My mum tells me how lucky I am to have a job which I can come home on time on most days and do not need to travel. Although that usually equates to not being a high flyer or high frequency flyer, I am thankful for my job that gives me the precious time I need with my kids. So, when my boss told me to travel on business, my first thought goes to my kids at home. Who’s going to take care of them? What will happen to them when I am away? How will my kids take it that I am away? How shall I tell them about this without tears pouring over little sulking faces? Continue reading “Can mums really travel without kids?”
I am never fond of animals, big or small. Never have special feelings for dogs, cats, rabbits and have never shown much interest in insects too. But after having children, I know kids, by nature will love these living things. So, I try very hard to let them understand even though I am scared of animals, I am totally supportive of their love for them. My kids love little pets, like to pat dogs and cats, feed rabbits, show much curiosity in insects and even lizards which is my number 1 fear. Kel caught one recently and kept it in a container as a learning for the kids, but he had to let it go as I was almost screaming every time I need to walk near the container.
So when XX and YH bugged me for a pet hamster, I find myself seriously thinking if I should relent this time round. Having a dog or cat is definitely a NO since I am scared of them. Also, it takes lots of commitment and responsibilities to rear one. The kids have to know that they shouldn’t be having a pet on impulse. They have to know they are responsible for taking care of the pet if they ever have one, which includes feeding, bathing and cleaning up. Getting a pet hamster might be different and everything seems much scaled down for the following reasons:
1) Hamsters mainly stay in the cage. 2) They do not run around the house and create poos or puddles that Baby YT may pick up to put into his mouth. 3) They do not need to be out for walking. 4) They do not require too much emotional handling. 5) They do not shed furs which may be a big problem if it triggers the allergic reactions in my children who have sensitive noses. 6) Maintenance is low and no grooming is needed for hamster.
With the above reasons, I asked Kel how much he thought would be the total cost of getting a hamster with its complete cage and all. “Less than $50,” was his answer. Okay, I thought, in that case, let’s go to the pet shop and get one. My kids were overjoyed when I told them we would be getting a hamster.
When we reached the pet shop, XX and YH were both taken by a winter white breed. One look at the price tag showed $18. Well, luckily they did not choose the one that cost $50. Next, we went on to search for a cage. We chose a $20+ cage and were to be told by the sales person that cage was for travelling only. Does anyone actually TRAVEL around with a hamster?? He went on to explain our hamster needed a bigger one so as not to feel stressed. STRESSED!!!??? It never occured to Kel and I that hamsters will feel stress like humans. Alright then, we took a $48 bigger purple cage. The salesperson went on to recommend a house for the hamster. A HOUSE?? Isn’t the cage already the HOUSE? Next, he introduced a vitamin in powder form to be added to the hamster food for 7 weeks. This vitamin was to stabilize the hamster as it was moving to a new home. It was important for the hamster to be stabilized so that he would not bite for no reason or fall ill. And the vitamin pack cost $20, which was more expensive than the hamster. The salesperson went on for other must-haves: the food, a bowl for its food, a chewing block for the hamster to sharpen its teeth with, water bottle, a bath tub for its bath, bath salt, and a big pack of bedding to lay on the bottom of the cage. This is supposed to cushion its fall while exercising or climbing and to absorb its poo and urine. Then came the long bill, which totaled up to $123! And I have to repeat that the hamster only costs $18. Well, I have agreed to it and started it, I have to agree with the price. And I should have done a wikihow on setting up a hamster cage prior to this.
XX and YH listening seriously on facts about WinterTouching little Winter for the first time
So, off we went home happily (for the kids) and set up the cage for our dear hamster. The kids decided to call it “Winter“. That’s a nice name.
Although the whole hamster set up cost was $123, we think that it is still worth the investment as we can see our kids learning lots from taking care of Winter.
