In Singapore, every friend I met up with taught me something valuable about life. Whether it was something they said, the way they lived, or the advice they gave, I am so thankful that I didn’t let these gems slip me by.

1. It’s OK to have unfinished snack boxes around the house. Because I’m a ‘finisher’, things are either unopened, or eaten in our household (mainly by me). Hubby is delighted by this revelation and is anticipating to come home to a pantry full of delicious snacks, patiently waiting for him in their original containers.
2. A friend kept saying “you guys are doing so well/are so blessed” during our conversation that I felt ashamed for my inner grumblings and complaints about the minor mishaps in my life. Indeed, we are very blessed. I ought to be more grateful.
3. Another friend shared with me that she learnt that despite challenges at her work place, she is reminded to work for the glory of God. I was inspired to give work my all when I returned from holidays.
4. Essential oils are life-savers. The day I was weary with sleep deprivation some friends gave me some pure essential oils and taught me how to apply them. I used a few drops on myself and my children and we had the best sleep in a long time.
5. Porridge is always a good idea. The aforementioned friends brought a thermos full of chicken and pumpkin porridge from home for my little ones. Mom and bub both loved it. It was a nutritious alternative to all the delicacies and treats we were indulging in Singapore. When I get back to Melbourne, I’ll be congee-ing up a storm!
6. Kids love custard egg! We bought eggs to cook for breakfast whilst we stayed at our AirBnb apartment but I couldn’t get the consistency right. Turns out you only use 1 egg, and combine it with a small amount of water. I was thinking ‘the more the merrier’ but no, not so. A childhood friend taught me that one. Now you know what I’ll be whipping up every morning for my kids!
7. A collapsible cup container is so handy and compact! Our cousin used one to serve her toddler’s porridge in. This way, you can just scoop out the desired amount from the thermos (without the rest of the batch cooling down) and serve. Afterwards, just rinse it with water and collapse it.
8. All the mommy friends I met gave me the advice that I ought to ask for more help. The reason why I’ve not been able to blog much these days is because I try to do too much, on very little sleep. I’m also breast-feeding. As a result, I’m always ravenous, so my wardrobe isn’t very cooperative. I know that my lack of self-control is mostly to blame. But maybe if I had a little more sleep, things may change?
9. Kids really do learn well through play. My Singaporean cousin recently did a parenting course and it taught her the invaluable benefits that play has for healthy cognitive development in young children. I can now finally relax whenever grandparents bring over more toys? All the more toys for them to learn to pack up right?!
10. When I get back to Melbourne, I must pay a proper visit to Daiso (translate: sans kids): it has every kitchen gadget that I didn’t know I need there. The clever Japanese have a tool for every home-related activity from cooking to laundry. Daiso literally has everything except for the kitchen sink!

What have you learnt on your holidays?