Dear Eunice,
Mummy is not sure if you will get to read this, but I'll just pen it down anyway.
I am sorry I snapped and shouted at you again last night and made you cry yourself to sleep, whining "I want Mummy!", "Mummy is angry Eunice". Mummy and Daddy didn't get to rest the moment we stepped into the home at 7pm. Steamed codfish just for you, fed you dinner Por Por cooked, we took turns to eat. All this while you were enjoying Playhouse Disney.
We had to remove your soiled clothings and packed in fresh ones for the next day. Your bottles had to be soaked and rinsed with hot water. Then Mummy had to shower you while Daddy had his. After Daddy showered, he threw the rubbish and made your night milk. Then it was my turn to shower.
You get the drift? The hurriedness in us to settle you, ourselves and the chores just to get you to sleep by 10.30pm? 10.30pm is already a bonus to me.
When I came into your dimly lit room at about 9.30pm, you were still active, standing and jumping on your bed. You attempted to put on socks yourselves. While Mummy was helping you with the socks, you drank the milk. We thought that with one person patting you to sleep, you would be able to wind down sooner. Plus you only want Mummy to pat you. So Mummy started her winding-Eunice-down exercise at about 9.45pm.
You wanted the 3 teddy bears. You had it. Travel pillow - Mummy passed to you. Cover blanket. Mummy blanketed you the way you liked it. Water, Mummy dutifully got it for you. Pat, yes I did that too. Strawberry shortcake pillow that Gong Gong bought for you, ok here you go.....You wanted to speak to Gong Gong and Ma Ma, I dialled the number for you.....
Any request you wanted that I thought would make you more comfortable for a good night's rest I acceded. Each request that I gave in to, I thought that would be one last step to you dozing off. I was very wrong. You would eventually fall asleep, but each demand was not one last step, just one step closer to slumberland.
11 o'clock and you demanded 'the oil' because you claimed to have a tummyache. Mummy's volcano erupted.
The primary reason why Mummy wants you to sleep early is because I want you to arrive in school bright and ready to learn new things. I don't want you to be a sleepyhead and just lie down on the cot until 8.30pm while your friends are already playing, reading books or having breakfast. By not having enough sleep, you would also go through the rest of the morning being cranky and thus not able to actively engage in the activities. Then you would take a long afternoon nap...and the cycle goes on.....
Secondly, Daddy and Mummy need rest after a long day at work, rushing to pick you and settling the chores. We take 1.5hr to put you to bed. By that time we are so exhausted that all we want to do is join you in slumberland. Daddy and Mummy desire some couple time. We don't have that many days of annual leave to take just to have couple time. We are seriously lacking in communication during the day and after you sleep is the time I hope we can catch up on. Don't even suggest weekends. Weekends are not just ours. We have to share weekends with others.
Mummy is tired of bedtime struggles. Storming out of the room last night was my way of preventing my frustration and anger from scarring you emotionally or physically.
I am glad we have this coming long weekend to work on your bedtime.
Mummy is not sure if you will get to read this, but I'll just pen it down anyway.
I am sorry I snapped and shouted at you again last night and made you cry yourself to sleep, whining "I want Mummy!", "Mummy is angry Eunice". Mummy and Daddy didn't get to rest the moment we stepped into the home at 7pm. Steamed codfish just for you, fed you dinner Por Por cooked, we took turns to eat. All this while you were enjoying Playhouse Disney.
We had to remove your soiled clothings and packed in fresh ones for the next day. Your bottles had to be soaked and rinsed with hot water. Then Mummy had to shower you while Daddy had his. After Daddy showered, he threw the rubbish and made your night milk. Then it was my turn to shower.
You get the drift? The hurriedness in us to settle you, ourselves and the chores just to get you to sleep by 10.30pm? 10.30pm is already a bonus to me.
When I came into your dimly lit room at about 9.30pm, you were still active, standing and jumping on your bed. You attempted to put on socks yourselves. While Mummy was helping you with the socks, you drank the milk. We thought that with one person patting you to sleep, you would be able to wind down sooner. Plus you only want Mummy to pat you. So Mummy started her winding-Eunice-down exercise at about 9.45pm.
You wanted the 3 teddy bears. You had it. Travel pillow - Mummy passed to you. Cover blanket. Mummy blanketed you the way you liked it. Water, Mummy dutifully got it for you. Pat, yes I did that too. Strawberry shortcake pillow that Gong Gong bought for you, ok here you go.....You wanted to speak to Gong Gong and Ma Ma, I dialled the number for you.....
Any request you wanted that I thought would make you more comfortable for a good night's rest I acceded. Each request that I gave in to, I thought that would be one last step to you dozing off. I was very wrong. You would eventually fall asleep, but each demand was not one last step, just one step closer to slumberland.
11 o'clock and you demanded 'the oil' because you claimed to have a tummyache. Mummy's volcano erupted.
The primary reason why Mummy wants you to sleep early is because I want you to arrive in school bright and ready to learn new things. I don't want you to be a sleepyhead and just lie down on the cot until 8.30pm while your friends are already playing, reading books or having breakfast. By not having enough sleep, you would also go through the rest of the morning being cranky and thus not able to actively engage in the activities. Then you would take a long afternoon nap...and the cycle goes on.....
Secondly, Daddy and Mummy need rest after a long day at work, rushing to pick you and settling the chores. We take 1.5hr to put you to bed. By that time we are so exhausted that all we want to do is join you in slumberland. Daddy and Mummy desire some couple time. We don't have that many days of annual leave to take just to have couple time. We are seriously lacking in communication during the day and after you sleep is the time I hope we can catch up on. Don't even suggest weekends. Weekends are not just ours. We have to share weekends with others.
Mummy is tired of bedtime struggles. Storming out of the room last night was my way of preventing my frustration and anger from scarring you emotionally or physically.
I am glad we have this coming long weekend to work on your bedtime.
Mummy still loves you
