A Full-time-working-mother's Day in a Life

I am promoted this year - from a mum to a primary school child and a preschooler, to a mum to two primary school children! Yes, you can sense my excitement right? Double the amount of homework, double the preparation of assessments!

It has been a blessing that both children would get themselves prepared in the morning, though at times I have nag at them, "Where is your wallet? Have you combed your hair?" We promptly leave home at 6.45 a.m. sharp on school days. I send my children to school before I go to work.

After school hours, the teachers from the student care centre would fetch them to the student care centre, where they have their lunch and shower. What do our children do in the student care centre? I am thankful that the student care centre teachers help to supervise them to study for spelling, and guide them to complete some assessment workbooks. 

I fetch my children home after work at about 5 to 6 p.m. Some of you may wonder, how do I leave office so early? Because I start work early in the morning, and please allow me to boast about myself, my middle name is "Efficient"! My colleagues can attest to my efficiency at work!

If it is not raining or hazy, I would bring the children to playground to play for a while. It is one of my KPI (key performance indicators) as a full-time-working-mother to bring my children to the playground after work every day. Playing at the playground makes my children happy, and happy children means happy mother!

Between 5+ to 7 p.m., the children shower, study, and play for a while before DaDi comes home with dinner. I am thankful that their school currently does not give too much homework, as most of the works are done during school hours. 

Evening time is our precious family time, we have dinner together, play games, chit-chat, and read together. One of the games that the children love to play is  - Knowing Me Knowing You cards!

The children go to bed at 8 p.m. Yes, it is early, but considering they do not take a nap in the afternoon, we have to get them to sleep early in order to have sufficient rest.

We spend our weekends on doing household chores, shopping for groceries, swimming lessons, and going out to have fun!

How is your day?


This blog post is a part of the "Day in a Life" blog train hosted by Mum in the Making. 

Next in the blog train is Janice Wong, a FTWM who blogs at the Mishmashmess about her superhero parenting feats. She has two cherubic children and wears more hats than she can sometimes manage. Apart from being a mom, she is an educator, the owner of rhapnrolldiapercakes and an entrepreneur wannabe over at Mary Kay and Young Living. Hop on to read about how she lives life to the fullest!

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Day in a Life

That is how we usually start our day.

This has been happening for quite a long time (read about our sleepless nights in Singapore). Anyway... after I suffer from the kick, which usually happens before the alarm clock rings, I would wash up, and then wake Pei Pei and Hao Hao up.

On good days, they would promptly brush their teeth and change into their uniform. On not so good days...

Somehow, by 6.45 a.m., all of us are ready to leave the house! 

As Pei Pei starts to go to primary school this year, our morning routine changes. In the past, DaDi would bring the children to their childcare centre while I went to work first. Now DaDi would bring Hao Hao to the childcare centre, while I drive Pei Pei to school. The traffic is quite a madness near her school area, because there are other schools nearby. Sometimes I imagine myself being one of the Formula One drivers - beating other aggressive drivers to rush to my work place! 

After work, I buy dinner, fetch Pei Pei from her student care centre, and then fetch Hao Hao from his childcare centre. If weather permits, we would go to the playground. While the children are playing catching with their friends, I would multi-task - check my emails, and check on them. My two eyes do the work of three eyes.

Once in a blue moon, I would cook dinner on weekdays. I can only prepare super simple dishes, and those that require minimum washing.

After shower and dinner, I would supervise the children in preparation for spelling or doing homework. Then we read or do home learning activities, depending on my "Tiredness Level".

When DaDi comes home from work, we divide-and-conquer on the daily housework - he would put the dirty clothes into the washing machine and hang them up, while I fold the clean clothes. I am thankful to have children close in age gap, because now they can play and fight together while we do the house work! We get them to help in simple housework too.

The children's bed time is 8 p.m. and they usually fall asleep before 9 p.m. So.... My Happy Hours begin at 9 p.m.! If I have not k.o., I would usually check emails and social media, read or blog, or sometimes, have a good time visiting the toilet without having audience (erm. you know what I mean), and then I would go to bed by 10 p.m.! Yes, I need my beauty sleep after a long day! 

How is your a day in a life?

This blog post is a part of the "Day in a Life" blog train hosted by Mum in the Making.


