Encouraging Growth in a Child

Dear husband and I visited a garden last weekend to shop for herbs that I use frequently in my cooking.  All the plants were clearly labeled with care instructions - frequency of watering, how much sun and most importantly, different types of fertilizers.  I commented that they must have tested each type of fertilizer to see with which one would the plant grow the best.  Perhaps grow bigger leaves or larger fruits.

We were talking over breakfast this morning, it was about one of our favorite  topic - our 4 beautiful kids.  They were all different - No.1 is a creative story writer, No.2 a fantastically accomplished dancer, No.3 is a visual artist and No.4 is the crazy musician!  As we joined the dots from the different types of plants to our 4 different kids, we realized that we need to use different "fertilizers" for our different kids.

Kids were gifted to us, created differently.  They have different talents, different interests and different needs.  If we encourage, stimulate and support in the ways that they need, they would flourish and grow to the fullest potential.  Conversely, if we remove the stimulations they need, they may be stunted and will not grow as well.

Port that idea to our modern day life.  No.3 watches a lot of television.  He even calls himself "The TV Man".  I had worry about this and tried on many occasions to distract him with other activities.  Dear husband then made a good point this morning when he said that No. 3 is so visual that he probably needs the stimulation from the television programs.  The images are not merely images, they are tools to him.  Tools and skills that he is building up to be used.  Just on Sunday, our dear boy used 2 spades of different shapes, put them against his face and then proceeded to tell everyone he is a diver.  We were amazed as he would have to have the image in his head to make it up! Trust me, he really looked like a diver!  Obviously he has a very different and interesting visual perspective on things.



Okay lady, you are trying to justify letting your kid watch TV on your blog? Maybe but I think when it comes to my offspring, I will do whatever it takes to help them grow.  If it means going against the general societal norms, I am willing to take the risk.  I did not even talk about the growth in academic performance as I believe that if I "fertilize" my kids in the right way, success will come, with or without academic brilliance.

After all, I am taking a leaf from my daughter's book.

I was told after 4 years of ballet lessons, that anatomically, she is not suitable to be a ballet dancer!  But this was followed by her teachers saying how she has methodically corrected and eradicated each and every one of her weaknesses.  All these time, I had no idea that she was struggling and working so hard to get to the standard that was expected of her.  However, I am happy to say that both dear husband and I were always supportive throughout, whether it was time, money, being there to attend all her performances and moral support before all the events.  Now, with 3 public performances, 2 examinations and 1 competition behind her, she is one of the best dancers in her class.



Perhaps I have a rock star on my hands if I give No.4 an electric guitar and the next Stephen King if I give my eldest professional writing classes?  The possibilities are endless, if we would just allow them to happen.

Recipe Friday - Two-Way Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The slow cooker is one of the most used kitchen appliance in my home.  I loved the simplicity of use and also the resulting favour extraction from the slow low heat cooking.

This is one of the easiest recipe I have for the slow cooker that looks complicated to make but really it is a dump and leave recipe. 

I took this recipe off Real Simple so all credits to them.  Here for the original recipe.  I have done it first with way number 1, minus the chili powder, and got such rave reviews even from my kids, that I took it to the next level.  With the papadelle, you get a delicious hearty pasta dish that is great for large gathering since you can easily double the recipe.  You can also make more and reheat for lunch the next day with no loss in favour.  However, during the times I have made it, even the excess was lapped up!

Ingredients
2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chili powder (optional if you have kiddies) 
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 2 1/2-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

Way Number 1 - With Tacos

Extra Ingredients
18 corn tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 lime, cut into wedges  
salsa to serve

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.


2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.


3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F/180° C.


4. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.


5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.

Way Number 2 - With Papadelle Pasta

Extra Ingredients
600g papadelle pasta
shaved parmesan cheese to serve

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.


2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.


3. Before serving, cook papadelle according to package instructions.


4. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid.


5. When the pasta is hot, mix in the luscious meat sauce and strewn all over with the parmesan.

Serves 6 greedy family members

Have you hug your kids today?

http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f97/being-special-parenting-child-medical-conditions-15948/

I stumbled upon this forum when I was surfing.  As I read the many posts, tears ran down my face.  It did not help matters when I found out this morning that a girl friend lost her baby at 4.5 months.

How I have taken my kids for granted!  How I have squandered the gifts that my God has so gracefully showered upon me!  How I have been so self-centred, selfish and unloving!

It reminds me of the story that was circulated in the internet some years back. 

