Homework On A Daily Basis

Lately, I noticed Sharlene has been bringing back homework everyday. Her homework consists of colouring and letter writing. Some days she brought home 2 books, 1 colouring book and another exercise book for letter writing. What about your kids? Do they have homework EVERYDAY? At times my girl is so lazy and refuses to complete her homework. Her nanny has tough time asking her to do it sometimes.

I've a bedtime routine with Sharlene every night. Before she drinks her milk, I will check her school bag to see what she had learn in the morning, look at her completed homework and read to her. As I was checking through her bag I found a colouring book which she put into another smaller compartment. I opened the book and found a page with a 'Homework' chop on it. I was shocked to see a clean flower picture...meaning she didn't do her homework. Her nanny didn't notice the book when she checked it during the day. It was almost 9.00p.m. and I thought she must be too tired to do it.

When I told her she has another page of colouring to do, I was surprised she took her colour pencils right away and finished off the colouring in less than 10 mins.


Sharlene did her colouring on a stool in my bedroom with Aunty YK holding the book for her. Look, she's so occupied with her colouring here.


Almost done here. Quite a nice piece, right. If only she can show this kind of enthusiasm everyday. I'll be so happy. On another note, maybe I shouldn't expect too much from a 4 yr old kid.

Missed Out On My Weekly Exercise Routine

I didn’t get to exercise the last weekend. Instead of going for my morning jog last Saturday, I’ve to get Sharlene ready for her replacement class, send her to the school and go to the wet market. I missed out again on Sunday because I’ve to be in the kitchen early in the morning.

Having to leave the house early in the morning and reach home close to 7 p.m., I simply can’t squeeze in any time to exercise on a working day. I know it’s important to exercise everyday but I’m just too lazy to do it early in the morning before I go to work or to jog in the evening. Once I step into the house, Sharlene will stick to me like glue. Moreover, that is the only time I could be with her, so I rather spend those precious moments with her on a weekday.

I still remember 6-7 years ago I used to attend yoga and aerobics classes 3 times a week. The classes were conducted a few blocks away from my workplace. So those days my colleague and I just walked over after office hours. I continued with my yoga classes even though I was pregnant with Sharlene and I stopped somewhere around the end of 2nd trimester. Two years after I delivered Sharlene I started yoga again. Unfortunately, the instructor had stopped teaching due to her work commitments a few months ago.

I really miss those workout days. I know I can’t exercise like I used to be but I’m glad that at least I can jog twice a week now. Hopefully, I can resume my jogging sessions with hubby and SIL very soon.

Find out what I’ve cooked last Sunday in my forthcoming post.

Traces Of Lead Found In Malaysian Candy

Got this from Malaysian Insider

California officials warn against Malaysian candy
SACRAMENTO, Aug 6 — California health officials have issued a warning about a brand of candy from Malaysia, saying it contains lead levels the state considers unsafe. The Department of Public Health says a recent analysis found that Ego Hao Jin Bang candy contained as much as 0.73 parts per million of lead. The state considers candy with lead levels of more than 0.10 parts per million to be contaminated. Lead can be particularly harmful for young children and developing fetuses, resulting in learning disabilities and behavioural disorders. — AP

Following the above news reports in California, this particular brand of candy has also been removed from store shelves in Singapore.

I’ve not seen this Ego Hao Jin Bang candy before but I remember seeing some products under this particular 'Ego' brand in some of the hypermarkets here. I'm not sure if anyone of you has seen this before. Anyway, when leads get into our body it is a poison and harms people. Even small amounts of it can be harmful. Young children also absorb lead more easily than adults. And I just wonder why there are traces of lead found in this nice-looking candy??

So Obsessed

I have never seen hubby so obsessed in buying things before, particularly clothes. He hardly ever shops on his own. Those days (before our precious daughter came into our life), we used to shop together from the time the shopping complex opens till the time it closes. That’s how crazy we were especially during mega sales time. Now we hardly have the time to shop for clothes together. Whenever we go shopping we will either look for Sharlene’s stuff or mummy’s shoes and dresses. Poor hubby only tags along without any complaint.

