One in three

One in three youth in Brunei is over-weight. So said Brunei’s Minister of Health. He also gave these staggering facts and figures, as reported in Borneo Bulletin today:

• 12% of Brunei’s population (45,000!) suffer diabetes;
• Nearly 50% of patients (I assume Government Hospital’s patients) are diabetics
• The cost of haemodialysis per patient per year is around Br$20,000 (USD11,765) – no figure on how many diabetics patients are there
• Forty-four limb amputations performed from November 2006 until October 2007.

‘The minister now sees a pressing need for a national plan on diabetes……being over-weight and physically inactive are two major risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.’

The ministry has identified the main cause and suggested ways to prevent the disease. So why not spend money on awareness campaigns and really brainwash people that if you don’t eat right, never exercise and ignorant, life wouldn’t mean anything at all.

Day care vs Amah

I have finally placed my toddler under a day care instead of taking an amah. (Click on my previous ramble on amah).

Its not an easy decision, being a mother, to place your baby under the care of strangers. These people don’t live and sleep under the same roof with you and you don’t know them at all. I don’t even know if the nannies do have suitable qualifications to take care of someone else’s child. In UK and most countries, nannies have a minimum qualification on diploma in nursery nursing or in Childcare & education. How about child’s psychology? Has there been a study made on the effect of a baby being taken care of an amah? (wah, emosi pulak dia)

My husband and I discussed the pros and cons of sending our baby to a day care as opposed to employing an amah. The decision was more difficult with the fact that there aren’t many day care centres in Brunei, more so to where we resides.

Pros (not in order):

• We don’t have to deal with either the ’amah’ or ‘agent’ syndromes – the thought of facing a lazy or laser mouth amah or a deceitful and cunning agent really put us off. Trust me, we have learned our lesson.
• It’s good for the child’s early socialisation as the baby got to mix with other children from different ages and backgrounds. It also helps the baby to improve her communications, like asking for her bottle; as well as develop her sense on the surrounding. Honestly, my baby has learnt her A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s after only a week at the day care. I later found out that the older children were taught these and the staff at the centre said my baby didn’t want to be left out. Smart angel!
• My baby’s feeding time is fixed so this would help teach her about routine. Before this, I either fed her very early in the morning if she was awake or late in the afternoon after work. In between, she would have an apple (usually) and her milk.

Cons:

• You don’t really have the authority to sneak in those areas that are ‘For Staff Only’. You can’t check what utensils they use or see what is the status of the centre’s hygiene.
• Your baby might get infected from others who have flu, etc although the centre prohibits those who are sick to come to the centre.
• You have to wake your baby up to take them to the centre when they are still sound asleep. I usually feel bad about this, sorry Alai.

We don’t have that much choice actually in choosing a day care centre, as mentioned earlier, there are not that many around. Bruneians tend to rely on amah. Of course its their own choice to have an amah and for me, I have chosen that choice.