Shower Your Children With Love - The Right Way

Make Money Online

2011-11-09T22:50:00.010+08:00

I was brought into the world of blogging by a friend of mine who blogs for money. As a newbie, I was fascinated by what she could do and it was an eye opener for me that people actually make money online.

Out of curiosity, I searched the net for some money making websites and found many websites teaching us how to make money online but it was Bring The Fresh which lured me into reading and finding out more. The videos and the testimonials show how people of all walks of life benefited from the step by step tutorial provided.

Kelly Felix and Mike Long, the creators of Bring The Fresh, are two very experienced people who have made a lot of money and now, they are teaching people how to do the same. They actually care and wish to help people change their lives. That’s what makes Bring The Fresh stands out from the other similar websites. Somehow, I felt a personal touch in there.

Their method works even for newbies. If you wish to make money online and know nothing about it, Kelly and Mike will teach you step by step in creating your own website, put in words which is optimize for search engine and to monetize it.

I’m really tempted to sign up as a member, especially now that I need some extra cash. Well, I don’t know how much money I can make online, maybe not as much as those who gave testimonials, but I could start somewhere. One day, I may end up earning millions. I hope so. Since I have always wanted to have the best of both worlds, career and children, this could be the solution. The arrangement of working in the comfort of my home, in front of the computer and at the same time not neglecting my children would be perfect for me. The most important thing is that I have the ability to earn and not depend on my husband.

Bring The Fresh is not a get rich quick scheme. If you are looking for fast money, you should look somewhere else. Kelly and Mike welcome every question. So, there’s nothing to worry when you face problems while creating your website. There are always two professionals who are there for you. They even give you their cell phone numbers! All we have to do is ask.

Are you excited now? I am! If you are too, hop over now and start making money online.

Pumpkins from the Backyard

2011-09-27T23:10:00.006+08:00

If you have read my previous post, you would have known that the kids are into planting flowers and vegetables. The plants were growing nicely until one day, I told the kids that I would clear the pumpkin plant because they were turning my backyard into a jungle! So, that day, when we were cutting and clearing, we found three little pumpkins. The kids were happy and it was a great experience for them to view the whole growing process from seeds to fruits.

We harvested some other things too but they would only be shown in my next post.

Green Fingers

2011-08-21T23:18:00.004+08:00

It's kind of funny why he suddenly asked for a pot of flowers. After awhile, he asked for a second pot of flowers. I told him I would buy for him if his first pot of flowers could live after a month. It did and he had his second pot. At the same time, his brother and sister each had a pot of flowers.

They started planting vegetables too. Pumpkin, tomato, ginger and onion are all in my backyard, growing nicely. We are still waiting for the fruiting process.

Let's see if they have green fingers because I obviously do not have green fingers neither does my husband. If any of them has it, it must be from their grandfather.

Online Studies

2011-08-21T22:46:00.005+08:00

When my friend and I talk about migrating, I laughed and told her I might just "migrate" but to a village instead. I don't know if this day would come but I fear that it would come too soon.

What would I do in a village? I can't tap rubber and I don't want to sit at home doing nothing when all my kids go to school. The only thing I could try doing is to venture into accounting, to help my husband with his company's accounts and maybe get a few free lance accounting jobs over there. However, if this is the case, I would have to search for online courses. To find online degree programs in accounting would not be difficult. The challenge then would be the find a good and recognized online accounting degree program.

Taking up online courses is the only option for me because what I need is flexibility. While I work and at the same time help my children with their home work, I want to be able to study whenever I can steal some free time out of my busy schedule. I can't be traveling too often and moreover, colleges will be far from the village I may stay in. So, it would be best if I can find an accredited online degree program in accounting.

Online studies have become popular. All over the world, people view online universities as an alternative to physical universities. In US, you can get help to enter college by applying for federal student aid at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Education is important and if you can study but have problem financially, apply for federal student aid.

Medical Training

2011-08-16T23:23:00.005+08:00

Parents are always more stressful than their children when it comes to exam and they are the ones who beam more than their children when their children get good results. Many parents would then want their children to take up medical or law when they enter university.

We would be happy when our children become doctors. Well, being a doctor is not easy. Doctors should undergo various training to enhance their skills and professionalism. There are many courses available for this purpose such as the consultant interview course, medical teaching course, medical management course and teach the teacher course.

A doctor may be equipped with good knowledge and skill to treat a patient but at the same time, he needs to have good management skill to lead his team of medical staffs. That’s when the medical management course comes in useful. A person may be a good doctor but if he does not know how to talk or to sell his strengths during an interview, he won’t go far. The consultant interview course can help a doctor to better prepare himself before a consultant interview.

Some medical graduates prefer teaching but being a medical teacher is different from being a good doctor. You may know lots of things but to deliver it clearly to the students need good presentation skills and it would be good for a medical teacher to attend the medical teaching course and / or teach the teacher course.

Whatever field you tend to venture into, there is always a way if you put in effort.

Financial Management for Kids

2011-07-13T15:13:00.009+08:00

One day, my son told me this: "Now, I like 'ang pows' (red packet with money in it which children get during Chinese New Year) but when I grow up, I won't like 'ang pows' anymore because by then, I have to give out 'ang pows' instead of receiving them."

Every year, I would deposit my children's ang pow money into their savings accounts. Although the interest rate is low, it was the best thing to do as I did not have any investment plan for them.

Now that they are older, I wonder if it's the right time to teach them about financial management and investment. Maybe we can discuss the possible types of investment such as investing in gold IRA or gold 401k, buying shares or unit trust or even properties.

Buying gold is pretty much a good option as gold acts as a hedge against inflation and it's certainly a good metal to hold when we see a decline in US dollars. As an investor, we often want a diversified portfolio and gold can reduce the overall risk if we combine it with stocks and bonds in a portfolio. Many investors are placing gold in IRA as IRA gold accounts gain from negative economic, environmental, political and monetary conditions.

Children would learn how to manage their money and to save for the future. This would be the best gift for them.

Learn Cycling

2011-06-12T16:53:00.006+08:00

A friend of mine once asked me how to train a child to cycle. She asked if she should install the two extra side wheels and take away one by one during training sessions. What would you do when you train your kids how to cycle?

My eldest son was able to cycle at the age of seven or eight and I think it's pretty late. I did not take the initiative to bring him cycling. Now that my second child is eight, I thought I better give him a chance to learn.

So, this holiday, we went back to our hometown for several days. The biggest gain for him and his sister was a chance and a place to learn how to cycle. With a bicycle without any side wheels each, they tried, they fell, they learned and eventually they mastered the skill of cycling. Today, the two of them could join their elder brother cycling around the house.

From this example, I thought about my parenting style. Do I want to be the protective mom or the supportive mom? I have never wanted to be over protective because I know that children would learn slower if I were too protective. I would rather be a supportive mom, giving them opportunities to try and at the same time be by their side whenever they need me. It's easier said than done but I'll try my very best.

Point and Reward System

2011-04-25T07:03:00.003+08:00

I bet many of you are using point and reward system as one of your parenting tools. I have always been a little reluctant to try out this system on my kids fearing that they would only have positive behaviour and attitude for the sake of the points and rewards but recently, I tried.

We tried for about two weeks and I gave up. Yes, the kids were more obedient, doing things without being told but only for the sake of gaining points. When they did not do something in the list and I refused to give them points for it, they started to feel sad, especially my daughter. She couldn't accept that she did not get the points and asked that I give her a chance to redo. Well, rules are rules. If we set a rule meant to be broken, then, it's not a rule anymore. She would cry non-stop and I thought to myself, "Is this the result I want to see in my kids?" The answer is a big NO.

Well, there are many other ways to train the kids. If this system doesn't work on them, I'll just have to explore more and find a suitable one.

His Rewards

2011-02-28T13:29:00.005+08:00

As a parent, we often find ways to encourage our chidlren to behave and to study. Many would use the rewarding system while others prefer the punitive way. In my opinion, too much of either method would bring about negative effect.

My children have always been pet lovers, especially my second son. He wishes for a pet every time he has an opportunity to make a wish or get a reward. I remembered reading his wish for a pet some time last year and at that time, he wanted fishes. His wish was granted and we have an aquarium at home now. Then, for his birthday, he wanted a dog but we declined.

Lately, he told me he wanted to study hard and he asked, "Mummy, what if I get first in the whole of primary two?" I said, "Then, you will get a gift and you may choose what you like." "A dog." he said. I'm wondering when he would tell me he wants a horse or a pony. Then, instead of buying insurance for the dog, I got to go for horse insurance or pony insurance. Well, to get a horse insurance is not a problem but the main headache would be where to place the horse.

Rewarding him for excellence performance in his studies would be something I will do. Let's hope he can do well in his coming exam.

Her Ambitions

2011-02-19T13:20:00.002+08:00

My daughter loves being a nurse. Whenever her brother falls sick, she would help me with the sponging. She told me that when she grows up, she wants to be a nurse. I love seeing nurses in nurses uniforms. They look so clean and neat. If my daughter were to become a nurse with a loving heart, gentleness and patience, I would be proud of her.

Her father often asks her if she wants to be a doctor but she would say, “No, I don’t want to be a doctor. I want to be a nurse.” I think my daughter would look beautiful when she wears the white lab coat or the nurse uniform.

Sometimes, she told me she wants to be a ballet teacher and a violin teacher. She has a flare in dancing and I love to look at her dancing moves. Her body is soft and when she lie on her tummy and bend her legs, her legs could touch her nose! My goodness, I never thought she could do that.

