Spare the rod?
I've got some making up to do.
So last night I logged off the computer to go and join hubby in the bedroom for our anniversary night, and lo and behold, he got tired of waiting and fell asleep! I haven't heard the end of it all day.
Here's what happened. He was watching a movie in the bedroom and I was watching a guilty pleasure reality show in the living room, (whilst simultaneously composing yesternight's blog), but before my show began I told hubby that I wanted to just watch that episode, then I would join him for some quality time. So even though I do feel a twinge of guilt, I really can't help the fact that by 10pm, he was fast asleep! His argument is that the TV show viewing should have been scrapped. I agree to a degree, but I counter that I'm worth waiting up for :).
Anyway, aside from dealing with hubby's sarcastic jabs about last night, it's been a lovely day. We met up with a mutual friend and she treated us to lunch at one of our favourite Chinese restaurants, Noble House. If you've ever been there, you'll understand why we love it. If you haven't had the pleasure, I suggest you rectify that. My only complaint would be that the main course can take a while to reach your table, so you will need to order appetizers. But that's actually not a bad thing, because they're delicious :).
Lunch was a chance for us to catch up on our respective lives and reminisce about the years we spent together as teenage friends, and whether or not we would send our children to the same schools we attended in Ghana. As we shared memories of growing up in a strict educational environment that sometimes implemented corporal punishment, we compared the methods of child rearing and discipline here to those used in the West. For instance, some teachers in Ghana could cane a student for a number of reasons: from getting an answer wrong on a maths quiz or a spelling test, to being unruly in class or disrespecting a teacher or prefect. In the West, that would probably never happen, unless that teacher had a sudden desire to be incarcerated. The interesting thing is that even with some of the strict methods employed here, for the most part we turned out alright. I'm not saying that physical punishment is the answer but there is a stark difference in the way children --and parents-- here handle it as opposed to, say, European or American kids. The other thing we discussed is how it seems as though in some other countries, medication is often used as a remedy for children who are considered "hyperactive" or "attention deficient" or having anger issues or depression. I'm not belittling any legitimate mental, emotional or psychological issues that a child might have, but is medication being overused a bit? Just as some teachers here go overboard with physically or verbally assaulting a child as retribution for some "offences," it does seem as though some foreign medical professionals are a bit too quick to write a prescription for a child who might just need a better outlet to use up more of their energy, like sports or even artistic expression like dance, theatre or music. Then I also question whether or not some of our children here actually need that kind of medical help, and instead are being treated with a method that has become somewhat routine in the upbringing of many children in Ghana.
As we ate and chatted, I looked at my energetic baby boy, all suited up in his baby size Arsenal football jersey, as he wriggled and wormed his way out of the confines of his high chair and I smiled. I wouldn't smack him to get him to stop, neither would I want any medication pumped into him to "calm him down" and if it means enrolling him in football camp from the time he can walk, then so be it.
Speaking of Arsenal...
What the heck was that???
We just finished watching them lose at Fulham and it's the same old story. Slick passing, quick movement, gorgeous football with painfully horrid finishing. Another missed opportunity to solidify a spot in the top 4. If you're not a football fan (and I'm talking about the kind of football that is actually played with feet ;)) then you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but if you do love the truly beautiful game, you might feel my pain. Unless of course you're an Arsenal hater who still holds grudges from the days when we ruled the Premier League. *Sigh*
Ok, hubby just walked from the bedroom through the living room to the kitchen so that's my cue to shut this down and make up for last night. I do want several more years of marital bliss with this man, so...
Peace!
So last night I logged off the computer to go and join hubby in the bedroom for our anniversary night, and lo and behold, he got tired of waiting and fell asleep! I haven't heard the end of it all day.
Here's what happened. He was watching a movie in the bedroom and I was watching a guilty pleasure reality show in the living room, (whilst simultaneously composing yesternight's blog), but before my show began I told hubby that I wanted to just watch that episode, then I would join him for some quality time. So even though I do feel a twinge of guilt, I really can't help the fact that by 10pm, he was fast asleep! His argument is that the TV show viewing should have been scrapped. I agree to a degree, but I counter that I'm worth waiting up for :).
Anyway, aside from dealing with hubby's sarcastic jabs about last night, it's been a lovely day. We met up with a mutual friend and she treated us to lunch at one of our favourite Chinese restaurants, Noble House. If you've ever been there, you'll understand why we love it. If you haven't had the pleasure, I suggest you rectify that. My only complaint would be that the main course can take a while to reach your table, so you will need to order appetizers. But that's actually not a bad thing, because they're delicious :).
Lunch was a chance for us to catch up on our respective lives and reminisce about the years we spent together as teenage friends, and whether or not we would send our children to the same schools we attended in Ghana. As we shared memories of growing up in a strict educational environment that sometimes implemented corporal punishment, we compared the methods of child rearing and discipline here to those used in the West. For instance, some teachers in Ghana could cane a student for a number of reasons: from getting an answer wrong on a maths quiz or a spelling test, to being unruly in class or disrespecting a teacher or prefect. In the West, that would probably never happen, unless that teacher had a sudden desire to be incarcerated. The interesting thing is that even with some of the strict methods employed here, for the most part we turned out alright. I'm not saying that physical punishment is the answer but there is a stark difference in the way children --and parents-- here handle it as opposed to, say, European or American kids. The other thing we discussed is how it seems as though in some other countries, medication is often used as a remedy for children who are considered "hyperactive" or "attention deficient" or having anger issues or depression. I'm not belittling any legitimate mental, emotional or psychological issues that a child might have, but is medication being overused a bit? Just as some teachers here go overboard with physically or verbally assaulting a child as retribution for some "offences," it does seem as though some foreign medical professionals are a bit too quick to write a prescription for a child who might just need a better outlet to use up more of their energy, like sports or even artistic expression like dance, theatre or music. Then I also question whether or not some of our children here actually need that kind of medical help, and instead are being treated with a method that has become somewhat routine in the upbringing of many children in Ghana.
As we ate and chatted, I looked at my energetic baby boy, all suited up in his baby size Arsenal football jersey, as he wriggled and wormed his way out of the confines of his high chair and I smiled. I wouldn't smack him to get him to stop, neither would I want any medication pumped into him to "calm him down" and if it means enrolling him in football camp from the time he can walk, then so be it.
Speaking of Arsenal...
What the heck was that???
We just finished watching them lose at Fulham and it's the same old story. Slick passing, quick movement, gorgeous football with painfully horrid finishing. Another missed opportunity to solidify a spot in the top 4. If you're not a football fan (and I'm talking about the kind of football that is actually played with feet ;)) then you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but if you do love the truly beautiful game, you might feel my pain. Unless of course you're an Arsenal hater who still holds grudges from the days when we ruled the Premier League. *Sigh*
Ok, hubby just walked from the bedroom through the living room to the kitchen so that's my cue to shut this down and make up for last night. I do want several more years of marital bliss with this man, so...
Peace!
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