Still fighting sleep at 2.5years old

I'm exasperated by Miss 2.5 today. Refused to sleep. Cried and talked to herself for 1.5 hrs until I went in, made her shut up and lie down. Turned on some soft music and she fell asleep within 5 minutes.

It is especially annoying when I had other children trying to sleep.

For the first time, I felt like slapping her. Don't know where that thought came from, but I know I was boiling. Thank God, I didn't. Told her she's not getting any afternoon tea if she didn't sleep.

It's human nature, isn't it? I fight sleep too. Except, I probably am a little wiser in knowing that I won't be able to survive the following day if I don't get any decent rest.

Sigh, thank God for His grace and redemption. Our old sinful nature is always at work and needs the Holy Spirit's guidance all the time. Sphere: Related Content

What your name, mummy?

Last night at dinner, Miss 2 asked, "What your name, mummy?" at dinner time. In English.

We're constantly surprised at her grasp and understanding of English from Sunday School, MOPPETS and other children.

She speaks English with a Kiwi accent because I babysit these two girls whose mother is from New Zealand. Miss 2's constant, "Mummy, come he-yar!" and "Don't!" (with an emphasis on the 't') is a reflection of what the girls say to each other.

Today, she decided to give her rabbit doll a name : Rabbit. I can foresee role play coming soon. One of my dreaded types of play since growing up. Sigh.. The last few years as a day care mum gave me a bit more insight to the benefits of it, but I'm still not too keen to pretend play.

Time for another baby? Sphere: Related Content

Occupation?

I was updating my Blogger profile and came to this section asking for Work information. First up, Industry. I selected 'Internet' without thinking twice. I'm done with 'Education' for Family Day Care and was happy to change the industry to something else. They didn't have 'Retail', so I picked the next sensible one.

After that was 'Occupation'. What do I write? I had to stop and think about it. What is my occupation? I run my own business, but I'm more than just a 'Business Owner'. I'm my own PR, Marketing, Admin, Accountant, Cleaner, .... Ended up with 'Business Owner' as the occupation title.

As a mum, I find myself struggling with that title too. I'm a 'MUM'. Is that it? Oh, there're other words to it too... Mother, Mummy, Ma...

After being a mum for 2.5 years, I reckon I'm more than a mum. Here's a list of what I think a mum includes :
1. Human resource person : knowing the right people to call for babysitting and play dates.
2. Chef : knowing the right food to cook and serve at the right time.
3. Administrator : getting the household organised for the little things.
4. Cleaner : Other than the usual housework, there's the overflowed poo-ey nappies to clean up, the accidental wees on the carpet, the thrown up milk.
5. Doctor : knowing when to give a dose of hug and kisses; panadol and prescribing plenty of water and rest.
6. Clown : knowing when to be silly with children and when to laugh.
7. Time keeper : the one in the house watching the time and telling everyone to hurry up, be it time to get out of the house or time to go to bed.
8. Teacher : imparting knowledge in every way.
9. Disciplinarian : being firm and keeping to rules even when it breaks my heart to do so.
10. Explorer : Discovering new parks and creatures of nature all the time.

I am very tempted to put my occupation as 'MOTHER' Sphere: Related Content

Dreamy baby, creative mum!

Thanks to The Miss K Way for posting! Visited this very creative mum's blog and couldn't help marvel at her patience quick thinking! Reminded me of those cartoon animations! Expected her artwork to move anytime!

You have to read it and I'm sure you'll agree that she's gifted!

Check out Mila's Daydreams. Sphere: Related Content

I'm busy... I'm tired

Ask any mum, especially a new mum, how she is, and these are the two words commonly heard : busy, tired.

That was my standard answer too, for awhile after having Miss 2. Those sleepless nights trying to figure out what the fuss was about, reading up on parenting and settling babies, trying to get some sleep for my own sanity's sake, etc. I'm sure that with more children in the household, the madness increases.

Read this article on Kidspot : "Why don't friends with kids have time?"

One look at the title and you'd know that it was asked by someone who isn't a parent, or haven't been in contact with children enough.

The question was sent in to the Washington Post in 2007 and the journalist who responded gave her a blast!

I enjoyed it thoroughly and I hope you did too! Sphere: Related Content

Busy brain

We've been busy the last few weeks. After Ling's List's Facebook Read-a-thon Challenge for Backpacks for Aussie Kids, I've been helping a fellow mum with her online business setup. The rest of the time was plotting on how to get my online bookstore known.

Started networking with a few other businesses and giving out promotional goodies for their goody bags. Went round to shops to have a look at rental and space.

If you've been to Sunnybank Plaza recently, they have a new shop : mYcube. It's where Coles is, towards Commonwealth Bank. The concept behind mYcube is that retailers rent shelf space to display their products for sale. It is helpful for new businesses trying to get the word out. The lease term requires a minimum of 3 months. Which will come up to about $160 per week. Cheaper than renting a shop front and there's no need to be in store everyday.

This other mum and I are planning on renting from them. We'll have to sit and talk about it a bit more and have a chat with the managers.

The other plot I had was to call on Word bookstore at Eight Mile Plains to ask to rent a shelf space from them. Unfortunately, they said that their store is full and is unable to accommodate any more things. Sigh. I'll give Koorong a try next week. Or the week after. When the church camp finishes.

Checked the casual leasing at the shopping centres and they cost too much to be profitable for a once-off effort.

Southbank markets are also on the list. Will need to get the products photos to be sent in to them for approval. With Southbank, I'll be putting in all sorts of items for sale, not just the books. Gifts and souvenirs seem to be selling better at these markets. Oh well, I'll include the books too.

Also working on rebranding Ling's List. Time for a new look, I think. Spent the last 3 weeks talking to husband, sister and praying about changing names to a more Christiany (if there's such a word!) shop to reflect the Christian focus. But eventually decided against it, because Ling's List sounds more personal.

Will be registering the name as an official business name by the end of the year and will be trading officially under "Ling's List".

Thought of purchasing a caravan and doing it up as a mobile bookstore. But don't have the thousands of dollars to do it. We'll shelf that till later.

