Gosh, it's already October. Winter has passed. Daylight saving has kicked in. Flowers are blooming everywhere. Oh... speaking of flowers, did I tell you that we have a little Maggie's garden going on at the moment. We have chilli, tomato, lettuce, roses, mints, lavenders, spring onions... you name it. Bing Bing is spending hours in her little garden rearranging all the pots, watering all the plants and asking all sorts of questions:
"What do you like about this one, Mommy?" - She picked up one of the spring onion pots.
"Erm, I like it because it's edible." - Ha, good answer Mommy I thought.
"E..di..ble...? Because it's edible?" - She puzzled.
"Yes, it means I can eat it."
"What about this one, Mommy? What do you like about this one?" - She picked up... another spring onion pot.
"Erm, I like it because it's fresh." - Ha good word good word Mommy I thought.
"Because it's fresh. Mommy likes it fresh." - She repeats. I knew she was sticking all the vocabs to her brain.
"What about this one, why do you like it?" - She picked up a pot of lettuce.
"What about you, why do you like it Bing Bing? - I reverted.
"Oh, I like it because it's small and because it's green, Mommy" - She quickly answered.
"Very good expression, Bing Bing! You've made a very long and descriptive sentence. Well done."
It went on and on like that for almost an hour. She talked to the plants if they've had enough water. She said sorry to the flowers when she cut the old ones. She was a busy gardener who's genuinely cared for each of her plants. I was absolutely delighted to see that my investments flourished.
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My heart aches whenever I see Bing Bing caring for Paloma, a 6 month old baby at her kindy, or Jordan, our 3-month-old sized baby doll. I knew that Bing Bing was ready to be a sister long ago. Perhaps she was ready before I was. She has a big heart to care for others whom she sees more fragile.
Whenever Bing Bing hears Paloma making any unpleasant noise or sneezing, she came straight to Paloma and asked
"Are you otay? Here, come, come to me." She asked as her hands gently moved over Palomar's hair and face.
Paloma was really happy that Bing Bing came over. She had a biggest smile as her thanks.
"She likes me, Mommy. She likes me." Bing Bing's face lighted up as she told me.
Same with Jordan, Bing Bing was riding her bike with Jordan at the front. She was checking every now and then to see if Jordan was alright. They went around and around for an hour or so.
"Mommy, I think Jordan is really really happy." Bing Bing looked up at me who was walking a few steps ahead.
"Oh, you think so?" I couldn't help smiling.
"Yes, I think so. And I am really happy too Mommy" She clearly responded.
"I am very happy that you both are happy, my dear" I kissed both of them in their foreheads.
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On Saturday, I was doing laundry. I was taking out dry clothes into a basket. It was full and rather heavy. Bing Bing was trying to lift up the basket for me but couldn't.
"It's too heavy for you Bing Bing. Let Mommy do it." I insisted.
"No, I can help you Mommy." She insisted more.
"Right. Right. We'll do it together." I compromised.
"Teamwork. I like it, Mommy" Bing Bing commented.
"Teamwork??" I asked.
"Yes, teamwork Mommy. I like teamwork." Bing Bing confirmed.
Bing Bing was also a very strict child to her parents. Sometimes I felt like our roles were somehow mixed up. You'll understand what I'm saying by reading the below. Surely those were said neither by Alan nor myself.
"Sit down on your bottom and I'll give it to you, Daddy."
"Sit down on your chair when you're eating, Daddy."
"Who's making the mess?"
"Excuse me, no talking Mommy. I am talking to Daddy."
"Mommy, eat your grapes!"
"Close your eyes Mommy. Go sleep. Good girl."
"Daddy, use your hands, don't use for feet!"
"You sit here Mommy. This is your chair. Don't sit on my chair."
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The first 1000 days are the most important time period for a person, in terms of brain and characters development. The brain grows at a speed that it would never match at any later stage. I always think if parents could spend 110% time and effort for their child's development in the first 3 years, they would need to spend less time and effort in the subsequent 3 years, and if they do it right, the time and effort needed would be less and less as time goes by and the child would still be the best they could be. That's successful parenting to me.
