Kidspeak

Mischief loves company

May 11, 2011

The kids have just learnt to form an alliance whenever either one gets into trouble. I’d like to think that it’s because of their deep love and affection for each other but it’s more likely that they’ve discovered this gets them out of trouble decidedly faster.

It’s probably hereditary because I used to do it with my brother and it worked brilliantly for us. We would devise elaborate plans just so that we could go out gallivanting when we were supposed to be doing project work at a friend’s house. My parents had a rule where we had to call home from the said friend’s house to make sure we were actually there and we’d take turns to conveniently happen to pick up the phone to report that the other one had reached safely and was not in fact, loitering at Bedok Interchange.

That was until my little sister came along and snitched on us so we had to lock her in the storeroom for an hour to help her learn the importance of sibling solidarity. Then we all lived happily ever after. Sort of.

Now I’m actually looking forward to the day that I can bust one of their elaborate little schemes. Depending on how impressive it is, I might even pretend to be fooled and let them get away with it. But it would have to be truly ingenious, is all I’m saying.

So back to yesterday. In trying to prevent his sister from touching his precious trains, Tru hid them in my bedroom and locked the door behind him. This would have been ok if I had spare keys lying around the house but from the last locked-bedroom debacle, you probably already know I don’t, which meant it was hammer time again.

Generally, for misdemeanors, I make him face the wall for 5 minutes but he gets fidgety and starts to inch away after 5 seconds. This one required something more severe so I put him in a little corner behind the door and held it in place with the sofa (it’s a very complicated setup) so he couldn’t make a getaway.

Truett was peering out with his face stuck between the gap going “Excuse me, let me out!” and I had to ignore him because it was his timeout to reflect on the error of his ways.

Fortunately for him, he had a sister to come right to his rescue. She dropped her toys and came running like “DON’T WORRY KOR KOR I HELP U OK!!!”

Kirsten: Are you stuck, kor kor?

Tru: Yes I’m stuck, can you let me out please?

Kirsten: Ok wait, I help you, don’t worry. *yanks at the door* Aarrgghh, I got no strength.

Tru: Mei mei, you can do it! Pull harder.

Kirsten: I CAN DO IT!! *more yanking and grunting*

That little tag-team move earned him an escape from the naughty corner after a minute and a half. I gave him a 1.5 minute discount for teamwork and the other 2 minute discount was for having an adoring little sister.

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motherhood

Better late than never… Happy Mother’s Day!

May 10, 2011

This is a little late but Happy Mother’s Day! I would have done this sooner but I was too busy spending my Mother’s Day shark-watching with Truett in KLCC’s Aquarium.

Long story, I decided to tag along with the husband for a work trip to KL and that was how Tru got to go on his first trip out of the country. It was tough having to decide on which kid to bring because it’s like having to choose between my left and right kidney. They’re both mine and I like one just as much as the other.

But there are privileges to being the firstborn, I suppose. This is for all the times he had to suck it up and give in to his sister just because he was the big brother.

For a celebratory dinner, the boys took me to Bubba Gump for for some clam chowder and shrimpin’ dippin’ broth.

Tru was all “Mommy, you need to buy a cake so Truett can eat” and I tried telling him he got the order wrong. He was supposed to do the buying and I, the eating, but the idea of being near cake and not eating it is incomprehensible to him.

He did however see Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates and say “OH, I got a present for you!”

When he finally realized that this present wasn’t really a present he could give me, he improvised and raided the balloon basket to grab one for me.

FYI, most awesomest balloon ever.

On a totally unrelated note, I wrote this Mother’s Day piece for Citynews last week. It was such an honor to speak to these women who kick some serious butt at motherhood and I salute them all.

This journey gets a little rough at times but being a mom is the best job in the world and I’m so thankful to have it.

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a spot of singapore

Here’s to a better tomorrow

May 6, 2011

This being cooling off day and all, I figured I’d wrap up this GE with some final thoughts.

I had no idea that politics is this intense. It’s probably because we feel so strongly about certain issues and the conflict comes when we value some things above others due to our experiences, priorities and world views. But at the heart of it, whichever side we’re rooting for, we all do have one common goal in mind, which is to make Singapore better (whatever better means to us).

And despite the polarizing effect it’s had on Singaporeans in recent days, I dare say it’s a good thing. At least it shows that we care, which is so much better than boring walkovers.

By now, all the parties involved have said what they’ve wanted to say at rallies, opinions have been posted on facebook, lengthy discussions have been made over dinners and we’re all just a little bit sick of having that dead horse flogged yet another time. Besides, I suspect most of us have pretty much made up our minds on where our vote is going.

So instead, I leave you with this.

This is my country

This is my flag

This is my future

This is my life

This is my family

These are my friends

We are Singapore, Singaporeans

 

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