Mother Baby & Child - September 2017

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ISSUE 78| SEPTEMBER 2017 | AED 15

Things Mums Love (and hate) About Back to School

15

LEARN THE

READY, SET, SCHOOL! Preparing for the First Day

5 WAYS

to Ease Back-to-

School Anxiety

SECRETS OF

“WHY DID MY CHILD RECEIVE A c?”

STYLISH

MUMS And we don’t mean maternity nursing wear…

Communicating With Your Child’s Teachers

A Fantastic School Year

Balancing School, Homework & Sleep Helping Your Child Choose an After-School Activity Healthy Lunches and Snacks Supported by:

Editor’s Note

EDITORIAL

Editor: Dina Maaty

dina.maaty@cpimediagroup.com

It’s officially Back to School season and there are plenty of reasons to be excited! Not only does School mean more me-time for mama, it also represents a new phase in our children’s lives where they explore, learn and develop.

Online Editor: Emma Hodgson emma.hodgson@cpimediagroup.com

ADVERTISING

Sales Director: Michael Phillips Sales Manager: Mathew Tharakan Sales Manager: Vanessa Linney mbc.sales@cpimediagroup.com

MARKETING

Isabelle Mills

marketing@cpimediagroup.com

DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Rajeesh Nair

rajeesh.nair@cpimediagroup.com

PRODUCTION

James Tharian

DESIGN

Sarah Radwan

ONLINE

Ramir Toyado

PHOTOGRAPHY

Maksym Poriechkin

On an international front, some schools are resorting to nontraditional methods, like banning homework, to encourage children to read more. In Florida, some schools are implementing a “no homework” policy for the upcoming year.

In the UAE, schools are still big on homework. To be frank, with all the reading initiatives in place, we wouldn’t be very keen on having our children spend homework-free evenings as we just know reading wouldn’t be all they’ll be doing.

After Gulf News has reported that doctors in Al Ain removed 21 magnets from the stomach of a 23-month-old toddler, we have to urge parents to keep their children productively busy, and safe with all of this stationary around.

In the words of American reformer John Dewey: “Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” So, let’s embrace this school season and make the most out of it by helping our children learn and grow.

FOR OTHER ENQUIRIES, PLEASE VISIT: motherbabychild.com

FOUNDER

EDITOR’S PICKS

Dominic De Sousa (1959 - 2015)

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Emirates Printing Press LLC, Dubai

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Publication licensed by Dubai Production City, DCCA © Copyright 2017 CPI Media Group FZLLC. All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

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Back to School Supplies

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04 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

in this issue

Things to Do ...........................................................

Mummy & Baby ................................................... 08

Toddler & Child .................................................... 12 Older Child & Tween .......................................... 16 Parenting ................................................................

Ready, set, school!.................................................. 20 Balancing school, homework and sleep............. 26 Struggling learners ............................................... 28

Extra-curricular fun.............................................. 30

5 ways to ease back to school anxiety................. 32 Children on board.................................................. 38 Surviving pregnancy with toddlers and pre-schoolers .................................................. 40 Education ...............................................................

Classroom Rules.................................................... 46 Choosing the right electronic toys for your child.......................................................... 50 10 ways to encourage your child to read............ 54 Good Living ...........................................................

In the kitchen....................................................... 64 Learn the secrets of stylish mums............... 70 15 things mums love (and hate) about back to school............................................. 76

This Eid, it’s all about the kids............................ 80 Health ...................................................................

Baby’s first foods.................................................... 82

Household safety: preventing choking............. 8 6

S ta r L e t t e r

What have you enjoyed most while visiting the Mother, Baby and Child website and reading our magazine?

“I’ve enjoyed the parenting tips the most. I’ve learnt (or rather, re-learnt) lots of useful tips and advice for newborns. My children were born six years apart and my husband and I have had to re-learn so many things.”

Carla Corsino, Dubai

Dr. Kayle Aesthetic Clinic is the ultimate destination for all your beauty needs! Located in Dubai, the clinic was founded by Dr. Dany Kayle, who has over 15 years of experience and is a member of ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery).

Dr. Kayle is specialised in a wide range of cosmetic services offering his patients the best personalised care from mini-facelifts to major body WORTH ontouring. A one-stop clinic for AED all our makeover needs?

Please sign us up…

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To enter our Star letter competition, please visit motherbabychild.com/competitions

CONTRIBUTORS Pashmi Khare ...................................................................................................................

Mother to a 1-year-old and a psychologist helping people find their way out of different tricky situations, Pashmi Khare enjoys helping mothers get the answers to the most confusing questions in order to breeze through motherhood – exactly the way it should be!

Lucy Holmes...................................................................................................................... is Mum to a 7-year-old boy and newborn baby girl. Lucy is a freelance marketing consultant, specialising in the baby and child industry across the region.

Tasneem Rajkotwala ......................................................................................................

is a Dubai-based food blogger. As a busy mum herself, she creates easy-to-prepare treats and mouth-watering seasonal dishes which celebrate the joy of cooking at home on her blog ( thoughtsoverchai.net) for mums who have their hands full.

06 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

NURSES AND MIDWIVES

SUPPORTING NEW MOTHERS IN THE UAE

There’s a trend among new mums: healthcare professionals like nurses and midwifes are helping mothers with newborn children in the UAE as they transition from hospital to home and start caring for their children on their own.

With different demographics from expatriates who don’t have the support of a large family network, to locals with more family members who work, the demand for midwife and nurse support for mothers with newborn babies has been dramatically increasing.

Manzil Healthcare has launched an enhanced ‘Baby at Home’ service to provide mothers with essential care when they need it the most. Among the services that midwives and nurses provide is breastfeeding support and education, demonstrations for newborn baby care, post-delivery wound care, as well as assistance with the physical, emotional and social transformation after delivery.

manzilhealth.com

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08 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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THINGS TO DO

FRENCH CUISINE AND A CHILDREN’S CORNER Couqley, the cosy French Bistro in JLT, has just launched ‘Petit Couqley’, a dedicated kids’ play area in a corner of the restaurant, so both children and their parents can enjoy their time which includes: • Soft grass for infants and younger kids • A Petit ‘Majlis’ area with custom-made sofas • 55-inch flat screen TV playing various in-theme movies including the French favourite, Ratatouille, and other relevant shows • Kids’-size table and chairs filled with activities including colouring and ‘etch-asketch’s’ • iPad zone with complimentary Wi-Fi to keep the little ones busy • A specially-designed Petit Couqley menu with handheld and bite-size meals consisting of the same fresh ingredients as the main menu

The area is positioned so that you have a direct line of sight of the play area from the main dining room from most strategic tables. For larger groups and families, a private dining room is available for reservation for any occasion, with an exclusive door leading out into the kids’ area.

Food is consumed in the main dining area to ensure that the Petit Couqley area stays clean.

Babies, toddlers and kids up to the age of 12 years are all welcome. The perfect place to beat the hot Dubai weather, the area can host up to 15 – 20 kids.

CouqleyUAE

baby’s closet

Okaidi Obaibi AED 109

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AED 189

AED 47

AED 39

Babyshop AED 67

AED 69 AED 179

OshKosh B’gosh 10 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

AED 67

FOR LITTLE EXPLORERS

A children's excursion company for 3 – 5 year olds, Touring Tykes offers activities ranging from cooking, sports, art and music to animals, exploration and everything in between. Children who sign up to become ‘Touring Tykes’ will receive a t-shirt, reusable water bottle, bag and snack pack, and participate in 12 weeks of fun and exciting excursions.

Term activities include, but are not limited to:

• Making a bear avt Build-A-Bear • A tour of Fuzziwigs Candy Factory • Drumming at Dubai Drums • A cooking class at Manoushe Street

The Touring Tykes Term 1 starts from September 9 and runs every Saturday for 12 weeks. Priced at AED 2,750 for 12 weeks (reduced package rate) or AED 300 per week touringtykes-me.com

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BIG ADVENTURES

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A SPANISH HIDEAWAY

FOR A RELAXED FAMILY WEEKEND Tucked away at WAFI’s Pyramids dining complex is a Spanish restaurant you’ve got to visit for a family lunch or dinner. Even though it’s not located at a mall food court, Seville’s is very popular among families looking to spend a nice weekend afternoon with good food, flamencoworthy tunes and friendly service.

The tapas, traditional Spanish starters, come in large portions – not typically the way they’re originally served – but ridiculously sumptuous nevertheless. The tuna loin tataki comes with quinoa and blue mussels for a fresh seafood experience.

The pan-seared scallops are complemented with a pepper ‘foam’ for an extra touch.

Major deliciousness kicks in when the paella is served. Another traditional Spanish dish, this one takes 30 minutes to cook, and comes with hearty langoustine, fresh prawns, mussels and monkfish. Piping hot and tender, it’s the perfect balance between seafood and rice, and the boiled baby potatoes on the side from the tapas menu just made it all better.

For dessert, the churros are a child favourite, nothing less than what you’d expect from a soft dough which can be dipped in caramel or chocolate. Another soft dessert on the menu is the brioche, which had an unparalleled, irresistible melt-in-your mouth consistency.

At Seville’s, mothers can bring in their children to enjoy a cosy ambience set within the lush WAFI gardens. There’s plenty of room for them to play if it’s not a very sunny day. Otherwise, they’ll enjoy the lively indoor set-up and colourful menu.

pyramidsrestaurantsatwafi.com/restaurants/sevilles

12 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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EVIE

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THINGS TO DO

A PIZZA PARTY

A FAMILY BREKKIE AT THE MALL

Mall of the Emirates’ new food court has managed to attract families with children of all ages to what seems to be the perfect spot for weekend mornings. Azkadenya, a Middle Eastern restaurant conveniently located at the much-loved court, attracts children with just the right amount of quirkiness, good food and vibrant interiors.

The retro spot now offers delicious morning dishes until 1 pm every day, where you can choose from freshly-baked manaeesh topped with everything from traditional zaatar and labneh to the wackier Nutella, banana and hazelnut. Egg fans can sample a five-strong selection of ‘signatures’ including baked sunny side up eggs, chakchouka and omelette with akkawi cheese, all washed down with brightly-coloured smoothies, fruit and herb teas, Turkish coffee and fresh juices.

A one-of-a-kind dining experience, Azkadenya blends a modern approach to traditional Arabic dishes with quirky interiors. Drawing inspiration from the Middle East back in 1950s right through to the early 90s – eccentric design elements are thrown together with humour to create a feast for the eyes, stomach and soul. The kids will love it for a premovie brekkie or even a cool time with mum and dad.

AzkadenyaMOE

14 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

For Dubai’s youngsters, Russo’s New York Pizzeria has created all-new kids’ pizza-making parties for some fun in the kitchen! For just AED 30 per child, your kids can enjoy learning the ways of a pizza master chef, all within a fun party setting with treats and even an arts and crafts corner.

