Tabla de contenidos para October 2017 en Young Parents

We’ve been through the Singapore education system and survived it, maybe even thrived in it. But for some parents, grades take a back seat to cultivating their children’s talents. Take former advertising veteran Calvin Soh, for instance. Asked to give a TEDx talk on urban farming, he let his son, Dylan – then, just 10 years old – do it instead, working with him on the script. Never mind that Dylan’s grades are, in the boy’s own words, “just pass”. Calvin says: “I want them to see failure as a journey to success and not doom. There is no stigma around failure.” I couldn’t agree more. That’s why our article, Secrets of Super Kids (page 66), isn’t about straight-A students who do everything perfectly. They’re normal children who, for the…

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Popping countless fertility pills, two rounds of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) costing $50,000 and one traumatising second-trimester miscarriage were just some of the things PCOS sufferer Hartini went through to have a baby. She left no stone unturned, even opting for ovarian drilling. In some women, this medical procedure – having electric currents burn holes in her ovaries – could help normalise PCOS hormonal imbalances and trigger ovulation. It was IVF that helped Hartini conceive – with twins – for the first time in 2014. However, the pregnancy ended in a heartbreaking miscarriage at 21 weeks of her pregnancy after she had a fall. “I carried my twin babies for five months and delivered them. But instead of holding them in my arms after I gave birth to them, I…

• You don’t need a yoga background to do acroyoga As long as you’re in good health and have no existing injuries, you are fit to do acroyoga. Of course, having a certain amount of core strength will help you nail the poses more easily. • You don’t have to show up with a partner No worries about being solo. There’s usually a good number of students who attend the class alone, so you’ll get to pair up with them. Your instructor will make sure everyone has a buddy, or find an assistant to join in. • You won’t just be subjected to one role In your first class, you will learn how to be the base, flyer and spotter. With proper techniques in place, a lighter person can base someone heavier without…

You can’t expect your toddler to give up screen-time if she sees you check e-mails on your smartphone when you have your dinner. Put away your device, too. Electronic tablets can be very effective at keeping your toddler entertained during mealtimes. Watching Youtube shows on the device has become a habit for her as she feeds herself. You may find that when you try to take it away, she will kick up a fuss, refuse to feed herself and won't sit still. How can you wean her off the iPad - during mealtimes, at least? Here's the strategy: Devise a plan and stick to it Expect her to object strongly when you attempt to make her focus less on the screen and more on the plate. She's very happy with…

“I think the problem is that many parents leave it till it’s too late. If you start with a newborn or when your child is six months old, he won’t know how to refuse anything.” While Diana Ser is well-known for her hosting prowess, she has, in recent years, become an unofficial ambassador for bilingualism. That’s thanks to her website, Crazy About Chinese, where she posts videos on how she uses everyday opportunities to teach her three children – Jake, 11, Christy, nine, and Jaymee, six – Mandarin. YP caught up with the bubbly mummy at the Young Parents Master Class: Boost Your Kid’s English and Mandarin in May this year, and asked her to share her dos and dont’s in creating a Mandarin-friendly environment at home. Some kids just…

do If Junior is a fan of Lego, you won’t want to miss the upcoming The Lego Ninjago Movie. Journey with six teen ninjas as they fight evil forces. Kids will learn about the spirit of a ninja – perseverance, courage and teamwork – in the process. The animated movie features the voice talents of action superstar and dad Jackie Chan, and actors Dave Franco and Justin Theroux. It rolls out in cinemas on Sept 28. After watching the movie, head to United Square from Oct 2 to 15 to let your little ninja test his skills at three different battlegrounds – the dojo, jitsu and mech. Complete them all and he’ll take home a Lego Ultimate mech built and a Ninjago mini figure. Visit www.unitedsquare.com.sg. eat It’s Breast Cancer…

Teo Yu Zhe 4 months Melene Neo 6 months Adira Khairina Mohammed Hisham 7 months Woo Jiehan Oliver 6 months Kyle Isaac 4 months Samrath Singh Vaid 1 year send us your child’s best photo & win! Each child featured on this page wins a fabulous Young Parents goodie bag worth $40. To take part, hashtag #youngparents_sg when you post your child’s photo on Instagram. Make sure your account is public so we can see your photos. Terms and conditions apply.…

Congrats to Shakeel Adly, winner of the PS BabyStar 2017 contest at Plaza Singapura! Watch out for our cover featuring the cutie. We spotted these quirky chairs and swing beside the rooftop pool at Oasia Hotel Downtown. Your kids will be fascinated by the abundance of lava lamps at the hipster Beast & Butterflies restaurant located in M Social Singapore. We had a blast at the first Monster Jam show at the Singapore Sports Hub. Too cute to eat! These dishes for kids were created by popular food artist Little Miss Bento for Pastamania. The little ones had so much fun visiting various light art installations at the annual Singapore Night Festival. Follow us and find out what the Young Parents team is up to. @youngparents_sg…

“I was put on horrible cycles of medication to stimulate egg growth, with no result, only more pain, more weight gain, and cycle after cycle of disappointment.” When Hartini Ab Ghani was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at 18, she wasn’t overly concerned about her irregular periods at that age. Nor the fact that the hormonal disorder, which causes small cysts on the ovaries, may cause infertility. But that became Hartini’s major stumbling block when she was ready to start a family. With PCOS, Hartini says it was virtually impossible for her to become pregnant naturally. “The scans showed many ‘bubbles’ (cysts) in my ovaries. While my eggs were there, they weren’t coming out and I wasn’t ovulating. Even after I took medication, underwent surgery as well as intrauterine…

