Table of contents for January 2016 in Young Parents

zwwoosh! bang! pow! Even superheroes need a break, and now you and the kids can join them at their newest hangout in town. Sit down with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and other Justice League members at the new DC Comics Super Heroes Cafes, where even reading a menu has never been so fun. It’s filled with comic strips and fun facts about your favourite DC comic characters, but don’t forget to look at the food, too. Conceptualised by local celebrity chef Eric Teo, the menu serves up a variety of hearty American fare including soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers. You’ll be tickled by the quirky dish names, too, like Mr. Wayne’s at the Mansion: Eating Steak, The Flash Walking Super Dog, The Joker’s Loco Nacho, Superman’s Frozen Fortress…

Q What should I look for in a breast pump? A An electric pump is really worth the additional investment. Yes, it is eye-wateringly expensive, but if you’re a busy working mum, it will have the job done in a quarter of the time of a manual one. If price is an issue, you can look into renting a pump, or buying one secondhand. You’ll need to buy new tubing, funnels, valves and bottles, but these are relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of the pump itself. Some mums prefer the manual pumps as they feel they are more comfortable. You can decide after you’ve given birth, so you can try out the various models in the hospital. If you prefer to buy one before you deliver your baby, take…

Salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help your unborn baby’s brain development. Aim for two servings per week. Turn this into a cold dish shred the steamed salmon and mix with cooked pasta and peas. STEAMED SALMON WITH HONEY GINGER SAUCE Serves 1 500g salmon fillet, cut into 2 to 3 pieces Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste Spring onions, to garnish Cooked rice Sauce 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1½ tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 5cm knob of ginger, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 Season salmon with salt and pepper. Set aside. 2 To make the sauce, mix honey, oyster sauce and soya sauce in a small bowl. 3 Heat sesame oil in a small…

Your toddler has just started childcare and you’ve observed that she has not been coping very well. That’s understandable – after all, she’s used to being at the centre of your world at home. At the preschool, she has to learn important skills, such as waiting for the teacher’s attention and following a new routine, instead of being allowed to do whatever she wants. She also has to get used to taking turns when playing with her peers, and sharing toys and equipment. Here are some common problems and how you can help your little one deal with them. The problem She constantly tries to hog the teacher and gets annoyed when she doesn’t get the attention. How you can help She is so used to being “the star” at…

“Could have done better” was the teacher’s summary in your child’s report card last year. It made your heart sink, because you know he has the potential to achieve much more in school, and yet he just doesn’t get those high grades that he is capable of. You can help pull him out of this under-achieving phase by uncovering the real reason behind his performance. Here are some possible explanations: The reason This particular stage of curriculum is too challenging for him. The solution When a child struggles with the curriculum, perhaps because the material is too demanding or he didn’t understand a series of lessons, he may benefit from extra help and support. After-school classes on that particular subject, or temporary tuition, could also be useful. Talk to his…

It’s not always easy to get your kids to eat breakfast, especially at 6.30am when they’re barely awake and you’re rushing them to school. Recent research shows that children who leave home without something in their belly are more inclined to be distracted at school. Something as simple as a slice of wholewheat toast in the morning can greatly improve their learning ability, as well as prevent chronic illnesses in adulthood. Make the most of the humble piece of toast with these creative yet nutrition-packed breakfast ideas. SMASHED AVOCADO TOAST Make it Lightly smash the flesh of an avocado with the juice of half a lemon and smear on toast. Top with a lightly poached egg. If that’s too fancy, just top toast with poached chicken and slices of avocado.…

One of the pioneers of life casting in Singapore, B&G Life Casting creates 3-D casts of your baby’s feet to keep as a treasured memento. Its trained technicians skilfully take a mould of your little one’s feet, after which the casts are created in its workshop, ready to be picked up two weeks later. The casts show amazing texture and detail, with your baby’s toenails and soles lovingly captured, and set upon a custom square plinth. To view more items, visit www.lifecasting.com.sg. PRIZES Be one of 18 lucky winners to each receive a pair of 3-D casts of your baby’s feet worth $228. HOW TO WIN Send in your completed coupon or log on to www.youngparents.com.sg. Your baby must be 12 months old or younger, and you must attend the…

pat’s schoolhouse Since 1988, Pat’s Schoolhouse has built a reputation for excellence as a leading preschool provider for children aged two months to six years old. Under its bilingual immersion curriculum, each class has an English and Mandarin teacher at the same time, all the time, which boosts language acquisition at a very young age. Your child will grow into a thinking, self-assured and creative individual in a warm, homely environment with heart-warming traditions, including family days, picnics, field trips, performances, cultural celebrations and a memorable K2 graduation ceremony and musical. Turn to Young Parents’ Listings for details of its 16 centres islandwide. Tel: 6781-2288/ E-mail: contact@ patschoolhouse.com / Website: www.patschoolhouse.com julia gabriel centre Dedicated to building strong literacy skills in both reluctant…

