My son is not spoiled

Small Talk Six: “6 ways you indulge or spoil your children.”

Join in here. Please scroll down for Weekend Funnies

Here's a little case background: Growing up I was as disciplined by my mother as I was spoiled by my father. When I became a mom I chose to employ my mother's parenting style until divorce entered the scene. Full child custody has a price. With care-giving and developmental issues I ended up shuttling my son between 2 countries 5 times in less than 6 years. Through guilt and panic I struggle to make up for my sins >>>

1. There's this rule I set for myself to follow a certain budget each month for all his expenses and NOT to buy anything beyond the budget. But when he suddenly wants a new bike, I break my own rule.

2. It's usually during overseas trips that I indulge him the most. On a cruise in Hong Kong recently, I let him goof with my mini-tiara and play with my diamond ring eventhough I am aware of his penchant for throwing things when bored and he could toss those accessories out the yacht any minute.

3. Echoing no. 1, I buy him a toy I don't expect to buy. At a Victoria Peak shop he spotted a clone of the Ultraman doll he was carrying in his left hand and demanded to have the clone. I gave in to prevent a simmering tantrum.

4. Being a picky eater, sky becomes the limit when there's something he particularly fancies. As he would rather starve than eat what he doesn't like, and I am not a good cook, I take him to restaurants regularly and let him be the boss over the menu.

5. He dominates my computer; draws monkeys on my research printouts. I close my eyes to work that is put on hold.

6. I let him resist shower, tooth-brushing and bedtime longer than I should because I don't have time to argue and heck I need to go to work.

See, he isn't spoiled. God I got homework.

**********************************

Weekend Funnies: Fact of the Week

Join co-hosts Shakira and Gattina

You're not the only fan of TGIF ---

(Thanks again Mareng for this fun)

Happy Saturday, friends!

Humanoids in Humanities

Write from Karen

Ever wondered how a bunch of university instructors absorb themselves during a meeting?

Scenario: three languages; four age groups, five ranks, philosophies as varied as the total number of wrinkles of everyone in attendance and a common bottomline: pay.

Some suffer burnout, others are eager for showtime one minute and ready to bite the academic dust the next, while the rest look forward to hearing the meeting is adjourned. A foreign few had to sit quiet through untranslated speeches. They interact via notes -

1. Crap. Syllabus doesn't match the book. Computer nerdery got messed up or who do we talk to about this?

2. Ah there goes conceptual thinking. Look at the powerpoint

3. I'm so sick of being professionally stagnant.

4. Business guys are paid $$ more per hour than the humanoids in Humanities ....

5. That's fair.

6. ... watched Sex and the City last night. It was funny but soon I was no longer laughing at the film... seatmates had to read the subtitle first and were laughing about six seconds late

7. But hey, they say we are paid tonight for warming our seats.

8. I bloody well hope so.

9. The Council is the deciding party for our case. Our license has been issued under TCT rules ... nothing is written in stone yet.... We either apply for a tourist visa or leave the country.

10. I'm beginning to fancy that conference in Vietnam... hmn...

11 God I need coffee!

12. with rum?

13. laced with sedative.

More T13 here.