All About Your Child

One week of rainy-school holiday is gone. My neighbour staying upstairs was yelling away, “Wake up now! Mommy woke up late, so you don’t have much time left. The school door is going to close already. Wake up. Quick. Faster. Wake up.”

The cries of her 2 children, 4 years old and 5 years old can be heard loud and clear. Both are studying in the same school as Keatkeat, younger one being his classmate. I was thinking, “Poor kids, your Mommy woke up late, but in the end the 2 of you got to be screamed at early in the morning. Being punished for someone’s mistake. That’s not a good way to start the day.”

Its not easy to get kids to wake up, especially for something that they don’t exactly look forward to, like school. Unlike that day, when I wake him up for his school excursion, that was soooooo easy. So YOU as parents need to come up with lots of tricks. So I am back to the usual, “Keatkeat, wake up, its time for school.”

Keatkeat: “Don’t want. My eyes are very tired. I sleep late yesterday, so I have to wake up late today.”

Logically yes. Dear boy but that excuse reason is not going to help you to skip school.

5 minutes have passed.

Trick Number 1.

Me: “If you can wake up fast, we will be early and you can have a ride on the motorcycle (those 3 minutes kiddy rides which moves forward and back after you put in a 20cents coin in the slot and this trick usually works.)”

Keatkeat: “……” (But Not today) Eyes remain shut.

Another 5 minutes have passed.

Trick Number 2

Me: “If you wake up now, we don’t need to run. We can take our own sweet time and dilly-dally….and say good morning to all the flowers and cars in the carpark.”

Keatkeat: “don’t need to run, you can carry me…..?”

Me: “Keatkeat, you are 16kg already, big boy now, it won’t be nice if your friends see you in my arms right?”

Keatkeat: “Then you wake me up earlier lah.” Eyes are still closed.

Me: (Huh? Isn’t that what I am doing right now?)

Another 3 mins have passed.

Trick Number 3

In case his fear of defeat is eating his little soul….

Me: “Ah Yee (my younger and only sister) wake up already, you can still be faster than her if you wake up now. She is still bathing. If you wake up now, you will leave the house faster than Ah Yee and you will be the winner for today.”

Keatkeat: “Okie” Sat up with his bolster still in his arms.

Ok, I am getting some progress.

Another 3 minutes have passed.

Me: “Hold my hand now. Let’s go to the toliet and brush your teeth.”

Keatkeat: “….” Didn’t move an inch. In less than 3 seconds, his head was lying on his pillow again.

Damn! I am back to square one!

Another 3 minutes have passed.

Trick Number 4

Me: “Keatkeat, I have packed the Honey Stars in your breakfast box for you to eat in school today.”

Keatkeat: “Did you give me alot?”

Me: “Yes. I poured everything into your breakfast box.”

Keatkeat: “Okie.” Back to sitting position. In less than 5 seconds, up on his feet. “Hold my hand. I need to brush my teeth so that I can eat the Honey Stars.”

Yeah! Yippee! Succeeded in waking him up without causing him to cry. Its terrible to wake up in the morning crying. Wake up the wrong way, that whole day will be affected be it for the child or the adult.

*Sigh* Still late for 10 minutes. School starts at 8am. We left the house at 8.05am. Luckily his school is just 2 blocks away.

Keatkeat has always been a extra-ordinary kid. A very understanding, matured, well-mannered and kind-hearted child in every way. He makes me so proud to be his Mommy!

However, I know very well that this year will be a challenging year for me to handle Keatkeat. I was prepared for this and so I thought I was.

His 4-year-old Characteristics are blowing my mind away! From a very tame little lamb (he was born in the year of the goat) to a ferocious and unpredictable goat.

He wails at the top of his voice when something go against his will. The daily habit of snatching back his toy from his little brother has become a crying protest. He just sits there and CRY.

When he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, he cries!

When we walk abit faster than him, he cries!

When Binbin gets into the car faster than him, he cries!

When Binbin finishes his food faster than him, what does he do? THAT’S RIGHT, CRY!

As if crying is not enough, he starts JUMPING in public when he wants something out of the blue! We were shopping happily, all of a sudden, he started jumping up and down and almost bursting into tears, “I want to go in and see that toy car!”

Me: “Keatkeat, you can just tell me that nicely. You do not need to jump and cry. You know if you tell me nicely, I would definitely bring you into the shop. This jumping is unnecessary. Stop immediately before we go into the shop.”

Keatkeat: “Sorry Mommy. I will not do that again.”

In the past, he really keeps his promise. But now, NO! In less than 10 mins, he was back to his tantrums again.

Many say I am a very patient person, but hey, there is limit to one’s patience ok?! What’s my excuse? I am a human after-all!

But one thing for sure, I will not scream at my child in public. I guess I am too proud to embarrass myself or my kid. So I squat down and repeated myself. But dear Papa was out of his patience level and shouted at the 4-year-old kid, “Do it one more time and we are going home!”

Just as I am typing this, Keatkeat is emotionally unstable again! (Deep breath….) Here I go again. That’s it for today’s post, wish me luck and lots more patience. Man! I really need that!