Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Young Parents

Cow’s milk is a staple in most of our refrigerators. Packed with calcium, essential fats, protein and essential vitamins, it’s touted as a nutritious drink for the whole family, particularly for growing children. But cow’s milk isn’t the only type of milk that’s out there. There are many other alternatives that you may want to consider for yourself and your child that are just as delicious and nutritious. Goat’s milk is one such example. Here are all the great reasons why you might want to stock up on it the next time you’re at the supermarket. 1 It’s easier to digest and gentler on the tummy Milk contains two kinds of proteins – casein and whey. Unlike in cow’s milk, the type of casein in goat’s milk results in a…

THIS MONTH, WE ASK What’s a future-ready skill that I should equip my preschooler with? We live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world where the shelf life of existing skills is increasingly shortened. Rather than focusing on a specific skill, what is vital at this age is to encourage your child to “play well with others”. Dr David Deming, a professor of Public Policy, Education and Economics at Harvard, presented evidence of the growing importance of social skills in the labour market. When children play with one another, they are honing their social skills such as cooperation, negotiation, empathy and adaptability. These would certainly stand them in good stead for the future. As parents, this sometimes mean taking a step back to let the little ones negotiate…

It has been a puzzle of a morning. My son has progressed a level in swimming – a good thing. The only slot available for the new class coincides with his afternoon nap – a bad thing. Do we dare shift his nap back? Should we look for another swim school? Or should we stop the lessons? My three-and-a-half-year-old daughter drinks three bottles of milk a day, too much by most paediatricians’ standards. We need a plan to wean her. We have just bought a house and must carve out time to relook our savings plans. There are groceries to do, meals to plan and bills to be paid. I am prioritising this mental to-do list as I sit in front of the dressing room table at 8am on a…

If you take a note of the number of words she speaks over a two-day period, you’ll discover she uses at least two dozen. Your two-year-old is even more inquisitive than before - she is ingenious enough to use a chair as a stepping-stone to climb up, and she's dexterous enough to be able to pull a safety plug out of the electric wall socket. There are also physical changes that occur this year, too. For instance, she puts on approximately 2.25 kg and grows about 10cm taller. Most of her 20 baby teeth have broken through her gums and she munches away quite happily with them. Here are some other milestones of development, which occur during this exciting period in your growing child's life: 24 months • Now that…

KUALA LUMPUR Have fun indoors Check out Berjaya Times Square Theme Park – Malaysia’s largest indoor theme park, according to the Malaysia Book of Records. It is located on levels five and seven of Berjaya Times Square. Your kids will have a whale of a time trying all the different rides, which range from a merry-go-round and the Flying Bumble Bee, to bumper-car rides, mini roller coaster rides, an exhilarating Crazy Bus ride and a drive through the Fantasy Garden on a safari jeep. All rides and attractions have minimum height requirements. HOW MUCH Tickets start from RM11 (S$3.70); family packages start from RM113. FIND OUT MORE www.berjayatimessquarethemeparkkl.com Go fishing in the city If Junior loves animals, he will love Farm In the City, a petting zoo with a…

Did you know that Shangri-La Hotel near Orchard Road has launched a huge indoor and outdoor playground for kids? It isn’t just for hotel guests; it welcomes the public, too. During a recent visit with our kids aged five and 10, we had planned to spend the afternoon there, but ended up leaving only at 9pm when it closed. That’s how engaging it was! SECURITY FIRST Before the fun starts, everyone is assigned a radio-frequency identification wristband. The adults get the yellow ones, which allow them to tap in and out of the entrance. Kids wear the blue and pink ones, which don’t have the same access level. If they want to leave the playground, they’ll have to inform the staff if their parents or guardians are not around. The…

For three weeks, little Zayden Tok had an on-and-off stomachache that was so intense, it would wake him in the middle of the night. His mum, Tan Zilan, also noticed something unusual about his stools; they were purplish-red in colour and coated with mucus. Despite raising her concerns to a paediatrician, she was told that it was “just constipation colic”. “We gave him prune juice and stool softeners, rubbed Ruyi oil and applied garlic paste on his stomach, but the pain persisted,” the 35-year-old logistics executive recounts. She took her toddler to see the same doctor three times. But what was thought to be constipation almost killed Zayden, then two, who was in fact, bleeding internally from a condition known as Meckel’s diverticulum. This is due to an abnormal bulge…

About half of all babies sleep through the night by the age of five or six months; some don’t do so even at one year. THE MYTH Your baby should sleep through the night by six months THE FACT Sleep patterns vary greatly. Statistics suggest that only about half of all babies sleep through the night by the age of five or six months; some don’t do so even at one year. She (and you) will get an unbroken night’s sleep when she is ready for it. THE MYTH She will become overly attached to you if you use a baby carrier THE FACT It’s true that a carrier allows you to go “hands free” and also brings your little one close to your chest, which can help her fall…

When Dr Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to become a physician, opened her first school in a low-income district in Rome in 1907, her child-centred educational method was considered radical. But despite going against the grain of conventional education, the Montessori way has churned out numerous movers and shakers in the last century, among them Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. What’s all the fuss about the Montessori method, and how can parents choose the right school? Here, we get the lowdown on this unique learning approach. How did the Montessori method come about? The child-centric educational approach is based on Montessori’s observation that all children are instinctively curious and constantly use their hands and bodies to connect with the world around…

