sept/oct 2017
dream
BIG
from the editor Kids Nation was first launched in September 2014 and born out of the dream ... The dream to empower future generations around the world. We want to see future generations who know that their value is not based on their appearance, race or background, but by characters they possess. We dream of future generations who can stand up for what’s right and be a voice for those who do not have one. Future generations who are smart, enthusiastic and full of purpose. Therefore, this special 3rd birthday edition is all about "DREAMING BIG"!
Dr. Tim Elmore (USA) shares about three Requirements of Big Dreams. We are also privileged to have three youngsters, who are big dreamers: Poppy Starr Olsen (Australia), Hilde Lysiak (USA), Brandon and Sebastian Martinez (USA). They share about the reason why they do what they do, their biggest influence and what they'd love to achieve if anything is possible. Carey Casey inspires us to give kids space to dream. Our favourite chef Desi Trisnawati (Indonesia) gives us the recipe of "Martabak telor" or Indonesian stuffed pancake. Happy reading!
xo, Mia
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September 18–22, 2017 Alphabet busy bag >> Having Fun Learning
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October 9–13, 2017 a colouring mat and matching crayons >> Tinta Crayons
8. LEADERSHIP: three Requirements of Big Dreams
12. handmade for kids
22. cook: martabak telor (indonesian stuffed pancake)
14. INSPIRE: big dreamers
21. student's submission: The Goalpost in the Distance
25. subscribe
KIDS NATION'S BIRTHDAY giveaways! see page 3
28. fatherhood: Give Your Kids Space to Dream
27. PRINTABLE: christmas letters tracing and multiplication worksheets
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).
Front Cover: Caleb S. (Australia)
Copyright © 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.
Website: kidsnationmag.com 3
this edition’s contributors:
MIA SETYAWAN AUSTRALIA EDITOR & FOUNDER of KIDS NATION MAG kidsnationmag.com Mia is a mother of two boys and owns an award winning graphic design studio in Australia. She is passionate about imparting positive values to the next generation. Mia has been a volunteer for a local children program for over 10 years.
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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dr. Tim Elmore usa founder & president of growing leaders growingleaders. com Tim is an international speaker, founder and president of Growing Leaders, an organization equipping today's young people to become the leaders of tomorrow. He is best-selling author of more than 30 books, including Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future and the Habitudes® series.
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:
Hilde Lysiak united states journalist and author orangestreetnews .com
CAREY CASEY usa CEO OF THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR FATHERING (NCF) FATHERS.COM
Hilde Lysiak is the 10-year-old publisher of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania’s newspaper, the Orange Street News. Her journalism efforts have been profiled in hundreds of newspapers and television stations around the world. Hilde is co-writing the Scholastic Branches series Hilde Cracks the Case with her dad, Matthew Lysiak.
Carey Casey is Chief Executive Officer of the Kansas City-based National Center for Fathering (NCF), a dynamic communicator and a compassionate ambassador. Carey serves on the White House Task Force on Fatherhood and Healthy Families.
poppy starr olsen australia Pro skateboarder, young entrepreneur & artist poppystarr.com Poppy Starr was voted as one of the Top 12 Most Influential Girl Skaters in the World of 2012 at the age of 13. She now competes on the International Pro Competition circuit, which are usually dominated by men twice her age. Poppy is also a young entrepreneur and one of the most booked young speakers in Australia.
brandon & sebastian martinez united states founders areyoukiddingsocks .com Brandon and Sebastian are the founders of Are You Kidding®. Sebastian is the CEO and designer, whereas Brandon is the Director of Sales. They design and sell their own line of kids and adult socks. They also use their socks to help raise funds and awareness for local and national charities.
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photo: PEXELS
leadership
three Requirements of Big Dreams by: dr. Tim Elmore
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I
just finished a conversation with a twelveyear-old student whose goal in life is to be an astronaut. And why shouldn’t he want to be one?
