Browsing Tag

Kao Kids

Re: learning and child training

No show and Tele: a non-indulgent mother’s tale

December 14, 2012

Some people have commented that I’m way too extreme as a mother to regulate tv in the house and not allow my children to watch cartoons on regular tv programming. Some have even gone as far to accuse me of depriving them of a childhood. There’s a story behind such a decision. So here goes:

“Once upon a time, the kids got to watch Handy Manny, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and some other random cartoons on Disney Junior at a specific time every day.

Then epiphany hit. Fatherkao and I realised that if we had cartoons available 24/7 on cable, we might inadvertenly use tv to babysit the children, that there would always be the “tv option”.

That was something we decided we will not do.

We also realised that whenever the tv was turned on, the kids were often found in a transfixed state and oblivious to their surroundings; and when the tv was turned off, they would immediately kick up a huge fuss. It was like an addiction, and they would get visibly upset with one of us (usually me) for switching it off. For most times, and I would say nine out ten, Ben threw temper tantrums so bad we ended up having to cane him for his bad behaviour.

So we made the decision to cancel the cartoon cable channels, return the set-top box in the living room, and declared a tv ban for a while (plus the tv-only-allowed-with mom-supervision rule) and never looked back.

That decision did wonders for our time together as a family. Fatherkao now schedules play time in place of tv time and the kids are often found shooting with their Nerf guns, playing tug-of-war, hiding-and-seeking and riding their horsey father. On my part, I read and read and read to the kids. In place of tv time, we also tumble and roll a lot on the bed and play peek-a-boo with the baby.

On rare occasions, I would allow snippets of animal documentary programmes. I’d watch it with them and talk about what we’ve watched. Our favourite last month was the series on Wild Artic on Nat Geo Wild. We learned about seals, polar bears and penguins. Becks has always loved penguins and seeing the different species in the Artic got her very thrilled; Ben showed me his sentimental side by crying twice when the eagle ate the baby penguin and the elephant seal chomped the baby’s momma. Watching cartoons never taught them empathy and helped them develop such love for animals. Watching animal documentaries gave me a wonderful opportunity to witness the  emotions that could be stirred up within them, and how they could express these emotions in such powerful, emphatic ways.

I’m not one of those who think that tv is evil. I just feel that we need to use it with more discretion. I cannot control the cartoon content and I do not know its storyline most of the time. Plus, tv programming is something not within our control and that sucks (don’t you just hate adverts?). Oh, and I also have one self-serving agenda: I want them to love reading, and to love holding books, just like I did when I was their age.

This is the story of why the tv is usually not turned on in our house and how we have found so many things to do together as a result.

And we lived happily ever after.

The End.”

Reading a book together

Reading a book together

Playing with the Lettersaurus

Playing with the Lettersaurus

Fishing for ducks

Fishing for ducks

8 Comments
Going Out!

Hello Panda

December 11, 2012

The kids know that the giant pandas, Kai Kai and Jia Jia, have come and they’ve been asking, almost every day since the news of their arrival in September, “Is it December yet, Mama? Can we go see the pandas now?”

December’s here and they know it. We’ve put up the Christmas tree, gone shopping for Christmas presents and even watched “Home Alone” together as a rare tv treat.

“It’s December, right?” Ben would ask. “So can we go see the pandas now?”

So today, the kids skipped school and despite them having a cold and some rather swollen eyes, we headed to the zoo much to their excitement.

When we got there, we realised that we had to pay to see the pandas. At the entrance of the panda enclosure, the zoo staff explained that we have to purchase add-on tickets at the main entrance of the zoo. According to them, each giant panda preview add-on ticket is valid for one viewing and is limited to 15 minutes and all preview time slots are allocated and based on a first-come-first-served basis. The tickets are priced at $5 for adults and $3 for kids three and above.

We were allocated the 11.20 preview slot and went in to the enclosure with about 40 others. We walked past the completed River Safari enclosures (without the exhibits) and arrived at the entrance of the Giant Panda Forest. There, we were told not to use flash photography and not to startle the gentle giants. The zoo staff then told us to have a “pandastic day”, gave high-fives to all the children walking past them, and proceeded to follow closely behind – and we all know why – because we only had 15 minutes and they would need to gather us so we can exit together as a group later on.

