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Your Lifestyle & Practical Family Resource
+ Our favourite indoor playgrounds in town + Stretch marks myths debunked + Nail polish trends that have us beyond excited
Is your child a late talker?
Manners Every Kid Should Know
Find out when it becomes serious
SEPT 2014 Issue 154 $4.50 (Incl. GST)
Acts of
kindness Ways to cultivate empathy in kids A lil’ gentleman’s book of etiquette
p a r e n t i n g
F A M I L Y
l i f e s t yl e
E D U C ATI O N
CONTENTS 41
In Every Issue 4 Foreword 6 Our Experts 18 Beauty Fix 20 Snips & Snaps 56 What’s On 58 Recipes 60 In The Know 61 Eat 63 Stockists
Win! Nail polishes to make those nails stand out
36 Learning to Ace It Study hacks to ace that next exam 38 Ready, Set, Routine Establishing healthy routines for kids
Family 42 Think Your House Has Termites? Don’t get bugged out – here’s what you can do. 44 Keep Calm And Play On! Bring the kids to our favourite indoor playgrounds in Singapore
48 Browse, Click & Buy Tips for safe online shopping 50 Get The Party Started! Cool party supplies to consider
58
19
A set of Electrolux Portable Induction Cooker
52 Stretch Marks Myths Debunked Find out the real facts about stretch marks 54 Turn Your Fizzle… Into Sizzle Ways to keep romance alive in your marriage
50
Subscribe and enjoy 12 months of complimentary digital copies!
59
ideas
See The World Differently,
Every Day! Here are some interesting activities that you can do to foster your child’s imagination.
8 singapore’s child | september 2014
Cup
Cup
Un-puppets
Glue Glue
Wacky photos
Raid your drawers for old photographs that no one will miss – the ones where someone had their eyes closed or had a bad hair day – and let your child cut them into various bits and pieces. Then, get out some glue, construction paper, and markers, and have them turn the Cup stray faces and body parts into new people, or create a fantasy picture. You can try suggesting a general setting such as an outer space or a medieval castle, and then let your child create the image.
Gather a box of assorted household items – a strainer, a shoe box, paper cups, a flashlight, or whatever you can think of that’s not sharp or fragile – and have your child create a puppet show using these objects as the “puppets”. You’ll be amazed at the creatures and characters your child creates.
6 5
1 Glue Glue
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2 3
Brush-less painting
Anyone can paint with a brush. But for this activity, find things around the house that your child can paint with, which are Glue not Glue brushes. String will work, or odd bits of sponge, broken pencils, rubber bands, strips of fabric, apples cut in half, or even a discarded action figure or doll. Spread some newspaper on a table or the floor, lay out some washable paint in small bowls or plates, give your child a large sheet of paper, and see what develops.
Glue Glue Junk-drawer game
Everyone has a junk drawer. It could be one of those spare drawers in the kitchen, Cup or the top desk drawer in your child’s room. Have your child go through one drawer and pick out a dozen of the oddest objects that they can find – the less anyone knows where the things originally came from and what they were for, the better. Get a big sheet of cardboard or poster board, some markers, and some dice, and have your child invent a game using all the found pieces. Then, sit down and play together.
Art tales
Nature story
Take a paper bag and go on a walk with your child. Try to collect at least 10 nature objects, no more than one of each thing (only one leaf, one rock and so forth). When you get home, have your child make a story from the objects by reaching in the bag and pulling out items one by one for inspiration.
Go to an art museum, and slow down for a change. Stand in the middle of an exhibit room and have your child decide from a distance which picture they like best. Then, walk up to it and look at it closely. Ask your child to tell a story about what they see. Encourage them with open-ended questions. For a more colourful journey, find another painting and have your child create a story that connects it with the last one.
Imagination is an important ingredient for learning and life. As you expose your child to new experiences, you open their mind to a bigger and more exciting world. By encouraging them to use their imagination (“Look, Mummy’s a tiger in the jungle!”), you spark their brain to forge “imagination pathways” of its own.
