Kids Nation Magazine - Edition 10 March/April 2016

MAR/APR 2016

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TL: Andrea L. (Chinese) TR: Pawin (Nash) B (Thai) BL: David L. (Chinese) BR: Elizabeth (Blessie) J. (Filipino) We asked students from different countries at UWCSEA dover to share their idea of beauty through their drawings.

They painted their self portraits, which are based on the style of Chuck Close, an American artist who has overcome huge difficulties.

Special thanks to Kate Woodford and Head of Primary Art Sian Johns.

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10. fatherhood: One Great Way to Affirm Your Daughter

16. inspire: everything is possible

14. HANDMADE: four ways to develop children's self esteem

22. story: It’s Not About the Exceptions: All Stories Matter

28. printable: Easter Color

by Numbers Worksheets

26. cook: Mixed berry no-bake cheesecake 30. SPECIAL OFFERS

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31. reader's survey

32. craft: 10 Kids crafts using egg cartons

Kids Nation is a bi-monthly magazine, dedicated to empowering kids around the world. It is published by MOS Design Creative (www.mosdesign.com.au).

34. submission: your child's artwork

35. reader's survey

Front Cover: Elizabeth (Blessie) J.

Copyright Š Kids Nation magazine.

All rights reserved. Reproducing without permission is prohibited. Copyright of articles and photos remain with the individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission.

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photo: melissa hicks photography

from the editor Dear Kids Nation readers, If you enjoy reading Kids Nation magazine, as much as we love putting it together, we need your help! Please take our quick survey here to help us make Kids Nation better.

In this edition, we want to inspire you with stories of people who believe everything is possible.

Anthony Ianni (USA), Sheri Brynard (South Africa) and Sarah Stump (USA) share about their biggest challenges, how they overcome it, their proudest moment and advice for children who have special needs or facing challenges in their lives.

Our most favourite chef, Desi Trisnawati shares her no-bake cheesecake recipe.

Plus, don't forget to check out Easter colour by numbers worksheet, 10 kids crafts using egg cartons and special offers from handmade shops around the world!

xo, Mia check out special offers from handmade shops around the world on page 30!

Dr. Michelle Watson tells us one practical way for dads to affirm their daughters.

Ellen Stumbo writes a heartwarming article about children with special needs and that all stories matter.

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this edition’s contributors:

MIA SETYAWAN AUSTRALIA EDITOR & FOUNDER of KIDS NATION MAG kidsnationmag.com Mia is a mother of two boys and a business owner from Australia. She owns an award winning graphic design studio and print + stationery online shop. She also writes a lifestyle blog and volunteers at a local children program.

ELLEN STUMBO UNITED STATES WRITER & FOUNDER OF DISABILITY MATTERS ELLENSTUMBO.COM Ellen Stumbo writes and speaks with gritty honesty and openness. Ellen’s writing has appeared on Focus on the Family, LifeWay, MomSense, Not Alone, Mamapedia and the Huffington Post. Ellen blogs at ellenstumbo.com and you can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Dr. Michelle Watson United States Author & Founder of The Abba Project drmichellewatson. com Michelle is a national speaker, counselor, author of “Dad, Here’s What I Really Need from You: A Guide for Connecting with Your Daughter’s Heart” and founder of The Abba Project, a 9-month educational forum for dads of daughters ages 13 to 30 in Portland, Oregon. Connect: Facebook | Twitter

Desi Trisnawati INDONESIA food artist & chef consultant inspirational-chef. com Desi is the winner of Masterchef Indonesia 2012 and the first female Masterchef Indonesia. She is the author of 20 Fun Recipes of Strong Heart and creator of the Indonesia's first culinary board game Cooking with Inspirational Chef Desi.

this edition’s contributors:

Shéri Brynard south africa teacher, speaker & down syndrome ambassador www.ds-int.org Shéri is the only fully qualified teacher with Down syndrome in the world. She received the Presidential award in 2011 for people who have made a contribution to the lives of mentally handicapped people in South Africa. Shéri is also a motivational speaker and an ambassador for Down Syndrome International (DSi). sarah stump united states speaker & creator of imperfectly perfect sarahstump.com Sarah was born missing her left arm. She is a motivational speaker and is highly involved in the Miss America Organization. Sarah created and believes in her platform of Imperfectly Perfect, that everyone is created beautiful in their own way.

anthony ianni united states speaker and anti bullying advocate relentlesstour.com Anthony Ianni, of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, is one of the most soughtafter motivational speakers, anti bullying advocate and the first-known athlete with autism to play Division 1 college basketball.

