Tools of Survival

Although we En has only been with us for 8 months, we now have in our "Xiao Ding Dang"'s Bag a variety of Must Have tools for parental survival.. and here is the count down to the top 5 Must Have List:

1. A trusty Thermometer: every sensible parent must have a reliable and snappy quick thermometer. When En was a few weeks old, dad went to buy one which seems to work well, until 3 weeks ago... when En had viral fever and our lives are consumed with temperature taking.. You will want a thermomter that is fast and accurate in such situations, cuz you will not want to grapple with a baby that is wailing away while trying to determine if the temperature is under control or not

2. Baby Monitor: A life saver for any parent that values his/ her sanity.. In the first few weeks when En was born, we kept creeping into his room to see if he has awaken, if he slept properly (given the horrors we read of SIDS - sudden infant death syndrome), but we also end up waking the baby sometimes with our opening and closing of door.. and it gave us no rest with going in and out of his room every 15 mins.. When we got the baby monitor, life became a bliss - as it picks up every little sound that baby makes -so for peace of mind - get a baby monitor!

3. A power "Distractor" - This is one that needs plenty of trial and error to get it right i suppose - and for us, it was a funny rattle that produce a weird "ee-oh" sound when shaken (left), one that we co-incidentally found from my hubby's old cache of toys - En is just fascinated with the sound and whenever he cries, that cheap rattle (only $1.50 found in Kiddy Palace) never fails to distract him from his crying.. so agai, for peace of mind from the incessant wailing - find a powerful distractor..

4. Snap fast Camera cum video cum sound recorder: When En was about 2 months yrs we decided to ditch our old camera for a new one that enables us to take video and sound recording.. you won't want to lose any moment and for a while, I was camera crazy - so long as En is around, I felt compelled to have a camera nearby.. Babies grow too fast - it's a fact and they change so fast too and when I compare pics of En within 2 weeks of him - he looks so different! and you will want to capture those motions and sounds as well - so to keep the memories alive - camera is a must!

5. Baby Blues Comics: For a comic twist on potentially agonising and distressing moments from parenting - reading these comics is a must - hubby and I are addicted to it now - you can find this in Straits Times Life, or get the series of comic books.. while it makes one scream with hilarious laughter, there are practical tips that really helps to destress and cope with the occasional pains of parenthood. A must have to preserve emotional and mental helath for parents!