Changing the kids bedtimes - A challenge

I have a new challenge - to change the kids bedtimes to prepare ahead for next year when I send my girl to kindy. At the moment they go to bed very late, at around 11-12pm and they wake up very late too, at around 10-11pm.

This arrangement works out fine with me because I go to bed late as well so I can play with them, read them stories and we all unwind together. This way they also get to play with their daddy a little in the evenings instead of going straight to bed when he comes back from work. In the mornings, I am relieved to be able to get a little time to myself when they wake up late because once they wake up, my day is constantly interrupted so I treasure this little time I have to myself.

However, since kindy starts around 8.45am, this arrangement obviously cannot continue. So how do I get them to wake up 3-4 hours earlier. Naturally by sending them to bed earlier as well. How I do this? By changing their bed and waking times 15-30 minutes earlier each day/week. That'll mean my bedtime and other daily routines have to change too.

This is a big challenge to me. I've been wanting to do this for some time now but I keep putting it off. I've really got to start doing it and thats the reason for this post. To put down in writing helps my resolve. I will do it... tomorrow.... maybe tomorrow... Hehe. Wish me luck please? And if you have any tips, please share with me. Thanks.

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Sponging baby with a high fever

My 3 year old boy had a high fever that wouldn't go away recently so we took him to the paediatrician. The paediatrician said we had to sponge a child with high fever of more than 38.5C. She said that we could do this at home for children over 3 months but for babies younger than 3 months, one has to give syrup paracetamol, sponge and seek medical help immediately. So its always important to stock up on syrup paracetamol at home because you never know when you might need it. My boy's fever came on quite suddenly at night.

At home we merely put a wet towel over his face and neck area or rub his back with a wet towel if it was too hot but this is what they did at the clinic. (Baby's fever was 40C when we arrived at the clinic).

Before sponging, they gave baby a suppository through the anus. For the sponging, first they switched off the air-conditioning in the room. Then they brought in a tub of water and two wet towels. After that they removed all his clothing. Then they wrapped one wet towel over his tummy and legs and used the other to sponge him all over, arms, hands, face and including his hair and back. They rinsed the towels and repeated this process of wrapping and sponging baby over and over again for about 10 minutes.

Poor baby was very unhappy. He cried "Don't want already. Don't want already." My poor baby.

When they were done, they gave us a dry towel to dry baby. We dressed baby after that. Baby's fever still showed a reading of 39C. The paeditrician instructed us to put baby under the fan for 1/2 hour when we got home. The paeditrician said that sponging the baby was necessary to bring his fever down quickly to prevent a febrile seizure.

Baby's fever came on and off over 2-3 days. He was given antibiotics and is still on it. He hates the taste of it but takes it like a good boy when I tell him that it will make him well faster so he can eat his favourite foods again. I tell him to take the medicine as fast as he can in one mouthful so it will be over quickly and he tries his best. Baby is much better now. Phew! Now lets hope his sister doesn't fall sick!

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Quote for a Full-Time Mother

"Being a full-time mother is one of the highest paying jobs..... since the payment is pure love." -- Mildred B.Vermont

With being so busy and all, I've almost forgotten that I've created a mother's quote category to collect quotes about and for mothers. Here is one which I like. I find it to be true. The more time I invest in my children, the more I get in return, in the form of love. I hope that I can continue to be their rock, their harbour and someone they can always run to and confide in.

I love the picture of the breastfeeding mother too. Its a Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Karelian Mother, 1891. Its just nice for this quote so I have put them together.

I hope you enjoy the quote.

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Protecting our Children

There are beasts out there who rape, sodomize and throw little children from balconies. Sexual crimes against children is rising. However sometimes the perpetrators are not a stranger but someone close, someone trusted.

Today, I want to share an article on the 7 steps to protecting our children: Preventing, Recognizing, and Reacting Responsibly to Child Sexual Abuse - A Guide for Responsible Adults. The introduction to the article stands out to me. It says....

"My child's school has a program to teach children about sexual abuse prevention- but what about adults? Shouldn't we be responsible for the protection of children?"

A child's safety is an adult's job. Children are often taught how to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse - and that's important for them to learn - but it's no substitute for adult responsibility. We make sure children wear seat belts. We walk them across busy streets. We store toxic household cleaners out of reach. Why, then, would we leave the job of preventing child sexual abuse solely to children?Imagine how difficult it is for a child to say "no" to a parent, a teacher, a coach, or clergy.

Even the adults we trust to protect children can't always be trusted. Coaches, teachers, clergy, and parents are authority figures children feel they can trust. Yet, a large percentage of those who sexually abuse children are from this group. These are adults who have the opportunity to "groom" children with affection and attention, making it difficult for children to identify certain behaviors as abuse. And they know that children have been taught to "mind" them. This is why programs that focus on adult responsibility are essential.

Another part of the article which stands out to me is Step 2: Minimize Opportunity. Here is an excerpt:

More than 80% of sexual abuse cases occur in one-adult/one-child situations.Reduce the risk. Protect children.

• Understand that abusers often become friendly with potential victims and their families, enjoying family activities, earning trust, and gaining time alone with children.
• Think carefully about the safety of any one-adult/one-child situations. Choose group situations when possible.
• Think carefully about the safety of situations in which older youth have access to younger children. Make sure that multiple adults are present who can supervise.
• Set an example by personally avoiding one-adult/one-child situations with children other than your own.
• Monitor children's Internet use. Offenders use the Internet to lure children into physical contact.

This is very true indeed. I've read of a case where boys were abused by their male tuition teacher. The parents were home during the lessons but tuition was conducted in a room behind closed doors. You can never be too careful when it comes to your children, girls AND boys alike. So minimize opportunity is very sound advice.

Please read the rest of the article in the link I provided above. It is a good guide for us parents to always be aware and be prepared to protect our children.

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The Generous Wife

I want to take a moment to share a site which I have been subscribing to for some time now.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

A positive thought a day keeps the blues away.

On the same principle, I hope that a tip a day on how to become a better wife will make me a better wife. With this in mind, I subscribed to the newsletter from The Generous Wife website. Its meant for Christian wives but I think the tips are useful to everyone. Here is an example of a tip I received from my subcription. Its the tip for Thursday, October 25, 2007. I like the tip. I hope you find it useful too.

UNDERSTAND THAT I JUGGLE WORK & HOME RESPONSIBILITIES

Several of the guys shared about the pull between work and home. They voiced the need for understanding over the conflict between work and family needs. They want to make time for family, but their job is what supports their family and it needs to have appropriate attention. It's not always easy to take time off for family things or call from work (when they do call, please realize that they may have to keep it short or that they may be interrupted). Basically it was a plea for understanding that their day is complicated too and they need to invest in their work. A spin off of that was a need for a warm welcome and not having to face responsibilities or troubles the moment they get home. Some even wanted/needed a bit of quiet time when they first got home from work to make the jump from work to family.

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