Our schools are begging for STEM students (science, technology, engineering and math), Star Wars and Star Trek make the whole thing seem glamorous and NASA provides camps to “taste” the experience. I encouraged this boy, but all the while recalled how many Millennials were told to “think big” and “dream big.” Parents got so bold we all but lied to them. Yep, I just said that. We began to say, “You can do anything you want to do!” I actually don’t believe that’s true. I will never pitch for the Boston Red Sox, nor will I ever sing opera at the Met. Not so much because I don’t dream about it, but because those goals don’t match who I am.
We began to say, “You can do anything you want to do!” I actually don’t believe that’s true.
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photo: The Pixelman
So the invitation to “dream big” is a good one if it aligns with three realities:
1. Dream big if your dream aligns with your strengths. Everyone has natural gifts and talents that can be cultivated. While we can grow a little in an area of weakness, our greatest potential for growth lies in an area of strength. My gifts lie in artwork and communication, and I’ve built a great career off of them. I love baseball, but I’m better at watching the Boston Red Sox.
2. Dream big if you understand achieving dreams still requires grit. Sometimes, we tell kids to dream big but fail to let them know that dreaming big in an area of talent still demands we put in thought, second efforts, sacrifice and love. Grit is simply sustaining effort even when the glitz is gone. Dr. Angela Duckworth tells us grit requires passion and perseverance. It’s about working when no one is watching.
3. Dream big if you’re willing to do the time. I know this sounds derogatory, but it’s true. If I were to ask you what goes into growing a flower, you’d know to say: seeds, water, soil, fertilizer and sunshine. What most would leave out on the list is “time.” Flowers grow naturally but they require time. People grow naturally but they require time. So it is with dreams.
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People grow naturally but they require time. So it is with dreams.
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HANDMADE
20% off all items Code: KIDSNATION20 Expiry: Oct 31, 2017
10% off all items Code: MAGKIDS Expiry: Sept 30, 2017
smiling moon: Smiling Tree Toys. fox costume: Thumbelina Workshop. Wall sticker: Red Panda Wall Sticker. teddy busy bag: Having fun learning. disk matching game: legacy learning academy dinosaur crayons: Tinta Crayons. 12
photo: Dean Tirkot
INSPIRE
BIG
DREAMers
COMPILED BY: MIA SETYAWAN
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poppy starr olsen Poppy Starr Olsen is a 17-year-old pro skateboarder and a world champion. She started skateboarding when she was 8 years old. She is a pioneer for women skaters in Australia and voted as one of the Top 12 Most Influential Girl Skaters in the World of 2012. She now competes on the International Pro Competition circuit, which are usually dominated by men twice her age. australia Pro skateboarder, entrepreneur & artist poppystarr.com
She recently won 1st place at the Oceania Women’s Continental Championships and 3rd Place at the 2017 X-Games (making Poppy the first EVER Australian female to stand on the podium), and special invitation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic team training program.
Why did you want to be a skater? Because I like it! There are not many girls who do it. You have to be brave, and it's kind of dangerous … unlike any other sports. I just really like everything about it.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life? Many different skateboarders ... Mimi Knoop is one of them. She is a female skateboarder from California.
If anything is possible, what would you want to achieve? To represent Australia in skateboarding at the Olympics one day. That would be really cool!
The best thing about being a skater: All the friends that I have made out of it.
Hardest thing:
Leaving all my friends.
Most important lesson you've learned:
Have fun with it. Don't take things too seriously and just laugh about things. That's what makes the whole experience great. 15
Hilde Lysiak united states journalist and author orangestreetnews.com
Tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Hilde Kate Lysiak. I am the publisher of the Orange Street News. I began my newspaper when I was seven years old and I have written hundreds of stories. I’ve covered everything from a murder, to a mystery beast that was scaring residents, to corruption at my local fire station. Now I’m also an author. My Scholastic Branches early chapter book series Hilde Cracks the Case comes out in September.
