Wishing I was supermom

My long time friend, who I had not seen for three years called me up this week. She asked if we could go out and have dinner and catch up with another friend.--- They are both married with kids the same age as mine.

It was a welcome invite and I readily accepted the invitation. The venue- Angel's Kitchen in Greenhills.

The evening started with Hi, hello, and long-time-no-see.... and then the chatting turned to tales of the unknown.... well... unknown to me that is.

It started with allergies....and the diverse lists of doctors from various hospitals...sample:

friend 1: "have you tried doctor so and so ? the pediatric dermatologist? I heard she was great"
friend 2: "Oh, yes, how about doctor this and that... the pediatric gynecologist? she treated my daughter so well..."

me : staring at them in awe --- going "huh?" in my head.....

Then they went to talk about schools of biblical proportions.....

friend 1: have you heard of supercalifragelistic school?
friend 2: yes, it's a really good school. the tuition is cheaper than British school.... only 200k (about $5000) a year.....

me: ???? how much does british school cost?? (it's an international school)
friend 2: "oh,  it's very hard to get into... they have a waiting list.... it's about 800k- 1M a year.."($15,000-18,000)
me: ...almost choking on my salad.... "whaaaaat???.. by the time your child graduates, you can buy a mansion!"

Then latter part of the conversation went on...and I was feeling a bit lost for the most part because it never occured to me that these things were common knowledge to parents. --

Another topic: homeopathic treatments

friend 1: have you tried the homeopathic doctor? Doctor quack quack?
friend 2: I heard that is quite effective-- but I had my son treated and he got a severe reaction to it... his arm swelled like sausages

me: what is that? --- see below to newbies like me....
(homeopathic -(n.)A system for treating disease based on the administration of minute doses of a drug that in massive amounts produces symptoms in healthy individuals similar to those of the disease itself.)

friend 2: hey Imelds, where do you buy your organic chicken?
me: uh.... (hmm... I don't actually... I usually go the commercial route)
friend 1: (thank God she butted in) "I buy mine in Unimart... they have them in the frozen foods section...
friend 2: really?? 


And they go on to compare notes on doctors, schools, organics and such....how they fill their kids schedules with violin lessons, reading lessons, math enhancement... and running to and fro fetching the kids, going to doctors appointments.... while I stare and wonder where have I been hiding all these years.... I am so clueless on everything "motherhood"... 


I felt I landed on an alien planet and they were speaking in an alien tongue...


I love my friends. -- even if I sometimes feel so unmotherly compared to them- they are such dynamic moms! NOTE TO SELF: research organic chicken....


In the end, I asked for that doctor so and so (the pediatric dermatologist)... I need to have my son checked for a skin condition. -- at least, I can rely on them for great referrals for doctors! (I think my friend has a black book of doctors)