Singapore's Child October 2015 [Preview]

october 2015

fears

- you are not alone

Art Jamming and Dining vouchers

Preschool Tuition stressed up too early?

Breast Matters plastic surgery nursing woes breast cancer

kids / trending

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fear issue

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YOUR FEARS AND ANXIETY

/ on the cover model Kiana Benke and Juliana Benke Art Direction Aris Lai and Geraldine Tan

Food fixations, phobias and parenting blues

Photography Justin Loh

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Stylist Sharon Tan Makeup & Hairstyling Gigi Sng Outfit kookies + milk

TOP 8 FEARS IN KIDS

Shoes Dr. Martens

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Monstrous horrors in little minds

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/ kids 10

FROM KIASU TO FEAR NATION

trending

Stay up to date with the latest fashion trends and toy selections

Sandwiched class parents’ worries

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style

Get some fa-boo-lous mask ideas for Halloween

TUITION NATION Keeping up with the rat race

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advice

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Tips for effective scar healing

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ARE YOU RAISING AN ANTSY PANTSY MINI-ME?

Beware of the parental anxiety trickle-down effect

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TIME TO GROW UP

Teach your child how to let you go

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FEAR OF READING AFFECTING LITERACY

Tips on overcoming reading fear and lethargy

HALLOWEEN HANDS-ON FUN

Learn how to make some yummy treats

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DISCIPLINE DONE RIGHT

2 JUNe 2015

How to get your children back on track

/ health 52

ARE YOU A HUNCH BACK MODEL?

Chiropractic care tips for children

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PLAY WITHOUT FEAR

Paediatric advice on balancing modern and traditional play

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HEALTHY CURIOUS MIND

10 ways to uncover the genius in your child

/ advice 70

POLLUTANTS, SUN AND SMOKE… HELP!

Eye and skin rescue

/ love 72

Love Thy Self

/ people 36

THE JUGGLING ACT

Daunting parenthood even for the most steel-willed

Indulge in tips for me-time and tete-a-tete

love thy home

Tips and ideas to spruce up your tot’s space

/ promo 47

Get inspired by the riot of colours and Halloween ideas

Win! Art jamming and dining vouchers

/ health 62

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DISCREET FEAR AND ANXIETY

Beware of the brewing emotions that will wreck health havoc

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CLEAN RESCUE

Uncovering nail and hand hygiene hazards

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BREAK THE SILENCE

Get to know some facts and issues related to constipation

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BREAK THE CYCLE

arteastiq - The boutique tea house

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method

Win! Americana hand wash and Antibac household cleaning range

/subscribe

Subscribe and receive 12 months of complimentary digital copies worth $44. Toys’R’Us Star Card members receive an additional free gift worth more than $59.95.

/in every issue 4 6 46 72 76 78 80

our Experts From the Team Feast Reviews Stockists Events Inspire

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win!

3 JUNe 2015

TCM natural remedies to combat stress and sleeplessness

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/ you 58

Trending

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HALLOWEEN GLOW!

Don’t be afraid to pair a quirky tee with a pair of classic joggers. And for Halloween, Cavalier’s ‘Trip the Light Fantastic’ collection is the perfect choice and reason for the lights to go out. Surprise your kids when the seemingly ordinary subtle chic, pale yellow polka dots glow in the dark.

Check out meticulously hand printed non-toxic ink on dual-faced French terry fabric:

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Own the night with this hand printed glow-in-thedark D-ots Dress ($88.20). Glow-inthe-dark D-ots Tee adds a little more mischief and mystery to the night ($88.20).

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D-Pipes, Cavalier’s jogger pants ($96.60) that feature a slight drop-crotch for flying kicks that won’t tear the seams.

It is finished with signature diamond emblems on both knee caps, ribbed cuffs, elastic waist and two end-to-end pockets. Both items are available at Cavalier Vault.

BAG IT!

10 october 2015

This Nikidom is the toughest, most ergonomic and practical trolley bag just in time for tricks or treats!

Its Psychedelic XL ($198) and Labyrinth Standard ($178) prints inspire creativity, fun and a little of cryptic mystery.

Both models are available at Scool, Ergonomics.

KICK IT! For the kids who can’t wait to grow up. GEOX has something for them with a series of footwear identical to the adult range, with the same design and the same materials.

