah, the 11+. That magical time of year when your child may or may not care about an exam that you definitely care too much about. September’s creeping up, the pressure is mounting, and it turns out you’re more anxious than your 10-year-old who’s currently upside down on the sofa, re-reading Dog Man for the fourth time today. Take a deep breath. Let’s talk honestly. Why Are Parents So Stressed About the 11+? Because we know what’s riding on it (or we think we do). Because we’ve read the horror stories on Mumsnet. Because your friend’s kid did four hours of tutoring a day and got in . Because competition feels fierce and outcomes feel random. Because we desperately want to "do the right thing" — even though no one knows exactly what that is. But here’s the kicker: Your stress doesn't help. Not them, not you, not even your houseplants. 10 Calming Truths for Frazzled 11+ Parents 1. No One Dies from a Grammar School Rejection Yes, it stings. But thousands of kids go to th...

Lantern Light Part Six – The Conclusion of the Cascading Waterfall Series by Penamoli “Some lights don’t stay lit. But the warmth — it lingers.” The Cascading Waterfall has always been a place where something unseen flows beneath the surface — memory, magic, time . Each story in this series was a moment: a heart opening, a goodbye whispered, a thread picked up again. This last story is about remembering — and what happens when remembering becomes harder than it used to be. “When memory begins to fade, sometimes a place remembers for us.” Lantern Light The first time Maya forgot Leela ’s name, it was a warm evening. The sunset was orange on the garden wall. They were shelling peas, like they had done a hundred times before. Maya paused, smiling faintly, then looked at her daughter and said, “And what was your name again, dear?” Leela didn’t answer right away. She just kept shelling peas. Gently. Quietly. The forgetting came slowly. Maya remembered to water the plants, but not what s...