I was just reading this article about disciplining children, and reminded me of what had happened only this morning.

Granted it would always be the parents’ fault if children don’t get sufficient sleep/not going to bed early enough. Of late, I have found that Caitlin would still wake at around the same time in the morning, even if it wasn’t a school day (much like last week’s week-long break), even if she did not retire on time. She still gets her afternoon naps, so I am a little relieved that she would still be getting some growing-time (research says that baby lambs can actually grow cm’s while sleeping; let alone the rest the brain requires).

Still, no excuses though.

Of late on schooldays, I have also started waking her a little later than earlier this year- I have started waking her almost 30min later now. Decided on this because, other than both of us getting a little more sleep, I had also found that she used to be waiting to leave, all dressed and ready and catching a bit more of Playhouse Disney in the meantime.

Waking her this morning wasn’t as difficult as Monday morning this week (cos we were all at a relative’s wedding dinner and all retired very much later than usual). Still, being her usual self she was moping around and taking too long doing everything (getting her morning dose of milk, teeth-brushing, washing up).

Instead of grunting at her, I tried this: “You know, if you wanna do things so slowly, then Daddee will have to wake you earlier so that you won’t be late for school… Either you do things quickly and not be day dreaming and wake up a bit later/get to sleep some more, or I wake you earlier.”

Knowing that sleep is quite precious, I think it may actually work. “OKAY OKAY..”

Not to contradict myself, I didn’t have the time to go get the recent “toy” I bought her. I got her a cardboard clockface from MPH for RM6.90 (if I recall correctly) with movable hands and hour and minutes on the face. I have been trying to teach her how to read the clock.

I had wanted to show her what I meant about waking earlier. But “I will have to wake you even before the sky turns bright” was enough to drive the message home.

Let’s hope she sticks to it.

Woo look…. Jigsaw puzzle….

But the news hour is more interesting…

Woken by the kids, got them some morning snacks, and since it wasn’t too sunny and hot….

Luckily for everyone, Caleb actually likes to push from behind. But it won’t be long though, before he’d be wanting to ride.

Yes, they were still in their jammies. It’s Sunday okay- give us parents a break!

Evening came and it was time to get ready for bed.

Caleb can express his hunger quite audibly / comprehensibly now, by telling us “nan-nan”.

As you can see he’s quite comfortable on the beanbag. Quite a relief for all of us, since we don’t always have to be watching him when he feeds now.

Caitlin, on the other hand, was being rather cheeky about bedtime. Calls to her to go clean her teeth went unanswered.

We found her like this.

Now that’s one way of getting out of doing something. I gotta try that with Hot Mummee one day….

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In the dark we chatted quietly- Caleb was sleeping soundly only 2+ feet away on our super king size bed.

We talked about her day, in school, what she learned, whether she went during the day, if it was hard, “Did you drink enough water?” and her diet.

Then it was time to sleep ‘cos it was getting late. I urged her to stop talking already and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek- this kid can really talk. She rolls over, as she does when it’s time, hugging her pillow and clutching her bolster between her legs.

So, the almost-whispers have stopped. I lay beside her waiting for her to doze off, waiting to sneak out.

Then she turns to me and says “Daddee, I am sad.”

I am sad is usually a welcomed opening line for Daddee. Not because I like her being sad. It’s because of the flipside to the I am sad- It’s her way of opening up to me, her way of sharing her concerns, of what’s been bothering her. That she does share with me.

Previous I am sad’s have included Grandma telling her off for something she’s done, or something more serious like being bullied in school, or simply missing a friend and cannot wait to see her again the next day in school- Yes, can you believe it?

This I am sad however, was different. It was accompanied by a soft but escalating cry.

On the day before I was given a party pack by my colleague, whom had hosted a party for her niece earlier, and had a spare pack. In it were some small pieces of chocolates. When I came home I had given Caitlin that pack, and had only given her one piece of chocolate for her to bring to school.

At school, she gave her chocolate away to her (same) good friend.

She is sad not because she had given the chocolate away to her friend during school. She is sad because she gave away, or effectively, lost her chocolate, that she no longer had a chocolate to enjoy.

Where she moped about losing her chocolate, I was kinda proud that she was somewhat, to an extent, selfless. This, from a kid who really really enjoys food; and moreover- candy, and giving it away just like that, came as quite a surprise for me.

But I guess it’s been on her mind all day, and was regretting it!

So I comforted her, words like “don’t be silly” slipped out and I tried to cover it by reminding her of the other smaller pieces still around, and that she should remember that she made her good friend very happy too.

Caitlin insisted on wearing her goggles whilst doing her homework… whatever gets her going I suppose…