So, apart from business craze, it's also household maintenance and looking after children. Babysitting. It was great to be able to still be in pyjamas till lunch for a few days a week! haha!

We've also decided to rear some chickens. My reason? To eat away the grass so that I can attempt to plant things. Weeding is too much work on that big backyard of ours. Saw these battery hens up for adoption. We had a lengthy discussion on it. Initially wanted chicks so that P can learn about the growth of chickens. But reading about the battery hens made us want to adopt them all the more. You can read about them here. This is a home-based project run by a family. They do the purchases once in a while and find homes for the hens. Our work now is to design and make a coop for them. This will be interesting... Sphere: Related Content

Accidental mother?

Can anyone be an accidental mother? This would be the 2nd time I've heard of something like that. The first one was from somewhere in the world where the doctors didn't know that the woman was pregnant and thought that she had a huge cyst in her womb. Read that some years back. Can't remember the country.

This is the 2nd time I've read something like that. This lady was rushed to the hospital due to severe period-like pains that didn't go away. You can read the article here.

After being pregnant twice, I thought any adult would've suspected something amiss after 2-3 months of missed cycle? I did. Mine is irregular enough to come once every 1-3 months. If I don't start bleeding at the 3rd month, something is wrong. How is it possible then, to not know that the body isn't 'well'?

I pray and hope that my children will protect themselves from pre-martial sex. Both males and females. It is a huge responsibility to undertake for those who are not ready. Sphere: Related Content

Abba Changes Everything

"Abba Changes Everything" is an article on Christianity Today on adoption. It looks at adoption as a physical matter but brings in the parallel in the Bible that all Christians are adopted children of God.


Truth be told, I have, since I can't remember when, thought of adopting children. Yes, I love to have my own children, and already have one, but knowing that there are millions of them out there in the world with no parents to love them somehow makes me guilty of having my own.


Children are such precious things and I cannot help but sympathise with those who have lost their parents, whether by natural disasters or by man (abandonment, accidents, etc.).


This article is quite long, but the words tugged at my heart. Russell D. Moore, the writer, wrote :
After all, there are no "adopted children" of God, as an ongoing category. Adoption tells us how we came into the family of God. And once we are here, no distinction is drawn between those at the dinner table. 


I don't know if I will ever adopt or not. It is very costly to start with and the procedure long. But I know that there are little things that I can do to help. Perhaps running the Read-a-thon Challenge on Ling's List's Facebook page wasn't as impulsive as I later thought it was.


The Read-a-thon Challenge will finish this Friday, 9 July 2010 at 6pm QLD time. It is a challenge for people to read as many books as possible in 2 weeks for me to donate books to Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids, a non-profit group made up of like-minded volunteers who prepare backpacks for foster children.


Came to know of foster care when I started working as a day care mum. Since then, and even before we started trying for a baby, I told my husband that I would like to adopt if I cannot bear children and foster care is another option that I will leave open too.


Until it becomes a nagging prompt from the Holy Spirit, I'll stick to having children of my own and give to those in need for the time being. Sphere: Related Content

Follow-up checkup after curettage

Had my final follow-up after the curettage in March. Has it been 3 months already?! I hardly remembered it, though the few weeks after it was rather depressing.

My obstetrician said to go back for a checkup after the 2nd period because it took me a long time to clean everything out. So, off I went today, to have a chat with her.

My OB had sent the sacs for reports. Probably part of their routine. We were having fraternal twins. The female one was the first to go and the male one developed well, but didn't make it eventually.

So, from what my OB said, there's a chance of twin pregnancy in my future attempts. Natural birth is possible if they're both head down. But because of my first c-section, she would prefer another c-section if the next pregnancy is a set of twins. The record at Sunnybank Private Hospital was 7 c-sections on one woman. My doctor's record was 5 on a 28 y.o. lady.

I'm going to be praying real hard (not that I haven't been) to have a natural birth. Be it twins or just one. Especially if it's twins. It's bad enough having to cope with pain and sleeplessness with a c-section, I don't need a double dose of it.

At the last Brisbane MOPS training, one of the ladies from another group shared that she had twins and didn't step out of the house till 8 months later!

Babies are something to look forward to, and no matter what happens, we'll be trusting the Lord to bring us through.

So, in case you haven't figured it out, yes, we'll be trying for our next bundle of joy(s). =) Sphere: Related Content

Social Vibe widget

I've added a widget on the side. Right at the bottom..

If you're with Blogger or perhaps even Wordpress, they have this widget called Social Vibe that you can add on to your sidebars to help support charities. Blog owners don't pay anything for it, readers don't pay anything for it. The way you can support is by ansering a few survey questions sponsored by brand names or other companies. They in turn will donate the money to the charity of the named widget.

So, help out, if you can. Just a minute or two after reading my blog, give the widget a click.

Thanks for helping others around the world. Sphere: Related Content

No nappies during the day!

Very pleased with Miss 2 today. We had a nappy-free day! No accidents, but constant reminder. I would ask her every 45 mins if she needed to go to the toilet.

Sometimes she would voluntarily tell me that she needed to do a wee. Once, she went to the toilet on her own.

Sigh.. my baby is finally growing up.

We bought some nappy pants for the night and for going out.. just in case the idea hasn't quite stuck on her. Maybe I underestimate my daughter's ability. Maybe I just don't want her to grow up yet?!

Nevertheless, nappy-free is good. Less things to add to the landfill. Less spending on wipes and nappies. But there could be quite a lot more washing to do. Sphere: Related Content

All good at last

After what seemed like a month long of illnesses, I'm glad to say that we're all 100% today! Not sure about tomorrow. =)

Whatever that stomach bug was, it wasn't pleasant. Extremely glad to be over it and be up and about doing things as usual.

Babysitting is fun without worry of reports! Hooray! Thank God for great families who still bring their children over to play with Phoebe and myself! Sphere: Related Content

Stomach blues

Wonder if I'm the only one having stomach upsets? Not the diarrhoea kind of upset, but like cramps and sometimes acute pains.

