Thoughts

Random thoughts, reflections and dreams

Birthday Thoughts

Last week I turned 39. One year older and certainly very much wiser. It has been a turbulent 2017 with many high and low moments.  I had to learn and unlearn many different lessons and it has certainly been empowering.   It was a quiet  no cake affair this year as spend my special day with my love ones.  Spending time and communicating with them are more important then spending on parties and unhealthy foods.

Since last year I have started to put myself first.  I’ve  been focusing more on what I need and being more assertive.  I’m no longer bending over back for others who disregard my needs.  I’ve taken back control and removed bad relationships.  I’ve a clearer picture of what works and what doesn’t for me. You can say I know exactly where I want to be and how to achieve it.

Doggie Boy and Me

Doggie Boy and Me

The kids are growing up fast and I’m constantly challenging myself to improve myself by getting in touch with the various new educational software and techniques that are in the market and tailor them to their learning abilities.

Each of them have different learning styles and  I had to rely on many external resources to enhancing their learning experiences and make their academic learning journey easier.  You can say it was a hit and miss finding out what worked best for each child.  Besides focusing on their academics I’ve continued with working on their holistic development and teaching them different techniques of dealing with the array of emotions that they have been experiencing.

The main stream education system focuses too much on academics and paper chase and grossly neglects the emotional well being and spiritual growth of a child. This I feel is extremely important and something that I really have to emphasize on with my kids.  I’m seeing more and more emotionally weak kids which are the product of neglect and indifference by parents who seem more interested in chasing the almighty dollar and personal interests then giving the proper guidance to their kids.

There has been a increase in child suicides, drugs and alcohol abuse.  These are evidence of emotional immaturity and also lack of guidance that result in tragedy for those kids who ended up wasted or dead as a result of negligence. I seriously do not wish for my kids to end up as one of these type of statistics and will do everything in my capability  as a single parent to ensure that they grow up balanced.

Tiger girl and me

Tiger girl and me

It’s not all serious and studying without having fun in my household. The kids and I have been going out quite a lot  to play and this has kept everyone relatively stress free.  We have been indulging in more sports  and go swimming weekly now.  I’m still keeping up with my 1-to-1 bonding time with each kid so they get their special time with me.  We too get up to many quirky and fun stuff like playing with the different apps that they have online nowadays.

I’m also cooking much more this year and in more variety as I’m trying out  more healthy dishes and increasing my stable cooks for the weekly menu.  I still introducing more new foods and adjusting their taste and ingredients. I’ve cut off cow’s milk and replaced it with oat milk and am gradually phasing out all processed/ can foods with healthy options. We are also eating less rice and bread and option for more vegetables and fruits instead.  I’ll be studying in detail Keto style of eating and going through the new Keto cookbook that I’ve purchased.

How has it been since your last birthday?

 

 

 

 

Half Year Review- 2017

Recent photo of me

Recent photo of me

Within a blink of the eye half a year has passed. The kids are back in school and having the 3rd term of schooling.  It’s time to do some reflection on how 2017 has been so far for me.

In January I didn’t set any resolutions as I find that it wasn’t something that I want to continue doing. However I did write down 20 Ideas how to make this year the best year ever!!

I cut down blogging drastically and pushed away many engagements as I realign more on building up the bond between the kids and them with me.

Being a Single parent of 3 hasn’t been easy. It has been rather exhausting on ends especially when there are tons of deadlines to meet and also make sure that the kids keep on track with their studies.

Tiger girl getting a piggyback ride from Monkey Boy

Tiger girl getting a piggyback ride from Monkey Boy

To cope with the hectic schedules I’ve looked more closely at mine and the kids nutritional needs.  I’m currently going through some online nutritional courses to learn more about what is the ideal proportion and types of food to serve to the different age groups.

I will be revamping my weekly meal planning further to cut down more on processed and other unhealthy foods from the family diet.  I intend to increase the variety of fruits and  vegetables that I introduce to the kids. I will be cutting down on wheat products and sugary treats too for everyone as they are the main cause of cancers and other life threatening diseases.

I’ll be introducing Quinoa and other grains as replacement for rice and noodles. We won’t be cutting them off totally but reducing the intake of these asian staples drastically.

This month I will be attending a croissant baking class. Tiger girl loves to eat croissants and it makes more financial and health sense to bake my own which is free of unwanted chemicals and cheaper on the pocket.   Besides croissant I will also be scheduling a sweet bun course to attend with a girlfriend.

The breads available commercially has too many preservatives  and can add up to quite a bit as even a simple small cake can cost up to $80 from a posh bakery.

I hope to save some $$ from DIY bread from now onwards.

How has the 1st half of 2017 been for you?

(do share with me in the comments below :P)