fighting addiction

I just quit smoking, yes I did! Yet for four days now, I started puffing the white long and slim stick.

I don’t know why it’s so difficult to stop this bad habit from my system.

I am not just addicted to nicotine, I also enjoy savoring the super black caffeine not just every morning, but round the clock sipping.

For quite sometime, I have been fighting this addiction.

As much as possible I make myself free from tension even at work. I make sure that lighter and cigarette are no longer part of my bag’s accessories.

If there are friends smoking in my presence, I distanced myself so I cannot inhale the smoke or I’ll be tempted to ask for a stick.

If craving is getting stronger, I fight it out by doing other things like fixing or repairing broken toys, weeding out the backyard, playing with my son or picking Sampaguita flowers at my mother’s front yard.

It has almost been out off my system when suddenly, I find myself inhaling smoke, one stick to another, then another stick, then another one until I finished one whole pack within 24 hours.

Smoking also increases my caffeine intake, so I ended up sipping and puffing throughout the day, for almost five days now.

I told myself that this will be the last, but that’s always the case.

I think I should follow my old routine, one stick after every meal or free smoke at daytime.

In that routine, I managed to quit my bad habit for about 10 years until I met my ex-hubby, a chain smoker then.

But to set a timeframe is another thing. Maybe I should start today, or tomorrow? Maybe later…I don’t know, but what is sure for now, I am ready to quit.

HE LOVES SCHOOL

I woke early and remember that it’s Monday, Kenneth’s first day in school.

Feeling like a high school student again, I rushed to the bathroom, prepare all the meals and hastily clean the house.

Soon I woke him up and he was smiling when I carried him to the dining room, “Kenjo school na, breakfast na and bath agad.”

He seriously obliged to my words and he ate fast so he could join me in my bath.

We arrived early in his school, the three elderly women, adviser, principal and the finance officer were already there as well as the two teachers.

He greeted them good morning and left me with the elder women as he proceeded towards the seesaw.

Teacher Michelle followed him and later I heard them both laughing and talking.

It’s good to be early because Kenneth was able to adjust in the surroundings.

Other classmates came in quite late and soon I heard blocks and toys fell down from their tables.

Others were crying looking for their mothers or nannies.

Kinder one class only lasts for three hours everyday, but for Kenneth, “masyadong madali lang ang klase namin,” as he wants to stay longer in school to draw and play.

I just realized that bringing Kenneth to school once in a while before opening of classes is a good thing.

Seeing his new environment together with children of his age is something enlivening for him other than what he encounters inside our home.

Kenneth grew up in my world where computer, cellular phone, facsimile, television and radio news make my life complete.

Tips for mothers having first timer kiddie in school:

• Find out the nearest community school, distance makes children restless in travel and burdensome.
• Check background of teachers and administrators then ask around especially from mothers whose kids enrolled in the said school.
• Inspect the facility and make sure the structure is designed for children’s safety.
• Before enrolling your kid, bring him or her to the school and try to get reaction, find out if the child likes the environment.
• If feedback is overwhelmingly positive, then enroll your child.
• Be early for the first day of class, not just to make an impression but for children’s familiarization.
• Children upon seeing more strangers other than their teachers or security guards are quite afraid or shy.

KENNETH IS GOING TO SCHOOL

Few years back, I was just coddling a little angel in my arms.

His eyes were simply reacting to peoples’ voices, noises and music as his arms stretching up, reaching out to feeding bottle and anything colorful.

I remember at his infancy stage, he cried out loud when he was in pain or hungry, he threw his feeding bottle if he was mad, he closed his eyes when he was afraid of something and laughed out loud when he was happy.

A couple of years passed and this little angel started to run after puppies and cats and trying to catch colorful butterflies.

He is also catching up with words not just Mama, Lola, Tita, Tito, Kuya or Ate but words like flowers, dogs, mineral water, milk, thank you, good night, sweet dreams and a lot more.

Humming a familiar tune from a television commercial and popularized by Donna Cruz surprised us, but what shocked us most when he can sing the whole stanza with correct lyrics.

“Ang gabing payapa lahat ay tahimik… pati mga tala sa bughaw na langit…”

At the early age, my mother said that my angel will become a popular singer or a musician, “wag lang mapabayaan ang kanyang talento.”

Yet he loves my pampering, carrying him like an infant, feeding him with solid foods and helping him to bath.

A year passed and he is helping my mother to clean the surroundings by picking up dried Talisay leaves and plastics.

Assertive and very vocal, this little angel started to show his dominancy but still all his demands are subject to negotiation.

Once hooked with his favorite television show at Nickelodeon like Backyardigans, he cannot be lured to take his meals or noontime nap.

He loves compromises, allowing him to watch the shows for an hour or two and afterwards, he will personally put off the television, get his favorite pillows and on his own he will go to sleep.

Today, he woke up early, took his earliest breakfast made of cereals and milk, took his bath and dressed for school.

Kenneth is now going to school, of course with Mama assisting him.

What inspired me is that Kenneth is very excited to be in school.

All laughs and talks along the way as his school is just within the community where three elder women, all retired school teachers are running the facility for humanitarian reasons.

Once he got in and met his Teacher Michelle, he almost forgot that Mama is around and waiting outside the school.

He was so engrossed in building blocks, drawing books and meeting new friends.

My once little angel is now growing up as a fine young boy and soon more challenges will come along the way.