We got a bit lost going home last night – couldn’t find the train station, and then no cab would stop for us as it was peak hour. We found then found a train station, worked out where we were on the map, and we finally managed to get to our station with our chinese subway map. We were supposed to get on the 823 bus – it was too packed, and seemed too difficult to fight our way on – so we then tried for a cab – all full, no one stopping – so we then took one of the three wheelers home. Weaving in and out of traffic – buses pulling out in front of us – the little motor bike engine roaring away. We made it back to our street – what a lively street it is – Saturday night it is filled with market stalls and all the students hanging out – its a great area, so full of life.
We then went down to the Bar out the front of the apartment – Moon’s other bar. Pablo likes to play with the pool balls and Matt and I like to sit back, have a beer and discuss the day. The girls at the bar are obsessed with Pablo – and they just keep giving him lollies and chocolate – I am talking huge snickers bars, packets of lollies, pop corn, nuts, etc. Every time I turn around they are giving him more lollies – I can’t understand it – its right at dinner time – I feel like screaming ‘No!’, but I don’t want to offend them, but then again I don’t want my son eating all this bad food. And then I try to be a bit more zen – we are not here for ever, so I smile. So Pablo had two chicken sates, a bananna and heaps of lollies and chocolate for dinner. The other evening, we were sitting at a street food stall, just ordered dinner, a then a woman grabs him, hugs him, sort of forces him on her knee. I am on the look out to see if Pablo is getting distressed. And then, with her hand full of lollies, she just starts stuffing them in Pablo’s mouth. I got annoyed, motion ‘no’, and shook my head, thinking this would work. Then, she sort of pivoted herself around so I couldn’t see what she was doing and continued stuffing handfuls of lollies in his mouth…. Gosh, its crazy – I found myself getting really annoyed and took a few deep breaths. I am trying to teach pablo to always ask me first before he eats these lollies. I started to get paranoid after the directness of this lady, as I thought I saw pablo’s eyes were a bit droopy – he looked a bit spacey – what were those lollies she stuffed into his mouth? You just don’t really know what your eating here. Matt thinks he is was just on a sugar high, which is most likely – he hadn’t eaten for ages and then was filled with lollies. I don’t know. He was fine, but parenting here at times can be really testing as everyone feels they have full access to your child, which leaves us constantly on the look out. I don’t see the chinese kids eating so many lollies, but the kids here a treated like little gods, and they know lollies are a sure fire instant gratification way to make kids happy. I was talking to an artist here and she mentions one of the hardest things of having children here, is getting access to them as parents! Both grandparents fight over them, then all the friends want to spend time with them, then work collegues. Usually, when you have children, the grandparents will move back in with you to help look after them. We saw a lady with twins yesterday – what a blessing that is here – with the one child policy, to have twins is an absolute gift.
