Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i Young Parents

Kids + cooking = big mess? For sure. Every time I bake with my kids, there’s flour on the floor, batter in places you never thought to look and, inevitably, the first batch overcooks. But that moment when we bite into moist, homemade goodness makes it all worthwhile, and my children feel proud that they made something delicious to share with their grandparents. So in our Nutrition Issue (from page 90), we decided to interview three parents in the food business and discovered how they make cooking with their kids fun and meaningful. Their honest, and often humorous, replies will make you smile. We also asked the experts how to avoid high-fat kids’ menus, and give you a timely reminder on nutrition basics for preschoolers. If you’re expecting, turn to…

You’ve never seen sand play toys this gorgeous. Meet (clockwise from top) Ray the manta shovel, Marina the pelican bucket, Moby the whale scoop and Shelley the turtle sifter. Created by Singapore design collective Outofstock for French brand Biobu by Ekobo, they’re made from bamboo fibre, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-based toys. Remember to share them with the kids, all right? Animo three-piece sand play set, 23 euros (S$34.55), and pelican bucket, 12 euros, both from www.ekobohome.com…

have a ball of a time These rattle balls will quickly become Baby’s best friends – they are easy for little hands to hold, toss and roll. And when the natural urge to chew comes, she’ll take pleasure in nibbling on the rubberised details. Gourmet skincare Could baby wet wipes get any more luxurious and nourishing than these? Made in South Korea, Bebesup’s Sheer Gold wipes contain extracts of caviar, gold kiwi, honey and aloe leaf, as well as lavender oil. There’s also a version for sensitive skin, which is made with extracts of almond, orange and blueberry, and Zero wipes, which have black bean and grape. These thick and soft wipes are also dermatologically tested for sensitive skin and are free of parabens, alcohol and fragrances. Prices start from…

SEND US YOUR CHILD’S BEST PHOTO & WIN! Each child featured on this page wins gifts from Sebamed worth over $30 – a bottle each of baby lotion (100ml) and children’s shampoo (150ml), as well as a tube of baby lip balm. Sebamed’s baby lotion is dermatologically tested and free of nitro-mask compounds, formaldehyde, nitrosamines and dioxin. It contains chamomilla recutita extract, which helps inflammation and irritation, while allantoin makes Baby’s delicate skin supple. Visit www.eltean.com. To take part, e-mail a clear JPEG photo of your child (at least 300dpi) to magyoungparents@sph.com.sg with the subject “What a cutie!”. Include your name, address, contact numbers, and your child’s name and age in the photo. Visit www.youngparents.com.sg/promotions for terms and conditions.…

Your little one loves to perform, whether it’s at ballet recitals, speech and drama showcases, or even school events. You want her to look her best and exude confidence on stage just like all the other performers, but worry that using adult cosmetics for performance may be increasing her risk of breakouts. Enjoy peace of mind with C’est Moi (French for “it’s me”) – a new range of professional skincare and performance makeup specially made for kids aged four to 12. Conceived and founded by Singaporean mother-of-three Jessica Tang after five years of extensive research, C’est Moi was launched in November last year. Safe and allergy-free, the product range is formulated with fresh fruit cells and natural ingredients by a biochemist, and manufactured in Europe using the latest cosmetics innovation…

“Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung and Soup Restaurant are always a hit with our kids. Din Tai Fung’s dumplings are easy to eat and healthy because they’re steamed, and when we go to Soup Restaurant, our kids always ask for the chicken with some soup and rice.” Jeanette Chew, 27, a stay-at-home mum, and Ben Chua, 31, an aerospace technician. Their kids are aged six and four. “Brunch at Kith Cafe at Robertson Quay is a weekend tradition for our young family. There are so many wholesome and delicious options on the menu – my twin girls especially love the fresh juices, and the bratwurst hot dog, which comes with a poached egg and avocado.” Sherina Daryanani, 33, a dentist, and Ash Daryanani, 36, a banker. They have two-year-old twins.…

eat Crystal Jade’s SG50 dim sumcreations are so #instafood worthy. But of course, they’re more than just a feast for the eyes. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love the fine and flaky Full Bloom lotus paste and yam pastry and Chirpy Chick pastry (pictured) with lotus paste filling. For something savoury, don’t miss the deep-fried mantou with chilli crab filling. These are priced at $5.50 for three pieces and available at the group’s selected restaurants till Sept 30. For details on its SG50 promotions, visit www.crystaljade.com. watch Who knew going from rags to riches could be so entertaining? Based on Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, this rendition of Jack and the Beanstalk pits Jack against the giant’s highly developed sense of smell in his attempt to escape. The musical…

