I'm a full-time mummy

I admit my tempers can easily flared up.. especially when I haven't eaten anything (happens quite a number of times) or when I'm trying to rush up things like paying online bills, rushing quotations/invoices/POs for hubby's business (I don't like to delay or leave things till last minute)...

And with a toddler now, I do find that one of the things I learned from Ben is: PATIENCE...

Hmm... or like this quote says:

"You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance.  ~Franklin P. Jones"

Yup... take this picture below for example...

See my handsome and playful little man there happily riding his ride-on car, maneuvering amidst the trails of Mega Bloks destruction all around our bedroom floor. Maybe to you it's just a couple of block toys all over the floor, but being kind of the everything-must-be-in-its-place person, it looks like a disaster site to me.

Given normal circumstances, I would have happily just play along, pushing the blocks away from his path and cheering him on... but when situations are critical which makes my anger flares up, I would be either screaming to myself (inside my head of course!) and/or scolding Ben.

After reading a few awesome parenting books (Zig Ziglar's "Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World" and Dr. Jenn Berman's "SuperBaby"), I realised that children learns by observing their parents. What we do is what they will do.

So yes, as much as I hate to admit I have this weakness of tempers being easily flared up at particular situations, I do realised that I have to and am in the process of learning to be more patience... for the sake of my child.

So nowadays, when I see my little man with all his toys everywhere, I'll take a deep breath, tell myself this is nothing, don't get angry, just relax and join in the fun... and then when we're done, I'll teach him to clean up his toys and make sure the room is neat and tidy again. Read this quote below:

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762"

I mean, why fuss so much with the mess when you see your child enjoying so much while playing? Right? And to that, I leave you with a Chinese proverb  and an inspirational quote to ponder about:

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster.  One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.  ~Chinese Proverb"

(*Image taken from Google search)

I am continuing on with my reading on the "Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World" book from Zig Ziglar (I love love love this book!) and I would like to share this part (in red font) where Ziglar mentioned the following:

"A solid foundation for children involves a solid moral base. Parents who teach their children honesty but fail to practise it themselves create real problems. For example, suppose parents repeatedly tell their children to be truthful, but when the telephone rings, they call out to the child who's answering it, "Tell them I'm not home." The message to the child is clear. If children are taught to lie for parents, they are taught to lie to parents."

Think about it. Of course Ben is not at the age of answering calls or even talking properly yet, but what I'm trying to get the message across is, to raise a child with solid moral base, we as parents have to walk the talk first.

"As another example, suppose parents lecture their children on the importance of obeying the law, yet install a radar detector in the car to evade being stopped for speeding. The message again is clear. It you're going to break the law, don't get caught. Be smart like your dad or mom."

Are you starting to worry about what your child is learning from you? Whether consciously or subconsciously?

For me, everytime I'm deciding on something, I think "How am I going to answer to God if I decide this or that?" and then I think of "How will it affect my loved ones around?" and whether I could sleep through the night if I take this or that decision.

Think about it.. I will continue sharing the excerpts from the book if I happened to come across any that I find worth sharing with you guys. Have a nice day!

I am halfway reading the Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World book from Zig Ziglar (I love love love this book!) and I came across this part where Ziglar mentioned this lady (a SAHM) who gave a very good response when people commented that her brain should be put to better use in the working world instead of at home. Please take some time to ponder on the excerpts below taken from the book:

"For those mothers who are sometimes looked down upon by an ignorant or insensitive person because they have chosen to stay home and raise their babies, I love what Linda Burton, a mother of two, says when her working friends tell her that "her mind is too good to stay at home":

I'll second that and add that the most important, demanding and rewarding career a mother can have is to raise her kids positively in a negative world".

Oh I so, so, so, so truly agree with that. I used to think it's a waste of my talents and brain for quitting my job to be a SAHM but yeah... the best minds are required at home... by my own child. I always have the opinion that no strangers should raise my own child cos well, I give birth to my child and so, it is my duty to raise them up, not some strangers.

I am particularly fond of this Polish Proverb: "You have a lifetime to work, but children are only young once." That's what I thought of when deciding to quit. I can always find some job later (if I want to) but my child grows up real fast and no time or money can replace that memories of being part of their life as they grow up.

* Image from Google search

So, back to this topic, I do agree that our mind is too good NOT to stay at home with our children! With that, I leave you with this short poem:

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"

Btw, just want to let you guys know 2 years ago on this date, we found out we're expecting a baby boy! Now look at him, all grown up!