Next in the blog train is Mrs Kam from The Kam Family. Mrs Kam is a full time working mum. Her day starts at 5am and doesn't end till midnight. When she is at work, she gives her best, contributing to safeguarding public health. She leaves office promptly when the clock ticks 430pm, and gets on her second shift - to be a mum. She fetches the kids, cooks, cleans (the house), entertains (the kids), disciplines, reads, plays, and sometimes, bakes. Interested to know how is her typical day like and how does she get the best of both worlds? Hop over to her blog to find out!

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Embracing Motherhood

6+ years ago, I accepted this job offer which requires me to work 24/7 (no break at all) in a challenging environment filled with surprises. 14 months later, I received a promotion, and my workload doubled. I will hold this job even after I say bye to the world.

What is this job? You may wonder. 

I am a MOTHER. 

As a mother, I get tons of on-the-job training opportunities in which I learn to perform different roles. These are just a few examples:

  

Being a mother, I learnt

• how to tell stories with variation of tones - one moment I sound like an old witch, and next moment I sound like a sweet princess
• the name and function of many types of medicine
• different hair styling and cutting techniques, and even how to make hair accessories
• how to cook dishes other than instant noodles
• to accept audience when I am in the toilet
• to eat faster

It is a continuous learning journey, there are a lot of things that I am still learning, e.g. how not to yell at my children even when they drive me up the wall.

Becoming a mother is a life-changing experience. I encountered many different challenges as the children grow. For example, sometimes it is challenging to get my children out of the bed during the morning rush on weekdays...

... and it is even more challenging to get myself out of the bed during weekends and holidays!

Ok ok, that is not really challenging.

The major challenge I faced was when I received a promotion 14 months after I accepted this job - my two children are born 14 months apart! 

"If you have a chance to make the choice again, would you still want to have two children with such close age gap?" During the recent interview with The Straits Times, the journalist asked me this question. Without hesitation, I said "Yes. Now they are 6+ and 5+ years old respectively, they learn and play together, and it is easy to organise family outings since they are many common interests. 

Their love, their hugs, their kisses - are all that enable me embrace the challenges of motherhood. They are my teachers, who teach me to become a better person, and allow me relive my childhood again. It is a joy that we learn and grow together.

What does motherhood mean to you?

This post is my participation in the blog train "Embracing Motherhood" hosted by Dominque Goh.

Next up on the blog train is Meiling from Universal Scribbles. Meiling exchanged her stable career as a marketing specialist for flexi-work arrangements to have time with her two primary-school-aged kids. She loves being a mom blogger as it enables her to bring her children to work with her. When she is not guiding them in their learning journeys, she busies herself as a freelance writer, professional trainer and parent coach. She blogs about her adventures with her children, the lessons they teach her and her expedition towards champion-parenting. Hop over to see how she embraces modern motherhood.

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A Full-time-working-mother's After Work Hours

When Pei Pei and Hao Hao were babies, we were grateful that our parents helped to look after them. When they turned two years old, we sent them to childcare centre, as we did not want to trouble our parents.  

Our typical working day starts at 6 am. We send our children to childcare centre at 7 am and fetch them home after work at 6+ pm. Their bed time is 8 pm, so we only have about 2 hours with them on a working day. While the quantity of time spent together is short, we focus on the quality of time spent together.

Here are some ways how I spend time with my children after work, depending on my "Tiredness Level".

Tiredness Level 1: Still energetic after work on days that work load is manageable

We do a quick craft activity, build a castle with building blocks or even conduct a simple science experiment.

Tiredness Level 2: Slightly tired

We sit down and read (tons of books) together.

Tiredness Level 3: Tired

I sit down to watch them play. I would be part of their play, e.g. being their customer of their "Lego Rice Stall".

Tiredness Level 4: Very tired

I would lie on the floor to watch them play. I would still be part of their play, e.g. being the train track / road for cars and teddy bears. I don't have that kind of curvy figure for their cars and teddy bears to go on a roller coaster ride. I think I can be a good runway (except my tummy) for toy planes. Or we would do pretend play - they are the doctors, while I am the patient!

Level 5: I lose consciousness the moment my head touches a flat surface

DaDi takes over. Thanks!

I am definitely not a supermum. Only with the support from DaDi that I am able to cope with my work and family. Though he is also tired after a long day of work, he does a lot of housework (to the extent that I feel so guilty) and takes good care of the children. Thank you sooooooo much DaDi!

You ask me, how about our dinner? If I can leave office early, I would cook (this happens once in a blue moon), else I would buy for the family.

