Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

[Caught a glimpse of a beautiful rainbow, from just outside our Singapore home]

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When I asked some friends to tell me one thing that immediately came to mind when they think of Singapore, they generally would mention ‘SINGLISH’ as one of their top five! =)

(Some other common ones mentioned are : Chicken Rice, Laksa, Chilli Crab, Char Kuay Teow, Popiah, Orchard Road and Universal Studios)

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Now, just in case you’re not familiar with what ‘Singlish’ is, let me explain.

Singlish stands for Singapore English, it’s how locals here in Singapore generally speak. Well, most of them, anyway.

You see, when Americans speak, they speak in their American accent. Australians speak in their Australian accent. And those who live in Singapore, well, we speak in … ‘Singlish accent’.

This means, you’ll hear words being put together in a more ‘jumbled up’ manner, and you’ll most likely pick up words like, ‘ah’, ‘lah’, ‘meh’, ‘hor’, and ‘one’, at the end of the sentences. Each sentence may include words taken from these languages too: english, chinese dialects and Malay =)

Something like this :

Hey, this doesn’t taste good.
– Eh, this one not good leh

She’s decided to stay at home and sleep.
– She stay home and sleep lor

*YIKES* Oh no! Why was it done that way?
– Aiyoh! Why like that?

Can it really be done that way?
– Can like that meh?

Are you sure?
– You sure or not?

Do you want to go out and eat?
– You want go makan?

This is mine (eg. A book, pencil, bag)
– This is my one

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I recently asked on Facebook three questions, and one of them is this:

“What are your most commonly used Singlish phrases”, and I received overwhelming entries!

It was so fun reading every one of them! =)

Then, I decided to make a video featuring most of the favourite Singlish phrases submitted! Just for fun! =)

Here is the video!

Check it out, share it if you wish, but most importantly, see if you can find your own favourite ones there! =)

(If you are not familiar with Singlish, see if you can understand any of it at all, hehe)

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So how?
What you think ah? Hehe.

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If you ask me, I think Singlish is not just a language.

Singlish is a culture.

(ie. If you live in Singapore, you’ll most likely ‘adopt’ Singlish. However mild. However strong =)

I feel, Singlish somehow … connects people. It makes your communication with friends and colleagues somewhat more ‘natural’ too =)

(Oh also, taxi drivers will understand you better when you speak in Singlish, hehe)

It gives Singapore and those who live there their strong identity =)

[If you’re wondering, yes our kids speak Singlish with their friends, AND we speak Singlish too, hehe. We do however make sure our kids know how to speak in proper and formal ENGLISH too though, hehe]

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Anyway.

I was actually inspired to reflect on ‘Singlish’ and how it has very much influenced us who live in Singapore after I checked out this website, itsmyturn.sg

It has a just-for-fun quiz where it’ll help you determine ‘your personality’! =)

ie. Do you complain a lot? Are you the patriotic type? Do you need to be MORE patriotic? Are you the ‘Take it Easy’ type?

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Click the links to the 4 main categories, to see the results gathered from the quiz:

Speak, Eat, Play and Do

And here are two examples which I find are relevant to me =)

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE Bubble Tea! (No relevance to whether my friends drink it too though. Because I. Just. Love. Bubble. Tea.)

To be a little more specific, I love Koi and Gong Cha, ‘Milk Bubble Tea’, the kind with ‘small black pearls and 80% sugar’ =)

Hehe… is THIS your favourite Singlish phrase?

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And just the other day, I took the quiz too.

And after answering a series of questions, here’s what they think I am :

Hehe.

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Okay, anyway … do check out the Quiz yeah! =)

Have fun, everyone!

Do your kids fall asleep easily?

Do you sleep with your kids, in the SAME room?

Do you share your bed with your kids and/or baby?

When did you let your kids sleep in their own bedrooms?

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Some people do ask me those questions sometimes.

And here’s what I usually share with them:

1. For all three children, yes, we placed their baby cot in our master bedroom, ie. After they’re born.

Reason:
I breastfeed all three babies, and with the frequent waking up for night feedings, I simply choose to have the baby in the same room, for convenience sake.

Some moms choose to place the cot in a different room and sleep in THAT room (to avoid the going back and forth when breastfeeding the baby at night). I personally choose to NOT go with that option though as I’d prefer to sleep in the same room as my hubby =)

[Vai at 2 years old]

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2. When Vai was born, all four us shared the master bedroom. We had a toddler bed for Anya, and a cot for Vai. Yes, EVERYONE inside our bedroom =)

Vai was a light sleeper though and he really didn’t like to sleep in his cot.