Minimum six children and one adult for every four children per party. Call 800 787 767 for bookings and reservations, parties from 10 am – 4 pm

LEARNING SOCCER FROM THE LEGENDS

Spanish Soccer Schools are welcoming the school season with an extra-curricular activity many children love: soccer. Working with some of Spain’s best football teams and players, their coaches teach world-class footballing education, also imparting the importance of sporting values, team spirit and togetherness as well as having fun.

Open to boys and girls from 6 – 18 starting September 3 at Dubai Sports City, from AED 2,200 per term spanishsoccerschool.com

THE ULTIMATE FAMILY ROAST

The Meydan Hotel’s newly-launched ‘Farriers Friday Family Roast’ offers Dubai foodies – and even the most junior among them – a lavish buffet and kids’ dedicated activity area together with live entertainment.

From fluffy roast potatoes and traditional Yorkshire pudding to sweet vegetables and home-made pan gravy accompanied by a mouth-watering roast rib of beef, stuffed roast chicken and whole salmon, the home dining experience is perfect for parents planning to treat their little ones with extensive kids’ fun activities including a bouncy castle, family movies, play area, drawing activities and a special buffet at the supervised kids’ area.

Available until September 29 at AED 165 per person (including food, still water and soft beverages), children up to four years enjoy a complimentary meal, children from five to 12 years old AED 80 per child

meydanhotels.com/meydan/familyroast

16 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

ADVERTORIAL

GET READY TO SPEND YOUR EID AT SPARKY’S

Sparky’s is Al Hokair Group’s flagship Entertainment brand: it’s a family fun destination where children and parents can share the excitement. With rides and games that cater to a wide range of age groups starting from two-year olds, the Group has nine Sparky’s locations and four Flash Bowling alleys across the UAE.

Sparky’s has some fantastic offers and surprises for Eid al Adha, Back to School and a Scratch & Win promotion, in addition to the fantastic ‘Tuesday Fun’ offer which will return after Eid. Tuesday Fun offers guests fun and play for only AED 1 every Tuesday.

Al Hokair Group has also introduced the ‘Snowy Forest’ for children under 12, one of their most popular entertainment venues, to the UAE. The first Snowy Forest centre has opened its doors to the public in Ajman City Life, Al Khor Mall in August, in attendance of Al Hokair Group Deputy CEO and Entertainment General Manager Mishal Al Hokair. The Forest features a big trampoline, which is the first in Ajman, in addition to a huge soft play area, rides and arcade and skills games.

Al Hokair Group is a name which has been synonymous with hospitality and entertainment for decades. Today, their portfolio includes 80+ entertainment centres – which attract 9 – 10 million visitors annually – including concepts like Sparky’s, Snowy, Sky Zone, Al Hokair Land, Flash Bowling and Minopolis to name a few.

Vote for Sparky’s and Win!

Sparky’s is nominated for the following categories at the Mother, Baby & Child Awards: Kids’ Entertainment Centre of the Year Best Party Venue of the Year Vote on motherbabychild.com/awards/2017 and stand a chance to win an iPhone 7 every month: just send Sparky’s a screenshot of your vote. Mother, Baby & Child is also offering voters the opportunity to enter a draw to win a trip to the Maldives.

Sparkys_UAE MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 17

IT’S PAMPERING TIME FOR THE KIDS Want to treat your little princess or prince to a day spa? Clear time in your summer holiday schedule to take them to Anantara Spa, located at Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. Kids who love to relax and beautify themselves just like mummy or daddy will adore the new Anantara Spa Kids’ Menu which offers a range of massage and beauty services. All beauty products used have been carefully selected to ensure they’re organic for your little ones.

For children ages five to 12, a Happy Feet treatment starts with a footbath ritual followed by a 30-minute massage. This fun and revitalising massage for children helps release tiredness and tension especially for the ones playing by the resort pool all day. Little princesses can experience an aromatic ‘Little Ones’ Facial’ which supplies young skin with the nutrients needed or a conditioning treatment which detangles hair and delivers replenishment after an active day in the sun.

For mamas, the ‘Family Time’ treatment will give you the chance to unwind and relax with a 60-minute massage or treatment while the kids mix and match between the two exciting 30-minute experiences.

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spa.dubai@anantara.com

JAPANESE FOOD IN THE WOODS Japanese food, greenery and babies – these are three things we wouldn’t normally associate with one other. It’s something, however, that Sushi at Grand Hyatt does rather well. Set amid a lush forest and flowing rivers filled with colourful fish, Sushi is a hidden treasure for kids and parents alike.

Offering an extensive menu of Japanese dishes, the chefs prepare the food right in front of your eyes. With fresh ingredients and the ‘specials’ changing every day, there’s something for every taste. The menu offers a selection of traditional udon noodles, tempura and yakimono, which are grilled foods such as teriyaki salmon and black cod, in a casual, lively ambiance.

Expecting kids at a Japanese restaurant may not be so farfetched, but babies joining their parents for an early lunch? Oh yes, and they were pretty happy with the giant dragon fish floating right beside their table in its own aquarium.

We have a feeling kids and babies also love the hotel’s outdoor garden, where they can feed the ducks roaming around freely, bird watch and head to the pool for some ice cream and splashing – but maybe that’s just us – so head there and see for yourself.

Lunch: 12:30 pm – 15:30 pm Dinner: 7 pm – 11:30 pm Thursday & Friday: 7 pm to 12:00 am dubai.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Sushi

18 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

GS

Ready, Set, School!

Helping Your Kids Prepare for the First Day and Beyond We all have memories of our first day at school: the trendy backpack, books fresh out of the store and funky stationary – all set to start the academic year and make new friends. As a mum, you play a crucial role in preparing your kids for school. Here’s how to help them:

Ready?

• Organise playdates with other children over the school holidays. The social part of the school year can be challenging, and this is a good way to ensure they have a friend or two before starting.

• Always talk to your child in a positive, cheerful way about school. Try to eliminate negativity as much as you can and downplay aspects that aren’t that popular with children including homework and grades.

• Use positive reinforcement to reward good behaviour. Giving your child a reward for successfully completing a task or behaving, no matter how small, will reinforce that desired behaviour for the school days to come.

• Monitor your child’s response to conversations about school. It’s important to detect any anxiety and address that before school starts. Try to assure them that everything will be alright, and that this is a new phase that they should be looking forward to.

• Read, read, read. Read to and with them as this is the best way to prepare your child for school. Reading sets a great foundation for the future too.

• Practice playing games where there’s group participation and interaction, which will show them how a classroom setting would be and how to interact with peers.

• Teach your child to use the toilet independently. Using the school toilet differs from going to the bathroom at home (with mum’s help). For younger children, using a public bathroom can be challenging.

• Demonstrate some self-calming strategies to your child. There will always be stressful situations at school, so it’s important to find age-appropriate tools which they can use to calm themselves down in such cases.

20 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

Set…

• Attend a school orientation with your child. It’s a good way of getting to meet other parents and students beforehand, while familiarising yourselves with the rules.

• Be as prepared as possible for the ‘before-school’ morning routine. It’s almost inevitable to have a bit of a rough morning, but you can try to make it as minimally messy as possible by planning and placing everything where it should be.

• Set up a good routine for sleeping, eating and spending time outdoors.

Over the summer, you’ll find that their general schedule gets a bit random, so try to get things back on track right before school.

• Go on an exciting trip together to buy school essentials. Make it an adventure and focus on the child and what they need, love and want. Relate items to activities they would be doing later throughout the school year.

• Make sure you buy clothes and shoes which are easy to put on. Schools usually give some options when it comes to uniforms, so always go for whatever would make mornings easier.

• Label everything! From shoes and uniforms to stationary and lunchboxes, you just know children love losing things; labels will make it easier to pick out their lost socks from among 3000 identical ones.

• It’s important that you boost your child’s fine motor skills. Teach them how to properly hold a pencil or crayon. Knowing how to use scissors will also be a useful skill they’ll need to learn.

• Encourage them to recognise and learn how to write their own first name. Not only is this crucial for their safety, but they’ll need to do it at school for every single assignment and you’d be surprised at how hard it can be for them.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 21

PARENTING

Go!

• Make sure you have a solid ‘goodbye routine’ in place. Easier for some children than others, saying goodbye to mama and heading to school can cause major separation anxiety. You can also ask their teacher to help you.

• Try not to cry in front of them! Be as strong as you can be, then go cry with a friend later if you feel like it.

• If your child is particularly anxious, and this naturally applies to younger children more, give them a token to help them remember you or favourite toy to keep them ‘company’ during the school day.

• Say ‘hello’ to other parents! You could even arrange to meet later for coffee or lunch and get to know them better.

You’re all in the same boat and your children may even find it easier to make friends that way.

• Always keep communication channels open with their teachers. School reports don’t always sufficiently reflect what’s happening in the classroom.

• Keep healthy snacks ready for when they come home from school starving. They’ll eat packs and packs of gummy bears while waiting for lunch, something you wouldn’t want to witness.

• Don’t be surprised if they come home tired and not wanting to discuss their day, especially during the first few weeks.

Give them time to relax, take a bath, do their homework and aim for an early bedtime.

• Make sure they get their dose of real free time, with the least amount of screen time. Just like adults, children need a break from school work.

• Always engage them in play-based activities at home, including building, baking, cutting, gluing, sticking, painting and more.

• Teach them to take care of their things as it’s one of the most important things they can ever learn. Make sure they know how, and understand why, they need to keep their backpack clean, lunchbox closed and stationary school-ready.

22 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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PARENTING

BALANCING SCHOOL, HOMEWORK AND SLEEP Pashmi Khare

Once, I met a child who was brought in for counselling by a very concerned father suspecting that his son had developed an addiction to adult media. The father told me that his son’s grades had dropped, he was up late nights, mostly stayed in his room with the laptop and didn’t participate in any outdoor activities.

26 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

When I spoke with the child, he told me that he felt pressured by his parents’ expectations for admission into a good university. He had a lot of homework from school and went to preparatory classes for different subjects; hence, he had no time or energy for anything else.

The child loved football and had a blog on the topic, but his parents believed that there was no real career option in that field and directed towards studying instead. He had a good number of followers on his blog encouraging him to keep it going, but was afraid that his parents wouldn’t approve and so he hid his blog-related activities from them.

In this case, the child had to juggle between school work, preparatory classes and his interest in football – which left him very little time to take a rest or do anything else. The exhaustion was settling in, making him less and less capable of staying focused and feeling more and more tired all the time.

Thus, there were three of us in that room.

As children grow, they often start taking charge of their lives in many ways, which is wonderful, but it’s crucial that we help them learn the skills required to have a balanced life.

