I have always been petrified of dentists. Still am.
And yet, on valentine's day the only date I had, and that too an impromptu one was with the dentist(The husband has been away in Finland, supposedly working very hard so could not even complain!)
I got a phone call from Vaibhav yesterday asking me to rush to school because he was bleeding!! My stomach did several mini somersaults while I mechanically headed towards his school.I found him at the school dentist's clinic. The dentist and he were having a serious chat. Couldn't care less as to what it was about. ..just glad that he was well enough to be discussing something. Barged my way into their conversation to find my poor little boy's lips bleeding profusely. He had apparently tripped on another boy and fallen flat on his face. But those minor details were all cast aside...as they were discussing more important things like whether to pull or not.
WHAT? Not again. He had the first two teeth pulled out as well and I was looking forward to having this one take its own time. But No, the doc felt that the fall had loosened the tooth a little too much and Mr. V played his part well by adding that it irritated him a lot!
I held his hand firm, shut my eyes tight and looked away the other side. The dentist counted ...one- two - three. I turned around to peek if it was all over but horror of horrors it was not. Vaibhav had a mirror in one hand, intensely watching the gruesome scene unfold while the dentist was tugging at his teeth!
Tooth once again was handed over to him in a ziploc. Vaibhav came to me and whispered that I never should take the doc's first one -two -three seriously. " Amma, the docs say it the first time so that they dont get nervous, they will always pull it out only the second time. You should not have opened your eyes till the second time"!!
He's a brave kid alright but those genes are definitely not mine. He gave me a big toothless grin and said that today was his lucky day as God had accidentally, correctly made him fall!!
And the irony of it all, the dentist was not handsome, nope, he was not even a guy. My Valentine's date was with this very nice, grandmotherly lady who might have checked all of my teeth too had I stayed a minute longer!!
Autumns here!!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Chores No More A Bore!
We started off with gold stars and black marks. Good behavior = 1 gold star
Bad behavior = Black Mark
At the end of the month we would tally it all up and dole out $2 to each kid.
After a while, this system failed. The reward at the end of the month was too long a wait!!
We progressed to instant rewards and withdrawal of treats (I detest calling them punishments...makes me sound so cruel)!So for every good deed and nice behavior, they enjoyed an extra 10 minutes of playtime, piggyback ride on Dad's back to the loo and back, extra 5 minutes of bubble blowing during bathtime. And for bad behavior, it was 15 minutes deducted from 'sacred' half an hour of tv time a day or worse still 1 0 minutes of quiet time during play hour.
It seemed like I was always going...V- you miss 10 mins of tv this weekend, S- you have to sit and eat your dinner in the kitchen as you miss 10 mins of tv time and its your brothers turn to enjoy a tv dinner.And they went....' But amma, this is the program that I have been waiting for 2 weeks. Can I miss tv time tomorrow instead...pleeeeeaaase?', ' Howcome I got 15 mins of playtime cut yesterday while he only gets 10 mins of tv time cut today?' Amma, you are SO mean!!'
Aaargh...keeping track of who misses what and when and why was getting to me. Added to that, carrying forward these missing-of-treats was def making me go crazy. BUT the system worked. They hated missing their treats but I realized that it was the resentment towards the withdrawal of treats rather than the cause of it all that finally stuck in their heads.
There had to be a better way. A method where the kids happily accept the consequences and I am not seen as the in-house witch! And we found a system that works for us just nicely through one of their beloved Berenstein Bear books. Mamma Bear is pretty much in the same situation as me. And she brilliantly suggests chores for every bad bit of behavior!
So, now we have a list put up in the kitchen that reads:
Bloopers ----- Help Josie aunty (housekeeper) dust the furniture
Bad Table manners ------------ Wipe the table clean after x meals
Disrespect/Disobedience -------- help with odd jobs like putting away the dishes or putting away the shoes in the rack
The kids understand this better.The consequences are very clearly spelt out. So, no more negotiations, no more' You are the Meanest Mom', no more having to remember the whats and whys.
