Hello! I'm a Parent

The Author is a mother of 4 and has been a stay-at-home mom since the birth of her 2nd child.

Now a grandmother of 3, she holds to her belief that parents should raise their own children and encourages her own children to do the same. She works hard at cooking healthy, varied and of course, budget-friendly meals for her family. She enjoys craft, gardening, music, decorating and writing.  She is also an avid supporter of recycling, reusing and repairing. To her, cleanliness is next to godliness!

She will be sharing her views on parenting with the hope that it will help young couples raise their own family…..

All parents would be familiar with the following:
•  “I just don’t know what to do with our kids!”
•  “We have tried everything but nothing seems to work!”
•  “Rising early” to make breakfast, get the children ready for school, going the laundry, marketing, cleaning….the list goes on…
•  “Staying up late” to work on unfinished chores, make sure the children complete their homework, plan for next day’s meals, errands to run, etc…
•  “Toiling” to chauffeur the children to and fro for tuition and other activities, grocery shopping, seeing to the needs of the family, etc…

At the end of the day, when we finally put our heads on the pillow, do we sleep? NO! Our minds are busy running through the list of things to do.

Does this sound familiar? Have you been there? I’m sure many parents, especially MOTHERS, would nod in agreement.

In today’s society of instant noodles, instant coffee, fast food, etc., there is no formula for instant parenting. We need to go through this ‘season’ of life where there are no short cuts to raising a new born. There’s no formal training to be parents and we often wonder if we are doing the ‘right thing’.

The GOOD NEWS is that parenting reaps Great Joy and Great Rewards!!!  It gives you a Great Opportunity to shape your children’s lives. 

I recall the time when my parents and friends advised me NOT to stop work after having such a good education, training, etc.  When I finally made the decision to be a full time homemaker, I have not looked back!  I have found satisfaction and fulfilment in being the parent my children needed. This would not have been possible had I continued working.  3 of my children are graduates from our local universities here (2 from UM and 1 from UKM) while my eldest child graduated from KDU (she was the Valedictorian for her class).

We are in an era where there is an abundance of information about anything and everything. We can no longer say ‘I don’t know how’. We can always ‘Google it’!

Each of us is a living example of our own parents’ good teachings and values. Stay focused with raising your children.  Do not be distracted by today’s technologies and modernization.

Article Contributed by ~ Skunkworks@23 in collaboration with Mrs Loh ~

Ipoh Curry Mee

Many Ipoh-nites have been known to drive all the way back to Ipoh for a day trip just to eat.  Although Ipoh is well-known to tourists for its 'Taugeh Chicken' aka 'Nga Choy Kai',  this dish is never on my or any Ipoh-nite list of 'Must Eat'. It is more of a tourist 'thing'. I have to admit though - Ipoh beansprouts are the best - short, juicy and crunchy!

For Ipoh-nites, it is the mouth-watering curry mee (called 'curry laksa'  in KL which sounds very alien and strange to Ipoh-nites as the word 'laksa' connotes the dish that originates from Penang - sweet, sour and fishy white noodle). One of the hallmark of Ipoh curry mee is the mint leaf which enhances the aroma and taste of the curry.

One of our crazy friends who is also a Ipoh-nite has compiled a list of curry mee stalls that he has sampled and graded according to his 'refined-curry-mee' taste.
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If you happen to be in Ipoh, this is a 'Must-Not-Miss' dish.

1. Nam Chau – Started in old town (Jalan Bandar Timah) of Ipoh, famous for the dry curry noodles (for best effect, try a combination of yellow mee + kuey teow/flat rice noodles). Good also for the half-boiled eggs on toast, and creamy milk tea, white coffee or ‘cham’ (mixture of both). Location : Old Town of Ipoh.

2. Yee Fatt – A true-blue Hainanese classic, no frills here. Pure thick, robust and spicy curry paste on noodles with char siew and chicken. Some people swear by their ‘Lor Mai Gai’ (glutinous rice with chicken and mushroom) too, but beware of their diluted milk tea/coffee. Try the herbal egg instead. Location : Opposite of MGS (Methodist Girls’ School) on Jalan Kampar.

3. Yat Yat Seng – This ain’t too bad, but the lady owner may be a little obnoxious. And this stall serves a reputable chicken rice for lunch as well. Location : Facing the Ipoh Garden roundabout; opposite of post office.

