Weaning Too Early

Having a child, you have to be careful in choosing which advice you can follow and which advice is a no-no. When I was pregnant with Umairah, the doctors and nurses and my sister & brother in law (who are doctors) and my mom told me that babies should not start weaning (eating food other than breast milk) until at least 6 months old. Some said five. Mostly said 6.

Anyhow, with that etched in mind, it what so SHOCKING when I learned that certain people gave food to their babies as early as 1 week! These sort of people even tried to feed Umairah dates. Luckily I managed to stop them although I do suspect that someone managed to feed Umairah something when she was 3 month old (somewhere in October or early November) and I was asleep. What made me suspect was because Umairah vomited and pooed heavily and it was a different colour (not the usual yellow). I did not have proof so my husband told me to let it pass or it would turn into bickering or worse, fitnah.

I tried to understand why they feed their baby too early. Some say it's because the baby seems to want to eat (because the mouth was moving as if mimicking eating...duh!) Some say it's because the baby's hungry (because still crying even after breastfeeding) and needs to be sated. Some say it's because the baby would quiet down and would usually sleep for hours, mostly throughout the night without waking up. To justify further, they say that it has been done by those before them and look, the babies grew up just fine and are now adults. They even say some mothers now a days are too 'cerewet' and worry too much. So, as you can see, some are plain naive about this and some are just plain lazy! I feel so sorry for their babies.

Imagine the pressure I face every time I'm around these people and they keep comparing Umairah to other babies who are younger but bigger than her (because they eat) and when Umairah cries, they say it's because she wants to eat! It's a great relief that Umairah's turning 6 month old next month. I can start introducing her to food but SLOWLY. Wouldn't want to shock her tummy. I've even allowed Umairah to taste fruits.

Most of the 'now-adults' that I know did not get much breast milk or were introduced to weaning too early have resdung or/and are lactose intolerant or/and have skin problems. Medical studies have shown that babies who do not get enough breast milk have weaker antibody, weaker resistance to infection and allergies, weaker digestive and immune system, lower brain development and even lower IQ. It can even damage the linings (usus), liver and kidneys of the baby as the inner organs are not mature enough. Why take that risk?

I do not deny that some 'traditional ways' do work and are not harmful. In fact, some of the advises have helped me in taking care of my baby. However, I believe that doctors and pediatricians know better about babies. Please do not pressure people to raise their kids the way you raised yours. Advice is welcomed but do not pressure or push any further if people don't want to follow.

Aidil Fitri 2009

Dear Friends,

Terlewat sikit (sikit?) letak gambar raya bertiga. This is Nur Umairah Fathanah's first raya aidil fitri. Celebrated 1st day in Seremban, 2nd day in Kajang, 3rd day and the rest in Kuala Pilah, Mantin, etc. (all in Negri Smbilan). Umairah hasn't met her great grandmother yet. Planning to balik kampung (Kelantan) February 2010. Raya Haji this year couldn't go back coz Nabiilah (my sister) SPM. I didn't even apply for leave (cuti).

Life has been hectic. For seven weeks (oct & nov), I was attached to the NKRA lab (under PEMANDU, DSIJ & Tan Sri Koh) at IOI Palm Garden. Now, I'm in the process of buying a small house...biggest financial burden I've had my whole life (so far). I never imagined I'd be living in a small house. Although small, it's more than rm200k coz it's located very close to Tesco, KFC, Pizza Hut, playground, school, close to my parents' house, etc. That's the price I have to pay (and sacrifice) for wanting to live in town and not rural areas. As a wife, I'm happy that I'm able to help my husband financially. Construction estimated to be completed 100% by end of next year. Hopefully everything goes smoothly. No more shopping spree for me.

Teachers Teach...Managers Manage

I totally agree with A K M A L F A I R U L's article in today's Utusan Malaysia, page 12.

Erti sebenar guru cemerlang

SAYA merujuk kepada kenyataan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran Malaysia, Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd. Dom, yang menyarankan agar guru-guru menerima sahaja tugasan yang diberi kerana ia akan membentuk sikap bertanggungjawab dan dedikasi kepada tugas sebagai pendidik.

Sebagai guru, saya percaya semua guru bersetuju dengan pandangan beliau. Pendedahan kepada pelbagai bidang tugas memang satu nilai tambah kepada modal insan guru.

Namun begitu, saya berpendapat, sebagai Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, beliau patut sudah mengetahui tentang bebanan tugas guru yang sudah menyebabkan hampir 80 peratus guru hilang fokus, masa dan tenaga yang sepatutnya ditumpukan kepada tugasan sebenar, iaitu mengajar di dalam kelas. Perkara ini jika berlarutan, kalau ditambah bilangan guru 10 kali ganda pun, tapi kalau semuanya hendak buat kerja pentadbiran, memang tidak berubah keadaan sekolah-sekolah kita.

