Big Bad Wolf
I realise that kids learn language in blocks. What I'm trying to say is that the Girl doesn't know that bouche (mouth) is feminine & thus you would say "la bouche", she knows it as "labouche" - it's one word to her. Just like "grand mechant loup" which is big bad wolf in French. The other day she was trying to tell me that there is a small one in her room - she said "petit grandmechantloup". Even though I broke down the 3 words & explained it to her & she knows very well the difference between small & big, she still insists on calling it "petit grandmechantloup".
2 choices
I'm not a big fan of offering a lot of choices for a fussy toddler. I do understand that she's at the stage when she's frustrated & needs to feel like she has some control, so occasionally I'll offer 2 options. Either "the white or the pink T-shirt", "one chocolate or nothing, not 2", "put on your seat belt or we're not going anywhere"....The other day, I caught her plunging her face down to her plate to eat her noodles. At which point I yelled at her "Stop eating like a dog". She turned to me very cheekily & said "2 choices maman, I eat like a dog or I eat with my hands (which is also not allowed)".
French faux pas
There are a couple of things my French family will never understand about me.
1. Barefoot Contessa
I hate wearing socks or shoes at home. The first thing I do when I step into the house is to kick off my shoes. It's the Singaporean in me. It also doesn't help that our floor is heated so even in winter, I don't wear socks. The French finds it very strange that I walk around barefooted. Unfortunately the Girl has also picked up this "bad habit" from me.
I don't insist that anybody remove their shoes when they enter our house & for appearance sake, I will put on shoes when we have a dinner party at home. Likewise, I don't remove my shoes when I'm at someone else's house. But at home, I just don't like having anything on my feet.
And of course, more than a few people have commented on the line up of our shoes at the entrance.
2. Having a savoury tooth
The French don't believe in savoury breakfast. Bacon & eggs are never eaten in the morning. Their idea of breakfast is cereal, toast with jam, nutella - anything sweet & nothing savoury. X mother finds it rather amusing that I have a ham sandwich for breakfast but will nonetheless prepares that for me when I stay over. Can you imagine her surprise if I were to have lor pak ko or roti prata or porridge early in the morning ?
Update :
Celetial Fundie just commented that she has an entire blog committed to Shoes Off at the Door, Please. Wow I didn't realise that there is such commitment to this cause. So do you insist on guests removing shoes when they enter ?
There are a couple of things my French family will never understand about me.
1. Barefoot Contessa
I hate wearing socks or shoes at home. The first thing I do when I step into the house is to kick off my shoes. It's the Singaporean in me. It also doesn't help that our floor is heated so even in winter, I don't wear socks. The French finds it very strange that I walk around barefooted. Unfortunately the Girl has also picked up this "bad habit" from me.
I don't insist that anybody remove their shoes when they enter our house & for appearance sake, I will put on shoes when we have a dinner party at home. Likewise, I don't remove my shoes when I'm at someone else's house. But at home, I just don't like having anything on my feet.
And of course, more than a few people have commented on the line up of our shoes at the entrance.
2. Having a savoury tooth
The French don't believe in savoury breakfast. Bacon & eggs are never eaten in the morning. Their idea of breakfast is cereal, toast with jam, nutella - anything sweet & nothing savoury. X mother finds it rather amusing that I have a ham sandwich for breakfast but will nonetheless prepares that for me when I stay over. Can you imagine her surprise if I were to have lor pak ko or roti prata or porridge early in the morning ?
Update :
Celetial Fundie just commented that she has an entire blog committed to Shoes Off at the Door, Please. Wow I didn't realise that there is such commitment to this cause. So do you insist on guests removing shoes when they enter ?
10 comments:
Hmm.. I think the Icelanders are the same when it comes to being barefooted. However, I usually make my guests take their shoes off. :p
I need to learn from you how to ask your guests to take off their shoes. Sometimes they get the hint when they see the shoes outside but mostly they don't.
So are you in Iceland ?
I just tell them I have a young child at home and she loves to lay on the floor. So it would be best if they take off their shoes. :p
I guess I am not a very fun host.
But even if it's plumbers or anyone, I will just tell them to take off their shoes. Else I have to sweep and mop the house again. It takes them 30 seconds to take off their shoes but like 15 mins for me to sweep and mop again.
Yes, I'm in Iceland. Been here for 3.5 years. I'm a Singaporean tho.
And yes when I saw those mushrooms... I wish I had 1kg of them. hehe :)I love to eat mushrooms except when I was pregnant
I forgot you're "too clean". Good one - maybe I'll try the "I have a young child" routine.
I don't know anybody who has been to Iceland much less live there. You're the first. Wow how did you end up there ? What is it like ? Are you the only Singaporean there ? Do you like living there ? Sorry for the many questions but this is very fascinating.
Gosh and I thought I was remote.
My hubby is Icelandic so we moved here even tho he really likes Singapore.
Currently there's about 7 Singaporeans here. All married to Icelanders.
Iceland is very slow paced.. very simple life. a lot of nature. It's not as cold as people think. 24 hours daylight now.. tough to sleep. :(
I've gotten used to life here even tho I really miss SIN. The food especially.
Hiyo.. very weird to posting all these here.
Do u have a facebook? Add me on there. Just do a search for Angela Low. Only one in the Iceland network. haha. :)
petite fleur :
1. Your daughter, she is a pretty little person! And cheeky one at that too.
2. Barefooted : I think it's an Asian thing. I/we do the same and once the fridge repairman came and I asked him to take off his shoes, he retorted "You MUST be kidding" (he had just climbed 4 flights of stairs up to our apartment, huffing and puffing and clearly not amused). I told him with a straight and stern face "No, I'm not" and then, adding rather quietly "I have a baby at home......".
3. Savoury tooth : Really?? I have not been to France (*surprise!*) - that is a very handy note when I DO visit it.
Tsu Lin
Thank you...cheeky is the right word.
It doesn't bother me enough to ask people to remove their shoes yet. I've only done it when their shoes are obviously filthy esp when it has been raining so much lately.
We're just across the pond, so they say. If you're ever in France, come visit us. I'd love to meet you & Emma.
petite fleur : Thanks for the invite! Will keep it in mind and will definitely look you up.
I think you should start asking visitors to remove their shoes. It will keep your home much cleaner.
I have an whole blog about the subject of removing shoes.
Shoes Off at the Door, Please
You might want to take a look.
Hi Celestial Fundie
What an interesting blog. I'm going to update this on my entry. I suppose if it bothers me more, I might insist on guests removing their shoes but for now, they have a choice & I'm happily barefooted at home.
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