With school, different challenges come up, such as: Expectations from family, teachers and peers

• Achievable: Make sure the child’s plan is practical and leaves enough time for them to relax • Realistic: Help them consider all influences (controllable and uncontrollable) while planning

• Timely: Encourage setting a deadline for each task. Ideally, this deadline is to be based on previous planning instead of the date of submission or similar factors

2

Look out for signs of stress: If the child is unwilling to go to school or frequently complaints of a headache, stomach-ache or similar ailments, it might be a sign of stress. If you sense anxiety, talk to them, listen carefully and encourage them to engage in activities such as jogging, swimming, music or reading. Parents can also be a source of stress by either imposing their plans on children or modelling poor coping mechanisms.

3

Facilitate studying time: Create an atmosphere which is conductive of studying time: try to keep it peaceful and distraction-free and make studying more fun.

Exhaustion from long school hours and homework Hormonal changes due to physical and mental developments A child’s self-esteem is directly proportional to how well they balance everything. As parents, here are a few things we need to keep in mind to help children achieve personal well-being:

1

Time management skills: We need to help them practice time management daily. This can further be broken down into: • Prioritising: Identifying urgent/non-urgent and important/unimportant tasks and planning the time investment accordingly.

• Setting ‘SMART’ goals:

• Specific: Help them clearly define what they want or need to do

• Measurable: Identify ways to objectively define a task or goal which can be tracked

4

Don't overload the child: Sometimes, thinking it’s the recipe for a successful life, parents make children attend extra classes and extracurricular activities. It’s important to check with children if they’re comfortable with their schedule. A tired body and mind can’t perform to their full potential. It’s a good idea to let them have some spare time to rest and reflect on their learnings.

5

Schedule bedtime: Lack of sleep can lead to several (physical and mental) health issues. Set gradual calming ritual up in the house 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime as this makes it easier for children to fall asleep.

6

Encourage healthy lifestyle habits: Facilitate healthy eating by providing the children with healthy meal and snack options. Avoid caffeine and beverages in general later in the evening. Help children develop a habit of regularly working out or some physical activity.

The best way to help a child sail through the stress of school life is by modelling balancing skills while encouraging them to talk and express their feelings fearlessly.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 27

PARENTING

STRUGGLING LEARNERS

LEARNING DISABILITIES AND THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS Sensation Station Intervention & Therapy Centre, Dubai It’s scary to admit that your child may be struggling to learn. Research tells us that parents fear that their child may be ‘labelled for life’ if they have a learning disability. However, it’s very important to seek help as soon as you realise your child is having difficulty learning. Seeking help – and certainly recognising the early signs of a learning disability – can mean the difference between success and failure for your child at school.

Most learning disabilities affect reading and language skills. In fact, a significant majority of students with learning disabilities have problems reading. If these children receive appropriate help in the early years, most of them will become skilled, independent readers.

28 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

When help is delayed, it becomes harder and harder for children to catch up. Perhaps the most important reason to seek help early is to spare children the frustration and failure they experience when they don’t do well in school and don’t know why. You must help your child understand that they simply learn differently."

Why get help immediately?

• 80% of students with a learning disability have trouble reading.

• 90% percent of children will read normally if they receive help by the first grade.

• 75% percent of children who receive help after the age of nine will have some difficulty throughout life.

What should I do first?

• Trust your intuition! Nobody knows your child better than you do, so if you suspect a real problem, speak to teachers and other school staff, seek information and expert opinions, and don’t be afraid to have them evaluated right away.

• Meet with your child’s teacher and guidance counsellor.

They can tell you how well your child interacts with their peers, and help arrange a full evaluation of how well your child is performing at school.

• Observe your child’s strengths and interests. Encourage them at school and during play, and reward your child for the many things they do well.

• Realise that you’re not alone and that experienced people and groups have information and help for you right now.

• Learn as much as you can. The more you know about learning disabilities, the more you can help your child. Start with your school.

• Know your legal rights and the school’s responsibilities in terms of teaching children with learning disabilities.

Accordingly to the KHDA, schools in Dubai must ensure that the needs of Children with Learning Disabilities are accurately and wholly identified as early as possible in order for strategies to be effective.

• The process of identifying a disability is likely to involve external specialists such as an educational psychologist, speech-language therapist and/or an occupational therapist. The curriculum should be appropriately modified for students once their needs have accurately been identified.

Learning difficulty or disability?

Discussing the differences between a learning difficulty and disability can be complex.

School requires hard work in order to be successful. However, for some students, even hard work may not be enough: they’re faced with additional challenges in the classroom due to learning disabilities and/or difficulties. There are no definitive, consensual interpretations or definitions of these terms.

Nonetheless, as a generalisation: a learning difficulty can be an obstacle, be it in learning or behaviour, that affects a person's ability to learn, get along with others and follow convention. A learning disability, on the other hand, is a disorder that inhibits the ability to process and retain information; it’s something that incapacitates an individual’s ability to understand information, learn new skills and cope independently. There are numerous mental processes that affect learning, so learning disabilities can vary dramatically.

These are the most common types which transcend in classrooms today:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Affects focus, attention and behaviour, and can make learning challenging • Dyscalculia: Affects a person's ability to understand numbers and learn math facts

• Dysgraphia: Affects a person's handwriting ability and fine motor skills • Dyslexia: Affects reading and related language-based processing skills

• Dyspraxia: Problems with movement and coordination, language and speech

• Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities (NVD/NVLD): Has trouble interpreting non-verbal cues like facial expressions or body language and may have poor coordination The above learning disabilities and difficulties can manifest with varying degrees of severity, and some children may struggle with more than one. By understanding these, it’s possible to find workable solutions so that every student can succeed in the classroom. Since these are often recognised during a child's school years, there’s room to give them the appropriate support and intervention to ensure that they can achieve success in school, at work, in relationships and within the community.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 29

PARENTING

EXTRA-CURRICULAR FUN

CHOOSING AN AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY FOR YOUR CHILD

When choosing an after-school activity for their children, most parents take into consideration age and interests above everything else. For some, it’s a matter of ensuring they’re happy and satisfied rather than imposing a certain activity, while others prefer to take the lead when it comes to choosing the right after-school game plan. Either way, there are some key decisions to be made, and Mother, Baby & Child will help you find the right afterschool fun for your child: 30 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

Ask them what they’d like to do. This is the easiest way to gauge your child’s interest in certain activities which you may think are suitable for them. Remember, this is a long-term decision, so the last thing you need is spending good dirhams on something that will last only for two weeks.

Observe and analyse their interests. Apart from what they like to do, what are they good at? Is your child good at putting on a show? Then they must join drama classes! Do they like to move around and bounce off the walls? Then gymnastics would be a good option. It’s all about putting their energy to good use.

What’s available out there? It’s important to keep track of what’s available, as there may be some less traditional options which could work for your child. Dubai is known for its quirkiness and innovation, so no matter what your child enjoys, you can always find something they would go for.

Do the staff have enough experience? This information will usually be made available to you upon signing up, but if not, you’ll need to ask. It’s very important that staff know what they’re doing and that they’re qualified to teach children this specific activity and supervise them too.

Make sure the classes are age/level-appropriate.

There’s nothing more demotivating than joining a class you think you’ll enjoy, only to find out later that it’s too difficult or challenging. The opposite is also true: an activity needs to be challenging enough! For children, this is especially important, so check the class out before pursuing anything.

Calculate the costs. You need to consider your budget when finding the right extra-curricular activity for your children. Bear in mind, some are more expensive than others. Many activities will require materials or supplies, while others will need your child to wear a uniform.

Check if you could have them do a trial before they start to avoid having them change their mind.

How does this fit with the family schedule? Your child will probably need someone to drop them off and pick them up; even if the activity is within walking distance, younger children will need someone to walk them to/ from the venue. Before signing up, make sure the class schedule fits with that of the family – keeping in mind daddy’s responsibilities and yours, in addition to your other children’s obligations.

Is it too much? Or just enough? If your child is always bored, they need more. If you feel tired or worn out, then your child probably is too. Monitor your child’s mood and ask them how they feel. Don’t try to fit in too many activities at once, but don’t ignore extra-curricular as it’ll help them socialise and thrive.

If your child hates the activity you’ve chosen, not all hope is lost! There’s probably something else out there that they’ll fall in love with. Be patient, have a chat and make sure that them dropping out will not affect any teamwork. Finally, get a refund (or try to do so)!

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 31

PARENTING

5 WAYS TO EASE BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY

Back-to-school anxiety is perfectly normal: you probably remember this from your childhood, and your children experiencing stress as school season approaches is quite normal too. Here are five tips to help ease your children’s anxiety as they go back to school:

Give your children some time before school to get back into the habit of eating and sleeping at certain times. A week or two before school, start preparing them for school year routines: it’s time for healthy bedtimes and playtime re-scheduling.

You can use positive reinforcement to encourage your child to go to school. Use a reward system to encourage them to go to school and be away from their parents. Validate your child’s concerns by acknowledging that school, while tough and times, can also be fun.

Arrange playdates with their favourite peers.

Experts agree that being around familiar faces can help children adjust better. You can’t go with them to school, but their peers will give them a sense of comfort and ease as they share the school experience with them.

Keep your family active. Exercise is a good way to release negative energy, so ensure your child stays fit by starting a family fitness programme before school, where they work out two-three times a week.

Plan and problem-solve. Rather than reassuring your child that their worries are valid and keeping your response passive, try to reassure them that they can deal with whatever comes their way and that you’ll help them face any challenges ahead in the upcoming school year.

32 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

PARENTING

THERE’S A NEW CHILDREN’S CENTRE IN TOWN

Having opened its doors late April 2017, the Riverston Children’s Centre is located in Dubai’s Umm Suqeim 1 neighbourhood, which was established as a joint venture between the UK-based Riverston Group and ‘Tarbia’, a Dubai-based company which is active in the education sector.

With a primary focus on Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Learning Support, the centre plans on expanding its holistic approach to encompass a child’s most important developmental years by launching an Early Intervention Programme for children ages three to six this month.

The programme will provide full-time intensive specialist support with experienced therapists and highlight eight areas of learning and development including Communication and Language in addition to Physical, Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

Therapists will embed specialist strategies within play and improve their outcomes in school and socialisation. Our everyday functional activities. early intervention programme provides an intensive learning What are you offering UAE parents in terms of therapy environment for children at this important stage in their development where early years teaching and integrated therapy and support for children? support children’s all-round development through play.

Riverston Children’s Centre has a multidisciplinary team including speech and language therapists, occupational Are there any new approaches in the field that we therapists, a visiting psychologist and an early years specialist need to know about? so that parents can find all the support they need under one There are new approaches, treatments and ideas all the time, roof and are provided with an integrated approach. We also run but many are not researched and advertised without robust parent workshops and training courses to empower families to evidence. We at Riverston Children’s Centre use new approaches support their children in everyday situations. Our therapists use that have a strong evidence base so that families can trust the most up-to-date assessments and therapy approaches and our that we’re doing the best for their children. Our therapists are programmes include individual and group sessions as well as an dedicated to continuous professional development. early intervention programme.

1

2

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What age groups are you looking to support and why did you choose to offer an early intervention programme?

