In laws here and the TV’s on. The children knows that during school days, mean no TV. For a very long time they have not asked for TV, they know the rule. For a very long time they have gotten rid of the habit of eating in front of the TV. But when the in-laws here, it’s a total different story.

Well, I can’t really blame them. Old folks when they go nothing to do at home, naturally they will plonk themselves into the sofa and tune in to TV. My parents are no different too. But I really don’t like the channels that my PIL tune in to for my children. My FIL and SILs has the habit of inviting the children to watch TV with them regardless of the program. It’s very common to hear them say “Come, sit with me and watch TV”. That’s the easiest way to babysit them. To them, it’s the most easiest way to entertain them and keep them still and quiet.

We didn’t subscribe the the full astro package. We have limited channels. We don’t even have those Chinese channels that my PIL usually watch at home. But still there’s free Chinese Channel with Taiwanese Hokkien series where my PIL will blast it in high volume and those series usually has bad influence and elements.

I only allow my children to watch 613 playhouse Disney and a range of carefully selected VCDs. But my FIL is tuning into all sort of channels that’s showing cartoons. I really dislike those cartoons which is so full of violent elements. To him, letting watch cartoon is a way to please my children.

My children routine is getting hay wired now. It’s ok, if it is just a day or two. I’m really worried, if I ever have to stay under the same roof with my in-laws. My children will be deprived from constructive and mind stimulating activities. Now they have skipped their nap, playing , reading , home work time. If ever I stay with my in laws, I can forsee those kind of life where all the routine I have set will be disrupted.

JS updated her 2nd posting in her blog today. In fact yesterday , she wanted to do more than one post. I told her “One post a day” . She argued “Why you can do so many in a day?” I told her that’s my job.

Anyhow, after she came back from school, she told me that she wants to type on the computer. The process of typing is slow, as she type with one finger, searching for the alphabet. First she told me what she wanted to write about, she tried to put it in sentence and I corrected her where there’s mistake. Well, she speak English at home, but when come to putting it in sentence, the sentence does not sounds like those spoken one. She also wanted to type in Chinese. Well, she doesn’t know Hanyupinyin yet. So she dictate, I key in the hanyupinyin and get her to select from the list of words appear on screen. She can recognize and select the words she knows, others I came to her rescue. It’s great fun. She also read through what I have typed yesterday.

I realize it can really be good learning tool. Besides spelling, Chinese characters recognition , earlier introduction to hanyupinyin, typing, putting thoughts in words it also helps in reading.

Now, I’m killing so many birds with one stone. I hope this will last and now just a 3 minutes thingy.

Not too long after the fuel hike, JS’s best friend mom return to workforce. JS came telling me that her best friend’s mom is working as a teacher at the preschool. (A branch of the preschool she attended). Her reaction was like so much envy of her friend’s mom who is working.

She tells me “Mummy, you also go become a teacher”. For days, she said that to me until the brother also copy her. The most flattering part was “Mummy, you read so many books, some more you know Montessori , you go become a teacher la”

I asked her , when I go to work, who’s going to take care of them after school. Who is going to take care of baby. ( I used to threaten them some times when they misbehaved, telling them I’m going to sent them to after school care and that I don’t want to stay home to look after them and that I want to return to workforce. Bad me) She went speechless. I told her maybe when meimei grows older, I can go back to work again. (Well, that’s my plan and wish, But to think of it, maybe it’s not quite possible, especially if I were to become their private driver, when 3 of them will be in different school sessions)

Here comes something to think over. What do the kids look for these day? What’s the impact and influence they get if I’m a SAHM or working mum? What kind of message do I give them? Would they feel proud, secure, love nurture or would they feel that their mum is staying home not contributing financially? We stress about gender equality, but by mum staying home, do we sent them a message that women is to stay home while men is to be the breadwinner?

I grew up in a small town, my friend’s parents where of those born in the 30’s 40’s . Many mom due to poverty, do not have a chance to further their study (which mean they have a low education qualification and are housewife) There’s the little arrogant feeling in me that my mum is better. I’m very proud of my mum who is well groom and dress up to go to work. To me, what make me stand higher than them is that MY MUM WORKS as a white collar. I’m proud of my mum, because she is knowledgeable.

Of course , now time has changed. Many high flier mums are willing to give up their job, sacrifices themselves , their career to be a stay at home mum. University grads , doctors, lawyers, engineers etc, all these capable mothers are now staying home to nurture their young.

What do the kids these day look for? Do they feel more superior if their parents hold an important jobs or is it healthier and more balance for their emotional growth if their mum is full time staying at home to nurture them?

My blogging pace is catching up again. After a month of hiatus, finally the momentum is building up again. In June, it was really a slow month. I only have a total of 51 postings (that explain the low income too), compare to the hundred (highest record was over 300 posts in a month). It’s the 4th day of the month, I almost hit 30 posts already.

End of May was a bad month with so many sad incidents happening at home, it affected my mood too. Comes June, we were hit with uncertainties of the future. Life for me was almost on a standstill, lost and don’t know what lay upon us. I was struck, waiting for confirmation and assurance and my blog was push to the farthest corner in my agenda.

