
So the party was planned and Andre invited 5 of his friends for the sleepover from Thursday to Friday (which was Children's Day, a school holiday). I didn't bother to organise party games this time since I learnt from the last experience that boys being boys, prefer free play and sports.
I fetched the boys from school to save their parents a trip since it was a working day. During lunch, I asked them what they wanted to do first and to my utter astonishment, two of them actually replied, "homework". That's what I call well-trained in the Singapore system!! It never happened though, they were vehemently shouted down by the other three boys (the birthday boy included).
The boys spent most of their time playing table tennis and badminton, which they enjoyed tremendously. Be warned though, chaperoning a bunch of 10-year-old boys in a confined space is not for the faint-hearted. I've never witnessed people play across the length and the breadth of the table tennis table AT THE SAME TIME while others are kicking and dribbling ping pong balls on the floor like they're playing soccer. Not to mention high-pitched shrieks echoing off the walls. It's like being in a room with 20 howler monkeys on drugs.

At dinner, he revealed that his grandmother watches a local Channel 8 serial with a Hokkien theme song and proceeded to belt it out at top volume. When the conversation moved to TAF club, he stated as a matter of fact, "My grandmother always feeds me too much chicken. That's why I'm fat."
"Chicken doesn't make you fat," I offered consolingly.
"It's fried."
"Well," I was trying to stifle a smile. "It's not too late..."
Not even batting an eyelid. "Yes, it's too late."
Later, I discovered he had not brought his sleepwear and asked him about it. "My mother will bring it later. She has to come because we forgot to buy a present for Andre." I'm sure his mum would be mortified to learn that he volunteered that piece of information but really, that boy made my day - he's pure entertainment.
I'm not sure if it's just the boys Andre hangs out with but these were as jittery as Mexican jumping beans and the only time they could sit down without hitting or kicking something was during meals or when they were playing computer games. I did find out that all of them, except one who happens to be the most mature of the bunch, are last borns. Hmmm....
Finally at 11pm, we sent the boys to brush their teeth and change into their sleepwear. There's the pre-bedtime routine...
The next morning, I learnt that the same two culprits had woken the rest of the boys up at 3am thinking it was 5am and told them to get ready for breakfast. They then stumbled out bleary-eyed into the dark living room and toyed with the idea of playing Risk. SERIOUSLY. When Andre realised that it was only 3am, they apparently looked at each other and said, "what do we do now?" The most sensible boy of the lot declared, "Go back to sleep lah!" From what I know, Andre had muttered, "morons". Heh.
At 6.30am, Kenneth peaked into the room. The boys were out like a light, having completely swapped sleeping positions. Two were on Andre's bed.

Breakfast was ham and sunny side up eggs with toast, pancakes with syrup and milo.
Well, if God can help organise it, I won't object.
Happy belated birthday Andre!
ReplyDeleteGood idea and great fun! Glad you have had such a wonderful time with your friends. Parents really need to be creative too with so many years of birthday celebration...
I love the hammers...Maybe I shud get one to hammer my gal and we can both roll on the floor and laugh! LOL...
Where did you buy it, Mon?
qx
Oh boy, Mon, your post left me in stitches. I hosted a sleepover before. Just 2 boys. They are very decent but I'll never volunteer to do a sleepover again; They could sleep through the night but not me!
ReplyDeleteSC
QX: The quintessential toy haven - Toys R Us!
ReplyDeleteSC: It took me 2 days to recover from that ordeal lol!
Hi Mon,
ReplyDeleteSuch a humorous post!! I would have certainly enjoyed such sleepover myself. I must say though, that you are a brave mom to organise it :-)
YL
Your final sentence is too funny! Wow, Andre's friends are really active like him huh? When Brian had his friends over for his 11th, they didn't run around at all! Interestingly, all the other 4 boys were oldest kids with a younger brother, except for one who's the oldest boy, not oldest kid, but also had a younger brother. Someone should conduct a study on this.
ReplyDeleteAnd where was LA in the midst of all the havoc?
YL: I would have loved having a sleepover when I was 10 too!
ReplyDeleteLilian: It's really birds of a feather, I think! L-A was either holed up in her room or at my computer (triggering the boys to comment, "So lucky! How come Andre's sister gets to play computer games all day??")
Thankfully she's a heavy sleeper so she wasn't woken up by all the shenanigans in the middle of the night :D
Hi Monica Jie
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ANDRE !! Didnt know when his birthday, saw your post then know is his birthday.
After giving him the LEGO Starwars, maybe for a change give him an IT Gadget, something which he can use for home and sch. ha ha
I go and think about it, of course give 1 must give the sister also, or else later not fair. LOL
Cheers for Andre
Ben: You really know how to make a kid happy! Thanks for the birthday wishes :)
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to Andre!!
ReplyDeleteMon, will you have a ladies/mummies nite sleepover? I would love to join!!! ^_^
Chris
Haha Chris, now THAT'S an idea! I think a mummies sleepover should be in a 5-star hotel though :D
ReplyDelete