Anak perempuan/ Anak lelaki

Pepatah Melayu mengatakan:
Menjaga anak perempuan seorang lebih payah daripada membela kerbau sekandang.

I have two boys, but why do I always feel like I have a ranch full of wild horses to tend to? Although I know I won’t have to worry about them getting pregnant out of wedlock during their teenage years, their kindergarten years are giving me more than enough headaches.

In 2005, one of the events that has triggered my realization to quit my previous job was when Wazif fell at the daycare, his head hit the concrete floor and his skull was fractured. It was just a hairline fracture, but a fracture is still a fracture and was huge enough that when I sat by his bed at the hospital I had trembling hands and lips, fighting tears and tried to appear cool while the doctor stitched his forehead. I took emergency leave the whole weak following the fall and swore to myself that I would find a less demanding job.

When I saw the daycare owner, she told me that Wazif fell while climbing the gate. Last year, Wazif told me that he was actually pushed by another boy, Adi who happened to be the naughtiest among the boys in his age group. Wazif revealed this information after the boy stopped attending the daycare. I never asked him whether Adi had threatened him earlier or the daycare owner decided to hide the truth from me because I didn’t wear the ‘Nice mommy’ look on my face. So, maybe it’s wise of the daycare owner to keep the secret from me so as not to cause unnecessary ‘eruption’ in the neighborhood.

Yesterday, I was in Cyberjaya when I received a text message from Wazif’s KAFA teacher. The text message was constructed using mostly abbreviated SMS words; it took me a good 10 minutes to fully understand what she was saying. It turned out Wazif had a fight with his friend and accidentally threw his shoes to another girl – her mouth bled and she lost a tooth. The girl has been his classmate at kindergarten since 2006 and I know they’re quite close at school. Although they are now in different classes, sometimes they went for recess together and in one occasion, the girl even lent her money to Wazif.

The KAFA teacher warned me that the girl’s mother has a no-nonsense attitude towards any kind of negligence and is usually very particular about anything related to her daughter. The teacher begged me to see the mother face to face to discuss the situation (and I think, in a way she was trying to ‘tai-chi’ a few things to me, lah).

My hubby went to the school to check on Wazif and the poor girl (to get Wazif to apologize to her openly) and later told me that the girl’s condition was not worrying. I later learned that the girl’s father also went to the school but she insisted not to go home but stayed until end of school session. My hubby decided that we should pay the family a visit that night and offer another round of apologies. As it’s supposed to be a ‘make peace’ visit, my hubby suggested that bringing some ‘sweet delicacies’ would be a brilliant idea, hence my sudden departure from Cyberjaya and later that afternoon, racing against the clock to bake 24 chocolate mayo cupcakes.

The first few minutes of our visit that night was rather awkward as both parties were not sure on how to start a decent conversation without mentioning the incident that happened that afternoon. However, bringing ‘buah tangan’ helped to ease the mood – at least I got the chance to joke about my baking efforts and my ‘waaaay too small’ oven. About half an hour later, we bid the family good night with a great relief. Things went smoothly, all of us apologized to the parents and made serious faces when we promised to ensure Wazif will behave better (thank god I learned drama and theatre!) Wazif received the necessary long scolding later that night and the reminder will be re-echoing in his ears for the next week or two like a broken record.

Ok, now that my IUD is expiring soon, I’m contemplating yet again. Another child? A girl? Another boy? Oh boy…….!