How I Organise My Kitchen Cupboard (OCD Approved!)

The inside of my kitchen cupboard - 90% done.

My husband and I are both neat freaks, and I am not kidding or exaggerating when I say that we probably have some OCD tendencies (especially him!). Everything has to be tidy, in its place and absolutely no clutter is allowed. This is just how we like things at our house. I must confess though that I am a pack-rat of sorts, so I do secretly hoard certain things (usually odd & ends for my craft projects, or empty tins/ boxes/ jars which I plan to reuse) around random parts of the house, but they are kept completely out of sight and out of my husband's way so that he does not feel tempted to throw them all out!

I posted this picture showing the inside of my kitchen cupboard the other day, because it made me chuckle that my sister jokingly called me "Monica from FRIENDS". I didn't even think that anyone would be that interested, but it's gotten a steady number of Likes and I received some feedback that I should do a blog post about how I organised it, so here it is! :D

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE, AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

My various sauces, seasonings and condiments.

I feel that to make things look less cluttered, it's good to get little trays so everything has its place in the cupboard, rather than randomly chucking it on the shelves in any available spot. That way, you can arrange everything according to its purpose. For example, my cooking sauces/ seasonings are all in one corner and I try to arrange them according to height, or whichever I use more often will be placed in front, within easier reach.

My tiny bottles of food dye, which I use for Gemini Grrl's homemade playdough.

These tiny bottles of food dyes are in their own tiny basket (which fit PERFECTLY and you have NO idea about the immense joy I get from this!). I bought these trays and baskets from various different shops such as: Daiso, ABC, The Value Shop and random neighbourhood home-essentials shops. They are super cheap and range from anywhere between $1 - $3. I would have preferred if all of them were the same colour though, but oh well.

Magazine holder from Daiso: $2

I use a magazine holder from Daiso for $2 and use it to arrange my clingwrap, tin foil, and boxes of ziplock bags. I contemplated mounting the rolls of clingwrap and tin foil onto the inside of my cupboard door, so that's something you could do as well.

MAXIMISE YOUR SPACE

Baskets that easily pull out, stored underneath stacked shelves.

Our kitchen is small, so I need to really make full use of every single bit of space to store all my things. I like my kitchen cupboard a lot and like how wide the spaces are between each shelf. Besides stacking everything up on top of each other, the tidier alternative is to buy these small stackable plastic shelves. I got them from the ABC shop for less around $2 ~ $3. They come in half-sizes as well (see the top shelf), which is where I keep my bottles of herbs and dry seasonings and jars of sauces. Underneath, I put 2 pull-out baskets (from Daiso) and they are used to store my baking ingredients (left) and our breakfast spreads (right).

HERD UP ALL LOOSE ITEMS

Candies and chocolates storage

You know when you open up a bag of candy of individually wrapped chocolates, sometimes they actually survive one sitting and so you have leftovers to be enjoyed another day. I used to just tie the bag up again with a rubberband or pour them into the side pocket shelf of my fridge door. But that's quite messy and doesn't look very nice. So it's better to contain your sweet chaos into individual jars, plus it keeps the ants away!

The plastic jar on the left is a free gift when I bought some Quaker oats, but I use it to store all my loose candies and chocolates, because it's nice and see-through. The one on the right is from Tupperware and was part of a kiddy set which came with 2 milk bottles. I use this to stash away all of Gemini Grrl's Kinder Joy and Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs, which she's only allowed as a treat.

Our Thai Fragrant Rice

Our rice is stored in its own rice-bin, which comes with a measuring cup. I think I bought this at Giant for less than $20. It fits about 5kg of rice and I love the flip lid! It also has tiny wheels at the bottom, plus a handle one one side so I can easily pull it out when I need to cook rice.

Cooking oil

After frying keropok (fish crackers) or whatever, sometimes I have some leftover cooking oil which can still be reused once more (but only once please!), so instead of leaving it sitting in the pan overnight, or pouring it into a normal container (like what I used to do, but it was proving to be rather messy), it's good to store it in a squeeze-bottle like this one, which is normally used for chilli sauce and ketchup. It has a tiny nozzle at the top and should be airtight. This one has a flower-shaped cover which swivels off easily, and I got it for less than $3 from Japan Home. This way, you can have perfect control over the amount of oil you need for the next time you're frying an egg or something.

Kitty Pinocchio bag-tie? Lol!

But if you have just a tiny bit of candy left and really could not be bothered to transfer them into a small container (plus you know you're going to eat them within the next few days anyway), then instead of ugly rubberbands, you can opt for cute bag-ties. I got these from (surprise surprise) Daiso, which came in a pack of 2. There were other animals as well, but obviously we all know which are my favourite ;) You can get colourful bag clips from supermarkets or home-essentials shops as well, for under $5.

Reusable bag-ties - pack of 2 for $2 from Daiso.

REMOVE UNNECESSARY PACKAGING

Small snack-packs inside the big bag.

When you open up a bag or snack-packs, you get a few smaller packs inside. Toss the bigger bag and just neatly arrange the snack-packs on your trays. But of course, if your bags are not open yet, then you don't have to open them up to take out the snack-packs.

Neatly arrange your snack-packs.

I got this large tray from Daiso as well ($2). I swear, every time I walk inside that store to innocently buy just 1 item, I end up with a whole basket full of things! :P There is a huge Daiso near our house (straight bus ride about 10 minutes away), so that's where I go on a regular basis!