Oh, you also ask, how about housework? While we wash and fold our clothes every day (yes, every day), we do the cleaning on weekends.

Then how about adult times? Yes, I know you are referring to blogging, reading (other than children's books) and watching news on TV / reading newspaper. That would happen after the children go to sleep, and if I have not k.o. with the children!

To mummies who are working, share with us your after work hours!

This is a blog train hosted by Kids R Simple on “A Peek into the After Work Hours of a FTWM". Read about how the other 20 FTWMs handle their kids and household everyday!

The next mummy in the series is Cherie from Cherieladie. Cherie is a full-time working mother & a supermom wannabe who juggles motherhood alongside with her 3 boys (husband included). She believes in looking good and fashionable, in living life to the fullest and is a strong believer that life is all about being happy. She takes charge from cooking in the kitchen, to the underwear her kid wears, is the kids' official playmate, the designated toilet cleaning IC as well as every other role in between. Read about her adventures in keeping the household intact and everyone alive while being in full-time employment and no live-in help, and maybe, you'll learn a survival tip or two!

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Toilet Training - Surviving Public Toilets

I popped a bottle of champagne when Pei Pei / Hao Hao declared that she / he was diaper-free.

However, I realised that I popped the champagne too early.

That was just the beginning of another challenge when we bring them out - visiting public toilet!

The difficulty level increases when I bring two of them out by myself.

Challenge 1

Before they were diaper-free, unless "explosion" took place, I could continue whatever I was doing for a while longer.

But now...

Challenge 2

Pei Pei and Hao Hao are used to hygienic toilets at home (Salute to DaDi for polishing the toilets!). When we visit public toilets, once in a while, we see horrors which I don't wish to elaborate here.

So I have to clean up the toilet seat with tons of toilet paper before they use it.

Oh, sometimes I have to do this too.

Challenge 3

When I bring two children out alone, if one of them needs to go to toilet, it means that all three of us must go! I am worried to let them go to toilet by themselves as they are still too young. Of course, when I am the one who needs to answer Nature's call, two of them would have to join me in the call!


Challenge 4

As a kan-cheong (panicky) mother, not only we go to toilet together, we go into the same cubicle together. Since the ratio of number of people to the toilet bowl is 3:1 inside the cubicle,  the obvious question is, who first? I am definitely the last person. Sometimes, war takes place inside the cubicle if both of them are very urgent at the same time.


Challenge 5

Toilet bowls in some public toilets are designed solely for adults. Or they are designed based on the assumption that children nowadays are very tall.

So...

This is definitely not lion dance performance.

So you can imagine how strong my biceps become after a "big business" session.

Whenever I have to support them during the "big business" session, my eyes can only look at one direction - into the toilet bowl. Anyway, I am well-trained already. I can continue to eat after the session.


So, how to overcome these challenges?

Step 1: Teach them clean the toilet bowl using toilet paper.
Step 2: Wait outside the cubicle instead of going in with them (Need DaDi's help to train Hao Hao).
Step 3: Wait outside the washroom.
Step 4: Let them visit the washroom by themselves without me moving away from my original location.

Oh, these are still running in my mind, I haven't executed these steps yet!

Shall pop another bottle of champagne again when they have mastered the art of using public toilets by themselves!

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From Not-Co-Sleeping to Co-Sleeping

B.C. (Before Child), we enjoyed our beauty sleep on a beautiful mattress which was the most expensive furniture in our house.

A.C. (After Child), things change dramatically...

When Pei Pei just arrived, we put her cot next to me. As I am a super light sleeper, I jumped out of the bed with every single soft sound she made. Together with the fatigue and anxiety as a first-time mother, I developed an intense pain in my chest. So we decided to put her in another room.

We did not use baby monitor. As I said, I am a super light sleeper, and am a good detector for baby's cry. Somehow, we took turn to go over to Pei Pei's room whenever she woke up and cried in the middle of the night. 

Why didn't you bring her to your bed?

I hear your question. Somehow, we were afraid that we would cause injury to her if she slept with us.  

Hao Hao arrived in the following year. 

As Pei Pei stayed with her grandparents on weekdays, Hao Hao slept in his own room. Same thing happened, we took turn to go over to his room whenever he woke up and cried in the middle of the night.

On weekends when Pei Pei came home, then we moved Hao Hao's cot into our room. By then I had overcome the "heart attack" made by baby's sound.