He is the recipient of the Epling Agent of Change Award and has inspired many people to live their dreams. andreja vuČajnk slovenia founder of itsy bitsy fun www.itsybitsyfun. com Andreja is the creator of Itsy Bitsy Fun, a website that provides tons of free resources for kids such as educational worksheets, games, activities and craft projects.

Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

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photo: unsplash

fatherhood

One Great Way to Affirm Your Daughter by: micheLle watson, PhD, LPC 10

I forget what age I was when I heard my first nursery rhyme, but there is one in particular that is burrowed deep into my memory bank: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

This quote, as you probably remember, comes from the fairy tale Snow White. Every day Snow White’s stepmother would ask the mirror this question. I believe it powerfully illustrates the way a woman often determines whether or not she feels beautiful or adequate.

S

he tends toward asking this powerpacked question of inanimate objects, as if they were the judge and jury, be it a mirror on the wall or the number on a scale or the size marked on the back of her jeans. No human interaction necessary.

This story leads me to pose the question: What impact does this tale have on young girls as they absorb the subliminal message that beauty is determined by something outside of themselves with whom there is no healthy relationship?

Even more concerning is the way this story demonstrates how easily the queen gives away her own opinion and succumbs to feedback from a mirror over that of herself or another human being with whom she has a positive connection.

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photo: ryan mcguire

In modern terminology, this translates to a woman “listening” to the definitive messages from magazines, television, and movies (a.k.a. mainstream culture) as the ultimate determiner of beauty. Inanimate objects are at the helm once again, not so different from the fairy tale your daughter may have once heard as a little girl.

The truth is that your daughter is asking this same question every single day of her life: “Am I beautiful?” She longs to be told she is beautiful, and she will keep asking and looking until someone tells her that she is.

Here is how a dad named Rick said it to other dads at one of our meetings for The Abba Project: “We’ve got a job to do, men.

We need to reinforce what we see in our daughters because it counters what society is telling them as women.”

The truth is that you are a mirror to your daughter, and that truth invites the question: What kind of mirror are you?

So give her specifics about what you see in her that is beautiful. And be sure to use that word, “beautiful.”

She needs you, dad, to answer her question.

If she doesn’t hear it from you, she will find another “mirror” on another wall who will tell her that she is beautiful. Sadly, some of those mirrors have a hidden agenda, and will express what she wants to hear in order to get or take something from her.

But you have no other agenda than to let her know that you see her beauty fully and completely. She will never tire of hearing you tell her the good things you see when you look at her. And over time, she will internalize your view of her. Trust me on that.

The truth is that your daughter is asking this same question every single day of her life: “Am I beautiful?” She longs to be told she is beautiful, and she will keep asking and looking until someone tells her that she is.

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As I interact with daughters — and without any prompting on my part — that’s the word I hear again and again as being important for them to hear from their dads.

Include your observations about her outer and her inner beauty. Think of them as two sides of the same coin, adding value while serving as complimentary counterparts. She needs to hear you address the entirety of how you see her.

What about her eyes are breathtaking?

What about the way she did her make-up today is pretty?

What about the color she is wearing looks stunning on her?

What about her personality is creatively being expressed in her outfit or activities today?

What about her character was reflected by her positive response to meeting someone’s need?

Here’s your practical battle plan: Write messages with erasable marker directly onto her mirrors (in her bathroom or bedroom, or on the rearview or overhead mirror in her car), or on sticky notes that you attach to any or all of her mirrors, with truth about her from your point of view.

And if using the word “beautiful” is new or uncomfortable for you, try writing it to her first until it becomes a part of your vocabulary.

Dad, stand up as a warrior and fight for your daughter. It’s brutal out there and she needs you to do battle for her so she can see and believe the positive truth about herself.

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four ways to develop children's self esteem compiled BY: mia setyawan

#1 Develop a sense of belonging

#2 Words of affirmation

This is my family ...

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bracelet: mindfully made studios (usa) | PRINT: MOSSYJOJO (AUSTRALIA) peg dolls: goose grease (usa) | family dolls: simpli jessie (uk)

SEE OFFERS on PAGE 30

#3 Encourage your child's

interest and strength

#4 Coach your child to

solve problem and learn

that mistakes are part of a learning process

ukulele: cedar and sycamore (uk) | bowling: keepsake toys (usa) puzzle: jolly b (hong kong) | kit: kids wood games (germany)

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photo: susette brynard

inspire

everything is possible COMPILED BY: MIA SETYAWAN

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ShĂŠri Brynard south africa teacher, speaker & down syndrome ambassador www.ds-int.org

The most influential person in my life & Why: My mother, because she really means the world to me. She assists me in everything I do and when I manage to do new things on my own my mother is so happy and this motivates me not to sit back.

