March 14, 2016
A Breakfast Conversation with Spud
These days, I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. I don’t even hear the alarm.
Sometimes, most times, I really just cannot wake up, and Silver Bullet would be kind enough to tend to the kids so I could sleep a little longer. The kids don’t even want to wait for me to shower them of late as they do not want to wait longer for me to mosey on.
Blame it on sleep- deprivation. There’s only so much your body can take from not having enough rest.
One morning, after yet another rough wake-up call and coming down late to join the kids for breakfast, this conversation happened:
Spud: Mama, I think you need to quit your job
Me: Oh? You think so? Why’s that?
Spud: You work a lot Mama. You are not getting enough sleep. You are always, tired! You knowwww, that’s not good for you
Me: If I do that, then you both have to stop going to school. I can’t just quit my job.
Spud: But why, Mama!
Me: Well, because we have to pay for your school. Schooling here is a rip-off by the way. And, we need to eat, we need to pay for rent, pay for your swimming and your taekwondo classes. If I don’t work, there are a lot of things we can’t do. We cannot go to Holland or Singapore, too.
Spud: What is a rip-off Mama?
Me: It means too expensive. It costs too much that it does not make sense
Spud: Oh. (Pause) Then your boss is not nice.
Me (laughing): Actually, he is a nice guy. Good guy.
Spud: But he makes you work a lot! That’s not too nice. You need to rest, Mama.
I had to laugh. She gave me a funny expression wondering why I laughed. Oh, Lordy! In more ways than one, she’s right. How does one even begin to explain such things to a 5-year-old?Spud amazes me with her questions and her insightful innocence. I love having conversations with her.
Perhaps, one day…one day she’ll understand…that we live in a crazy world. Especially so in Asia. And perhaps in 2 months, she’ll be annoyed that I’m home all the time and not at work!
Cute conversation! The innocence of children is incredible. In a couple months time she’ll be saying “Mom, you reeeeeeeeally need to go back to work.” 🙂
Ooooh yeah…I’m waiting for that to happen. They’ll be so bored of me, they want me out of their way. But I’ll be telling myself that first even before they get to that. Can’t give them that satisfaction! :p
I have been there!
I guess on both side, Linda? As a mother and as the child? 🙂
This is so sweet! I love conversations with children,especially ones under 5. Pure innocence and their curiosity is just overflowing. My daughter is just 18 months and I look forward to having conversations with her..
I totally feel you when it comes to sleep deprivation..since I had my daughter it seems that I haven’t slept for complete 8 hours ! Haha..it sounds weird but its true.. even when I’m sleeping I hear my daughter.
Motherhood is stressful, its raw pain, and yet its a life changing blessing!
18 months is such a cute age, Christina, especially when they start speaking their first few words and trying to make sentences. You’d definitely enjoy their chatters when they can articulate better. Sometimes too hilarious!
Are you a light-sleeper? I’m hopeless when I sleep. :p And true that- I think we’d be happy to get 4-5 hours of straight sleep. Forget 8! Motherhood is strange and painful; but very rewarding. (says me who did not want to have kids once upon a time!)
18 months is such a cute age, Christina, especially when they start speaking their first few words and trying to make sentences. You’d definitely enjoy their chatters when they can articulate better. Sometimes too hilarious!
Are you a light-sleeper? I’m hopeless when I sleep. :p And true that- I think we’d be happy to get 4-5 hours of straight sleep. Forget 8! Motherhood is strange and painful; but very rewarding. (says me who did not want to have kids once upon a time!)
Ann, I love stories like this. I miss moments like them as well.
I couldn’t make up such stories even if I tried! Kids are such amusing creatures and they make very good muse for me. 😉