Banana Republic www.bananarepublic.sg Camouflage www.camouflage-kids.com Cavalier www.cavaliervault.com Cotton On Kids http://cottonon.com/SG Cuckoo www.cuckoo.com.sg Gingersnaps www.fb.com/GingersnapsSG HC Lifestyle http://hclifestyle.com Le Petit Pumm #03-05 The Centrepoint Tel: 6734-5625 Metro www.metro.com.sg Monoyono www.monoyono.com Mothercare www.mothercare.com.sg Motherswork www.motherswork.com.sg Mums & Babes www.mumsandbabes.com.sg Ocean Paradise www.oceanparadise.com.sg Petit Bateau www.petit-bateau.sg Playhao www.playhao.com Privikids www.privi-kids.com Robinsons www.robinsons.com.sg Seed Heritage www.fb.com/SeedHeritageAsia Small www.small.com.sg Takashimaya D.S. www.takashimaya-sin.com The Better Toy Store www.thebettertoystore.com The Children’s Showcase www.showcase.com.sg Tinydipity http://tinydipity.com Zero2six www.zero-six.com…

chiltern house preschool Named after founder Julia Gabriel’s childhood home in England, Chiltern House has been nurturing young children’s success in school and in life for over 20 years. Its interactive curriculum includes maths, language and literacy (using the UK’s Oxford Reading Tree scheme), art and craft, cookery and science, computer discovery, physical education, specialist sessions in speech and drama and music, regular field trips and weekly sessions in mindfulness. Its renowned Mandarin programme prepares pupils to be effectively bilingual. Chiltern House maintains a constant schedule of training for staff at all levels, supporting many through higher degrees, ensuring excellence in education across the school community as a whole. Block C, #02-17/18 Playground @ Big Splash; #04-01 Forum the Shopping Mall; Block A, #01-00, 231 Mountbatten Road; #04-01A SLF Building,…

One’s a drummer; some are pro skateboarders. There’s an entrepreneur, and a nine-year-old engineer of prosthetic hands. We’re awed by the girl power in this photo for the Gapkids x ED campaign, which aims to show girls that they can follow their passions, be it in maths or sports or the arts. According to British Vogue, the collaboration between the American fashion company and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres’ new lifestyle brand hopes to see girls sharing selfies of themselves wearing the collection, with empowering captions. The range is available from Gap outlets in Vivocity, United Square and Wisma Atria, with prices starting from $25. And in case you’re wondering, it includes clothes for boys, too – or as Ellen puts it, “equal opportunity cuteness”.…

Before Baby arrives, one of the many things on your to-do list would be to prepare the nursery. It’s easy to get carried away with designing the space. After all, there’s so much inspiration on social media. So what do you really need? We’ve got expert tips to help you out. Buy furniture that grows with your child Your baby won’t be a baby forever. Think about getting a cot that can be converted into a toddler bed or even a single bed or sofa, says Sharon Wong, founder and CEO of nursery retailer Motherswork. That helps you stretch your dollar in the long run. Planning ahead also means you won’t have to overhaul the room every so often as your little one grows. Plan the room layout Interior stylist…

18.5 to 24.9 That’s the ideal body mass index (BMI) you should reach before you even try for a baby. If it’s too high, you’re at risk of developing serious pregnancy complications, says Dr Christopher Ng, gynaecologist and obstetrician at GynaeMD Women’s and Rejuvenation Clinic. These include gestational diabetes (diabetes in pregnancy), preeclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine), deep vein thrombosis, sleep apnoea (difficulty breathing during sleep), more frequent vaginal infections and even miscarriage. If you’re obese, you may encounter problems during labour, as well. An epidural may be harder to administer, adds Dr Ng, because there’s more fat and tissue to get through before reaching the epidural space. First 28 days of pregnancy This is the time when your unborn baby develops a neural tube, inside…