I love this constructive way of learning while realizing their follies. And it certainly helps that the kids are actually acquiring new skills which could come very handy in Finland where we are moving to soon. Super thrilled that they have especially become adept at cleaning the dining table. They will say it out aloud before carrying out the task: Clear dishes, wet cloth first, dry cloth last!
Yesterday, caught Vaibhav skewing his head and narrowing his eyes to check the table one last time for any hidden stains!Aah, the satisfaction of a job well done:-)
Thank you Mamma Bear!
Bad behavior = Black Mark
At the end of the month we would tally it all up and dole out $2 to each kid.
After a while, this system failed. The reward at the end of the month was too long a wait!!
We progressed to instant rewards and withdrawal of treats (I detest calling them punishments...makes me sound so cruel)!So for every good deed and nice behavior, they enjoyed an extra 10 minutes of playtime, piggyback ride on Dad's back to the loo and back, extra 5 minutes of bubble blowing during bathtime. And for bad behavior, it was 15 minutes deducted from 'sacred' half an hour of tv time a day or worse still 1 0 minutes of quiet time during play hour.
It seemed like I was always going...V- you miss 10 mins of tv this weekend, S- you have to sit and eat your dinner in the kitchen as you miss 10 mins of tv time and its your brothers turn to enjoy a tv dinner.And they went....' But amma, this is the program that I have been waiting for 2 weeks. Can I miss tv time tomorrow instead...pleeeeeaaase?', ' Howcome I got 15 mins of playtime cut yesterday while he only gets 10 mins of tv time cut today?' Amma, you are SO mean!!'
Aaargh...keeping track of who misses what and when and why was getting to me. Added to that, carrying forward these missing-of-treats was def making me go crazy. BUT the system worked. They hated missing their treats but I realized that it was the resentment towards the withdrawal of treats rather than the cause of it all that finally stuck in their heads.
There had to be a better way. A method where the kids happily accept the consequences and I am not seen as the in-house witch! And we found a system that works for us just nicely through one of their beloved Berenstein Bear books. Mamma Bear is pretty much in the same situation as me. And she brilliantly suggests chores for every bad bit of behavior!
So, now we have a list put up in the kitchen that reads:
Bloopers ----- Help Josie aunty (housekeeper) dust the furniture
Bad Table manners ------------ Wipe the table clean after x meals
Disrespect/Disobedience -------- help with odd jobs like putting away the dishes or putting away the shoes in the rack
The kids understand this better.The consequences are very clearly spelt out. So, no more negotiations, no more' You are the Meanest Mom', no more having to remember the whats and whys.
I love this constructive way of learning while realizing their follies. And it certainly helps that the kids are actually acquiring new skills which could come very handy in Finland where we are moving to soon. Super thrilled that they have especially become adept at cleaning the dining table. They will say it out aloud before carrying out the task: Clear dishes, wet cloth first, dry cloth last!
Yesterday, caught Vaibhav skewing his head and narrowing his eyes to check the table one last time for any hidden stains!Aah, the satisfaction of a job well done:-)
Thank you Mamma Bear!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!
You can't miss the buzz and spirit of Chinese New Year living in Singapore!
It was celebration time at Shriya's school. And what a celebration it was this year!!We rung in the year of the dragon amidst lots of fun, music, dance and food!
It was celebration time at Shriya's school. And what a celebration it was this year!!We rung in the year of the dragon amidst lots of fun, music, dance and food!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
'WE' Time
Vaibhav has stopped taking the school bus! With our impending move and wanting to give him an extra 15 minutes of precious sleep, we decided to walk him to school and back.
Frankly, I had dreaded this arrangement. This way, I cant just give him a sleepy goodbye kiss and plonk right back in bed. What will we do if it rains just during drop-off time? And in Singapore that's very likely to happen!! Will I be able to arrange my meetings and work commitments to be at school at exactly the same time everyday?