Had it yesterday and today too. Would be functioning alright mostly, but the nagging queasiness and gentle pain (if there's such a term for pain!) wears me out very quickly. Didn't help that my menstrual cycle decided to come at the same time.  I managed to last till 8pm last night and fell asleep at bedtime Bible reading with Miss 2. Thank God for husband who made me go to bed.

Off to bed I did, and didn't wake up till 6:30am to another round of queasiness.

Had plenty of ginger and honey tea. Couldn't eat much. It hurts not to eat, but it hurts more to eat and drink. Hopefully it's just a bug and will go off soon. Sphere: Related Content

Cloth Nappies : Monk N Bear

Thanks to SandyJ who reminded about my post on cloth nappies to update it.

I did blog on it, but on another blog. Shame on me for forgetting this one here.

Anyway, the summary of it is, I love it, and will be doing more cloth nappies with my second one. I doubt I'll buy more this time round, as Miss 2 is getting better at going to the toilet while at home with just her panties on.

Review here : Blog-O-Reviews: Monk N Bear

Sphere: Related Content

Animated Oxygen Video

Learn about oxygen in this cute 3D animation. What a clever way to teach science!


Oxygen from Christopher Hendryx on Vimeo. Sphere: Related Content

Andre Bocelli

Sphere: Related Content

Feeling sick

Haven't been feeling well the last few days. Had a slight sore throat and a headache. Back has been aching and could hardly stand for long periods of time.

Symptoms of a cold. I've been doubling my vitamin C and water intake. With lots of ginger tea and honey. More gargles with mouthwash and salt.

Slept like a log last night. Went to bed at 8pm and only woke up at 6:15 this morning. I am much much better now. The headache's gone and so is the sore throat. A cough has develop, but only slightly and the backache's almost gone. I'll do another good sleep tonight and that should fix the body up.

When I was younger, I used to marvel at how quickly my mum recovers from her illnesses. I used to take 1-2 days to get the fever down! But, ever since I became a mum, God seemed to have performed some miracle in my body and I would feel better after a good night's sleep.

Perhaps it's God's way of saying, "Time for a break. Sleep, and you will be recharged for the next lap."

If you're a mum, you'd understand that it's a busy life. It's almost impossible to fall sick. Actually, you probably wouldn't have time to fall sick. And really, it's hard to ignore the symptoms with children running havoc in the house. A headache is so easily detected nowadays.

So, time to stop, rest, and let God heal the body. Sphere: Related Content

Done with day care, now what?

A big thank you to all friends and family who have read the previous blog post and commented either personally or via email. Thank you all for your understanding and support. God has given me the peace of mind when we made the decision. It was a huge step for me, as day care was the source of income to fund the online bookstore, Ling's List. Blogging this post to explain what I will be doing after day care.


I am happier now that I can do my laundry while children are here, clearing up more time over the weekends to prepare for church and meet up with friends. Not having to write in all the different forms and papers does lighten the load considerably.


With day care finished, I can concentrate on Ling's List better. More time can be spent in marketing the site and products. There'll also be more time to build up relationship with other churches in letting them know of Chinese Christian resources available in Brisbane.


And what happened to my day care children? Most of them are children of friends, so they'll still be coming. Most of them pay me a small sum to cover the day's activities. Not that I mind how much they give. I can now enjoy playing with children without having to remember what they did. And to be honest, with 4-7 children doing things at the same time, it is a challenge to my pea brain to remember and record their developmental observations.


I'm not the best day care mum around. Only been in this work for 4 years, when others continued for 20-30 years!


Where finances are concerned, hubby is happy for me to just take care of our household needs and run the family well. I did, however, call up the relevant government departments asking for information to private care.


One option is that I can register myself as a babysitter/nanny. They call it the "Registered Carer". With this, I can accept payment and give families their due CCB. But no Child Care Rebates will be given to the families. So, families pay the full sum and claim their benefits with the receipts from Centrelink.


Another option is to run my own independent day care, fully licensed and with insurances, so that parents get the full government benefits. But, by doing so, I'll be putting myself into the whole cycle of paperwork once again.


The last option is to run it privately. No benefits, no insurance. Which is what I'm doing now. Parents give what they want, what they can.


Who knows, I might register myself eventually to be an official nanny/babysitter.

Sphere: Related Content

Finished With Family Day Care

Today is officially my last day as a day care mum. Serious. No regrets. I hope! =)

Had talked about this for a few months with husband already. A lot of regulatory changes and increasing amount of paperwork that led me to reconsider being a day care mum.

I find that children are being overly protected under the system and it is no longer feasible for me to still spend time with family if I were to continue with family day care.

Some changes and how it affects my family and myself :
1. Move to another government department - Education. There will be a change in focus in the children's learning experience in care.

2. New names - We are now called 'Educators', putting us on par with teachers and child care centre workers. This just meant more planning of activities,  observation and notes taking.

3. Compulsory handwashing upon arrival and departure - All families and children are to wash their hands when they come in and when they go home. Either with hand sanitisers or the soap in the bathroom. This also meant that all my visitors, be it friends or family, will be washing their hands at the door and when they go home. Which in turn meant that if I were to have a dinner or social gathering at my place, I'll be better off installing an anti-bacterial spray at the front door and spray clean everyone when they come and go.

4. Table top and Kitchen Bench to be clear of things - I live in an organised mess. Unfortunately, it is not 'presentable' when parents come and when validated. So, there is not to be anything on the work table or kitchen bench.

5. More child-proofing around the house - linen cupboard to be inaccessible to children. Ours is difficult enough to pull open for adults, much less children, but a safety latch is put in anyway. 1st Aid Kit to be child proofed. Either kept away from children, or are lockable.

6. Backyard is not enticing enough for children to play outside - no play equipment. Did they not consider the sand pit, tricycles, chalk drawing, water play, painting, stepping stools, bubbles, balls available? A park is just 5 mins away and children get enough swings and slides there.

7. Not enough shade and shelter - need more shelter for children to play outdoors when it rains. Maybe they can give me the money to do it.

8. Resources (toys, books, mattresses) to either be washed with warm soapy water or wiped down. Daily for toys, weekly for mattresses.