I couldn't recall what exactly happened, but we decided that it was time for each of them to have their own room. You may have guessed correctly, this was what happened at night. 

This is considered as normal. There were times when I slept in Hao Hao's room, then suddenly went over to Pei Pei's room when she cried, then I went back to Hao Hao's room when it was his turn to cry, then... I didn't know where on Earth I was in the middle of the night.

On abnormal day, we were so fortunate to land in our bed eventually.

Last year, we thought it would be a good idea to put them in the same room. So when one or both of them cried in the middle of the night, this happened.

One fine day, Hao Hao realised that he could actually come over to our room without being chased away - because of various reasons that I wrote in another post.

Do you remember the episode of haze during June last year? All of us slept in our room and switched on the air-conditioner. This saved the electricity and hence $$ by switching on only one air-conditioner. 

Suddenly one day, they insisted that they wanted to sleep in the living room. I really had no idea what was so attractive about sleeping in the living room! They abandoned their beds, and slept on their mattresses.

Recently, they insisted that they wanted to sleep in our room. So this is the current situation.

We know that it is just a passing phase. One day, they would ask for their own rooms, new beds, new mattress covers, and perhaps, some wall decorations with their favourite characters.

I shall savour this moment. 

Look like it is a perfect situation?

Not really, sometimes.

When DaDi has to work on some nights, it stages the N-th world war.

I hear some questions (and perhaps some exclamations) from you again.

Q: Wah, according to your floor plan, your house is so big / small!
A: The floor plan is not drawn to scale.

Q: Does DaDi wear spectacles when he is sleeping?
A: Yes, sometimes. He wants to take a 5-minute-nap, and ends up k.o. for 5 hours.

Q: How come two of you shiver when you sleep with your children in their rooms / living room? You could have bought mattresses!
A: We believed that we would end up on our bed eventually.

Q: You have not read "so-and-so-guide-for-sleeping-training-your-baby"? What you have done are not according to those guides!
A:  We believe that they would fall asleep without our presence one day. Definitely not one day before Pei Pei's wedding / Hao Hao's enlistment into NS.

In fact, I have successfully sleep-trained myself recently. I can sleep soundly even when they cry!

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MaMi Did Not Lie

As the children were busy playing toys, I thought it was the golden opportunity.

The golden opportunity to sneak into the kitchen, to enjoy my bar of chocolate!

After one bite...

See, I did not lie!

How would you respond to your child in similar situation?

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Planning Staycation with Young Children

Did I tell you that Pei Pei and Hao Hao have not stepped out of Singapore yet? Ok, I admit we are paranoid - have too many worries about bringing the "Fearless Five" Pei Pei and "Super Fearless Four" Hao Hao out of Singapore. 

Well, let's start with baby step. We will have a staycation in Singapore first.

Hey, it is just a staycation, what is the big deal? Some parents whose children are seasoned travelers may think this way. But it is a big deal to me! While Pei Pei has stayed overnight at her grandparents' place before, it is going to be Hao Hao's first time sleeping out of our home. The biggest deal is, it is MY first time bringing my children to sleep on a foreign bed!

Though it is just an overnight stay, I still put in effort to think through the plan carefully.

Cost

My wallet is "private limited" (read: poor). And the price of hotel and resort stay in Singapore is not very cheap. So I looked out for promotions. While some online hotel booking websites have good offers sometimes, do check the hotel's websites too, you may find surprise!

Location 

Yes, I know Singapore is small. But I hope to minimise time on traveling, so that we can maximise time to have fun! I am not too keen to lug the children to do shopping, perhaps the sun, the sand, the sea would be more exciting, so obviously I would choose a hotel / resort one that is near the beach. If your highlight of the staycation is retail therapy with your children (I don't think I can enjoy that with the four itchy hands), then choosing a hotel in shopping district like Orchard Road would be suitable.

Itinerary 

Huh? You may ask. It is just a staycation, just relax. But with the children around, do consider activities for the family. I don't think my children would love to sit with me at the balcony of the hotel room and read for 1 to 2 hours. Some homework has to be done, such as where the family- friendly restaurants / attractions around the hotel / resort, any special events nearby, etc.