Why did you want to be a reporter? I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a reporter. My dad used to be a reporter in New York City and I would often go on assignment with him. Watching him interview people to get the story, and then opening the newspaper the next day to see his work was a real thrill. Every story felt like an adventure. And getting the truth to the people is very important to me.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life? The biggest influence in my life has been my dad. I remember when he got arrested once for doing his job. I was so worried. 16
But after the police let him go, the first thing he did when he got home was smile at me and say, “I just got the best story ever!” I think of that moment when I sometimes get nasty messages telling me I’m too young to be a reporter.
If anything is possible, what would you want to achieve in life? I am living my dream working as a reporter. My work has already made a real difference in my community. As I get older, I hope I can make a positive difference not just in Selinsgrove, but around the world. And I hope my series Hilde Cracks the Case inspires kids to start reading more, writing more, and maybe even reporting. I want to keep growing and learning, and I want to continue having fun!
Hilde's new book series "Hilde Cracks the Case"
photo: James Morehead for Google
The best thing about being a reporter: ...is when you expose liars and cheats.
Hardest thing:
Reading my own handwriting.
Most important lesson you've learned:
It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you take yourself seriously, other people will take you seriously too.
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photo: are you kidding®
hello, I'm Brandon (director of sales).
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... And I'm Sebastian (CEO & designer). please support us to knock the socks off pediatric cancer here.
brandon & sebastian martinez united states founders of are you kidding® areyoukiddingsocks.com
Tell us a bit about yourself? We are brothers and founders of Are You Kidding®. Sebastian is the CEO and designer, whereas Brandon is the Director of Sales. We design and sell our own line of kids and adult socks. We also use our socks to help raise funds and awareness for local and national charities, such as The Live Like Bella Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, Autism Speaks, and the American Cancer Society.
Why did you want to be entrepreneurs? We wanted to be entrepreneurs because Sebastian had a passion for wearing and collecting cool funky socks so we figured why not start our own company. By being entrepreneurs we are able to do something from the beginning with our family and grow it together. Also, we want to be able to inspire other kids and teach them that you are never to young to start your own business.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life? Our mom has been the biggest influence in our lives because she has taught us the importance of doing something not only for our family but also the importance of helping others.
If anything is possible, what would you want to achieve? We love that we are able to use our socks to give back to charities. If possible we would love to get celebrities and influencer to wear our socks to help raise more funds and awareness for all the charities we support. We also want to be able to grow the amount of charities we help through our kids helping kids initiative. We would love to help hundreds of charities! Don't forget to check out our current initiative to knock the socks off pediatric cancer here.
The best thing about being an entrepreneur: Seeing people smile when they put on our socks
Hardest thing: Balancing our time so that we can work, play basketball, and go to school
Most important lesson you've learned: That its important to give back to our community
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photo: carlo sardena
Submit student's artwork, poem, short story, or video We'd love to see your creations! Please send it here for a chance to be featured in kids nation magazine.
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photo: stock snap
student's submission
The Goalpost in the Distance by: atricia B. (australia)
I see a goalpost in the distance A bright and beautiful one One that has three edges And one that holds my dream My dream shining bright inside the goal Like a portal to the future And when I take a step I take a breath, I breathe all the hope I can smell I lick all the courage I can taste I kick the ball towards the goal… And it scores One point I have earned But I still have more points to score And my dream draws me closer To the happiest days of my life
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martabak telor (indonesian stuffed pancake) BY: desi trisnawati
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photo: desi trisnawati
cook
INGREDIENTS: Filling: 500 gr minced beef 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp curry powder Salt Pepper 3 bunches spring onion, thinly sliced 2-3 eggs, whisked Spring roll wrappers Cooking oil
METHOD: To make the filling, heat oil in a frying pan and add all the Filling Ingredients to pan. Cook until browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Add eggs and spring onions to the Filling mixture. Mix well. Place 2-3 tablespoons filling mixture in the centre of each spring roll wrapper. Brush the border lightly with water. Fold each wrapper like an envelope, and press edges together to seal. Fry until golden brown.
