HUMAN MULTI-TASKING is such a PHENOMENON.

AT WORK, “one requirement” I mention to prepare new officers and at staff appraisal is the “ability to multi-task”. Of course, as an employee, I am required to REALLY multi-task too. 

[Frankly, till I lose my job focus sometimes.]

As working parents, our multi-tasking skill is further stretched.

We have been tested and proven that human ability to handle between 2 or more tasks AND aspiring to deliver the best for 2 or more important responsibilities at the SAME TIME —- IS POSSIBLE!

[although VERY CHALLENGING!!]

Yeah?

 Nowadays, I hardly hear about people implying that they do not need to multi-task.

———–

Even for my boys….In school, there are times when they have to be Group Leader/Monitor and STUDENT concurrently. Other times when they try to use that short interval of 20 minutes during recess break to rush off to bookshop, play with friends and still fill their stomachs.

At home, they are sometimes found playing or reading or even writing WHILE eating; singing while bathing; dozing off while doing school homeworks; AND reading while doing that business in the toilet.

For parents while at home, we multi-task among the housework, spending time with our kids, running our own errands and …….

Just that in parenting, we contentedly choose to and not being assigned to multi-task. Given that limited hours in a day to spend quality time  with family and for oneself…..

And when I have to see my PARTNER IN LIFE multi-task as a PARENT, especially these particular moments…..

It amuses me.

But it also demonstrates how an exhausted father could have chosen sleep but prefers — to relax and also spends time with his kids instead, in return for that FAMILY JOY. * I salute him*

Papa spending time with the boys on a game of chess while enjoying a leg and back massage.

Next, Papa playing 2 different types of Board Games, with two different boys at the same time.  I will never be able to concentrate like this on two games that require thinking unless I am out to lose..haha.

I am not sure if our boys APPRECIATE moments like these. However, I know they definitely ENJOYED themselves while I watched on this time - for a change.  Hence, every moment like this, is WORTH IT *grin*

The result of a parent’s equal attention for both kids and fairness despite multi-tasking - Abundance of Happiness and Laughters.  

Moments of multi-tasking like this for our family — are what MAKES our LIFE CHALLENGING but FULFILLING & COMPLETE.

And, we make full and good use of our time —- to develop super abilities and skills too *haha*.

At 7 years 1 month, he continues to

* Be complained by teachers for not paying attention in class

* Avoid doing school homeworks

* Deny his mistakes but never fail to give tell-tale signs with his eyes

* Wet his bed when he gets too cosy under his warm quilt

* Disturb his elder brother so often that they ended up in fights, until he lost a front tooth (Sigh! Sigh!)

* Jump three flights of steps at a time despite warning

* Laugh aloud as long as he is happy regardless of time and venue

* Gobble all his rice and noodles and leave the dishes intact

* Dance and dash instead of walk, until he ended up with a Panda Eye (Oh Gosh!)

* Speak as he wishes without thinking twice

* Leave his things everywhere at home except the designated spots

* Destroy things that he lays hands on effortlessly

* Be distance away even before we finish giving our instructions

* Create unnecessary actions sometimes just to see our angry reactions

* Pester persistently, hoping that we will surrender

Still..still… he remains such a lovely and innocent baby and it is unbearable to make him cry:)

However, it is also him who

* Brings much laughter to our lives, being always the most cheerful person at home

* Shows me what it is like to live with happiness for the moment and not worries for the future

* Sends me the most mushy love messages that I have ever received in my life since he learns to SMS a month ago

* Gives me surprises every now and then, with his thoughtful cards and sometimes hilarious actions

* Tries to play the big brother instead, showing Brendan how things can be done where his elder brother lacks the skill or confidence

* Teaches me that one can be independant and exploring to create that FUN journey in learning

* Wriggles besides me when I am sick, to tell me that he gave me a massage while I was asleep

* Cheers us up with his unique mannerism when things get tough at home

* Spreads joy and fun with his presence

* Volunteers to help out with little chores at home

* Displays to us that one can be versatile in life as long as he chooses to

* Convinces us that he is still a very SWEET BABY despite letting us blow our top sometimes

* Enables me to enjoy the JOY of a family life with siblings, a privilege that I have never had before

* Makes me look forward to his voluntary phone calls, almost everyday from school

* Never fail to delight us of the quick progress he can make in anything he does as long as he is serious and interested

His fun-loving and happy self:)

Sometimes, I wonder when he will start to observe some disciplines in life as he grows.  However, I LOVE the smiles on his face, the innocence that he shares AND  the excitement that he has and I WISH he can continue to enjoy his carefree childhood days.