9. Spot checks and validation - at least 1 spot check a month from the co-ordinators. Once a year, we get a spot check from the State licensing unit. Random pick of carers. We also have a national accreditation spot check once a year. Carers are also picked at random.

So, with these reasons, we think that it is fair to not continue with family day care. I'm happy with the decision and thank the Lord for a wise and caring husband who would like to see me happy with my work and be able to spend more time with me.

Furthermore, with no annual leave and sick leave paid out to myself and having to contribute to my own superannuation funds, I'd be better off working in a child care centre as an assistant with my Cert III. I get my annual leave, sick leave, superannuation all paid by the employer and I don't have to do my own accounts.

What will happen now? I'll be babysitting my day care children and looking forward to the next pregnancy. Sphere: Related Content

Classroom in the forest

With this world changing so rapidly, children now and in the future are missing out a lot on the nature walks and what nature can offer to them.

Read this article about some US preschools operating in the forests and found it a welcoming change. As a day care mum in the city, we're always told to bring the children out to the parks, to expose them to the world of nature. I am fortunate to have a huge backyard and a park nearby which children can run around, pick things up and explore with their senses.

Cedarsong Nature School is one of them. Children are their own teachers, where they can spend hours exploring one topic or activity and really learn as they play. This school also has a programme for autistic and ADHD children.

I don't think I can do it, because I grew up in a city. I have no clue what the forest holds. I can't tell one tree from another, much less the life cycle of a species or how their habitat functions. But I think, I'll be keen to send my children to one, even if it was once a week, to really learn about the world that God had created right from the beginning and which was good.

Modernisation sure has strengthened economy, but with it, we also see sacrifices in people's lives. More known allergies, mental disorders, health issues, etc.. Perhaps it is time to go back to nature and enjoy learning. Sphere: Related Content

Differences and similarities for pregnancy and births

I put in a comment in one of the momaroo blogs on what I'll do differently or stay the same with my second and subsequent children. Thought I'll do a blog post on it, since I was thinking of it myself a few weeks back. 

What I will do differently with my 2nd child : 

1. Doctors and Hospital - Talk to doctors and hospital that are more pro natural birth. I was induced with my first and had a c-section after 18hrs of labour. I am concerned that I'll be doing a c-section again with my 2nd one, so I wanted a doctor/hospital that has had experience with c-section and vagina birth from the same person. I went to a private hospital the first time and they have a higher c-section rate. Was thinking of going public. Cheaper and higher rate of natural birth.

I just miscarried a set of twins and I will find out from doctors what the success rate is like for natural birth if we were to have twins again.

2. Pain relief at birth - no more gas for me. Didn't work at all. Either no pain killers or go straight to epidural.

3. Exercise - More exercises in the last few weeks to help engage the baby. And hopefully a shorter labour eventually.

4. Breastfeeding vs bottle feeding - Doesn't matter. The most important thing is for the baby to be fed and I can have my sleep. I was into breastfeeding with my first and was so stressed that I would pump every 4 hourly. Next time round, I'll not get myself so stressed out and will give my body the rest it needs to produce milk. If milk doesn't come at every feed, then baby will have formula. No big deal.

5. Nappies - Will use more cloth nappies with my subsequent children. Those disposables cost a bomb!




Things that will remain the same :
1. Diet - I'm probably still not keen to experiment with my cravings, so will be sticking to safe foods. I seem to have cravings for sashimi for both previous pregnancies which aren't safe for the foetus. Will also be keeping clear of foods that will affect baby's sleep. I stayed away from beans, onions and broccoli after giving birth and during breastfeeding. I think I'll do the same with my subsequent children. Just in case the get the wind too.


2. Routine - It is so important to have a routine. It may be a very flexible one, but when it comes to food and sleep, routine plays a big part. I need my children to have a clear sense of meal times and bedtimes. So that I can rest too.


3. Sleeping separately - I'll still keep my baby in another room. Miss 2 slept in her own room right from the start. It's better for husband and myself. At least he doesn't hear much of the crying at night and can sleep better and work more efficiently. I'd rather have one cranky parent than two. One of us needs to be clear-headed. However, I did consider that if I were to have a c-section, I might co-sleep with my baby for the first month. Only for my mobility sake. Had much difficulties getting up and feeding my first child while coping with the pain.


4. Feeds - I will still use a combination of bottle feeding and breastfeeding. So that baby gets to be fed by dad too. Also so that I can have a break from feeding and burping bub. Bottle feeding can be expressed breastmilk or formula.


5. Sleeping bags - Doesn't matter what brand it is, I'll be using them for the winter months. Even if my baby's wrapped up. It keeps them warm and snug, and gives me a peace of mind. At least I know that baby will not be freezing.


Can't think of anything else..


So, from pregnancy till birth and even upbringing, what will you do differently or remain the same with your 2nd and subsequent children?

Sphere: Related Content

Puff the Magic Dragon

I've never watched "Puff the Magic Dragon" before and have not watched it yet. Came across this song on youtube and it brought tears to my eyes at the end of it. Such a beautiful song of friendship and companionship.


A song of two friends that came together and went apart as age caught up. Something that is very true for all of us. Wonder how many true friends there are out there who kept their friendship throughout their lives?


It is something that I would like my children to have. Lifelong friendship and quality friends. Also teaching them that people move on in life, but true friendship and love will stay no matter how far apart.


I might go and look for the youtube videos!


Here are two videos of Peter, Paul and Mary singing the song. Two different crowds, but the same magic it calls up.








Did a search on wikipedia and it was originally "based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a 19-year-old Cornell University student. Lipton was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled 'Custard the Dragon,' about a 'realio, trulio little pet dragon.' " Link to the page is here.


Had to do a search for the lyrics too! Courtesy of DigitalDreamDoor.


Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff,
and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. Oh

  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee
  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name. Oh

  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee
  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, Puff could not be brave,
So Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. Oh

  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee
  Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
  And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee Sphere: Related Content

Circumcision

I don't have a boy. Yet. I might, someday, God willing... Just wanted to have a post on circumcision as I've had this chat with a few mother friends who have thought of it when they were pregnant with boys. None of them went ahead with circumcision, but the thought did cross their minds.