You wonder sometimes about the benefits of play dates for your little one, because she doesn’t appear to get much out of them. You notice that she plays happily alongside other babies and toddlers, yet rarely interacts with them. You probably think she could have as much fun on her own. And maybe you start asking yourself if the hassle of arranging them is really worth it. After all, you’ve to put up with other kids who aren’t as well behaved as yours. You also dread listening to the moans and groans of other parents when you could use your time more usefully elsewhere. Yet, play dates definitely provide your little one with a lot more than meets the eye. Here’s why: I want to do that, too Almost certainly,…

Keep her diet balanced Your kid may want to eat only chicken rice or nuggets for every meal, but it’s still important to feed her a nutritionally balanced diet with adequate amounts of iron, zinc, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Keep food that is high in sugar and fat away from the kitchen; those should be eaten sparingly. Charmaine Toh, a dietician with the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, recommends a variety of foods from various food groups: Whole grains These are packed with immunity-boosting vitamins (like B vitamins and vitamin E), minerals and fibre. Examples of wholegrain food include wholemeal bread, brown rice, brown-rice bee hoon, oat porridge, wholemeal pasta, and wholewheat or wholegrain cereal. Fruit and vegetables These are excellent sources of fibre and contain antioxidants like vitamin C…

One of the highlights of the annual Young Parents Fiesta is the photo contest, and this year was triple the fun with categories for babies, children as well as expectant mums. In a first for the Fiesta, we expanded the list of winners to include five special category winners for both the child and baby categories. Baby special-category winners took home fabulous prizes, including a Firefly photography package worth $138, Bacoff Nursery & Home cleaning packages worth $51.60 and Tomy Winnie the Pooh Lullaby Dreams Lightshow worth $59.95. Child special-category winners each won a Firefly photography package worth $138, a Guitarra Play! package (one ukulele and four 30-minute lessons) worth $150, a family package to Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat worth $131, as well as an Alive Museum…

DESIGN-SAVVY PARENTS WILL LOVE THESE TWO NEW STORES: K+ NANA & BIRD If you’re a fan of Nana & Bird’s whimsical children’s clothing from brands like Wolf & Rita and Agatha Cub, you no longer need to head to Tiong Bahru. It’s now moved into chic 800 sq ft curatorial space K+ on the top floor of Scotts Square, the mall between Tangs and Grand Hyatt Singapore. Besides clothes made of natural materials, there are wooden toys from Rock & Pebble and Tellkiddo paper storage bags. It’s also bringing in new brands, such as Little Man Happy, Bang Bang and Bobo Chooses. Look out for a mummy-daughter line in collaboration with a designer, slated for December. Visit http://shop.nanaandbird.com . NAIISE @ CENTRAL This online design retailer has…

Make revision fun Every child’s learning style – that is, how he understands and organises information – is different. This is why it’s important to make revision as fun and interesting as possible. Helen Marjan, joint CEO and director of Studies at Lorna Whiston suggests using coloured markers to make the information visually appealing. Strategically placed Post-It notes may also help Junior internalise and remember what he’s learnt. Other clever ways to help him memorise facts: turn the information into catchy songs or rhymes, or get him to read aloud what he needs to remember, make a voice recording of it, and then ask him to listen to the recording. Adding variety to the revision process by using revision cards, or asking him to explain what he knows to others,…

THANKS, MUM “Everyone told me I’d lose sleep once Brenin arrived. It was absolutely true. But no one told me that becoming a mother would be such a humbling experience. I’ve since learnt to appreciate and spend more time with my parents, especially my mum. I’m grateful to her for all the childbearing pain and tears from raising my siblings and me.” Ashley Siew-LeCaine, 38, managing director and mum to a 14-month-old. Her second child is due this month HERE COMES THE BABY I didn’t realise that there’d be someone who would need you so much! Your baby relies on you for everything and it can be quite overwhelming at times.” Danielle Chow, 30, account manager and mum to a 10-month-old girl THE REAL BOSS “Kids are unreasonable. They always…

