Do women make better caregivers?

I attended a health talk on nutrition for alzeihmer's patients during the weekend together with my sisters. 80% of those who attended the talk were women.

Even in my own family, me and my sisters are the main caregivers for our dad who has dementia. The brothers do their part by taking dad out once in a while but its not the same. We have come to the conclusion that women are better caregivers.

Women care for their children, their spouses and their parents better than men. Of course there are exeptions to this, exceptional men who look after their parents, spouses and children really well. I saw a man at a hospital gently leading his mum to the ladies washroom once. He then asked another lady to help out when they reached the toilet because he couldn't go in the ladies. I was touched by the scene.

There are exceptions but I think its fair to say that most men leave the taking dad or mum to the doctor part to the wife or sister. In fact, most men, would even leave the taking care of food and health part to their wives. They do not take responsibilities for their own health.

As a result, when you compare older men and women, older women are more likely to be able to look after themselves. We compared our parents and parents in laws and found that the single older women fared better. They cooked and looked after themselves single handedly when they are older whereas the single older men are more lost. They tend to rely on the children to look after them more.

What do you think? Do women make better caregivers? Is it that way in your family?

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Still Co-Sleeping

My kids are 6 and 4 and we're still co-sleeping. To ensure I still have a good nights sleep, I sleep on the floor so that they won't kick me left, right and center. Its amazing how they both turn around 360 degrees on the bed each night.

I think co-sleeping is something that I will be doing till the kids start asking for their own rooms. Its just the best bonding time for us.

Bedtime is the time where secrets get revealed and little fears get revealed. At no other time, accept bedtime, I will suddenly hear revelations and confessions like .....

"Mummy, the other day I did something naughty in school" (from the 6 year old)

"Mummy, will the teachers laugh at me if I carry a different bag (from the school given one) to school?" (from the 4 year old)

Its the best time for hugs and laughters as we all wind down for the day. After the lights are turned off, sometimes we continue chatting and its amazing, the things I hear from them. I guess, like adults, the kids do their thinking just before sleeping and sometimes they share their thoughts with me. The room would be all dark and quiet and all of a sudden I would hear a little voice talk about his/her fears or confessing to me that they had been naughty. Its the best time to give a pep talk or give a hug of comfort to keep away those fears.

We definitely share some best bonding moments ever during bedtime. Right from the time when they were young and breastfeeding till now that they are old enough to chat and share their thoughts with me. :)

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A busy time for mother

A busy time for this mother that is. Lol!

A mother's role is always very challenging and dynamic. It is never static. I grow as a mother along with my kids and my role changes with my growing kids.

From now till the end of the year, I shall be very busy supporting my kids in various activities. I better list them down here to help me focus!

• Prepare my boy to enter kindy next year
• Help my girl build her confidence for her emcee role at her year end concert
• Prepare my girl and myself for her to start Year 1 in Chinese School next year
• Prepare my girl and myself to perform a piano piece together at a music school concert
• Train both the girl and boy to be more independant

Hmm..... only 5 items. Doesn't seem like a lot but its going to take a lot out of me!

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Flu, Cold or Bronchitis?

My poor little boy has been having fever for a week. He is also having a stuffy nose and a cough with phelgm. Poor thing. His appetite is no good and he has lost some weight. His fever just won't break. We've been to the paed twice and he is on antibiotics now.

We're not sure whether he's got a Cold, the Flu or Bronchitis? Here is an informative article on Bronchitis. Whatever it is thats ailing him, I hope he recovers soon. I feel so sad to see him so moody, with no appetite and losing weight. :(

His sister has got the coughs too. Some nights she would cough till she vomits. Her cough is quite chronic. She would cough till she vomits usually at night. We've seen the paed too and the paed says that if it persists she may need to give her some meds that contains some steroids because she is afraid that it may develop into athsma.

Oh my poor babies. I hope they recover soon.

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Why did you choose Chinese School/Kebangsaan School?

Ok. Ok. I'm beggining to sound like a broken record that keeps harping on the same subject but I just cannot make up my mind!

Anyway, I'm not going to write about this anymore. I hope to hear from you instead.

For those of you with kids entering Primary School and you HAVE MADE UP YOUR MIND about which school to send them. (Unlike me). Why did you choose Chinese School/Kebangsaan School?

For those of you whose kids are currently attending Chinese School/Kebangsaan School, Why did you choose Chinese School/Kebangsaan School? Do you have any regrets or are you happy with your choice?

Hope to hear your views. Don't be shy to leave long comments. Me and probably many others too want to hear from you. Thanks.

Since this topic is rather important to me, I am duplicating this post on my other blogs as some who read my other blogs don't read this one vice versa.

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Are you obsessed with your weight?

Are you obsessed with your weight? I'm afraid I am, well, just a little bit. I'm not obsessed with it but I do step on the scales rather frequently. Does daily count as non-obsession? Lol! Well, aren't most women concerned about their weight? Its always, "I'm too fat!" "I'm too skinny!" Have you ever heard of anyone saying "I'm just right!" I haven't.

On the matter of weights? Why won't my weight come down? I step on the scales daily and it shows me the same figure most days. It can come up easily like if I throw away all caution to the wind and pig out on that piece of cake but no matter how hard I try to exercise or control my food intake, the scales stare at me stubbornly at the same place most days. Aaarrrgh! Maybe I need to buy new scales. There must be something wrong with this one!

Well, I have managed to lose about 20lbs before over 6 months but it takes a lot of hard work and self control. I don't think its perfect for health either as sometimes I can hear my stomach growling. Still 6 months of controlled food intake and careful exercise is not so bad compared to the fad diets.

However, I've now sort of reached a plateau and I think the only way I can go down again is to go back to my tough self control regime for a while. Oh its hard! Well, I'm going to go contemplate now while I cook lunch. ;)

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