Childcare

Miss 3 has started her kindy at a nearby childcare centre since the last week of April. So far, she's been happy during her days there, except for the parting tears.

Yesterday, she said that she didn't want to go to kindy because she doesn't like a 'bad' teacher. Children can't lie. They're so real. They imitate and they remember. Apparently, the 'bad' teacher told her to sleep but she didn't want to. She only wanted to sleep at home with me.

We asked her then, when mummy and daddy tell you to sleep and keep repeating ourselves, does that mean that we're 'bad' parents? She said no.

This morning when I dropped her off, she pointed out the 'bad' teacher. I don't think there's anything bad about the teacher, and truly they do get tired looking after a bunch of preschoolers. Unfortunately, the 'bad' teacher came to pick her from me and she screamed more than she did before.

I'm glad to have another day to myself to do things before baby comes along, but felt sorry for my precious one. She has learnt to dislike and instead of seeing everything as good, there is a negative side to things. It's part of growing up, I suppose, but it hurts to know that a pure and innocent spirit has to change. I hope my children will keep their innocence and simplicity towards life, but still be watchful of danger.

It was good when God created the universe and everything in it, but sin has caused it to change... Sphere: Related Content

Do you smack your child(ren)?

Am following a fan page on Facebook and one of the status updates a few days ago asked its fans if they smacked their children in public on the legs or on the bum when they misbehaved.

Interestingly the response was mostly 50-50. Some have done so, some haven't and will not.

Those who had, did it because warnings and time outs have failed them while they were out and so a smack was issued. For some it was also a case of a dangerous act, like running across the road without waiting.

The other party who did not and refused to do it are against any form of physical punishment and deem it as an act of violence and abuse. One of them would have liked to 'report' some of the posts.

As I read the comments with interest and some disbelief, I must admit that I will smack my child in public if that's the last thing that will get the message across. I do smack at home too. And I do give warnings.

You may disagree with my point of view though.

I nearly smacked Miss 3 once for running across the road without waiting for me, which she was always told to do so. The best part was, she didn't even look out for cars. I went after her, with my big belly threatening to bounce off the body and gave her a stern lecture on the other side. The look on her face told me that she got the message and will not require a smack to enforce that message of danger. However, there were times when I was home and she would push boundaries. When 3 warnings and a time out didn't work, she got a smack on the bum.

I don't encourage physical punishment, although I grew up with them. The Bible says, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Proverbs 13:24.

It does not promote punishment by the rod, but it does mean strict discipline by the parent. In love.

And when it comes to discipline, I have to admit that every child is different. There is no one set method that can be used to discipline every child.

And so, back to the discussion on the fan page. From what I've read, none of the parents sounded like they were abusive. And the reason behind the smack were mostly due to plenty of warnings given or in dangerous situations. Sphere: Related Content

Vaginal Birth After Caesarean

I'm now 29 weeks into my pregnancy and for a few months, I've been having this nagging thought and desire to have a vaginal birth. Did lots of reading on the internet and spoke to people who have gone through vaginal birth after caesarean, or VBAC in short.

The consensus is that, it's a much safer option than another round of caesarean and really, God did make us to give birth vaginally too. But I'm sure times have changed over the years, with diet, lifestyle and medical technology - more and more women are going through caesarean, rather than vaginal birth.

I wanted to make a last proposal to my OB/GYN for a VBAC and hear what my risks and chances are. He said that in most cases, it is possible to do a VBAC if the first caesarean was a distressed baby. i.e., if the child was breeched, or low placenta, or premmie. But, in my case, I had the full labour but bub was stuck and did not progress as my cervix did not widen, so a VBAC could result in the same situation and needing emergency caesarean. Hearing that, my heart sank somewhat.

I can give birth safely, but the chances of my baby born safely and smoothly would be a 50-50 chance. At this, I only had half my hopes left.

The clincher came when he said that I have a low placenta. Sigh. What hopes have I left? Caesarean it is then.

It was a rather painful decision to do a caesarean, even though I know that it is all for the good of the baby and myself. Definitely not looking forward to 6-weeks of painkillers and not able to drive on my own. But, thankful that God has given mankind the intelligence to advance medical technology to protect mothers and babies.

Commented to husband a couple of nights back that I will probably be one of those women who will die at childbirth if I was born in the olden days where birthing were done by midwives.

And now, on to the next step of pregnancy - packing the hospital bag and coming up with baby names.

Sphere: Related Content

Night time toilet training

Not that I'm doing the toilet training much. Little Miss 3 has been keeping herself dry at night and we haven't had to change her sheets since she decided to wear her panties to bed about 2 weeks ago.

She's probably been dry for a long time now, but we're just too lazy to get her into her panties at night. But I'm glad we went with her suggestion to go without nappies because it's saving us tons of money!