We support children from as young as six months to students up to 20 years old and our early intervention programme runs for children ages three to six years old.

We strongly believe in early support as research shows high quality early intervention can change a child's developmental trajectory and

34 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

4

Any advice to UAE mums on taking care of their children’s needs?

Parents are usually the first to notice if their children are struggling in an aspect of their development. It’s important not to ignore any concerns, even if this may mean seeing a therapist for a quick screening to check whether everything is ok. It may be that the family just needs some advice on activities which can be easily done at home. We as parents can often be very directive with our children, giving instructions and asking questions when sometimes it’s good to just ‘OWL’: Observe - Wait - Listen. When you OWL during play, you’ll open up all sorts of opportunities for communication. Parents will often discover their children are communicating more than they realise.

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PARENTING

CHILDREN ON BOARD CAR SAFETY TIPS We often hear about the importance of driving safely, but it’s even more important to be extra careful when it comes to driving with children.

"Dubai car insurance companies’ data shows that the likelihood of you getting into an accident is around 35%. Young children are particularly susceptible to injuries, even in minor car accidents, therefore extra measures should be taken to ensure their safety while driving,” Emre Guclu, head of insurance at ServiceMarket, tells Mother, Baby & Child.

Here are some essential child safety tips which can make every ride safer for you and your family:

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Seat belts and child seats save lives.

It’s very important to always wear a seatbelt, and this becomes even more important if your passengers include children. Children of four years of age or younger must be secured in a child seat in accordance with UAE traffic laws, and it’s important not to seat any children aged 10 or below in the front seat. Having a child sit in the front seat significantly increases the risk of injury in an accident and the airbag can cause fatal injuries in children below the height requirement.

Children grow up fast, which means that you may need a bigger car seat sooner than you’d expected. Keep track of your child’s height and weight, and install a new car seat when they become taller or heavier than its specified capacity.

While fastening your children’s seat belts, always tighten and test them to ensure that they’re secure. You might also want to consider buying a buckle lock for your seatbelts so that your children can’t unfasten themselves at any point.

When riding in someone else’s car, remember to ask the driver to turn on the child-lock before they start driving.

Moreover, if your car windows are controlled remotely by the driver, make sure to set the windows on lock as well. If it becomes necessary to pull down the windows, then let your child open just enough in a way that they can’t toss anything outside or stick their hands out.

Plan activities to keep them from getting bored.

When children are forced to sit in the same spot for a while, they can get pretty fidgety, and this can compromise their safety. When you’re the one at the wheel, you need to give your full attention to the road and can’t let yourself get Never leave children alone in the car. distracted by them. One way to prevent Given Dubai’s climate, where temperatures that is to plan out some games and activities to keep them entertained, which is particularly important for longer can peak at 49oC on the hottest days, you should never leave children alone in the trips. car. Infants are very susceptible to heat Play their favourite music, let them watch a movie on your strokes, and they can become ill because of tablet or try some simple games like getting them to count the heat in a very short period of time. all the red cars they can spot from their window. This way, At no point should you leave your child alone in the car, but they’ll find something safe to do while you’re driving. in case of an emergency, like a car maintenance issue that requires you to exit the car, you should try to move into the Teach your child the importance of car safety. shade, keep the air conditioning running and supply your children and any other passengers with plenty of chilled You can make your children responsible water. for their own well-being by teaching them the importance of car safety. Instil good habits in them, such as putting Make sure your car has child locks enabled. on the seat belt without being told to, Most cars have child locks to prevent not walking behind cars in a car park, your children from opening the doors remaining seated until the car stops moving and not getting out of the car on a busy road on their own. There are times where you might turn off the lock when commuting without your guidance. with friends or older family members, so Have them memorise important numbers, such as Police remember to check the lock and switch it and Emergency, and teach them the correct steps to take in on before every ride. the unfortunate case you’re in a car accident (if they’re old enough).

As a responsible parent, you should follow these five car safety tips to the T, even for short trips as doing so will ensure that your children are not exposed to unnecessary dangers and prevent them from being injured in the unlikely case of a car accident.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 37

PARENTING

IN A NUTSHELL...

Have You Heard?

All taxi franchise companies and limousine services in Dubai must make child car seats available to passengers. The RTA’s decision follows the amended Federal Traffic Law which came into effect on July 1: it mandates car child seats for children up to the age of four years. Failure to strap children into car child seats attracts a fine of AED 400.

38 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

PARENTING

SURVIVING PREGNANCY

…WITH TODDLERS AND PRE-SCHOOLERS

By Lucy Holmes When I was pregnant the first time around, I started an exciting, but overwhelming journey. Even though I suffered with every pregnancy, I had a huge luxury that I took for granted: spare time, as is the case for most first-time mums.

With your first pregnancy, you have time to go to bed early or sleep in, wallow in self-pity as you nurse a sick bucket, choose to have a lazy day or get a massage, etc. It was lovely: I slept, became spoilt and spent a lot of time watching TV.

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However, when I got pregnant the second time around, I had an energetic and demanding first child to run after who simply didn’t understand the concept of Mum being pregnant and needing to ‘take it easy’. He also suddenly became clingier, as he understood that massive changes were about to take place for our family unit.

I was looking forward to more cuddles, but it became difficult to cope with the extra attention when I was running to the bathroom every few minutes. So how do you manage? Everybody does it, but it can seem like a challenging task when you’re racked with fatigue and nausea, and your beloved first child just wants, wants, wants, wants everything.

My mum had three children under three and I’m still in awe of how she did it. When I asked her how she coped, she told me: “At the end of the day, I used a broom to sweep all the toys into the playroom.”

There are a few other ways to make your life a little easier when you’re pregnant and have a toddler. Here are my top six picks.

1. Your help: Oh, Dubai and the expat life: a great environment for coping with children if you’re fortunate enough to have live-in or out help; even if your help is just a cleaner, that frees up time for you to relax a little bit more.

2. Grandparents: If your parents live nearby, you have a great resource for getting things done. Why not ask your mum to take your toddler on an outing for the day? They’ll both love the fun opportunity to spend time together and, most importantly, you’ll get a few hours to yourself to shop, clean, cook or pass out on the couch. My mum lives in the UK, but she has visited Dubai twice during my pregnancy and helped me a lot.

3. Get organised: It’s easy to move frantically through each day in a whirlwind of chaos and endless stuff to be done. You’ll find it a lot easier to cope if you try and break down your week into things you need to get done and decide when to do them.

With a plan, you’ll feel a lot less stressed, even if you don’t finish everything.

Schedule in some ‘essentials’ plan at least two nights per week when you’re going to get to bed early (this was my guilty pleasure) and make it official by putting it up on the family planner or a note on the fridge (basically anywhere you and your husband can regularly see it). Let your husband know about it and then, most importantly, stick to it.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 41

PARENTING

You can also use this technique to make time for a massage, hair appointment or pre-natal yoga class.

4. Let your other child take control: Children, by nature, want to do more and more things for themselves, but many parents are guilty of micromanaging their child in fear that they’ll get it wrong or hurt themselves.

When you’re pregnant, you can take advantage of your first child’s eagerness to be independent by letting them run their own show.

5. Play dates! So, you know those friends who go: “and if you need anything just ask”? Well, this is the time to just ask. Get the other child packed off on play dates to exert some energy and give you some much-needed peace and quiet.

6. Let go a bit: The house doesn’t always need to be tidy; sometimes, the shopping and cooking can wait. Every now and then, allow yourself and your toddler a morning or afternoon off from all your business. Instead, you can play or snuggle on the couch watching TV: it’ll give you some much-needed down time and your first child a mum-and-me occasion as well – win, win!

Another benefit is that you have less time to obsess and worry about every little niggling sign and symptom with this pregnancy – which will probably save you a lot of wasted time on needless worry.

The other major positive the second time around is that you know you can do this! You’ve been on the ride before and, unlike last time, you now understand that your body was made to handle being pregnant and that you’re tough enough to handle it.

That’s got to be reassuring.

Ultimately, you must involve and engage your child with the pregnancy and new arrival, so ensure to take them on the doctors’ appointments and get their input on the nursery so that they too can be a part of the exciting journey.

42 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

EDUCATION Featured PRINCIPAL

Isabelle Amatoury Kid’s Island Nursery Kid’s Island Nursery has been open for over 26 years. How has the physical and educational landscape changed during that period and what are you most proud of?

When Kid’s Island Nursery first opened, Sheikh Zayed Road was a dual highway and we were surrounded by desert. There were very few nursery options for families in Dubai. Twenty six years later, we’re now surrounded by a vibrant city with many Education choices.

My aim when I first started Kid’s Island Nursery was to ensure that my own children were receiving quality education while we were living abroad. I’m most proud of the fact that I could raise my children in a stimulating

44 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

environment, while following my own dream of creating a home away from home for families within our community.

Kid’s Island Nursery is a family-owned and operated business. How do you feel it affects dynamics within your Nursery?

My family has grown up with many of our Nursery families. Today, my daughter and I work alongside each other and see our Nursery family as being a part of our extended one. We care about what’s happening to our children and their families and enjoy finding ways to ensure that everyone is getting the most out of their Nursery experience.

Brain Gym! What is it and how do you use it within your nursery?

I believe that learning involves the whole body which is why I was so drawn to Brain Gym. It prepares the brain for optimal learning through movement in a series of simple, yet specific exercises. The movements are fun and our children enjoy having the opportunity to move around. The routines have been incorporated into our classroom activities to ensure the children are ready for their learning experiences.

Your facilities are designed to inspire the inquiring minds of younger children. What unique facilities have you set up for this purpose?

Many of our families have limited exposure to the outdoors. The increased use of technology is creating generations of children who’ve been denied the opportunity for sensory learning in a natural environment.

We’ve created a nursery environment surrounded by abundant, bright indoor resources, coupled with interactive outdoor facilities and fabulous gardens

to provide endless opportunities for tactile, spontaneous learning experiences. Uniquely, these are set up so they can be used by our children throughout the year.

‘Positive’ and ‘Education’ are new buzz words increasingly being used together in the UAE. Tell us about your Positive Behaviour strategy.

As children grow in independence, it’s natural that they learn and explore how to socially interact with adults and their classmates. At times, they may need to be reminded of the boundaries within the classroom.

Positive reframing enables the teacher to gently redirect behaviour as it occurs. This involves educating the child about how their actions affect others and how they can deal with similar situations in future. Our belief is that the child needs to maintain their positive self-image while learning from their actions.

How have you managed to create a happy learning environment for the children?

We allow our love of learning to seep through into all the decisions we make for the Nursery. The beautiful gardens, creative studios and engaging activities complement the progressive curriculum we have in place and offer an experiential environment for our children to learn, while having fun!

https://www.kidsislandnursery.com/

04 394 2580

KidsIslandandCocoonNursery MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 45

EDUCATION

CLASSROOM RULES Dubai’s Top Nurseries Share Their Best-Kept Classroom Management Secrets…

Vandana Gandhi Founder and CEO, British Orchard Nursery TELL US ABOUT THE CLASSROOM RULES FOLLOWED BY BRITISH ORCHARD NURSERY? DO YOU USE ‘TIME OUT’?

