There's a new mobile game app in town. It's called The Forest Adventures. It's a personalized mobile game for kids aged 3 to 7.
In this game, you can journey with your children into an interactive world of forest animals, and help 6 new forest friends get home to have a good night’s rest by solving simple, interactive puzzles in their journey home.
The game is overall fun and easy to play with parental guidance. The graphics are cute and colourful. Make sure to turn on the sound button for narration.
This game also allows your children to experience the magic of snail mail as these wonderful forest friends send their warm greetings in unique designs of envelops and letters.
I've tried to potty-train Charlotte early last year when she first started attending kindergarten. I tried. Needless to say, it was pretty unsuccessful. It put on TREMENDOUS stress on myself cause I was constantly worried if she would wet the floor or sofa cause I'm OCD like that. It stressed me out even more when I have to bring both the kids out on my own. WHAT IF SHE PEES IN PUBLIC!?
So I decided to go easy on myself her and let time take its course. I mean, nobody goes to college still wearing diaper, right?
It all officially started in June 2018, after meeting the teachers on Parents-Teacher-Day. I was told that they've started to potty train some of the 3 year old kids prior to the meeting and Charlotte has been doing really well. Accidents getting lesser and she could hold it in while waiting for her turn to pee in the toilet.
I was surprised cause she had frequent accidents at home, but at the same time delighted to know that she's actually ready.
The following morning, I decided to go full force on potty training her.
The first thing after she woke up was to get her on the toilet bowl to pee. She did. You should see how I secretly hop in joy hahahaha. Then she was on her panties. It was very very nerve wrecking. I was gonna ask her every 15 to 20 minutes if she wants to pee but I found myself asking almost every 30 seconds lol.
The second pee didn't happen as soon as I was expecting cause erm I didn't get her to drink water hahahaha. I later purposely let her eat salty and spicy food just to get her to drink more water.
She successfully pee in the toilet the next time but had an accident after that. She was nervous but I ensured her that it's ok. She just have to let me know the next time she feels the urge to pee. She continued to wear diaper when she sleeps during nap time at night, though. In less than 2 weeks' time, she has successfully transit to wearing pantie during the day.
But it's not all sunshine yet because this girl just resist to poo in the toilet bowl. She would only do it with her diaper on, squatting down. I didn't fully understand what she was afraid of. Maybe it's big? Maybe it makes loud noise? Maybe things disappear into it and never to be seen again? She would just cry and cry and hold it in until I give in and put on the diaper for her.
The thing is, she could hold it in! That means she has absolute control over her bowel movement wtf. So I tried and tried, using every soft approach I could find online. She even loved the potty training song 👇
And yet no matter how hard I try, SHE. JUST. WOULDN'T. POOP. IN. THE. TOILET!
One day, I got so fed up because she was asking to poo but refused to sit on the throne. She kept crying and crying because her little tummy was aching, asking me to put on a diaper for her. I told her sternly that she has to poop in the toilet or else she just has to stay outside.
I took Emmett with me and lock ourselves in the room, leaving Charlotte alone outside. She kept banging the door, crying hysterically.
A few minutes later, it was silent. I waited patiently yet anxiously. And then, the music came,
"Mummy! I'm done! I poo poo in the toilet, mummy!"
I went out of the room to find her sitting on the toilet bowl. And yes, she did it!
Since that faithful day, she has no more problem going to the toilet.
It took us about 2 months to be fully off diaper during day time (including her nap time). The final challenge was to wean off diaper at night. I took it easy again cause I know she's almost ready. Her diaper was usually dry after sleeping through the whole night. There're only a handful of accidents throughout the last few months.
One night in December last year, I told her that she's a big girl now and that she should wear her panties to sleep, just like mummy! She looked at me and agreed happily. And she did! Before the new year, Charlotte was considered fully potty trained! I can't say enough how proud I am of myself her. It made my 2018 ended on a very very sweet note.
This year so far, Charlotte had 2 accidents at night and both times happened last week. After the second accident, she has been waking up in the middle of the night asking to go to the toilet almost every day. Amazingly, she could go back to sleep immediately after her toilet break. It's didn't really bother me cause every time she's awake for her "toilet break" is usually when Emmett's up and done with (one of his) night feeding(s).
So if you ask me, what makes the potty training successful?
1. Timing is everything
It's so easy to get hung up and worried that your child is a certain age and not there yet. But to potty train a child successfully, she must be good and ready. And she will! Maybe not today. But definitely someday.