Whether she becomes a nurse, a ballet teacher or a violin teacher, I think she will become a great person in future.

The Two of Us

2011-02-19T13:13:00.003+08:00

I woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the man sleeping beside me. I looked at him and I asked myself how much I love him and every time I ask myself this question, my answer is I don’t know.

He’s a practical person. I am too. Today, we are so used to each other that we often neglect giving each other surprises. We don’t buy gifts for each other now, even on Valentine’s Day and birthdays. Sometimes, I ask myself what gifts to buy for my husband but I often have no idea what to buy for him.

There are many gifts for men out there but to find a special one is not that easy. If I were to buy a special gift for my husband, it must be something other than shirts, tie or gadgets. Maybe to go for hot air balloon rides on Valentine’s Day would be lovely. Off course, before we could do so, the first thing to do is to find someone to look after the children.

Last Day of Chinese New Year

2011-02-17T10:50:00.004+08:00

Today is the last day of Chinese New Year and it is called "Yuanxiao" festival in Chinese. Today is also the Chinese Valentine's Day. It is believed that on this particular day, single ladies would bring mandarin oranges to the river and throw the oranges into the river in hope to get a boyfriend.

I still remember my younger days when I was studying in Penang, my friends and I drove all the way to the river and see how the ladies throw oranges. It was an eye opener for us. Interesting but I have never tried throwing oranges.

The cherry blossom tree turned into a wishing tree with red packets and wishes in them

A Big House

2011-02-16T07:59:00.003+08:00

My children would occasionally ask me why we are staying in a small house while others whom they know have big houses. “Why are we so poor?” my son would ask and he always wishes for a big house.

If we were to have a big house, I would love to have a big garden for the children to run about and a swimming pool with several outdoor Chaise lounge chairs beside the pool. In the living hall, there will be a wall mounted LCD and a set of elegant sofa and two Chaise lounge chairs. The bathroom in the master bedroom will hold a big mirror and a whirpool tub and the kitchen cabinet would be custom made and it must be beautiful yet practical. I love white and I wish to have white cabinets and furniture but as much as I love white, I worry that white has the tendency to get dirty fast. So, it would be a struggle within me either to make a practical choice or to listen to my heart. Besides all these, there must be some stacking chairs just in case we need to host any parties, gatherings or sleepovers.

Recently, my children told me that they do not want a big house anymore. “Why?” I was curious and their answer was sweet, “because we don’t want you to have so much work. If we live in a big house, you have to clean the house and there’s so much to do.” How sweet!

A Different Look

2011-02-15T22:57:00.006+08:00

Chinese New Year has always been a happy festival for my children. With so many delicacies to enjoy and cousins to play with, they love going back to my in laws’ house. As for me, I’m happy to see my sisters in law. We can chat like sisters and I’m really glad to have sisters in law like them.

This time around, I felt that the whole environment of the house was different and when I looked around, there were a few table lamps and floor lamps in the living hall, dining hall and rooms which were newly added. The lamps made the whole house look beautiful and cozy. Anyone who steps into the house would feel comfortable being in there.

My second sister in law is pretty good at decorating the house. Besides the lamps, she would add some lovely flowers on the tables. With the interior design, the lamps and the flowers, the house looks like a hotel and no wonder my children love staying there.

Cheap Pet Insurance

2011-02-13T21:12:00.005+08:00

My son has been telling me how he hated the afternoon session in school and he has a wish, to go to the express class and be in the morning session. Off course, we encouraged him. He’s not that good in his studies and I always worry a lot about him. We told him that if he were to go to a better class, he would get a gift.

He, being an animal lover, voiced out his wish for a pet. I was not surprised. I knew all along that he wanted a pet. Well, to get a pet for him means he has to be responsible enough to take care of the pet well, to feed and clean it. It would also mean getting some cheap pet insurance for the pet. Many people opt for cheap pet insurance to ensure their pets are protected against illnesses and injuries.

I’m not really a pet lover but I don’t mind getting him a fish or a hamster but this son of mine wants a dog. A dog is one animal that I fear but he says that a dog could look after us. Well, in a way I agree but my only concern is that he would eventually passed his responsibilities to me and I would have another “being” to take care of. By then, I’ll have to purchase a pet insurance dogs to ensure its safety.

If my son can improve, if he can really be serious about his studies, I may just put away all my fear and concern and buy him a dog.

His Words

2011-02-07T14:51:00.000+08:00

Being a person who can sweet talk, he often melts my heart with his words but sometimes I do not know which are real and which are not. I guess he gets this from his father. He makes me laugh a lot but he's also the one who makes me mad most of the time. Just a couple of minutes ago, we talked about people sending their parents to the old folks home. He quickly voiced out: "Mummy, I won't send you to the old folks home when you are old." "Really? What if your wife ask you to send me there?" I ask him. His response was really fast, "Then I will put my wife in old folks home." I laughed. I really did not expect that answer. Although I know very well that he's kidding but what he said just left me feeling very happy.

His Change

2011-01-30T22:33:00.003+08:00

He has suddenly changed, a positive change indeed! The whole of last year, he went to school with white shirt and shoes but would come back with black shirt, black shoes, black cheeks, black hands and black legs. If you do not see it for yourself, you would not be able to imagine how black it could be.

That's him, my second son and I used to tell him that I believe he could be less dirty but day after day, it was black everywhere and I was pretty disappointed. This year, since the first day of school, he came home clean, very clean and it took me by surprise. I couldn't believe that my dirty son has transformed to be a clean boy! Well, I really do not know how or what made him change but it just happened. Anyway, I praised him everyday when he came home clean and I do hope it would last.

A New Year

2011-01-09T08:19:00.001+08:00

Every year, on the first day of the year, we are asked to make aspirations and set new goals but often, we ended up setting too many goals which cannot be achieved. This year, I have only one goal, but one which is not easy to achieve.

All these while, I have been writing about my parenting approach. I'm touched that a few of my friends actually read what I wrote and they sometimes follow the approach. However, I feel there's something lacking. I have been through a difficult period last year, a struggle within myself. While I believe that positive parenting is the best parenting approach, I was not able to adhere to it. Sometimes, I hated myself for nagging too much, scolding and yelling at my children.

What I lack are discipline and persistence. If I want my children to have self discipline, I must first have it and if I set certain rules and routines, I should be persistent enough to ensure that my children follow them. So, this year, my only goal is to have discipline and persistence and only then I can help my children.

Still Blogging

2011-01-08T22:53:00.008+08:00

Gosh! I can't believe I have blogged for several years and I'm still here. I remembered writing my first post on the 3rd of September 2007 and I was very sure at that very moment that I will start a parenting blog, hoping that my blog would become a platform for discussion and sharing of views and ideas.

When my friend told me about blogging for money, I was eager to try, not that I needed the money to survive, but more on the satisfaction I would get through writing. I spent lots of time in front of the computer merely blogging, hunting for information and visiting others' blogs.

Well, some people I know spend lots of time in front of the computer as well but they prefer playing computer games. If you are a fan of flash games, you would know age of war and boxhead 2. I never understood why these games are so addictive until I saw someone played.

Now that I spend less time blogging, I still want to keep this blog. Although not many people would visit my blog now, I feel good writing whenever I feel like it.

Christmas is Here

2010-12-25T10:16:00.004+08:00

Here's wishing everyone a merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead. The picture above shows gifts under the Christmas tree in my house, for my children, from Santa. They had a good time guessing who's Santa.

Engineering Jobs

2010-12-14T20:14:00.007+08:00

What do you think of a Civil engineer selling printers and cartridges? I have seen one such engineer and he sleeps next to me every night. A few years ago, he sort of "retired" from construction and went into trading. He has his own company now and definitely less stress compared to when he was in construction.

Recently, he told me his intention to become an engineer again. There are many engineering jobs in the market and he could easily use the engineering recruitment services to help him find engineering jobs that suit him. However, his best friend asked him if he is interested in sub-contracts and he viewed this as an opportunity.

For only two weeks of preparation for tenders, I can already sense his tiredness and stress. As the woman behind his back, I have to support him but while giving him my support, I wish he could have enough rest and does not stress himself too much.

Follow Your Passion and Dream

2010-12-09T00:01:00.006+08:00

I remembered the time when we had to decide on what course to pursue in the university. I did not have a very strong passion or ambition at that time. The first choice in my form was Food Technology and my second choice was Management. Thank goodness they gave me my second choice or I would regret it for life.

When I came out to work after obtaining my degree, I did not apply for jobs related to Finance, which I majored in, but instead, I went for human resource, which I had interest in. Many people are like me, not doing what they studied. To me, it doesn't matter. We have to do something we like and we got to be happy at work.

I guess I'm not alone. My brother had a degree in IT and had gone into IT support services and computer support for a year or two after which he found that IT support services did not suit him. He had to face the computer from morning to night. Off course, computer support is one important area in every company but if you have no interest, it brings stress. So, he switched to F&B (Food and Beverage), which he loves and he does not even mind the lower salary and lower position due to his lack of experience and certificate. As long as he is happy, I don't see why we, as his family members, should object. We wish him all the best.

Business Website

2010-12-08T23:32:00.004+08:00

It's never easy starting a business. You've got to equip yourself with many criteria and one very important one is to have some public relation skill. Being a freelance party planner, it's not how well you plan for a party that helps you sustain your business, but how you market your service and get clients which is of the utmost importance.

