I asked my older kids what they think I do as Mommy all day.
L said, "Take care of K, and go for tuition."
Ch had less to say. "Play, just play."
So they think their Mama spends her time playing the whole day. I decided to let them know what I actually do through this post.
My weekdays are rather typical as I have to run errands, and get my groceries twice a week, and sends the kids to wherever they need to be according to their schedule. The usual places I'll be seen at are the nearby supermarket, the kids' school, the hospital (for K's medical appointments) or the nearby medical centre for K's therapies (read here to find out about K's typical day). I'll venture slightly further from home for three weekday afternoons as L has his Chinese enrichment, or I'll be at my students' place for tuition.
6:20 am The alarm sounds. ZY gives me a nudge to wake me and I struggle out of bed. My whole body aches due to the effect of yesterday's morning jog. I remind myself to keep to the exercise regime else it will be this bad every time I exercise. My unwilling legs manage to get me to the children's room and I wake L. He starts whining (again) about going to school, and questions why he has to go to school (again). I reply as patiently as I can, and pushes him out of bed. He whines again about wanting me to help him prepare his toothbrush. I feel my body stiffening with frustration and I walk away from his whines.
By the time I'm changed and clean, breakfast has been set on the table for us by my helper. We gather at the table for breakfast at 6:40 am and ZY gives thanks for the food. Today the kids have hard-boiled eggs according to our breakfast schedule. ZY and I have fried eggs accompanied with a cup of my 3-in-1 coffee. Yes, I'm one of those who can be contented with 3-in-1 coffee instead of freshly brewed gourmet coffee.
6:55 am L has to reach school by 7:10 am so we take a brisk walk to school. It is nice to see both of them in a fairly good "morning mood" today. On some mornings, they are just so antagonistic to each other. On my way back, I meet a few friends and have a short morning "auntie" chat. That is one perk I enjoy as a stay-at-home-mom.
7:35 am I am far far behind my bible reading plan, but well, I take comfort that I haven't given up yet. I do a short prayer and asks for wisdom to understand the Bible text I'll be reading in a while. Today's text is from Genesis 41, Psalms 40 and Matthew 17. I love Psalms 40 so much. It feels like God is speaking about us when K was critically ill. I make a mental note to share this psalm with Mommy S who is also going through rough times with her little one.
8:05 am K is still sleeping, so I have more me-time. I check in on my computer and update myself with status updates on Facebook. Ah, there is a nice giveaway prize that I hope to win. I start on this post before I forget some details. I love the quiet mornings and late nights where I am more productive in blogging.
8:35 am I check on the sleeping beauty. Ok, she is still sound asleep. That gives me bonus time on my computer. I check my Whatsapp messages and reply to the usual chat groups I'm in, who keep me sane and connected to the world outside home.
9:20 am I hear laughter from my room. Ah, K is finally awake. I go to her, and sing my usual "Good morning" song. She asks for the same song three times this morning, and sings along with me. My helper then takes over the task of cleaning and changing her while I'm off to the kids' school.
9:26 am I help to prepare food for a friend's boy on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a very hot and humid morning walk today. My back is damp with perspiration and I wish for the days where I could just hide in the air-conditioned staff room to escape from the sweltering heat.
9:45 am One cup of coffee at 6-ish doesn't seem to last me through the morning. I have coffee craving again. I decide to have a cup of hot tea as my substitute. I spy a bottle with a few pieces of biscotti left and took that to fill my tums. K offers to feed me, and it becomes an impromptu therapy session for her. She touches the biscotti with a disgusted look initially, but obliges unwilling when I asks her to feed me again. I let her sniff into the container for more sensorial experience.
10 am I pick up cues from K that she is done feeding me. She requests for her Hi-5 show, and dances to the songs. I join in the singing and dancing to have some fun with her. We laugh together at her silly actions.
I steal some time for my daily dose of Clash of Clan game on the iPad. Ugh, my village got attacked and I lost quite a lot of gold and elixir this time over the night.
I love mornings where I am free to spend time with K and do some activities with her. After her Hi-5 show, I sing the phonics song that she enjoys listening to. She has heard this for about a week now, and she has started singing along from A to H. Seizing the opportunity since she is in a good mood for more learning, I print out some coloring pages for K that is aligned to the phonics song we sang. I get a little distracted while on the computer, and ends up Facebook cruising instead.
