Adino: Many years ah? I’m learning to enjoy each step of the way

Adino: That’s a good principle!

And heaven forbid anyone who’d dare tell me NOT to wash my hair after delivery!

Adino: I totally agree. But then, some small part of me wonders if we as new parents know what we’re doing.

Cheer up! I m sure u can handle it, sooner or later!

Adino: Thanks!

Adino: Hehe… good idea!

Adino: Sometimes it’s hard to do that…

Don’t worry.
It is a phase that you have to undergo.
Imagine that you can do the same to ur kids next time ( just kidding i know u wont )

Just listen and.. yeah.. do otherwise which you and pc think is the best for Rachel.

After she is YOUR baby ger u hav all rights to do what u think is the best for her. and Nvr doubt yourself I am sure all your study will put you through this practical test well

Jia you. ( if you dun understand this, ask your wife )

Adino: Thanks for your support. Still waiting for you to come and see baby!

Imagine, even at my age, my mum suddenly called me this morning, and tell me: your fengshui said for this month, your lucky colour is gold and blue

Though I know she did it in good intention, but don’t you think that is really unnecessary? She know fully well that I will not believe in it for half a second.

With that, you can imagine the tonnes of ‘advises’ she gave me for my kids. Needless to say, we followed none of it.

Don’t worry. We all get through it and survive.

For your daughter, if u need anything, u know where to go ^-^

Adino: Ok, thanks. I know we will get through it.

Ah…. You must now learn one new thing. One ear in, One ear out (EIEO).

Nod and agree to disagree.

Even the gwai-los here try very hard to teach me what NOT to do.

If I listen to chinese tok and gwai-lo tok, I think I mati katak already!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes, the chinese way works, sometimes the gwai-lo way works…you just have to find that balance and keep it in consistence. That way your lil Rachel will grow into a happy healthy bub! Remember that every baby is different, just like snowflakes.

Really..learn the EIEO method..best method in the world!

Adino: Sounds like the Old MacDonald method!

I don’t mind advice actually. I know they are given with the best intentions.

But sometimes I just feel so down, it’s not advice I want. It’s understanding and support.

Adino: Personally I trust books more, but I don’t follow blindly what I read.

I think traditional practices have their logic and reasoning. After all, if it doesn’t work, nobody would do it in the past. However, these practices may not be suitable or applicable.

Sometimes I feel a hidden pressure that I am abandoning my Chinese ancestry roots because I am not willing to follow some practices. I don’t know if others have felt the same.

instead of following traditional practices.

That should keep you on your toes enough that you wouldn’t bother with the worries about washing hair any more.

You and Poey Chin will be a wonderful mum + dad pair.

Adino: Thanks for the verse.

Adino: I hope so. Sometimes I’m too confused and unsure.

Most of my friends have experienced the same struggle.

The only one who escaped was a couple who moved to the UK for a few years and had their child there. With the absence of parents and in-laws, they didn’t follow any of the traditional practices at all. They and their children who are now teenagers are perfectly healthy and fine.

Adino: One of them is, and I have to bear with it for one more week. Then we’ll be on our own. And I can take over again.

Dont worry, you will work out the kinks soon enough. Take care.

Adino: Thanks for your advice.

Oh, and please don’t let others speak negative things about Rachel – the Asian culture (especially for Chinese) is that one must speak curses about the children or else they’d turn out wrong. Well, I’ve seen plenty of my relatives keep on calling their children naughty or “bad egg” or all those other names and when the child turns out that way… they pull their hair out and moan about why the child is like that when in the first place, they were cursing the child!

Guess maybe the best advice I can give you for your situation is to do what seems in the best interests of baby Rachel, Poey Chin and yourself.

Remember always that Rachel is a precious, beautiful gift from God.

Adino: This is what I’m afraid of. That the words spoken will plant themselves in her subconscious.

At the end of the day, she’s YOUR daughter. She may be somebody else’s granddaughter, or niece, or goddaughter, etc etc etc, but being YOUR daughter trumps everything else.

I’ve no doubt you two will make great parents.

Adino: You’re right. We can do this.