Buy the right type Look for a bag with wide straps – these distribute the weight across your child’s shoulders, says Samuel Ong, a physiotherapist at Core Concepts. Padded shoulders also make the bag more comfortable. Make sure the surface area of the back of the bag matches your kid’s torso size, and avoid sling bags. Many schools discourage the use of trolley bags. Park View Primary’s website, for instance, states that such bags are cumbersome and difficult to carry up stairs. Pack right “Carrying heavy backpacks increases the tendency to lean forward to support the load,” Samuel says. “Over time, this may develop into a ‘hunched’ posture or the classic forward head posture and rounded shoulders.” With her muscles fatigued, your kid is also at risk of neck and…

Motherhood is, literally, a back-breaking experience for some women – the extra weight and looser ligaments from changing hormones give them lower-back aches during pregnancy, and plague them even after Baby’s born. But these physical changes aren’t the only reasons for back pain, which affects approximately one in five pregnant women and about two thirds of new mums right after delivery, shares Gail Craig, clinic manager and senior physiotherapist at Physioactive. Add poor posture into the mix, and you have the perfect recipe for a sore back. Save yours with these tips from the experts. WHEN YOU’RE PREGNANT You sleep on your back, belly up Back sleepers, take note: Stop lying on your back for long periods and when exercising, from your 16th week, says Gail from Physioactive, who specialises…

You live with your in-laws and you wanted to have your own home before you had a baby. But now you are pregnant and about to give birth, and your new apartment won't be ready for another year. Your mum-in-law has strong opinions about everything. You can barely get along with her now, so you dread the thought of domestic politics once you have your baby in tow. Here are nine ways to live amicably with a difficult mum-in-law: Think positive she wants the best for you and your baby, and also wants to maintain a healthy relationship with you in this new phase of your life. Tell yourself that she doesn't deliberately try to upset you, and that she is only trying to help. Look at her as a…

Raising a child to speak two languages doesn’t always go according to plan. For example, your preschooler can speak and understand her mother tongue, yet, she doesn’t speak it – when you talk to her in Mandarin, she insists on replying in English. No matter how much you encourage her to use Mandarin, she just won’t. Her attitude upsets and frustrates you because you are rightly proud of your mother tongue. However, there are many possible explanations for her refusal. Maybe she just wants to practise her English skills at every opportunity and thinks exclusive usage is the best way to achieve this. Or perhaps she thinks she will be appear sophisticated and more grown-up by demonstrating her fluency in English. She might even have realised that replying in English…

Breaking barriers You might think a preschool located in research institute would be stiff and uncreative, but The Caterpillar’s Cove Child Development and Study Centre at Jurong East begs to differ. For one thing, the school practises an open-concept layout. While infants and toddlers have a separate room, the nursery and kindergarten children share the spacious and brightly lit main room. Classes have no walls between them and the space is divided by low shelves instead. Teachers of the different levels position themselves so that kids’ attentions are directed at them rather than other groups, and instead of a noisy environment, the centre has a nice low-level buzz that’s surprisingly easy to block out. Visitors will also notice the house-shaped structure in the centre of the space (pictured). Often used…

When Karen Tang found empty rice cracker packets in her seven-year-old son’s school bag, she flipped. “I don’t allow him to eat junk food, so I was angry when I found out that he had been eating rice crackers for recess,” the 37-year-old account executive shares. “He gets $1.20 a day to spend on his snack, but I expected him to make healthier or more substantial choices, like fresh fruit or noodles. I had to explain to him why I didn’t like him eating crackers and other processed packet snacks. “Now, he knows what foods are off-limits and only spends his money on nutritious snacks.” Office manager Clara Ho, 42, had recess problems with her kid, too. “When my daughter started primary school a few years ago, she had trouble…

Safari Zoo Run is back! Gather your tribe and enjoy a morning run on Feb 28 among lush greenery, wildlife and more. Choose from various race categories that let you explore the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari in a whole new way – there’s the Zoo Kids Dash and Zoo Family Dash, both 2.5km long. Or, try the 5.5km Safari Zoo Challenge. Visit http://safarizoo.run for more details. See you at the Race of the Wildest Tribes! PRIZES Be one of eight lucky winners to each receive a set of prizes, worth $400 in total. Prizes include: – Four race slots to Safari Zoo Run on Feb 28 – Jungle breakfast with wildlife for four people – Singapore Zoo merchandise HOW TO WIN Send in your completed coupon or log on…

