Tabla de contenidos para August 2017 en Young Parents

Are you an excited mum-to-be, or a new mother who is resting and restoring yourself during the “confinement” period? Try a bowl of nutritious, comforting soup, with only the best ingredients. Joseph Yeo, executive chef of multiconcept eatery SPRMRKT and partner chef of Bosch, knows just how much a well-made soup can aid in a mum’s recovery – him being a dad to three kids who’s seen how it has helped his wife, too. “Confinement can be a tough time but, with healthy food, it can get easier,” he observes. It’s why he recommends this recipe with its selected ingredients. “Young or green papaya is a source of vitamin C that helps to boost the immune system. It aids in the production and quality of breast milk, as well,” he…

1 A poopy diaper just once a week? That ’s normal for some breast f ed babies. In the first month, your newborn may have three to six bowel movements every day, but this can change as she grows. From six weeks, some breastfed babies poop every day, while others may go up to a week without a bowel movement, shares Dr Christelle Tan, a specialist in paediatrics at Raffles Specialists at Raffles Holland V. This is normal as breast milk is so well-digested. Formula-fed babies tend to have more regular bowel movements. Expect one to two poopy diapers daily after they turn two months old. Beyond the first year, most toddlers generally do a Number 2 once or twice daily, although going once every other day is also normal…

GREEN PAPAYA SOUP WITH FISH Serves 2 400g green papaya 500g fresh fish head or fillet Pinch of salt Pinch of Bentong ginger powder 60g old Bentong ginger 1 tbsp sesame oil 5 cups water 5 dried red dates 1 tbsp wolfberries 1 Peel and cut papaya into small chunks. Remove seeds. 2 Wash fish and cut into pieces. Drain off excess water and rub on salt and ginger powder. Set aside. 3 Wash ginger and keep the skin intact. Cut into slices. 4 In a pan, heat sesame oil on medium fire. Fry half of the ginger slices till fragrant. Fry both sides of the fish head or fillet till golden brown. Put aside. 5 Use a claypot to heat sesame oil again on medium fire. Fry remaining ginger…

Each time you introduce a social skill, explain exactly what you want her to do – don’t assume she knows this already. Every one-year-old is different, with her own unique personalities, abilities and characteristics. However, here are 10 social skills that your toddler should start to grasp at this age: Taking turns during play Your little one needs to learn that she can't always be the first. There are others playing the game and they take turns, too. Sharing possessions Children get on better with each other when they are able to share their toys and snacks, without complaining. Sharing is a crucial social skill. Being sensitive to other people She gradually develops a sense that other people have feelings as well, and that they can get upset, just like…

The horrific realisation that mould was growing inside her daughter’s favourite chew toy spurred Debbie Chia (pictured right) to create her own line of teethers. Last December, the mother of two founded online store Annie + Alex (www.anniealex.com), which sells Scandinavian-themed teethers and accessories she designs. They are made of non-toxic beech wood and food-grade silicone. She is among a handful of local parents who have created commercial products in an attempt to find solutions to the problems they encountered during their parenting journey. Debbie’s journey to becoming an entrepreneur started three years ago. Her daughter, Annabelle, then six months old, regularly sank her teeth into Sophie the Giraffe, a knobbly teething toy that is popular with parents across the world. One day, her husband accidentally sat on the toy…

 I remember it was an uphill task getting my eldest child, now 11, to revise for exams when he was eight. When he says he does not feel like doing his homework, I say: “Fine with me, but you have to explain to your teacher why it is not done.” Then, he gets it done. When I enthusiastically showed him a study schedule I had planned for his first exams in Primary 2, all he did was to give it a cursory glance and mumble “okay”, before moving on to other fun activities. The same thing happened in Primary 3. After several instances of prodding him to revise for his mid-year exams and hearing him say “I already know my work”, I decided to leave him be. I could have…

viv’s schoolhouse Centrally located in Bras Basah, Viv’s Schoolhouse focuses on academic excellence, character development and strong family units. Its curriculum was planned together with Dr Tan Bee Geok, former head of the Gifted Education Programme, and it has an in-house educational psychologist who teaches children about self-regulation and stress management. Its teachers help to develop a positive disposition within each child, from empowering them with problem-solving skills, to guiding them to develop compassion and empathy. The school adopts an open-door policy and parents are welcome to join classes or field trips. Fees range from $1,100 to $1,300 (including basic subsidy) for full-day care, and the school is offering one month off for all new sign-ups. Website: www.vivschoolhouse.com heguru method Spurred on by their belief in the need to develop…

