Sneak Peak Into Parenting

Last Thursday, at around 11:00 p.m., my friend calls me asking if I had plans the next day. I got a little excited because I thought she was going on leave and decided to spend the day with me. I was wrong. Turns out, she needed someone to take care of her kids because her yaya went on an emergency leave. I really had no plans except to do some errands in the afternoon which I could schedule for another day. However, I wasn't sure if I can handle 2 boys -- a 6 year old and a 3 year old at the same time!

I love taking care of kids, but this is the first time I'll be left with them without a yaya in tow or their parents just around the corner. However, as a friend and as a god mother to one of the boys, I felt it was my duty to take on this responsibility.

The next day, the kids were dropped-off in our house at 3:00 p.m., and I took them to our study cum play room, turned on the playstation and let them have their fun.

I had my hands full and I was exhausted, but by the time their mom fetched them (that was around 9:00 p.m.), the kids didn't want to go home and wanted to stay with me, I felt then, it was all worth it.

As I look back to that day, here are the things I have learned about being a parent and some things you need to survive each day being one:

1. You really do have your hands full. No matter how you try to keep them busy, they will always go to you for something -- opening a candy bar, going to the bathroom, a drink, sit on your lap, go with them to check on the dog, etc.

2. You have to have a supply of entertainment. Kids easy get tired of a particular activity and are always looking for something new to do. Thank goodness our house is a haven for this (because you know, a "little boy" and a "little girl" do live here :-)) -- we have playstation with games that cater to both boys and girls, a cabinet full of comic books, a collection of McDonald's Happy Meal toys (thanks to my McDo stint in advertising), PC games, board games, DVDs, painting & drawing stuff and of course, cable TV.

3. You need ample stash of kid-friendly food. Again, thank goodness we have a lot! Because we have family and friends come over quite often, we have easy-to-serve food available at all times -- chips & dip, crackers & cheese, chocolate bars, cookies, ice cream, bread & spread, popcorn, juice, chocolate drink, soda, etc. Sometimes it's wrong, but food do calm kids down.

4. Your house should be free from anything pointy, breakable, rough, etc. At around 6pm, I started cooking chicken noodle soup for dinner (I thought, it was perfect for the stormy weather, and kids would eat noodles anytime). Half-way through my cooking, the kids probably noticed that I've been out of the room for too long that they looked for me and found me in the kitchen. I asked them to not to stay in the kitchen as they might burn themselves. Out the kitchen they went and straight to the living room and starting jumping from one couch to another. Imagine my fear, not of the damage they can do to the couch, but of the possibility they might fall off and hit their heads on the coffee table, hit something breakable and cut themselves! Kids believe they are invincible!

5. Feeding kids is a CHALLENGE!

• They won't eat, not because they don't like the food, but because they want to eat something else -- junk food specifically. I told them that they can't have the chocolate pudding unless they eat dinner.
• They won't eat veggies. Problem. I don't either. I had to take out the diced carrots and Chinese petchay I threw in the soup.
• They won't sit still on the dinner table. Every spoonful intake they would run around or go watch TV or play with something or try to see if they have that junk food they want.

6. Forget about order. I'm no OC, but I am very particular about how tidy and well-kept our place is, at all times. But no matter how much I put back the toys and books, set-aside their shoes and bags, they will always find something to grab and leave scattered all over. I gave up and just fixed up after they've left.

7. Forget about doing your own activity. Don't bother trying to read a book, emailing or even texting while watching them because they will always want your attention for one reason or another.

8. Extra clothes are important. No matter how much you tell them to be careful not to dirty their clothes, they will. No wonder my friend left a huge bag full of clothes with me.

9. Your husband sort of takes a back seat. Because I was busy attending to the kids, I almost forgot that my husband was on his way home, as hungry as the kids, too! And when he arrived, I couldn't give my full attention to him because I couldn't leave the kids alone.

10. No time for yourself. Because you have your hands (and time) full, you hardly ever have the time to fix yourself up! No wonder I see a lot of make-overs for moms on TV!

Whew! Parenting, motherhood specifically, really is the hardest job on earth! I salute those moms who can keep a successful career, be a wonderful wife, keep a peaceful and orderly household, bring up happy and smart children, keep a loving family, yet still manage to keep herself pretty, healthy and sane. And I really admire those who leave their successful careers behind to become a full-time wife and mom. I believe it is not just the hardest job on earth, but the most noble one at that.

I'm glad I am given these chances to see how it is like to be a homemaker -- kids and all. At least, I can equip myself as much as I can to be ready when it's my turn to be one.