REUSE JARS & BOTTLES

Reused glass jars for my curry powders and dry goods.

Don't throw away those jam jars! They can be reused to store your curry powders or other various dry goods. Just wash them thoroughly and remove the labels by soaking them in hot soapy water (or rub with cooking oil, then wash). You can even add your own labels so you know what exactly the contents are. Oh, can you spot the reused Nutella jar above? Hehehe!

My sugar bottle

This is my sugar bottle, which originally was a sugar bottle as well, but once it finished, I just removed the label (because it was getting a little torn) and used stickers to relabel it, then refilled it with sugar from those boring old plastic packs. I love the tiny flip-top with the sprout for easy pouring.

My DIY labels. Hehe!

 If you don't have pretty letter stickers, fret not, just do it totally DIY like what I've done with some of my other plastic jars. After filling them up, I simply cut out portions of the original packaging and sticky-taped it onto the lids for easy identification. Gets the job done and doesn't cost me a thing. I love reusing my stuff for other purposes! The top two jars with red lids are from some Hari Raya/ Eid snacks, and the one with the blue lid is a reused Marshmallow Creme jar.

Dry Pasta

Ok, so this is not really a "recycled" jar - I bought it for less than $10 from Japan Home - but it can be reused to contain many things. Usually I will fill it with dry pasta, flour, brown sugar, or dry beans.

Airtight glass jars

This was a free gift because I filled out some survey form at a shopping mall once. It comes with a weird little pump thingy which you place on top of the jar and it apparently helps to suck out all the air from the jar. I use this to store my baking soda. 

****

Don't feel disheartened though if your cupboard is not neatly arranged or has clear labels on everything. Honestly, my kitchen is far from perfect, and so is the rest of my house. My fridge gets cluttered up pretty quickly as well, so that's my next project to tackle! Just take things one step at a time and make it a habit to always tidy up when you can, so it will become easier as the time goes. Do share your before and after pictures with me if you'd like, or feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section below! :)

10 Ridiculously Easy But Yummy Breakfast Recipes In 10 Minutes

Image from Inmagine

Ever had one of those days where you just lay in bed for a good hour or two after waking up and you contemplate whether you should just stay there the whole day and skip the whole tedious part of changing out of your pyjamas and actually brushing your hair? Yeah, me too. But of course, chores need to get done, diapers need to be changed, and tummies need to be fed (be it your little one's, or your own). So you whimper as you slowly roll onto the floor and crawl to the bathroom and stand in the shower and sob for a few more minutes and after getting dressed, you go to the kitchen and wonder what the hell you're supposed to cook for your child without reaching for the sugar-coated multicoloured cereal yet again. Nor do you want to hand them a piece of dry toast and call it a day. So here is a tried & tested list of 10 tasty but healthy breakfast ideas you can try out for those days that you just seriously cannot function. They are easy, I promise, and will take less than 10 minutes to prepare, but are completely guilt-free because they are actually nutritious and delicious!

1. MINI BANANA PANCAKES

Image from Inmagine

This is Gemini Grrl's favourite recipe to make all by herself (under my watchful eye of course) and she eagerly eats it all up once it's fresh out of the oven. 
So if my 2 year old can cook this, so can you ;)

INGREDIENTS:

1 Over-ripe Banana
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
Butter


WHAT TO DO:

a) Slice up the banana into a bowl.

b) Crack in the egg and mash it all up with a fork.

c) Add the vanilla and mix well.

d) Butter up a muffin pan and spoon in the mixture.

e) Bake in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown.

f) Serve with honey, butter or peanut butter.

SERVES: 1 Momma & 1 Tot OR 2 Tots



2. QUICK-BAKED AVOCADO

Image from Inmagine

I LOVE avocados so much. Not only are they chockful of nutrition, but they taste heavenly and can be a wonderful alternative to cheese for those with dairy restrictions, are vegan, or just watching their diets. I may just write up a whole new blog post on it's own dedicated to my favourite avocado recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Ripe Avocado
1 Egg
Pinch of Sea Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper


WHAT TO DO:

a) Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit.

b) Beat the egg and carefully pour it into the little pit-groove in the avocado halves.

c) Sprinkle the sea salt and black pepper over the egg.

d) Bake it in the oven until your desired consistency, or until the egg cooks.

e) Eat with a spoon and enjoy the goodness.

SERVES: 1 Momma & 1 Tot

3. PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA SANDWICH

Image from Inmagine

Bananas are so digestible and are a healthy way to start your day. So if you're looking for a fun way to jazz up the way you eat this delicious fruit, why don't you try out one of my favourite toast toppings?

INGREDIENTS:

1 Ripe Banana
4 Pieces of Wholemeal/ Multigrain Bread OR 2 Pieces of Toast (for an open-face sandwich)

Peanut Butter (Chunky for even more nutrition, but I personally prefer Smooth)
Honey (optional)


WHAT TO DO:

a) Slice up your banana.

b) Spread peanut butter onto your bread or toast.

c) Arrange the banana slices onto your bread or toast.

d) Drizzle with a bit of honey, if you prefer (but the sweetness of the bananas should be enough).

e) Fantastic with a glass of milk.