If you want your child to get excited about learning mother tongue languages (MTL) and pick up strategies to support their MTL learning, head to the annual Mother Tongue Languages Symposium (MTLS) 2017. This year’s event is themed “Flourish in the Wonderland of Our Languages”, with more interactive activities and surprises in store for you and your young ones. Here’s what you can expect. 1. LEARN FROM EXPERTS AND PARENTS At MTLS 2017, you’ll get the chance to discuss research on the importance and advantages of learning MTL with local and international education experts. You’ll also hear the views of celebrity parent speakers like Zoe Tay, Zaza Majid and Puravalan Narayanasamy. In addition, there will be a Forum Theatre Workshop, where you’ll get to participate in discussions, share ideas with…

Q Why do I get extreme hunger pangs at odd hours, such as midnight or soon after I’ve eaten? A You can feel extra hungry in any stage of pregnancy. The first trimester is sometimes marked by nausea, and, at other times, the need to eat frequently. From the second trimester, your developing foetus requires extra calories, hence prompting the need to eat more. During the first trimester and early to mid-second trimester, you don't need the extra calories. It is only in the last three months of your pregnancy that you will need an extra 200 calories daily to cope with Baby's increasing growth and provide adequate nutrition. It is difficult to stick to three main meals a day during pregnancy as hunger pangs can hit anytime, so add…

Apologies can lose their effect when issued too often, and your little one will start to take advantage of you. Every parent makes mistakes. Sometimes, however, you might be wrong about something which is so obvious and significant that you feel you need to apologise to your child. For instance, you might feel bad because you severely punished her for doodling on her bedroom wall, only to discover the next day that it was her older brother who was guilty of this. Or maybe your two-year-old misbehaved at the supermarket and you feel guilty because you lost your temper and shouted at her. On such occasions, you may be tempted to apologise, but Grandma reminds you that a parent should never need to say sorry to her kid. Opinions vary…

EMBRACING THE ARTS A “high quality yet affordable” arts education programme in a preschool setting – that’s what you can expect from the recent collaboration between NTUC’s My First Skool (MFS) and the National Arts Council (NAC) to nurture creativity in children from a young age. Named Holistic Education through the ARTS (also known as heARTS), the programme offers children varied opportunities for learning through the arts, with arts content and lesson plans co-developed by teaching artists and preschool teachers. It was piloted in July last year at an MFS preschool at Block 119 Edgefield Plains, in Punggol. The centre offi cially opened on May 5 this year. The preschool chain says it initiated this partnership to advocate the impact and value of an arts education at preschool level, as…

do The Minions have broken out of jail and invaded Universal Studios Singapore. If you love these yellow creatures, you mustn’t miss the Despicable Me Breakout Party here. While the characters are hugely popular, their appearances have been mostly limited to meet-and-greet sessions. This is the first time that the theme park has planned an extravaganza centred around them. Expect madness as Minions Mel, Kevin, Stuart and Jerry – donning their prison outfits from the third and latest movie instalment of Despicable Me – head through the Hollywood zone with more than 20 performers, and dance to musical hits. Stand to win merchandise when you take part in carnival games, and buy the latest range of toys and apparels at the Minion Mart. These movie-themed activities end on Aug 20.…

THIS MONTH, WE ASK How do I motivate my kid to think like a champion when he takes part in a contest? Competitions are a part of life. For the child – or adult – who enjoys the challenge of pitting his skills or wits against others, participation is its own reward, and winning is just the icing on the cake. Contests are also valuable for training young people to deal with the over-competitive nature of the society we have created for them. The problem comes when we begin to believe that the only reason for competing is to be the champion. The corollary is that if we think we can’t come fi rst, then we shouldn’t participate – which leads to an attitude of never trying anything, in case…