1:10 pm Today, Ch stays back in school for her supplementary lesson. In fact, she only comes home for lunch once a week, now that she has to stay back in school for her other activities and supplementary classes. So it is an afternoon of bonding time with L while K takes her nap. On his way home, L confesses that he has forgotten to bring back his lunchbox. I frown, and asks why. His classic reply to my frown is,
"Everybody forgets something, so why can't I forget my lunchbox? You also forget sometimes."
Oh well, I have nothing to say.
1:45 pm It's late and I want L to start eating his lunch. It takes me repeated calls before he slowly walks over to the dining table. I expect this response, and I remind myself that I will try not to get myself angry over this. Today is Tuesday, and it is the most trying weekday for me as I have to struggle to get L ready for his Chinese enrichment class by 4pm, while battling with his grumpiness due to being over tired. He usually takes a 1 hour nap but he has to sacrifice that on Mondays and Tuesdays due to piano and Chinese classes.
Today, he tells me that I don't have to sit with him after I'm done with my meal as he wants a story book as his lunch companion. His robotic action to feed himself porridge amuses me. L takes up to 1.5 hrs to eat his lunch in spite of the fact that I have to hurry and scold him. Sometimes, to end my agony, I have to take out Mr Cane in order to catalyse his eating speed. But he finishes his lunch fast today as we have a Clash of Clan date. We look through replays of the attacks launched on our villages, and discuss strategies to place our buildings for a stronger defence.
2:45 pm I'm back to the kids' school to pick Ch. We have a slow walk back home, and she updates me about her mooncake-making activity she had this morning. I just listen and smile, soaking in all the positive vibes from her. It is definitely worth the effort to fetch the kids at different dismissal times, as I get to enjoy a one-to-one time with each child.
Once we reach home, I remind the kids that we have to leave for L's Chinese enrichment at 4 pm. They are expected to pack the things they need to bring along, bathe and be ready by that time. Usually, by this time, I start discussing dinner plans with my helper and tells her what to cook, but today we are eating out, so I continue to rest my aching body beside K.
3:40 pm I'm ready and out of the bedroom, only to find both kids still in their school uniforms. I start getting mad, and raise my voice to get things done fast. L starts whining while he prepares to bathe, and Ch gets annoyed over my army-style commands.
Finally at 4:05 pm we are ready to leave the house with one angry Mama, and two grumpy kids. Both kids doze off in the car while I take the time to re-calibrate my own emotions.
4:40 pm L is at his enrichment centre, and I spend some time with Ch at the library. Today, I have the company of a fellow mom whose children also go to the same enrichment centre at the same time slot. We chat about our blogging experiences, and children's matters over a cup of coffee while Ch completes her homework. She hands me her work to be checked before I allow her to scoot off to borrow some books.
6:15 pm We are meeting hubby for dinner tonite. It is atypical that we have dinner out on weekdays as the children sleep by 9:30 pm to prepare for school the next day. But for today, we have to use our Soup Spoon voucher that is expiring (today).
Dining out on a weekday gives us a very special feeling, something that we don't feel on a weekend. It feels as if we are stealing time away from homework, and from our daily responsibilities. We get to do some window shopping after dinner too, and it also means a later bedtime for the kids today.
9:30 pm We reach home to find K still awake. I quickly change into my pjs and hurry the older ones to brush their teeth and write their diary for the day. Hubby will follow up with the bedtime prayer and get them ready for bed after that, while I settle K to sleep. I have to sing a few more songs upon her request, and pat her to lull her to sleep.
But tonight, she is in a playful mood. She keeps sitting up to check on me - while I slip in and out of my sleep. I'm so tired, yet she is keeping me up. By 11 pm, I tell her sternly to "Lie down!" and she finally dozes off.
I will continue with my blogging task on another night after the kids sleep. It has been a tiring day for this Mama, and I will need to be up by 6:20 am again tomorrow. Good night, everyone!
Tomorrow is Delphine's turn to share about her day! Delphine, from Life in the Wee Hours, can't quite believe that she is a mother of three kids. She has no artistic talent and does not know how to cook, so she spends her free time reading, blogging, and collecting matryoshka.
L said, "Take care of K, and go for tuition."
Ch had less to say. "Play, just play."
So they think their Mama spends her time playing the whole day. I decided to let them know what I actually do through this post.