Ballet flats in patent leather with Velcro strap, Plié (From $88, available in bordeaux or black) is ideal for special occasions.

For boys, Mattias Boy in leather or suede ($188, available in navy or ochre yellow), just like dad’s ones.

Both are available at GEOX stores.

eclectic fashion

Oilily is renowned for its sophisticated combinations of colours, cultural influences, playful details, beautiful fabrics and high quality. All the designs and patterns are still handpainted and decorated by their own art department.

In a world of fast-paced fashion fads, Oilily holds steadfast to its mission: A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Visit its flagship store in Great World City Singapore.

KITTY POWER! Hello Kitty fans will have much to rejoice! Cornell has just launched a series of Hello Kitty inspired electric appliances, available in all OG and major electronic stores.

With this pop-up toaster ($42.90, UP: $62.90), breakfast can be ready in a few minutes.

Play Cards Flap Backpack in Sand ($155)

The wildly popular Hello Kitty sandwich maker ($39.90, UP: $59.90) is sure to make eating toast fun!

EAT IT!

The kitchen scale ($39.90, UP: $59.90) is ideal for home bakers or chefs with its 1g graduation.

11 october 2015

The Janice Wong glow-in-the-dark edible gummies and mashmallows (from $5, Marina Bay Sands, The Shoppes and Takashimaya) is a winner when it comes to curious foods.

Janice is synonymous with cutting-edge molecular gastronomy. You can bring home pieces of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef’s creations for your little inquisitive ones and they are sure to be awe-struck!

fear issue

fea &

anxiety What’s brewing in troubled waters?

top 5

Parenting Fears & Anxiety

find out Childhood Fears

f rom kias u t o f e a rnat ion Find out what are the main concerns and fears of parents.

PARE NTING B LU E S 14 september 2015

Do you feel depressed?

Get tips to chase away the blues.

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ost of us have heard of aquaphobia; the abnormal fear of water and acrophobia; the fear of heights. Phobias vary dramatically from person to person, some people with aquaphobia may be afraid of swimming in deep waters, or the open seas while some fear common swimming pools or bathtubs. In severe cases, a phobic reaction such as sweating, crying and anxiety attack may manifest just looking at large pool of water or even being splashed by water. Phobias can be extremely debilitating when it interferes with one’s life.

Do you have your mobile phone beside you? Do you fear losing your phone? Recently, people getting increasingly “attached” to their mobile phones has caused nomophobia, a “no-mobile phone phobia” to be proposed as an official phobia. You may be laughing at this, but a study shows that ‘nearly 53 percent of mobile phone users tend to be anxious when they lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage’. Oh, and do you check your screen frequently to see if you have missed any messages, alerts or calls to the extent of interrupting your work and other commitments? If you say yes, you may be succumbing to ringxiety.

What are your irrational fears and how does it limit your quality of life, affect your daily routine and the way you interact with others and the things you do?

rs FOOD FIXATIONS

• Orthorexia Some of us have complicated relationships with food due to health, psychological and self-esteem issues. Orthorexia, the fear of eating unhealthy food is a pathological obsession to only include pure, clean, whole foods and rejecting dirty, processed, artificial foods. Ask yourself if you have gone too far that your entire life is enslaved to clean food pandemonium. Are you or your family, and social relationships suffering from your extensive food research, meal and recipe planning, food shopping, calorie restrictions and dietary obsessions?

Food Phobias

Why do parents suffer from parenting fears or parenting blues?

Dr L: As with most psychological conditions, exact causes are not known. However, we can understand the reasons from biological, psychological and social cultural factors. Some individuals may be genetically vulnerable to having these conditions and there may be a family history. After pregnancy, there is also a fluctuation in female hormones which results in a risk of post-natal blues and even depression in mothers. Psychologically, parents may not be prepared for the stress of a new child. There may be: • Discrepancy between their expectations and reality with realisation that caring for a newborn may not be as easy as it seems, leading to feelings of incompetency, fear and low mood.

• If the newborn has a difficult temperament, parents may have an even harder time coping resulting in further stress.

• Socio-culturally, especially in small family with one to two children, every child is precious. There can be a lot of pressure from spouses, in-laws and grandparents to be overly protective.

