Parenting

Parenting est un sujet sensible qui fâche les gens... parenting involves choices and directions that can differ in a spectrum/runs the gamut of permissibility (laisser faire) and strictly disciplined (old school).



In short just as all of us are individuals parenting and our methods of educating/disciplining our kids can vary wildly.

I do not however espouse and advise people unless they solicit it which I think is out of respect for parents be they new or experienced. We all can make our own mistakes and learn from them but we do not have to bear the cross of being subject to scrutiny and constantly dodging unwelcomed advice.


My kids cannot stay still and sit at a dinner table for three hours straight but I am not discouraged or bothered by that.

My kids can be a rambunctious and uncontrollable bunch which usually leads to me being lectured by other busybodies that I am an unfit mum who cannot control her kids etc...
I doth protesteth because they themselves are not model parents with model kids either.

I strongly believe that kids need boundaries and discipline on the one hand but they also yearn and should be able to stay kids for as long as they can, in other words they need to not be thrust upon adulthood, independence and responsibilities as soon as they are born. I allow my kids to play and act like kids and do not feel compelled to force them to be obedient dogs who sit upon command. They are not robots but human beings who need time and space and possibility to develop normally.

There are parents who surely disagree with me, to that I say 'each to their own'. Those in the camp of absolute discipline abhor kids who become a bit wayward and loud but that to me is not so important. To me I want to raise balanced and equilibrated individuals who know the values of the most important principles but are able to be independent contributors to society and yet stay unique individuals.

Parenting is definitely a learning curve and my kids never cease to amaze me either by their naivety, maturity or their simplicity and just their beings.

Shrekkie wonder

Shrek's idea of a nutritious meal consists of a single popsicle for breakfast which is what Baby Taz has been getting the past few mornings.


Shrek has a very intimate notion of nutrition and so it goes without saying that he feeds the children very high energy food for breakfast.

If it was left up to Shrek the children will be lucky to have two decent meals a week. Real deal meals are the fillers and spoilers for awesome chocolate, ice cream, chips and snackables and junk. I am partly to blame because I do buy the stuff but I feed them proper food first and then they get the occasional treats and sweets as a reward for dessert or just to break up the routine a little.

I crave fresh fruits and Asian staples...
Maybe it is time for a change of scenery.

Sugar hit

Sugar Can Enhance Alertness

Sugar is your brain's preferred fuel source -- not table sugar, but glucose, which your body metabolizes from the sugars and carbohydrates you eat. That's why a glass of something sweet to drink can offer a short-term boost to memory, thinking processes, and mental ability.

Consume too much, however, and memory can be impaired -- along with the rest of you. Go easy on the sugar so it can enhance memory, without packing on the pounds.

Above is an excerpt from the webmd.com website

I have one more reason to indulge in my extravagances and peché mignon or NOT ?

Short term energy boost is not a good enough reason to forgo long term health. If only !!!

Boredom

Today for some unknown reason, perhaps I can blame it on the full moon or crescent or whatever but Petit Suisse really ticked Shrek off. He must have been bored and not know what to do with himself so he used a chocolate foil wrapper and scratched the plastic LCD TV flatscreen which we have had since only a few short months, so almost brand new. He did not just leave one line or two but myriad and multitude of scratches on the screen. Shrek discovered and much to our dismay he had been indulging in this non-too-healthy but rather destructive and reckless behaviour for some time hence Shrek lost his cool a bit. I am the one that usually goes ballistic over these types of behaviour but came later...so I could not really add more injury. Petit Suisse has a tendency to do dumb things...which we will have to rectify with lots of explanations on why certain things are off-limits.

Anyway I think kids doing activities unsupervised can sometime lead to mishaps but one cannot always be following their every move and have to allow some unfortunate incidents to happen sometime as long as it does not end up in anyone being hurt...It goes hand in hand with the territory of being parents I suppose.

What pisses me off most is when Petit Suisse knows he has done something incrediby stupid and stands there dumbfounded, not acknowledging anything and becomes a muted, wide-eyed puppy who doesn't know what he has done to deserve such enraged chiding. He needs to learn pronto that if he is chided and disciplined/punished it is merited and with just cause.

I simply want children to reflect upon what they have done and think twice the next time they are about to embark on reckless acts.