She believes in my abilities and she wants me to be more independent. I love making my mother proud and she is always there for me. She says I am like her shadow, but she stands in my shadow because I have to work so much harder to achieve.

The biggest challenge in my life & How I overcome it: I was the only person in my college with an intellectual disability and I looked different from all the other students. All my notes and classes were in English which is my second language and often I could not understand the lecturers, who even spoke indigenous African languages because they forgot about me.

I had to work much harder than the other students and I did. I never felt sorry for myself, when I failed my subjects, I only tried harder. I tried to stay positive and I never gave up hope.

My proudest moment: My proudest moment was when I received my diploma and I am the only person with Down syndrome in South Africa with a tertiary diploma. I received it without any extra help.

When I was chosen as South Africa’s woman of the year in the category Youth Movers, it was also unbelievable.

My advice for kids who are facing challenges: Never give up trying. Stay positive and give yourself time to reach your dreams. Try to fit in socially, that helps people to accept you and that will help you to achieve.

"Stay positive and give yourself time to reach your dreams."

ShĂŠri Brynard 17

anthony ianni united states speaker and anti bullying advocate relentlesstour.com

The most influential person in my life and Why: My father is the hardest working man I know, and he was always keeping me up and pushing me to be the best person and athlete that I could possibly be in my life. He gave me very valuable life lessons that I pass down to students and other athletes today. He also showed me how to be a great father for my own son.

The biggest challenge in my life and How I overcome it: My biggest challenge was learning not to listen to all of the doubters and haters in my life because I had so many. However, as time went on, I learned to overcome that by using those people’s words as fuel for motivation. The more people doubted me, the more I embraced it and worked to prove them wrong. There’s isn’t a better feeling in the world than proving all of your doubters and haters wrong.

My proudest moment: It was when I graduated from Michigan State University. It still means a lot for me to this day. After I was diagnosed with PDD-NOS on the Autism Spectrum, a group of professionals told my family I wouldn’t make it through college because of my autism. But now I have my degree to show the world that anything is possible with hard work.

My advice for kids who are facing challenges: Never give up on anything in life. As long as you believe in yourself every day and you’re not afraid to fail at what you do in life, I guarantee that you will gain more confidence in life than ever before. We don’t dream our lives … we live them!

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photo: Michigan Department of Civil Rights

"never give up on anything in life ..."

ANTHONY IANNI

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photo: AMY REINERT

"Love yourself, love your flaws and imperfections because they do not define who you are."

Sarah Stump

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sarah stump united states speaker & creator of imperfectly perfect sarahstump.com The most influential person in my life and Why: My dad. He has taught me hard work, discipline, love, courage and how to dream big. My dad was the one who was with me to accomplish any difficult task. I always say there is nothing my dad can't fix.

The biggest challenge in my life and How I overcome it: My biggest challenge is overcoming tasks with only having one arm. As a child it was putting my hair into a ponytail, jumping rope, and playing on the monkey bars.

Now it is little tasks I run into everyday like holding all my bags without dropping something. I have overcome this by learning to love myself for who I am. For never wanting to change having only one arm and embracing it. I tell myself anything is possible if I just practice and put hard work into each task.

My proudest moment: When I learned to jump rope, all of my teachers in school never wanted to take the time to teach me, I was told to skip it. At age 17 I finally was taught by someone who believed in me, and I accomplished jumping rope.

My advice for kids who are facing challenges: Love yourself, love your flaws and imperfections because they do not define who you are, they are just a part of your story. Only you get to decide that. Know you are beautiful and unique. Any dream is achievable if you believe in yourself. Know you are imperfectly perfect.

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photo: ELLEN STUMBO

special needs

It’s Not About the Exceptions: All Stories Matter BY: ellen stumbo

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We love the stories of people with disabilities accomplishing great things or “beating the odds.” Beethoven was deaf – he’s one of the most recognized composers of all time. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree – she was an author, political activist and lecturer.

Stevie Wonder was born blind – he’s an accomplished and beloved musician.

I

see this theme play out when it comes to other disabilities. My youngest daughter has Down syndrome, so I try to keep up with the many happenings in the Down syndrome community. I’ve read articles of people with Down syndrome earning college degrees.

I’ve watched viral videos of individuals with Down syndrome and marveled at the clear speech, the eloquence, the powerful messages, the TED talks. I’ve read of kids with Down syndrome winning spelling bees, reading better than their typical peers, taking standardized tests with no accommodations.

We share the videos and the articles, and we say, “See, look at what is possible, people with Down syndrome can accomplish great things!” And it’s true, people with Down syndrome can accomplish great things.