It did cross mine too. I had wondered if I had a boy, would I put him through the process of circumcision?

Did have a chat with my husband about this before I was pregnant with my first child and we decided against it. We talk about these things, which I think is important, so that both of us are on common grounds if anyone asks why.

Why not then? Because, Biblically, it isn't a must. Health wise, it isn't a definite either.

Furthermore, the procedure for circumcision can result in infection and bleeding. For a 6 month old baby who had to go through an anaesthetic just to remove the foreskin on his penis can be quite a traumatic and painful experience. However, if, for some reason, my boy decides to do it in the future when he's a grown man, I don't think I will stop him.

Have you ever thought of circumcision for your boy? Did your boy go through the procedure? Sphere: Related Content

Toilet training gadget

Bought one of those marketed toilet training gadgets out there to try on Miss 2. It is more for boys, but I thought maybe it will encourage Miss 2 to go to the toilet.

It works as a target to be stuck to the back of the toilet seat for boys to aim and pee on. There is a suction cap at the top of the target. When the target meets warm urine, it'll turn from a black spot to a ball picture. There are a few designs, but I thought a ball motif would be more generic for boys and girls.

So, for Miss 2, I stuck it to the front of the toilet seat. It worked some times. Not always. She doesn't have enough urine to wet it enough for the motif to show up. But she enjoyed the toilet a lot more now, until friends come over and play, then it's nappy time.

Sphere: Related Content

Mothering is a full-time job

Mothering, I tell you, is a full-time job,
Her contract started the day bub was born.
She works all day from morn till night,
She never gets paid though she's the boss.

Twenty-four, seven, three sixty-five,
She's a wife, a mum, a sister, a daughter.
A teacher, a learner, a multi-tasker,
A comforter, a protector, a nurturer.

A mother is good for hugs and kisses,
A mother is great for cuts and bruises.
An embrace from her heals all sadness,
A kiss from her lips heals all wounds.

Mothering is challenging and a high order,
But the rewards are far greater than any other.
Love and strength flow from within her,
She is priceless and incomparable.

Sphere: Related Content

All I Want for Mother's Day is Privacy

Mother's day is coming and there are plenty of sales going on out there in the shops. Clothes, shoes, bags, chocolates, flowers, bathroom sets, you name it.

I have a sale going on for my online bookstore, Ling's List , too.

But as a mum, what do I really want this Mother's day? I don't mind a book to read, nor some good food to enjoy, but really, what is it that will make this Mother's day so special?

I don't know about you, but one thing I lack in motherhood is privacy. I miss those days before I had a child where I could go to the bathroom uninterrupted, or have a bag completely all to myself without biscuit crumbs and baby wipes, or I could wear a skirt/dress without having to worry about someone sticking their head under it.

This Mother's Day, I'd like to at least be able to go to the toilet and bathroom in peace. Doors shut, no uninvited toddler poking its head in and asking, "Mummy, what doing?"

I shall wait and see... Sphere: Related Content

Truth vs Myth

With Miss 2 growing up so quickly, she is also picking up on stories and thoughts from other children. Most of the time, she doesn't quite understand what they mean and would ask me. Things like Santa and reindeers, aliens, Jesus dying on the cross, etc..

She accepts the answer when I tell her that Santa and reindeers flying is just a story but Jesus was real and he died on the cross just as the Bible told us so.

Then, as a day care mum, I've had children being excited about Easter bunnies and Santa Claus and though I look forward to these occasions, I also tell them that the rabbits and flying Santa and reindeers are just stories. Those times, it hurt more when I told them the truth.

I'm not even looking at spiritual teaching, but when children are told by someone else that Santa, reindeers, tooth fairies, rabbits, etc are not real, their little bubble seemed to burst somewhat.

Part of me says it's ok, they need to learn the truth one day, so better be from young. The other part of me says they're still young. Let them have the excitement of meeting Santa and the tooth fairy. But, the spiritual side of me says no to not telling them what is right.

I find it even more difficult when children from Christian families tell me that these icons are real. What do I tell them? That their parents lied?

I cannot avoid my own chid(ren) from learning about these festivity icons or other mythical people, either from the West or from my own Chinese culture. But my stand towards these stories is just that - stories. My children can learn about them because they are a part of the society's upbringing, but I'll stick to my side of the story and let them know that they are only myths.

It hurts to tell the truth, and it probably hurts for them to learn the truth. But if I were to insist that my children speak only the truth to others, then I think that even stories have to be differentiated between the myth and the truth and that I, as the parent, have the responsibility to tell them that what they're listening to is only a story. Sphere: Related Content

Midnight wakings for a toddler

Just when we thought that Miss 2 is sleeping through the night, done with her teething for now, she came up with something else. Not really sure what it was. My guess would be either dreams or needing to urinate.

She is definitely more aware of her bladder and bowel movements as well as what goes on in her brain at night. There were times when she woke up screaming for mummy and would say that she's frightened. Slept in her room most of last night and could hear her calling out once in awhile in fright. Then there were times when she sounded like she was very uncomfortable and wanted to get out of something.

Apparently children do dream after googling on dreams and toddlers. They start dreaming as soon as they were born. This website, www.drgreene.com has an article on dreams and night terrors. You can read more about it here.

As much as I'd like to remove all forms of fear from my child, I realise too that it is a part of growing up. Learning to overcome fear is a form of problem solving and understanding oneself.

If dreams were not the reason of her wakings last night, then my next guess would be the need to urinate. She does tell us most times that she needs to go to the toilet. Sometimes after she has done it in her nappy, sometimes before. We put her up on the toilet anyway and let her decide in her own time when she can be in panties totally.

There are differing theories and methods to toilet training, and I agree to most that parents need to make a conscious effort in helping and guiding them to the toilet. However, as far as I am concerned, that's about all that a parent can do - to teach them what and how to do it. After that, it is up to the children to want to be on the toilet all the time.

Perhaps it is a security and comfort thing for children to want to get it done in their nappies. It is also probably the last thing that they can use to retain their 'babyhood'. Once that is gone, they would be 'all grown up'. So, I must say that it is really up to the child to move on in its life. After all, we are teaching children to make decisions and not force a decision upon them.