• Lack of support and marital dysfunction.

/02

IS Stress and anxiety caring for infant often identified as the culprit for post-natal depression?

Dr L: Stress and anxiety may indicate that there is an increase in the possibility that the mother may be or will be having post-natal depression.

It is more pertinent to address the psychosocial issues that are causing these stress and anxieties. It is sometimes not only the parents, but also those around them and even media portrayal that leads to difficult expectations.

For example, many mothers have the stress of having to breastfeed their newborn perfectly and feel guilty when they are unable to due to physical reasons. The intense guilt then leads to depression.

T op 5 Par en t ing Fear s

Care of Infant

Milk Choices

Health

Keeping up with peers

Bumps, Fever , Falls

15 september 2015

• Food aversion evokes a feeling of revulsion with the food in question, in some cases, fear is experienced.

Food aversion against the food due to smell, sight, taste, experiences and past reactions can last for life.

This is usually related to other phobias related to the food such as panic attacks looking at photos of food related to holes or clustered holes – think lotus-seed pod and honeycombs – trypophobia.

• Phagaphobia is the fear of swallowing. Some children develop anxiety having choked on certain types of food. When presented with the same foods, they get nervous thus contracting the throat muscles and causing constriction in the food passage and a replicating process of fear and anxiety.

/01

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

MASK

attack!

Here are some fa-boo-lous mask ideas for Halloween!

Who says you need to spend a ton of time looking for ways to dress your precious little ones for their Halloween parties? Be inspired by our trick-or-treat feature, where it’s all about the mask!

Photography Max Ng Art Direction Aris Lai and Geraldine Tan Stylist Sharon Tan assisted by Claire Yang and Naomi Tham Hair and Makeup Gigi Sng Models Ho Wy-Jun and Megan Maria Van Leeuwen

Rabbit headpiece and gloves, stylist’s own; Wolves printed hoodie, H&M, $14.90; Cross printed t-shirt, Beau Loves (available at Gnome & Post), $40.60; Cross printed drop-crotch pants, Huxbaby (available at kookies & milk), $40

time to grow up Teaching our kids to be independent from a young age is good, but it is never easy.

Here’s how to deal with your child’s fear of letting you go.

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remember it clearly. It was the first day of my Primary 1 journey and I was a nervous-wreck! Holding on as tight as I can to my father, I dreaded each step I took and feared the worst. But, why was I feeling this way?

After all, I was used to seeing daddy leave the home every morning for work and return in the evening. I was not too sure why I felt the way I did, but let me tell you, the fear is real; especially when you know it is time to separate from your parent, and do things on your own.

Let’s face it, one of your most important goals as a parent is to raise children who would later become independent and self-reliant people.

Certainly, in early development, your children count on you. As infants, they rely on you for nourishment, cleaning, and mobility. As your children grow, they become more independent in these basic areas of living, but still depend on you for love, protection, guidance, and support.

As your children reach adolescence and move towards adulthood, they become less reliant on you and gain greater independence in all aspects of their lives. This process of separation prepares your children for the demands of adult life. But, it is never that easy.

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We spoke to three parents and here are six tips to help you through you and your child’s journey to independence without the fear.

Allow your child to take the lead

Let them pitch in When your child sees you doing anything vaguely interesting such as cooking, cleaning, or even gardening, they will want to get in there with you and help. When this happens, try to find a way for your child to assist you. They may not be able to stir a pot of spaghetti sauce, for example, but you can get the little one to fetch you the ladle, then place the mats on the table. “I always encourage my daughter to help me out in the kitchen. This is a good way to teach her to get things done on her own in a clean and safe manner”, shares Shazana Razak, a mother of two.

Every parent needs to set limits, but at times it’s alright to let your child take the reins, even if her decisions seem outlandish. “My fouryear-old tends to insist on running around the house in his socks, and I never allow him as he may slip and fall, but to no avail. Thus, I allowed him to do it one day and after one slip, he finally understood why I never gave him the green light in the first place”, expresses Lina Chong, a mother of one. By allowing her to come to that conclusion on her own, you give her the chance to learn and grow.

Challenge them a little!