What's planning without clients? You can't possibly do anything if there's no order. I have been taking this freelance job rather easy, not too aggressively promoting ourselves. Although I have a website, I'm not very satisfied with it as it did not appear in the list when I search with Google. I guess I will need seo services soon.

A few months ago, I managed to talk to a Philipino photographer. He told me he has the expertise in web design and at the same time providing seo services as well, just like seo services Harrogate which helps customers to maximize website presence in several search engines.

I know that for the long run, I would have to transfer the hosting of my business website and eventually look for a company which provide seo services to help me get more customers. Until then, I will just stick to my current free host and see if my business is able to sustain.

To Work Again

2010-12-06T00:04:00.000+08:00

When you become a mother, there are sacrifices you have to make for the sake of your children. For example, when I become a mother, I gave up my career to stay home to look after my baby. I put all my dresses, high heels and handbags away and I said no to overseas trip, sometimes wedding invitations when I can’t find a baby sitter.

Now that my children have grown up a little, I wish I could do something for myself, to work again. However, I may need recruitment agency services as I have not been working for ten years and it won’t be easy for a company to employ someone who has not been in touch with the market.

Companies on the other hand require recruitment services as well. These recruitment services make the entire process of job advertisement creation and posting, CV search, candidate interviewing and short listing much easier.

Our Children's Career Path

2010-12-04T00:30:00.003+08:00

We, parents, often worry about our children’s future. When we look at them now, we imagine the time when they grow up. Will they be successful in their career? Will they become a professional?

I have seen many parents choosing their children’s career path, telling them what to study but I think we should support our children’s interest and passion. If they want to go into forensic accounting, to become forensic accountants, to investigate crimes within the field of finance such as fraud, that’s good or if they want to be doctors, most of us would be grinning with pride. What if they want to become an artist, to paint for a living? Would you give your full support?

I guess although we wish to support our children, it’s easier said than done. Most of us would pray that they choose forensic accounting or medicine, engineering or management but if they eventually choose something we wish they would not, we have to tell ourselves that if they have the passion, they would go far and they need our full support.

New Blog Header

2010-11-09T21:07:00.006+08:00

I have a new blog header! Thanks to my son, he created the images of the five of us using the software Paint and all I did was to put them together.

Although I seldom blog now, I still want to keep this blog and write a post or two whenever I can. Although I don't visit your blogs and read your updates now, I still wish to keep in touch with you via facebook. I've got more important things to do now, to really spend more time with my children, to be their tutor and to train them to have self discipline and self control. They lack all these and I know I have to sacrifice to be there for them. It's not easy but I got to try.

He Drew Again

2010-11-02T00:30:00.001+08:00

My eldest son drew again, with "Paint" and this time he created several images which I think are nice (Mothers always think that their kids' creations are the best) and I have posted in my other blog. I'll post them one by one. Hop over to take a look if you are interested.

Raising A Self Disciplined Child

2010-10-04T07:19:00.004+08:00

Sometimes, it is pretty difficult to live up to our own believe but if we give ourselves excuses, we will never be able to achieve what we want. I believe in positive parenting, no scolding and spanking but since my maid returned to her country two years ago, I started yelling at the kids. I hate myself for doing that but when the anger comes, it's uncontrollable (another excuse).

Recently, I saw a book "Raising A Self-Disciplined Child" by Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein and I knew from the moment I saw it, I had to buy it. Flipping through the first few pages, I told myself that I should really do something to prevent the anger from conquering me. I had to make sure I win and not my anger.

Raising a self-disciplined child requires a more authoritative parenting approach where parents show warmth and involvement with their children, allowing them to participate in decision making and problem solving. They believe in encouragement and praise rather than punishment and they show unconditional love towards their children regardless of how they behave. Isn't it wonderful if we can really practice this and have a positive and loving relationship with our children?

A self-disciplined child will grow up to be able to think wisely and make the right choice, even without the presence of their parents. That's what I wish my children would be and I'm going to try hard to be a good mother whom they love and respect instead of fear. I can do it, I must do it and I will do it!

His Masterpiece

2010-09-14T23:20:00.007+08:00

Recently, My eldest son took an interest in creating images using the software "Paint" and I must admit he is pretty good at it. He drew different images using his own imagination and when I saw those images, I asked him to draw us (our family). Here are the two images he created. They may not be the best drawings but I love them and thought of using these two images as my blog header.

The three of them (He, his brother, his sister)

Daddy and mummy (Hubby and I)

A Princess Birthday Party

2010-08-25T13:20:00.009+08:00

Girls love princess parties, not all but my daughter is one of those who adore Disney princesses. Her favorite is none other than Princess Belle. So, for her birthday, she wanted a princess party and she wanted to dress up as Belle.

Here's my princess (Costume is custom made by my friend, Jesslyn and it's lovely!)

I organized a Princess theme birthday party for my princess and it was a party she enjoyed and so did all her friends. I did something I never dream of doing - to bake her a cake and to make it look like a castle. (Hop over to my other blog to view the cake I made)

So, on the party day, all decorations, party packs (DIY princess head gear, DIY princess hair clip, DIY wrist snapper, etc.) and games (Build a bridge to save Princess Aurora, help Princess Belle to dress up for the dance, help Cinderella to mend her broken glass slippers, etc.) are customized according to the theme. I enjoyed the planning process as much as the party itself.

A personal announcement: I'm going to be a birthday party planner and here's my party planning blog. I need all your support, my friends.

The Most Unforgettable Birthday

2010-08-17T15:02:00.001+08:00

Which birthday is your most unforgettable birthday? I guess most of us have one or two which are easier to recall than others. For my daughter, it’s this year’s birthday and do you know why? She has red spots all over her body that itch! Yes, she has got chicken pox and luckily, it was after her birthday party!

It isn’t easy for her and I fully understand how she feels. The itch is unbearable for a child and I keep her in a cool room and apply calamine lotion all over her body. These few days, it was “Mummy!” here and “Mummy!” there. Tiring for me but if staying with her makes her feel better, I’m glad to do so.

Hold on baby, you’ll be fine soon.

School

2010-08-10T06:04:00.000+08:00

Recently, I have problems with my eldest son. I find that he is no longer responsive in Sunday school. According to the facilitator, he would keep quiet most of the time and show no interest in the explanation and activities.

My friend suggested that it’s due to the education system and the Chinese school culture where the pupils have no say. They dare not speak in class afraid that the strict and fierce teachers would punish them. When I talked to my son, what he said was exactly what my friend suggested.

A school is supposed to be a place where pupils learn to be a balanced person intellectually, physically, socially and mentally. If a child goes to school in fear, how is he going to learn? If you ask me, I don’t really agree with our country’s education system, neither can I accept the Chinese school culture. However, I went through six years of Chinese school education and I managed to pull through.

I understand why many parents prefer to send their children to independent schools. In independent schools, everything seems to be more conducive, from environment to facilities and from dedicated teachers to professional management staffs.

For me, although I do not totally agree with the Chinese school culture, I still think that learning the Chinese language is important for my children’s future. So, if switching school is not a possible option, I will have to work around it to help my son to be a more outspoken and courageous boy.

Medical Supplies

2010-08-03T06:32:00.002+08:00

I’m a person who worries a lot, especially when I became a mother. When my babies were born, I would check on them from time to time to see if they are breathing. I may sound quirky but that was what I did at that time. Now that they have grown up to be little children and sleeping in their own rooms, I would check on them in the middle of the night to see if their blankets are intact. So, it would not be a surprise if I say I keep medical supplies at home for emergencies.

I have a mini refrigerator in my room and it contains only medicine. Next, I have a first aid kit in my room containing medical supplies for cuts and wounds. However, I do not have anything for burns. When I browsed through the net and found out about Burnshield, I thought about how lacking and incomplete my first aid kit was. So, my next duty is to furnish the first aid kit with products for burn.

Cheap Wedding Insurance

2010-07-20T18:04:00.002+08:00

When I heard my son playing “Here comes the bride” on the piano, I thought of my brother and my sister. When they get married, they would have one pianist, one violinist and one drummer to play the wedding song for them, free of charge. My children are very determined to practice the wedding song so that they can play on their uncle’s and aunt’s wedding day.

I would be excited too as I would want to be their wedding planner, if they need one. That’s what I dream of. I would suggest that they take up a cheap wedding insurance plan to make sure that everything goes well on the wedding day. Ten years ago, when I walked down the aisle, we did not purchase any wedding insurance. There were no cheap wedding insurance around and I didn’t know that in western countries, people actually purchase insurance online.

How interesting it would be to plan a wedding. There will be lots to do but isn’t the process of planning as exciting as the execution? Oh when, oh when will my brother and sister get married?

Memory Foam Mattress

2010-07-20T18:02:00.002+08:00

I wish I have a memory foam mattress now so that I can really have a good night sleep. Sleep is one of the ways I release my stress. I believe all of us have stress and everyone has his or her own way to manage stress.

For me, when stress comes, I would go to sleep. I once told someone how frustrated I was and how I needed to shout out to release the stress building inside me. When he offered his ears, I decided not to say a word but to go to sleep. After a night’s sleep, I felt better. However, on certain mornings, I would wake up with a backache or a stiff neck and I knew it must be something about my mattress which caused these problems. After reading some reviews about mattresses, I got to know that a memory foam mattress could help us have a proper sleep as it conforms to our body weight and shape.

If there is a mattress sale right now, I would go and grab one immediately to carry out my “sleep therapy”.