2. Heap on the praise
I didn't use rewards to bribe her. What I did was giving her lots of undivided attention, positive reinforcement, love, affection and pride when she's successful. Making a huge deal about small steps of progress is key. After lots of "Yeah! You did it! You shh shh/ poo poo in the toilet!" and "Well done, Charlotte!" and "Yay! Your diaper is dry! You didn't shh shh in the diaper!", she enjoys going to the toilet more and more.
3. Stick to a routine
The teachers in her school did the hard work by bringing the kids to the toilet on a regular basis helped to shape her routine. I think the fact that she saw her classmates going on the potty makes her want to do it, too. I just bring home whatever works for her in school.
I was there when your cousin received the news. I was shocked. I remember reading on social media about your little one suddenly having high fever in the middle of the night.Within 24 hours, he's gone.
As a mother, my heart bleeds for your loss.
I can't imagine how you must feel. Being a mother is the most rewarding title and the most satisfying role. But to have that taken away, it's just so unfair. I can't even begin to fathom how you deal with this situation. It's heart-wrenching enough just to hear about the news. Today, I went on Google to look up for the title for a mother who loses a child. But there is no word for it because it is too awful to put into words. It should never happen.
Even though we are only acquaintance, this sad sad news about the passing of your little angel has impacted me more than I can imagine. I have been crying just thinking about it. I know it must have been much worse for you. And so I've been praying for you in the mornings in hopes that you can find some sort of strength and comfort to carry on with life. I wish I could hug you tight, so that you won't fall apart.
I am really, truly sorry for your loss. It is not how the scheme of things are supposed to go.
I don't understand why did this happened to you, but I do know the love a mother has for her child does not waiver and is never-ending.
So, even if you feel that every day is a challenge, please know that there are people like me who are rooting and praying for you. There is someone out there who hurts for you and hopes for peace in your heart.
Take it one day at a time, let time heal you. And please, allow people to help you get through this. Your cousin said that you are a strong women. And I believe in you, too.
When you finally get through this tragedy, please know that you will be one of the strongest persons on earth.
From a few cups of milo bing a day to only one or none a day. That sounds like a big step to me! Slowly but surely huh? And I definitely had less milk tea or whatever comfort drinks this month woohoo! I guess that's because I'm have my mind set on something bigger (read: a better body and a traveling plan in 2020). I did gave in a few times, like maybe 2 time? Especially when the kids acted up. Moms with young kids, you know what I mean, don't you? That instant comfort I get from the first sip helps to balance my mind, body and soul I kid you not. People without kids yet, you will understand me when you get there someday.
Come to think about it, I think I gave in 3 times hahaha.
Emmett was admitted on the 25th of Jan due to RSV. Again. And the first thing I did right after checking out of the hospital? I drove to a nearby cheese tea outlet to get myself one large cup of Matcha Cheese Tea. It felt so so good and... compensated, for what I've been through handling a walking toddler in the ward. Maybe I should blog about it huh? The difference when staying in a hospital with a baby who can't even crawl yet and a walking toddler.
Sorry I digress.
2. Quite Green. Can be greener.
I've made full of the 2 shopping bags that's always in my backpack whenever I'm out shopping. The only 1 time I was offered a plastic bag was when I bought a carton of milk and the cashier insisted to place that carton of milk, that already has droplets forming on the surface, in a plastic bag so that my other goods will not get wet. I kindly refused but she strongly insisted 😐
Also, I used my tumbler to buy all my comfort drinks. Even cheese tea.Some baristas were confused (I think they haven't met a customer asking to fill their tumbler before?) but they eventually figured it out 👏👏👏 Maybe I should write in to these merchants and propose them to offer eco-friendly customers (like me ahem) some discount?
3. It's not the kids. It's me.
I really really wish I could calm myself before letting it out on the kids but I just... failed. Kids will be kids. And I fully understand that it's my responsibility to teach them what's right or not. But just like the baby dragons in How to Train Your Dragon... THEY LISTEN TO NO ONE! And raising my voice is usually the fastest way to get things going the way I wanted.
Dear Lord, please give me the wisdom to know how to deal with myself and the kids in a more peaceful and calmer manner. Let me not repeat the damage that was done to me when I was a kid. I should know better.
4 Intermittent Fasting... with 2 cheat days.
Erm... another slowly but surely kinda thing? I mean, it's usually kinda hard to go full on 16:8 during the weekends but I tried. Sometimes I could sometimes I just couldn't cause my sweet sweet wonderful Charlotte will be asking, "Why mummy? Why are you not eating? Nah, I give you. Charlotte share with you."
Well, that's my January there! Gone in just a blink of an eye. Ok maybe a few more blinks.