The air in the enclosure was cool and a nice respite from the humidity outside. We walked past a golden pheasant and the Lesser Red Panda before arriving at Kai Kai’s side of the bamboo forest. The dude was obviously bored to his paws as he paced up and down repeatedly, before deciding he was thirsty and headed to a little water catchment to have a drink, much to the delight of everyone who was frantically snapping away with their cameras, yours truly included. At Jia Jia’s side of the enclosure, she came much closer to the crowd. The dudette was also pacing up and down repeatedly, oblivious to the crowd that was right before her eyes. Ben was thrilled to see pandas for the first time. Becks was like, “yea, panda, whatever” and the baby was fast asleep in the Beco carrier. I, on the other hand, was thinking of ways to make pretty Jia Jia eyelashes for a panda bento. The cartoon versions of these bears are way too cute not to make a bento!

Before we left the panda enclosure, Ben asked, “Mama, can pandas see?”

“Of course they can! Why do you think they can’t?” I quizzed.

“But their eyes are so black, how to see?”

Ah, perfect time to teach personification, as I have promised myself to do.

“Ben, look at my eyes. Are they black too?” I asked.

“Ya, quite black,” was his reply.

“My eye rings are black. But I can see. So surely the panda can see too.” I know I don’t make any sense, but I couldn’t help it. The kids need to know that any resemblance their mother has to the panda is not coincidental.

All in all, we had a pandastic 15 minutes indeed.

0 Comments
Everyday fun! Family life as we know it Happy days Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

It’s beginning to look a lot like… fun!

November 16, 2012

The sniffles are clearing. The laughter is back.

At three-half, two years four months, and nine months respectively, the kids are beginning to play together. They now monkey around a lot. The older kids have taken it upon themselves to entertain their baby brother. It’s like an unspoken competition between Ben and Becks; everyday they try to make Baby Nat laugh and see who can successfully do it, and who can do it more. They play catch with him, throw balls his way and prance around him with peek-a-boos and butterfly kisses. In the evenings, before they all go to bed, they would hang around the little one to cuddle him and make him laugh. They take turns to be his little pony and rocking horse. They impart their planking skills. They do the tehee giggling together. They make cacophonic sounds of merriment and glee.

Life just got better.

1 Comments
Milestones and growing up Nat Kao The darndest kid quotes and antics The Kao Kids

Can’t carry on

November 9, 2012

Does your kid have a favourite phrase he’d say to you regardless of time and place? My two older kids’ fave is “Mama, carry me”.

Of course, depending on the time and place, my replies are usually as follows:

“How am I supposed to? I’m carrying your baby brother.”

“Why don’t you walk, my dear?”

“Shall we hold hands instead?”

“You’re getting quite heavy, my love!”

“I’m really tired today and would like to rest my arms / back / legs.”

“Darling, let’s hug first. And then you can sit next to me.”

Of course, fatherkao often reminds me that we won’t be getting these requests soon enough and that we should savour every moment. I totally agree. In fact, I’d always say to myself ‘to heck with the backache and fatigue’ and try as much as I can to smother these babies, all three of them, with loads of hugs and kisses, and indulge them in a great deal of carrying. In fact, I baby the baby so much I now have a problem: he wants to be carried all the time.

At nine months, he is unable to travel in the car on the car seat. For nine months, I can never drive without witnessing moments like these:

Pardon the picture quality – snapped this shot at a dark basement carpark yesterday

At nine months, just like his older siblings, he’s learned to say their favourite phrase his way, “Mama, carry me”!