Living Room Furniture

2010-07-20T17:58:00.002+08:00

When you go shopping, what shop do you usually visit? I used to skip furniture and household products when I was young but now that I have a house and family of my own, I like walking into furniture shops and I like looking at living room furniture, dining room furniture and bedroom furniture.

To me, interior designing has always been interesting. Although I did not go for any interior designing course, I would like to design my own house, to arrange my living room furniture to my liking and I would like to make it a comfortable place for the whole family. That’s the place we have our family time together.

The dining hall is another important place for me. I like to see my children eat in comfort and I like it more if we can have all three meals together as a family although I know that is rather impossible as we have different schedule. I would definitely find something for the dining room if there is a dining room furniture sale.

As for the bedrooms, my children would get to pick their own furniture and wall colors. If only we have a house now.

Cheap Supplements

2010-07-20T17:48:00.001+08:00

Do you take supplements? I do. All my supplements are given by my mother and my mother in law. My mother in law is very particular about the price of supplements and she is able to get cheap supplements for her daily consumption.

My mother would always advice me to take supplements. According to her, the nutrient from our daily meals may not be sufficient for our body. To her, a multivitamin is what I have to give to my children every day.

However, exercise, water and sleep are also important. Many know the benefit of exercise but have no time to jog at the park or take a morning walk. It has been a routine for many people to wake up early, stuck in the jam, arrive at the office and start working, then stay back after work, stuck in the jam again and reach home half asleep.

For people with busy schedule, gyms and fitness centers become the ideal place for them to exercise. For this group of people, they need whey protein for a better maintenance of immune system and general wellness. Whey protein is also suitable for body builders who strain their body system as well as for digestive health as it helps to improve the absorption of minerals.

Mirror Image

2010-07-12T07:52:00.000+08:00

I guess many children have the tendency to write mirror images when it comes to writing alphabets. This has been a common problem among pre-school children and this phase would pass.

My children had this problem too and I was not worried until recently when I noticed something unusual in Wayne’s writing. He’s seven and he still can’t write alphabets correctly. There are still mirror images from time to time. That’s not all, his Chinese words can be written the other way round too! Imagine those complicated Chinese words. How can one write mirror images of those complicated words? Is this some kind of disorder? I think I should talk to a doctor.

The Invisible Mom

2010-07-05T07:53:00.001+08:00

I received this via email and I think it's pretty encouraging. If you are a mother, you have to read on.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously, not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated sum a cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England ..

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.

I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.'

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe ..

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To My Dear Friend, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.

It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right.

And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Life Without A Maid

2010-06-29T22:51:00.001+08:00

It has been almost two years since my maid left us and we are here, still surviving. Difficult at first but we got used to it.

Two months ago, my previous maid called and said she wanted to return to work for me. Since the maid issue between Malaysia and Indonesia has not been resolved, it would be difficult for her to come over, legally.

My friend told me that it can be done. We can ask the maid to fly over as a tourist with her passport and then when she’s here, convert the visa to working permit. Can it be that simple? Hubby and I discussed the matter and we thought we would just leave it aside since we are in no hurry to have a live in maid. We are doing just fine without one and the children have been trained to do some of the chores at home. Let’s see how things go.

Birthday Parties

2010-06-12T14:41:00.002+08:00

Last Saturday, Nyn was invited to her friend, QiQi’s birthday party and she was very excited. It was the first birthday party she has attended which was not held in school. We went hunting for a birthday gift for the birthday girl and got her a wind chime which she can decorate to her preference. I hope she likes it.

That afternoon, we went to Chinnee’s house with the gift. It was an all girls party and it was pretty relaxing as the girls behaved very well. The girls enjoyed the art and craft session, coloring the princesses, making tiara and most of all, they love the bracelet making session, well, at least it was fun for Nyn and she loves the bracelet.

It will be Nyn’s birthday soon and I have started planning for her party a month ago. As I want it to be a special party, it takes up lots of my time and I did lots of thinking and trying. Hopefully it will be a party Nyn will never forget and so do her friends.

Good Quote 1

2010-05-17T08:50:00.001+08:00

Knock the "T" off the "Can't"

I just love this quote! It is printed on the back of my son's t-shirt and he loves to wear it too. Every time I come across good quotes like this, I love to use it on my children. When I hear: "I can't do it, mom.", that's when the quote would come in and my children kind of got used to hearing the quote. Having said that, kids being kids, they tend to forget and need to be reminded.

My middle son is a boy with stronger will than his brother. He's the one I worry about most cos he's lazy and playful. Recently, I see some changes in him, a positive change. One night, after returning from school and after his dinner and bath, he told me he was going to finish his homework that very night before going to bed.

I sat with him at the table, guiding him through and that day he had lots of homework, so many pages that I asked him to continue the next morning when I saw his sleepy eyes.

He said: "Mummy, I must finish all my homework tonight. CAN means CAN!" and he continued doing until the very last word. I shed a tear, a tear of joy! My son has changed! He's more serious about his studies now although he is still playful and when he is not in the mood to study, nobody can move him.

So, "Knock the T off the Can't" became "Can means Can".

Karl's Photo Shots

2010-05-03T21:04:00.016+08:00

Whenever he sees me with my camera, he would want to hold it and touch it and try it. Initially, I was reluctant as I was afraid he would drop the camera but I knew I should not stop him. I believe that we as parents should encourage our children if they have passion in certain areas. Who knows, the passion may bring them far one day. So, one day, I passed him the camera and told him to take some pictures.

Here are some that he has taken.

He took some with his sister as the model but I'm not showing them here.

When Stress Conquers

2010-04-19T21:58:00.002+08:00

When stress conquers, my so called creative parenting approach vanished.

Shouting and scolding happily appeared and took over.

When stress conquers, my “once smooth hands” become red and flaky.

Washing seems impossible and so is cooking.

Someone said meditation would help chase stress away.

I got to try.

I promise the little ones that from today onwards, I’d use LOVE and not scolding.

They had been reminding me and said “I like your LOVE approach.”

All Correct

2010-04-08T09:58:00.003+08:00

I don’t know if I should say that he is confident or boastful but every time when I asked him about how he did for his exam, he would say: “I think all correct!” The problem is not even one of his papers show 100% and when that happened, he said: “At least I get an A.” That’s how he always makes me laugh, this middle child of mine.

Just Like the Hotel

2010-04-05T21:46:00.004+08:00

Sometimes, I just do not know how to be angry with my kids. I taught them how to make their beds when they wake up every morning and when it comes to folding of blankets, they told me: “Mummy, I want to spread out my blanket like the hotel bed.” (see the following picture)

The boys' bed covered with their blankets.

My daughter's bed covered with her pink blanket.

You see, they are full of excuses!

Earth Hour

2010-03-30T18:17:00.004+08:00

We were in the dark THAT night at THAT hour and it’s me and the kids without hubby. The kids were the ones who switched off everything. They were the ones who were most excited. We went out to the porch to get some fresh air and once outside, we saw our neighbors’ house brightly lit and my son asked me: “Why don’t they love our earth?” as if he loves the earth so much.

Since it was one hour and there was nothing much we could do in the dark, I played games with them and at the same time taught them some values about love and focus. To read more about the games we played, click here and here and you will land on my other blog.

Some people say switching off the lights for one hour doesn’t make any difference and it’s only once a year. Well, for those who think like that, maybe this video would change your mind. Off course, we should remind our children that they should always have the habit of switching off the lights, fan and air-conditioner when they are not using them.

Disappointment

2010-03-23T12:15:00.002+08:00

Do you know when a mother would feel disappointed? When she got to know that her children did not do well in their exam! Well, this is not the only time we feel disappointed. There are many more instances when we don’t feel good because of how our children behave or do but let’s not talk about those yet.

I can’t describe to you my disappointment today but I think you would understand if you are a mother.

He took it so easy.

He came back and showed me his sad face when he told me the marks.

His sad face turned cheerful again in seconds.

I should be happy that he doesn’t feel any pressure but I feel stressful instead.

Gosh! I hope this stress building up in me would slowly vanish.

In The Kitchen With My Sister

2010-03-03T21:28:00.004+08:00

Last Christmas, when my sister returned from Australia, I saw an opportunity for me to learn baking and cooking from my sister who is getting better in cooking and baking lately. So, in the kitchen we stayed most of the days and we had good food everyday til I put on weight.

Here are some of the things we bake together:

Tiramisu
Oreo Cheese Cake
Chocolate Banana Cake
No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Ball
Mango and White Chocolate Cheese Cake

Upcoming are dishes which we cook together.

Children of A Businessman

2010-02-23T22:59:00.001+08:00

How do you think children of a businessman would behave and what do you think they would become in the future? I’m married to a businessman and I wonder what my children would turn out to be when they grow up. For the time being, I just love to hear them talk about their dreams, big dreams!

Karl wants to own a water theme park, just like Sunway Lagoon but he’s going to put up signs “Do not litter” everywhere around the water park. Wayne wants to have his very own wild life park with a hotel in it. Nyn loves to have a Japanese buffet restaurant with a playground and Mc-D toys for children. Ice-cream is a must have, she says.

The best part is that all three say that hubby and I would have free entrance and meals when we visit. Don’t they sound filial?

Traffic Light Ahead

2010-02-08T22:11:00.003+08:00

Do you know what this sign is trying to tell us? “Traffic light ahead”, that’s right!

