Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

It’s interesting how we subjectively define time.

If you are down with flu and can’t sleep at night, time seems to creep REALLY slowly. But if you’re really tired and the alarm clock goes off in the morning, you’d think, ‘Huh? 8 o’clock already?!’

Earlier on, I was waiting for my bus when I observed the newspaper lady for a few good minutes. She rearranged the piles of newspaper and sat quietly. Alone. And unless someone came to buy something from her, I’d assume she had very little interactions with anyone.

It’s hard for me to imagine the kind of day she goes through every single day. Time must’ve seemed to be in super slow-motion for her.

Then I thought of how I have been using my time so far.

Have I been wise? Have I used my time to the maximum? Have I done enough? Have I been a blessing to others? More often than not, my answer is, not yet.

Something that everyone of us needs to reflect upon more often, I guess?

Anya now walks a lot.  She still wobbles and falls at times, but I can see that she starts to get the hang of the art of walking.

As my husband and I sat and watched our little girl walking around,  I said ‘Can’t imagine that I actually gave birth to that kid last year!’.

Ah. Time sure flies. And it won’t be long till she asks me if she can go to the movies with her ‘special friend’.

At my old flat, I used to know nearly all my neighbours who live on the same level. We’d greet each other and chat for a while whenever we meet.

It’s a bit different now at our new place. Well, I guess it’s probably because we’ve only been here for two and a half months.

I realise that here in Singapore, people may live so physically close to one another but it doesn’t mean that they know each other. They generally are SO busy with work and they just don’t get to meet their neighbours often.

Kids make a great conversation starter though. They’d greet whoever they meet. On the streets, on the bus, in the lift. Anywhere. Their innocent wave of goodbyes, cheeky winks and cheerful smiles somehow manage to make people smile and start talking.

It’s great! And I think that’s the way a society should be.

YAY! Anya’s 15 months old today! And it’s amazing to see how much she’s grown over the past 12 months.

We thank God always for the blessings showered to our family and to our little Anya.

Anya now sleeps about 10 – 11 hours straight! YAY! No more night feedings!

(I once thought that such a day would never come, especially during those days when I still had to wake up 2 – 3 times every night!).

Now she goes to bed around 9.30pm, right after hugging and kissing everyone good night and saying a little prayer with mommy. And at around 8am, she’d wake up, pick up her bottle of water and milk powder from the bedside table and pass them to me (who’s 95% of the time still asleep!). And while I get the milk ready, she’d lie on her bed just next to me, waiting. Once she’s done with her bottle, she’d pass it back to me.

Not bad for a 15-month-old kid, I reckon!

Anya likes to check out our wardrobe and drawers. I guess, to a kid, it is so fun to discover hidden ‘treasures’ around the room.

Had a good laugh when I saw her walking around in my shirt! Hehe.

People say the more modern and developed a city, the more individualistic and indifferent the people become.

Here in Singapore we on public transports to get us from A to B, and I do see the truth in that saying.

8 out of the 10 times I get on and off public buses, I carry the pram with Anya on it plus my other bags, alone. AND on average, only about 5 out of 10 taxi drivers get off their seats to help me lift and place the pram into the boot.

Most of the time, you’ll see me with Anya on my left hip, a bag on my right shoulder, folding and lifting the pram into the boot using my right hand and leg (Yes, I’m officially trained to be somewhat more like ‘Xena‘!)

Well, of course there are nice, friendly and helpful ones too. It’d be better if there are more of these group of people around.

Oh well.

Let us remember that even a little help is worth the while. It’s about being helpful, proactive, friendly and courteous, even to strangers we meet on the streets.

Someone asked me a few days ago, “Do you wish you’re still working full time? Like … in a office and all that. Having a career. A well-paid job.”

Somehow I asked this question rather frequently.

Personally I have no regrets. I quit my a fulltime job that I like to care and educate my child myself. Fulltime. I don’t wish to spend ‘leftover’ time with my child. To me, jobs can come and go, but a child is here to stay.

I guess my situation is a bit unique, because my husband and I run our own business, which means I still work, go out and meet clients.

Though I admit it’s tough to juggle my time and energy between running our business and being a fulltime mom, I really am grateful that I am in the situation I have today.

(I can’t thank our friend enough for babysitting Anya at times when both Wilson and I need to go for projects. Thanks heaps, Nancy!)

Anyway, personally I believe that the kind of person a child will grow up to be really depends on the kind of love and teaching that child receives today, especially in the first few years of her life.

I may not be the best mom out there, but I sure try to give Anya my very best everyday.