Things are moving back on track now. There are so many back log to post, I wish I have the time.

Hub was quite tempted to change car. With the recent fuel hike, every month, our petrol expenses is burning a big hole in our pocket. He wanted to change into a smaller car but later decided that he should keep the van as a weekend family car. He wanted to replace my car though. For a while he was considering whether to get a brand new local assembled car or a second hand Japanese car. The plan was scrapped as it’s more feasible to use what we currently have , moreover we need to dump in huge amount of money in doing up the new house. Actually the old car can just be sent for an overhaul and it will be as good as new. Can replace the engine as well as radiator. Cheap radiator can be found at Radiator.com which includes Ford Taurus Radiator.

Safety is one of the thing we often drill into the children’s mind.

“NEVER TO FOLLOW ANYONE”

“NEVER TO ACCEPT THINGS FROM STRANGER”

“NO ONE ELSE CAN PICK YOU FROM SCHOOL BESIDES DADDY & MUMMY”

“TELL THE TEACHER IF STRANGER APPROACH YOU, RUN”

They know about the consequences if they were to follow strangers, if they don’t stay close to us, run amok when we are out at the shopping mall. They have seen missing child posters plastered everywhere, they have seen missing child’s parents crying in TV. They know. They have asked what happen to those missing child. We didn’t tell them the brutal truth, often we just tell them they won’t have as comfortable life as at home.

Ask them, “What if you follow someone you don’t know?”

“We will never come home. We will never see daddy and mummy again” are their answers.

We know they already know all these but still it’s a habit for us to repeat and remind them as often as possible.

Hubby also have the habit of out of the blue , sms me from work just to tell me to remind them not to follow anyone. Yesterday I received such sms again and when daddy was home from work, at the dinner table, daddy again reminded them.

JS got a little annoyed. She said “Why you keep saying it so many times. Since I small you already tell me, until now you still tell me. I know already lah”

*Sigh* she didn’t appreciate our reminder.

JS’s friend wanted to come over to play this afternoon. I told JS that the grannies will be here and it might not be too convenient. JS said “Neve mind. I asked Ah Kong and Ah Mah hide in the room.  I will tell them I have guest coming!”

I don’t know how to respond to what she’ve said.  Funny though…

As we are anticipating for my cousin’s wedding this coming Dec, my parents had already prepared the wedding gift. The last family gathering at my aunt’s house, I saw my mum preparing this new rice cooker. She said it’s for my cousin. I was like “Huh?? house/kitchen appliances as wedding gift??” She said it’s something my cousin has requested. Maybe the electrical appliances in UK is really expensive, but to cart back so many appliances also is troublesome, won’t they get taxed too? I have yet to write to her to ask her what she wants for her gift. There’s certainly not going to be any bridal shower. Should I just buy a bullion for her? Will it make a great wedding gift? Will she finds it useful? Seriously must write to her already, so that I can have time to think over what to buy for her.

Almost 2 months ago, JS went for a school trip. The most vivid impression about the trip was to Faber-Castell the stationary factory in Shah Alam. The night , right after the school trip, she drew about the trip ( she prefers drawing than writing). I’m really amazed on the details she drew about the factory. Was really impressed. (Unfortunately, I didn’t take picture of the original drawing, because it has so much details and she took so long to color it and somehow, we have misplaced the original copy)

I got her to reproduce one last night. After 2 months, she can still come out with this drawing.

In case you didn’t know, the Faber-Castell in Shah Alam has the world largest pencil. The  pencil is nearly 65 feet tall and is housed in a glass enclosure.

*ok ok..I know there’s a misspell on the “castlel”*

School bus

This is a back dated post. Just for my record sake.

Visited the podiatrist again on 14/6. It’s our 4th visit, the first assessment after JS was put on the orthosis. Dr, Mark asked JS to walk with the orthosis as well as without it. The orthosis work quite well, as can see that she no longer walk intoeing when having the orthosis on, but once she took out the shoe, the in-toeing is still quite severe. The assessment is to check if the gait plait is functioning correctly, or shall there be a need for further adjustment. In our case. There’s no adjustment needed for the gait plaint.

Dr Mark also taught me how to do certain exercise with JS. It suppose to help turn the hip bone outward. The exercise itself can be quite painful for JS to bear, but no choice have to do it. I’m just worrying that I’m not doing the right way and make the matter worst. It has been more than 2 weeks now I’m doing the exercise with JS, and I have to make sure she doesn’t fight back like what the doc has predicted. I’m suppose to do the exercise 4 times a day, each time lasting only 1 minute for each legs and the gap for each exercise ideally is 6 hours. So far, I probably only manage to do it once or twice a day.

What make worst is that ever since school reopened, JS no longer wear her prescriptive shoes to school. She already had very little chance to wear it over the school holiday, and now that there’s some classroom change at school, where the children are to take off their shoes before entering the classroom, so the teacher asked JS not to wear the shoes anymore as it’s too troublesome for her to take off and put it on.

With all these hinder, I think the correction process will be very slow.

Next visit, 3 months later in September