Ever since I learnt that I am pregnant, I started enriching myself with more knowledge on Motherhood.
As many of you know, I am a full-time working mother and a content creator and blogger after work and on weekends. I’ve built up a base of loyal readers since I started blogging over 10 years ago, and I am so grateful to all of you in contributing to this success. I like to think that this community that we have formed, all the way from the start to my latest journey becoming a mother, is an important and supportive one. I have benefited greatly from the feedback and advice my followers give me, and I believe in paying it forward by sharing my experiences generously with my followers, be it those that have been with me from the start or this new motherhood community we have built.
Slowly and unknowingly, I began to share more about what I have learnt and experienced with the mothers, new and already mothers. In turn, I have greatly benefited from their sharing as well. I share them too and these valuable knowledge, experiences and habits reach a wider motherhood community.
In my blogging experience, I shared my most intimate moments with my readers; including the ups and downs of daily life. I found a huge change in perspective when I became a mother - Arielle now, will forever be the first priority in my life. Suddenly, topics like planning for Arielle’s education and future, green practices, pregnancy, and breastfeeding became common conversations I have with my followers on a daily basis. If you ask me what do I do during my free time, this is it, conversations with my followers.
Through these conversations, I notice 2 things, insecurities and being too self-critical. The greatest change I would like to see for myself and more mothers would be to just feel good about ourselves!
Some of us went through months and even years trying to conceive. Some of us have had the most torturous pregnancy, serious nausea and discomfort. Some of us worry about the kind of future and world we are building for our children in the hope that sustainable practices can help make the world a little more liveable in. There are just too many challenges in motherhood and the list above, is just the beginning of the journey. If we continue to be so hard on ourselves, how can we survive the next 20- 30 years until our children mature and have their own families? Even till then, Mothers never stop worrying!
I truly only understood my mother, until I became one myself. Therefore, I hope that Arielle will understand the things I do for her as she grows up. This includes teaching her good sustainable habits and practices that I hope she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
Like you know, how you want your child to learn only the good stuff? Because I will be carrying her in one arm and say, "Okay Arielle, we are going upstairs now, we have to turn off the lights because we are leaving the living room." This happens because when you spend time with your child, you tend to talk all the time, you put in conscious effort to do all the right things. I find myself reminding both Alvin and myself to turn off the water heater after we are done with our shower. I may still be in front of the mirror, applying my skincare. But I will make a conscious effort to stick my hand out the door to turn off the heater. Oh yes, not forgetting to turn off the tap when we are shampooing our hair and brushing our teeth.
It’s really the small habits here and there that help. While we want Arielle to grow up and aspire towards all her goals and dreams, we also want to teach her to be responsible for her actions and be aware of how her actions can affect the environment (the good and the bad) as well as those around her.
I have received many messages from mothers who thanked me as they have benefited from my "Mama Reads" postings. I had so much positive and constructive feedback from "How I increased my dipped milk supply" post in particular.
In a way, I’d like to think of myself as fuelling change in the community through the sharing of my highs and lows from Motherhood too and how I embrace my lows and work on them.
From talking to these mothers, I have found them being less critical with themselves. I believe it is because by sharing my lows too, mothers know it's okay to fall and seek help or just a listening ear. Because sometimes, I don't have an answer but I give them a listening ear. I spend hours each day responding to my messages, knowing I have a responsibility to share my experiences with my community of mothers who are having a hard time. I have had mothers asking me if their babies' poop are fine, what should they do if they had forgotten to close their milk freezer properly and all the milk has thawed, and even tips on saving energy (refrigerators take up quite a lot of power). It is both scary and comforting that some mothers come to me for advice. I’m also a new mother! It’s just great to be on this journey together, knowing that you’re not alone in this. As a community leader and advocate for change, I think this is the one great things I would like to bring to my followers, fans and readers.
This is a picture with a good friend, Christine. She is a mother of 2 girls and has been very supportive since I was pregnant, prepping me for what to expect.
Besides Mothers supporting one another, the greater community can help too! Like fathers- they play such a big role! Alvin’s support is what allowed me to (still) be breastfeeding. He was the one who read up on where we should go for a breastfeeding course before I gave birth, he signed both of us up. He’s also a constant source of encouragement, and reminds the entire family not to be wasteful. It gives me so much confidence that Alvin is here to raise our daughter into the bright and bubbly, responsible and independent daughter we both dream of her to be. Alvin complements me, he loves reading so he will share articles that will matter to me, with me!
I am also very happy for the various organisations out there that support Changemakers in our communities. From welfare societies, urban farming to large energy retailers and electronics producers, I’ve seen dozens of companies champion people and the good causes they stand for.
This is why when my family was looking for a new electricity retailer to switch to during the opening of the electricity market, we decided against using price as the sole determining factor. When we chose a retailer, we had a few questions in mind. For example, what does this company stand for? Are their values the same as what I would want to share with Arielle? Are they sustainable?
One brand that caught our eye was Geneco, a brand of YTL PowerSeraya, one of the retail energy providers in the open electricity market (OEM). As you may know, since last November, homeowners like you and I have been able to choose our preferred electricity retailer – one that fits our household needs and our budgets, has sustainable beliefs and preach principles Alvin and I want Ariel to learn as she grows up.
As a veteran integrated energy expert with 47 years of power generation expertise, Geneco is committed to building a sustainable and accessible energy future for all Singaporeans. They are constantly exploring new ways to make sustainable energy more accessible to people and communities, and families like mine! Geneco is now laying the groundwork for a community outreach initiative that will make energy more accessible to the displaced and underprivileged.
In short, Geneco wants to help communities make the world a better place for the next generation. If you’re interested in making the switch to Geneco, here’s your chance! The next roll out for the OEM will start on 1 January 2019 and will allow homes with postal codes beginning with 53 to– 80, and 82 to83 to choose their preferred energy retailer. Psssst, Geneco also offers the cheapest fixed 2-year plan in the market with no hidden charges, and a price match guarantee!
Enter hello2019 for a 20.19% off energy charges on the first bill Term: Valid for 1 to 31 Jan 2019 for online sign-up only. Applicable for all plans except Give Us A Try (6 months) plan. Not applicable for sign-up at roadshow.
Check out their website for more information at geneco.sg.
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