Packing list

 Mandatory to pack these for my children:

• Extra sets of clothes - don't bring just enough, bring extra! I think I am going to bring 4 sets of clothes for each child - 1 set for day 1, 1 set for day 2, 1 set for night, 1 set just in case for any accidents 
• Swim suits - paid for the swimming facility of the hotel already, must make sure we fully utilise it!
• Snacks - they go cranky when they are hungry (me too!), so must stand-by some "fuel" to re-charge them (and myself).
• Pillow / bolster  - I don't wish to go home at 10 pm just because the children cannot sleep without their smelly pillow / bolster.

Yay, we have booked the hotel stay on this coming Sunday! Wish me luck to have a smooth staycation!

Do you have other tips on planning staycation with young children?

Updates:
We survived our first family staycation! Read about our adventure!
Stay - Resorts World Sentosa Hard Rock Hotel
Play - Resorts World Sentosa Hard Rock Hotel and Festive Hotel swimming pools
Eat - Hard Rock Cafe and Malaysian Food Street

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Taking up the Orange Rhino Challenge - Yell Less Love More!

Saw this book in the library.

Title: Little Dinos Don't Yell 

Author: Michael Dahl

Location: Junior Lending Picture Book

Call number: English DAH - [BA]

This book teaches the children appropriate manner and how to control their voices.

"Don't scream at your Mum."

"Don't shout at your Dad."

Kids being kids, sometimes when they are unsatisfied, with their limited control over their emotion at such young age, they would scream until the whole Singapore shakes! Unfortunately, there were many occasions in which I reacted by screaming back, and shake the island one more time!

Sometimes, it could be an accidental spillage of a cup of milk on the floor, or their so-called "creative" decorations with markers on the table, which are just small matters, I would raise my voice by 10 octaves higher. And you have have guessed it right, they would respond by raising their voices 100 octaves higher!

That is a vicious cycle.

In fact, this book reminds me: "Don't Yell at your children". Yes, I need to control my temper!

Recently I chanced upon this challenge called The Orange Rhino Challenge, initiated by a mother of 4, who committed not to yell at her children for 365 days. As I was reading her blog, it was 500+ days since she started the challenge!

No yelling at her children for 500+ days! I am really inspired and am determined to take up the challenge.

While I'm willing to take up the challenge, I'm aware that it is not going to be easy. Because an active volcano exists in my body.

So I keep reminding myself, while I'm stilling working on keeping myself calm and not to lose my cool easily, no matter what happens, even if I have to snap once in a while, I MUST NOT YELL AT MY CHILDREN.

A few things I have done instead of yelling at them for the past 1 week:

Read newspaper, drink water, hold myself tight, yell at the toilet bowl...

You may read up Orange Rhino's alternatives to yelling!

This is my 8th day! Please wish me all the best in this journey to Yell Less Love More!


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Kindness is...

As a student N years ago, I noticed this phenomenon that I could not explain, and drew this observation.

Isn't it magical? An expectant mum can make everyone fall asleep on the train!

N years later, when I become a expectant mother, I had many opportunities to experience this!

I recalled an incident when I was pregnant with Hao Hao and was carrying Pei Pei in my arm on a bus. My tummy was big enough for Pei Pei to sit on. No one gave up their seat, until I shouted, "I am pregnant and am carrying a child, anyone can let me have the seat??"

Sigh.

However, I had received kindness by nice people who gave up seat to me then. But again, I observed another interesting phenomenon, people who gave me seat to me were mostly the elderly!!

Recently, I brought Pei Pei and Hao Hao out to town by MRT. Usually I drive if I have to bring both of them out, but considering the difficulty to find a carpark slot in town on a weekend lunch time, I dropped the idea of driving.

On a crowded train, a nice gentleman in his 50s (I think) gave up his seat to Pei Pei and Hao Hao, so they shared one seat.

A young lady from a few metres kept looking at us. 

A few minutes later, someone sitting a few seats away reached the destination and stood up. With the speed of light, that "keep-looking-at-us" young lady grabbed the seat.

I don't expect people to give up seat for us, but I just find it funny that lady behaved as if she was afraid that we would fight with her for a seat.

On our way home, another crowded train, an old gentleman looked at us, and said "坐吧" (Take a seat) and let his seat to us.

I immediately responded, "No, uncle, you sit!" But he walked away, signalling us to take the seat.

I noticed some youngsters sitting nearby. I really wonder what are their thoughts about this. Or they were busy burying themselves into their handphones and gadgets that they had no awareness of what happened around them at all.

