Parenting 101: Lugging the 4 Girls to Swim, Alone.

Sometimes I think my guts are way bigger than what my mind, body and soul can contain but I guess, at extreme times, it will be a desperate call for everything else when things get… situational.

Over the weekends, the girls went for a stay over at D’Resort to celebrate joy and (my SIL) Joyce’s birthday (no pun intended). So as every kids would asked – Is there bathtub? Is there swimming pool? Is there…

And sometimes how I wished my answer is a flat, NO. But Google being the evil babysitter answered to all of the girls’ questions.

Well done, Google. Well done, Technology.

So the next question is – Can YOU bring me to swim? Can YOU bring me to… Horrifying indeed. Sometimes these Q&As turn me off to an extend where I wanted to just stuff everyone back to my womb. I kid you not.

And it happened when, no one is free to bring them and the only person available is ME. And swimming tends to be a hazardous activity down my list of “DO NOT”(s) especially the kids are the adventurous ones. And girls being girls, I always had this constant fear that bad stuff will happened to them (Read up those molest cases and etc…)… So the first tactic that I always pulled off?

1. Clear Flat Rejections – Sorry, menses is here. LOL. (But having said that, the girls went to the extreme (and extra mile) to check me out and realised I lied. Damn.)
2. So when Tactic #1 failed and if the request is still within one’s ability, just go for it lor.

And to ensure that the guilt trip trap will be a success. The girls emphasized on their “last” swimming experience and the lack of childhood physically exhaustive activities (because I was always the safe-mama who won’t appreciate rides…)

And ta-da here we go! A mother of 4 lugging 3 toddlers plus a baby. However I was thinking if in worst case scenario of drowning, who should I save first. HAHAHA. So in order to prevent that (other than NOT bringing them to swim), I set rules.

1. Do not get out of my side/ sight.
2. Only go for the baby pools if not, one shall forfeit the chance to go swimming ever again and embrace Rule #1
3. If someone is close and made you un-comfy, come back to my side and tell me straight to the face (and point to that someone who made you un-comfy. Human nature to disengage from bad stuff if one can recognise…)
4. 3 of them must stay together within close range and keep a look out for one another otherwise, there won’t be a next time, ever again. This rule facilitate bonding, keeping a lookout for one another and self awareness of the surroundings.
5. And I need to place the barang barang within my sight because I bought cash and phone…

And ta-da, it works until the shower part.

The girls refused to leave and Sayge was all time as she’s feeling the drain and dozed off in the pool. So I did a dare and left the girls at the pool while I went to change Sayge out and changed out of my wet attire.

The issue is how, how to shower and change with a cranky baby in the arm and the 3 girls in the pool without adult supervision.

So this is what I did.

For Sayge and Myself:

1. We showered together despite her cranky screams.
2. Dried her up, wrapped her in the towel while I took off every single piece of clothing of mine (so that it won’t get her wet).
3. Change her into warm clothes with me, being so bare.
4. Use my master hand to carry her and the other to pull up the undies, then shorts.
5. Did a full squat, put Sayge in between my thighs and put a world’s fastest challenge of bra wearing within milliseconds.
6. Repeat the same world’s fastest challenge to pull over my top.
7. Dump the wet clothes into a plastic bag.
8. Ta-da, the deed is done (with a back ache) within 5-8 mins. LOL

And from this I learnt 4 things:

1. Bring a dark color, one piece loose dress in near future.
2. Ensure the bag is a waterproof bag.
3. Take on Yoga during free time.
4. ASK SOMEONE ALONG NEXT TIME.

And where are the girls? Went to play the slides on loop basis and the Lifeguard is such a nice guy to help me oversee-ing them. The showering part for the girls is easier. I just prepare the towels, their bathing necessities and clothes, they will just do whatever it is. And the best plan is the girls can cooperate to shower with Sayge’s timing altogether, because Sharanne can help to carry Sayge but well… Independence is always better than to rely on others. ^^

And during the session, I saw a few of the mothers who just changed right outside the room because they have toddlers who need to be within their sight. And this is why, kudos to mothers. 🙂

After all, it’s all worthwhile to put smiles on the kids’ face. ^^

Gonna end this post with a picture taken by Sharanne, the self-proclaimed photographer/ future Youtuber. :X

Me + Sayge = Happiness 😛

做妈的，果然需要3头6臂。

Appreciate mothers and those who are in service line. 🙂