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singapore’s child september 2014
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Romper, $53.90, Hush Puppies; Knitwear, $125, Massimo Dutti; Bruiser Cherry Red Rouge boots, $139, Dr. Martens; Necklace, $6.95, Cotton On Kids; Flower hairclips, $10.90 for two & Pink bow hair clip, $10.90 for three, all from Accessorize Glasses, stylist’s own
because Print Is
stamping
its mark G e t y o u r l i l’ g i r l r e a d y i n p r e t t y pa l e t t e s a n d p r i n ts ! Photography Justin Loh & Max Ng, Shining Head Media Assisted by Geraldine Tan
Fashion Stylist Raja Jumira
Makeup & Hairstyling Venice Ng, using Make Up For Ever
Art Direction Mabel Leng
Fashion assistant shaistah Munawar
Model Karyna, Red Carpet Invite (9739 3673)
grow
Manners
Kids Should Know Helping your child master these simple habits will get them noticed – for all the right reasons! By Lee Jing Hui
M
anners are a kind of magic. Good or bad, we rely on them to form impressions of one another. While no one is perfect, imagine a culture where good manners don’t exist – not a pleasant thought, for sure! Sadly, in the hustle and bustle of daily life, most parents don’t focus on instilling proper etiquette in their children. Teaching your kids to behave properly helps them meet social expectations, such as having a sense of respect for others. Here are 20 manners to reinforce in your loved ones from time to time, so you’ll be on your way to raising a polite, well-liked and kind child.
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Say “Please” and “Thank you” As soon as your child starts speaking, encourage them to say these magic words. As they are fairly new skills for a preschooler, it takes time for the habit to be developed. Practise what you preach. For example, say, “Please” politely when you ask your child to come to the table for dinner. When they cheerfully show up, say, “Thank you for listening to instructions”. Also, incorporate these words into your daily conversations, so they’ll pick it up quickly.
Say “Excuse me” Children belch, sneeze and fart, sometimes unintentionally. However, kids are kids – if one accidental action gets laughter or is not met with disapproval, you can almost guarantee it’ll happen again. This is why parents should let their kids know that these sounds may come across as being rude. When they do this in your presence, look on in mild displeasure and emphasise the use of the phrase. Be sure to reward them when they listen to you!
Ask permission Before your child engages in any activity, such as rummaging through the refrigerator for a snack, get them to ask you if it’s okay to do so. This helps them realise their dependence on your leadership and prevents them from becoming wise in their own eyes. It also gives you time to think if you should allow the activity in the first place, saving you the frustration if they mess up. According to experts, it’s definitely more effective than disciplining them after!
24 singapore’s child | september 2014
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Keep negative opinions to oneself Kids tend to be blunt at times without realising, which may sometimes cause unintentional hurt to others. Always make it a point to tell them that they should never comment on anyone’s physical characteristics or appearance, unless of course it’s a compliment. Remember, your child watches everything you do, so think twice before passing a remark – or you might just catch them saying the same thing.
Don’t talk with your mouth full Wouldn’t it be unsightly if you talk with your mouth full, causing food to spatter everywhere and the conversation difficult to hear? Well, this is why you should prompt your kids to finish what they’re eating before talking. Also, a child will typically let their mouths hang open while munching and this might seem impolite, so get them to do it with their mouths closed. It may take a while to adapt, but practise makes perfect!
Knock on doors before entering It’s a good habit to get your kids to knock on doors as a sign of respect before entering. This includes your own bedroom, or even their sibling’s. However, it can sometimes get annoying when kids do it too often. The next time you visit a friend or neighbour, allow your child just one or two knocks, and gently put your hand on their shoulder as a signal to wait. Oh, and don’t just let them barge right in before greeting!
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Be kind Stress the importance of “treating others as you would like to be treated”, especially when your kids are doing something that they themselves don’t like. For example, if your son hates to be called names and yet he teases others, remind him sternly that his actions are wrong. Keep in mind that others will question your child’s upbringing when they see their bad behaviour, so it is necessary that you inculcate these basic manners at an early stage.
Sit quietly Have you ever brought your kids out for a movie, and they’re giggling and wriggling non-stop, raising a ruckus in the theatre? Well, now’s the time to teach them the art of sitting still. Of course, this takes a lot of persistence as they get fidgety rather easily! Perhaps you can start by having constant practise at home? Also, it’s important that they stay quiet whenever an adult is talking, as showing a lack of interest will come across as being ill-mannered.