At British Orchard Nursery, we like to refer to the phrase ‘thinking time’ rather than ‘time out’. If a child is given some ‘thinking time’, they’ll be asked to sit somewhere close by where they can be seen and see others. A child will have approximately a minute for each year of their age to reflect on their actions and re-focus on appropriate play and interactions. At the end of this cool down period, a teacher will discuss with the child the inappropriate behaviour and, if necessary, they’ll be encouraged to apologise or start something new.

WHAT ABOUT BEHAVIOURAL CHARTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR TICKET-PULLING SYSTEMS? DO YOU USE ANY OF THOSE?

Yes, we do. On a regular basis, ‘class ground rules’ will be discussed with the children so that they’re aware of behavioural expectations and able to monitor their own behaviour and that of their peers. We refer to a wall chart with pictures of a ‘Star’ for superstar, ‘Sunshine’ for good behaviour, ‘Rainy Cloud’ for thinking time and a ‘Thunder Cloud’ for speaking to parents. This is a great visual for all ages and encourages children to maintain good behaviour as they feel great pride in seeing their names up on the chart.

46 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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EDUCATION

Jodie Taylor FS1 Teacher, Hummingbird Pre-school HOW DO YOU GET YOUR STUDENTS TO RESPECT YOU?

We believe that mutual respect is essential in the Early Years classroom; to get our students to respect us, we must respect them. It’s important to teach respect from a young age, highlight expectations and set clear limits. Children are constantly observing and imitating behaviour learnt from the key people in their lives and, for this reason, it’s fundamental to model respectful behaviour at all times.

We maintain a fun and comfortable classroom environment by always treating others with kindness and respect. It’s important to reinforce and praise respectful behaviour and discourage disrespect. We believe that it’s vital to highlight the importance of respectful language and behaviour before responding to the child’s requests to develop their understanding of the importance of this value.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO READ A STORY AND THEY JUST CAN’T SIT AND LISTEN?

Story time is always a favourite in classes at Hummingbird Centres! Occasionally, there are times when they just don’t want to sit and listen; in these circumstances, we try to make story time more interactive to keep everyone engaged.

Before we’ve even started reading the story, we’ll look at the front cover and explore the pictures: “What do we think the story is about?” This will increase the child’s interest in finding out what happens.

The teacher will ask questions throughout to maintain involvement in the story and reinforce learning. When reading stories, we use different voices and facial expressions to represent characters and keep the storytelling experience exciting. We’ll also encourage the children to join in repeating familiar words and phrases from some of their favourite stories and, if they’re really not interested in sitting and listening, we’ll try role playing the stories instead: this is always an exciting experience for everyone involved!

48 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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The 6th annual Mother, Baby & Child Awards recognise the best products and services for children and families across the UAE as voted by parents. We have 45 categories this year including new, exciting awards for Car Seat of the Year, Babymoon Destination of the Year and Must-Have Home Appliance.

Vote now and stand a chance to win an amazing three-night stay for a family of four at The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Resort, Maldives – including a snorkeling excursion and spa treatments worth over AED 17,000. All you need to do is hit the ‘share’ button after you’ve cast your votes!

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EDUCATION

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ELECTRONIC TOYS FOR YOUR CHILD

Toys can offer children much more than meets the eye. While traditional toys do foster development, they can fall short on fun and fail to take your child’s play experience to the next level. Electronic toys give your child the opportunity to grow, learn and have fun with interactive features which may not be otherwise available in older or more basics toys. Make sure you choose the right electronic toy for your child with these tips:

Avoid second-hand and hand-me-downs. When it comes to electronic toys, you’re better off with new purchases. Hand-me-downs from friends and family may be cost-effective and have sentimental value, but usually don’t meet safety standards.

They’re also likely to be worn out from playtime, which makes them more prone to breaking and becoming hazardous.

Make sure it’s not too noisy. Electronic toys can be as loud as a car horn, and while mama may seem to have an even bigger of a problem with loud toys than baby, loud toys can contribute to hearing damage if held very close to the ear – something we just know a child is likely to do as they’re playing.

Choose age-appropriate toys for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Use a toilet paper roll to determine the dimensions of the toy: if it’s smaller than three centimetres in diameter and six centimetres in length, it may be a choking hazard. Make sure they toy is unbreakable and strong enough to withstand chewing. It should also be free of sharp ends, small parts, long strings or pinch points.

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Battery-operated toys need to be well-sealed. A battery case must have a screw to prevent a child from being able to easily open it. Battery fluid poses serious health risks including choking, internal bleeding and chemical burns.

Riding toys should come with safety features. From horses and luxury cars to wagons and beautiful bicycles, riding toys may be fun, but have you checked their safety features? These types of toys must come with harnesses or straps to avoid any risk of tipping over in case of collision or otherwise. We’ve seen too many YouTube videos of children falling off riding toys, which is more dangerous than adorable.

Bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and inline skates should never be used without helmets that meet current safety standards and other recommended safety gear like hand, wrist and shin guards. Many parents think that older children can manage if the distance isn’t that long or they’re within the limits of their own home. Injuries are always a possibility, so protect your children by ensuring that any purchases are complete with their safety gear.

Conduct regular checks on toys. It can be very easy to hoard toys, especially as your children may not want to let any of the older ones go. Never store electronic toys for too long and monitor battery-operated toys and chargeable ones; a malfunctioning electrical toy can lead to many problems.

Understand how to operate electronic toys and go through the instruction manual with your children. It’s easy to trash the manual when the toy looks simple enough, but the technicalities can be just as important as anything else. How many times have we ignored the manual only to have an ‘aha moment’ when we later read it? Instructions may range from basic to downright complicated, but it’s important to read them.

Product features and specifications tell you many things you may not know about the toy. If there’s any fabric, it should be flame-retardant. Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint so that they’re non-toxic.

Keep it simple. Toys with flashing lights and lots of movement can hinder children’s development as they don’t require them to focus on something for very long. This can make them have trouble concentrating, reading a book or playing with more static toys – all of which can have numerous benefits.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 51

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Kings’ School Al Barsha Celebrates Excellent Performance in First Year of GCSE Examinations Kings’ School Al Barsha students are proudly celebrating some impressive results which have set them up for a confident move into their Sixth Form education and beyond. Both Kings’ School Dubai and Kings’ School Nad Al Sheba preparatory schools feed into the secondary school at Kings’ School Al Barsha, allowing students to continue the Kings’ experience from ages 3 – 18 . Like Kings’ School Nad Al Sheba, the Al Barsha campus was established in September 2014, and is also a preparatory school. The results are an excellent achievement for the inaugural GCSE-level students and proof of the Kings’ mission of ‘achieving the best by every child’.

Kings’ School Al Barsha will open for Sixth Form entry to Year 12 in the academic year 2017-18, where students will have a large selection of A Level Qualifications to choose from, including all the subjects presently available at GCSE level.

kings-edu.com/albarsha

52 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

EDUCATION

10 WAYS

TO ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO READ Children usually feel excited about things like playing with their iPads, buying new toys, visiting fun dining spots and play time at their favourite play areas. When it comes to reading, not every child will embrace the idea of picking up a book and reading.

Experts agree that reading delivers numerous benefits, so how can we encourage our children to read?

1 2

Read together: The best way to get your child to read is by grabbing a book and spending time reading it together. You can snuggle under the cover with a yum sandwich or follow an audio book on a family trip to the mall.

3 4

Read several stories, every day. The more you introduce them to literature, the more reading will become a part of their life. This also helps expose them to different types of genres, in addition to enriching their vocabulary.

Talk with your infant: They may not be able to have a full conversation with you, but rest assured, they’re listening and learning. Use short sentences and talk to your baby about your daily activities: what you’re doing, the environment and objects around you: this will help them develop their language skills early on and prepare them for reading.

Model reading habits. Your children are much more likely to read if they see you doing it. Whether you’re reading the newspaper or grandma’s cookie recipe, they’ll develop a love for the written word if they see you modelling that behaviour.

54 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

5

Let them choose what to read. The aim is to encourage your child to read, rather than make them feel like reading is something they should be doing if they are to succeed. For that reason, you need to let them pick out the books they’d like to read.

“Reading is important for so many reasons. It boosts children’s vocabulary, creativity, and open-mindedness. Active readers tend to have better academic outcomes as well.

Reading with your children is a great way to foster their love of books while sharing a special moment. You can also pique their interest in books by connecting with other families who love to read,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, family psychologist and parenting expert at Play:Date.

6

Establish a routine for reading. Whether it’s before bed or at snack time, establish a routine for reading. Your child may want to read alone, or prefer to read with you, but until you get them interested in opening a book, you’ll need to have some sort of routine in place.

7

Talk about your reads. Rather than just reading the book, try to ‘live’ it with your child. You may even opt for books with pop-ups or vivid illustrations to help your child enjoy the experience more.

8

Help them choose age-appropriate books. Your children are most likely to read if the book matches their interests and thinking. You’ll find that books designed for younger children are much more colourful and interactive, which will help get them interested in the content.

9

Restrict television time.

TV and read a book – imagine how it would be for children. Every good mum will tell you: no TV means greater focus on developmental activities.

10

Work with your child’s school. Children will be reading at school, and the library may have plenty of books on offer. Make use of school resources and work with your child’s teacher on collaborating to encourage your child to read.

is Growing in the UAE Babilou Group, which consists of a network of 1,500+ nurseries across Europe, expanded into the UAE launching its first signature nursery in 2015 and three others after that in prime locations across Dubai.

Investigating the market, they came across The Blossom Nursery, a locally-grown nursery in Dubai which started in 2009 and quickly grew to six locations to serve families across Dubai. A few months ago, Blossom was introduced to the Babilou team and the magic happened: a promising partnership is set to take place. Babilou and Blossom Nurseries will join forces this month to bring the highest quality of childcare to the UAE. Together, Babilou and Blossom have 10 branches with 1,700 places for children from six weeks to six years old across Dubai with different curriculums and flexible offerings.

babilou.ae

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 55

EDUCATION

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Special Offer at Magrudy’s Spend AED 250 and get a AED 50 voucher Spend AED 500 and get a AED 100 voucher 56 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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ECCO 24 AED 399 | 25,26,27,28 AED 299 | 29,30,31,32,33 AED 329 | 34 AED 379 35 AED 379 | 36 AED 399 | 37 AED 449 | 38 AED 429

Cath Kidston 39 AED 80 | 40 AED 65 | 41 AED 110 | 42 AED 65 | 43 AED 40 | 44 AED 95 | 45 AED 195 | 46 AED 55 Kikkerland 47 AED 80 | 48 AED 29 | 49 AED 30 | 50 AED 30 | 51 AED 20 | 52 AED 20 joigifts.com 46 Kidmate Play Robot AED 599 50

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58 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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THE BEST BY EVERY CHILD

KINGS’ SCHOOL NAD AL SHEBA

OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY IS GROWING Kings’ School Nad Al Sheba is a thriving, vibrant community in which students and families alike feel safe, valued and happy.