ENGINEERED FOR FAST DRYING I’m kicking myself for not taking the plunge and buying the Dyson Supersonic ($599) when it was launched two years ago – imagine the time I would have saved on hair-drying. I adored its sleek, modern design, but I wasn’t sure about parting with good money just for aesthetic pleasure. That is, until I recently had the chance to see the efforts that its team of engineers took to understand the science of hair. Here’s what I also learnt about the “reinvented” dryer: The Supersonic promises not to overheat and damage hair. This is thanks to a smart thermal sensor, which measures the temperature 20 times every second and keeps it under control. It’s safe to let your child handle it because the surface always remains…

If the mere mention of Unicorno, Donutella and Cactus Friends gets your kids (and you) excited, check out this Tokidoki pop-up cafe. It’s said to be the world’s first – even the characters’ Italian co-founder and chief creative officer Simone Legno flew in to officiate its March opening. The team behind Kumoya, which previously collaborated with Cinnamoroll, Miffy and Care Bears, runs this cafe. Tuck into Instagrammable burger, curry rice and ramen, and slurp up fluffy cotton candy drinks – all curated by food artist, Shirley Wong, better known as Little Miss Bento. The Tokidoki X Kumoya tieup will end in late June. Visit www.facebook.com/kumoyasingapore. You’re never too young to appreciate the arts, Act3 International believes. Its second instalment of the ACT3i Festival for Children features six original theatre performances…

Good gynae? Check. Affordable yet luxurious maternity hospital? Check. Now comes the next big decision that many Chinese mums in Singapore have to make: Which confinement nanny to choose? This grandmotherly helper usually lives with the family during the traditional “confinement” period that ranges between 28 and 44 days. Most couples are relieved that there’s someone who can understand and soothe the crying newborn, and attend to countless rounds of diaper duties, especially in the middle of the night. The nanny also takes care of the new mum’s diet, so the latter can focus on breastfeeding Baby and recuperate after the delivery. Your search for a nanny should begin in the first trimester of pregnancy. Popular ones are always in high demand, so you’ll want to book yours early. Most…

Don’t lose your temper when your toddler is acting up. Stay in control and act firmly. Toddlers show their aggression in different ways. Some strike furniture, some lie on the ground screaming, and some simply lash out, bite or even pull your hair. Here are five reasons why your toddler may be hostile, and how you can help. He is self-centred The typical one-year-old is full of his own self-importance. He sees the world only from his perspective and he expects everyone else – children as well as adults – to do precisely what he wants, when he wants. As far as he is concerned, the world revolves around him, and if he doesn’t get what he wants, he becomes aggressive. HOW YOU CAN HELP Teach your toddler that other…

Your child may not tell you he is being bullied, so look for signs such as regular loss of pocket money, unexplained bruising, damage to his bag, or reluctance to attend school. Take complaints of bullying seriously Remember that it takes a great deal of courage for your child to admit to you that he is being bullied - he may be worried that you will think he is making a big fuss about nothing. This aggressive behaviour can take many different forms, including verbal threats, racial harassment, teasing about his clothes or appearance, or social exclusion. Avoid asking him to fight back Physical retaliation rarely has any positive impact on the bully - and often, it completely backfires on the victim. You can never be sure of the bully's…

smoked salmon frittata Makes 12 servings Ingredients 12 free-range eggs, beaten 1½ cup coconut yogurt ½ cup smoked salmon 1 cup organic spinach ¼ cup organic dill, chopped ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 organic leeks, sliced thinly 1 cup potatoes, sliced 1 Heat oven to 180 deg C. Combine eggs, yogurt, smoked salmon, spinach, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside. 2 On medium heat, add oil to pan. Add leeks and saute until slightly brown. 3 Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Add egg mixture to leeks and potatoes. Once it sets, turn off the heat and bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes. 4 Transfer from…

Talk about an enriching weekend! So many excited kids and parents turned up at Rochester Mall on March 10 for an afternoon of Fun, Play, Learn. Judging by the happy faces all around, it certainly lived up to its name. These families were among the lucky ones who scored a coveted spot at the event organised by Young Parents. The children enjoyed not just one, but three free classes offered by the mall’s myriad of enrichment centres. These include programmes in music (by Aureus Academy), art (Da Little Arts School), dance (The Joyful Steps & Rhythm), brain development (Advo), sensory play (Busy Table) and gym (My Gym). After the classes, families were also treated to yummy Thai rolled ice cream and nachos. They walked home with professionally drawn caricatures and…

fashion in the garden Uniqlo’s clothing collaboration with designers isn’t limited to the adult range. Its latest tieup with iconic British brand Studio Sanderson, known for wallpaper and interior design, is designed for girls, babies as well as women. Expect timeless pieces with classic hand-drawn patterns, in fresh English garden colours. The collection is slated to launch in two phases on April 30 and June 4. Prices range from $9.90 for toddler leggings to $49.90 for a woman’s bra dress. Visit www.uniqlo.com/sg/store . gold standard With a name like Gold Pants, you’d expect a lot from this pull-up diaper from Huggies. Check out its five-layer dry structure, which is made with “magic” gel that locks in urine, promising up to 12 hours of absorbency. Its airy top…