10 Comments
Nat Kao Thunderstorm days

One too many

November 6, 2012

My baby boy has seen viruses and infections of many kinds. He’s eight months old, coming to nine, and to date, this boy has had:

1) two bouts of diarrhea, one lasting as long as two weeks

2) one bout of gastric flu (the virus was so potent it knocked me out too)

3) two throat infections followed by the works: phlegm, cough, runny nose

4) three occasions of congested nose followed by high fever

5) and this just in yesterday: conjunctivitis

People who know me know that I stand by my decision to send all my children to infantcare. I stand by it because this is the best option of all the limited options I have being a full-time working mom. Sure, there’s the option to leave my babies with a domestic helper (or even two helpers) and have her mind my kids, or to leave them with a nanny and do pick-ups when I knock off. I chose to leave all my babies at infantcare because I’d much prefer to trust professional teachers who have experience and genuine love for caring for babies, and have my children interact with other babies and to socialise. At the infantcare which all my three kids have gone to (and Nat will still be there till I stay home next year), the teachers fill the infants’ day with lots of activities – storytelling, music-making, sing-along and mini-lessons to help in their development. They’re not plonked in front of the tv the whole day or just mechanically fed, burped and put to bed when it’s naptime. My babies have done gym workouts, cut cheese, rolled sushi rice, squeezed frozen toothpaste and painted with their fingers and toes. They go for outdoor strolls, do simple craft work and play with the many available developmental toys there. The infantcare teachers that loved Ben and Becks to bits and showered them with so much love are the same ones that are caring for Nat today.

Unfortunately, the babies also catch each other’s germs and viruses more easily and readily, and I’ve had my fair share of heartaches during the early years when Ben and Becks were there. This is now the third time running of having my heart broken again and again – for Baby Nat.

How much can a mother take? I’m seeing my PD as frequent as once a week, and sometimes even twice a week and the medical expenses are escalating to a new high. Yesterday, after three days of low-grade fever and lots of sniffing, my poor baby started to have gooey green discharge coming from  his eyes. Those big, round, charming eyes have been reduced to swollen, red, slity ones. Antibiotics, Iliadin nose drops, Sterimar nasal spray, antihistamines, nebulising – here we go again. I’m not sure if it’s fair to make the causal link to him being in infantcare but it’s surely not rocket science that there’s a correlation. I can only encourage myself while being up and comforting a sick baby at 1, 3 and 5 in the morning that he will be stronger and tougher after each episode and pray that God protects everyone in this house from these virus attacks.

My dear baby boy, it won’t be long till Mama stays home to take care of you full-time. You’re one tough cookie for a baby, my love.

5 Comments
Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up The Kao Kids

In support of Global Handwashing Day

October 15, 2012

I am one neurotic mother. I just can’t seem to be the kind that subscribes to anything-goes.

I ban tv programmes in the house (check out this article for the real reason why tv is banned in my home).

My kids don’t eat french fries from MacDonald’s (are you kidding me, didn’t you watch Morgan Spurlock’s experiment?).

They have been taught to say no to candies, gummies and lollies of any kind (there’s already enough sugar everywhere, so the only “sweet” they eat is the vitamin tablet).

And I make my children wash their hands A LOT.

Handwashing is proven to be one very effective way to prevent the spread of germs and illnesses. Ben and Becks wash their hands the first thing they return home after they take off their shoes, before and after every meal, after they’ve used the washroom, and whenever they picked their noses or scratched their scalps. They scrub their fingers, palms and lower arms thoroughly with soap whenever they’re done working with crayons, glue and paint. They wash their hands whenever they sneezed or coughed. And if they ate dirt, they not only washed their hands — I put them under warm running water and scrub them silly till they are spanking clean. All in all, I think they wash their hands more than six times a day. I also make sure they only touch their baby brother when they have clean, germ-free hands.

Which is why the Kaos are very glad to celebrate Global Handwashing Day with Lifebuoy today, together with others who are committed to do so in 100 countries around the world. Global Handwashing Day is an event to support a global culture of handwashing with soap and to raise awareness of the benefits of washing our hands. For the 5th year running, Unilever, through its Lifebuoy brand, will work with the Millennium Villages Initiative to bring hygiene education to children across 10 countries in Africa. This year, they hope to save children from potentially fatal diseases caused by poor hygiene and help them reach their 5th birthday.

And we can all do our part for this good cause by pledging to help a child here. With every pledge received, Unilever will commit to teach a child hygiene education through PSI, a Unilever Foundation partner. It’s just a click away; and no money is involved on your part.