It was about this mother, in queue for coffee and complaining about her kids to her friend, saying how messy they were and how frustrated she was cleaning the house.  The woman behind her tap her on her shoulder and told her that her house is clean, there are no footprints, things are never messy.  The reason was because some years back, she lost all her kids in a car accident.  Now she wishes that her house is messy, footprints everywhere and that there are dirty clothes on the floor.

How easy it is to get lost in the daily grind and forget about the important things in life!  I am going back home tonight to hug my kids a second time, kiss them hard and tell them that I love them, no matter what.  I may still nag about the messy house but I will not quite mean it.  I pledge to remember that I must give thanks every single day for my 4 gifts and not only think about myself.

Have you hug your kids today?

Recipe Friday - Roti Jala

 
I am starting a series of my favourite recipes, or recipes that have been given raving comments by family and friends.  Every Friday, you will be introduced to the diet of the Leong family.  Trust me, these will be recipes that are simple (alright occasionally I might do a finicky one) and quick to make.  Remember the 4 kids that I have? 

This first recipe is roti jala, paired with the family favourite of curry chicken.  You can use any curry of your choice.  It is not easy to find this dish in Singapore, although it is widely available in Malaysia.  Google "roti jala" and you will find pictures of the mould, videos of how it is made and even different versions of the recipe.  I found this 2 links very helpful and I took my recipe from Rasa Malaysia, with some of my own modifications.  Still turned out divine!  The videos and tips from The Mini Sam Tan Kitchen was great for those who need something more visual!

Rasa Malaysia - Roti Jala and Malaysian Curry Chicken Recipe
The Mini Sam Tan Kitchen - Roti Jala (Malaysian Lacy Coconut and Tumeric Crepes)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1. Sieve the flour and set aside.


2. In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients well together (except the oil) and strain the batter.


3. Add in 1/2 tablespoon of oil and set aside.


4. Heat up a pan with medium heat and grease it with some oil.


5. Pour some batter into the mold and transfer the mold to the pan.


6. As the batter flows through the holes of the mold, make circular rounds around the pan to form the netty patterns.


7. After the top is set and done or when the bottom turns light brown, transfer the Roti Jala out and fold it into triangle shape.


8. Arrange a few Roti Jala on a serving plate and add some curry chicken on the side and serve immediately.

Some personal notes :

1. I skipped the coconut milk as I did not really like it when I used it the last time.  This recipe is healthy but the coconut one is more fragrant. 


2. I ran our of tumeric so I did not add it, but if you like, you can add 3/4 teaspoon of tumeric powder to the mix to get a nice yellow colour on your roti jala.


3. If you find the mixture too thick, you can dilute with more water.


4. I used olive oil since that was what I had in stock.

Like Nigella, I am a proponent of child labour in the kitchen :) so this is also a great opportunity for for a daughter and mother bonding session!

Grow old with me, the best is yet to be

“Grow old with me, the best is yet to be.” ~ Robert Browning (1812-1889)

My dear husband came up with an activity, for lack of a better word, for every Friday at breakfast.  He said both of us must tell each other something that the other did not know.  This is probably the 4th week now.  It was such a great idea until I had to really think of something.  Afterall we have been married for more than a decade.  What else do we not know about each other?  Funny enough, when the both of us try really hard, we actually could think of things we did not know about each other.  Every Friday breakfast, we have 2 new topics to talk about.  Sometimes, we don't even have enough time to finish our conversation as we needed to get to work!

Imagine, having not enough time to talk about each other!  Not about our stressful jobs, our 4 lovely kids, our wonderful family but about ourselves.  For that half hour every week, I learn more about my husband and he about me.  We reconnect, despite our very busy lives.  For that very short period, the world around us melts into the background and it is just us.

I read this post recently on Simple Marriage,  "Am I too busy for marriage?".  That question loomed large in my mind as I read it.  Am I too busy for marriage?  Do we remember who we are and who our spouse is?  It is so important to see the other person as the person we love and want to spend the rest of our lives with.  Not just the parent of my children, not just the other person with the paycheck, not someone we share our bed with.

My dear husband is also my best friend, confidate, lover, coach and the person whom I chose to journey with.  He may not be everything to me (there is also God, kids and the rest of the clan!), but he means a lot to me.  As he said to my son in the car, "Mummy is very important to me so I want to know everything about her!".

Well, I want to know everything about him.  And yes, grow old with him...

What about you?  Have you found time in your busy schedules to reconnect with your spouse?