SERVES: 1 Momma or 2 Tots

4. GREEK YOGHURT FRUIT SALAD

Image from Inmagine

Greek yoghurt is another staple in my house and we love it so much! It's actually healthier than regular yoghurt and you can use it in a lot of different recipes. It's better to get the plain kind and add in any extra toppings yourself to your liking. I always add some honey for a touch of sweetness (because Greek yoghurt is rather tart) and chia seeds for the extra nutrients, as it is a superfood :D

INGREDIENTS:

2 Single Serving Pots of Greek Yoghurt

Any Mixed Fruits & Berries
1 - 2 tsp of Honey
1 tsp of Chia Seeds

WHAT TO DO:

a) Cut up the mixed fruit or berries to bite size pieces.

b) Add in the chia seeds into the yoghurt.

c) Add in the honey into the yoghurt and mix well.

d) Top with the mixed fruits & berries.

e) Serve chilled and pretend you're having ice cream early in the morning :P

SERVES: 1 Momma & 1 Tot

5. PEANUT BUTTER APPLE SLICES

Image from Inmagine

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away", apparently. I guess what they mean is that it's good to eat some fruit everyday as part of a healthy and balanced diet. This is also a good snack for any other time of day, plus it's super fast to make. I like to add the granola on top for the extra flavour, fibre and crunch.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Red or Green Apple
Peanut Butter
Granola

WHAT TO DO:

a) Slice up your apple. The more PB you want, the thinner the slices.

b) Spread peanut butter onto each apple slice.

c) Sprinkle some granola on top.

d) Eat it as a healthy snack while watching the morning cartoons. Goes well with a tall glass of milk too!

SERVES: 1 Momma or 1 Tot

6. SOFT-BOILED EGG & BREAD DIPPERS

Image from Inmagine

Eggs are inexpensive, the easiest things to cook, but are so high in nutritional value. That's why our kitchen is always full of them! As soon as your bub is old enough, it's good to let them eat eggs for high quality protein. Most toddlers like to dip their foods, so these toast fingers are a fun way to make them finish up their meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Egg
1 Piece of Toast
Butter (optional)


WHAT TO DO: 

a) Boil your egg for about 10 minutes.

b) Toast a piece of bread.

b) Remove from pot and crack open the top OR crack open the whole egg into a bowl.

c) Cut up the toast into strips for easy dipping.

d) You may choose to lightly butter the toast fingers.

e) Let your tot have fun dipping and eating this healthy breakfast.

SERVES: 1 Momma or 1 Tot

8. CUTE FOOD ART

I LOVE YOU BEARY MUCH - My very own food art creation for Gemini Grrl. It is peanut butter on bread with apple slice cut-outs and blueberries.

Ok, you must admit that these cutesy food art creations that you've seen all over Pinterest and the world wide web sometimes makes you feel like a pretty crappy Mom for serving your child a boring piece of toast with some butter slapped on it. Fret not, because seriously, food art is not all that difficult to make and I have attempted a few of my own (with satisfactory results!). Bread is the easiest thing to start off with (and a common breakfast staple) and you can use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. Feel free to experiment with different bread/ toast toppings (peanut butter, kaya, Nutella, jam, honey, marmalade, vegemite, avocado, etc) for a variety of colours, as well as different pieces of fruit and vegetables. Just a simple smiley face will do and your kids will probably happily gobble it all up :)

INGREDIENTS:

Bread or Toast
Fruit
Vegetables
Breakfast Spread

WHAT TO DO:

a) Use a cookie cutter to cut out the shape of your food art base (for example, circle for a face).

b) Spread on any breakfast spread of your choice.

c) Cut out shapes out of fruit or vegetables and use to garnish/ decorate your base.

d) Present your work of art for your child to ooh and aah.

SERVES: 1 Momma or 1 Tot

8. OVERNIGHT OATMEAL CHIA SEED PUDDING

Image from Inmagine

As I mentioned before, chia seeds are a super food, and not only are they rich in omega 3, calcium, protein, iron, magnesium and anti-oxidants amongst other things, but they can be added to lots of different recipes without altering the taste. These humble looking little seeds will absorb any liquid they're mixed in and will swell up 2 ~ 3x their size and become fun little squishy pops in your drinks of puddings. Pair this with some rolled oats and you have a power couple right there. This is an overnight pudding recipe, which means that you have to prepare it the night before and leave it in the fridge, so you can just grab it in the morning, but to put it together takes up less than 10 minutes of your time.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbs of Chia Seeds
 1/2 Cup of Milk (can be cow's milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc)

 1 tbs of Rolled Oats
1 tsp of Honey (or to taste)
Mixed Berries

Chocolate Chips (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

a) In a small glass jar, spoon in the rolled oats.

b) Add the chia seeds.

c) Pour in the milk.

d) Add the honey and mix will.

e) Sprinkle in some mixed berries or chocolate chips for a sinful treat.

f) Mix well or close lid and shake jar.

g) Leave in the fridge overnight.

h) Eat it nice and cold the next day straight from the jar.

SERVES: 1 Momma or 2 Toddlers

9. ABC SMOOTHIE

Image from Inmagine

ABC, it's easy as 1-2-3! This simple but deliciously creamy smoothie is actually really good for you. A is for Avocado, B is for Banana and C is for Chocolate. Yeah, I came up with that name all by myself, so creative right? LOL! You have to put in minimal effort to cut up the fruits and then toss everything into a blender and press a button. How much easier can it get?