I don’t like the the fact that more than 2 million children in African countries don’t live to see their 5th birthday, and even more so that these deaths can be prevented through regular handwashing with soap! I’ve done my part to pledge for this cause, and I hope you do so too.

And while I might relent in years to come and allow my kids to watch tv, have a Happy Meal and try a Chupa Chups, washing their hands regularly and as frequent as their neurotic mother deems fit is no negotiation. Gonna have to keep germs far and away!

To support Lifebuoy’s Global Handwashing Day and help a child reach 5, do make your pledge on Lifebuoy’s facebook page here.

This is a sponsored post. All texts and opinions expressed are Motherkao’s own.

0 Comments
Becks Kao Ben Kao Everyday fun! Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up

“Your mother here. Over.”

October 14, 2012

There’s a new calm in the house lately. I’ve stopped shouting and barking orders in the house. I think my children are also happier without the yelling.

My husband bought me a set of walkie-talkie.

There’s something about speaking through the walkie-talkie. You don’t scream into it. You stay composed. You speak slowly and clearly. And you say “over” when you are done in a cool, collected way.

“Ben, come to the kitchen now for your vitamins. Over.”

“Aunty M, please make milk for the children. Over.”

“Becks, I want you to come back to the room. Now. Over.”

No more yelling. No more “COME OUT AND PACK YOUR TOYS THEN GO DRINK YOUR MILK AND STOP JUMPING ON THE BED — AND DO I HAVE TO SAY A MILLION TIMES DON’T YOU THROW MY PILLOWS AND BLANKET ON THE FLOOR WATCH IT YOUR BABY BROTHER IS NEXT TO YOU PUULEAZZE YOU GUYS JUST COME OUT AND PACK UP!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!”

You just can’t do that over a walkie-talkie. It’s not cool.

Over. 

8 Comments
Becks Kao Ben Kao Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics

Say “aah” and let me feed you

October 11, 2012

My kids are now in the phase of wanting to shove food into your mouth. They like to feed you with whatever they’re eating, and with whatever you’re eating.

So just the other day at the dinner table, Becks was her usual fussy self. She didn’t want to finish her rice. She gagged looking at her veggies. She refused to clean up her chicken wings. All she wanted to do was to give me her unfinished food.

Me: No thank you, my dear. I want to eat my own food, and I want to feed myself.

She then looked at her father with those big round eyes, and asked, “Dada, I feed you your dinner, ok?”

Fatherkao: Ok, princess. You can feed me but I want to eat from my plate, not yours.

Just like that, she got away with not finishing her food. She started scooping rice and soup for her father and made him say “aah” everytime she was ready with a helping.

My eldest saw them having so much fun and asked if he could feed me my dinner. Being ravenously hungry, I declined his offer and told him to finish what’s on his plate. He proceeded to sulk for the longest time and tried to convince me to let him feed me, like how his sister was feeding fatherkao.

Me: No. My answer is no. You finish your food and stop copying your sister.

Ben: (starting to sob) But I want to feed you…

Fatherkao: Just let him do it. The next time he does it, you’ll be eighty years old, dear.

And just like that, he got away with not finishing his food. And I had the longest dinner of my life. I sat at the table and watched him scoop my dinner, bit by bit, shoving in mouthful by mouthful. That night, I realised that it ain’t such a big deal that they can’t finish whatever’s on their plate; but it is a big deal if I missed out this wave of TLC and have to wait fifty years for the next one.

5 Comments
Becks Kao Ben Kao Learning fun! Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics

Animal madness!

October 9, 2012

It’s been noisy in the house lately. The Kaos are officially living in an animal farm.

He led the others with his “quack quack quack”.

She’s the little monkey jumping on the bed.

One little monkey jumping on the bed. 
She fell off and bumped her head. 
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, 
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Six little ducks that I once knew
Fast ones, skinny ones, fair ones too.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back
He led the others with his quack, quack, quack.
Quack, quack, quack-quack, quack, quack
He led the others with his quack, quack, quack.
Down to the river they would go.
Wibble wobble, wibble wobble to and fro.
But the one little duck with the feather on his back
He led the others with a quack, quack, quack.
0 Comments