THIS MONTH, WE ASK My child won’t brush his teeth unless I threaten to punish him. How can we avoid this daily battle? Kids are often “lazy” to do so because they are too tired. In the evening, ask your child to brush well before his bedtime when you know he has finished all his food and drink. In the mornings, it is acceptable to brush teeth after breakfast, when he is fully awake. Make this a routine that your child looks forward to. Choose an age-appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste with designs and flavours that might interest him. You can sing songs and count the strokes as he brushes his teeth. There are now many apps for smartphones and tablets that can help motivate a reluctant child. Kids above the…

The crying is unmistakeable: ear-piercingly loud, urgent and uncontrollable. There is absolutely no way to ignore the episodes, which typically occur around the same time every day, usually in the late afternoon or early evening. It is heart-breaking and frustrating for any new mum to see her baby in such a state - distressed, with her head thrown back and body curled into a tight ball - but what's worse is feeling completely helpless to do anything about it. This manic crying for no apparent reason usually starts when Baby is between three and six weeks old, and lasts for about three to four months. Known as colic, it is fairly common, affecting all babies whether or not they are male or female, breast- or bottle-fed, or full-term or pre-term.…

Insert a satay stick into the muffins to check if they’re cooked. If it comes out clean, then the muffins are ready. If not, bake for another 2 minutes. Use maple syrup if you don’t have agave syrup. If you are substituting with honey, make sure your baby is at least 12 months old. VEGAN FRUITY OAT MUFFINS Makes about 12 270g wholegrain or wheat flour 75g quick-cooking oats 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cardamom 2 ripe bananas, mashed 125ml apple puree, fresh or jarred Juice from a wedge of lemon 125ml agave syrup (from Cold Storage and Fairprice Finest) 75ml olive oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Place paper liners into a muffin tin. 2 Mix all dry ingredients…

Why has your sweet, gentle baby transformed into an angry, demanding toddler? You never expected this, and you wonder why he has become so tenacious at such a young age. Here's what you should know: Your one-year-old is at an egocentric stage of development. He regards himself as extremely important - in fact, he thinks the world revolves around him - and he assumes you will do what he wants. He refuses to back down and expects you to follow his command, simply because he has issued it. His willpower is unshakeable and the word “no” is an essential part of his everyday vocabulary. For instance, he refuses to stop playing with a toy, even though you have asked him several times. Try not to lose your temper, no matter…

Now that Christmas is over, your child can't stop boasting about the hot toys he received during the holiday. While you are glad that he is delighted with his gifts, you wish he would be a bit more humble. Don't judge him too harshly, however, because he could be banging on about his toys for many reasons, including these: • He’s proud of the fact he received so many presents and he wants to show them to everyone. He is pleased with himself and wants everyone to know about it. • He feels insecure and uses his gifts as an opportunity to boost his self-confidence by forcing other kids to say how great he is to have received so many wonderful gifts. • He is insensitive to his pals' feelings.…

“Put on your mindful bodies. You have a string above your head; pull it up, spine straight, bottoms stuck to the floor. Calm down; put your hand on your anchor spot. Breathe in, breathe out.” This might seem like any other meditation session, but the setting and participants say otherwise. After all, how often do you come across a circle of children doing breathing exercises in a colourful classroom? And despite the waves of giggling and chatter, the teacher continues with her instructions, calm and unfazed. This is a mindfulness session with the kindergarteners at Chiltern House Preschool. While some might be quick to dismiss mindfulness as one of those hipster trends that’s all hype and no substance, Charlene Teo, a counsellor at Shan You Counselling Centre, rebuts: Mindfulness is…

French chic was out in force as Petit Bateau launched its Autumn/Winter 2015 collection on Oct 31 last year. Over 150 fans and friends gathered at Paragon shopping mall for the event, where little ones were entertained by balloon sculpting and munched on candy floss and popcorn. The highlight was the fashion show, which featured the 12 winners of the Kidea Little Star Contest held in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. They were picked from over 1,000 submissions in each country. Besides day and nightwear, the models also showcased the brand’s iconic striped outfits. Visit www.petit-bateau. sg to find out more about the collection.…

WATCH A BIG-SCREEN TV at an electrical store and say it's a cinema. TAKE THE LITTLE ONES TO THE NEAREST PET SHOP and tell them it's a zoo. CREATE FUN ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITIES - make them household cleaners. HOLD ALL CHILDREN’S PARTIES AT A LIBRARY. Make the theme “silence”. TELL KIDS THAT IT REALLY IS FASHIONABLE to wear old, faded, tight clothes. EXPLAIN THAT A “HAPPY MEAL” is actually small fries eaten with a big smile. WHEN THEY ASK FOR A BEACH HOLIDAY, pitch a tent at East Coast Park. WHEN THEY ASK TO SWIM NEAR SAND, visit a public pool by a construction site. PRETEND THE DRIVERLESS LRT is part of the singapore science Centre. KEEP OLD NEWSPAPERS and rename them “colouring books”. TAKE THEM ON AN “ISLAND CRUISE” -…