Its been a month. And I'm glad, so glad that we decided to do it this way.Somedays the Dad drops him off but on most days its my duty as the Dad is busy fighting jetlag the days he's here in Singapore! I never thought I'd say this, but I actually look forward to the early morning brisk walks.I even enjoy the sweaty trips back home after school. I love the look on his face when our eyes meet after I've spotted him amongst the sea of similar looking boys in uniforms spilling out of their classrooms. During the morning drop, Vaibhav and I sometimes talk and other times just walk hand in hand in companiable silence,watching the day unfurl. On the way back home, he will tell me random bits from his schoolday or just thoughts hanging in his little head. Somedays it could be something as heavy as " Do you think, we'll ever come back to Singapore" and on others it would be on the lines of " Isaac got caught talking during class".
Now, we 've taken it one level further. We've blocked Tuesday afternoons after school just for ourselves. Its a date! I quickly finish up work and buy a take away lunch(usually one of our favourite local foods) that Vaibhav and I will share sitting in his school canteen. After an icecream, we'll head to the school's fantastic library and spend an uninterrupted hour of reading to each other.
Well, I dont get my extra 15 mins of lounging in bed anymore. And yes, it has rained many a time during pick-up hour. I'd quite forgotten the thrill of sharing one umbrella and getting completely drenched by speeding cars over puddles. As for managing my schedule, everything now revolves around drop off and pick up times :-)
Thanks, sonny boy! You are great company and I'm enjoying every bit of our WE time!
Frankly, I had dreaded this arrangement. This way, I cant just give him a sleepy goodbye kiss and plonk right back in bed. What will we do if it rains just during drop-off time? And in Singapore that's very likely to happen!! Will I be able to arrange my meetings and work commitments to be at school at exactly the same time everyday?
Its been a month. And I'm glad, so glad that we decided to do it this way.Somedays the Dad drops him off but on most days its my duty as the Dad is busy fighting jetlag the days he's here in Singapore! I never thought I'd say this, but I actually look forward to the early morning brisk walks.I even enjoy the sweaty trips back home after school. I love the look on his face when our eyes meet after I've spotted him amongst the sea of similar looking boys in uniforms spilling out of their classrooms. During the morning drop, Vaibhav and I sometimes talk and other times just walk hand in hand in companiable silence,watching the day unfurl. On the way back home, he will tell me random bits from his schoolday or just thoughts hanging in his little head. Somedays it could be something as heavy as " Do you think, we'll ever come back to Singapore" and on others it would be on the lines of " Isaac got caught talking during class".
Now, we 've taken it one level further. We've blocked Tuesday afternoons after school just for ourselves. Its a date! I quickly finish up work and buy a take away lunch(usually one of our favourite local foods) that Vaibhav and I will share sitting in his school canteen. After an icecream, we'll head to the school's fantastic library and spend an uninterrupted hour of reading to each other.
Well, I dont get my extra 15 mins of lounging in bed anymore. And yes, it has rained many a time during pick-up hour. I'd quite forgotten the thrill of sharing one umbrella and getting completely drenched by speeding cars over puddles. As for managing my schedule, everything now revolves around drop off and pick up times :-)
Thanks, sonny boy! You are great company and I'm enjoying every bit of our WE time!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Why O Why??
'Why are you guys moving and How did you decide'??
It might seem like ordinary questions to anybody outside of Singapore. But trust me, these are loaded questions. Deciding to quit Singapore is not easy. We've been at this juncture several times before and found it hard to weigh down the cons against the pros.
Singapore is a place where I have been able to be more than a mom, wife and homemaker. And not have to stress about it all too much. I have actually had a life beyond my work, kids and home without having to orchestrate details like baby sitters and care centre schedules. I have been able to thoroughly enjoy watching my two babies grow into their school years, thanks to super efficient housekeepers handling most of the other mundane stuff.I have been able to breathe easy with the assurance that my kids are safe at school, in the playground and even with strangers.
Yes, we've done our share of cribbing about the lack of natural beauty, the 'kiasuness' all around us and the materialistic nature of the entire city.
But yet, we could not get ourselves to leave this place, one that we'd all along considered home.
So, why Finland? "Is'nt it freezing cold out there"? "Do they even speak English"? "How will the kids like it? Better watch out for a huge life style change"!!