We value our loyal and supportive families at Kings’ School Nad Al Sheba.

Come and join our close-knit community at Kings' School Nad Al Sheba. Book a Tour on our website to see us in action.

Kings' School Nad Al Sheba is now offering SPECIAL REWARDS for our parents: • Subsidised Transport • Sibling Discount • Refer a Friend Find our more details about these special rewards on our website. +971 (4) 327 1841

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registrar@kingsnas.com

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www.kings-edu.com/nadalsheba

53

EDUCATION

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CIRCU

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MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 63

GOOD LIVING IN THE KITCHEN

AFTER-SCHOOL SNACK HACKS

Ice cream? Well, if they must! The kids will come home from school looking for a treat and, with these recipes, you’ll be able to give them one – minus the bad stuff.

BROCCO-LICIOUS CHEESE FRITTERS INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup bottle gourd, peeled and grated • 1 cup carrot, peeled and grated • 1 cup broccoli, grated • 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, grated • 4 tbsp. gram flour • 1/4 cup scallions, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced

METHOD

Tasneem Rajkotwala

• 1 tbsp. ginger chopped • 1 tsp. green chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional) • 1 tbsp. cumin powder • 1 tsp. turmeric powder • 1 egg • Salt to taste • 2-4 tbsp. oil

• Place grated carrots and bottle gourd in a colander lined with a cheese cloth and squeeze out excess water • Light roast gram flour in a dry pan for 4-5 seconds, without getting any colour • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil • Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat • Scoop about a tablespoon of the batter for each fritter, flattening it with the back of a spoon • Cook until nicely golden for about three minutes • Flip and cook on the other side until done • Serve immediately with whipped labneh, lemons and sundried tomatoes 64 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

GOOD LIVING

AVOCADO-RABLE ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces of avocado meat (approximately 3, small to medium) • 1 tbsp. of freshly-squeezed lemon juice • 1 1/2 cups whole milk • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 cup heavy cream

METHOD

• Peel and pit the avocados. Add the avocados, lemon juice, milk and sugar to a blender and puree • Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and whisk to combine • Put the mixture in the refrigerator and chill until it reaches 40 degrees F or below (approximately 4 to 6 hours) • Process the mixture in an ice cream maker as per manufacturer's directions.

This mixture sets in very quickly, so keep in mind it takes only 5 to 10 minutes to process • For soft ice cream, serve immediately. If desired, place in freezer for 3 to 4 hours for firmer texture

66 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

Timothy Goddard

Executive Chef, Six Senses Zighy Bay

Stuck for where to take the kid’s? motherbabychild.com is packed full of ideas on fun places to take them, log on now for the most up-to-date listings of what’s going on across the UAE

GOOD LIVING

CHICKEN RECIPES IN UNDER 30 MINUTES Experts agree that children should eat meat or chicken three to four times a week as it’s a great source of first-class protein: Chicken promotes growth and development as it contains lots of amino acids, which helps children grow taller and stronger.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH HONEY AND GINGER Assia Othman Chef, Author and Brand Ambassador at De’Longhi

INGREDIENTS

• 500 g chicken drumsticks • ¼ cup orange juice • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated • 2 tablespoons honey • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 teaspoon orange zest • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon pink pepper

METHOD

• Marinate chicken drumsticks with above ingredients and leave for 2 hours • Place chicken drumsticks on a grilling net and grill for 15 minutes • Turn drumsticks and grill for another 5 minutes • Serve with sautéed vegetables and rice

68 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

IN THE KITCHEN

CHICKEN AND SUMAC PASTRY

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups flour • 1 cup warm water • 1 tablespoon instant yeast • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon olive oil

FILLING INGREDIENTS • 1 large onion, finely chopped • ¼ cup parsley • 400 g minced chicken breasts • ½ cup water • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 2 tablespoons sumac • ¼ cup pine nuts • 1 teaspoon black pepper • Small amount of olive oil

METHOD

• Mix flour with yeast, salt and olive oil, then knead well with warm water to form a homogeneous dough • Cover and let it rest in a warm place to rise • Mix the filling ingredients well in a deep bowl • Divide the dough into 6 balls of equal size • Coat a pan with some olive oil, then place first ball of dough in the bottom and roll it evenly, then add 3 tablespoons of the filling and bake until cooked • Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough balls • Garnish with pine nuts and parsley, and serve

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 69

GOOD LIVING

LEARN THE SECRETS OF STYLISH MUMS

Some mamas have just got us saying: “How does she do it?” Dubai is quite the stylish city and it’s about time we celebrated the mums whose fabulous style

is making every fashionable hashtag.

Neha Pandey neha_pandey_official Director, Bella Bee Marketing Management & Bollywood Star Mum to 5-year-old Aren As a Bollywood artist, entrepreneur, local influencer and full-time mum, life gets demanding given my multitude of job interests. To be honest, a mix of materialism and spiritualism is what keeps me stylish.

• I’m a fan of animal prints, stripes and polka dots – yes, they help cover up the flaws here and there from time to time so have enough of those in your wardrobe to distract the eyes. Some styles are everlasting and independent of any fashion trend.

• I carry red lipstick, kohl and a makeup brush to fix and refresh my face.

• I plan my day in advance so I never step out without a goal. I pray, eat, enjoy life and never let my aura be invaded, which keeps me glowing and looking a decade younger.

• I shop mostly during my business trips, family vacations and travels. I don’t believe in brands all the way as I wear anything that suits me. I like a small Spanish high-street brand called Tipsy Gypsy and I love Italy's Prada. I fill my wardrobe with Desigual, Indian designers such as Sabya Sacchi, Hema Kaul and Gaurav Gupta. I also like some local Pakistani designers including Shabnam Naz and the US-based Anaya.

• I’m quite global in my taste, not obsessed with one designer. I appreciate other brands including Dior, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Miu Miu: all of these quintessentially represent my fashion quotient.

Oops! My fashion faux-pas: I must admit I’m very cautious when it comes to this. However, my faux pas could have been related to my makeup. It can sometimes kill the look when we go overboard painting the canvas that’s our face.

70 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

Dr Nashila Farrah Jaffer

nfjaffer Doctor of Chiropractic and Co-Founder, Pure European Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Centre & Owner, We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym Mum to 7-year-old Safiyah and 5-year-old Aliya

• I love looking good, but I won’t compromise on comfort! My wardrobe is comprised of stylish yet understated pieces that make me feel good and also work when I’m dashing around.

• I practically live in my Seven for Mankind jeans, they’re a true staple and work with sneakers for the school run or a blazer for lunchtime meetings.

• Flowing maxi dresses bring out my inner bohemian; I love printed fabrics and they’re great to wear in the heat.

• I’m a huge fan of classic tailoring and believe that you can never have too many white shirts! I love the shirt selection in Zara: classic with a fun twist.

• For evenings, Reiss is my holy grail for dresses. They’re timeless and elegant, not to mention flattering, and have the perfect cut.

• I can’t live without my Louis Vuitton ‘Neverful’ bag. It’s my life in a bag!

It’s great as everything fits and is true to its name.

• A slick of mascara and lip gloss sets me up for the day. I really like Trish McEvoy as it’s smudge-proof – perfect for the steamy Dubai weather.

For the evening, I go for dark reds and pinks on the lips.

Oops! My fashion faux-pas: While pregnant and as a new mother I practically lived in my Fit Flops for four years and wore them everywhere with anything and everything: jeans, dresses, combats…Thus, I vow to never wear a Fit Flop again!

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MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 71

GOOD LIVING

Dina Butti

dinabutti Presenter Mum to 2-year-old Faris

• Shirt-dresses are awesome because they’re loose enough to hide the mum belly, but cute enough that I still feel a little girly while running around like a headless chicken. Plus, you can nurse in them – woohoo!

• My munchkin loves nothing more than to rough up my styled hair, so I recently decided to go ‘au naturel’ and opt for an intentional messier do, which is easy when you’ve got curls.

• When I’m out with my mush, I like to be as hands-free as possible, so I generally opt for brightly-coloured messenger bags which also offer more space and easy access.

• Wearing lipstick around a toddler has proven to be more of a mess than it’s worth, so these days it’s all about bright eyeliners and blue mascara – hello 80s!

• Earrings have become a serious no-no as my son has a habit of yanking them. Chunky statement necklaces or bracelets make for great accessories and even entertain little ones.

• Online shopping is my convenience saviour when it comes to keeping up with trends and buying outfits for events, especially when I need something last minute.

Oops! My fashion faux-pas: Anyone who goes to my son’s nursery must think I’m a walking fashion disaster because I often only manage to get half-dressed in time for drop-off, so it’ll be a mismatched Nirvana t-shirt and M&Ms PJ bottoms combo. Yeah, I should probably set my alarm to a little earlier.

72 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

Laura Buckwell

laurabuckwell Former News Anchor and Event MC Mum to 3-year-old Marnix

• I used to live in jeans, but with age I've slowly developed a semi-formal approach to my style. With my MC work and previously news anchoring I've spent years in business attire and dresses, as well as black tie gowns for big events.

• In general, I'm a big fan of shorts, stripes and printed shirts. I'm not a big shoe person (probably one of very few women in Dubai!) which I blame on growing up as a barefoot beach baby in Africa.

• I absolutely love black which looks brilliant on blondes as the contrast can be quite striking. Black can always be dressed up or down and is my go-to if I don't know what to wear.

• I've also recently taken to denim skirts for casual days and found a brilliant range in the Guess at The Dubai Mall. They also really surprised me with their stunning variety of dresses! I got beautiful green number for a staycation the other weekend.

Oops! My fashion faux-pas: My biggest fashion faux pas was when I went through a phase of wearing black opaque tights under a short pair of white shorts when I was about 10 years old. I thought it was very cool at the time.

ASK DR SANJAY

Dr Sanjay Parashar

International Plastic Surgeon, Cocoona Centre for Aesthetic Transformation, Dubai and India

What questions should I ask during a plastic surgery consultation?

Not many patients know what to ask in a consultation and they end up making decisions without complete information or knowledge. While most patient-doctor consultations revolve around the procedure/treatment, it’s vital that the patient looks deep into the surgeon’s practice, experience, qualifications and results. Just because you’re in a swanky office doesn’t mean they hold valid licenses and have the right experience to perform the surgery.

2. In addition to general medical degrees, do they have the relevant qualifications and experience?

3. How many procedures has the surgeon performed overall?

If you’re looking at liposuction, then a follow-up question would be: how many of these were liposuction? Then, insist on seeing some before/ afters

4. Is the operating room properly equipped?

Are they willing to have it inspected?