My weekdays are rather typical as I have to run errands, and get my groceries twice a week, and sends the kids to wherever they need to be according to their schedule. The usual places I'll be seen at are the nearby supermarket, the kids' school, the hospital (for K's medical appointments) or the nearby medical centre for K's therapies (read here to find out about K's typical day). I'll venture slightly further from home for three weekday afternoons as L has his Chinese enrichment, or I'll be at my students' place for tuition.
6:20 am The alarm sounds. ZY gives me a nudge to wake me and I struggle out of bed. My whole body aches due to the effect of yesterday's morning jog. I remind myself to keep to the exercise regime else it will be this bad every time I exercise. My unwilling legs manage to get me to the children's room and I wake L. He starts whining (again) about going to school, and questions why he has to go to school (again). I reply as patiently as I can, and pushes him out of bed. He whines again about wanting me to help him prepare his toothbrush. I feel my body stiffening with frustration and I walk away from his whines.
By the time I'm changed and clean, breakfast has been set on the table for us by my helper. We gather at the table for breakfast at 6:40 am and ZY gives thanks for the food. Today the kids have hard-boiled eggs according to our breakfast schedule. ZY and I have fried eggs accompanied with a cup of my 3-in-1 coffee. Yes, I'm one of those who can be contented with 3-in-1 coffee instead of freshly brewed gourmet coffee.
6:55 am L has to reach school by 7:10 am so we take a brisk walk to school. It is nice to see both of them in a fairly good "morning mood" today. On some mornings, they are just so antagonistic to each other. On my way back, I meet a few friends and have a short morning "auntie" chat. That is one perk I enjoy as a stay-at-home-mom.
7:35 am I am far far behind my bible reading plan, but well, I take comfort that I haven't given up yet. I do a short prayer and asks for wisdom to understand the Bible text I'll be reading in a while. Today's text is from Genesis 41, Psalms 40 and Matthew 17. I love Psalms 40 so much. It feels like God is speaking about us when K was critically ill. I make a mental note to share this psalm with Mommy S who is also going through rough times with her little one.
8:05 am K is still sleeping, so I have more me-time. I check in on my computer and update myself with status updates on Facebook. Ah, there is a nice giveaway prize that I hope to win. I start on this post before I forget some details. I love the quiet mornings and late nights where I am more productive in blogging.
8:35 am I check on the sleeping beauty. Ok, she is still sound asleep. That gives me bonus time on my computer. I check my Whatsapp messages and reply to the usual chat groups I'm in, who keep me sane and connected to the world outside home.
9:20 am I hear laughter from my room. Ah, K is finally awake. I go to her, and sing my usual "Good morning" song. She asks for the same song three times this morning, and sings along with me. My helper then takes over the task of cleaning and changing her while I'm off to the kids' school.
9:26 am I help to prepare food for a friend's boy on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a very hot and humid morning walk today. My back is damp with perspiration and I wish for the days where I could just hide in the air-conditioned staff room to escape from the sweltering heat.
9:45 am One cup of coffee at 6-ish doesn't seem to last me through the morning. I have coffee craving again. I decide to have a cup of hot tea as my substitute. I spy a bottle with a few pieces of biscotti left and took that to fill my tums. K offers to feed me, and it becomes an impromptu therapy session for her. She touches the biscotti with a disgusted look initially, but obliges unwilling when I asks her to feed me again. I let her sniff into the container for more sensorial experience.
10 am I pick up cues from K that she is done feeding me. She requests for her Hi-5 show, and dances to the songs. I join in the singing and dancing to have some fun with her. We laugh together at her silly actions.
I steal some time for my daily dose of Clash of Clan game on the iPad. Ugh, my village got attacked and I lost quite a lot of gold and elixir this time over the night.
I love mornings where I am free to spend time with K and do some activities with her. After her Hi-5 show, I sing the phonics song that she enjoys listening to. She has heard this for about a week now, and she has started singing along from A to H. Seizing the opportunity since she is in a good mood for more learning, I print out some coloring pages for K that is aligned to the phonics song we sang. I get a little distracted while on the computer, and ends up Facebook cruising instead.