Wan Jia Ling was looking through some old photographs last year when she came across a picture of her eldest son that gave her pause. Her toddler, Shi Yihuan, had arranged about six empty diaper boxes in a row to make a “bullet train”. These high-speed Shinkansen trains are an icon of Japan, where their family was living at the time. Jia Ling and Yihuan, now 3½ years old, had accompanied her husband, Dr Shi Chuang, 30, to Osaka, where he did his postdoctoral studies from 2014 to last year. Looking at the photo of Yihuan grinning as he “drove” his make-believe train, the 33-year-old housewife realised that she had even more disposable-diaper boxes lying around: “I thought, ‘Do I really use so many diapers?’“ Influenced by the strong culture…

Milk is an important part of a growing child’s diet – it provides essential calories for energy, calcium and proteins for growth and various nutrients to ensure physical and mental development. However, proteins found in many dairy products may be difficult to process for the delicate digestive system of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Enter goat’s milk, a viable dairy source that may not be on the mainstream radar, but has been the staple source of nutrition for children in some cultures for centuries. GENTLE ON THE STOMACH There are two kinds of protein in milk – caseins and whey. Compared to cow’s milk, the type of casein that’s present in goat’s milk results in a softer curd that’s easier for digestive enzymes to access. To put things into perspective, trypsin…

THE REAL DEAL This is the Ultimate Lightning McQueen toy for fans of the animated racing star. The team at Sphero worked with Jay Ward, creative director from the Disney Pixar movie series, Cars, to bring the character to life. We were blown away by its resemblance to the real thing – from the way it moves its extremely expressive eyes to how it talks. Yes, it comes loaded with 300 phrases, voiced by actor Owen Wilson, just like in the movie. As we attempted to race our review set and it banged into a wall, it yelled: “Watch where you’re going!” Don’t worry, you can control the voice volume. It performs drifts with ease and can reach a maximum speed of 9.6kmh. You’ll need to pair it with the…

making every drop count Designed to give a hassle-free breastfeeding experience, Hegen bottles allow you to express, store and feed your baby – without transferring the milk. This minimises wastage and reduces mess, making every drop count. Its modular system comprises breast pump adapters, storage lids and feeding heads that are designed to fit the same bottle. Prices start from $25.80 for a feeding bottle. Visit www.hegen.com . cook now Take the stress out of cooking with this Hunger Management recipe book by veteran food writer and The Straits Times Life editor Tan Hsueh Yun. A self-confessed lazy cook with the mantra – cook it fast, make it delicious, and let’s eat now – the book compiles 63 of her favourite recipes from her long-running food column…

“He thought we should start trying for a baby even before the wedding,” Audrey says with a laugh. Her husband, Timothy Tiah, co-founder of Colony, as well as Nuffnang and ChurpChurp, was initially concerned that they might have trouble starting a family due to PCOS. It turned out that Audrey, who goes by the online moniker Fourfeetnine, is one of the luckier PCOS sufferers who didn’t face an infertility condition. In an exclusive phone interview with Young Parents, she shares that they conceived their first child within six months of trying. About a year after she gave birth, she learnt that she was pregnant again. Audrey believes she “got lucky” because she started treatment for PCOS early during her teenage years. At 17, a bout of unusually painful stomach cramps…

Q Must I take folic acid and vitamin supplements daily throughout my pregnancy? A Daily folic acid and vitamin supplements are not compulsory during pregnancy, although they are good for expectant mothers, says Dr Ting Hua Sieng, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist practising at Parkway East Hospital. Folic acid is a vitamin that can help prevent neural tube defects, which involve the incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord, among other benefits. “If the pregnant mother is already eating a healthy balanced diet, she should have all the folic acid and vitamins she needs from her diet,” Dr Ting says. However, expectant mothers often have poor appetites due to morning sickness and other problems. That’s when supplements become important. The recommended dose of folic acid for pregnant women is…

Get your husband to support you and understand the pressure you are under. You need to work as a team. No matter how hard you try, it seems like you're never good enough as a mum in your mother-in-law's eyes. Each time your baby falls sick or injures himself, she blames you for not taking good care of him. Every time he cries, she says it's your fault for not handling him properly. Grandma seems to have forgotten that this is your baby, and that bringing him up is your responsibility, not hers. Here are suggestions to help reduce the tension in your relationship: Stay level-headed Remember that mum-in-law only wants the best for her grandchild. She has lots of experience raising her own children and, as a result, she…

BRIGHTON MONTESSORI E contact@brightonmontessori.com.sg W www.brightonmontessori.com.sg T 6588-3883 @ FORT ROAD 16 Fort Road, Singapore 439077 @ FRANKEL AVENUE 125 Frankel Avenue, Singapore 458235 @ GREAT WORLD CITY 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #02-41A/42 Great World City, Singapore 237994 @ MOUNTBATTEN 764 Mountbatten Road, Singapore 437764 @ SUNSET WAY 41 Sunset Way, #02-01/02 Clementi Arcade, Singapore 597071 @ THE GRASSROOTS’ CLUB 190 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, #02-01 The Grassroots’ Club, Singapore 568046 LEARNING VISION E enquiries@learningvision.com W www.learningvision.com T 6781-0888 @ ALPHA (SCIENCE PARK II) 10 Science Park Road, Singapore Science Park ll, #01-02/03 The Alpha, Singapore 117684 @ BIOPOLIS One North, 11 Biopolis Way Helios, #02-01/03, Singapore 138667 @ CET EAST CAMPUS (PAYA LEBAR) 11 Eunos Road 8, #04-04, Singapore 408601 @ CHANGI AIRPORT Changi…