One day, on our way to Ikea, we were stuck in a slight traffic jam and that was when my daughter spotted this sign. Curios, she asked about it and we told her the meaning. It made her confused and she started asking: “We can see the traffic light from here. Why do they still need to put up this sign?”

You know, I have never really noticed this but it’s pretty logical about what she said. The question now is “Why do they still put up a “Traffic light ahead” sign when people can see the traffic light? Hmm……………

Children Learn What They Live

2010-02-01T11:15:00.005+08:00

This is another article I saw in a clinic and I wonder why all good articles can be found in clinics. I'm posting this to share with parents and it will also act as a reminder for me. Really, I do wish my children would grow up to be happy people with good personality and confidence.

If children live with criticism,
They learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility,
They learn to fight.

If children live with ridicule,
They learn to be shy.

If children live with shame,
They learn to feel guilty.

If children live with tolerance,
They learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement,
They learn confidence.

If children live with praise,
They learn to appreciate.

If children live with fairness,
They learn justice.

If children live with security,
They learn to have faith.

If children live with approval,
They learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance and friendship,
They learn to find love in the world.

by Dorothy Law Nolte

She's My Cousin

2010-01-19T21:37:00.001+08:00

When we attended my cousin’s wedding dinner on Christmas day, my children had the opportunity to meet their cousin sister. Wayne likes his cousin so much until he claims her to be his girl friend. Karl did not want to lose out either and quickly said that she is his wife!

Kids being kids, they do not really understand what dating and marriage is all about but sometimes they can sound very mature. One night, on our way home after attending a second cousin’s wedding dinner, after which they met again, Wayne suddenly opened his mouth.

“Ann(made up name) is my cousin sister. We cannot get married. So, I’m going to leave her alone and forget her.” Everyone in the car burst out in laughter. Never had I thought that this son of mine would say such a thing.

What if one day when they grow up and they REALLY fall in love? Would I be able to accept? I have no idea. What about you? Can you accept your children falling in love with their own cousin?

The Mirror

2010-01-13T22:45:00.004+08:00

Recently, I found some deterioration in my children’s attitude. They like to blame and complain and I can’t really accept that as I believe in appreciating what we have.

One day when I was in the clinic, I spotted an article and it was the perfect tool to teach my children. It may be too abstract for them to really understand but I’m not giving up. One day, they would understand.

Let me share this article with you.

Mirror

The good you find in others, is in you too.

The faults you find in others, are your faults as well.

After all, to recognize something you must know it.

The possibilities you see in others, are possible for you as well.

The beauty you see around you, is your beauty.

The world around you is a reflection, a mirror showing you the person you are.

To change your world, you must change yourself.

To blame and complain will only make matters worse.

Whatever you care about, is your responsibility.

What you see in others, shows you yourself.

See the best in others, and you will be your best.

Give to others, and you give to yourself.

Appreciate beauty, and you will be beautiful.

Admire creativity, and you will be creative.

Love, and you will be loved.

Seek to understand, and you will be understood.

Listen, and your voice will be heard.

Teach, and you will learn.

Some of My Baking Trials

2010-01-06T13:13:00.003+08:00

Since having the bread maker, I have been trying to make all sorts of bread, buns, cakes and pizza. Here are some of my trials (buns):

Sausage bun

Garlic bun

Meat floss bun

Chocolate bun

Blueberry bun

For my friends who have commented on my post about bento competition and if you would like to know who's the winner, here's the result.

A Baby Is Born

2009-12-19T22:20:00.004+08:00

“Hello, brother, I’m a grandmother! My grandson is one month old now.” My father received a call from his sister several days ago followed by delivery of the full moon cake and chicken. Finally, my cousin decided to settle down and have a family of his own. That’s one piece of good news! Welcome to the world and to our family, baby!

We often receive calls like this from our friends and relatives who wish to announce birth of their babies. Today, Birth Announcements can be done in a different way with a more personal touch. A card with the baby’s photograph, name, gender, weight of birth, date and time of birth as well as parents’ names can be sent to close friends and relatives to inform them of a new addition in the family and to tell them the birth details of the baby. I think it would be nice to keep the birth announcement card just like photographs we receive when we attend a wedding dinner of a close friend or relative. It brings back memory of the person after several years.

Eleven months from now, my cousin’s baby would celebrate his first birthday and it would be time to send him a gift with a birthday card. There are many types of Birthday Cards out there but if we add in a personal touch, it would be very meaningful. Eleven months would come very quickly and by the time I see him, he would be learning to walk!

Home Made Toilet Roll Holder

2009-12-14T00:32:00.001+08:00

Do you have a toilet roll holder at home? I don't and when I saw my friend making this, I thought it's a great idea to have one in each toilet. Imagine yourself in a situation when you pulled the last piece of toilet paper and you needed more and the spare toilet rolls are all outside the toilet, isn't it frustrating? With this in your toilet, you don't have to worry anymore.

I'm helping my friend to promote her home made toilet roll holders. These would make great Christmas gifts for your friends and relatives. Grab one for yourself too. If you are interested, do drop me a note in my comment box or help my friend spread the words. She's selling these at RM15 each excluding delivery.

Yellow Berry - RM15

Yellow Bloom - RM15

Xmas Bow - RM15

Xmas Luv - RM15

Xmas Bloom - RM15

Fun Event At Sunday School

2009-12-03T12:26:00.002+08:00

I had the honour to organize a fun event with my team at Sunday school before the school holidays. Read about it here.

Outlook and Personality

2009-11-17T19:00:00.000+08:00

My little daughter loves beautiful dresses and everything pretty. When she was the flower girl during my husband’s brother’s wedding, she wanted to wear necklace and earrings like me. She looked forward to her concert because that’s the day she could put on makeup. She loves Chinese New Year because her aunt would put on nail polish for her.

You know, I’d be worried if my daughter doesn’t like dresses and Girls Jewellery or if she doesn’t behave like a girl but on the other hand, I’d also be worried if my daughter places too much importance in outlook rather than attitude and personality.

So, every now and then, I would remind my daughter that a girl would look pretty if she has a kind heart and a sweet smile. Off course, to many people, outlook is important to a girl but what’s a pretty girl with bad attitude and an evil personality? I hope my vain pot would one day realize this.

Please don’t love us so much

2009-11-16T09:37:00.002+08:00

These were the exact words uttered by Wayne several days ago and it touched my heart so deeply.

It was one of those days when they sat at the dining table waiting for their dinner to be served. That day I made pizza and I remembered telling them this:

“I wish I could eat this pizza but I can’t.” Two months ago, the doctor told me to refrain from taking food with yeast in it and it would help in reducing my eczema. So, since then, I had been avoiding my favorite food – bread, and it wasn’t easy but I persisted.

Wayne: “Then why do you still make pizza?”

Me: “That’s because I love you so much. Although I can’t eat, I still want you to enjoy.”

That was when Wayne said with a serious look on his face: “Mummy, please don’t love us so much.”

“Why?” I couldn’t resist.

“You must love your body. Make only what you can eat.”

He’s such a sweet boy, isn’t he? How could I love all of you less, my children? That’s the last thing I would do.

Hubby's Brother's Wedding

2009-11-05T22:24:00.001+08:00

The actual wedding took place on the 3rd of October which falls on a Saturday. We had a pre-wedding buffet dinner one night prior to the wedding day and a barbecue on the wedding night plus a wedding dinner in a hotel one night after the wedding ceremony.

A few days before the wedding day, the bride called me to ask if my son could be the page boy and that she would supply the vest and the bow. All this while, I though I only need to "contribute" a flower girl but it looked like it would be a pair.

It was a toss between Karl or Wayne being the page boy. Since Wayne had everything to be a page boy (I mean black long pants, white long sleeve shirt and shoes) except some courage, I thought I would just assign Wayne to be the page boy and Karl would stand by in case Wayne pulled out suddenly.

So, the next thing I knew was that I had to get a pair of shoes for Karl. I quickly sent an sms to Jacss to ask her about what type of shoes to buy for my son and where to get them. Thank you Jacss for your fast response and your suggestion. Here's the pair of shoes I managed to get for Karl.

Thank goodness I dressed both my sons up on THE day because Wayne was afraid that his cousin would laugh at him and he decided to let his brother be the page boy instead. So, Karl went ahead with Nyn next to her and I'm proud of them both for having the courage to walk for a few minutes in front of the bride and groom.

The flower girl and page boy

Gold Investment

2009-11-02T22:13:00.002+08:00

It’ rather sad to hear about housewives whose husbands died early leaving behind only several young children and some liabilities or debt for them to settle. Every time I hear news of this sort, I wonder what my life would be if this happens to me. Maybe I should invest in some low risk assets and when the time comes, at least my children and I don’t have to starve.

If you are thinking of investment, what would you invest in? Would you go into stock market, unit trust or properties? Have you ever thought of investing in gold? Gold, besides being the object of beauty, is by far one of the best “crisis commodity” in town. When there is an economic turmoil, the price of gold rises while the price of other commodities drops. In time of inflation, gold protects our wealth against ravages of inflation.

There are many ways to invest in gold. You may choose to buy gold coins or gold bullions or even place physical gold in IRA’s. Whatever form of gold you opt for, rest assures that your investment would generate a satisfactory return if not excellent in the long run. Today, many people prefer to purchase gold bullion mainly because it is one of the cheapest and safest ways to own gold. There is indeed a lot of information and knowledge involved in gold investment and one should read more about it or get a free gold guide at Gold Coins Gain before venturing into gold investment.

