My Number One

People who think Christian music consist of (only) hymns or the slow moving (in other words BORING!) variety obviously don't have the Hillsongs Kids "Tell The World" DVD playing (on an endless loop) in their car.

Here's a SMALL dose, a clip of one of the songs (of the same title), from the collection.

So vibrant and so much ENERGY!

THIS is for KIDS. Can you imagine what us (most definitely cool and hip) GROWN-UPs would be listening to? We are such happening people. Really! Well, at least we try to be lah! Hahaha!

Now THIS is MY favourite take from the DVD and since I am the one with the car more often these days, it'll be no surprise if that track gets worn-out faster than the rest! Lol

Great way to get my engine going in the morning ^^

Disciplining In Public

This post comes after our shopping trip to Takashimaya yesterday in which my dear daughter succeeded in bringing down one of the manequins in the store and breaking it to pieces!

You can imagine my rage, embarressment and dismay. I just turned my back on the little girl to pick something out in those trolleys displaying their wares and then in that few seconds of neglect, there was a thunderous sound of something crashing to the floor. I turn around to see the girl visibly stunned with the pieces of the manequin scattered at her feet.

My first reaction was to scream at her. "Janiiiine!!!! What did u do!???!" I was standing there deciding whether to smack her good and proper there and then or continue to rage at her. Then the nice salesgirl who was assisting me tells me, " It's OK madam, kids are like that, don't scold her in public"

A lot of thoughts coursed through my mind immediately by her that one statement

"Kids are like that"

WHAT!! You mean to tell me that that its OK for children to go around breaking things in shopping centres / public places? That such errant behviour in children is excuseable?

Do parents of this day and age subscribe to this kind of mentality that damaging a few things along the way is OK because "kids are like that"? And then if I don't agree with that kind of thinking does that make me a weirdo? Already as it is, I find myself being overly strict with the little girl. Like I will scold her if she takes too long to follow my intruction or smack her hands ever so often when she takes things other than her toys to play. Am I being an overly strict and fiercesome mother because I expect and demand that my daughter (and other children in future) to behave themselves in public (like no running around like some wild thing, no touching or pulling things down from the shelf)?

"Don't scold her in public"

Am I making a scene of myself if I were to discipline her there and then? And then I wonder about all the other times in the past when I scolded / smacked her in public for her misbehaviour. Do I look like some horrible, bad tempered, impatient, mad, deranged, unloving mother?

Am I hurting her pride (like what all those good parenting books will caution us)? Will such incidents scar her for the rest of her life? Is she going to grow up with some serious emotional hang ups all because her mommy lost her cool and smacked her in front of strangers?

But then if you don't address the issue there and then, then when? I don't expect a 2 year old to relate the punishment that she will be receiving at home to the incident that happened a few hours ago. I just feel that such method of disciplining just won't be effective enough.

And then, if I were to subscribe to that mentality that "its ok, kids are like that" and not discipline her, will I become a mother who can't control her child? I could already feel the looks of disapproval from the salesgirls who tried to piece the broken manequin together. I can almost hear them going "aiyoh...this mother ah, dunno how to control her child, tsk tsk". It totally didn't help that one of the sales girl, while picking up the pieces, kept looking at Janine @.@

After what that sales lady said, all I could do was just to glower at the little gir. I restrained myself from going further into a screaming rage (which in any other circumstances would definitely have happened).

To her merit, the little girl KNEW she did something wrong because once she got her senses back she was apologising rather profusely "Sorry mommy, I'm sorry mommy, sorry sorry..." and then as if wanting the reassurance that she was forgiven, she kept asking to be carried "carry mommy, I'm sorry mommy, carry carry".

Thankfully I wasn't asked to pay for the broken manequin. But I am left somewhat perplexed by the whole incident. I am still reflecting on my actions / lack of action for yesterday and wondering just how in future I should react if the girl misbehaves again (which I am sure WILL happen). I am also wondering if I did / not do something for the girl for her to be misbehaving like that?

Sigh...the woes of a mommy.

Random Conversation ...A Prologue

I have a little planner that sits on my table that gives me little nuggets of parenting secrets everyday. One day (Mar 28) suggested that we "keep a journal of the funny things your children say. You may think you'll remember them - but the odds are you won't"

So I am going with the odds.

But I'm not going to just remember the funny ones, but those that capture the sad, happy, profound, difficult or light-bulb moments. To me, they will be like a little window that gives us a little peek into that particular time in our life as we watch our child(ren) growing up.

And maybe if there's enough, I can compile them into a book and publish them and make BIG bucks and retire early and travel the world and ...OK I digresss :P

Yup. That's the sentimental (calculative) mother for you! ^^

Now We Know

This morning, the princess (got) woke(n) up earlier than usual and kicked up a racket when she realised that I was already up and getting ready for work (read: going to leave her for the next 9 hours). I, the hard hearted mommy, resolved not to let her crying get to me and carried on putting my things together, leaving the girl to wail and writhe in her Papa's arms.

After a few minutes of tolerating the seemingly anguished, distraught and heartbreaking cries of a little girl who obviously have separation issues, my sleep deprived husband rouses from his sleep and admonishes the screaming one with the promise of the "rotan (cane)" if she keeps this up.

With the battle clearly not in her favour, she, slumped on the bed, tries a (rather weak) last attempt to collaborate with her father in an effort to detain me at home.

J (in a small clear voice) : I want to bully Mommy, Papa, I want to bully Mommy.
KY (half asleep but evidentally highly amused but not wanting to show it): Why you want to bully Mommy? You bully Mommy you bully yourself you know. You already got a sore throat. Your voice already so low.
J (after a short pause): I want to disturb Mommy, Papa. Please. I want to disturb.
KY: ...

The truth is out, people! Looks like we've been taken on a ride all this while!

Dunno whether to reprimand or laugh at her.

Well, before I left the house for good today I snuggled her and gave her a big kiss, along with the promise to be back early to play with her (which she returned with a forlorn look and a small whimper).

My early morning entertainment. The sun is shining a bit brighter today and the monday not so blue ^^