At a calm moment, ask your child to tell you three things they can do themselves, and have a little show-andtell session at home. If your child hesitates to show you

because of the fear of failing, motivate him to carry on.

We suggest letting them try their hand at a self-checkout counter, or placing an order for their favourite meal. By challenging them, we are indirectly pushing them to foster more courage while ditching their fear too.

Practise being ‘absent’ “I used to do this all the time to prepare my child for pre-school! All you need to do is to keep them busy and then mention that you’re going to the next room for a while. I started out with three minutes, then five, and so on. This way, your child is subconsciously getting used to being away from you”, advises Adeline Loh, a mother of two. This is a great way to get your child ready for the longer duration of separation at school. You could also make use of the hide-and-seek game for this!

Consider circumstances If your children are tired, sick, stressed or adjusting to a change, it’s not the time to introduce new

Encourage them to make their own decisions Start their journey to independence by training them to decide on issue they are involved in. For example, let them choose what they want to eat, wear, read, and watch. “I enjoy planning my weekend with my kids because they sometimes give really good input, and I know that they are happy with what we’re planning to do as a family”, says Shazana.

33 october 2015

LOOK MA, NO HANDS! Give your child the freedom they need to grow up active and healthy. With Hiruscar Kids ($32.90, leading pharmacies and Kiddy Palace), a gentle yet effective scar and dark marks solution for kids, you can now have the confidence to do so. Formulated with oat extract, the gel helps to prevent and treat scars and dark marks from mosquito bites, scratches, cuts and injuries. Specially formulated for kids from 2 to 10, Hiruscar Kids gel is highly absorbent and comes in kid-friendly grape scent for no-fuss application.

responsibilities. “Do not be discouraged if they want you to do a task after they’ve mastered it. This is normal.

Temporarily sharing the load can help them bounce back more quickly than if you scold or criticise them,” adds Lina.

you / parents

THE JUGGLing act Parenthood can be daunting even for the most steel-willed, adventurous and courageous.

A n t h o n y

L e v i

K h o

Founder, Let There Be Light / Celebrity photographer & father of two

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nthony is more affectionately known to many of his friends as Ang Tou Ni, phonetically similar to his name, meaning red bean milk in Hokkien.

Looking at his picture, you would have never thought that he’s still as humble as he was 20 years ago when he was like any other playful teenager who celebrated birthdays with water bombs infused with flour, detergent and well, eggs.

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Few knew of his plight when his father was found murdered in a car at Orchard Towers in 2002.

Then, grief-stricken Anthony discovered that he not only had to shoulder his deceased father’s massive debts but was also at crossroads of what he wants for himself as a young adult. After a few years of holding multiple jobs at the same time, he managed to clear all the liabilities and even provide for his mum and start life anew.

He later conquered many challenges in his life to found Let There Be Light, an award winning production house. He is now a photographer of choice for many Taiwanese celebrities. Beneath the cool, spunky and artistic façade, lies a sensitive and caring man. A few years go, he gave up career opportunities in Taiwan to spend more time with his wife, Janice and two daughters in Singapore. Though Anthony was once saddled with debts and traumatised by the fear and uncertainty when it comes to money, he did not allow that to cast a shadow on what he wants in life with his wife.

Crystal clear about his priorities now, he succinctly shares his philosophy that grounds him while in pursuit of his passion and juggling parenthood. “We shouldn’t spend our days chasing money, to use the money to buy a life. Why not focus on living our lives to the fullest, loving the people who matter, and let the money chase you?”

““focus on living life and don’t chase money. love the people who matter and let the money chase you.”

He handles fatherhood, business and passion with unwavering love and support from his wife. She stood by him as a confidante before their marriage and now even more so as his career demands increasingly more commitment, time and energy.

On days when he is not on overseas assignment he spends quality time with his family – his wife and their two daughters, Destiny and Divine.

Both his little princesses are his motivation to be the best that he can be, be it as an artist, a creator, photographer, director or an entrepreneur. He walks the talk and leads by example. He never allows

setbacks and life’s curve balls to put him down.

His quiet resilience epitomises the unspoken family culture and way of life. Divine has cerebal palsy causing limited mobility in her legs but that has not stopped the family from doing things together, enjoying the company of each and celebrating victories together.