Angels And Demons

2009-10-25T07:04:00.001+08:00

No, no, no, I’m not writing a movie review. This is certainly a parenting post.

One day, while window shopping, we came across the banner of this movie “Angels and Demons”. Being the curious lot, my children asked me what are angels and demons. So, I explained the difference and then added:

“We have an angel and a demon in us. The angel would always advice us to behave and do good while the demon would always persuade us to go against the rule, misbehave and do bad. So, when mummy says it’s time to go to bed, the angel in you would ask you to go to bed while the demon would tell you that you should continue playing and ignore what mummy says. Should you listen to the angel or the demon?”

They wanted to listen to the angel but for how long, I don’t quite know. Angels, please, do win the battle.

Well

2009-10-22T22:54:00.001+08:00

Thank you to all my friends' well wishes, my little daughter is well now. Oh, it's so nice to see her being herself again.

Fever

2009-10-17T18:00:00.005+08:00

Fever,

Why must you always come

without an invitation?

You are a difficult unwanted guest,

who would stay for a day or two

or most likely more.

For the past few days,

you stayed with my little girl

and made her suffer.

You gave me sleepless nights and puffy eyes.

With you around, everything had to be put aside.

Oh, how I wish you would go

and leave my little girl alone

or the next time you decide to visit us again,

pick me and not anybody else.

Our Adventure In Langkawi

2009-10-10T17:24:00.002+08:00

Please click here to read about it. If you haven't read about the wedding dinner in Langkawi, click here.

Wedding Dinner In Langkawi

2009-10-07T13:22:00.007+08:00

If you have read this post, you would know that we flew to Langkawi to attend a wedding dinner. The groom is my hubby's brother and he married a lovely lady from Langkawi. So, during the raya break, one week prior to the actual wedding, we took a flight to Langkawi, partly to attend the dinner and partly to bring the kids around.

Thanks to the bride, who has now become my sister in law, we had a wonderful free stay in The Westin and had some joyful ride in the car she rented for us.

Here are some "BLURED ON PURPOSE" photos:

The Westin - where we stayed and where the dinner took place.

One day before and one day after the wedding dinner, we went to a few popular places and the kids had a great time! Read about it in my dining and traveling blog later (time to sort out the other photos).

Shoes and Parents' Advice

2009-10-03T17:32:00.004+08:00

I’m glad I blog because blogging can do wonders! I get precious opinions and help. Thank you for all your opinions about my daughter’s dress and shoes. She looked lovely as a flower girl that night and tomorrow night, she would play her role as the flower girl again with her brother as the page boy. If not for blogging, I would not know where to get opinions and maybe I would have to get parents’ advice at startriteshoes.com.

Whenever I browse through Startriteshoes.com, I’m always attracted to the beautiful shoes it offers and because I’m a mother, I particularly like this website as it has shoes for both girls and boys ranging from pre-walker to school children and from casual to formal. On top of that, we can read about shoes fitting, which I think is very important and there’s even a size chart and fitting calculator to enable us to measure our children’s feet online and to ensure that we purchase the right shoes for our young ones.

The community at startriteshoes.com is a great place for us, parents, to exchange views and to communicate with other parents. We can discuss about anything about our children and this is just the right place to get parents’ advice!

Morning Guard Vs Night Guard

2009-09-29T10:02:00.002+08:00

This post is written before I fly to Langkawi. So, while I sort my photos of the wedding and our trip to Langkawi, here's for your pleasure reading.

Hubby and I are two people who think punctuality is important. So every time when our children are late for school because they dilly dally, we get very frustrated.

In our housing area, there are two security guards, rotating duties, one in the morning and one at night. The two of them are really different. The morning guard is very slow. He would wait til our car stops in front of the barrier, then slowly walk towards the barrier and open it. The night guard would start walking towards the barrier when he sees our car at a distance, just in time for our car to pass through.

So, this becomes our parenting tool using the two guards as “role models”. We wanted to show our children the difference between slow motion and efficiency.

“Do you want to be the morning guard or the night guard?” They knew what they want and they knew how slow motion would affect others and create bad feelings among others. So, I do hope that our children would change for the better.

We Are Flying

2009-09-23T07:55:00.000+08:00

to this place

Happy Birthday Sis

2009-09-20T13:13:00.011+08:00

Ready For The Wedding

2009-09-14T08:00:00.002+08:00

She's ready for the wedding, with all three dresses made by Jesslyn. These dresses are beautiful and she loves each and every one of them. Thank you Jesslyn for rushing them for me. Pop over to Jesslyn's blog to see some of her collections.

The flower girl gown

The pink dress

The gold dress with ribbon tied in front to the left knotted behind the flower

The gold dress with ribbon tied to the back

Dear friends, I need your opinion. Do you think the ribbon for the gold dress should be tied to the back or in front towards the left knotted behind the flower?

Now for the shoes: Thanks to Michelle of mybabybay, I found Nyn's shoes in Metrojaya, Mid Valley as suggested. Do you think the shoes look better with or without the socks?

Here are some wrist bands / wrist corsage for the flower girl:

Craft and Bread

2009-09-01T09:31:00.003+08:00

If you are interested, do hop over to my other two blogs to read about a craft I did with the children and some bread I have made with my bread maker.

Craft

Bread

Shoes For The Flower Girl

2009-08-23T22:59:00.002+08:00

The wedding is just around the corner.

My little girl would be a flower girl on that day and she would be wearing a beautifully sewn flower girl gown, sewn by a very skillful seamstress, Jesslyn, of Kids Paradise. If you would like to see my little girl in the gown, hop over to Jess’s blog.

The bride, my sister in law to be, had bought the flower basket and the flower headpiece and with a little more effort, had transformed the basket and the headpiece into two beautiful pieces which go in line with the theme color of the wedding: cream and lavender. I have also made a wrist corsage for her. Now, what’s lacking is a pair of shoes which match the gown.

My little daughter has a pair of white sandals and a pair of sneakers but those would be more suitable for outing and and sports. I have been searching for a pair of shoes which is the children’s version of the wedding shoes or a more ladylike pair of shoes with a little heel but the shoes have to be soft and comfortable for my daughter. While searching, I saw a pair which has the outlook and the perfect color but I knew my daughter would complain about the pain after some time. Imagine her walking with a basket and a sweet smile and suddenly stops and says she can’t walk anymore. Wouldn’t that be horrible?

It’s really not easy to find a suitable pair of shoes and the last thing I want is to obligingly buy a pair of shoes which last only for a day. So, my duty for this coming few weeks is to look around and make sure I can find a pair of shoes for this flower girl of mine.

Story Telling Competition

2009-08-18T08:37:00.002+08:00

When Karl told me that he wanted to take part in the English story telling competition, hubby and I were delighted. Once upon a time, both hubby and I were regulars on stage, telling stories and giving speeches.

Initially, he volunteered to represent his class but he was too late as the teacher has chosen two girls before Karl told him. Then, one girl gave up and Karl happily told us that he was replacing the girl.

After choosing a story, he began to practice but he was really far away from GOOD and the training session was a little discouraging for him as I told him the TRUTH. After every training session, he seemed to improve and I was relieved.

On that very day, hubby and I took the initiative to be present in school to give him some moral support. The competition started off with a girl who was quite good, then followed by some who were monotonous, others who forgot their lines.

When it was Karl’s turn, I prayed that he could keep calm and remember his lines. He skipped up the stage, yup, skipped up instead of walking up the stage. He began his story with “Good afternoon judges, teachers and friends……” line after line he spoke and his intonation was alright. However, he seemed to be a little shy or maybe he felt that the microphone was in the way and so his gesture were all merely below his waist.

We told him his weakness and hopefully he would be better next year, if he has the chance to be on stage again. From my judging, he ranked somewhere in the tenth place but it doesn’t matter because our main purpose is to train him to be brave. I see that in Karl now. From a timid and lack of confidence boy, he has now changed to be a braver boy, occasionally raising his hands to answer while in class.

We are proud of you, Karl. One day, you would overcome all fear and be a truly confident boy.

Happy Birthday Princesses

2009-08-14T06:50:00.005+08:00

Here's to wish the first princess, my best friend, SC, a very happy birthday. You have been a sister to me and I treasure our friendship. I'm so glad that we are still keeping in touch although we are far apart.

Happy Birthday (HOT!)

Here's to my little princess and Wen's little princess whose birthdays are approaching. Happy birthday princesses and enjoy your day.

Happy Birthday (HOT!)

Here's to Princess Sha who will celebrate her birthday this month. Happy birthday and enjoy your Diva Party.

He Doesn’t Want Me To Be Sexy

2009-08-11T10:01:00.001+08:00

*Shake head* How could my middle son behave in such a way?

I wore a spaghetti top:

And he said, “Mummy, this is not nice.”

Then I put on a cardigan,

And he said, “This is nice.”

“Why can’t I wear this?” pointing to the spaghetti top.

“Because people can see your armpit.” He said.

“Other people can wear like that. Why can’t I?”

“Because other people are not my mother. You are my mother!”

My son, how could anyone be his girlfriend when he grows up? Even hubby doesn’t control me like he does!

I Can't Hear You

2009-08-05T08:00:00.001+08:00

One of the most irritating things in my life as a mother is when my children do not answer when I call. Have you ever experienced this? Sometimes, I think it’s really ill mannered of them to ignore or keep quiet when I call or talk to them but sometimes when I think about it, they may just be too engaged in whatever they are doing and did not hear me. I too do not hear anything when I really focus on my work!

