I'm a full-time mummy

"Community Support: The theme for this year's WBW highlights the importance of helping each mother throughout her breastfeeding journey. Today we are featuring posts that discuss the need for and benefits of a community of breastfeeding supporters. Share your thoughts on and stories about your own breastfeeding journey - was there someone who made your nursing relationship a success? What is access to Lactation Counselors like in your area - did you know where to find them? Were they accessible to you? Did you ever attend a La Leche League meeting or other breastfeeding support group?"

It has been a while since I participated in a blog carnival and since this is for World Breastfeeding Week, I definitely gotta join in the fun! Now, as to whether there are anyone who made my nursing relationship success, of course there is! I have been breastfeeding NON-STOP since 4th March 2009, the day my first child Benjamin was born. Breastfed him past 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, then throughout my 2nd pregnancy, then went on to tandem Benjamin and his baby sister Alyson for 1.5 year before he finally self-weaned at 45 months old.

So who do I give the credit for my nursing success to? Here goes the list - not in any particular order btw...

* My sister-in-laws: My 3 sister-in laws (hubby's side) all breastfed their children though average between 3 months to the most, less than a year. They do inspired me into going to this journey as well.

* My hubby: He stuck by me when I was having my nursing aversion, followed me to the antenatal class where we learned how to care for and breastfeed a baby and how beneficial it is to breastfeed.

* My antenatal class trainer: For telling us the benefits of breastfeeding, what to expect, how to handle and so on.

* God: Without Him, I won't be here today. My children and family will not be able to reap the benefits of breastfeeding.

* My MIL: She helped boiled this black beans and red dates drinks throughout my breastfeeding journey to keep my breastmilk production up.

* Myself

I don't have any LLL support here so during the initial stage, I Googled and read up as many breastfeeding websites I could searched and remembered the tips and tricks and what to expect and hope for the best.

How about you? Do you get any support when it comes to breastfeeding?

I just want to share some of the dishes we tried during our short 3 days 2 nights stay in Melaka recently. Firstly, we arrived quite late on our 1st day, 8pm+ to be exact by the time we checked into our hotel. We didn't go up to our room immediately, we just went back to our car and looked for the nearest restaurant we could find so that we could have our dinners (don't want cranky hungry kids!)

So, this is what we saw... Makko Nyonya Restaurant! Location: 123, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya, 75000, Melaka. Malaysia. (Phone: 06-284 0737)

Ambience and environment around the restaurant is cozy and quiet. There's about 2 other families in the restaurant when we were there.

After we placed our orders, we were served with a plate of tapioca crackers (RM2 per plate) while we waited for our food. Our kiddos seem to enjoy the crackers and when I turned around, I noticed the restaurant sell these crackers too. I didn't find out how much these crackers were being sold for though I did mentioned to hubby maybe we should buy few packs home hahahaha...

I will start with the not so nice food first... these fried chicken arrived first and we ordered 3 plates of rice, each rice RM1.20 (3rd plate to be shared by Benjamin and Alyson). I don't really like this dish as I feel the chicken meat is a bit too hard to chew on. I only had a piece and the rest was finished up by my poor hubby hahaha.. (Price: RM10 for small dish)

Next up is the chicken pongteh. I first heard about the pongteh word from one of the mummies in my FB mums group that I joined in. Tastewise, a bit too salty for my liking but hubby likes it. I feel it is like those soy sauce chicken dish, only that the potatoes are much more saltier. (Price: RM10 for small dish)

Egg is my favorite, but somehow with my 3rd pregnancy, I don't really crave for eggs all the time but this time, when I saw the prawn omelette, I went 'mmmmmmm' and whacked most of it hahahaha... this dish is nice! (Price: RM9 for small dish)

This has got to be the best dish for our dinner that night. Fried fish with salted sambal. Yums to the max! Hubby and I fought over it, luckily our kiddos are not into spicy foods else all 4 of us will be fighting over this dish! It is very very delicious, especially when dipped with the sambal and the fish is just crispy and juicy enough. (Price: RM36 for small dish)

And finally, of course I have to complete my dinner with an order of cendol! It is a bit too sweet but I've been on some sugary fasting (due to my glucose blood readings) but decided to let go and go crazy with sugary stuff for this trip hahahaha! I shared this bowl with my boy (he just had a few spoons of it only) (Price: RM4.70)

Total bill? RM75.30, a bit too pricey for me but it's not like we always go on holiday and feast like this. Thanks for reading!