Later on, we managed to have a seat of each of us. Pei Pei pointed at the sign "Reserved Seat" and asked me what the sign mean.

After a while, an elderly boarded the train. Without hesitation, I gave up my seat to him. Role modelling speaks louder than words.

A little kindness goes a long way. I just hope that Pei Pei and Hao Hao would grow up to be kind and show courtesy to other people.

linking up with

Fly Me to the Moon

One early morning, on the way to school, Pei Pei and Hao Hao suddenly pulled my pants in excitement.

Fortunately, they were not strong enough to pull down my pants in the middle of the path.

MY moon? I wondered why they claimed that the moon belonged to them.

Me: Do you want to go to the moon?
Pei Pei and Hao Hao: YES!!! (They jumped, maybe they thought that they could reach the moon if they jumped high enough)
Me: How do you go to the moon?
Hao Hao: Aeroplane!
Me: Why do you take aeroplane?
Hao Hao: Aeroplane can fly!

Going to the moon by aeroplane? Maybe this idea will come true one day!

My Dream Mother's Day Presents

Dear Pei Pei and Hao Hao,

Mother's Day is around the corner (just a gentle reminder if you have "accidentally" forgotten or you have no idea that it is arriving). 

As you know, I am a very practical person, while surprises delight me most of the time, I am worried that the surprise - 驚喜 - would turn out to make me feel more 驚 (frightened) than 喜 (delighted), so I think I shall clarify what I want for Mother's Day present(s) this year!

Dream present #1: A wake-up-late morning

On weekday mornings, I wake you up at 615 am to prepare to go to school. On weekend mornings, you "take revenge" by waking me up at 630 am, telling me you want to go to play at Ikea, which opens only at 930 am. Would love to sleep a little more until 9am on this Sunday.

Dream present #2: Quiet me-time in the washroom for 20 minutes

These happen during my "golden opportunities" in the washroom.

I am sure I would have an improved detoxification process (and also better understanding what is written in the newspaper) if I have some quiet moments. 

Dream present #3: Three magic words

I would also love to hear you telling me the three magic words. Not your version of 三字經 "you coconut tree"! I would like to hear you saying "I-Love-You" with your big hugs (outside the washroom)!

Thank you!

Lotsa Love,

MaMi

Sleepless in Singapore

Just before the clock strikes 12 midnight, while Cinderella is on her way home from the party, Hao Hao is on his way to DaDi and MaMi's room from the kids' bedroom.

He would sit at the corner of the bed quietly for a few seconds before he made his announcement of his grand arrival. Sometimes, MaMi the Light Sleeper would wake up before the announcement is made, pushes DaDi to one edge of the bed while rolling to the opposite edge of the bed, making a space of  half of the bed for Hao Hao to perform his signature "starfish" sleep pattern.

After a few minutes, on good days, DaDi would carry Hao Hao back to the kids' room without waking him up. On bad days, which account for 90% of the nights, Hao Hao would chase DaDi out of the room.

That doesn't mean MaMi has a luxury of sharing the bed with the smaller man. Those are bad days, remember?

Another few minutes later, MaMi would smell a foot, or would have 1 kg "scarf" on her neck.

Then another few minutes later, MaMi would suffer from a sore cheek or panda eye.

Let's investigate the root cause of this problem.

We DaDi tried "Cry-it-out" method to sleep train Hao Hao when he turned 3-month-old (MaMi did not have the heart to conduct the training). Unfortunately, DaDi gave up after a few nights. The persistent Hao Hao had no interest in pacifier and would stop crying until he was nursed by MaMi. Usually Hao Hao would stay in our bed after his supper, as we were too tired to bring him back to his cot.

Ever since Hao Hao was upgraded to sleep in toddler's bed, he would go over to DaDi and MaMi's room whenever he wakes up in the middle of the night.

Not that we are pampering him. The practical reason for giving in to Hao Hao is, we do not want his cries to wake his sister Pei Pei up, as her cries would wake the whole housing estate up!

I once asked Hao Hao why he wants to sleep in our room, he replied, "Because I like you ah." That is another reason why I give in to him.

This explains Hao Hao's habit.  

While many parenting books recommend various methods to sleep train children, and some comment on the cons of co-sleeping, I feel that we should not just follow the books without flexibility.

Well, while we still have sleepless nights ahead, I am sure that Hao Hao would not sleep with us the night before his National Service enlistment!