So, I told myself, instead of getting angry, I should change my method. One day, it happened again! I called my children several times but nobody answered. They were busy playing! So, I walked towards them, hold their cheeks with both my hands and look them in the eyes, then, conveyed the message.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes, mom.”

“What did I say?”

They could repeat! There, I knew I shouldn't be lazy anymore as in "shouting" my message across from a distance.

Primary One Next Year

2009-08-02T20:49:00.002+08:00

Finally, Wayne gets a place in the Chinese primary school, the one Karl is studying in. Tomorrow would be the day to confirm his class and it’ll be a busy day for me. Wayne would be a primary one student next year!

Although he will be attending school in January next year, we are all very excited and have gone for back to school shopping, searching for school bags, stationery and shoes. Since his shoes are a little too small now as he has grown, I thought I would buy him a pair of school shoes this week.

For hubby and I, shoes are of utmost importance as we want our children to have comfortable shoes. So, we really do not mind paying a little more for a better pair of shoes like those in startriteshoes.com.

Now, Startriteshoes.com has launched a social community and it’s a fantastic place for us, parents, to get some parenting advice and to get involved in discussion on our little ones in the area of nutrition and health, hobbies and activities, education and school, children shoes, parenting and even baby names.

Let’s join the community and start discussing!

Song Dedication

2009-07-27T06:51:00.008+08:00

I would like to dedicate this song to people who were born on this day and to all July babies, especially J, CSL, YSL, YL and SL. We have gone through a lot together and I treasure your friendship. Thank you for being my friend.

This song is also for my best friend in uni, SS, may your day be filled with lots of fun and laughter.

This is a birthday song by New Kids On The Block.

I used to like them very much when I was a teenager.

I Don’t Want To Die Now

2009-07-20T08:39:00.002+08:00

That’s what came out of Wayne’s mouth one day. “I don’t want to die now. I’m afraid to die.”

“Why?” I couldn’t hold my curiosity any longer.

With a calm look on his face, he said: “I want to do more good deeds first, then, I can die.”

Awww, my sweetheart!

Teaching Subtraction

2009-07-15T07:30:00.007+08:00

It has been quite a long time since I last updated my blog "It's All About Play" and I have been feeling guilty as I have not been conducting activities for my children.

Recently I have been teaching Wayne subtraction the way I taught Karl and I think my children could accept my method quite well. So, I would love to share with you on how I teach and would love to hear how you teach your children too. Let's exchange some ideas!

Here's how I teach subtraction.

Personality Test and Bloggers Meet

2009-07-13T09:02:00.002+08:00

Bokjae, a new friend I have found during the process of organizing a bloggers' meet for Trinity, has passed me this fun personality test tag.

Some side story:

Being an organizer is rather interesting. When Trinity told me she wanted to visit KL, I knew I had to help her organize a bloggers' meet. Initially, many (Wen, Martini, Chinnee, Ginie, Jacss, Christene) wanted to attend but due to some reasons, many cancelled and my heart sank. Then, I knew I had to inform Trinity's readers, some whom I do not know. So, I hopped over to Trinity's blog to find those bloggers, hopped over to their blogs and left them messages about the meet.

First of all, I contacted LJ, who emailed me and we had a great time chatting. Then, it was Angeles whose email went into my spam folder and thank goodness, I managed to inform her one day before the meet. Next was Bokjae who said he could not attend due to the venue change but I gave a sigh of relief when he finally changed his mind. Then, I left a message on Amelia's blog but did not receive any reply from her. I guess she must be wondering who JO-N is.

Everything has been planned and the only let down was that I myself did not attend the meet due to some reasons but had the priviledge to take Trinity and her family out for lunch. (I'll blog about this later)

So, I'm so sorry guys that I missed meeting all of you. Some day, we will see each other again.

Here's the result of the test:

Your view on yourself:

You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love:

You are very serious about relationships and aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.

Your views on education:

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

Success in your career is not the most important thing in life. You are content with what you have and think that being with someone you love is more than spending all of your precious time just working.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.

Tag along guys and have fun! Here's the link to the personality test.

Blog Poll - Teaching Maths and Science In English

2009-07-10T13:14:00.004+08:00

The recent decision by the government to revert the teaching of Maths and Science back to Bahasa Malaysia / mother tongue has become a hot discussion topic among Malaysians. Some are happy while some others are disappointed.

Our former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, has created a blog poll for the people of Malaysia to vote. It's time for us to voice out our thoughts. For me, I like the idea of teaching Maths and Science in English. Although it doesn't help much in improving the standard of English, it does expose students to the English terminology of Maths and Science. When we need certain information on Maths and Science, at least we can google for it and find suitable articles, whatmore to prepare our children for tertiary education which would be conducted in English.

I have voted and I hope you will too. We need to make our voice heard and Tun Mahathir is obviously trying to convince the government with the poll result. Please do hop over and vote. Here's the LINK.

When I Grow Up

2009-07-06T20:39:00.005+08:00

This happened in the school, in a class, when the teacher asked the children to talk about their ambitions.

Wayne, being the playful, active, inattentive yet creative little guy, told the class that when he grows up, he wants to open a shop, a shop where he could fix toys and while talking about his BIG plan, he even got himself a helper! His best friend, a girl, told the class that she would help Wayne in his shop every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Gosh! Have you ever heard of anyone in your life wanting to be a TOY FIXER?

How Do You Talk To Your Children?

2009-06-28T09:00:00.000+08:00

How should parents talk to their children? It’s a skill which is not easy to master but once you get it right, it will be a great parenting tool.

I tried explaining but when I explain too much, it becomes nagging. When I nag, they don’t hear anything and they will not answer to any questions posted because they are not listening at all. I found out something to my disappointment. My children are very sensitive to several sentences as follows:

1. Do you understand? They would definitely say: YES
2. Why don’t you answer? They would definitely say: Yes, mummy?
3. Am I talking to the wall? They would quickly answer: NO, what is it, mummy?

This morning, I tried another method with Karl. While waiting for his transporter, I sprayed some mosquito repellent on his pants and shirt and accidentally sprayed his legs. He felt uncomfortable and was grumbling and showing his sour face. I was mad seeing his attitude but took a deep breath and asked him some questions:

Me: How do you feel when the spray went to your leg?

Him: Not comfortable.

Me: How long does this uncomfortable feelings last? A little while? Until now? Until you go to school or for the whole day?

Him: A little while. Feel better now.

Me: You have two choices. The first is to grumble and feel grouchy while feeling uncomfortable and suffer both bad feelings. The second is to feel calm and tell yourself that the uncomfortable feelings won’t last long and it will go away soon.

Me: You don’t have to accept what I say now. You try both methods, compare and decide if what I say is true. I’m not going to scold you but I’m going to talk to you like a mature boy.

He stopped and kept quiet. I hope this method works for him. Let’s see.

Bloggers' Meet - Changes

2009-06-25T17:07:00.004+08:00

If you have read my post about our bloggers' meet and if you plan to join us but have not informed me, please note that the time and venue has been changed.

The latest details are as follows:

Date: 27th June 2009
Time: 3pm - 5pm
Venue: Pavilion, meet outside Jco Donuts

See you there!

We Deserve A Vacation

2009-06-23T15:25:00.001+08:00

When I chatted with Trinity the night before she came to Malaysia, I could sense her happiness when we mentioned the word “vacation”. It makes me think of how a vacation can make a person excited, happy and relaxed.

The recent swine flu and economic turmoil has discouraged many people from taking a vacation. However, you would agree with me that the best way to get away from all the stress which we face in our work and to truly relax is to take a well deserved summer vacation. If we plan properly, a vacation can be made affordable and at the same time enjoyable. You may want to travel in groups and stay in a rental property like those in HomeAway Vacation Rentals instead of hotel rooms while splitting the cost.

The only worry we have is the attack of H1N1 virus but analyzing the cases of worldwide attack, there is still a slight sigh of relieve as the number of death cases is not that high. So, we got to pray hard that this virus will leave us alone the soonest possible so that everyone can travel!

If you love to travel, be sure to join the “Save Our Summer Vacation” movement organized by HomeAway to help the petition congress of United States to proclaim 7th August 2009 as a “National Vacation Day”. All you need to do is to sign the petition. The more names collected, the higher the chances August 7 would be declared a National Vacation Day. Help HomeAway stand up for your rights to have an affordable trip to truly relax and reconnect with family and friends while breaking away from stress.

That’s not all, enter a contest by submitting a short text, video or photo indicating why you deserve a vacation saved by HomeAway and one lucky person would walk away with a $10,000 getaway to the vacation rental they choose and the two runners-up will each receive a $5,000 trip. The contest ends on 2nd July 2009. So, hurry up, you may be the $10,000 getaway winner!

Come And Join Us

2009-06-19T11:05:00.004+08:00

Meeting blogger friends is something we get excited about. I’m not sure about you but I’m really blessed to find friendship in the blogsphere. I see blogger friends becoming good friends, helping each other, going out together and giving moral support. When someone is emotionally disturbed, other bloggers would leave comforting comments and even go all out to offer other forms of help.

So, on the 27th of June (Saturday) at 4pm, we (Wen and I) will be meeting Trinity, a creative blogger from Indonesia. We wish you would come and join us. If you know Trinity, you got to come. If you don’t know her, come too and we shall get to know each other. So, do leave a comment and let me know if you are coming or not.

The venue: Kids Playland, 2nd Floor, Ikano Power Centre, next to pet shop.