But sometimes I feel these stories are highlighted to justify why people with Down syndrome deserve a chance, why they should be accepted. “See, they’re almost ‘normal.’”

I’m afraid that when we only focus on the stories of the individuals who are an exception, we do a disservice to the vast disability community as we fail to show the wide representation of disability.

Perhaps it is because whether we want to or not, we are all susceptible to the messages that permeate our society: talent, performance, and intellect are what matters most, and the more you fall away from that, the less value you have in society. These are ideas that have been present for as far back as we go, across cultures and beliefs.

The truth is this was something I had to wrestle with when my daughter was first born. I thought, “For as long as she turns out to be as great as Pablo Pineda, it will be okay.”

But my child is not the exception, she is the average. Perhaps in some areas she struggles a little more, but this I know: her life has just as much meaning and value as mine or the person with the higher IQ, and her life is beautiful. She has much to offer and contribute to this world and those around her.

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"We need to show the world the vastness of disability.

It is about living life to the fullest.

All stories matter. All life has value."

Ellen Stumbo

I know from a personal standpoint, she has been the most influential person in my life, she has changed me for the better, and I like to think that her influence in me has spread as I relate to others.

It is about living life to the fullest, and that looks different for every person.

She has also made me frustrated when she’s not listening or refusing to obey, made my heart melt when she hugs me tight and tells me she loves me. She’s a full person.

My daughter has Down syndrome. She is not the exception, she is herself. I don’t want her to be “normal,” I just want her to be her. To me, she’s perfect exactly the way she is.

And her life matters. Her story matters. Yes, we need to show the world the kids with Down syndrome beating the odds, but we also need to show the kids with Down syndrome who are non-verbal.

We need to show the kids with Down syndrome who have a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism.

We need to show the kids with cerebral palsy who can walk, and the kids with cerebral palsy who use a wheelchair, and the kids with cerebral palsy who need total care and support because of their limited mobility.

And we need to show the kids with autism who are on top of their class, and the kids with autism who are non-verbal.

We need to show the world the vastness of disability.

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All stories matter.

All life has value.

Ellen Stumbo is passionate about sharing the real – sometimes beautiful and sometimes ugly – aspects of faith, parenting, special needs, and adoption.

for the love of children, home & celebrations

www.mossyjojo.etsy.com

photo:DESI DESITRISNAWATI TRISNAWATI photo:

cook

Mixed berry no-bake cheesecake BY: desi trisnawati

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INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

500g cream cheese

1. Process the biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs. Add melted butter and process until combined.

3/4 cup sugar 1 cup cream 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 tbs lemon zest 3 tsp gelatin powder, mixed with 1/4 cup boiling water Mixed berry Strawberry jam

2. Press mixture into a tart pan to cover base and chill for 15 minutes or until firm.

3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Add cream, zest, juice and gelatin, and beat until combined.

4. Pour mixture into prepared pan, Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnight. Serve with jam and mixed berries.

100g melted butter 200g biscuit

For more recipes, follow Desi on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 27

photo: Stefan Schweihofer

PRINTABLE

Easter Color by Numbers Worksheets BY: andreja vuÄŒajnk

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Easter was and still is one of my favorite holidays when I was a kid as there was nothing more exciting (or should I say eggciting) than colororing eggs (and later eating them - did I mention I love eggs I'm crazy about them).

Let's have some fun!

These are perfect for kids in kindergaren and in preschool as all numbers are under 10.

You can even laminate these and have the kids color them with permanent markers (perfect for day care centres and schools).

click here to DOWNLOAD the printable INCLUDES: 1 page a with an Easter egg to color.

1 page with a bunny.

1 page with a bunny and an Easter egg.

1 page with a a basket full of eggs and a chick in it.

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craft

10 kids crafts using egg cartons compiled BY: MIA SETYAWAN

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get the tutorials here:

Flower pins

by Leslie Pink Stripey Socks

Whale

by Rachel I Heart Crafty Things

cross

by Tammy Housing a Forest

Hens

by Krokotak

butterfly garland

by Jackie I Heart Arts and Crafts

boat

by Maggy Life at the Zoo

spy glasses

by Amanda at Crafts by Amanda

plane

by Angela Creatiful Kids

Flower art

by Amy at Mod Podge Rocks

owls

by Michelle Molly Moo Crafts 33

photo: carlo sardena

Submit your child's artwork and it may be featured on the cover of Kids Nation mag

We are looking for kid's artwork to be featured on the front cover of kids nation mag simply take a photo of your child's artwork and email it to: hello@kidsnationmag.com By april 10, 2016 we look forward to seeing your child's creations!

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reader's survey we'd love to know what you think about kids nation mag. click here to take you to the survey.

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