Privilege or Pressure?

It's a fact. Kids are better behaved when mummy is NOT around. Two of my friends have told me that before but it was only recently that I realised its universal truth. It appears that the children are more clingy, throw more tantrums and don't behave as well in front of mummy.

When I went overseas for a week recently, KK sat at the table during meal times enough to win a reward from his father. XX does not pester his father to carry him and play with him ALL the time. It appears the household was very much in order, based on the Skype conversations I have with Hubby. But when it's the other way around, Hubby flies off and I stay home, I realised that I have to constantly nag at KK to stay by the table during meals. And XX, he protests vehemently whenever the maid tries to take him from me. He refuses to go to sleep if he spots me around. I admit it, I actually hide myself and have to creep like a thief into the room so I can have a few moments on my own.

Of course, it will be more positive to think of this as a "privilege" that only a mother enjoys. The theory is that a child knows somehow that from their mother, they can extract empathy and tenderness, something most men have trouble expressing. Also, Daddy, being the man that he is, is very much pragmatic and have a low tolerance for crap. Kids are very perceptive, despite their age. They know they can get away with nonsense with Mummy but with Daddy, they'll probably get the cane.

Privilege or pressure? You decide. My guess is, it's probably one of those things that the men are so glad "the men don't get it".

In Remembrance

I have been rather slack in my blogging recently mainly because I have been preoccupied with work and functions. I went to Mauritius again last week and spent another 5 more days at the client's site. I had thought the last trip was the last, but it turned out there were still some unfinished business. Luckily for me, the flight there was made more bearable by their new A330 where they have a more beautiful cabin and AVOD. I was upgraded to Business Class from KUL to MRU and got to enjoy their flat bed, though I didn't sleep a wink since it was a day flight.

The hotel too, is a different one from the one I used to stay. Preskil Beach Resort is only 20 minutes from the airport and has at least 5 things better:

1) More TV channels;

2) Larger, newer and cozier rooms;

3) A bigger buffet spread;

4) A nicer scenary of the beach; and most importantly

5) Internet access!

This is extremely valuable to me. I use it to check my emails and to skype with my husband and kids back home. I can do video conferencing with my webcam and we see each other when we talk. Although the wifi is only available at the main lobby and you have to purchase a pre-paid card, it's still worth it.

On the same day that I arrived back to Singapore, I had a "10th Anniversary" dinner gathering with several of my "batch girls" from SIA. It was 19 January 1998 when we started our training as trainee flight stewardesses. By now, there is only a handful still flying, most of whom have already reached the next rank. When we started, most of the girls were fresh from school, some as young as only 19 years old. Now, many are already married and have children. We've lost touch with many of them and couldn't get all to turn up. In the end, it was just 4 of us. Well, we enjoyed the catching up nonetheless. Though there is one person we sorely missed.

Rachel has been one of my best friend in the batch. Because we stayed just two blocks from each other and only 15 minutes from STC, we used to walk to class every morning together. Sometimes her father, a taxi driver, would give his precious daughter a lift and I would get to enjoy a nice cool ride to school as well. Everyday, for 4 months, we'll laugh and joke, study and have tea breaks together. Though we went to separate teams after graduation, we kept in touch and the bond remained strong. Unfortunately one day, Rachel discovered she had a cancerous growth on her breast. It was to be the beginning of a 2 year struggle with the disease. She lost the battle and I lost a cheerful, bubbly friend. She was only 26 years old.

Till today, I think of her sometimes and could still vividly remember her infectious laughter. I often wondered what she will be if she had still been alive. I really feel unjustified for her short life and wondered why God would be so harsh to such a nice girl? If anything, her death has taught me to appreciate my life, cherish the people around me and to count my blessings everyday.

Before we went to dinner that night, we paid a visit to Choa Chu Kang Crematorium to visit our dear friend Rachel. It has taken me 3 years but I'm glad I made the trip. I've always wanted to pay my respects but I've not managed to fulfill that wish until now.