For starters, we did not choose Finland. Rather, Finland chose us. It could have been any other country and we would have still jumped at it. This seems like the perfect window to move. Kids are at an age where they are old enough to take care of themselves and maybe even help us out and still young and excited enough to explore a new culture. Not sure how a move like this would work with teenagers.
London or Paris might have been overwhelming right after Singapore. But Finland is a small and safe country. A country that has an interesting history and a rich culture.Added to that, the Finnish school system is excellent and the kids have been lucky to get into the International School at Helsinki where their class is going to be an interesting melting pot (thanks to the zillion embassies around Helsinki!)
As a family, we are at a stage where we are ready for a change. We've done the trek trails in all the Nature Reserves, dreaded shopping trails in most of the Malls, picnics in the various parks and holidays to all the exotic neighbouring countries around Singapore. Now,Lapland beckons. The dream of picture postcard views is very appealing!Traipsing around Europe seems very enticing!
Finnish culture is big on family time and weekend activities are a plenty.With 3 very outdoorsy people in the family, I'm sure to get sucked into a a whole new range of activities that they are already busy planning (read plotting!)Just overhearing them mention the word 'ski school' was enough to get me palpitating!
As Vaibhav is entering his 7th year, the Dad and I are acutely aware that in another few years he's going to be happier to spend time with his friends than his family. We hope to capture the last few years of the kids' childhoods and make the most of it!
So, here's to new possibilities, new friendships, new life experiences!!
It might seem like ordinary questions to anybody outside of Singapore. But trust me, these are loaded questions. Deciding to quit Singapore is not easy. We've been at this juncture several times before and found it hard to weigh down the cons against the pros.
Singapore is a place where I have been able to be more than a mom, wife and homemaker. And not have to stress about it all too much. I have actually had a life beyond my work, kids and home without having to orchestrate details like baby sitters and care centre schedules. I have been able to thoroughly enjoy watching my two babies grow into their school years, thanks to super efficient housekeepers handling most of the other mundane stuff.I have been able to breathe easy with the assurance that my kids are safe at school, in the playground and even with strangers.
Yes, we've done our share of cribbing about the lack of natural beauty, the 'kiasuness' all around us and the materialistic nature of the entire city.
But yet, we could not get ourselves to leave this place, one that we'd all along considered home.
So, why Finland? "Is'nt it freezing cold out there"? "Do they even speak English"? "How will the kids like it? Better watch out for a huge life style change"!!
For starters, we did not choose Finland. Rather, Finland chose us. It could have been any other country and we would have still jumped at it. This seems like the perfect window to move. Kids are at an age where they are old enough to take care of themselves and maybe even help us out and still young and excited enough to explore a new culture. Not sure how a move like this would work with teenagers.
London or Paris might have been overwhelming right after Singapore. But Finland is a small and safe country. A country that has an interesting history and a rich culture.Added to that, the Finnish school system is excellent and the kids have been lucky to get into the International School at Helsinki where their class is going to be an interesting melting pot (thanks to the zillion embassies around Helsinki!)
As a family, we are at a stage where we are ready for a change. We've done the trek trails in all the Nature Reserves, dreaded shopping trails in most of the Malls, picnics in the various parks and holidays to all the exotic neighbouring countries around Singapore. Now,Lapland beckons. The dream of picture postcard views is very appealing!Traipsing around Europe seems very enticing!
Finnish culture is big on family time and weekend activities are a plenty.With 3 very outdoorsy people in the family, I'm sure to get sucked into a a whole new range of activities that they are already busy planning (read plotting!)Just overhearing them mention the word 'ski school' was enough to get me palpitating!
As Vaibhav is entering his 7th year, the Dad and I are acutely aware that in another few years he's going to be happier to spend time with his friends than his family. We hope to capture the last few years of the kids' childhoods and make the most of it!
So, here's to new possibilities, new friendships, new life experiences!!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Our Wishlists
Now that the BIG move has sunk in and we are adequately getting stressed about ticking off jobs/errands from our extensive to-do lists, I thought it might be a good idea for all four of us to make fun Wishlists that we might enjoy ticking off! Stuff we'd like to do, eat, visit, experience in the next 50 odd days.
