IKEA + Positive Reinforcement

What gets me up voluntarily at 7.40am? Ikea Member's Day Pre-sale.

Salmon Croissants for RM1 each and I was sooo hungry. Was a bit disappointed because it looked dry and so little salmon and even salad leaf. Like, a quarter of a salad leaf hahaha. But by the third bite I was hooked, and glad to eat two by myself.


Greedy friends also ordered a lot of popiah and this fried rice which looks so blah but tastes so yum (comfirm MSG!) and breakfast set.


My reward for saving so much money. 


I don't think I'm the first 200 buyers spending above RM350 this morning but many people forgot so yay, I got the RM20 voucher! The feels awesomeee! Hahaha.


My loot! Not all la. Like this how can RM350 lol. Bought drill and hammer packs too. And everything else was on sale. Sale sale sale. 


Opened door for installer to settle the sliding door separating wet and dry kitchen. FINALLEH. Looks good too. Just they didn't bring other things lor so need to call them back again.

And also they set the appointment for 1.30pm but arrived at 12.30pm so they had to wait! But because they've caused me so much grief these past months I don't feel bad la. Not that their waiting is caused by me in the first place la.


MIL cooked dinner. And I just realised steamed fish looks so pretty. I must learn how to cook it la. Easy also, right? Just that my mum doesn't cook it so it's quite a foreign concept to me. Only eat it in Chinese restaurants.

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I noticed two things about D today. He really loves talking to people. In an engaged conversation. He loves when I'm feeding him dinner and I talk to him all the way through. I normally talk slowly with lots of pauses where I pretend to think or in anticipation. And I pause to let his register and respond too which he always does w various comments and expressions.

This is how we pray at night too, recounting our day to God. He loves it and always asks more for at the end of it.

During these times I also take the opportunity to highlight positive things that I want him to remember or cultivate a liking for. Even if he dislikes them. I've been doing this since he was a baby and with food too haha so I don't know if it has helped him be less picky? His pickiness in food currently stems mostly from texture...too mushy or leafy.

Positive reinforcement and experiencing consequences of failure to adhere to mom's / natural laws are the "methods" I use in guiding him right now. I'm not hard and fast about it nor have I read up extensively but it's the only way that makes sense to me and feels natural. Also, it seems to work w D but it does take a lot of mindfulness, patience and consistency on our part and it's harder for J because he hasn't read up on it so he doesn't get it, and I feel like this is something you need to get or you cant do it effectively. I now get why they say parenting is an art, not a science!

J and I have a feeling caning wouldn't work on D. I didn't grow up with caning, so I really wouldn't know how or want to administer it. Probably will only consider as last resort. Most of my peers are, though. They all say that if we ever do cane, it's important at the end of the day to show a lot of verbal and physical love to balance it out.

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Today D woke up at 10am, napped 1.40-2.40pm (and refused to go back to sleep). He refused dinner at 6pm so I tried again at 7pm. And then by 8.30pm he demanded milk and went to sleep!!! What!!!