Bring you spouse and your children. The children will have fun playing at the balloon playland!

Trin, finally we get to meet each other and do not need to wait til we are nenek. Awaiting your arrival!

Home Insurance

2009-06-18T06:46:00.000+08:00

When we mention the word “insurance” many years ago, people, especially Malaysians were very skeptical about it and seeing an insurance agent is like seeing a salesman. Nowadays, most people can accept insurance as part of their lives.

In Malaysia, we are very dependent on insurance agents for basically everything about our policies but in western countries such as the UK, people can actually do everything online like getting quotations, comparing price, managing policies and even receiving emails which remind them of the renewal.

Besides buying insurance for ourselves and for our loved ones, getting our home insured is as important. Imagine losing everything you have at home after a break in or fire, doesn’t it hurt? Cheap home insurance can actually lessen your stress for you know that by paying a low monthly premium, you could fix things if something bad happens to your home.

Have you heard of the family legal protection policy? It covers you and your family for legal cost if there is any personal injury or death, negligence or assault, property disputes, consumer disputes, employment disputes and contract disputes. It also provides you with property protection, tax protection and jury service. I would say this is a pretty good insurance plan that we should seriously consider.

I’m not sure how much I have pumped in to purchase insurance but I know the figure is not small. Well, at least my investment gives me protection in return and that’s what I value most.

Yoga For The Brain

2009-06-16T06:00:00.002+08:00

Phew! Several weeks have passed and I have not been updating my blog. Many excuses can be given which include a house warming party (busy organizing games for the children), a birthday celebration and most of all lots of eating, traveling and sleeping.

Here's something to share with you to start off the day.

Now, what do you think?

Money Saving Coupons

2009-05-27T07:30:00.001+08:00

One thing I like about the internet is that you get to do everything in the comfort of your home with just a few clicks here and there. Besides online shopping, I love to search for coupons, coupons which give you discounts upon purchasing. Well, just with a little bit of effort, we could easily save some money!

My husband goes traveling to other countries on a business trip sometimes and I’m always the one helping him with the arrangement. There is always the hotel to book besides the air tickets and it’s rather convenient when we book online for hotel rooms. With hotels.com coupons, we can easily get $20 cash back with a 3-night booking. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

So, start searching for some coupons today and enjoy shopping!

Why Me?

2009-05-26T21:30:00.000+08:00

It's their exam.

They laugh,

they play,

they run,

they cycle,

and they are so calm and relax!

It's their exam.

I call,

I nag,

I read (to know their scope)

I write and type (set questions),

and most of all,

I get all the stress!

Why me?

Trade Show

2009-05-25T23:08:00.002+08:00

Starting a business is not easy but to maintain a business is more difficult. It requires a lot of planning and organizing plus a lot of socializing and brain storming, not forgetting the courage and skills.

We have started our business several years ago and we are really lucky that the business is still on-going until today. Besides retails, we do participate in exhibitions with the purpose to increase sales and to promote our products.

As an exhibitor, there are many details to see to before the actual date of exhibition. There is always the trade show booths to decorate, the gondola and exhibit truss to arrange, the banner stands to take care of and the products to place. It has been quite an experience for me when we first participated in the pc fair.

Our booth is always the simplest with the least frills, unlike booths owned by bigger companies. Some bigger booths have exhibit presentations which are set up with pipe and drape system. Well, they look way more presentable than ours.

For us, we have not reached that stage but I do agree that if a company gets bigger, the trade show booth should be more presentable to maximize confidence of customers towards their products and the company on a whole.

Beautiful Dresses For My Little Daughter

2009-05-21T13:10:00.001+08:00

I have a lovely daughter who loves to wear dresses and a talented friend who can sew beautiful dresses.

Here are some dresses made by my friend, Jess, for my daughter. The fabric used is chosen by Jess and I think she makes good choices. Hop over to her blog to see more.

Yellow bare back with chinese button dress

Blue lantern dress

Pink umbrella dress

Now, we are working on another "project". Nyn is going to be the flower girl soon and Jess would be her official taylor cum designer. How excited!

Cookies Vs Biscuits

2009-05-18T06:44:00.004+08:00

One day, Wayne was telling me about the cookies that he ate and upon listening to his brother, my little girl told me: “Mom, kor kor says he ate cookies but actually he ate biscuits.”

Curious, I asked her: “What’s the difference between a cookie and a biscuit?”

She answered: “Cookies are like those we eat during Chinese New Year and biscuits are those with cream.” (not her exact words but that was what she meant)

I have to laugh because I myself am not too sure about this. So, I google for “biscuits” and “cookies” and here’s what I found from Wikipedia:

In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat-baked treat, containing milk, flour, eggs, and sugar, etc. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have different meanings—a cookie is a plain bun in Scotland,[1] while in the United States a biscuit is a kind of quick bread similar to a scone.

A biscuit is a kind of crisp, dry bread product that, if leavened, is usually made with a chemical leavener. The exact meaning varies markedly in different parts of the world. The origin of the word "biscuit" is from Latin via Middle French and means "cooked twice,"[1] hence biscotti in Medieval Italian (similar to the German Zwieback, and still present in Dutch "beschuit"). In modern Italian usage the term biscotti is used to refer to any type of cookie or cracker. Some of the original biscuits were British naval hard tack; such hard tack was made in the United States through the 19th century. Throughout most of the world, the term biscuit still means a hard, crisp, brittle bread, except in the USA and Canada, where it now denotes a softer bread product baked only once.

It's Cold

2009-05-10T17:32:00.008+08:00

I like Wednesday! Wednesday is the only day in a week that has cheap movie tickets and this is often the day hubby and I go for a movie, when the kids are all at school. Husband and wife need to go dating without the children sometimes to keep the relationship going. I know it’s difficult but there are many ways to work things out.

Every time I go for a movie, I would bring along a jacket with me but even with the jacket on, I’m often the one still complaining of the coldness. Sometimes I wonder how I would survive in a country during winter. Hubby often teases me: “How can I bring you to Europe? You would freeze!” and I would reply, “Can’t I wear North face jackets when I’m outdoor? They would keep me warm and I’m sure I would survive the winter.”

Having said that, I do have to train myself to be tougher and to be able to stand the coldness. The least thing I want is to see people around me flying from one country to another while I stay in the comfort of my home only to admire photographs and video clips of the travel. I love snow so much and it’s my dream to hold snow in my hand before I die. I’m sure I would work hard to conquer the fear of coldness in me and one day, I would proudly stand in the snow with hubby and say: “See darling, I did it!”

You Are The Best Mom

2009-05-08T13:24:00.010+08:00

Mothers' Day is here again and it marks the 8th year of my journey as a mother. When I received this award from two very special mothers, Wen and GG, I was touched. Well, I'm not sure if I'm the best mom around but in my children's heart, I'm always the best mom.

This award is supposed to be presented in hollywood style, you know, with the Thank you speech, hand waving, sexy evening gown, etc. but then...... (sorry GG, I failed you.)

So in conjunction with Mothers' Day, I'm dedicating this award to all wonderful mothers out there as well as to:

Mothers who have just given birth:

1) Miche who has just given birth to baby Ezra not long ago.

2) Hui Sia who has just brought baby Jemima to this world.

Mothers who are now pregnant:

1) Kerry

2) Anggie

3) Shern's Mom

4) Shireen Loh

5) Lee Yen

If I miss out anyone, I'm terribly sorry for I don't blog hop so often now and couldn't keep up with all your postings.

.........................................................................................................................................................................

See the Cute's Blogger Award? It came knocking at my door one day telling me that Ginie thinks I'm cute! Hey, Ginie, if I'm cute, you are too!

Here's to all the cute bloggers out there.

Managing Anger Part Three

2009-05-04T07:21:00.004+08:00

Continued from Part Two.

Method Three:

This method can be applied when someone provoke or disturb your child and he starts getting angry.

"Mummy, he make me angry!"

"Do you want to be the boss or the slave of your feelings?"

"If you tell your mind you don't want to be angry, nobody can make you angry.”

I remembered telling them about being the boss of our own feelings. We have the power to control our mind and do not allow negative feelings to take over us if we do not want to. (This would be followed by a story to enhance their understanding.)

I also remembered telling them about being a robot if we allow other people to control our feelings. Wayne and I did a demonstration to show how a person is being controlled. When I press the angry button on his body, Wayne would pretend to be very angry and when I press the happy button, Wayne would smile and be happy. When some people say nasty things about you, it’s like pressing the angry button on you. It’s up to you whether to allow positive feelings or negative feelings to flow in you.

"He is controlling you. Don't allow it."

Remarks: These methods are not applicable for all children. Each child is different and only YOU as the mother would know how to tackle your child. One thing I always remind myself is that children are forgetful. They tend to do it over and over again and that I should never give up on reminding them.

Managing Anger Part Two

2009-05-02T10:00:00.002+08:00

Continued from Part One.

Method Two:

When my children are angry, I would ask them: “Do you want cracks or crystal in your body?” Well, I have been telling them about the Japanese who did an experiment on two glasses of water. He would say good words to one glass and negative words to another glass. Then, he would freeze the water and look at the water structure and found that the water which “hears” good words look like crystal whereas the other one looks like some dirty drain water (I call it cracks). I told my children that 70% of our body is made up of water and if we get angry, we will have cracks all over but if we are happy, we will have lots of crystals inside (read this from an email).

Caution: when you get angry yourself, your children might use this method against you. This happened to me.

To be continued......