Wednesday, October 3, 2007

PMS-ing

You have probably noticed that my recent posts were short and Bentos were 'simple' without much effort or cooking.

I've been tip-toe-ing on thin ice lately. Monday morning, PMR commenced and #2 declared that she only wanted one layer of Bento. "I can manage that, sure!" I packed a usual Bento for #1.

MONDAY
When I went to pick her up after her BM papers at 11.55p.m., she came running into the car and started crying! Ouch!! She refused to respond and asked to be left alone. She refused all forms of bribery including ice-cream and Japanese food. She flinched when I tried to hold her hands! I was very hurt! Not because she flinched but because she was feeling hurt. I decided to keep quiet and drove straight home. My husband came home almost immediately when I told him what had happened.

With swollen eyes she told her dad that she was okay and locked her room door again. Hubs said she'd be okay and left for work again. I didn't see her until dinner time. It was a very quiet dinner.

TUESDAY
She was going though some notes when I got downstairs to prepare the Bentos. "Mum, I only want fruits today." (She didn't have much dinner last night). She refused all food offered for breakfast...I was upset but I kept silent. I kept reminding myself that the 'dumb' exams were causing her stress and she had lost her appetite.

In the end, she left her fruit Bento at home and down-ed two Onigiri for breakfast when I was busy packing her sister's Bento. I only realized it when I got home and saw the container had one Onigiri left instead of three.

I picked her up at 1.10p.m. and her spirits seemed to be more jovial. Easy papers she quipped. She'd just finished English paper 1 and 2 and Science paper 1. I felt a lot happier seeing her smile. She was ready for PHOP (Paddington's House of Pancakes) in 1U.

She decided to order something new, loaded with ice-cream and fruits. Not something I enjoyed but she seemed to enjoy it, that was important because it put her in a better mood. Food always put her in a good mood.

While she was back to school to sit for her second Science paper, I had to take #1 for lunch at Italiannies. I was stuffed and almost had pasta and tomatoes spewing out of my nose and ears!!
Conclusion: Exam period is bad for health, both physical and mental!

WEDNESDAY (TODAY)
"Mum, I don't want any food tomorrow," she said before she went to sleep last night. We had a simple western meal last night and she finished all her food. I noticed that her appetite was better.

I picked her up at 11.55a.m. this morning and rushed home to send #3 to school. Today's paper was Maths and I think it must have been a breeze because she was talking non-stop! She was her usual self. In the car she decided she wanted to have Japanese food for lunch before going back at 2.15p.m. for the History paper.

When we got home to send #3 to school, she was still trying to finish some homework. #2 was hurrying #3 and there was some cross-fire! #2 came charging downstairs and declared that it was too late to go for lunch and that I should send her back to school. She is very sensitive to #3 and they are often at logger heads. Sigh!

There was only a ten minute delay and #2 was all frazzled. I just rounded them both into the car and dropped #3 off to school. #2 face was still black when we reached the Japanese restaurant and made our orders.

When her meal came, she looked at me and said "Ma, saik" (read in Cantonese, meaning "Mum, eat") and as she ate, her mood improved and started chatting with me. She updated me on the papers she had sat for and for the upcoming ones tomorrow and Friday. After we ate, we spent another half an hour at the restaurant with her running through her work sheets.

I sent her back to school and picked her up at 3.30p.m. and she was still smiling. Good sign. She seemed happy with the History paper, which happens to be her worst subject.

I'm looking forward to the end of PMR because right now, I have to be extra sensitive to all the kids and try to manage them without stressing any of them out or allowing them to stress each other out. Otherwise, when one or the other gets stressed then all hell will break loose.

#1 is also having her exams. The Bento came back half finished so I need to check if it's the food or she's starting to loose her appetite because of exam stress. Sigh!

#3 exams start tomorrow, this one is cool as a cucumber. Everyday just talking about Christmas and presents. *shakes head in despair*

Note: Hubs and I don't pressure our children to score straight A's. We are happy that they average their results. If the A's fall in, we're ecstatic otherwise B's are still acceptable. We want them to enjoy their school life like we did and go through a well rounded and exposed study, social and spiritual journey.

