A salute to all Stay At Home Mums (SAHMs) and all Mothers

Havent been blogging for some time as I am really really busy. It seems that a SAHM is really not easy...a duty that I need to fulfill for 24 hours. For me, I am half a SAHM and WAHM so is a double whammy.

I really must salute all SAHMs without helpers - is really a tall order and a very challenging job indeed. I have a domestic helper and yet I am so busy ...

The other day, my husband showed me an article from Reader Digest which we thought that the author wrote it in a very humourous manner describing the qualities that made a good mother.

The qualities are :

1. Organisational skills , ability to drive and to be in two places at one time
2. Financial Skills if you have to budget for birthdays , weekly grocery shopping which was growing as fast as the kids
3. Good mathematical skills will come in handy when u are trying to divide 7 sweets among 4 kids
4.Chemistry and biology when your two year old shows you a blemish, you will have to be able to tell if it is the beginning of a flesh-eating disease or just a freckle. You will also need to know which laundry soap makes the baby itch, why the sky is blue etc
5. Good memory to remember all the birthdays, names of the stuffed animals, the child who likes peas and cant stand grape juice
6. Creativity to do the art and crafts, teaching them music, turn a nightgown and a roll of tinfoil into a fairy costume for party etc

(Taken from Reader Digest Nov 07 pg 81 - 83)

Really can identify with some of these qualities...esp now I have kids of different ages. Wonder how my mum cope in the earlier days of bringing us up..maybe we werent as inquisitive as the kids nowadays or we were not that demanding or ....

Thank God for all mothers. No matter whether you are SAHM, WAHM or working mums, I think u are all great : )

Parenting Challenges

Parenting is really not easy esp so when I stay at home. With me staying at home since my resignation from a full time job in Aug 06, I find that I may be giving myself too much pressure to do too many things that I planned to do while not working. Esp now that things are settled compared to previously when I have maid problems, renovating house, moving house, pregnancy, delivering etc.

Not that I am a perfectionist..people always say dont sweat the small stuff but really is easier said than done esp. when coaching them in their work, piano. Emotions run high and my expectations of them too.

Both Naomi and Nathan are considered fast learners or advanced in their age according to "external" standards but still... Maybe becos I am still working on a part-time basis...so tend to expect them to learn faster so that I can get down to my job.

Many parents are also faced with this problem, juggling between work, family, children and many other things... For Christians readers out there.. we really need to ask God to grant us the strength from God to carry us through and give us patience, unconditional love and help us be good role models for our kids to follow and in turn on pass these good values to their kids.

Having said all these, staying at home grants me joy too , seeing them grow and experiencing their first milestones. I didnt regret my decision to stay at home and work part-time as I strongly believe in making a difference in their growing up years by being there in their formative years.

Everyday, is a new learning experience for me...it is not learnt thr' books, parenting articles or anywhere : )