Som Bah!

I hate it when people criticise my parenting methods or philosophies.

Unfortunately, many people just like to give their two cents worth of view when you educate and develop your child the way you want to.

I know that most of the time, they are sharing well meaning advice. But hey, what is important to you may not be important to me. What happened to you may not happen to me too.

If people are so clever and got so many theories, that's great! I think they should go seh (give birth to) their own kia (child) and apply them.

If you already are a parent, then just do what you like, I am not telling you how to raise your kid, why are you telling me how to raise mine???

I try to ignore them most of the time or try to share with them wat "EXPERTS" and "DOCTORS" say to shut them up. But sometimes I really feel very exasperated. And usually, these times come when the people most forcefully give out advise using the "I know it better" tone just because "the salt they eat more than the rice i eat"...

And guess who is best at doing tat? Of cos is our parents lah! :) hahaha..

Like the other day, my mother in law came visiting. My son dunno why chose that precise moment to start hiccuping. And then my mother in law ask me, "You never feed him water?"

Before I can answer, my father-in-law says," I see that she dun feed him water one..."

Huh? Which eye of yours see????? There are 7 days a week, that's 168 hours. You visit him once a week for at the most an hour, that's only 9.5% ok. You see Ace 9.5% of the time in a week and you can see that I dun feed him, water?

So which eye you use?? Thousand mile eyes ah??? :)

I absolutely hate being yuan wang (wronged).

And in addition, didnt you know that baby hiccups will not be cured by feeding the baby water?

Also, babies who are breastfed before 6 months need not drink much water at all. They get all the water they need from the milk they drink. Ace pees like a thousand times a day so I think we are doing fine, thank you very much.

SIGH!

Then there are people who tell me that I should not spoil Ace by:
- petting him to sleep
- rocking him to bed
- carrying him to sleep

I do agree. But at the same time, I feel that it is really how you look at it. These things may not be things we want to do frequently lest it becomes Ace's habit. But used properly, they are great tools to give me sanity cos it does help him to sleep and give me time to rest.

I can only do what I deem best and hope the decision doesnt haunt me later...

I guess different people really see things differently and that is why people like to give advice.

Just the other day, i was telling a friend that I allow Ace to choose the clothes he wants to wear everyday.

Everyday, before I bath him, I will bring him to his stash of clothes and ask him which one he wants. I give him two choices to choose and will allow him to wear the one that he smiles at. (By the way, babies are not stupid ok, he knows how to choose.)

The point I want to make to him is that he is an independent little boy and should make his own decisions.

But surprisingly, the first reaction my friend had was, "Hiyo, you spoil him ah!"

Hmm.. I never thought of it like that and never thought it possible to look at it like that.

Anywayz, I swear that I will try my darnest to keep my mouth to myself when I see a struggling parent. I will share if they ask but will not infringe on their right to bring up their children the way they want to.

Som bah!