As a result we have three different characters in our children.
#1 - happy go lucky, I'll deal with whatever comes my way attitude.
#2 - perfectionist to the extent of 'kiasu', want to excel in everything attitude.
#3 - happy go lucky, the sky can come down for all I care attitude.

All I can do is get on my knees and pray harder for better days to come?!!
*shakes head again*


10 comments:

Terri @ A Daily Obsession said...

hey, thx 4 sharing!motherhood is tough!i've been up at 5.30 to revise with wey (another so what if the sky falls down person!), daylight hrs r also spent teaching him.mom had to go in hospital for a jab to relieve her backache..i just felt so stressed!
ur #2 is like my #1, always pushing herself too hard. cries too after exams n then results r straight As. the boys breezily go thru exams n the results give me heart attacks (right now my face is so taut i can't bear to look in d mirror).consider urself blessed, very blessed bc girls r so much more mature n understanding...

Bento Pet said...

terri: Haiez...girls are just as bad. #3 is always trying to wriggle out of going to school. One day flu, then headache and then some other invention or re-inventions of another cough or cold.

Today, exam starts and she's rolling in bed feigning a cough. I had to cajole her into going to school.

#2 came home after breakfast and asked me to pass her the DVDs for last season of Gilmore girls. Hubs bought for us earlier but kept because of exams.
Said she wanted to watch the first disc, at time of typing this, she was into disc number 2 already!

Sigh! I think I'm the only 'old girl' who is mature and understanding it this house!! Probably feeling each other's pain at this point. Stress? Definitely!

Terri @ A Daily Obsession said...

:)cheers, it comes n go.i was reading d papers about this girl who has a mechanical heart tt's running out of battery n what she wants to do, if she gets a new heart (wch she did yesterday so pray for her coz she's in a critical condition)is to sit for UPSR!so what our kids try to avoid n take for granted, others r literally dying for. i told my boys about it n they felt bad.

Bento Pet said...

terri: Yeah! Read about it in the headlines today about her getting another heart! The doctor said 'divine intervention'. What a blessing!

Nightwing said...

Hello, U r really a great mom. I sincerely hope your children knows it.

My bro #3 in the family. Also did PMR...but not sure whether he studies or not. After exams and tuition...straight to computer.

Strange thing though he did well in trial exams...

Any way...just hope for the best. I am sure your daughters will do very well....Cheers.

Bento Pet said...

nightwing: Kids nowadays always at the computer. All my 3 girls are doing one thing or another on it the whole day long.

Their blogger addict mother is just as bad! My #2 is now alternating between the piano and the computer after PMR. Just hoping for the best!

Nightwing said...

Hehe, know what u mean about blogging addict..:)

Speaking of Piano, your daughters watch Chinese movies?

There is this one called 'Secret' by Jay Chow..his directorial debut. Nice movie, love story but also got scenes of playing the piano.

Bento Pet said...

nightwing: hey thanks! I'm sure #2 will be game for it. Is it out already?

Mmmm...Jay Chow - very familiar name, must be a teeny boopers favorite singer or something? Heard of his name from my older girls.

Nightwing said...

Ya, its out already. Taiwanese singer. And this movie, his directorial debut. I recommended to many people and they all like it. No rough words... only love story and great piano playing.

Bento Pet said...

nightwing: I told #2 and she said she's heard about it and want to buy the DVD. She's excited about watching it. Thanks for the recommendation!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

Learn a WORD a day!

How's your spelling?

Your Spelling is Perfect
You got 10/10 correct.

Your spelling is excellent. You also have a great memory and eye for detail.
You Are Cilantro
The bad news is that there are some people who can't stand you.
The good news is that most people love you more than anything else in the world.
You are distinct, unusual, fresh, and very controversial. And you wouldn't have it any other way.