9 Clean up after themselves Kids are at most times, messy eaters, using their little fingers to shove food into their mouths. Sure, you can clean them up, but think of the times when they are guests in someone else’s homes. Start by asking them to bring their dishes to the sink and rinsing their plates. As they progress further, get them to help out in the household chores. That said, learning is a long process, so it might take consistent reminders for them to develop the habit.
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family
Get the Party
Started!
If you’re planning on throwing a birthday bash for your child, here are some cool party supplies that you might want to consider. By Rachel Yohannan
LOST IN WONDERLAND
It doesn't take much to turn your home into a party space. Pick a few of these simple ideas to add a festive flair.
If you’re having a royal-themed event for your princess, you can magically transform your living room into an enchanted fairy tale wonderland with this scene setter. You could also have the little guests pose for instant photos in front of it and take them home as keepsakes. Disney Princess photo prop, $24.90 From The Party Stuff
Spruce up a birthday cake with these unique candles ranging from animal prints to coiled ones, and even those with coloured flames. Colorflame candles, $7.50/pack of 12 Animal print candles, $3.50/pack of eight Coil candles, $3.90/pack of four From Wow Let’s Party
50 singapore’s child | september 2014
Product images are for illustrative purposes
COOL CANDLES
TAKE A HIT
Kids will have lots of fun taking turns to attempt hitting this colourful piñata. Just imagine the look of sheer joy on their faces when all the candy starts pouring out! Rainbow donkey piñata, $30 From www.partyplanner.com.sg
GOODIEs GALORE
Instead of having to put together your own goodie bags and crack your head over what party favours to include, get this box set featuring all-time favourite Disney characters like Mickey and Goofy. It includes a wristband, bubbles, glow stick, rainbow swirl lollipop, party blower, and stickers all conveniently prepacked for you. Disney Mickey Fun and Friends party favour box, $8 From www.partyplanner.com.sg
IN FULL BLOOM
Admittedly, this may be on the pricey side, but the six-foot-tall balloon sculpture is sure to liven up any room and would be a fresh change from typical balloon decorations. Balloon flower column, $160 From www.partyplanner.com.sg
HATS ON
What’s a party without wacky headwear? These sparkly hats are suitable for both boys and girls and will add instant glitz to the occasion. Glitter top hats, $3.90 each From MTrade Novelty
OVER THE RAINBOW
As most children are attracted to brightly coloured things, your delicious spread of food will look even more appetising with this variety of rainbow-coloured tableware. Rainbow birthday dinner plates, $6.95/pack of eight Rainbow birthday napkins, $5.95/pack of 16 Rainbow birthday cups, $5.95/pack of eight Rainbow birthday table cover, $9.95 From The Party Stuff
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With fun educational activities for boys & girls KIDS
z o n d i e K & BELO 12 W
SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE 154
WIN!
rze DX Fou Driver
Learn
about
a termit e’s lif e
WHEN OTHERS FLY OUT, HEROES FLY IN.
r iscove Let’s d rs ck sta o r e h t ce of s pa
The
adve
IN CINEMAS 4 SEP 2014 DisneyStudiosSG facebook.com/DisneyStudiosSG © 2014 DISNEY DisneyStudiosSG
ntur e of th e talk ing LEGO figur ines
ANIMAL
PLAN ET
Have You Ever Wondered Why? Interesting questions about baby animals.
Which
father has a chest like a sponge?
Illustrations Mabel Leng
father gives birth
Which
to his young? The male seahorse has a special pouch on his body where the female lays her eggs. The male has to carry them around till they hatch, and then hundreds of baby seahorses shoot out into the sea.
ou kno y id
w?
D
SEAHORSE
A female crocodile carries her babies in her mouth, taking care not to bite them with her razorsharp teeth.
6 KIDZone
A pouch is a safe place for a baby to grow. A new-born kangaroo is only the size of a peanut. It struggles through its mum's fur until it reaches her warm pouch. There, it feeds on her milk and carries on growing.
Many animal fathers play no part in bringing up their young. Most of them leave before the babies are even born.