I mean, he’d sleep in my arms (after having been breastfed), and when I super-gently put him down on the cot, he’d wake up, crying, screaming, refusing to fall asleep UNLESS he’s breastfed again. And it went on and on like this with NO improvements.

After trying for TOO many times, I gave up, and let him sleep next to us, on a separate single mattrass (This way, I could lie on his mattrass, lean towards him and breastfeed him sideways. When he’s fallen asleep, I slowly moved away and he continued to sleep! It worked wonderfully!

[Vai was about 1.5yo, and Anya was 4yo in this photo]

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3. When Vai was around 1.5 years old, we introduced the other bedroom to BOTH of them (where we had a ‘top and bottom’ beds for them).

Anya was around 2.5yo when Vai was born and so we didn’t want to make her feel ‘rejected’ by sending her to sleep in her own bedroom before or after Vai was born.

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4. We introduced ‘Family Nights’ to the 2 older kids since some 2-3 years ago.

This is when Anya and Vai could sleep in our bedroom, on a separate bed, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

We felt this arrangement worked well for us, because while my hubby and I had the privacy of having the bedroom to ourselves for 4 days, we also got to enjoy those 3 nights spent with the kids in our bedroom.
(They had their own bed in our room, BUT usually we ended up sharing one bed together anyway, hehe. We love such family moments! =)

And yes, both Anya and Vai always looked forward to spending their weekly ‘Family Nights’ with us! =)

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5. When we had Brie, the baby slept in our bedroom, while the kids continued to sleep in their own room (and in our bedroom on Family Nights).

Brie was a relatively easy sleeper who didn’t reject the cot, AT FIRST.

But when we returned from our one-month trip to Jakarta last December (where we didn’t have a cot and she slept next to me on my bed), she didn’t like the cot anymore *yikes*. She’d easily wake up after being put in the cot (though not all the time).

So, I used the same method as what I introduced to Vai, ie. On a single bed mattrass in the master bedroom, I’d sleep sideways and breastfeed her. When she’s asleep, I simple get up and leave. On some nights, before I myself go to bed, I slowly pick her up and put her in her cot.

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Now.

I wonder, how is it done in YOUR family?

How’s YOUR sleeping arrangement like?

I’m sure lots of parents out there are wondering about the same thing, and we’ll all benefit from the stories and experiences shared! =)

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AND, to end this post, I’d like to share this great news, that will help your little babies sleep even better!

There are THREE ‘Love to Swaddle Up Lite’ (Size Small, Cream colour, worth S$55.90 each), up for grabs!

Great product for your own little one or as a GIFT to another Mom to-be!

[Click HERE to read my review of this product, on my Facebook!]

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Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

1. ‘LIKE’ Our Everyday Things Facebook Page, if you haven’t done so =)

2. Share this giveaway post on Facebook or Twitter

3. Leave a comment here on this post, and share your baby’s sleeping habits and arrangements in the family.

[Please still do share your stories even if your children are older and you don’t wish to enter the giveaway. We’d LOVE to hear from you!]

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More info:

– Contest ends: Friday, 2 March 2012, 11.59 pm (SG Time)

– Opens to those with local Singapore addresses

– Please check your ‘spam’ folder to make sure that my email to you does not go there! =)

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Have fun with this giveaway, everyone!

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Added on 17 March 2012

My apologies for the late announcement of the three winners. The commenting system somehow went funny anddd we also happened to be relocating overseas this week.

But, we have found three winners! Some have submitted their replies / entries directly via email, and here are the names:

1. Jane Koh
2. Vivien Chao
3. Vicky

Congrats everyone! =D

Please do email me your mailing address within 48 hours yeah, so that the sponsors can mail the prizes out to you!

Email: leonny[at]oureverydaythings[dot]com

Thank you so much everyone who has participated in the giveaway too! =D

It was for Kao Attack Perfume advertisement.

And yes, that photo was taken by me and was used ‘with permission’ =)

(Note: Click HERE to see the ad where our photo was used ‘without’ our permission in Malaysia!)

Little Brie was 4 days old.

Little Brie is 9 months old.

Age does not seem to matter.

When it involves the love of a brother.

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Have a great weekend with your loved ones, everyone!

I don’t know about you, but my heart aches when I see children who don’t have a loving home. Children who perhaps are born in troubled families. Just like any other children, I’m sure deep down each of them long for acceptance, love and a community where they can belong and perhaps, call ‘home’.

With that in mind, I’d like to highlight to you a place called Boys’ Town today.

It’s a place where you’d find about 60 boys, aged 11 – 18, who mainly come from troubled, large or needy families. They stay at Boys’ Town’s dorms, where they’re counselled, and helped educationally and socially there.