I believe time might take away his playfulness and his innocence but time will not take away his fun-loving nature and sunshine that he brings to people around him.

EVERYTHING ABOUT DARREN — IS WHAT MAKES HIM VERY SPECIAL — AND HE WILL REMAIN TO BE SPECIAL ALWAYS IN OUR HEART.

IT HAS BEEN AN ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING JOURNEY TO TRAVEL WITH HIM IN OUR LIVES. 

- {A special love dedication from mommy as Darren turned 7 years old.}-  

Singapore may be small.  However, I love the easy access to the beaches and also the large number of parks.

Nature never fails to give me the serenity that I need and keep my young ones “well and healthily” occupied too.

[instead of following mommy uninterestingly in a shopping complex.]

There are a number of beaches cum parks here eg. East Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park and Labrador Park. 

Labrador Park, besides its beach, diversity of flora and fauna, is an educational site too - rich with historcial relics (click to read our previous post on Labrador Nature Reserve).

In the photos above, the boys were standing before a symbolic replica of the Dragon’s Teeth Gate (Long Ya Men).

The Dragon’s Teeth Gate used to be located at the gateway to Keppel Harbour in Singapore, to provide navigational aids. It was useful as navigational aids to Ming Dynasty’s Admiral Zheng He during his maritime voyages to the west.  Read more about its history HERE.  

More photos of historical relics here.

Children being children. What interests them most are still …..

The BEACH…..

where people are fishing, enjoying that cool breeze and where Brendan gazed at the sea “wordless” (obviously in deep thoughts).

The PARK……

where they can stroll, jog, run, cycle and basically “HAVE FUN”.

A park will not be complete without its flora and fauna.

I am a plant lover and colourful blooms are always an attraction.

 [Photo courtesy by Papa Ed as I got too distracted by the pair of lover butterflies to capture any shots....haha.]

Bring your kids to the park and open their world to the habitat of the flora and fauna.

If we are paying enough attention, we might have a close encounter with the insects and fauna.

Darren, sometimes enjoys spotting them. Other times, he will flee off after his brother with their chasing games *Smile*.

And….

My boys always finds extra fun, playing with the puppies of other park lovers.

THE PLAYGROUND….

Kids love playground. Seriously, adults play at the playground here too….. One of them is ME…haha.

This is the place where I mentioned in a recent post about the MAZE and hide-and-seek where I had fun with my boys.

So, do expose your kids to more Greenery and Healthy Lifestyle while they still care to tag along with the parents.

There is a whole Green Environment out there!

It is certainly more comfortable to stay in air-conditioned complex with the kids.

But

the sweats and the walk at the Green Outdoor is definitely more WORTH IT!

When Mama is sick,

She can stay away from work,

She can postpone her housework for a few more days

But it is tough for her to take time-off away from her responsibilities as a mom.

Agree?

 ——–

I guess when a Mama is sick, she will remain concerned whether her young children have been eating well, completing their school homework, being neglected, taking good care of themselves….

Yes, there is no Sick Leave from Parenting.

At least, for me, my children’s well-beings will always be above mine…even when I am sick or busy.

This is also the unconditional love of a mom as I witnessed in my mom and also friends who are moms.

 ——–

When I fall sick, it is common for my young one to crawl up and down of my bed, blast my ears with loud TV volume, rattle into my ears with my eyes closed and pester…

Despite all these, when I open my eyes from those interrupted sleep- the bright smile that I see, the warm touch from their little hands and the sincere gaze into my eyes - never fail to make me feel better *Smile*.

When we fall sick, nothing is more important than having our family around us, to show their care and concern and lend a helping hand.

For this, I am glad that Papa Ed is here to help with all the domestic chores and remind this stubborn mommy to swallow those large pills.