KANG
Why do
A
RO
kangaroos have pouches?
O
sandgrouse Whose feet keep an egg
warm? Sandgrouse live in the dry desert areas of Africa, Asia and southern Europe. When water's in short supply, the male flies hundreds of kilometres to a water hole, and soaks up water in his feathers. Then, he flies back to his thirsty chicks and lets them suck out the water for a long, refreshing drink.
PENGUIN Every year, in the middle of winter, a female emperor penguin lays one egg, and gives it to her mate to keep warm. He balances the egg between his feet and his feathers, until it hatches in early spring.
leopard
all cat mothers, a leopard lifts her cub by gripping the Who's carried Like back of its neck in her mouth. The skin is very loose and here, so the cub isn't hurt. It hangs quite still until by the scruff baggy she gently puts it down again. of the neck?
LEMUR A baby lemur rides on its mum's back for the first seven months of its life. It wraps its legs around her and holds on tightly as she leaps through the forest on a hair-raising ride.
Who
clings on for dear life ?
AB C O V !
r e w o P Sandgrouse - a seed-eating ground-dwelling bird with brownish plumage leaps - jumps or springs a long way, to a great height, or with great force scruff - the back of an animal's neck
KIDZone
7
Word Search
Puzz le
special et iquet t e enjoy phone social bet t er taught smile court eous nice ask list en
Wordh Matc 1 2 3
Find and circle the words. They are hidden from left to right, downwards and diagonally.
u b k f l p s a e e n q j y z S T S C Z A M T Y X E F W U B E D A S F E I c L O T N V o x U I I Y N Q L C A X S C L l c G A U J U E E C E R I P S t v S U O E T R U O C P L N H a p Y Y T S O C I A L X S G T b w N T F C P B Z B D Z U Q V w y E O X L C T E S X A L V F q t N O N O Y B E T T X Y S L y g M G M G U L S C T M Z P H r n X B U L R G W G I E C S Q u c W V Q R D D M F R N R H Z g e H U L Y E N O H P E U T L r o X W I G A W O T G S W H L y z
Mat quest ch the corre ion to the ct ans wer!
What should you say if you make mum or dad upset? If someone is having a bad day, you show care and concern by asking…
Sa “Thankyyou ” Are y Okayou ? “PleSaay se”
What should you do when you ask for something?
4
When you let someone use what you are using, what is it called?
5
How do you respond when you receive something from someone?
14 KIDZone
I' sorm ry!
Sharing
With fun educational activities for boys & girls KIDS
z o n d i e K & BELO 12 W
SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE 154
WIN!
rze DX Fou Driver
Learn
about
a termit e’s lif e r iscove Let’s d rs ck sta o r e h t ce of s pa
The
adve
Create exciting adventures from a galaxy far, far away!
ntur e of th e talk ing LEGO figur ines
STOR Y
M ini D reams By Adan Jimenez & Felicia Low-Jimenez
Illustrations Mabel Leng
Hi!
“Muuuuuum!” Elizabeth cried out in as whiny a voice as she could possibly manage. “Heeeeeelp meeeeee!”
“Yes, but my arm fell asleep after my long nap. It has pins and needles now, muuuuuum. Heeeeeelp meeeeee.”
“Yes, dear?” her mother replied, magically appearing at her open door. “How may I be of service to Little Miss Princess, today?”
“I'm going to the supermarket to pick up cornflakes and milk for breakfast tomorrow, remember?” Mum replied. “Especially since you've insisted on only eating multi-coloured fruit loops.”
“My nose is itchy,” Elizabeth said, pouting as she wriggled her nose. “Your arm isn't broken, dear,” her mother replied, vanishing from the doorway as quickly as she appeared. “You can scratch your own nose.”
4 KIDZone
“But I'm only eleven, mum! And my ankle is broken!” Elizabeth wailed from her comfortable bed. “You can't leave me alone at home to fend for myself! What will happen if I have to go to the toilet!?”
“I'll only be gone for half an hour, forty-five minutes, tops,” her mother replied. “I'm sure you can manage till then since I just helped you to the toilet two minutes ago. The phone is right next to you and our neighbour has our house key in case of any emergency. Though I can't imagine what they'll need it for if you quietly stay in bed while I'm gone.”
was still in a cast. “It's just us, sweetie,” said the LEGO mini-figure that looked like a nice little old lady who was carrying a cat. She even sounded like the auntie from next door; the one who had their house keys.
