Hungry for Burn

"Next station, KLCC" the announcer said, my train is approaching KLCC station..
"Ding dong" the door opens. I went up from my sit (yes luckily I got a seat today!) and squeezed myself to allow myself walking towards the exit door. Silently, I walked towards the escalator and up I went to the gate.
Everything was done in a fast pace, not very fast, but fast! This is the routine of my 5 days in a week for more than 2000 days already!

At the exit, I will always catch the morning free newspaper. It's only available for Klang valley I guess, where I can captured what's going on in the world in brief. I don't watch tv news, my tv was broken anyway - awaiting the supplier to repair- and I don't like reading online newspaper at home - my time after work should be for the kids as I've spent most of time at work already!-and at home I don't dicsuss world or national news with my husband because the argument would be endless - better to avoid that!

The news that captured my sight was a news on a burn child. He was 6 years old. Same as my boy, that was why I am so touched when reading it - and actually a little bit dissapointed with the father , by the way, I wonder what was the mother doing at that time?working?. The incident happened during "Piala Malaysia" - a final football match between Kelantan and ATM. What was happened?

The poor child was hungry, he needs something to eat. The father was busy watching the match, there he went the independent boy, did not want to disturb his father, went to the kitchen and boiled some water using a kettle all by himself. Once boiled, he failed to lift the kettle safely and that was how the hot boiled water poured onto him and leaves him on 2nd degree burn.

What can we as parent learnt from this?

Here are from my perspective and experience.

1) Never ever leave your young children unattended when they are in the kitchen. Kitchen is a very hazardous place for young children. Even when my eldest took up a kitchen scissor and then leave it somewhere else after used, I will yelled out loud to remind him to put where it should be because the younger may accidentaly take it and cut himself without anyone knowing it.
2) If possible, renovate your kitchen and put door. So, the youngs will not come in to the kitchen whenever we are relaxing at the couch or doing somework at somewhere else. I noticed, Malaysian loves open concept kitchen which is actually not safe if your are living with small kids. Kitchen area is very dangerous - gas, knives, hot oven, stoves, heavy kitchen tools, kitchen appliances - all these may cause injuries even to the adult! I was longing for this but thinking of renovation will cause more harm to the kids - the dust, the irritated sound of hammering- so I just forget it. However, my future house - must be with a closed door kitchen!
3)When a child says he's hungry, please take note, it is real! Child never lies unless being taught to lie. As the parents, it is our responsibility to feed our children. So prepare for them if it's a cook food, don't let them do themselves without adult supervision! Or just leave some biscuits at a place that is reachable by a small kids where they canget themselves easily. The kettle is just too heavy for a small hand of 6 years old and plus it's hot!
4)6 years old has limited capability to do things independently. Their thinking is not well matured. Their action are still not proactive but more reactive. They only have limited instinct on what would happen next as compared to adults. That is why I believe everything must be done under adult supervision. Even my own son, requested to have his own shower, I won't let him closed the toilet door completely. We have to expect the unexpected with a hope the unexpected won't happen. Just to ensure, that if anything bad happen (nauzubillah), at least we will get to him the fastest we can. I also never taught him to lock the door when he is in. I am afraid he may accidentaly locked the door from inside when he forgot to unlock it after leaving the area.
5)DO NOT GET YOURSELF TOO OCCUPIED WITH OTHER THINGS in your own house when you are bearing small children. They need our attention when at home. We left them at the caretaker or with the maid for most the daytime and evening is the time they want the attention from the parents - bonding time. That's why I forget the tv, because I don't want to jeopardize my time for the kids. Life as parents obviously as challenge as it seems. You cannot expect things will be as usual after you get married and have children. There is a lot of sacrifices needed in building up a healthy and happy family.

Sometimes I see technology is interrupting the relationship among humans and environment. I can see people today get so occupied with the gadget, like living in their own world. I was like that too once, and then I realized I need to control myself, adjusting myself, only use the technology when the kids are not around so I will not create another problem to myself or to the kids. Am feel more relax when at home, I'm now totally disengaged with technology and just spent my ears and eyes onto my children. It's really a relief! Seeing your children happy faces is the most wonderful experience that you can get only once in your lifetime! Time is running fast, in a blink of eyes, then only you will realise, they are all grown ups and need no more attention from the parents. Appreciate more your bonding time with children before you regret it!