The following questions are a must, in addition to 5. What insurance do they have in the case knowing everything about the procedure you want of any complications? get done: 6. Can they provide information about 1. Who exactly is the surgeon who will perform the the anaesthesia team and their support procedure? during the procedure?

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 73

JUST FOUND OUT YOU ARE EXPECTING? Our new UAE directory will help you find the right hospital and obstetrician

Visit motherbabychild.com/directory to search 100’s of clinics and hospitals across the UAE.

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GOOD LIVING

15 Things Mums Love (and Hate) about

Back to School

School season brings about mixed feelings – not only for kids, but for mothers as well. Eager to see some structure for a change as opposed to the crazy summer days, mums look forward to having the kids sleep, eat and play at the same times ever day. However, there’s also a downside to Back to School. Here are some of the things mums love, and “loathe”, about the school season: 76 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

1 2

Packing lunches: Think it’s easy to find something yummy and healthy for the kids to eat?

Think again! You may think it’s cute to pack broccoli florets and apples for six days in a row, but we can assure you the kids won’t be big fans.

Learn vs. play: Mums love knowing that the kids will be doing something developmental, and it’s guaranteed! Rest assured, they won’t be watching YouTube Kids, playing weird iPad games or watching TV shows which don’t deliver any real benefits while at school.

3 4

Staying on top of things: Your toddler will suddenly turn into a real estate agent and come up to you over 15 times throughout the day with random papers he needs you to sign. What are these mysterious forms? We don’t really know.

Meeting other mums: School is a very social time, and we don’t mean for kids.

Mums get to meet each other and support one another with school-related tasks and reminders. We would suggest joining that WhatsApp group for mums.

5

Getting up super early: Okay, we’ll just say mama will need to wake up ‘earlier’. Mums usually get up early for the kids anyway, but if you’re dropping the kids off or even catching the school bus, it’s time to set the alarm 15 minutes earlier than you typically would.

6

Getting them out of their PJs: Kids think that they don’t have to change unless they’re going somewhere: getting them to shower and get dressed in the morning can be an absolute nightmare.

School gives them an irrefutable reason to get out of their PJs.

7

Having to shop more: While this may sound like a good thing, it’s no blessing in disguise. Budgeting can be very stressful when you have kids. Plus, shopping for school supplies including stationary, shoes and uniforms can be a hassle. Just ask any mum…

8

Quality dinnertime conversations: Dinnertime can be quite challenging when you have kids: there are so many topics, and meatballs, flying across the table that it’s almost impossible to keep up. However, kids sometimes have the funniest stories to tell, and they make for precious family moments of sharing and giggles.

9

Separation anxiety: We’re talking about mum here. Some mums do so much with the kids that parting ways can be heartbreakingly difficult, especially if they’re very young. First day separation anxiety? What a nightmare! How are we supposed to cope?

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 77

GOOD LIVING

10

Solid routine: Ah, who would have thought routine could work in our favour? The kids will know what to do day in and day out, which prevents confusion and disappointment over when they should go to sleep, eat or brush their teeth. End of discussion? We think so too…

11

Getting them out the door on time. The struggle is real: remember when going somewhere meant putting on clothes, driving or taking a cab? Even THAT was difficult! Imagine having to get the kids ready and on time before the first bell rings – it’s nothing short of a Mission Impossible.

12

Not having to make up activities: There are no teachers during the school holidays to invent activities for the kids, so it’s mama coming up with ideas, which are usually along the lines of watching a movie or visiting the mall food court. Sigh, no more of this tedious task.

13 14 15

Homework: Not only will you have to harass them to do it, but you’ll also need to help them finish each and every section. For some reason, kids suddenly forget everything they’ve learnt once they get home. “But mum, I’ve never seen that equation before!”

Working out: You have a good excuse to slack off during the summer, but now that the kids are off to school, mama has the time to do some yoga and work out. Time to get in shape!

Germs: No matter how hygienic you teach them to be, kids will start catching these mysterious illnesses at school. Someone is always sick by the second week and the entire family just might catch it.

Fa Kids Shower gel Mermaid Fa Kids Shower gel Pirate AED 11 each 78 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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HOW CLEAN ARE THE FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN YOUR CHILD’S LUNCHBOX? EXPERTS SAY: WATER JUST ISN’T ENOUGH

Lettuce for the cheese sandwich? Lettuce can be dirty, but may also contain some insects because of its many layers. An apple a day? Apples are very high-maintenance fruits; they require a lot of pesticides and are often waxed. Strawberries for the Jell-O? Strawberries have very thin skin, so pesticides do seep into the fruit.

How would you wash these fruits and veggies, among others, to protect your family from harmful pesticides? After countless studies, pesticides have been linked numerous diseases, especially in infants and children whose bodies are still developing.

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oyproducts MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 79

GOOD LIVING

This Eid, it’s All About THE KIDS

The best offers for Eid-al-Adha Splash ‘n’ Party Celebrates with the ‘Eid Carnival’ Little ones can experience a thrilling time with fun water guns and balloons. Priced at AED 100 per child, the ‘Eid Al Adha Carnival’ is a threeday event taking place from 3 pm to 9 pm which will feature a slew of ‘splashtastic’ activities and entertainment.

From September 1 – 3, little ones can tuck into delicious kids’ meals and experience a variety of entertainment options. Parents are requested to book in advance, as there are limited slots available each day.

Villa no. 1, Street 8A, Al Safa 2, Jumeirah, Dubai. Opening times are 9 am to 8 pm (weekdays) and 9 am – 9 pm (weekends) 04 388 3008

A 16-Day Extravaganza this Eid at City Walk City Walk will be setting up a special celebration for Eid! Until September 8, the festive ambience will be enriched by interactive pop-ups from City Walk’s leisure and entertainment venues: The Green Planet, Hub Zero and Mattel Play! Town.

Activity stations will be located in the indoor courtyard and will include experiences such as live animal showcases, trivia quizzes, craft sessions, facepainting booths, old school arcade gaming stations such as Asteroid, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders and much more.

Not to be missed are dance performances from America’s Got Talent and Australia’s Got Talent semi-finalists. Additionally, 10 lucky visitors who spend AED 300 or more at any of City Walk’s outlets will get the chance to win a dreamy 2-night staycation package at La Ville Hotel which includes passes to The Green Planet, Hub Zero, Mattel Play! Town and a AED 500 voucher to spend at Boutique Le Chocolat to sweeten their stay.

Timings for The Green Planet, Hub Zero and Mattel Play!

Town activities: Between 10 am and 10 pm, September 1 – 4 Timings for roaming entertainment: Between 4:00 pm and 10:00 pm, September 1 – 8 citywalk.ae 80 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

A Family Adventure at Al Wadi Desert, RAK The Eid Family Package at Al Wadi Desert, Ras Al Khaimah includes dinner for the entire family, along with a continental buffet breakfast to enjoy in the all-day-dining ‘Al Waha’ restaurant. A Ritz Carlton Partner Hotel, Al Wadi Desert is also a great opportunity for young and young-at-heart guests to discover spectacular views and natural beauty at their doorstep.

Families can learn about a celebrated Arabian custom and discover more about the fastest-flying bird through Falconry shows. Parents and children can take part in a fun competition with an archery tournament or observe the local birdlife on a bird-watching walk to identify local and migratory birds while spotting animal tracks. Budding astronomers can also sign up for stargazing and moongazing, learning how to identify constellations and stars, and catching seasonal meteor showers.

Channelling the innate curiosity of young travellers, the resort’s Ritz Kids programme offers a complete immersion in adventure, exploration and education in the natural wonders and cultural traditions of Ras Al Khaimah. The roster of activities includes camel rides, bedtime stories under the stars and activities to learn about nature and acquire new skills.

Children and adults alike can visit the stables at any time of the day to learn from the equestrian experts on caring for horses. Younger guests can also enjoy a pony ride and get to know the horses before they take longer excursions.

For a fun day out with the younglings, a renowned water-themed park and camping sites are in close proximity to the resort, giving visitors the opportunity to create beautiful memories of shared experiences without venturing too far away from the resort’s cosy confines.

From AED 2,999++ per villa, per night +971 7206 7777

Fabyland's Endless Fun at 50% Off Fabyland has a special package which is bound to make Eid heaps of fun for little ones. All video games, kiddie rides, big rides and skill games will be available at 50% off. Additionally, visitors to the MyTown soft play area will get a complimentary entry pass for every ticket purchased.

Fabyland offers families a world of happy adventure complete with an XD theatre, numerous arcade games, bumper car rides, an indoor climbing wall and much more.

The 'Happy Days at Fabyland' package is available weekdays from 1 pm to 5 pm and is valid at both branches of Fabyland – Dubai Festival City and Deerfields Mall Abu Dhabi from September 10 to October 5. fabyland.ae

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 81

HEALTH BABY’S FIRST FOODS HOW TO START WEANING Leena Ashish

Nurse Educator, Aster Hospital

Weaning is the process by which a baby gradually gets used to eating adult food or foods that the family generally eats, relying less on breast milk. The World Health Organization defines ‘weaning’ as the gradual process of getting the baby accustomed to food other than the mother’s milk. This process starts around the age of 4 – 6 months as the mother’s milk alone isn’t sufficient to sustain a baby’s growth beyond six months: it should be supplemented by foods which are rich in proteins and other nutrients, namely supplementary foods.

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Weaning should start when a baby is about six months old.

Mother’s milk is universally regarded as an ideal food for infants or children below one year of age.

Weaning before four months: NO!

Weaning isn’t advisable when a child is four months old because: Milk meets all nutritional requirements The gastro-intestinal tract is immature There’s poor neuromuscular coordination Weaning by six months: YES!

A child should be weaned off breast milk by the age of six months because: It increases energy and nutrient needs It decreases the body’s storage of zinc and iron It aids chewing and speech development Food refusal is less likely

Complementary feeding

A baby grows very rapidly during the first year, faster than at any other time in their life. This rapid period of growth means that babies need a lot of energy and nutrients to ensure their healthy growth.

Initially, babies need only breast milk or a suitable formula milk, but as they grow older they require other sources of nutrition to aid their growth and development. Complementary feeding, commonly called weaning, is the introduction of solid foods into a baby’s diet of drinking breast or formula milk. It’s a gradual process, but a 1-yearold would have generally started eating chopped, mashed foods by then.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until six months of age, after which solid food can be introduced to the child. Some parents may wish to introduce solid foods even earlier, which can be done provided the child is at least four months old, which is the earliest when this can be started.

With pre-term babies, they need to be introduced to solid food in accordance with their individual needs. It’s always best to consult the child’s paediatrician and a dietician before introducing solid foods.

Complementary feeding helps children receive the required nutrients. Biting and chewing food helps in developing the muscles needed for speech development.