It was for me a night of remembrance.

The Price of Beauty

The price we pay for our crowning glory!

$280 + 4.5hours + eating dinner sitting on the salon chair.

Yesterday, I spent almost 5 hours sitting still while 2, sometimes 3 people hovered around my head, tugging and pulling at my hair, spreading various cream and substances. Occasionally I even had cling wrap spread over my forehead as I sit perspiring under a big helmet that blows out steam. The sight of it is anything but beautiful and there's only one word to describe the feeling - torture!

But that's still considered mild. I once had these cables hanging from a machine and clipped all over my hair using large pegs. It was supposed to be some 'digital perm' and I really did look like a 'Digimon' (Digital Monster).

I really dread such 'hair-raising' situations. But as a woman, this is just one of the many injustice and sufferings we have to go through in the name of 'beauty'. No wonder people say, 'Beauty does not come without a price'.

What a day!

Yesterday was a crazy long day. I woke up about 7.30am to get ready for my training session. It has been some time since I last conducted training. So while I'm pretty excited at standing in front of a class again, the lack of stamina also shows at the end of the half-day session. After all the adrenaline rush has passed, I suddenly felt like a deflated hot air balloon. I was urgent, hungry and tired at the same time. Maybe the past few late nights is showing its effects or simply put, too much of a good life not working full-time...hee hee

I first took care of the first need by rushing to the nearest toilet. After that, I headed for a nice lunch at Coffee Club with Hubby. By the time I reached home at about 4pm, I was ready to crash into bed for a nap. But suddenly, Grandmum (my mum) felt giddy and nauseous. It got so bad that she threw up consecutively and couldn't recover even after lying down for a while.

When Hubby returned from picking up KK from school, he had to piggyback Grandmum to the car and we sent her to the A&E department in Changi General Hospital. There, we wheelchaired her in where the nurses took her blood pressure and performed an ECG on her. When the doctor saw her, she was feeling too giddy to talk so the doctor gave her a shot to calm her giddiness and said she should rest in the observation room until she feels better before checking her again.

Hubby and I waited around, not sure what's next and when the doctor will check on her. It was 7.30pm by the time the doctor came again. By then, Grandmum was feeling better as the medicine took effect. Doctor felt it was the ear that was causing this and advised us to consult her regular ENT doctor for a detailed check. Since Grandmum was feeling better, she was allowed to go home.

What a day!

An End, A Beginning

Happy 2008, everyone! Btw, I've been working on this post since last year, no kidding!


So even though such reflections on the past year should have been done on New Year's Eve, I have no choice but to ask you to bear with me as I recount a little of the year's triumphs and trials.


If 2006 was the year of 'anticipation' - awaiting the arrival of XX, then 2007 was the year of 'decisions'. In 2007, I decided I've had enough of full-time employment. Though it meant leaving a secure job and stable income, I decided to take a leap of faith. There are many reasons for that decision, but mainly I decided that wasn't the way I wanted my life to be. Overall, I'm pleased with my decision and have not looked back since.



Family-wise, Hubby also decided to change to a new job, we decided to employ a full-time domestic maid, and KK decided he did not like morning session classes after all.

KK started 2007 by going to morning session K1, but he couldn't adapt to waking up early. However, he stubbornly refused to agree to a change to the afternoon session as he liked his teacher and classmates. After 3 months' struggle, we changed him to afternoon session regardless. Our life became less stressful immediately.

Well, looking forward, if 2007 was the year of 'decisions', I hope 2008 will be the year we reap the rewards of our decisons. Judging from the events leading up to it, 2008 promises to be a busy year ahead. For the record, I spent the last 2 minutes of 2007 brushing KK's teeth (I missed countdown). 20 minutes later, XX woke up demanding his first bottle of milk in 2008. Our tenant has moved out so today, Hubby is spending his New Year's Day cleaning up the flat while I am babysitting XX now.

Got to go!