Inilah yang menimbulkan rungutan guru-guru. Apabila proses Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran (P&P) terganggu, murid ketinggalan dalam akademik dan menimbulkan masalah disiplin. Kemudian ibu bapa pula merungut. Padahal sebagai guru, kita sudah melakukan apa yang termampu dengan masa dan tenaga yang terhad.

Tugas perkeranian ini bukan sahaja sudah menyebabkan tumpuan kepada bidang akademik terganggu, malah ia telah mengelabui mata para pentadbir dalam bidang pendidikan juga, bermula dari pentadbir sekolah, sehinggalah ke peringkat jabatan pelajaran negeri-negeri.

Malah, pada pendapat saya, pelantikan Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran dari kalangan guru yang merupakan orang akademik (yang akhirnya terpaksa duduk di pejabat membuat tugasan pentadbiran) ialah bukti bagaimana fokus kepada akademik telah dilonggarkan, kerana tuntutan kerja-kerja pentadbiran. Bayangkanlah kalau seseorang pada tahap kematangan dan pengalaman yang ada pada Alimuddin, duduk di dalam kelas untuk mengajar. Beliau barangkali boleh menghasilkan beratus-ratus lagi anak bangsa yang bakal menyumbang kepada negara. Tapi akhirnya beliau diletakkan di pejabat.

Kenapa tidak kita berikan kerja pentadbiran kepada orang pentadbiran, dan kita orang akademik, buatlah kerja akademik. Kenapa guru yang sudah berpengalaman bertahun-tahun akhirnya disuruh membuat kerja pentadbiran? Bukankah pengalaman dan pengetahuan mereka boleh membantu lebih ramai murid menjadi cemerlang? Adakah menjadi orang akademik terhebat masih rendah tarafnya berbanding orang pentadbiran yang duduk di pejabat?

Lihatlah bagaimana pemberian Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang, prestasi melintang (sudah tidak akan diamalkan lagi) pelantikan guru pakar, guru bestari dan guru cemerlang. Adakah mereka yang diberi semua penghargaan ini dilantik di kalangan guru yang anak murid mereka menunjukkan peningkatan prestasi akademik? Tidak!

Kebanyakan penerima anugerah dan pentadbir-pentadbir sekolah, pejabat pelajaran daerah dan jabatan pelajaran negeri dilantik di kalangan orang yang menonjol di bidang pentadbiran semata-mata. Sebab itulah kita lihat masih ada murid yang gagal subjek-subjek tertentu walaupun diajar oleh guru pakar, guru cemerlang dan guru bestari. Ini kerana yang ‘bestari’, ‘cemerlang’ dan ‘pakar’ ialah kerja pentadbiran guru itu, bukan teknik P&Pnya. Sekarang ini dengan peperiksaan PTK, guru yang malas masuk kelas pun boleh dapat kenaikan gaji dan pangkat.

Malah, saya sendiri pernah melihat seorang guru yang sangat konsisten. Guru ini setiap tahun (selama hampir 18 tahun) mencatatkan peratus lulus subjek Sains melebihi 95 peratus di semua kelas yang diajarnya, walau pun saban tahun mendapat kelas paling hujung, walaupun mengajar murid yang buta huruf, walaupun format peperiksaan kerap bertukar.

Beratus-ratus muridnya daripada tidak mengenal huruf, akhirnya mendapat A dalam subjek Sains SPM. Tetapi guru ini tidak pernah diberi Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang, hanya kerana guru ini tidak mempunyai hubungan baik dengan pentadbir sekolah yang hanya mementingkan kerja pentadbiran. Guru ini pula memang menolak kerja pentadbiran kerana kerja pentadbiran akan menyebabkan dia mengabaikan murid-muridnya, sesuatu yang guru ini enggan lakukan.

Bagi saya, sekalipun guru ini dilihat ‘melawan ketua’, tetapi komuniti kecil guru-guru dan murid-murid sekolah menyanjung dan menghormati guru ini kerana keberaniannya meletakkan fokus pada apa yang berhak, iaitu murid-murid. Guru ini juga tidak lokek membantu guru-guru muda dari segi memberi bimbingan tentang teknik P&P yang berkesan. Bagi guru muda seperti saya, inilah guru dalam erti kata sebenar.