By the time a child turns six months old, their body begins to run out of some stored nutrients like iron. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that, when cow’s milk is introduced as the main drink at one year of age, babies are eating a varied diet.

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 83

H E A LT H Solid foods are often introduced to babies in stages. The age ranges are approximate and will depend on when complementary feeding is first started because every baby is different and will develop at their own pace. However, it’s important to offer the baby different tastes and textures throughout their first year. Fruits, vegetables and baby rice are recommended as appropriate first foods.

What should baby drink?

Babies who are fed breast milk don’t require anything else, but babies having formula milk may need extra water that’s boiled and cooled. Babies shouldn’t be given juices, as juices with natural sugars can cause tooth decay; babies start teething after six months of age.

Foods to eat:

Once a child is six months old, they can be fed finely-ground nuts. However, children under five must never be fed whole nuts because of the risk of choking and inhalation.

It’s always best for children to be introduced to the foods that the family eats. Children who only eat commercial (packaged) baby food may not adapt to the taste of family foods if they aren’t accustomed to it. However, during the initial stages, some commercial baby food can be incorporated into the diet as parents find them convenient.

Foods to avoid:

Up to seven months, a baby should eat less than 1g of salt per day. Breast and formula milk contain the right amount of salt. Between seven months to one year, 1g of salt per day is the maximum a baby can consume. Salt should not be added to foods and salty foods such as bacon, cheese and certain processed foods, should be limited.

Gluten must also be avoided in an infant’s diet. Upon the completion of 4 – 12 months, they can be given gluten.

Sweet products like sugar and honey must also be avoided. No additional sugar should be added to a baby’s food or beverages. Children under one year of age must not be fed honey as it contains bacteria that could lead to infant botulism, a condition caused when a baby ingests bacteria which can produce toxins.

Don’t forget to enjoy feeding your baby and spending time with them!

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MOH ET28181

H E A LT H

HOUSEHOLD SAFETY: PREVENTING CHOKING Babies and children explore the world through putting things in their mouths. From food and toys to other small objects, your little ones may be in danger of choking whenever they eat, play or do any other activity. With an increase in choking cases locally, doctors are urging parents to look out for choking hazards and protect their children from the fourth leading cause of ‘unintentional injury’ death globally.

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“We’ve been seeing more cases than usual recently; children are more at risk of incomplete chewing or inserting foreign objects into their mouths,” says Dr Dhiraj Sidagonda Shedabale, Specialist Paediatrician from Zulekha Hospital, Dubai.

Children are at increased risk of choking because of the size of their windpipe, which is approximately the size of a drinking straw in diameter; choking can be through food, household items or toys. Parents can take simple steps to significantly reduce their children’s chances of choking and therefore reduce the chance of child injury.

“Choking is a complete or partial blockage of the upper airway by food or other objects, which prevents someone from

breathing effectively,” explains Dr Sidagonda.

Protecting your children:

1. Don’t leave a young child unattended while eating or playing (particularly if they’re under the age of five).

Direct supervision is necessary with younger children.

2. Avoid foods that pose choking risks and serve children food in small, manageable bites. Cut food into small pieces, like whole grapes into quarters, removing seeds and pits. Cut hot dogs length and breadthwise. Serve food well-cooked rather than raw 3. Teach children to sit up straight for all meals and to not talk, laugh, play and jump when there’s food in their mouths. Children should have a calm, unhurried meal 4. Offer plenty of liquids to children when eating, but remember that solids and liquids shouldn’t be swallowed at the same time

Immediate steps to be taken if choking symptoms occur:

1. If a child is coughing loudly, there’s no need to do anything. Encourage them to carry on coughing and don’t leave them 2. If you see the object, try to remove it. Don’t poke blindly or repeatedly with your fingers. You could make things worse by pushing the object further in.

3. If the child’s coughing is ineffective (it’s silent or they can’t breathe in properly), shout for help immediately and watch for their consciousness 4. If the child is conscious, give them abdominal thrusts. This will create an artificial cough, increasing pressure in the chest and helping dislodge the object

5. Call out for help, don’t leave the child unattended

6. If the child becomes unconscious, put the them on a firm surface and call the emergency service 7. Open the child’s mouth, if the object is clearly visible and you can grasp it easily, remove it

8. Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin, attempt mouth-to-mouth breathing. If their chest isn’t rising, attempt to remove foreign body

9. If the child is younger than one, five back blows (hit firmly between shoulder blades) and five chest thrusts should be administered. After each cycle of back blows and chest thrusts, the child’s mouth should be visually inspected for the presence of a foreign body MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 87

H E A LT H

10. If the child is over one year of age then perform the Heimlich manoeuvre (abdominal thrusts). a) For a conscious child, give five abdominal thrusts with the child sitting or standing. b) For an unconscious child, give five abdominal thrusts with the child lying down

Choking is a common problem all over the world. If an incident does take place, parents and carers must remember to stay calm and administer the steps outlined above.

Symptoms of choking are:

1. Sudden onset of a cough 2. Gagging 3. A sudden inability to talk 4. Turning blue – face, lips or nails 5. Clutching the throat: in older children and adults 6. Becoming unresponsive In infants: difficulty breathing, weak cry, weak cough

Preventative measures for toys and household items:

1. Supervise children’s play and keep small objects, chemicals and plastic out of reach. Check the floor for small objects and toy parts 2. Choose safe, age-appropriate toys. Follow the manufacturer’s age recommendation 3. Safely dispose of all batteries 4. Warn older children not to leave loose game parts or toys with small pieces in the reach of younger siblings

Foods which may lead to choking:

1. Hot dogs (especially if cut into coins), meat, sausage, fish with bones 2. Hard foods: popcorn, chips, nuts, candy 3. Whole round foods (grapes, berries, cherries), raw vegetables, raw peas, fruits with skin on, seeds, carrots 4. Chewy and sticky foods 5. Candy (hard and sticky), gum, lollipops, marshmallows, jelly beans, caramels 6. Dried fruits and nuts 7. Peanut butter (in a spoonful or with soft white bread) 8. Ice, cheese cubes 9. Combination of food size, shape (round), and texture (slippery/sticky) can pose a threat

Household items/toys which may lead to choking:

1. Any toy or object labelled as a potential choking hazard 2. Latex balloons 3. Coins, marbles, small balls, pens or marker caps 4. Button-type batteries 5. Small magnets, screws, earrings, rings 6. Art supplies: crayons, staples, erasers, safety pins, small stones, pearls, bead stuffing from bean bags, plastics wrappers, tiny figures and ornaments

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EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHIER HOME Issues related to Food Wastage YouGov study across UAE, KSA, & Egypt

Top Sources of

Food Wastage

30%

32

%

extra food cooked for celebrations which gets thrown away

left-over or discarded food in restaurant

Inspect beauty and medicine cabinets: Not only does a substantial number of bacteria usually live in there, but you probably own so many items which have already expired. Also, make sure you find the chemical-free alternatives to products for your next purchase.

Get rid of clutter electronics. As soon as you walk into any home, the number one offenders would be wires, twisting and turning into every corner.

While necessary, it isn’t a sight anyone wants to see. Luckily, there are hidden charger stations and storage panels which come to the rescue so your view is all about art and memories – just the way it should be.

Keep your home as clean as possible. Try to keep your home dust-free to avoid nasty allergens and other respiratory diseases. It goes without saying, but the cleaner your home, the more hygienic using everything would be. Keeping your home clean goes way beyond your average wipe-and-dust routine and onto cleaning AC ducts and deep cleaning mattresses.

Read labels. Chemical-laden cleaning products are among the most dangerous items you have in your home. Always read usage instructions and watch out for any fumes. Ingesting such poisonous products can be deadly, so make sure you keep them in your highest cabinets, out of the reach of children.

Make use of microfibre cloths. As opposed to moving dust and dirt around, these cloths clean by grabbing dirt and holding it in. Hence, you wouldn’t need to use as much cleaner to get the job done – which essentially means less chemicals, and a much healthier home.

Eat organic or grow your own produce. This may seem a bit out of reach in UAE weather, but it’s doable. If you have a garden, use it to grow your own fruits and veggies. You can even grow some herbs in the balcony! Try to eat organic whenever possible, especially with produce that’s known to be higher in pesticide levels.

Top foods discarded based on best before rather than expiry dates

%

72% 68

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

FRESH MEAT

54%

GRAINS

%

%

68 66

BABY FOODS

DAIRY

63%

55% CANNED FOODS

FROZEN FOODS

Best Before Date: The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best Expiry or Use By Date: The food can be eaten up until this date but not after

Main food categories being wasted

33%

FRUIT OR VEGETABLES

48%

LEFT-OVER HOME-COOKED OR TAKE-AWAY FOOD

33% DAIRY

33% CANNED FOODS

MOTHER, BABY & CHILD | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 89

COMPETITIONS WIN a Day Pool Pass with Brunch for Two Adults at Hili Rayhaan by Rotana Worth AED 650!

Hili Rayhaan by Rotana is the first hotel under the Rayhaan brand to open in Al Ain, the garden city of the UAE, reflecting the essence of Arabic traditions. The hotel is conveniently located at Hili District, the heritage destination of the UAE.

WIN AED 500 Voucher for Atisuto Japanese Restaurant Budding young foodies can get to know great Japanese food at Atisuto. The typically-bustling Tokyo eatery can be found on the foodie lane behind Al Ghurair Centre in Deira, Bay Square in Business Bay, front terrace of the Galleria Mall on Al Wasl Road and at the Persia Court in Ibn Battuta Mall.

WIN a AED 500 Toy Shopping Voucher at Klug Educational Toys & Play

Klug Educational Toys & Play is a toy specialty store in The Village Mall, Jumeirah. Klug Toys carries high quality, unique educational-yet-entertaining toys. Klug Toys staff is well trained to present customers with the best options to help children develop further.

WIN a Braun MultiQuick 7 Hand Blender Worth AED 500 Built in a unique shape with ultrahard stainless steel, Braun hand blenders can cut through all types of ingredients, giving you the desired result in no time and ensuring that there’s no stress in the kitchen. Braun hand blenders can chop, blend, slice, dice and prepare dough with a single push of a button.

WIN AED 500 to Spend on the Back to School Collection from Accessorize It’s back-to-school time! Make school fun for the kids and hunt for the coolest backpacks. This season, Accessorize has cute and kitsch accessories for your little ones.

WIN a Shoe Mart Voucher Worth AED 500 for this Back to School season

With a range of fun designs, comfortable foot beds and durable shoes for both boys and girls, Shoe Mart’s latest collection features your kids’ favourite Barbie, Disney and Marvel characters which will make them excited to head out for school.

To stand a chance to win these prizes*, please visit our competitions page on motherbabychild.com/competitions, or simply scan this QR code with your mobile to go directly to our website, answer the questions, and win! *Terms and conditions apply. CPI Media Group employees not eligible to enter. Winners will be selected at random from correct entries.

90 | SEPTEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD

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