Toastmaster C6 - My Challenges in Raising Kids

Do you remember my last speech is about the difficulties in taking pre-wedding photos, right? Stretch, hold, smile!

Today I am going to talk about my difficulties in raising kids.

Before I had my own kids, I loved to play with and take care of kids. I even wanted to study Pre-school education but my mum said, I sent you to New Zealand to study was not for pre-school education! So I gave it up and started to prepare university entrance exams.

After my kids were born, I am just like the other mothers suffering different difficulties.

1.     Health

The first one is the health. My daughter was a two-month pre-matured girl, which means I accidently gave birth when she was only 32 week in my tummy. Her birth weight was only 1600g – the normal birth weight is around 3000g and her weight was only half of a new born baby. She stayed in the hospital for 5 weeks after she gained weight to 2200g.

After that, she had hospitalization for 5 times for different diseases before turning to 4 years old. The longest hospitalization is 18 days with urinary tract infection.

I faced difficulties to manage sick kids with work, and at the same time, I need to try all different ways to build up her immune system. For example, washing hands correctly, wearing face masks, learn swimming, taking Chinese medical therapy. This year she is going to turn to 11 and finally she is not that weak as before.

2.     Jealousy in kids

The second difficulty is jealousy in kids. I have 1 10-year old girl and 1 7-year old boy. The boy doesn’t have the problem. But the big girl is jealous with almost everything. I understood that because she is the first kid and feels unfair when she sees her brother has other good things. But she doesn’t realise that she had better one at the same age of her brother. They don’t feel appreciated and think they are deserved to receive everything.

My husband says it again and again, you were sick for so many times and for so long. Me and mum spent a lot of time taking care of you. Mum even sent you to learn music, drawing, swimming, Japanese GO, ukulele, recorder. But your brother doesn’t have the chance to learn so many things.

He decided to suspend her school recorder practice if her behavior doesn’t improve. Then it works a little.

3.     Control temper

Being a parent is learned by doing. The most difficult one is to control temper. I am not that patient to talk the same thing again and again. All the books and “experts” teach you the first thing is to control temper – but HOW???? Kids’ behavior or just one word could trigger my anger! This not only relates to my characters, but also relates to what my parents had dealt with me with I was little.  So I decided to let my husband to deal with the kids and keep myself calm. I can’t imagine how I can deal with kids without my husband!