And the boys are learning to take care of themselves and squabble less when mommy is sick these few days. I am taking a short break to finally treat my health with care.

I am truly thankful when I compare to those years, when I had to juggle alone, with 2 young kids, even when I was sick.

This is another lesson in life to teach me not to take people and things for granted.

[Thank you! To my 3 guys at home]

Heard of this?

“The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.”
- William Arthur Ward -

Yes, a great teacher never fail to inspire regardless of the aptitude or quality of the students.

In life, even if we are not qualified teachers by profession, we  somehow play the role of “Teachers”, to our children, family, friends and colleagues.

As parents, we try our best to TEACH our children many things ( like the right set of values in life, the right behaviours),

And we Prepare them for their new milestones and journey to adulthood.

[I remember when I was a child, my mom would TELL me not to do this and that but I never actually got to know why. When I encountered difficulties as a child, my mom would settle them for me and I wish someone would show me how instead.

Then, I wish I had someone to inspire me to do what I faced most difficulties in than having it done for me. And someone to tell me not to avoid when I meet obstacles and inspire me to continue with my efforts even if I might not get the result that I need instantly.

That was when I was a child and what I did not have the opportunity to learn back then .....]

Now as a parent, I trully appreciate the importance of our role as a parent and teacher in inspiring our children.  Easy to say and not so easy to remember all the time BUT I am learning.

——–

Anyway, Teachers’ Day is 2 days away and in appreciation, the boys had prepared some handmade cards and gifts for their Teachers. It is more personal to make than to buy and it also gives  the opportunity for the boys to work on art and craft which they hardly have the chance to lay their hands on recently - especially with more school homework.

So, with some materials bought from Daiso, these are some of the results of our joint efforts

Once in a while, we immerse ourselves in our kids’ world.

We play PS3, arcade and ball games together. We play hide-and-seek and chasing. We engage in water splashing challenge in the pool. We allow the kids to win us in board games. He crawls/climbs with the kids at the playground.  I let my hair down and sing/dance with the kids. He challenges the kids to games of arm wrestling. Many more…

These are our childish moments together *hee*.

[I find these moments easier to treasure and remember instead of those shopping and movie watching moments together.]

It is FUN!

It enables us to relive our childhood life and  experience the joy that we have never had before.

It allows our Papa Ed, who usually plays the firm father role, to show his fun-loving side to the kids.

It makes us feel YOUNGER although not as energetic as before.

It allows our kids to feel a sense of pride because these are some moments that they can outshine their parents *haha*.

Most importantly, these are one of those QUALITY TIME that we engage ourselves with our kids. All enjoy it!

And…I would very much like our kids to carry these memories with them even as they grow - the PARENT TIMES that we have much FUN, LAUGHTER and ENJOYMENT together as a family.

Yay!

See what I mean when I say that it is FUN….we  find true meanings in this fun way of bonding *smile*.

The kids hiding from mommy

Mommy giving chase

Darren claiming victory because mommy was slower to find her way out of the maze

I love the bright smiles on the kids’ faces

Never too old to be sporty..hee.. not that we are that old now.

Not as agile as before but never a constrain to be part of our kids’ play

After becoming a mom….

Haiz…then, I realised:

- how one would feel for her repeated reminders to be ignored and yet being regarded as nagging.

- why one would nag for having to clear up the mess that others repeatedly create at home.

[Yeah, I have my fair share of  "being turned deaf ears" in my little family.]

Imagine, we used to live in a world of our own.

When we started our family of 2 lovebirds, there have been …and still are…. adjustments and adaptations to make “living under one roof”.

Then, when we proceeded to a family of 4 members, there have been…and still are…much more adjustments and much ORDER to maintain at home.

See why we need to maintain ORDER at home amidst these: 

[Hello mothers, do these scenes seem familiar to you?]

- The house messed up again, shortly after you have just tidied it

- Rice, noodles and bread crumbs spread all over the floor and yet the young culprit does not even bother to pick it up

- Your personal items are often missing for no reasons and one day it will make a sudden appearance

- The busy people at home are too forgetful to keep the door closed in an air-conditioned room or even the door of the wardrobe closed but never fail to deny it is them

- The lights and fans are so often not turned off when not in use

- Kids sprawling on the floor to do their homework when they been reminded thousands of times to use their proper tables

See what I mean in this candid shot…

So, you know what I mean when the habits or scenes that you dread keep re-surfacing.