Our lists are all very different. The kids, of course, want to have play dates with xyz friends. They want to visit the Merlion, spend a day at Sentosa beach, go tandem biking at east coast park, eat the 'best pizza in the world' at the Botanic gardens cafe, get amma to pierce her belly button (I know that came from watching their second ever Bollywood movie) and go parasailing ( not sure where that popped from!)
The daddy's list is short. He just wants to savour his filter coffee at Komala Vilas as many times as possible.
My list includes visits to all the nooks and corners where we've built our memories of this place. The botanic gardens-a place which has been an integral part of our Singapore life. As newly marrieds, the husband and I would pack a light picnic, fat books and comfy cushions and head down to the botanic gardens every Sunday. When the kids came into picture, it became larger picnics, no books and bikes that came with us to the gardens. I can never get enough of this place and it definitely is one of my favourite places in the city.
So many little eateries, hawker joints that I want to go to and eat at with the hope of carrying the memory of certain tastes that will hopefully linger long after we've left this place.
And catching up over relaxed meals, board games and picnics with our wonderful friends.
We are happily ticking off our lists and holding on to our every minute in Singapore.So little time, so much to do!!
Our lists are all very different. The kids, of course, want to have play dates with xyz friends. They want to visit the Merlion, spend a day at Sentosa beach, go tandem biking at east coast park, eat the 'best pizza in the world' at the Botanic gardens cafe, get amma to pierce her belly button (I know that came from watching their second ever Bollywood movie) and go parasailing ( not sure where that popped from!)
The daddy's list is short. He just wants to savour his filter coffee at Komala Vilas as many times as possible.
My list includes visits to all the nooks and corners where we've built our memories of this place. The botanic gardens-a place which has been an integral part of our Singapore life. As newly marrieds, the husband and I would pack a light picnic, fat books and comfy cushions and head down to the botanic gardens every Sunday. When the kids came into picture, it became larger picnics, no books and bikes that came with us to the gardens. I can never get enough of this place and it definitely is one of my favourite places in the city.
So many little eateries, hawker joints that I want to go to and eat at with the hope of carrying the memory of certain tastes that will hopefully linger long after we've left this place.
And catching up over relaxed meals, board games and picnics with our wonderful friends.
We are happily ticking off our lists and holding on to our every minute in Singapore.So little time, so much to do!!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The BIG Move
I wonder how it's possible to miss something that you still have and love something that you have not yet experienced!!
I am still in Sunny Singapore for the next few months but I'm already missing it acutely. After 11 years, I guess I'm entitled to it. But I did not expect it to kick in even before we've started packing. But I guess that's a good thing because I'm now savouring every moment, every bite ( the foodie that I am!) and every meeting with friends.
At the same time, I'm also eagerly looking forward to fabulous Finland. I was there a few months back as a tourist and enjoyed it. But what I've read up on the place has made me a complete convert. I can't wait to experience Finnish culture and start planning sauna sessions with friends and camping trips with the family.
Its been great innings in Singapore and we're going to miss this place more than we can ever imagine. But I'm sure we will always cherish our fantastic friends, fondly remember the mouthwatering foods and carry a part of Singapore with us wherever we are!
I am still in Sunny Singapore for the next few months but I'm already missing it acutely. After 11 years, I guess I'm entitled to it. But I did not expect it to kick in even before we've started packing. But I guess that's a good thing because I'm now savouring every moment, every bite ( the foodie that I am!) and every meeting with friends.
At the same time, I'm also eagerly looking forward to fabulous Finland. I was there a few months back as a tourist and enjoyed it. But what I've read up on the place has made me a complete convert. I can't wait to experience Finnish culture and start planning sauna sessions with friends and camping trips with the family.
Its been great innings in Singapore and we're going to miss this place more than we can ever imagine. But I'm sure we will always cherish our fantastic friends, fondly remember the mouthwatering foods and carry a part of Singapore with us wherever we are!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)