Now back to hubby’s obsession…it all started when we were at Mid Valley Megamall last Saturday night. He saw a renoma long sleeve shirt at Metrojaya but for some reasons, he didn’t buy the shirt. He intends to go back there on Sunday morning. But again, it was too late to go to Mid Valley after our shopping for groceries at Tesco. While shopping in Tesco with Sharlene and her nanny, hubby went over to Metrojaya @ The Curve, trying to hunt for the same shirt. Unfortunately he couldn’t find it there. He must be soooooo disappointed again.

Nevertheless, he finally bought the shirts he’s crazy over on Monday night, after failing to get it for 2 days. Last night, he went to The Curve again and came back with 3 more Renoma long sleeve shirts. I was like...what! Shirts again!! I can’t imagine that he got himself a total of 5 new shirts at 2 different shopping complexes in 2 consecutive nights. With his new purchase, he packed away 2 bags of old shirts last night. At last, he got rid of his old shirts that he has been wearing for the past few years.

Sharlene Is Getting Better

Today Sharlene is finally getting better after days of coughing. It really breaks my heart to hear her coughing non-stop especially during the night. She has stopped taking the chinese meds and I'm giving her Rhinathiol which hubby bought from pharmacy last Friday. It is a cough syrup for symptomatic treatment of troublesome, non-productive cough, particularly occurring at night. This syrup comes with a measuring spoon too. She wasn't aware that I'm giving her meds as I mix 5ml of the syrup into her milo. She happily drank finish the whole cup of the milo without realising it has been tampered. Thanks to my friend who gave me this idea. So, for the last 2 days I'm at home I've been mixing her meds with milo 3 times a day. As I'm back to work today, her nanny gave meds to her by mixing it with her milk and she also finished the whole bottle as usual.

Last night she slept throughout the night without coughing. And today her cough doesn't sounds as bad as the last few days. I'm so glad that she's coughing lesser now and hopefully she can stop taking the meds soon.

I'm So Used To It

Besides drinking a glass of warm water (first thing in the morning before I step into the bathroom), I will make myself a mug of psyllium husks before I go to work every morning. Some how I managed to accept this tasteless and slimy drink and have become so used to it now. Due to time constraint in the morning, I just add 1 tbsp of psyllium husks into a full glass of plain water and gulp it down before I rush off to work. Although it is supposed to be taken 3 times a day (as printed on the packet) I think for me, it is sufficient to just have it once in the morning or sometimes evening.

I have been diligently drinking psyllium husk for almost a month now and I must say that it really does helps to improve my bowel movements. As I don’t take in enough fiber everyday, psyllium husk definitely gives me more roughage in my daily diet. I’ve read some articles in the websites, which state that people with high cholesterol problem would benefit from taking psyllium husk as it can help to reduce cholesterol level.

Recently, hubby also starts to take a glass of psyllium husk daily. Hopefully his cholesterol level could be reduced in no time. Even Sharlene’s nanny is drinking this fiber beverage now.

She Is Down With Cough

Sharlene had dry cough a few nights ago. It was infrequent and I thought it could be due to her sleeping in an air-cond room. Hence I only gave her some water to moist her dry throat whenever I hear her coughing at night. Her nanny said she doesn’t cough during the day. I noticed that too when I was at home with her last weekend.

She has been taking medicines since Tuesday. As she hates to take medicines prescribed by her paed and instead of forcing her to take those meds, we gave her Chinese medicines (in powder form) purchased from Chinese medical shop. My niece takes this powdered meds each time she has cough and it’s very effective for her. Hopefully, it works for Sharlene too. She is willing and able to accept the bitter and pungent taste of the Chinese meds. I just wonder why?????

She attended pre-school as usual. Yesterday after came back from kindy, she told her nanny that she vomited in the classroom. She even said she vomited all over the place, on the table, on the chair and on the floor. Oh my! I bet the classroom smells horrible and I feel so sorry for the teacher who cleaned up the dirty mess.

Last night, her cough got worse. She coughed uncontrollably for almost 1 hr and could hardly sleep. I gave her some water and rubbed her chest, back, and nostril with vicks vaporub. After coughing and tossing on her bed, she finally slept around 10.30pm. When she woke up to pee around 3a.m., she coughed non-stop again. I applied another round of vicks vaporub on her, stroked her chest and patted her back repeatedly until she fell asleep again.

Looks like her cough is getting from bad to worse. I’m calling home now to find out her latest condition. I hope and pray that her condition improves otherwise we’d have to bring her to the paediatrician later.