INGREDIENTS:

3 ~ 6 Over-ripe Banana (depending on how banana-y and sweet you like it)
3 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 Cup of Milk (Cow, Goat, Coconut, Almond, Soy - up to you!)
1 Ripe Avocado
Dash of Cinnamon Powder (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

a) Slice up the bananas and put in blender.

b) Scoop out avocado flesh and put in blender.

c) Pour milk in blender.

d) Add cocoa powder in blender.

e) Add a dash of cinnamon powder if you like.

f) Blend the living daylights out of your mix.

g) Pour into tall glass, add straw and any other toppings of your choice.

h) Drink up and don't even strain yourself to chew anything.

*TIP: If you like your smoothies to be cold, then I suggest you peel, slice and freeze your bananas overnight, then blend them up the next day when they're still frozen. This is better than blending in some ice.

SERVES: 2 Mommas or 3 Tots

10. NON-FUSS SAVOURY TOAST

Image from Inmagine

My Mom used to make us those super tasty prawn toasts growing up, and the Asian side of me actually doesn't mind eating it in the morning. But honestly, who wants to be shelling and mincing up prawns at the crack of dawn, right? (No, seriously, shut up). So here is my own insanely simplified version of savoury toast you can do with your eyes still half-closed.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Egg
3 Pieces of Bread
Five-Spice Powder
Cooking Oil

Chilli Sauce or Ketchup (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

a) In a bowl, whisk up the egg.

b) Add in a small dash of the five-spice powder and mix well.

c) Heat up some cooking oil in a pan.

d) Dip each piece of bread into the eggy mixture until well coated.

e) Fry the eggy bread in the pan until crispy.

f) Cut each fried bread into 4 small squares or triangles.

g) Dip in the chilli sauce or ketchup, whichever you prefer.

SERVES: 1 Momma & 1 Tot

***

But seriously though, you should also buy a big box of relatively healthy cereal, some good full cream milk, fresh berries and pour your child a bowl of cereal with fruit on those days that you seriously, honestly, just can not function. Don't feel guilty about it. At least you're trying to feed you child something of nutritional value. We all deserve a break sometimes! ;)

FAT Is Not A Dirty Word

The night of my school play in 5th grade. I loved performing onstage and would be a completely different person than I was offstage.

My daughter is turning 3 years old pretty soon and to me, she is the most beautiful thing I have ever created. From her cheeky smile to her infectious giggles and her various facial expressions, I am so happy to have her in my life. I want to teach her everything that I know, I would like her to grow up and become a strong, kind, independent, generous, person who will do good in this world. I want her to be confident and love herself just the way she is. But I know I am also a hypocrite because I for one have serious body image issues. Some days I feel I am invincible and my confidence is through the roof - and other days I beat myself up and can't even bear to leave the house. Just because I feel like complete crap and think that I look like complete crap.

Growing up, I was bullied and teased about my weight - 90% of the time it was from other girls. I don't know why, but apparently if you're a tad on the plus side then that is an open invitation for horrible name-calling. I worry about my daughter when she starts school and whether she will be surrounded by cruel, unintelligent peers who judge others by the way they look. I wonder how it would affect her and how she will cope with it. I fear that it will affect her self-esteem like how it did mine and would hold her back from getting involved in various opportunities in life.

Recently, my husband had to remind a family member and tell them not to call our daughter fat, even though it was just a joke and did not come from a malicious place. He knew how affected I was by this and saw how my face changed when that vile word was uttered and used to describe my innocent little 2 year old daughter. To my horror, ever since that incident, Gemini Grrl has used that word several times now. Once when she was playing with her toys and couldn't fit one of her dolls through a gap, so she said it was, "too fat", which I corrected her and just said that the gap was in fact too small. Then another time when we were meeting up with a good friend and she exclaimed, "Look! It's Uncle Fat Man!".

But why has the word FAT become a dirty word? Why is it spat out like a bad taste in our mouths, or a painful insult we fling at somebody to intentionally cause them pain? Why do we care so much if someone were to call us FAT? Why do we have to try so hard to tell ourselves that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about if we do not resemble supermodels in beauty magazines? Why is this even an issue I as a Mother am worrying about because I have a daughter now?

Me in 5th grade. I know I wasn't thin back then (nor am I now), but I did not deserve to be picked on and made to feel worthless.

Is it wrong of me to keep correcting her and tip-toe around that word, trying to pretend that it doesn't exist? Should I be shielding her from this dreaded word which has been used as an ugly label and is one of the easiest things for people to pick on when trying to hurt someone's feelings? Am I doing the right thing by protecting her from being called this horrid word by our family and friends who are perhaps merely commenting on her physical changes since the last time we've met? Why am I so offended when people mention how chubby her cheeks are? Or how tubby her tummy is? Are they even saying that as an attack on my daughter's appearance or my capabilities as a Mother to feed her all the right foods and make sure she is on a proper exercise regime? Is it just all in my head? Am I being over-sensitive?

I think the answer is yes. And no.

I have the right to feel that way, because in this day and age, nobody in our society will ever call somebody else fat without making it a derogatory comment. They won't say you are fat without wanting to break you down and remind you how disgusting you have become. People meet up with old friends and are quick to update their social circle about how much weight so and so has put on, then laugh sadistically about it. If somebody has actually lost weight, you would probably compliment them to their face about their success but then bitch about them behind their back out of pure envy. Why is it when one becomes thinner, then congratulations are in order? Losing weight is apparently something to be celebrated, a great achievement, a wonderful milestone for you to write home about.

Photo Day in school back in 5th grade (the worst time of my life back then). I hated this picture so much, but my Mother says she loves it.

