- Since school started, I receive a dozen of school emails about different things/dates/sign ups. I don’t remember my parents getting so many notices from school when I went to school. What caused the change? More parent involvement in kids’ school? Easier communication tool? Fortunately I have colleague friends with kids at the same school and grades, so often they remind me things.
- Am I anti-social? Our team organized a farewell dinner this week for two departing colleagues and I didn’t go. I was super tired that day, I know dinner at someone else’ place means I’ll get home way past my bedtime. I ended up going to bed 7pm that day and woke up 5am, clearly, I needed the sleep. Yet, I wonder if all the colleagues that went may think I’m so anti-social. Do I care? Should I care?
- Confronting authority. I had a different opinion about a project, questioning the proposed methodology, its fundamental validity. The person has a higher rank than me, the other team members lower rank than me. They all “obeyed” what the higher-rank person said, I disagreed, forcefully. I wonder if I should have kept my silence and let it go.
- I spend evenings with my girls, everyday, One night, I realized something. I had no parent companionship since I can remember, since kindergardin. My parents were always working until late and I spend my evenings alone. I think I turned out to be fine, although maybe a bit anti-social (see above?) and individualist? Spending time with kids seems to be what all parenting books tell us to do, is it overrated? I dunno but I enjoy my time with them, so I’ll keep doing even without any positive impact on them. It definitely has positive impact on me.
- 5 am packing lunch, snacks, and preparing breakfast for Sofia before I went out for a run.
lunch were 5 chicken dumplings to be stored in the thermo.
snack box for the entire day as she has swimming until 5:30 pm that day. the small box has 1/3 piece of alfajor, 3 bliss balls, 1 bar, and some puffed rice with chocolate.
For breakfast: I boil some glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste
given the amount of training she has, 5 times a week, I’m always concerned about whether she’s fueling enough and try to come up with things that could be consumed easily on the go and nutrient/calorie dense.
Q: If you pack lunch for your kids, what’s your strategy?
We have few staples for packed lunches: pasta, dumplings, sandwiches, leftovers (rice, protein, veg).
Our New Journey 
In terms of parenting, I think it’s so different now from when I was young (I’m older than you, I’m 49). I always think how different my kids’ experiences are from when I was growing up, and how that has shaped me and will shape them.
I’m not antisocial but evening plans aren’t my favourite. I love anything during the day or late afternoon/ early evening on weekends. But anything too late is tough for me.
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In the evenings, I would much rather be home reading a book (or sleeping!) than going out. And, I am a little antisocial.
I think kids grow up just fine, in lots of different situations. But this time when they’re young and still living at home won’t last forever- I think you’ll look back and be very happy you spent as much time with them as possible.
For my daughter’s lunch- a protein bar, some chips, and leftovers from dinner the night before. This means that every single lunch this week been rice, tofu, and vegetables. She’s not complaining (yet) so I’ll keep packing it.
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I also pack my kids’ lunches. I always make sure that there is at least one type of protein, one raw fruit and one raw veggie. I too struggle with how much food to pack. I usually over pack, so I know they get enough. What they don’t eat at school, they finish when they get home.
I don’t like making evening plans either. I go to bed early and I wake up early. So I prefer to be in bed after 8:30 pm, instead of socializing.
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I love that you voiced your concern with someone who’s higher rank. It doesn’t mean they’re automatically right, so good for you for standing up for what you believed to be right.
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My parents didn’t have the time I do to spend with their kids. They were so busy running a business together and they had 5 kids who were active/busy so they were kind of running all over the place. I have memories of placing horse (basketball game) with my dad some nights after dinner and that was a treat. My mom always read to us before bedtime so we did her QT with our parents, just not nearly as much as my kids get.
It is hard to stand up for something you believe in, especially in a hierarchical organization but I think it’s important to speak up when we disagree with something.
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