1:10 pm Today, Ch stays back in school for her supplementary lesson. In fact, she only comes home for lunch once a week, now that she has to stay back in school for her other activities and supplementary classes. So it is an afternoon of bonding time with L while K takes her nap. On his way home, L confesses that he has forgotten to bring back his lunchbox. I frown, and asks why. His classic reply to my frown is,
"Everybody forgets something, so why can't I forget my lunchbox? You also forget sometimes."
Oh well, I have nothing to say.
1:45 pm It's late and I want L to start eating his lunch. It takes me repeated calls before he slowly walks over to the dining table. I expect this response, and I remind myself that I will try not to get myself angry over this. Today is Tuesday, and it is the most trying weekday for me as I have to struggle to get L ready for his Chinese enrichment class by 4pm, while battling with his grumpiness due to being over tired. He usually takes a 1 hour nap but he has to sacrifice that on Mondays and Tuesdays due to piano and Chinese classes.
Today, he tells me that I don't have to sit with him after I'm done with my meal as he wants a story book as his lunch companion. His robotic action to feed himself porridge amuses me. L takes up to 1.5 hrs to eat his lunch in spite of the fact that I have to hurry and scold him. Sometimes, to end my agony, I have to take out Mr Cane in order to catalyse his eating speed. But he finishes his lunch fast today as we have a Clash of Clan date. We look through replays of the attacks launched on our villages, and discuss strategies to place our buildings for a stronger defence.
2:10 pm The whole morning of walking to and from the kids' school tires my already-aching body. I take a short nap on the sofa while L continues to scrutinise other villages on my game since he has no homework from school.
2:45 pm I'm back to the kids' school to pick Ch. We have a slow walk back home, and she updates me about her mooncake-making activity she had this morning. I just listen and smile, soaking in all the positive vibes from her. It is definitely worth the effort to fetch the kids at different dismissal times, as I get to enjoy a one-to-one time with each child.
Once we reach home, I remind the kids that we have to leave for L's Chinese enrichment at 4 pm. They are expected to pack the things they need to bring along, bathe and be ready by that time. Usually, by this time, I start discussing dinner plans with my helper and tells her what to cook, but today we are eating out, so I continue to rest my aching body beside K.
3:40 pm I'm ready and out of the bedroom, only to find both kids still in their school uniforms. I start getting mad, and raise my voice to get things done fast. L starts whining while he prepares to bathe, and Ch gets annoyed over my army-style commands.
Finally at 4:05 pm we are ready to leave the house with one angry Mama, and two grumpy kids. Both kids doze off in the car while I take the time to re-calibrate my own emotions.
4:40 pm L is at his enrichment centre, and I spend some time with Ch at the library. Today, I have the company of a fellow mom whose children also go to the same enrichment centre at the same time slot. We chat about our blogging experiences, and children's matters over a cup of coffee while Ch completes her homework. She hands me her work to be checked before I allow her to scoot off to borrow some books.
6:15 pm We are meeting hubby for dinner tonite. It is atypical that we have dinner out on weekdays as the children sleep by 9:30 pm to prepare for school the next day. But for today, we have to use our Soup Spoon voucher that is expiring (today).
Dining out on a weekday gives us a very special feeling, something that we don't feel on a weekend. It feels as if we are stealing time away from homework, and from our daily responsibilities. We get to do some window shopping after dinner too, and it also means a later bedtime for the kids today.
9:30 pm We reach home to find K still awake. I quickly change into my pjs and hurry the older ones to brush their teeth and write their diary for the day. Hubby will follow up with the bedtime prayer and get them ready for bed after that, while I settle K to sleep. I have to sing a few more songs upon her request, and pat her to lull her to sleep.
But tonight, she is in a playful mood. She keeps sitting up to check on me - while I slip in and out of my sleep. I'm so tired, yet she is keeping me up. By 11 pm, I tell her sternly to "Lie down!" and she finally dozes off.
I will continue with my blogging task on another night after the kids sleep. It has been a tiring day for this Mama, and I will need to be up by 6:20 am again tomorrow. Good night, everyone!
Tomorrow is Delphine's turn to share about her day! Delphine, from Life in the Wee Hours, can't quite believe that she is a mother of three kids. She has no artistic talent and does not know how to cook, so she spends her free time reading, blogging, and collecting matryoshka.
*This post is part of the Day in a Life blog train hosted by Mum in the Making. Click on the button to take a 24 hour peek into the lives of different mummies, or link up with your own post!