But getting fat? That's when you have to stop taking full-length body shots of yourself for Facebook. You have to retreat and avoid social functions at all costs. One must now adopt a baggy potato-sack sense of fashion and heaven forbid anyone ever see you eating in public ever again. People actually comment about your weight gain sadly and look at you with such pity, as they gently pat you on the shoulder and then walk away, sighing and wondering what went wrong in your life.

I don't want my daughter to grow up being obsessed with her body. I don't want her get depressed over every single pound she gains or refuse to live her life fully due to her own insecurities. Yes, of course I want her to be healthy and I am definitely not going to let her become obese - not just for the sake of physical appearance, but because of medical health. But I need to figure out first what exactly the problem is here. The fact that society is now throwing the word FAT around like it is a disgusting disease and the unrealistic expectations they have of how a woman's body should look, or that I care way too much about this than I should and my toddler is none the wiser about such labels, nor does she realise it is a dirty word when she uses it in public.

Me now. No filter. Suck it, haters.

This is a battle I am still fighting and there are good days and bad. To me, my daughter is still the epitome of perfection in my eyes and I will always love her unconditionally no matter how she looks. Perhaps I should stop trying to change the way society is, and just change the way I think. Slowly but surely, I will try my best to use this word as part of my vocabulary with no other emotions attached to it. I will do my part as a Mother to teach my beautiful daughter that FAT is not a dirty word.

To The Mom Of The Toddler Who Was Left Home Alone & Fell Out The Window

The view of the incident from my house. Circled in red is the man who was filming the whole thing.

Yesterday as I sat by my living room window trying to get some work done on my laptop, I heard a woman from the block across from mine screaming at the top of her lungs repeatedly. I didn't really think much about it at first because to be honest, my neighbourhood's a bit weird sometimes and there are all sorts of interesting characters around here every now and then (just a few days ago, I was wondering whether there was somebody at the playground downstairs attempting to sing rather badly, or perhaps it was just a cat giving birth to a watermelon). There is a Primary School literally around the corner and the boisterous students who are usually playing downstairs make questionable wildlife sounds as well, so I did not think anything was amiss. But the screaming did not stop and she seemed like she was really in distress. 

Then I heard a man shouting, "Hello! Hello! Hello!!". Still thinking that perhaps it was a domestic dispute or a lovers' quarrel, I peeked out the window to see what all the fuss was about. I spotted a man standing on the grass and staring up towards the other block - he appeared to be holding his handphone and filming something up there. From my angle, I was unable to see what exactly he was watching unfold before him, but a small crowd started to form and I could hear everyone's panicked voices filling the air.

A woman gasped in horror. School students were pointing upwards. Mothers tightly clutched their young ones. What on earth was happenining, I wondered? Was there a big dramatic fight scene going on at the balcony and those people were nosy spectators? Is somebody contemplating suicide by jumping to their deaths and the bystanders are watching in horror? Or did someone accidentally fall out the window and is holding on for dear life while everyone else is holding their breaths preparing for the worst?

Circled in red is the foreignn worker running to the scene, as the bystanders watched helplessly.

Then, I spotted a foreign worker from across the road running towards the ever-growing crowd. He gazed up at what they were staring at, and immediately - without even hesitating for one minute - sprang into action and scaled up the walls to offer his assistance to whoever it was that was on the 2nd floor (I deduced that by now because that was the only unit occupied, from what I could see, except for the 8th floor and up (which was too high from how I observed where the crowd was looking at). People gasped and were calling out in fright. Sirens wailed and the emergency response team arrived on the scene within minutes. They took out a ladder and swiftly climbed up, and upon descending, I watched in absolute horror as I realised that the victim they had just rescued was a small child, probably about Gemini Grrl's age! She was only wearing a diaper and she clutched tightly to her rescuer as everyone heaved sighs of relief.

How the hell did a tiny toddler get herself into such a dangerous situation to begin with?? Where was her Mother?? How could she let this happen??

From the news reports that followed, and according to the short interviews of the child's parents, the little girl was asleep and her Mother had to send her other daughter to school nearby. Apparantly it was about 5 minutes from their house, so she thought she could slip away and be back home again within 10 minutes or so before her younger daughter woke up. Now, before we all start bashing the woman and saying she is irresponsible or stupid or not fit to be a parent, let me just say that as much as I do not condone what she did, nor am I defending her (I don't know her, she is not a friend of mine, we may live in the same neighbourhood but I have never seen her or her kids before in my whole entire life), let us just think WHY a Mother of 3 would even do that in the first place.

Circled in red is the unit where the family lives, on the 2nd floor.
Their windows are wide open and there are no safety grilles installed.

In one of her interviews, she explains that she has no help whatsoever from anybody. It has been made known that her husband is the sole breadwinner, so I guess it's right to say that she is a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) with no maid and no help to watch her kids, do the chores, or run her errands. We all know that when babies and toddlers do not get enough sleep or miss their naps, they get cranky as hell and turn into tantrum-throwing unreasonable grumpy things. From the sounds of it, she has probably left her child at home alone before while she quickly popped out to send her other children to school and all that.

Ok, Momma, if you're reading this, please do so carefully. It is NOT ok to leave your child alone at home by themselves, especially since they are still so young. No matter how fast you think you will be, no matter how nearby the distance of the place that you're popping to is, no matter if you're child is asleep and you really don't want to wake her up just so you can drag her across the street to send off her older sibling to preschool for all of 10 minutes - under no circumstances is it ever safe to leave your young child unattended, without supervision, for any amount of time at all.