Winter’s purple cageXX and YH looking at what Winter is doing in the cage
So far, they have been feeding Winter by refilling its food and water every 1 or 2 days, change out the entire bedding of the cage once a week, transfer Winter to the bath tub with its bath salt, play with it for several minutes everyday, and sit down in front of Winter’s cage to observe its movement. They love Winter and love to see him run on the exercise station so fast that he falls off. They love to see Winter sleeping everywhere in the cage and in many many different positions you can’t imagine. However, Winter is usually active at night. XX and YH will take a peek at it if they do wake up in the night to go to the toilet. I must say Winter brought a lot of joy to the little ones.
YH clearing the bedding from the cagePutting the new bedding in the cageWinter in its temporary housing while waiting for his cage to be cleaned
Ever since we have Winter, I realize XX and YH readily took up the responsibility of caring for Winter. It has been more than a month, and they never push the responsibility of bathing it, feeding it and changing the cage bedding to Kel or me. For the first few days, Winter was not active and they were disappointed, and I was sad too. We were worried it might be sick or did not like us. I would peek at it every time I pass by it. But now, Winter is active and everyone is happy.
It’s wonderful to know that your kids are capable of caring for a pet. The kids, in turn, love the trust we give them by getting them a pet hamster. Kel and I are just too happy our kids are learning an enjoyable lesson in responsibility.
What’s your experience in having a pet? Was it a good learning for your kids?
I have not been doing art and craft with my kids for quite some time, mainly because I am usually very tired after work and we have lots of outdoor activities during the weekends with the kids. But, today, I am on leave from work because I need to take care of my baby and my P2 girl since all Primary 1 to 5 kids have 2 days break due to PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) Oral. With such a good opportunity to enjoy a day of stay-at-home-mum, I planned so many activities today with XX, I am now rather dead beat while typing this post. However, the thought of sharing my joy of enjoying an afternoon of art and craft, I do have the motivation to write this post and publish tonight.
So, when XX asked what we could do together this afternoon, I quickly searched in my art and craft box for ideas. Seeing a pack of colourful ice-cream sticks, I decided to make a Rainbow Box out of them. Continue reading “Simple art and craft – Rainbow Box”
I can’t believe time flies by so fast and he now looks more like a toddler which is so different from the cradle-held baby months back. How I reminisce the baby days. He has since reached several milestones at 11 months old.
Physical Development
Baby YT is growing “flabs and pounds”! He still has his baby fats although he has started to look lean now. At night when I look at him sleeping on his tummy, I am amazed that he has doubled his birth length. As the Hokkien saying goes “Baby grows an inch for each night he sleeps.” That’s an exaggeration but it is not far from the truth. He also has 8 teeth now, 4 upper and 4 lower.
Baby YT’s favourite position
Baby achievements
Baby YT has perfected his commando crawl. He can crawl at amazing speed! If you compare a proper bottoms up crawl on all fours on ground versus commando crawling with tummy on the floor, you will know it’s tougher to crawl fast using the latter style. He looks like a wound-up toy. The moment you put him on the floor, he “unwinds” the spring in him and crawls away! Any baby race right now??
Just 2 days ago, Baby YT pulled himself up to reach for a shuttlecock right in front of my eyes!! I am extremely proud of being the first to witness this important milestone, you couldn’t imagine how ecstatic I felt! Then the next day, he repeated this newly found skill in front of the grandparents. And everybody cheered! I know many babies have reached this milestone much sooner than my dear YT, still, when it comes to your own baby’s first experience, it always sets off the excitement in the family. I try not to compare such milestones with other babies and much prefer to celebrate my baby’s success at his own pace. After all, it is more important that milestones are reached within a reasonable time frame, and equally important to keep a watch on any serious delay of development.
Things that make my baby smile at 11th month
There are many simple things that can trigger an endearing smile from Baby YT. He loves bath time and loves to see water trickles down from a water filled bottle held at a height. He smiles when he sees his milk bottle in my hands and know it’s feeding time. He laughs when his sister sings his favourite songs from “Charlie and the Numbers”, “Tricky Tracks” and the japanese version of “If you are happy and you know it”. He smiles at anything that spins. He loves to spin the 3-D puzzle globe on its stand. His favourite spins are the wheels on his walker in over-turned position. He enjoys manipulating everything on his hands and turning them upside down. What a discovery! He smiles the moment you carry him towards the main door and out of the house. He loves to go out.
