Bedtime Stories

Kieran loves stories about battles, monsters, spooky stuff and the bad guys winning (interestingly, because he empathise with the bad guys). Sometimes he conjures up exciting tales with them.

Caitlin would snuggle up to me and scream at her brother to stop because she’s scared of the monsters, spooky creatures and fighting in his stories. She particularly hates stories about people hurting or dying. 

There was once daddy told them a story about “The boy who cried wolf” and she sobbed sadly because she thought the baby lambs were eaten by the wolf. Kieran was unperturbed by the story and enjoyed the moral behind it.

I’ll tell Kieran to please not mention fighting or scary monsters and spooky things when Mei mei is around, listening. I’ll proceed to tell them a story about two adventurous children, a boy and a girl, who go around helping friends in need (who are usually cute and defenseless little forest animals) and save them from bullies (who are usually huge and fierce carnivores). Sometimes those huge animals are nice although they look big and fierce, like elephants, huge eagles or vegetarian tigers. Kieran find these stories very tasteless because the good guys always win and there’s not enough scary factor in them. Mei mei would squeal at the description of the cute forest animals and smile when they were saved, especially when they were reunited with their anxious mothers. She loves stories about babies going back to and snuggling with their mummies.

The thought of my little Kieran growing up and being gradually independent filled me with pride and loss at the same time. I love so much to hold that small hand in mine as we walk, and look at his cheeky grin and gleeful face when we were talking about something he loves.

I thought of my baby Caitlin, dressing like a ballerina and trying to pirouette. She has the loveliest smile ever. She is so small and cuddly, and her face is round and chubby. I want to hold her in my arms and snuggle her to sleep every night.

I love to take photos of them in our daily lives. I will flip through those photos while at work. I love reminiscing those lovely moments together.