I am not angry at you. I do not think you are stupid. I do not think you deserve to have all your 3 children snatched away from you, thrown into foster care and all parental rights revoked indefinitely. I do not think you are irresponsible. What I do think is that you are just unaware of the dangers of leaving your toddler all alone by herself at home. What I do think is that you underestimated the life-threatening dangers that surround your small child every corner of your own home. What I do think is that perhaps you were a little overwhelmed by being a SAHM to 3 young children, with no help whatsoever, just trying to do the best you can to keep your head above water. And without a doubt, I know you as a Mother would never intentionally want to put your own flesh and blood in any harm.

But unfortunately things turned out the way they did. I assume your little daughter woke up from her nap earlier than she normally does, to an empty house and started to search for her Mother and siblings. She must have wandered around and eventually ended up out on the balcony where she thought maybe she could get a better view of you crossing the road on your usual routine to send off her sister to school. So she probably climbed up onto something that was there and somehow lost balance, and tumbled over the edge, as there were no safety grilles installed there. 

My cloth-rack railings which are identical to the ones where the little girl fell through.
(And yes, I know I have an animal-print obsession)

Now by luck and by the grace of God, her body slipped through the metal railings of the clothes-drying rack, but her head got caught and she therefore did not fall through. But she was dangling there by her neck, kicking furiously and crying out for help. She could have broken her neck, or fallen through and fell 2 storeys down - a very nasty fall for a child that small. If the quick-thinking foreign worker had not acted swiftly, then she could have been seriously injured. If a good samaritan did not call for help, then the SCDF would not have reached there in time.

To the Mother and Father of this little girl who is the focus of today's news across the nation - please get safety grilles installed on all your windows and at the balcony, because you have 3 children (and a cat!) living in your house. I know it's not cheap. I know you have mountains of bills to pay. I know you have many mouths to feed. I know that life in Singapura is not a bed of roses for some as others may think. I know you think this freak accident couldn't possibly happen twice. Just please, think about the safety of your little ones. 

From what I can see in the interviews, you have a lovely little couch where the family sat on to answer the reporter's questions. Your daughter was fiddling around with an iPad. You have pretty curtains by your windows. You have clean clothes on your back. If you bought all of that with your own hard-earned money, then kindly consider spending part of your budget on such safety measures immediately. If those items were donated to you by generous friends and family members, then please ask them to help sponsor your grilles as soon as possible. The safety and welfare of your children should come first. Maybe it did not cross your mind that it is a vital feature you should consider adding in your home, and your reason is that you do not have the budget for it. If you have the money for all the other things I mentioned above, then you do have the money to get safety grilles installed. I know it'll set you back a couple of hundred dollars. I know times are tough. I know the public transportation fees are rising. I know the prices of everything are soaring. I know, boy do I know. But I also know that you do not ever want this incident to repeat ever again.

The foreign worker fearlessly climbing up to save the frightened toddler, who is dangling by her neck.
Photo: Youtube/ Alvin Tan

And if you still are unable to afford it, then ok, I understand. No, really, I honestly and sincerely do. Daily necessities are your top priority and you are just trying your best to make end's meet. Not everyone realises that we do not all have the same privileges or opportunities given to us in life. 

Just please, from now on, never ever leave your child alone at home or anywhere else without supervision for that matter. NO that is NOT ok. You may not not have realised the risks of this before, but NOW YOU KNOW. So please let this be a lesson learnt. A lesson learnt for all of you out there as well. It is easy to point fingers and judge others and call them names. But sometimes we forget that we are all human too. We make mistakes as well. We are not all perfect parents. Yes, what the Mother did was wrong, and it was splashed all over the news so she has an angry mob after her now. But haven't we all done something we wish we could undo? Haven't we all made poor choices as parents? Or turned around for one second, only to realise our child has managed to get themselves into a sticky situation?

I for one have had my Bad Parent Moment 2 years ago at my own home, when Gemini Grrl was about 1 year's old. I was folding laundry in her room and she was right next to me, sitting inside the laundry basket, pretending it was a boat and giggling away uncontrollably. She then got up and ran into my bedroom just next door. As I called out to her and got up from the floor to go bring her back in, I heard a sickening thud and as I took just 2 steps forward to look into my room, I saw her lying on the ground, moaning. Within the 3 seconds that she had ran out of her room where I was, she managed to clamber up onto my bed and then leapt off, landing in a crumpled heap on the cold hard floor, head-first. I screamed in sheer terror and ran to scoop her up. She was conscious and then started to cry in pain. A humongous bump formed on her forehead and I immediately rushed her to the emergency room, crying hysterically all the way there. She was fine in the end and did not suffer a concussion or any internal bleeding. 

But I still feel like that was the absolute worse parenting moment I made in my whole entire life of being a Mother and I was a complete failure. I swear to God it just took 3 seconds for her to run out of the room, climb onto the bed and fall on her head, as I was still sitting cross-legged on the floor, getting myself up and about to walk over to bring her back to my pile of laundry. I was not in the toilet with the door closed while she watched tv alone in the living room. I was not in the kitchen cooking up a 5-course meal as she played by herself in her room. And I certainly did not pop out to the nearby 7'11s to buy a bag of chips while she remained unsupervised at home. The 3 seconds was more than enough for her to get injured and earn her a trip to the children's hospital.