4. Xin Quan Fang – The infamous “Ma Da Liew” (police station) curry mee in town. Decades of legacy, and the pungent side of spicy sambal paste with lard oil is a must! Just don’t walk over and rush for your orders, unless you’re itching for some smackdown. Location : Hugh Low Street (Jalan Sultan Iskandar)

5. Woh Heng – Opposite of the former Foh San dim sum on Osborne Street, this stall has a following too. Not as spectacular, but take note of the wantan mee stall next to this. Good with braised pork noodles, chicken feet and mushroom noodles, etc. Location : Opposite of old Foh San.

6. Twin Sisters Food Stall – Amazingly, these feisty ladies are still there! Try the bite-sized fried ‘liew’ (stuffed fish paste and meatballs), though the curry itself is forgettable. Location : Jalan Ali Pitchay; off Hugh Low Street and Yang Kalsom Road.

7. Tim Shun Loong – Though I can’t attest to this curry mee here, many are head over heels in love with this. Even then, come night or day, you can see hordes of people eating at this coffee shop. Location : Off Jalan Tokong/Jalan King, walkable from Tuck Kee Restaurant.

8. Sun Seng Fatt – Another old town classic; they used to export their curry paste over to Hong Kong! Was miserable before, but the last few times we tried, the curry mee actually improved. Remember to grab a plate of the chili paste and the prepared lime juice in a squeezer bottle. Nifty ideas? Location : Old Town, Jalan Bandar Timah. Somewhere between Nam Chau and Kong Heng.

9. Ipoh Garden Curry Mee – One of the better ones in Ipoh; originating from the famous stalls named “Tung Koo Thing” (Aneka Selera) in Ipoh Garden. The rojak stall here used to be good, but wonder if it’s still around? Location : Jalan Pasir Puteh

10. Leong Kee – Situated a stone’s throw away from Mee Kari Ipoh Garden, you will not believe that Leong Kee used to be, and still is a famous eatery for porridge, bean sprouts chicken and curry mee. Very rundown, but then again … this IS street food at its finest, no? Location : Jalan Pasir Puteh.

11. Keng Nam – I prefer the glutinous rice with egg jam (kaya) instead, and that’s a MUST order. The curry mee was mediocre, but still you will be surprised by the popularity of this. Location : End of Cowan Street before Tower Regency Hotel.

12. Kafe Tim – A relatively new stall; in Medan Ipoh Bistari where the Japanese restaurants are. Probably the least notable of the group, but some still proclaim this as the best. Maybe a serious dearth of good ones around Ipoh Garden East? Location : Medan Ipoh Bistari, a corner coffee shop.

13. Foo Kwai – With delicious cuts of caramelized char siew, and tonnes of ‘yeung liew’ to go with the noodles. Bear the wait, and you shall be rewarded. Location : Bercham; same row with Maybank.

14. Chuan Fatt – Another classic in Pasir Puteh, this stall is famous for the fried chicken, assam chicken, etc to complement the curry noodles. Spicier than most. Location : Jalan Pasir Puteh, almost right by the traffic lights connecting Jalan King and Jalan Pasir Puteh.

15. New Weng Fatt – Popularly known as ‘Fei Lou’ curry mee, this stall was from the opposite coffee shop named New Hiong Yuen before the restaurant was closed. Not as good as I had imagined though. Location : Ipoh Garden South.

**And there you have it! 15 of the more prominent curry mee stalls in Ipoh. I have missed out a few, most notably Merdeka Garden Curry Mee that opens only at night, the real “Tung Koo Thing” curry mee at Medan Aneka Selera in Ipoh Garden, etc.

Article Contributed by ~ Skunkworks@23 in collaboration with SH Foong ~

View The Blooms

Barely a week ago, we strolled down this stretch of the garden to see only green leaves like grass.

It was truly a delightful surprise when we walked along this path yesterday to see so many flowers sprouting in full bloom along both sides of the pathway!

This evening, Wednesday, with camera in hand, we could not resist snapping some pictures for all to see.

We were told the blooms last only a few days. So, if you have the chance, do wander over this stretch of the garden by this weekend to take in its beauty before it's gone. Hopefully, you will get to enjoy it too!

Article contributed by  ~ Skunkworks@23 ~