“Muuuuuum!” Elizabeth yelled again. However, the only response she received was the firm click of the main door shutting.
“Speak for yourself, auntie,” the first voice said. It was a LEGO girl who was dressed as a scientist! “She sat on me and toppled all my lab equipment over. Now how am I going to conduct my research?”
Huffing, Elizabeth slumped in her bed. There were piles of books all around her, but she didn't want to read a single one. There were also stacks and stacks of DVDs and a portable DVD player that her father had bought her, but she didn't want to watch a single one.
“I must be dreaming. It must be the medicine,” Elizabeth whispered to herself. She remembered what her sister said about bad dreams and started to pinch herself. “Wake up, Elizabeth. Wake up!”
She had been stuck at home for more than two weeks and she was bored. If she had known she would have broken her leg, she would never have gone cycling at Pulau Ubin with her friends. Nobody else was hurt, though. She really should have spent more time watching the tracks instead of looking at the trees trying to spot wild monkeys. Yes, Elizabeth was bored. Bored with a capital B. Plus, the medication she had to take for her broken leg made her brain all fuzzy. Just last night, she had this strange dream where all her LEGO mini-figures were dancing on her bed. Her older sister had used her own pocket money to buy Elizabeth new LEGO sets to build while she was recovering, but they were all already built and Elizabeth had just left them lying around her room. There was a scientist in a lab, a skateboarder in a park, and an old lady with a pet shop. Initially, she said that she was much too old to be playing with LEGO, but there was something about the brightly coloured bricks that made her smile. “Well, at least there's a smile on your face,” a high-pitched voice said from under the covers.
“Doesn't that hurt?” a cheerful boyish-sounding voice said from behind her. Elizabeth's head snapped towards the voice. It was a LEGO boy on a skateboard from the set that she had left on the head of her bed. “I hurt my leg once too,” he said. “It took me a week to recover. A week and some super glue. Have you tried super glue?” “Don't be silly, Timmy,” the scientist said. “She's hoo-mun. She has hoo-mun flesh.” “That's inconvenient,” Timmy said. He pushed his skateboard off with his left foot and flew off, nimbly landing on Elizabeth's comforter. “Because I still have some leftover in the tube.” “This isn't happening,” Elizabeth said, her eyes wide with disbelief. “You're toys! Toys don't talk. Toys can't talk!” “Sure we can,” the scientist replied. “We talk all the time. It's just that hoo-muns don't know how to listen.”
“Ouch!” the voice continued. “You're sitting on me now!”
“Actually, it isn't that they don't know how to listen, dear,” the auntie replied. “It's that they've forgotten. They're too busy with their homework, video games, handphone games, and television, they can't hear us anymore. They don't have any free time left to use their imaginations!”
Elizabeth shrieked again. “Who said that!? Who's there!?” She shoved the covers off her bed and winced when she jolted her leg that
“This definitely qualifies as an emergency,” Elizabeth said, snatching up the telephone next to her bed.
Elizabeth shrieked and shot upright in bed.
KIDZone
5
Spot the acts of kindness
Puzz le
Can you spot five acts of kindness in this picture? Circle the kind acts and cross out the unkind acts.
8 12 15
1
4
3
2
6
5
BIN
8
7
Choose the right kindness words and fill in the spaces provided.
Crossword Puzzle
special caring
Across:
1
1. What should you do when you want something from someone?
thank help
ask sincere
2
Down: 3
2. When you make a mistake, be when you say sorry.
4. When you thank mum for cooking you a nice meal, it makes her feel . 6. When you see someone in need, you should out. 7. Always remember to someone when you 6 receive something from them.
smile listen
3. Sharing is 4
5
5. When someone is talking, you . 7
Answers: Across: 1. ASK 4. SPECIAL 6. HELP 7. THANK
16 KIDZone
.
4. While you greet someone, remember to put on a .
Down: 2. SINCERE 3. CARING 4. SMILE 5. LISTEN
23 31 16