Raising a child from zero to two : Myths and Realities - TheWackyDuo.com - Singapore Lifestyle Portal

Raising a child from zero to two : Myths and Realities

Weekender Featured
Parenting 101




There are countless parenting guides out there in the market. But honestly in today’s busy world, how many actually pick a guide up and read it. Moreover, such parenting guides may not be in sync with the local context and rendered it nothing more than a glorified coffee book.


As an aid for new parents, The Wacky Duo presents a quick guide on raising a child from age 0-2. We will give you the low-downs on what to expect in lifestyle and the cost of raising a child / children Singapore style.

The First year
Have you ever seen commercials where the parents lovingly pat the children to sleep?

The innocence of a child
Have you seen movies where the parents would sing a song or read a story book and the infant would quietly doze off in their crib without a nay or a whimper?


Dreams vs Reality
Wake up! That is a dream and not reality.

For the first few weeks or months, prepare for sleepless nights. The normal routine is to wake up every 4 hours or so (if you are lucky) to either feed the baby or change the diapers. Prolong sleep is a rare event. Get ready for panda eyes and unearthly timing to the kitchen for milk. Take turns as a couple to feed the child. We did an alternate day timetable so at least one of us can get a decent night rest every other day. Get a mini fridge to store the milk in the bedroom. It will save you trips to the kitchens in the middle of the night.

As for shopping and dining , it is safe to say that such activities are minimised. We were confide to the house for at least the first 3 months with occasional walks around the neighbourhood. With the baby fragile state, it is better not to expose them to the environment at this early stage.

Lastly, you may skip singing a song or reading a book for now. The solution may work for 3 minutes until the little one protest and give a tiny ear-piercing shriek. Instead, carry your babies as they loved to be carried to sleep (try not to rock excessively else it becomes a pre sleep routine). Otherwise, consider swaddling as it mimics the warm of the womb which they had been accustomed to.

The Second Year

Beware of the terrible 2!


Terrible 2

Yeah, all the horror stories you heard are true (unless The Wacky Duo are not of the human breed)

The age 2 is when the child will assert himself and his position in the family. This is the age where they have their own thoughts but may not be that articulate to express them. In addition, the word reason is ‘alien’ to their little minds. Be prepared for the stares as your toddler decides to lie down and stomp his displeasure if his intent is not meant. If stomping fails, there is always the sob, cry or wail depending on the severity and the need to achieve their goals. This is their way of communicating at their age. If should not be encouraged, but try to understand why they do it This way you will be more prepared and in a better position to handle the situation when the next meltdown comes.


Love the tiny terrors

The children of this age are also sponges. No, they don’t absorb water nor could they be use to clean dishes. They are however great mimics at words and deeds. Watch what you say in front of them as that may very well be their catchphrase for the next few years. Instead take this opportunity to teach them their A-Z, their 1-2-3 and the do-re-mi. Try not to stick to one language unless you want your child to be fluent in monolingual and ignore the call for bilingualism in Singapore.

Observe their language since this is the age of innocence. The reasons and the words that sprout from their mouth could range from highly amusing to enlightening.

This is also the age where the little ones discover mobility. Long are the days when you can confide them to a crib or a playpen and you go about your household chores or take home work. The little monkeys kids will find a way to climb out of their enclosure to discover their running legs. Beware of steps and stairs as they could be a potential hazards ( especially the younger ones). Keep the gates and the window grills lock at all time. On the flip side, this is where mini football and mini basketball become the new game of choice for Daddies. A boon if you have an EPL mad Daddy in the house. This may fulfill his intention to breed a child, who may be the next record breaking transfer target in the EPL.

Full article from weekender available here


Weekender Featured is a base on articles contributed by The Wacky Duo that were published on Weekender - a weekly paper providing information about events, food, sports and activities. This article is published on 9thNovember.
The Wacky Duo is the feature Family Blog for the month of November.

2 comments:

  1. may i please know where do your boys have their haircuts? thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The boys haircut was cut by Aunty Amy at Kids N Me Katong V since young. Read out review at http://www.thewackyduo.com/2014/07/kids-me-katong-v-aunty-amy.html

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