Hopefully, we'll have a better night tonight. Sphere: Related Content

Time spent in handwashing alone

Have you ever counted how many times you wash your hands in a day? Assuming you do not have obsessive compulsive disorder.

I counted.

On a normal 10 hours day care day, with 4 preschoolers, of which 2 children needing a total of 6 nappy changes throughout the day and all are healthy children, meaning no coughs, runny noses nor sneezes.

A normal day where we would go outdoors for play, have our morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea and 6 toileting trips in total for the 2 other preschoolers who are not in nappies

Each handwashing will last at least 30 secs long, assuming a very co-operative child standing at the sink : 10 secs to wash with soap, 10 secs to wash off the soap, 10 secs to wipe dry with paper towel. NOTE : These are all government recommended regulations.

This is my calculations :
Applying sunscreen for 4 children : 30 secs x 8 = 240secs
(4 preschoolers to wash their hands after applying sunscreen + me washing my hands after each applying for each child)

Coming in from outdoors : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before A.M. Tea : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for A.M. Tea : 30secs
After preparing for A.M. Tea : 30secs

After A.M. Tea : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before Lunch : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for Lunch : 30secs
After preparing for Lunch : 30secs

After Lunch : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Before P.M. Tea : 30secs x 4 = 120 secs
(4 preschoolers)

Before preparing for P.M. Tea : 30secs
After preparing for P.M. Tea : 30secs

After P.M. Tea : 30secs x 5 = 150 secs
(4 preschoolers + me)

Nappy changing : 30secs x 12 = 360 secs
(2 children with total of 6 nappy changes + me washing hands after each nappy change)

Toileting : 30secs x 12 = 360 secs
(2 children with total of 6 toileting trips + me washing hands after each toilet trip)

Upon arrival : 30secs x 8 = 240 secs
(4 children + me helping them to wash hands)

At going home : 30 secs x 8 = 240 secs
(4 children + me helping them to wash hands)

My own toileting : 30secs x 3 = 360 secs

TOTAL : 2940 secs = 49 mins

It is almost an hour of washing hands per day. And I've not factored in the time needed for children to swap over at the sink, plus the occasional finger sucking, nose picking, sneeze and cough.

With winter coming up, I'm going to have to spread some moisturiser to keep the hands from drying up with all these hand washing.

Wonder if I'll turn into an obsessive compulsive person? Sphere: Related Content

3 wees in a row!

Miss 2 went to the toilet on her own accord from 5pm - 8pm, doing 3 wees in the toilet after announcing that she needed to go. We did have some false alarms in-between. She sat down but didn't have any output. She did not want her nappies back on after the first success and only had them on for the night sleep.

Was so pleased with herself and I was too!

Wonder when she can be nappy-free.... Sphere: Related Content

Family Day Care in Australia

What is Family Day Care and how is it run?


Changes in society and economy has led families, especially those with young children, to put children in care while both parents work. One of the options is family day care. But for those who are new the world of child care, this area of child care may be very foreign and sometimes even daunting.

Family day care is what the name said it is. It is day care from someone else's home. Similar to child care centres, but it is usually run by one person.

In Australia, family day cares are under the big umbrella of Family Day Care Australia. They, in turn license Schemes to train and approve individuals to open their own family day care.

Family day cares provide care for children from six weeks through to 12 years of age. All carers stick to a strict carer:child ratio of 1:7. The seven children include either four or five preschoolers at any one time and two or three school age children to make up the seven. It differs from state to state, but regulations are in place to make it uniform.

It is a small group of children and so children are able to interact more with others and receive more attention from the carer.

Just like any other child care centres, family day cares also have programmes for the day for the children. Anything from indoors to outdoors, from physical to emotional to intellectual, carers are equipped to provide these activities for children and tailor to their individual needs.

With family day care, it is in the home of the carer and so the opening hours would depend on the carer itself. The standard operating hours Mondays to Fridays, 8am to 6pm. In cases where care is required outside the standard hours, parents can negotiate with carers on their availability.

Carers running family day care would have had experience with children, either of their own or from work or community groups. All carers have a current Senior First Aid Certificate and a police check on their backgrounds. As with all other child care centres, family day cares are also insured with public liability, so you can be assured that if anything happens while children are in care, they are covered under insurance.

Family day care also abide by regulations and go through stringent checks to gain accreditation. There is a state licensing from each state to the Schemes and a National Childcare Accreditation Council ensures quality assurance.

However, there is one element that family day care is unlike childcare and that is the fees structure. Family day cares charge by the hour or half hourly whereas child care centres have a flat rate for the whole day.

So, depending on your needs and child's maturity, family day care might be the option for the working parents.

Source :
Family Day Care Australia : http://www.familydaycare.com.au/

Sphere: Related Content

Deliberate ignorance to tantrums

Having worked with children for nearly 10 years, I have learnt that deliberate ignorance can be very helpful in getting a point across. It works when children throw a tantrum and demand my immediate attention.

I find that the fastest way to get them to stop throwing a tantrum is by ignoring it. Attended a Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) programme couple of years back and it also mentioned ignoring tantrums on purpose.

By ignoring the tantrum, the adult (teacher, guardian, parent, etc.) is giving out the message that tantrums do not get their way. Tantrums usually occur when children do not have things their own way and their only "reasonable" method of asserting their desire is by screaming, yelling, crying, kicking, etc.

To be honest, I enjoy watching children go into a tantrum fit. It happens more to children under 3 years old where they think they're the kings and queens of the world and everything belongs to them and should obey them.

When I meet a strong-willed child who demands or snatches a toy out of others' hands and would not take turns, I'd sit back, relax and let the child go into a fit. I don't know if you have ever watched a child throw a tantrum before - if you haven't, try it. It's quite amusing, but the initial few times could be difficult in restraining yourself from picking the child up and giving in.

When a child goes into a temper, nothing I say will get across. I'm also not inclined to fight a temper child, after being kicked a few times in my early years as a child care worker. So, I'll just make sure that there's nothing harmful in the child's way and let him/her kick his way and vent the frustrations. It is rather interesting watching them.

