Big time sucker!

My younger sister often says that I’m a sucker to my children. I don’t know why she says that because I don’t oblige my children all the time. At times, I do lose my temper and yell at them.

The other day, I was mad with abang (my youngest kid – a five year old boy). Maybe because kakngah, his seven year old sister and mentor, was in a "I’m not being civilised with anyone at the moment – go away and leave me alone" mood and refused to play with him, abang turned on his super special hyperactive switch and turned my living room into a battle field for supermen, batmen, ultramen, power rangers, dinosaurs and toy cars, complete with sound effect. Soon, the toys were strewn all over the place, on the floor, on the chair, underneath the chair, on the table, underneath the table, as well as on the staircase. He also did one of his favorite antics which failed to amuse me at that time – running up and down the stairs at top speed with his hands flung above his head and yelling his lungs out at the same time – imitating Macaulay Caulkin in Home Alone. The noise he made almost gave me a migraine, if not a heart attack.

After getting an earful from me, abang was made to pickup the toys and put them neatly in a basket, with me sitting nearby supervising him. After a while, he stole a glance at me and said, “Mak, do you know what my teacher (kindergarten’s teacher) said the other day?”

“What?” Still mad, I felt just like kakngah at that time. Not in the mood to be civilised.

“She said, heaven is placed underneath a mother’s feet. I want to kiss your feet. I want to stay beneath your feet so that I can be in heaven. Teacher said heaven is beautiful.”

Of course I melted there and then. I mean, who wouldn’t after hearing such sweet words from your own kid? Almost choking with emotion, I hug him and kissed his cheeks, forehead and head.

“I love you sayang. I will always pray to Allah for you to be placed in heaven,” I said, while trying to hold back my tears.

Abang kissed me back and looked at me with his innocent eyes and said, “Can I watch cartoon now?”

Smiling, I said ok. After all, who can stay mad with such a good boy for a long time. Right?

I watched him ran happily upstairs and, still grinning from ear to ear, I continued picking up the toys and put them away myself.

Then it struck me. Oh My God! I’ve been had by a five year old!

My sister’s mocking voice rang loud and clear in my ears, “SUCKERRRRRRR!!!!!!!”