Bagaimana boleh berlaku, dalam Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia, guru yang pandai mengajar diketepikan berbanding guru yang hanya pandai menaip dan mengemas fail? Di manakah profesionalisme guru? Bagi saya, seorang guru itu profesional jika dia pandai mengajar kerana itulah sebenarnya tugas hakiki seorang guru. Tapi hari ini, guru yang membuat kerja yang betul tidak diberi penghargaan sepatutnya, dan guru yang tidak pandai mengajar pula yang diletakkan di tempat tinggi, diberi elaun, kuasa dan jawatan. Bagaimanakah guru-guru yang setiap hari berhempas-pulas dengan murid di dalam kelas hendak menghormati pentadbir mereka yang tidak pandai mengajar pun?

Malah, pentadbir itu pula yang akan duduk di belakang kelas menilai sama ada guru lain pandai mengajar atau tidak. Hanya kerana mereka pentadbir, mereka ada kuasa memberi markah. Tapi mereka menjadi pentadbir bukan kerana mereka pandai mengajar, tapi pandai membuat kerja lain selain mengajar. Bagaimanakah pentadbir sekolah seperti ini layak menuntut penghormatan daripada warga guru? Saya pernah melihat seorang pengetua sekolah yang diletakkan mengajar hanya dua waktu seminggu, terpaksa meminta guru lain mengambil alih kelasnya kerana dia terlalu kerap keluar dan tidak ada di sekolah.

Jika hari ini masyarakat melihat guru sebagai tidak professional, itu ialah kerana hampir semua guru terpaksa membuat kerja menaip dan mengemas fail, suatu kerja yang boleh dibuat oleh budak lepasan SPM.

Jika hari ini masyarakat melihat guru tidak berilmu, ia adalah kerana guru asyik mengisi borang, bukan mengisi dada dengan ilmu.

Candles In The Dark (Office)

My work life has been 'fun' for the past years (2008 & 2009). Fun, in my context, means that it's not so dreadful to be at the office, mainly because my colleagues for the past years have been 'fun' people. Walking to the office doesn't feel like my feet are tied to bricks.

Although the pressure and workload at the office keeps increasing and at times seems havoc and haywire, I don't feel like collapsing coz there are colleagues that I can consult or vent my frustration or make me laugh/smile. They are talented in their own unique way and I know that they don't feel intimidated, especially not by someone like me. I'm lucky that they are not the type that seems hungry for power (yet), back stab, and etc. They're so easy to work with and not stingy in giving opinions.

One of them said that at our level (junior officers), we don't feel the pressure to stomp on each other to get the attention of the stakeholders. That's true. Just like everyone else, our character might change with time.

I know that they won't be my colleagues forever; they'll get promoted, transferred to other departments, etc. - but I really do hope (and pray) that I'll always have good colleagues throughout my career. Like lit candles in the dark, they make the office a warm and less scarier place.

MY Country

I've been away for a while. There was a lot I wanted to write about.

About the day I felt 'mentally disturbed' coz a man (devil masked as man) burned a dog alive after spilling kerosene on it (I think he must have spilled kerosene or some other flammable liquid on the dog or else the dog wouldn't have quickly lit up with so much flame).

About a 'makcik' who said her son's degree is better than mine just coz his is from UIA which is (according to her) Islamic and international.

About the news where 'kera di hutan disusukan...' (can't explain this further).

About our country declaring itself as negara Islam but goes berserk over a small canning sentence.

Since I don't have much time to elaborate, I'll just conclude:

1. Be kind to ALL animals. Dogs included!
2. Clowns everywhere! Clowns or thugs?

Love and Responsibility

Love usually comes with responsibility. Somehow somewhere along the road, love starts to fade and it seems that the only thing holding a couple together is responsibility. The marriage bond is said to become stronger once you get kids. The 'bond' gets stronger, but not the love.

Isn't the husband supposed to appreciate the sacrifice the wife made giving birth? What sacrifice? The husband paid for everything. He made sacrifices too.

Why did they say the bond gets stronger when you have kids? Coz when you have kids, the kids depend on the parents. They need both their mom and dad. So, mom and dad have to stay together (physically) a.k.a. 'married'. Besides, it would be harder and bad for the clean image (social stigma) if you get divorced once you already have kids.

Why do people fall apart? Maybe because the husband pays more attention to the kids, neglects the wife. Or maybe because the husband keeps demanding for his happiness that he forgets that in a marriage, you can only be truely happy and peaceful when the other person is also happy...but you couldn't care to make the other person happy because you were too greedy for yours.

Akhirnya...

Alhamdulillah, Nur Umairah Fathanah lahir dengan selamat pada jam 10.14 malam di Hospital Pakar An-Nur pada 4 Julai 2009 (Sabtu) dengan berat 3.35kg. Terima kasih di atas doa dan ucapan tahniah keluarga, rakan-rakan dan kenalan.

Detik-detik akhir menunggu bersama suami...
Mama & Umairah Fathanah (umur 6 hari)