Are we expecting too much from our children?

This question lingered on my mind for the past week. It all happened when our 4 years old boy started refusing to attend his Sunday school classes and insisted to stay on with grandma (she's always the one remaining in the main service as either hubby and I will be taking our kiddos and accompanying them in their classes).

Benjamin is in the 3-4 years old age group and hence do not require parent to be around. As for Alyson, she's in the 1.5 to 3 years old age group and required 1 parent to be around during her classes. So lately it has been hubby who does the shift as I get tired pretty easily and can't cope with a hyper active ninja in the class already.

Anyway, back to my question for today...

Are we expecting too much from our children?

Why am I asking this question? You see, 2 Sundays back, just to get Ben to attend his class, I told hubby I will go along in his class and stay at the back. That way, I'm still around and he does not have any excuse of not wanting to attend his class. The class goes on its usual routine, singing and dancing followed by story telling and then craftworks and snacks at the end.

During storytelling time, the teacher was explaining to the children in the class about the 10 commandments. And as the teacher stuck each commandment printout (in easy to understand children language) onto the whiteboard, the children listened attentively and repeated what the teacher said.

And after a while, the teacher asked them to repeat the commandments on the whiteboard. None responded. The teacher looked frustrated and annoyed at the silence from the class.

Even I panicked for a moment there, wondering, 'These are just 3-4 years old children...I'm not sure about the rest but my boy sure can't read yet.' And I know majority of the children in the class that day attended preschool and kindy, unlike our boy.

But 3 to 4 years old kiddos... being asked to read! I think I only learned ABCs when I went kindy at 6 years old!

Are we expecting too much from our children?

It does not help when I have also been reading postings from mummies in my FB group about their plans to send their 3, 4, even 5 years old children to preschool and asking for recommendations on what to look out for, where to go to, etc etc. And then some mummies responded with the syllabus taught in their children's kindy/preschool etc and even having homeworks, exams and essays to learn in preparation to being enrolled to primary 1 at 6/7 years old.

Exams and essays before 5 years old! In preparation for primary 1 schools?!

I don't know... I clammed up when I hear the word 'SCHOOL'. I just can't take it now. I can't imagine sending off my children at this young tender age, burdened with homeworks, exams and essays...

Why the rush? What's the hurry?

Some mums said they were told by the kindy/preschool staff that the homeworks, exams and essays are a must so that their children are well-prepared when they go to primary 1 and not slagging behind their schoolmates.

Because of pressure from these, our children are being made the victims... at such young tender age when they should be playing and enjoying their childhood.

Sure, some parents will say going to daycare/kindy/preschools at young age helped their child to build up their social skills and learned to discipline well. I agree to some extent, in terms of socializing, compared to my kiddos being couped up at home all day with me and not getting to mix with kids around their age, maybe it is a good idea for them to be in a different environment to build up their social skills.

But some mums also reported that their children also picked up bad habits from their classmates. Rebellions, disrespect (talk back to their parents), bad manners etc. This is where I find a wee bit comfort that at least I can have some form of control still with my kiddos still at home with me. I'm responsible for their manners and discipline, not outside influences.

I have yet to slowly digest this and think through what our plans is with our kiddos. He is going to be 5 years old next year, the age required to register for primary 1 later. Am I ready to let him go? Is he ready to learn and be exposed to heavy homeworks, exams and essays at this young age? I really don't know...

Are we expecting too much from our children?