The Mother, the child, the Father and her older sister.
(Photo: TNP/ Benjamin Seetor)

We may never know what that toddler's Mother was thinking when she felt it was absolutely fine to leave her sleeping child unattended, and they may never install safety grilles in their house even after this unfortunate incident. But let's not make things worse for them by wishing them ill intentions, or proposing that social services take their children away for good - because no family should be torn apart. Granted that this case did showcase some poor parenting choices made, but do we really want to rip the innocent children from their parents' arms and send them off to a shelter somewhere, waiting in limbo for an unknown future?

Let's just say thank you to the two brave foreign workers who went to the poor child's aid without a second thought. And also to the SCDF team for doing a good job. As well as everyone else who helped in any way. Let us wish the parents well and hope that they will rethink their actions from now on and take the extra precaution to put their children's safety and welfare first.

Please remember that no matter how much or how little money you have, your children are irreplaceable and should always be your number one priority. You are lucky that this story had a happy ending. You are lucky that there were people there to come to her rescue. You are lucky that your child is still alive and well.You are very, very lucky indeed.


*UPDATE: The MP of our Town Council has visited the family and by using some charity funds, has kindly helped to get safety grilles installed on all the windows in the house. 

12 Realistic Jobs For Stay At Home Moms (SAHMs) That Actually Pay

Me acting as "Lucy", for a drama show to raise awareness about cyber-bullying.

You either were a career woman with a stable job at first and left the workforce to take care of your little one fulltime, or you have always planned on becoming a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) and talked things through with your spouse so that you will be there for your child every step of the way since day one. Whatever it is, being a SAHM isn't easy and no matter what your financial background is, relying on only one income may have it's drawbacks sometimes.

I myself have always been working on a freelance basis ever since I graduated - save for the brief period where I was working part-time at an animal concerns society - so the nature of my work has always been on a project-basis and my schedule has usually quite flexible. Growing up, both my parents worked so my younger sister and I were practically raised by our aunts and our live-in maid. But most of the times, we were left to our own devices and would keep each other company for the most part of the day and weekends. I remember during my toddlerhood how my own Mother was a SAHM and she only got a fulltime job shortly after my sister was born. 

In an ideal world, I would love to be a SAHM/ WAHM (Work At Home Mom) forever and take care of my child's every need, shuttle her to & fro for her various classes or playdates, have the luxury of being there when she needs me without having to check my schedule or ask my Boss for time off - but living in what has been ranked the most expensive city for 2 years running now has brought me back down to reality. Although I am still currently a WAHM right now, I fear that once the time comes for Gemini Grrl to start preschool (when she turns 4yrs old), the choice school that I have selected will force me to find a more stable job which will provide a steadier income. But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

What exactly do I currently do as a WAHM, you ask? How do I earn money from the comfort of my own home while my daughter sits right beside me moulding cupcakes out of playdough? What do I do to contribute to our monthly household income so that I have a bit of pocket money to buy whatever my heart desires (it's usually new clothes for my daughter, or restocking the snack cupboard to the brim, or for once treating my husband to a lovely dinner out), without depending on someone else all the time? It's a mish mash of different things to be honest, but mostly the same sort of projects which I have already been doing long before my little one came along - which includes writing, acting, directing, and teaching - and I have no help whatsoever so solely rely on my husband (and on the rare occasion, my Mother) to keep an eye on Gemini Grrl while I'm out bringing home the (extra) bacon.

Read on about my list of 12 realistic jobs for Stay At Home Moms and find out how you can earn a few extra bucks while still being a SAHM, or possibly even get a long-term gig going on to qualify as a WAHM :D

***

1
PRIVATE TUTOR

Image from Inmagine

In this day and age, (and especially in Singapura) parents are eager to let their children excel academically, so private tutors are in high demand. Just do a search online and filter for assignments by subject to teach, location, age of student, and rates offered. If you are NIE-trained or are an ex teacher, the rates may be a little higher - but they will also consider your other qualifications and experience. You can either opt to go to the student's house, or teach at a tuition centre, or maybe even have the student travel to  your house. There is a wide range of subjects in demand and the age range of students can start from Kindergarten level (!!) to Primary, Secondary and even adults. If you go through a tuition agency, then be prepared for them to take some commission. You can choose your timeslots for the evenings or weekends (so that your husband is home from work and can watch your bub), or whichever time that your child is away in preschool.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

2

WEB DESIGNER

Image from Inmagine

For the tech-savvy mommas out there, you can put your computer knowledge to good use. All you need is a computer/ laptop, internet connection and web-skills to design or build and maintain a website. You probably don't ever have to leave the home, except when meeting your client to get more details about what exactly they need - and depending on where you meet up (and how nice they are), you can probably bring your little one along with you as well.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

3
WRITER

Image from Inmagine

I have been doing this for many years now and it has become my bread and butter. It is the only job that I can do purely from home and don't really have to meet anyone at all. I get details via email or over the phone and just type away. Rarely would I have to meet up with clients for brainstorming and even if I have to, it's usually a casual meeting over coffee anyway, so my daughter is more than welcome to be there. You can write scripts for drama companies or production houses, articles for magazines, features on blogs, and much more. 