For more recipes: Follow Desi on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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@meliponinihoney
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check out previous editions of kids nation magazine here
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photo: Gaby Stein
printable
christmas letters tracing & multiplication worksheets BY: andreja vuČajnk Let's practice writing and maths multiplication using these Christmas-themed worksheets! Taking first steps into writing can be a lot easier if you use alphabet tracing worksheets. Younger kids can use markers to trace the letters and older ones (as they are more skilled) can use a regular pen! I do recommend you laminate these so you can use them over and over again. Let’s have some fun!
Just click on the pictures below to download the worksheets.
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photo: LEO LEE
fatherhood
Give Your Kids Space to Dream BY: carey casey
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When I was growing up, our grass was never in great shape, and that’s one more reason I appreciate my dad. The longer I’m around, the more reasons I seem to find to be thankful for him and my mom.
M
y dad let us basically destroy his front yard playing our neighborhood games. And I say “his front yard,” but it really stretched up and down most of the front yards on the block. We had to have that much space for our football grudge matches. All of us guys in the neighborhood thought we were headed to the pros, so these were intense battles. We’d argue about the rules, who stepped on the invisible out-of-bounds line, and almost everything else. Do you have memories like that? Football was the most common activity, but those yards saw their share of whiffleball games and just about any other sport or activity that we dreamed up. That grass was worn down to the dirt most of the time. It’s kind of amazing my dad let us do that. How many of us would let our kids wear out the grass? I sure don’t want my son tearing up my lawn goofing with his friends. And I’ve seen other dads getting on their kids for messing something up or causing a minor inconvenience … but they’re really just being kids!
I don’t believe any dads truly value their grass over their children. But I wonder what message we’re sending to our kids on a dayto-day basis. Do they think we care about our grass, our cars, our carpet, and so on, more than we care about them? Harmon Killebrew, the Hall-of-Fame hitter who played for the Minnesota Twins, told a story that makes the point well: “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. One time, my mother came out the screen door and said, ‘You’re tearing up the grass.’ My dad lovingly replied, ‘Sweetheart, we’re not raising grass. We’re raising boys.’” Now, there has to be some balance here. We can’t let our children to be completely careless with property; they need to learn responsibility. But we also need to make it very clear to them that their growth and development is more important to us than keeping our things just so. They need the space and opportunities to be kids and enjoy being kids.
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As dads, we should embrace the fact that growing up comes with some accidents, some worn-out possessions, some dents and repairs. That attitude can help us relax a bit. The grass or the bushes will grow back. The window or car headlight can be replaced. But those childhood years are short and precious. Find ways to allow your children to express their imagination and exuberance. It reflects your commitment to them and your desire to see them grow up with confidence and a sense of adventure. I never made the pros in football, but the time spent playing and dreaming in my front yard led to a role of speaking in just about every NFL locker room over the years. And, dad, you need to make sure something like that could happen with your kids, too. You just never know where childhood dreams will lead.
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Action points for dads on the journey
Join your kids outside when they’re playing — whatever the sport or activity. Expose your kids to a wide variety of experiences and pursuits, and jump in to that experience with them. Help create opportunities for your child to take another step toward his dreams. Get a book on the topic, buy tickets to a local event that’s related, enroll her in a class, or get to know someone who’s currently living out that dream. Ask your children about their dreams, and respond optimistically to what they say — even if they seem unrealistic or outlandish at first. Be an enthusiastic encourager and cheerleader for whatever your child pursues. Promise your prayers and support.
The National Center for Fathering (www.fathers.com) is a national nonprofit organization that offers innovative tools and resources that inspire and equip fathers to be more involved with their children in order to give each child a better future and to create a positive fathering legacy.
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