Not ready for another kid yet? Drink a toxic concoction of alcohol and dried beaver testicles, like North American women did to prevent pregnancy. Better still, how about applying crocodile dung and honey paste into the vagina before sex as a spermicide, like the ancient Egyptians did? Long before modern contraceptives came about, ancient humans devised creative ways like these to outwit nature and prevent unwanted pregnancies. Luckily for us now, safe and proven methods of birth control – from injections, pills, to even an app – are readily available. Even so, gynaecologists tell Young Parents that contraceptive myths and misconceptions still exist today, albeit a lot less bizarre than crocodile poo. “There is a general ignorance and misconception about the use of contraceptives in Singapore,” says obstetrician and gynaecologist…

You change your bag every day to match your outfit and the occasion. So why wouldn’t you update your stroller to complement your look, too? That’s exactly what Bugaboo’s chief design officer and co-founder, Max Barenbrug (pictured, opposite), wants you to do. The Dutch brand has been the pram of choice for many style-conscious parents around the world, including A-list celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, and recent new mum Angelababy. Speaking to Young Parents in Tokyo recently, he shares four facts you may not know about Bugaboo. You’re looking at a pioneer Back at its headquarters in Amsterdam, the team doesn’t just design strollers that take babies from home to daycare centres; they aim to make statement pieces that parents are proud to push. With a Bugaboo, you…

Your baby needs the freedom to explore, so that he learns how to set limits for himself and to take responsibility for his own actions. Every parent wants to protect her child. Naturally, you want your baby to stay safe as he enjoys life to the fullest, and to avoid upset and injury if at all possible. But the line between reasonable safety precautions and overprotectiveness can become blurred. Overprotection stems from love and a desire to prevent harm – and that’s nothing to feel guilty about. On the plus side, a baby who is sheltered from life’s knocks remains unscathed from the stresses and strains of everyday life that other children his own age may experience. He is less likely to hurt himself (for example, he isn’t allowed to…

Another useful strategy is to ensure that he has many friends – that way, if one turns him away, he’ll have plenty of others to play with. Even though your four-year-old is very friendly and often chats with other children in the playground, there will be times when his peers ignore him and don’t want to play with him. While this happens to every child occasionally, you don’t want yours to feel rejected – you want him to cope with the ups and downs of life without feeling hurt or upset. Here are nine tips to boost Junior’s social resilience: Play down the incident Tell him that chances are, this won’t happen again. Explain to him that everyone gets grumpy sometimes and that he shouldn’t worry about what happened. Remind…

Peek into 2½-year-old Sophie Lim's wardrobe and you'll find that most of her clothes are made by Singapore designers. Her mother, Joanne Sim, 39, often buys her daughter outfits from such brands as she thinks them “whimsical and unique”. The corporate communications manager, who reckons 70 per cent of Sophie's wardrobe is locally sourced, says the fabrics some of these brands use - pure cotton, for instance - are more suitable for Singapore's warm weather. “Many of these local labels create their own prints and unique designs like quirky prints of vegetables or pretzels. It's something different from the mass-market Disney cartoons or Minions,” says the mother of one, who is married to a portfolio manager at a bank. “Sophie is an active child who loves running around, so I…

Backward, provincial and outdated – these were the words that came to mind when I imagined what Luang Prabang would be like. Who’d have thought this city ensconced in northern Laos would be family-friendly? My recent trip to this ancient town proved me wrong. Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1995, Luang Prabang is said to be an outstanding example of a fusion of two cultures, which can be seen in its traditional Laotian urban structures and European colonial design. My stay at The Grand Luang Prabang hotel (pictured right) certainly reflected this. The hotel, rebranded by the Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts group, sits in the 59,000 sq m estate of Xiengkeo Palace, the formal royal residence of the first prime minister, Prince Phetsarath Ratanavongsa. Its rooms –…

what’s a unicone? The unicorn trend is still going strong – this time, in Ben & Jerry’s “unicone” creation. It comprises your flavour of ice cream in a freshly baked charcoal waffle cone, topped with sweet ears and a gold-dusted magical horn. Try it by Aug 31 before it disappears. Prices start from $8.90. Visit www.benjerry.com.sg . makeup must-have The four new lip oils from Clarins ($36 per bottle) aren’t just pretty to look at, they’re also incredibly nourishing. Each colour features a distinctive fragrance and purpose – for instance, honey glam gives your lips a gorgeous shimmering look, perfect for date nights with Hubby, while pink candy transforms into a personalised pink shade unique to you. Find out more at www.clarins.com.sg . Simply…