Baby YT loves to play and can really sit straight!
Things that my baby doesn’t like
Baby YT does not like crowd due to the peaking of stranger anxiety these months. He cries when there are too many people cooing over him. What a big contrast to a few months ago when he displayed his showmanship and smiled at anyone who looked his way! We understand his fear and hold him close whenever he shows signs of insecurity. He will hold me real tight and tug at my necklace. At such times, I would secretly enjoy his head resting on my chest, and feeling satisfied that I am needed and trusted to protect him.
Baby YT doesn’t like to be left alone in the play pen. He is irritated if his hair touches his ears. He will brush his ears violently with his little hands and that is sooooo cute! Do I sound like a terrible mum, enjoying his reactions to things he doesn’t like? But for little babies, any reaction from them is simply adorable and irresistable!
My baby prefers warm milk and water. He pushes away the milk bottle if the milk or water has cooled. That makes me wonder how will any babies take to cold milk that is fresh from the fridge as recommended in the books and followed diligently by one parent who happens to be my piano teacher? Have you tried giving your baby cold milk?
Next month same day, will be my baby’s 1st year. Kel and I are busy thinking of a birthday celebration that is cozy and comfortably suited for the birthday baby. We have to be careful not to overwhelm him. The last thing we want to do is to make him cry on his big day. But, isn’t it more fun (yes, for the adults) to have more people to celebrate together?
Baby, you don’t know how happy Mummy and Papa are that you have reached all these milestones! You’ll be reaching the big ONE next month and of course, you don’t know this either! Still, we love you lots!
I remember the day when my son, YH was lost in the shopping mall. It was a frantic search for him. He was only 1+ years old then.
We went to an arcade (an entertainment centre) in a shopping mall. My girl, XX, 3 years old then, was playing at some kiddie station. YH was stomping on some step-on-the-buttons station a metre away. We have 6 adults, kel, me and the 4 grandparents around these 2 toddlers. The adults were chatting away while keeping 12 EYES on the kids. The arcade was noisy as usual, a mix of lousy orchestra playing game station music. The little ones were having great fun hitting buttons and stepping on gears away with no tokens being deposited into the machines.
YH was walking about and running his unsteady steps from one station to the next. Everything seemed normal till I suddenly realized that in my sight radar, there was only one toddler moving about. Where’s the other one??
For what seemed like 5 hours, the next 5 seconds were a frantic scatter of all of us searching for YH. My first thought was to run to the main entrance of the arcade in case he ran out. But my worse fear was him being kidnapped by somebody. I imagined a man carrying him with one hand over his mouth while my boy struggled and cried. This thought made me crazy! Then, alas, kel came looking for me 5 minutes later, and told me YH was checking out some station behind a drop down curtain! Whew! I let out a sigh of relief! If you ever have such experience of finding your child lost, you would have been able to imagine my roller coaster emotions! Hearing the good news, I ran back to my dear boy and hugged him tightly. I fought back my tears.
The whole episode was only about 5 minutes but it could have been forever if he was really kidnapped away! Having many people around with 12 eyes on the kids is not as safe as you think it to be. I would have thought you are looking after the kids and you would have thought I am looking after them. In the end, nobody is actually paying attention to the kids’ whereabouts! This incident took place in our home country, Singapore which is one of the safest country in the world. Yet, as parents, we cannot let our guards down when it comes to kids’ safety. Even till now, YH who is already 6 years old, still wanders off in the crowd. It always drives me crazy to search for him. XX will always tell us where she is going if she is going to be out of sight from us. Boys being boys, will always need that extra attention, but I will not let my guard down for my girl too.
Have you ever encountered such a frantic experience of searching for your kids? Share with me!