Yeah, there are differences in lifestyles and habits of family members living together.

As parents, we nag because we cannot understand why each of our family members cannot even show a little cooperation to keep the house neater or behave like how we wish them to be.

As spouse, we grumble because we cannot understand why our spouse cannot respect us in doing away with living habits that he/she obviously knows that we detest.

As people’s children, we cannot appreciate why our parents have to keep enforcing the need to maintain their preferred habits in our lives and what is the big deal when someone else can do it for us…..sigh a mentality that we have…until we become people’s parents.

If we insist our way, then there is never an end to the frustrations over the slightest incompatibility of living habits at home.

Perhaps, we should learn to close an eye and appreciate that a community is not made up of creatures of the same species..haha. 

Till that day comes, I am still learning to accept or take it easier over the living habits of members at home….NOW as a mother and wife.

I can’t complain because my life will never be so CHALLENGING without these GEMS in my life.

I can’t complain because I could never have felt the similar frustrations that my mother had until I become a mother.

As for you, do you have similar stories to share?

“Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution.”
- By David Joseph Schwartz-

Our MIND is like a KEY to UNLOCK all our POTENTIAL and RESERVATIONS.

Of course, just believing is not sufficient.   Put in efforts and actions to do the Good and we shall see fruitful results one day.

Well, the mind really plays such an important role in controlling our course of actions and body.

It is so true.

If I had not BELIEVED that I could STRIVE to get out of those pitfalls in my life especially in the last decade, I will not be grateful for the abundance of joy I have today. 

Hmm..I have to learn to BELIEVE in myself to garner more strength.  I am tired.

Lately, I have not been feeling too well.

It is true that STRESS somehow can make one feel sick.

[Take my advice: Don't let STRESS accumulate. We are not invincible.]

So, last week, I made time to go to the hospital for a medical check-up.

Though I didn’t express it, I actually felt worried (These are the kind of self-imposed worries when one delays a medical check-up for too long, often citing excuses like busy, I am feeling better now etc.).

Yeah, I am guilty.  I have allowed PRESSURE to affect my health *frown*.

Just when I was sitting there waiting ages for my scanning to be done, someone dropped me THE SWEETEST SMS - when I least expected it.

This person actually remembered the appointment time of my scanning and doctor’s consultation*smile* (Ha, I won’t be so surprised if it had come from hubby who was actually with me for the check-up).

The most touching part - it is one of the rare time that I received a motivational SMS from my boy, Brendan - just when I needed it. I didn’t think that my young one will be mindful of a medical appointment that I vaguely mentioned.

Hee…Telepathy?? 

I reckon that my boy appreciates his parents’  love and concern for him when he had his little accident recently. He is reciprocating to show his care and love.

I am touched by this thoughtful and sincere SMS *sweet smile*.

[This is another encouraging moment of motherhood despite the other moments of frustrations]

[He ended up extracting a wrong and perfectly good tooth! You may wish to read that earlier post by clicking here

 We have started to appreciate how important it is to find the right dentist for a child- one who has the patience and right attitude with children, adopt consultative approach with parents and is approachable.

Since that incident, we are glad that we have finally found one that both our boys feel extremely comfortable with *smile*.

So, I thought it is a good new start since the children's impression on visits to dentist is formed since young.

"Comfortable" is key if we do not want our children to bring their phobia of dentist consultation till Adulthood especially when the regular dentist check-up is always necessary.

This is what I mean by having the comfort and feelings of the children at heart - teddy bear and sunglasses (courtesy of the dental clinic)

For our friends, who are still concerned about Darren after that scary incident in March, I am glad to share that he is now volunteering to visit his new regular dentist for cleaning of his teeth.

[Though his school has dental service, I prefer that he feels comfortable first].

However, his phobia of tooth extraction is still there and I believe it will take a long while for him to erase that memory of fear and pain.

Afterall, that last experience has been an extremely painful, traumatic and undeserving one. Definitely, not an acceptable and normal act by a dentist *sigh*.