[Click to read more about Boy’s Town’s programme]

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Currently there’s a community/charity project called ‘Brick by Brick‘ that aims to raise funds (through the sale of locally designed tee-shirts and decals) to help these boys and to upgrade their existing facilities.

Four NTU students are behind this idea, and here’s what they shared with me:

“We aim to raise funds to help them in their endeavour to build a new dormitory for the boys under their care and also for the running of various programmes for the boys. Private, non-government organizations like The Boys’ Town are self-funded, and need our help to continue providing care and education for their charges.

Proceeds from the sale of items will go to our beneficiary, The Boys’ Town.”

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So, feel free to browse their Brick by Brick website to find out more about the charity campaign.

And, to support the cause too, click HERE to order your shirts / decals yeah! =)

Have a great day, everyone!

Brie turns 9 months old today.

She has about 3 solid meals and about 2-3 naps everyday.

She’s still breastfed.

She has four teeth by now, two at the top and two at the bottom.

She puts ‘everything’ she holds INTO her mouth.

She once in a while bites me though. Due to her itchy gums, I guess? I’m sure she doesn’t do it ‘on purpose’, but still, … it HURTS, and I do tell her firmly each time she does it. And, she usually responds with a laugh. Great.

She crawls around, stands and moves from one furniture to another.

She babbles a lot.

She has no fear for strangers so far, and is okay when carried by anyone.

She finds her big brother and big sister amusing, easily giggling away when they do silly gestures for her.

[Brie: Soooo many boxes around my home these days …]

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Oh.

Brie will be in Jakarta before she turns 10 months old next month!

Which reminds me, I really better SPEED UP the ‘clearing of our home’ process! *YIKES*

Today, “Dad” has a whole different meaning than it did 50 years ago.

And that’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Many Dads today are NOT just providers anymore. Dads nowadays take on a much more active role in raising the kids.

Many choose to be more involved in their children’s lives.

They choose to be there when their children are born.

They help and hold their little kiddos as they learn how to ride their bikes.

They sit and read them books before bedtime.

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No, they’re not perfect Daddies.

(Is there any in this world, anyway?)

But to those who do try to be *better* Daddies to the little ones, I think we should really encourage them by showing them more loveee … and telling them, ‘We really do APPRECIATE what you do!’

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Have a great week ahead, everyone!

“Oh, I yelled at him because HE STARTED IT!”

“I wouldn’t have pushed him if he hadn’t been irritating me!”

“HE made me angry! It was HIM who made me hit him!”

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I don’t know about you but every now and then I hear similar statements being said amongst our kids at home.

And it does remind me that more often than not, we too have that tendency to place the blame on someone else for something that we ourselves do.

We justify our own actions by saying how the other party was the one who has provoked us.

A few Sundays ago I was reminded yet again that when we choose to do something, it’s because we ourselves have decided to do it.

When a child hits another with her hand, it’s because she herself decides to do so.

When we are angry about something and lose our patience, it’s because we ourselves choose to NOT keep our emotions under control.

If we sin, it’s because we ourselves choose to commit sin. It’s because of our own evil desire.

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Here’s one analogy that I really like :

A bird may fly above us. We can’t stop it from flying above our heads. BUT, IF that bird builds a nest ON our head, it’s because we ourselves ALLOW it to happen!

In the same way, temptations are always there. But we must NOT invite temptations to come to our lives. Just as we can REJECT the bird who’s about to build a nest on our head, we too CAN reject temptations as they come to us.

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I recently shared the above analogy with my two older children when they’ve started to bicker and complain about each other.

I reminded them how we can’t stop others from doing things that we may find annoying. We hit because we choose to hit. We yell at another because we ourselves want to do it.

A school friend could’ve tried to make us feel impatient and angry. A classmate probably made rude and insensitive remarks about another at school. BUT, WE are the ones who must learn to be in control of what we say, think and do.

If we choose to not follow the wrong things that others have done, we CAN.

If we choose to NOT be angry over simple matters (though they’re indeed annoying), we CAN.

When temptations come our way, it’s all up to us how we’d react and respond to them.

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“Control yourselves. Be on your guard. Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion. He prowls around looking for someone to chew up and swallow. Stand up to him. Stand firm in what you believe. All over the world you know that your brothers and sisters are going through the same kind of suffering.”

1 Peter 5:8-9

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As I shared the above with Anya and Vai, I reminded myself to walk the talk too. I personally find it so relevant to my daily life, and really, I am just grateful for such strong reminders I often receive on Sundays.

I know I still need to learn a lot about life.

And I know, I personally need to depend on God’s help and strength to go through the many different temptations that may come my way, everyday.

May God help me, help us. Always.

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[This post is inspired by the sermon shared by Rev. DR. Stephen Tong]