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

4

ONLINE SELLER

Image from Inmagine

This is another avenue I would like to explore in the near future. From the comfort of your own home, you can sell clothes, accessories, handicraft, home decor pieces, toys, books - the possibilities are endless! You just have to source for the right supplier and simply set up a blogshop on the internet. Whether or not you want a fancy website, is entirely up to you. I've seen some Facebook pages set up selling stuff online and they're doing very well. At the end of the day, it's the products you're selling that need to impress customers, after all.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

5

BABYSITTER

Image from Inmagine

Since you're already taking care of your own child, why not look after another one for just a few hours and get paid for it? Some parents look for reliable adults to send or pick up their child from school and keep them company at home for a short period of time before either one gets home from work. Sometimes, they might just need a date night (don't we all??), so are looking for mature babysitters to watch over their little ones. Depending on the arrangements, you might even be able to let the child play at your house, or even if you have to go over to theirs, some parents are ok with your own bub/ tot joining in as well. Better yet if you can find a child to babysit who lives in the same block or neighbourhood as you.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

6
PHOTOGRAPHER

Image from Inmagine

Not only can you sell your photographs to those who appreciate your work, but you can also offer your services as a professional photographer for events such as birthday parties, weddings, graduations, engagements, corporate dinners, etc. Most of which would probably occur in the evenings or weekends, so hopefully your husband will be off from work to take over parental duties as you're out snapping pictures and bringing in the dough. Or if it's just a short photoshoot, you can bring your child along as well. If things take off well, then you can also consider converting one of your rooms into a studio and offer competitive rates for private studio shoots.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes & No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

7
PARTY PLANNER & DECORATOR

Image from Inmagine

I may be stereotyping here, but a lot of SAHMs/ WAHMs are addicted to Pinterest (guilty as charge! Haha!), and have probably pinned 3527 ideas about our tot's upcoming birthday bash (umm, or is that just me??). So why not turn our party-planning skills into something that can generate income? Set up a simple website listing out your services and just liase with clients over the phone while you're still in your pajamas, sprawled out on your couch. If you have to go down to the venue to put up decorations and all that, I'm sure your little one can patiently wait for you, or amuse themselves by playing with a colourful balloon while Mommy's rolling up her sleeves.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

8
PETSITTER/ WALKER

Image from Inmagine

Some people may require someone to help walk their dog if their work schedules are super hectic. Or they may even need you to watch their pets for a few days while they are out of the country for work or on holiday. This is actually a cheaper option for them rather than to put their pet at one of those "pet hotels", plus they have the peace of mind knowing that their furry friend will have more attention given to them staying at somebody's house, rather than being boarded up with hundreds of other 4-legged critters.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

9
BEAUTICIAN

Image from Inmagine

Either you can become a Make Up Artist who goes out for assignments on the weekends for weddings and such, or you can offer your services as a Manicurist/ Pedicurist, Hair Stylist, or even Ladies' Masseuse - the selling point is that you do house-calls! Haven't you always longed for a beauty session to be done right in your own home where you can keep an eye on your child, instead of dragging them out to a spa somewhere and worry if they're going to knock anything over or eat something they're not supposed to? I'm sure lots of other women out there would appreciate these services offered door to door :) I have met some enterprising women who have also converted one of their rooms into a mini beauty parlour, so their kids can be playing in the next room while Mommy is earning some moola. Plus if you're over at someone's house to paint their nails, they probably wouldn't really mind if your bub was there as well (away from the fumes of course). 

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

10
PERSONAL SHOPPER

Image from Inmagine

Seriously, some people are just so busy that they need to hire extra helping hands to run basic errands for them. Pick up their dry-cleaning, do some grocery shopping, shop for a nice new outfit. Whatever it is, since you're basically out there buying stuff around town, I don't see why you couldn't bring your child with you for these runs. This can probably done at your own time and pace as well, because people don't usually require 2kg of frozen chicken or a new hat PRONTO. What a dream, getting paid to shop!

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

***

11
FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Image from Inmagine

For all the fit moms out there, why not teach a Yoga/ Aerobics/ Pilates/ Zumba class or something? Not only do you get a workout, but you'll actually be paid for it as well! Or tailor a Mommy & Baby Yoga class so that you can use your own darling bub as an example while leading the class. Other SAHMs would probably love this opportunity to get their babies involved in their fitness regime as well. Or leave the wee one at home with Daddy, while you go to the nearby gym or sports complex to work up a sweat and roll in the cash.

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes & No

Do you need outside help - Yes & No

***

12

SMALL-SCALE CATERER

Image from Inmagine

If you have some decent cooking or baking skills, then why not offer small-scale catering packages? Bake a huge batch of pretty cupcakes for a Baby Shower, or whip up some tasty mini quiches for an engagement party - just keep the orders small and don't overwhelm yourself. You'll only have to leave the house to deliver the goods and maybe set it up at the event venue, but you can probably bring your child along as well for this. If your child is old enough, then maybe they could even lend a helping hand as well? :)

VERDICT:

Can work from home - Yes & No

Can your little one tag along - Yes

Do you need outside help - No

**********

So there you have it! 12 realistic jobs for Stay At Home Moms (SAHMs) that actually pay! No gimmicks, no fees to pay, no headaches. If you still feel that none of the above-mentioned jobs are suitable for you, fret not, just think carefully about what set of skills you have and try to figure out how to monetise that. Can you sew? Be a seamstress, or kids' costume maker, or sew your own handicrafts. Do you have a pleasant voice? Be a hotline operator over the phone, or voice-over talent, or singing coach. I'm sure you must have something worthwhile to offer and there are people out there willing to pay good money for your services.

But if not, then nevermind, just remember that your fulltime job as a 24/7 Mother to your precious little ones is already absolutely priceless :)