Wordless Wednesday - Safety First

“Now all I have to do is learn to paddle!”

WW.

Do You Know?

It’s almost a year since I stumbled into the blogosphere and I’ve gathered some really interesting/useful tips. Here’s a few very neat “how to”s I’ve yet to share with you.

How to:

• chill a drink in two minutes
• treat burns with ketchup
• treat ear infections (natural remedy)
• revive limp vegetables - this seems to apply more for salads. I’m not sure if it’ll make a difference to stir fries.
• teach a child how to add/subtract

So far I’ve only tried putting ketchup when I scalded my hand. Yes! It worked. Pretty amazing huh?

For other tips I’ve shared on my blog click on Parenting Tips category found on the left bar.

The Wonder of Aqua Doodle

I’ve lamented about Hubby-jr’s lack of interest in writing or even doodling (just about anything to do with having to manipulate a pen or pencil) last year in this previous post. Hence it didn’t quite help when his former class teacher told me at year (2007) end review that this year (at K1) the worksheets in class would increase significantly. She meant well and wanted us to see if we could encourage him in the writing department.

We tried during the year end break but without much success. It was always such a chore to him. So I didn’t push too hard. I didn’t want to kill the joy of writing altogether!

Thankfully since the start of the year, his present class teacher managed to persuade him to write! Hubby and I were so proud when we saw some of his work - he could write his name! (My poor son, Hubby and I picked a four syllable name for him. Yes, a LONG name for someone who doesn’t like to write.) And so we were content that he was writing albeit with much coaxing in school.

And then… one day a miracle happened.

I chanced upon this Aqua Doodle thingy at a toy store (Kiddy Palace) and bought it.

Lo and behold Hubby-jr took to it like fish to water. He just wrote and drew endlessly for a week! He practised his ABCs, 123s and even drew some stuff. It was amazing to watch. The fervour has since simmered down but occasionally he still writes and draws on it (voluntarily!)

Just what is it about the aqua doodle that could lure my son into writing/drawing mania??? Only the good Lord knows! But I’m mighty glad it did.

P/S: Aqua Doodle is a mat in which you can write with water and the writing disappears as soon as it dries. The set I bought comes with a sponge tip pen which you can fill with water.

Wordless Wednesday - Walking The Dog?

For other WW click here.

What is a fulfilled life?

This song moved me to tears.

As a mother I want my children’s world to be perfect. If not, the closer to perfection the better. I realise in part this is because unconsciously I’ve been subscribing to some degree to the notion that a “successful” life is a “fulfilled” life. Yes I’ve unknowingly believed that if my children are successful in this world they’d be fulfilled. By success here I mean doing well in school, socially, etc.

It is not something I’m proud of as a Christian mom but the truth hit me recently.

Why else would I catch myself at times so saddened by my son’s speech delay? He’s otherwise a healthy, cheerful and well rounded boy. And what if he wasn’t?

“I’m just afraid he may have a hard time adjusting to school or society…” is the usual argument I give myself.

So what? I now realise that a fulfilled life has nothing to do with a “normal life” or a “successful life”. It has to do with how we feel about ourselves. Do we feel valued? Do we know we were intrinsicly made? Our Maker didn’t go “oops, oh dear…” We were beautifully crafted (blemish and all) for a purpose. Our lives are valued and meaningful.

Psalm 139: 13, 14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

John 10:10

(Jesus said) I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

With this wonderful renewed realisation, whatever unnecessary anxiety I had over my son has gone away. With faith he can lead a fulfilled life and that’s all that really matters.

P/S: This is the link to the song, God’s Will by Martina McBride. Click (More info) on the right hand side of the youtube page for the lyrics to the song.

What would you have done?

The other evening we had a poop accident. Little Missy did the deed in her pants. Yes, we are in the midst of potty training.  

Hubby had the honour of being the discover-ee. By that I mean he was the closest to our screaming daughter. (That’s what she does whenever she poops or pees in her pants). Incredulously the poop was contained within her pants. Dear ol’ hubby whisked her to the toilet took it off and cleaned her.

After the drama subsided (i.e. Little Missy stopped screaming), he looked at me and asked, “What should I do with this (the-pants-with-the-poop)? Should I just throw it away?” I took a peek and saw some ghastly sh*t. Without hesitation I replied, “Yup, just throw it away!”

And that’s what we did; we threw away a decent pair of shorts. The alternative was unimaginable.

But I could just imagine if my mom was here, she would have actually taken the trouble to clean and wash up the mess. And I swear I could hear her saying, “it’s a nice pair of shorts, why throw it away? Just clean it up, what’s the big deal?”

“Well mom, it’s just a pair of shorts. Throw lah. What’s the big deal?”

How about you? What would you have done?

Wordless Wednesday - Never Too Late For A Swing

 

This week’s WW.

Is Mommy Fun?

On a particularly cranky day of mine, after I went through an “overreacting, shouting and later apologising to my son” episode, I had this conversation with Hubby-jr just before his bedtime.

“Is mommy fun?”

Hubby-jr looks at me quizically and answers cautiously, “Yes…”

“Are you sure? Do you have fun with mommy?”

His eyes wonders around his room and spots some of the stuff he plays with me, “Yes!”

Was there a hesitation? Not quite satisfied with the answer and desperate for affirmation, I had to “verify” that my son knew what he was saying. (Ya, I know, I’m pathetic!)

So I asked, “Is mommy fun when mommy is angry?”

“No…o” Hubby-jr says grimly shaking his head.

“But mommy is fun when mommy’s not angry?” I probe AGAIN.

“YES!”

Phew! Just checking, just checking. I really don’t want to be a tyranical, “fear-the-very-ground-I-walk-on” mother. A fun…no, make that very fun, yet “the-one-who-must-be-obeyed” mother suits me just fine. *wink*

There are days where

I swear I think I should be institutionalised. Days when I turn into Mr. Hyde simply because it is the “time of the month”. It’s not something I’m imagining or conjuring. I really turn Ug-Ly.

Not quite physically. None of my facial characteristics change, well, not structurally anyway. But I’m sure I look worn out, haggard and downright grouchy. Rather, what I mean is, suddenly one morning I wake up feeling like a truck just ran over me and I’m super duper uptight for the rest of the day.

Whatever patience I have in the first place (not much) goes entirely out of the window (and then some!) Innocent mistakes by my two lovely children drive me absolutely nuts. And to their detriment I sometimes lose it and shout at them. After shouting, I see their eyes swelling with tears and I sink deep (I mean d-e-e-p, deep) into guilt. I try to explain to them their mistake(s), then I apologise for overreacting, and then I kiss them and tell them I love them incessantly. Then I pray in my heart that there’ll be no permanent emotional damage. Drama huh? This drama will repeat itself a few times before the “days” are over. You have no idea the kind of emotional roller coaster I go through during these “times”.

Hubby knows my cycles by now and can tell from the signs when the “season” is about to arrive. The most obvious one being, “honey, I feel fat. Am I fat?” So he knows how to tip toe around me and keep the kids at bay. But when he’s at work… sigh.

How do I explain to my kids that it’s the time of the month? How do I explain that once every month mommy’s not quite mommy but it’s just for a few days? Sigh… Hmm… perhaps there should be an institution just for that.

P/S: This is not my first post (and probably not the last) on PMS, this is. Seriously, it is a problem and yes I’m going through it. Duh!

Forgiveness…

I will be pondering a lot about forgiveness for days to come thanks to this post. Amazing.

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.–Matthew 18:21, 22