I've heard so much horror stories of parents waking up in the night to change sheets and some had to change the mattress because there was just so much wee, I have held back with the night time toilet training. Another excuse? I was horribly sick with morning sickness.

But one good advice given by all parents is : Do not rush, let your child decide at their own time.

How very true! It really saved us a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. No doubt the expenses spent in buying and throwing away nappies was huge, but we're glad we let her decide on her own. Hopefully this next bub will follow in her sister's footsteps and be just as mature and well-behaved. Sphere: Related Content

Pregnant and morning sickness

Haven't been posting since last August?, I think.. So much has happened over the last few months and am now keeping up with the blogging...

I am pregnant again, praise the Lord, and this time with only one. When I had the ultrasound, I asked specifically three times and made sure that they've checked me thorough that I only have one sac in there.

Due 25 May 2011, but my obstetrician is not in favour of me having a vaginal birth, so the operation it is again and we've decided on 19 May 2011, unless water breaks earlier.

This time round, morning sickness dragged on for a good 20 weeks. The first 3 months was more constant, all the time, then afterwards it was a few times a day, but mostly at night. Throwing up was an art, with me discarding only certain foods that I ate. Could have a bbq chicken with herbs stuffing along with rice and vegetables for dinner and all I threw up was the her stuffing. My obstetrician, husband and myself were amazed at how the body could separate foods that were taken in together.

Phoebe's a great comfort during these times of throwing up. She'd sit with me, put her arms around my shoulder and give me reassuring pats. What a grown up girl! She'd also bring me a stool to sit on while I throw up and pull the toilet paper for me to clean up too. For a nearly 3 year old (that was before December), I was and still am very proud of her.

We'd have a conversation everyday, with her asking if baby could come out and play today. Over the last few months, Phoebe has taken to having afternoon naps with me, for 2 reasons - One, I was not up to settling her in her own bed, and two, she wants to sleep with her baby sibling. We've found out that it was going to be another girl.

Poor husband had to deal with Phoebe after work as I'm mostly out of action by 7pm. Could hardly eat either and would just crash into bed. Thankfully, morning sickness went pretty much on the dot at 21 weeks.

We'll probably try for another child after a few more years... Sphere: Related Content

Children Quotes

I'm into quotes recently. Just a phase, perhaps.. But good quotes are always entertaining and some thought-provoking.

Compiled a list of quotes on children and parents that I read online while searching for quotes for my Ling's List's Facebook Page.

So here goes, from some that I quite enjoyed..

From Quote Garden on children :

I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring.  ~Liz Armbruster, on robertbrault.com

A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer.  ~Author Unknown

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.  ~Bill Vaughan

Boy, n.:  a noise with dirt on it.  ~Not Your Average Dictionary

Little girls are cute and small only to adults.  To one another they are not cute.  They are life-sized.  ~Margaret Atwood

There are only two things a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and his mother's age.  ~Benjamin Spock, Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care, 1945

There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child.  ~Frank A. Clark

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers.  ~Edgar W. Howe


From Quote Garden on parents :

There comes a time when a woman needs to stop thinking about her looks and focus her energies on raising her children.  This time comes at the moment of conception.  A child needs a role model, not a supermodel.  ~Astrid Alauda, on the "hot mom" trend

Your children need your presence more than your presents.  ~Jesse Jackson

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.  ~Robert Fulghum

It kills you to see them grow up.  But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't.  ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too.  ~Lionel Kauffman

The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.  ~Lane Olinghouse

The beauty of "spacing" children many years apart lies in the fact that parents have time to learn the mistakes that were made with the older ones - which permits them to make exactly the opposite mistakes with the younger ones.  ~Sydney J. Harris

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.  ~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family

You will always be your child's favorite toy.  ~Vicki Lansky, Trouble-Free Travel with Children, 1991

If your children spend most of their time in other people's houses, you're lucky; if they all congregate at your house, you're blessed.  ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966

The guys who fear becoming fathers don't understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man.  The end product of child raising is not the child but the parent.  ~Frank Pittman, Man Enough

When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice, safe playpen.  When they're finished, I climb out.  ~Erma Bombeck

The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles.  A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom.  The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.  ~Sloan Wilson

The one thing children wear out faster than shoes is parents.  ~John J. Plomp

A child enters your home and for the next twenty years makes so much noise you can hardly stand it.  The child departs, leaving the house so silent you think you are going mad.  ~John Andrew Holmes

If your kids are giving you a headache, follow the directions on the aspirin bottle, especially the part that says "keep away from children."  ~Susan Savannah

It is one thing to show your child the way, and a harder thing to then stand out of it.  ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com Sphere: Related Content