First, they cry and tears flow. They might kick viscously, depending on the nature of the child. Screaming and yelling is probably inevitable.

The second stage of the tantrum throwing involves more screaming and more kicks, with some tears. The child starts to look in the adult's direction to make sure that the adult is still looking.

The third stage comes the forced and fake tears, less screaming and kicking, probably running out of steam. This stage has the child making sure that the adult's watching before the screams come.

The final stage has the child sulking and ignoring people, sometimes deliberately hurting another child.

I go to the child at the sulking stage, give him/her a hug and talk to him/her why the demands were not met and that throwing a tantrum will not get him/her anywhere with me. Half the time, the child ignores me, but I know that the words I say sink in a lot more better than when I try to yell over their screaming voices.

The child might get into another tantrum another day over something, but it will not be as strong as the first tantrum, because he/she would know that no matter how long the tantrum lasts, I'll still not give in.

It's not that there is no room for negotiation for their demands, but that I'm teaching them to ask and wait for a response rather than scream and cry. I want them to say what they feel instead of throwing a tantrum. Children will also learn from a young age that not everything that they want will be given to them. It'll help them to be better communicators when they grow up. For children over 3 years old, I get them to tell me how they feel instead of sulking and yelling.

Children learn by example and it helps them to learn how to express themselves when adults can model good verbal communication by expressing their thoughts and feelings in proper words. No swearing.

Next time you meet a temper tantrum, try ignoring it and come back to talk about it. Love the person, but condone any bad behaviour. Sphere: Related Content

Cloth nappies

My daughter will be pooing me into poverty at the rate that she's disposing of the disposable nappies.

She seemed to have a better sense of her bowel movements and that unfortunately also meant that she wanted a change of nappies everytime she did a wee or a poo. She'd still insist on sitting on the toilet before being changed though.

So, my only other alternative is to look up cloth nappies and came across Monk N Bear. They're much cheaper compared to other cloth nappies online and quality and review seemed to be on par.

I've asked for a couple of nappies and extra inserts, but because the inserts are out of stock, I'll have to wait a few more weeks before I can get hold of my cloth nappies.

I've chosen to go with Monk N Bear not only because of its cheaper price, but also because the nappies work a bit differently from others. Some brands have different sizes for different ages, but Monk N Bear is a one size fits all. The other thing I like about it is that the inserts can be removed and replaced, instead of changing the whole nappy. The inserts are clip-ons over the waterproof cloth nappy and can be removed when soiled. Less washing to be done and money saving too.

Looking forward to the nappies and will be trying them on Miss 2 once they arrive! Sphere: Related Content

Mummy, I want to do a wee

Yup, my 2y.o. said that to me this morning while having breakfast. Usually, when she say that, it's because she had done one in the nappy already and just wants to sit on the toilet. We walked to the toilet, pulled off her nappy and sat her on the toilet seat.

The next thing I knew, I heard this gush of urine into the toilet! Wow! I was impressed! she could actually hold her bladder till she was seated!

That's the start of something positive and I look forward to more demands of "Mummy, I want to do a wee." And hopefully we'll have a toilet-trained young lady by the end of the year. Sphere: Related Content

Day care mishaps today

Today certainly didn't start out well for my day care.

We went out the front yard to pick some flowers and just as we were about to get back into the house, Miss 2 was bitten by a green ant. They are ferocious, these ones. The last time she got bitten, she has nose bleeding the whole night and a swollen finger that required antibiotics. Today she was bitten thrice in a span of a few seconds. All on the same big toe. She cried. Poor girl. Half an hour of crying. Applied ice, white vinegar, banana skin and panadol but they didn't work. Finally had aloe vera rubbed on her and that soothed her down greatly. Maybe it was from all of the above, but it didn't matter. So long as she's playing and not crying, I'm glad.

So, while all the crying was happening, the other 2 day care children were having their morning tea. After settling Miss 2, I cleaned up the morning tea crumbs and one of the day care girls told me that she had done a wee. On my couch cushion and the carpet.

Off I went then to clean her up and to my horror, Miss 2 decided that it was water play time, so she stomped on the wee on the carpet. Had to get her feet washed as well. Removed the cushion into the bath tub and covered the wetted carpet with salt to absorb the urine. I found that effective for me. Blocked off the area, but Miss 2 decided that she would like to have a taste of urine and salt and licked some off the carpet.

That sent her to the bathroom for some mouth rinsing and a good talking to.

That was all within an hour. I was exhausted by the end of it and my day was not even half gone. It is afternoon sleep now and I am off to my bed too. Sphere: Related Content

Fine motor skills activities

Some fine motor skills activities to develop your child's fine motor skills and build relevant strength and muscles.

1. Play dough - strengthens muscles, strengthens fingers.
2. Cutting - hand-eye coordination and gripping skills.
3. Clothes pegs - hand-eye coordination, strengthen finger muscles and working on fine gripping skills.
4. Weaving - hand-eye coordination, focus and concentration, gripping.
5. Finger Painting - it gets them to have a sense of what their fingers can do.
6. Hammering / Paintbrush painting - these build the co-ordination between their eyes and hands and get the movements going to help with fine motor skills.
7. Picking toys / coins / flowers - When they pick these up one at a time, their little fingers need to grip and co-ordinate. Builds strength and finger muscles. Sphere: Related Content

Miss 2 woke up with a dry nappy!

Woo-hoo! She had a dry nappy this morning, from 8pm last night when she went to bed. Sat her on the toilet seat and she actually urinated within 5 minutes! So proud of her! Wonder if I can start my toilet training this weekend?

Tried to get her to the toilet last December, when it was nice and warm and we didn't have to wear lots of clothes, but I ended up cleaning the floor, the rubbish bin, carpet, chairs, etc.. Stayed home with her for a week in the hope that she could be out of nappies, but it didn't work. By the end of the week, I was cranky and impatient and disappointed in her and myself. So, we decided to leave it till later. Could this be the later?

