Monday, May 21, 2012

What Children Actually Want

Today, mothers are the busiest lot. Especially working mothers. In Singapore, kiasu parenting is real. My colleagues are considered mild I think. Their children go to piano AND violin classes, but because the children themselves are interested to learn. So far I have not met anyone who push their kids to enrichment classes. But Singaporean parents want their kids to learn and master at least one additional skill, be it music or art or sports. Fair enough.

While we work tirelessly to strive to be a better mother everyday, we forgot to stop and ask our kids how they are. It's something so simple yet easily forgettable. And then I came across this article by Erin Kurt who is a teacher. On every Mother's Day, she would ask her students things their mothers or guardians did to make them feel loved and happy. This assignment of 16 years drew the same conclusions. And these made me smile and tear up a bit because I am not doing these with Daniel as frequently as I used to since Darren came along, and I feel bad. This article just revived my mummy spirit! Here it is:

The Top Ten Things Kids Really Want Their Parents To Do With Them

1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
6. At night talk to me about anything; love, school, family etc.
7. Let me play outside a lot.
8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

Do you feel your heart tingling like mine right now?

Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Little Things...

..are the ones that keep a happy marriage, happier.

Recently, we had kept little surprises in each other's car when we leave for work. I'd leave a cereal bar snack in his car when he's too busy or forgets to have his lunch, and this morning after a whole night of coughing, I saw a packet of Woods Lozenges tucked in my middle compartment as I was leaving home in the morning.

Sweetness.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Men have...

...penile advantage. It is a privilege boys are born with and will carry it for the rest of their lives. It's like a golden supreme VIP card for life. No application or renewal required. It is just automatic. ESPECIALLY in Asia. ESPECIALLY the generation before... this generation.

With this membership of the penile supremacy club, His Majesty will enjoy the following privileges and immunities:

1. Household care is not his core responsibility. If he does help out with some housechores, he is a Westerner, or they live in a Western country. Or it is to repay some spiritual karma he owes from his past lives. A man's place is not in the kitchen, unless he is Jamie Oliver or that hot sexy Anthony Bourdain.

2. Childcare involves mostly play, roughplay, tickleplay, holding the kid upside down, watching TV together and handing the kid a smartphone installed with many games. If he cleans up his baby's poop soiled butt, it is to repay some spiritual karma as well.

3. If he falls sick, he can rest and sleep all day in the room WITHOUT disturbances. And be served porridge and medication. On the contrary, if a mother falls sick, she still drags her body out of bed because the kids are incessantly harrassing her for this and that.

4. When planning for a trip, all he does is approve or disapprove. The wife will do the research, book the most ideal and cost-effective accomodation, arrange transportation, book flights, buy travel insurance and a map.

5. When travelling, he loads and unloads the packed luggages, and drive. If not driving, then he's just the bag boy. The wife will pack EVERYTHING in an organized manner, unpack upon arriving at destination, repack everything and unpack everything at home after the trip. Including the baby stuff.

6. When quarelling, he can just take off to have a drink with his friends at their favourite bar. He can confide in his friends or the bartender, or just chill and cool down. She, on the other hand, cannot just take off and leave her kids unattended, or the dishes unwashed in the sink. She would just have to bear with it, or release the anger fumes while doing the dishes and putting the kids to bed. And then fume more, when she's alone in bed while he is out drinking.

7. The corporate world out there. Nuff said.

How many of these are true?