If you ever find your toddler in a situation where his teacher has abused him, either physically or verbally, you'll most likely withdraw him from the childcare centre and start him in another establishment. Even then, his self-confidence may drop, his trust in adults may diminish and he may well protest whenever you leave him at his new school. He needs your help to move on. Pitch your language at the level of your little one's age and understanding: explain that his new teachers like him, they're always kind to children and you trust them to look after him. Your tot will draw confidence from your upbeat attitude. Let him know that you'll chat with the staff there every day so you'll know what goes on. Emphasise that he should…

Jolene Lee’s three daughters always order off the kids’ menu when they dine out, but she worries that they may not be getting a healthy meal. “Spaghetti bolognese, fish and chips, or hot dogs and hamburgers… I don’t think those types of food count as nutritious, yet they’re all my girls will order because they don’t fancy the dishes on the main menu,” shares the 38-year-old stay-at-home mum, whose children are aged seven, five and two. “Dining out is a weekly treat for our family, so they see it as a licence to eat whatever they want. This is fine, but I wish restaurants had healthier options to choose from.” Children’s menus are fun for the kids, but rarely will you find nutritious meal choices on them. Jaclyn Reutens, a…

1 Get quality sleep Dr Lim Kwang Hsien, consultant paediatrician at Kinder Clinic at Mount Alvernia Medical Centre, says that sleep deprivation appears to be linked to a decreased production of proteins called cytokines, which are important for the immune system. Conversely, sufficient, uninterrupted sleep allows the adequate production of cytokines to help keep your child’s immune system in optimum condition. Here’s how much sleep kids of different age groups need: • One to three years: 12 to 14 hours • Three to six years: 10 to 12 hours • Seven to 12 years: 10 to 11 hours 2 Help her manage stress Anxiety can often lead to disturbed sleep patterns and altered eating habits, says Dr Lim Kwang Hsien. This, in turn, translates to a lowered immune response. As…

What’s better than having a private villa with our own pool in Bali, where there are stylish rental properties for all budgets? But Hubby, ever the pragmatic one, insisted: A real vacation with young ones in tow means staying at a hotel with an awesome kids’ club. We went with his decision and settled on the beachfront Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa. It opened only in April this year, which means the rooms and facilities are still brand spanking new. And because it’s less than 15 minutes by car from the Ngurah Rai International Airport, we were spared any “are we there yet?” whining. Its kids’ club ranks as one of the best we’ve been to. Designed for young guests from ages four to 12, the circus-themed club features a…

happy faces Say goodbye to oily, shiny skin. Specially formulated with a pH of 5.5, Sebamed Clear Face Mattifying Cream works to reduce skin’s oily shine and impurities. It also contains horse chestnut to reduce irritation and soothe your skin, and aloe vera and hyaluronic acid to moisturise. $19.90 for a 50ml tube from leading pharmacies. Visit www.sebamed.com. you look rosy Roses aren’t just beautiful to look at; they contain the secret to better skin. Peter Thomas Roth has harnessed the power of rose stem cells and rose extracts in its new Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Precious Cream ($136 for 50ml), which is said to help diminish the signs of ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles, sagging, dehydration and dullness. Apply the Bio-Repair Precious Oil ($145 for 30ml) from…

MindChamps PreSchool brings together cutting-edge research and development from the four domains of Early Childhood Education, Neuroscience, Child Psychology and Theatre. The curriculum nurtures all aspects of your child and includes world proprietary academic and enrichment programmes. The teachers at MindChamps PreSchool undergo up to 200 hours of compulsory training and accreditation, ensuring that your child’s mind is nourished by the most qualified and dedicated instructors. Choose from any of its 27 centres conveniently located islandwide, and give your child the most comprehensive foundation upon which to build all future learning development. MINDCHAMPS PRESCHOOL HEADQUARTERS 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, Level 17 HDB Hub East Wing, Singapore 310480 T 6828-2688 E sg.enqpreschool@ mindchamps.org For details, call 8233-4400 or visit www.mindchampspreschool.org Programmes: Toddler • Nursery • Kindergarten preschool CENTRAL…