==================================================================================================

Alright afternoon edit : Don't know how ready she is.. She would do a poo or a wee, get to the toilet and take off her nappy.. sigh.. if only she had a toilet-ready sensor. Sphere: Related Content

How safe are child-safe locks?

I run a day care and almost everything in the house is locked or child-proofed. We just added a new lock to the house - the linen cupboard. I was told to either put a lock in or remove all the plastic bags from the cupboard. Took the lock.

Anyway, Miss 2 discovered that she could 'unlock' the fridge door. Yup, fridges also have locks. They are the stick-ons with a clip. You know, those that have double sided-tapes on both ends with a clip-on lock in the middle? The double-sided taped ends are the ones that are to be stuck onto one side of the fridge and another to the door. They're so child-safe that I always struggle to unlock them. They're the most annoying locks I've ever come across.

Back to Miss 2, well, she discovered that if the lock cannot be unlocked, guess what!, she could jolly well peel off one end from the double-sided tape that was stuck to the fridge. So there! Just when I thought that my house is free from harm's way.

I find that child-safe locks are just a deterrent. They're not all-encompassing protective, but they give children a bit more effort and time in getting to what they want. Unfortunately, I reckon that people who designed child-safe locks hardly ever considered the locks from a child's point-of-view. Children have this knack of getting around rules and achieving what they want in a totally different way.

Hope your child-safe locks lasted longer than mine! Sphere: Related Content

I love newborn babies

I really love newborn babies. They're such fragile sweet-smelling creatures. I love the way they peek out at you with their sleepy eyes and the way they yawn and struggle to get out of their wraps.

Visited a friend who just gave birth last week. Didn't get to carry bub. Was a little disappointed. There were grandparents hovering over my shoulders. It's understandable, that being the couple's first child and the first grandchild of the family.

Looking at the newborn reminded me of my birth with now Miss 2. That was 2 yrs ago. She was a very placid baby. Curious about everything. Didn't mind being carried and passed around. I didn't mind people carrying her either. They're tough, these little people. She was jaundice though, so slept through a lot of the times. But doesn't feed well at the breast, so needing to use the breast pump and giving her formula at the same time.

Anyway, I love newborns. Yes. Love to cuddle them, kiss their soft cheeks, feel their soft tender skin and just be with them. Could smile endlessly at a sleeping child in my arms. Sphere: Related Content

The Rules of Parenting by Richard Templar

Just blogged about this book on my online bookstore's blog. Wanted to share with you this post.

I found this book really handy and helpful because it covers a wide range of topics and in very easy to read snippets. 100 rules in all, and each only taking up 2 pages. I don't know about other mums, but I struggle to even finish a book. Reading a chapter of a novel a night can be challenging. But 2 pages? No problem.

The Rules of Parenting by Richard Templar Sphere: Related Content

Pantry must-haves

For me as a mum and a working one too, getting food ready is always a challenge. My sister-in-law posted a pantry must-have some time ago on her blog and I do have some of my own to share too.

These are my must-haves for the pantry :
1. Rice - a very hassle free carbohydrate that goes into the rice cooker.
2. Oats - a very quick snack in the microwave that fills up the stomach.
3. Potatoes / Sweet potatoes - Perfect size for a toddler's meal time carbohydrate cooked in the microwave when in a rush.
4. Pasta - Add some milk, cheese and frozen vegetables for a vegetarian pasta bake.
5. Milo - Energy drink that fills the empty stomach on days where I have no time to catch a proper meal.
6. Honey - Energy booster for me.
7. Seaweed sheets - Perfect snack, or put some rice and tuna on it for a tuna sushi dinner.
8. Tuna cans (either flavoured or those in brine/springwater) - very versatile in pastas or fried with eggs.
9. UHT milk - in case the milk runs out during the week (which it very often does with a milk-drinking toddler). Cheaper alternative to fresh milk.
10. Baked beans - great as a protein and fibre source. Good on its own, or with rice or toast.
11. Creamed canned soups - very easy with pasta for a creamy pasta bake.
12. Canned tomatoes - I like them diced and they go well with scrambled eggs, pasta or soups.
13. Gravy packs - they're a great help when it comes to cooking meat and having no idea what seasoning to use.

What are yours? Sphere: Related Content

Playing mummy

Had day care children yesterday and by the end of the day, I was exhausted, as usual. It's strange what children can do to one's energy levels. Mine seem to get sucked away so quickly.

During our indoors play time, the three 2.5year olds decided to role play doctors and mummy and made me the child. While my girl was busy instructing me what to do, the other two were happy to be her assistants in "torturing" me.

So there I was, following instructions as to what to do.

"Mummy, lie down!" commanded my girl.
"Needle for you," she said, and generously jabbed me on the arms and legs.
"Mummy cry, waah waah." I did and it brought laughter all around.
My girl left my side. There was a period of silence and I heard running feet and sounds of paper rustling. My little girl came back to my side with tissue in her hands and repeated her instruction again, "Mummy cry, waah, waah." I did and this time, she dabbed my eyes with the tissue in her hand.
"Mummy, blow your nose." I did and she wiped my nose too.

Sweet. =) Sphere: Related Content

Did weeding today!

Ok, I have to confess that the garden and myself are almost not on talking terms. I leave the back and front yard to husband.

Used to do weeding before we had our own kids and before I started Family Day Care, but since then, we've been using the weed killers.

This morning, while taking my children (day care and my own) out the back for a morning tea picnic, I decided to do some weeding with them. The children were very good at keeping away from the insects and creatures that appeared from within the weeds. We had some squeals and laughter over the weeds.

Maybe it's the company, or the children that make weeding seem so much more fun, but I think, I'll be doing a bit more with them around. Gives me a chance to learn about the good and bad greenery in the garden and the children to help around the house too. Somehow, children just make everything seem more fun. Gotta love them. Sphere: Related Content

Reason for this blog

There seems to be a reason for everything and so, there is a reason for this blog.

It's more a diary and collection of my life as a mother. Motherhood does not end after children enter adulthood. There's still the adult child to parent, though at a different approach, then there's the grand-motherhood that is to come.

I am also a day care mum, so this also qualify as part of motherhood, I suppose! Sphere: Related Content