Taking each step is a momentous achievement for Divine and many friends would recall how everyone celebrated with them when Divine took her first step in public with her new walker.

Having a simple brunch or bringing his daughters for classes would light up a smile on his face. His philosopy of focusing on living life is testament to how he would prioritise family time and acitivities first whenever the opportunity arises.

37 october 2015

Photography Let there be light

Anthony continues to be passionate about photography and honing his skills as a director.

you / Learn

Stepping Out of your

comfort zone Are You Building Walls For Yourself?

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ear is an emotion in everyone. All of us have fears – some logical and rational, others unfounded. There are some of us who face more fears than others due to our surroundings and circumstances. Do you fight or take flight when faced with stress, difficulties and challenges? Or do you start to wall yourself up and play the game of self-denial and wallow in self-pity?

Meet Oh Siew May, an extraordinary individual who in spite of a disability, family tragedies, social prejudice and challenges, overcame her own fears and her biggest challenge – people’s judgement. With slurred speech and physical restrictions due to cerebral palsy, she suffered discrimination, bullying and rejections.

Refusing to succumb to self-pity, her resilience saw her through school and poverty. She inspires many with her book, Scaling Walls – My Story and continues to live life to the fullest; running marathons, climbing mountains and even giving back to society despite earning a modest salary.

In this interview with Singapore’s Child, Siew May teaches us that regardless of where we are today, it is whom we become

that matters. With hope, faith, love and determination, fear can be a steppingstone instead of a stumbling block.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of developmental disorders that result in physical impairment of various motor functions of the body.

Damage is done to the developing brain of the child, either during the mother’s pregnancy, at birth or after up to the age of three. The exact causes of CP are still unknown and it is not a progressive disorder. Some conditions can be corrected by surgery and the intellectual potential varies – from genius to mentally retarded.

This can only be assessed when the child starts school. A common misconception about children with CP being less intelligent is not true, as areas of the brain that define intelligence are not affected by CP. It is common for individuals with CP to lead normal lives. Most persons with CP can also expect to have normal life expectancy.

Above information is by Dr Kevin Loy. M.B.B.S Singapore, a general practitioner in private practice and a personal friend of Siew May’s.

42 october 2015

Siew May now travels four hours a day to and from work at Bollywood Veggies to tend to a vegetable store and sell her copies of her book. Scaling Walls, My Story is also available at Path Light School, 5 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, Singapore 569739 (Tel: 6592 0431) or email Siew May at scalingwalls.siewmay@gmail.com for free delivery of any order above 10 copies. Part proceeds from the sale of her books goes to Cerebral Palsy bursaries.

“I still a human being who need to survive and need to earn a living too.”

What is your biggest fear when you were growing up as a child?

Why was writing your story important to you?

SM: My biggest fear when I was growing

SM: It’s very important to me because

up as a child was going out of my house to meet people. I guess I hated the way some people looked at me. They would stare hard at me even when they saw me from far. I guess they thought of me as an alien.

It was so hurtful to hear people making insensitive remarks. Some kids would also imitate the way I walk and I speak. Then, I felt really upset but I didn’t know what to do.

I tried speaking up but they just laughed at me. I also had the fear of answering phone calls. The moment people heard my voice they would think that I was trying to be funny or something else (being rude).

I realise many children who are born with disabilities are going through the same experiences like me, or even worse. I want to bring hope to the kids and their parents. I also want to let other people know the insensitive words they say and the actions they do to the less fortunate can be very hurtful and I hope that there can be mutual respect and understanding. Through my story, I also aim to create more awareness and job opportunities for people with disability.

How about as an adult now?

SM: As an adult, it would be adjusting to

a new environment. For example, I had difficulties initially to be with others (socalled “normal people”) even though I have never treated myself differently from them.

I would try hard to get accepted by them.

People would always judge me based on my appearance. I would say the most difficult times for me were those during my job-seeking interviews. Some interviewers even said they didn’t need to employ disabled people. I was really hurt by those comments. Being born disabled is not my fault. I still a human being who needs to survive and earn a living too.

What made you step out of your comfort zone?

In your book, you mentioned that love can bring light to darkness and create a miracle. What are some of the things you did to keep your positive energy up?

SM: During my difficult moments, it

was really the shower of love from a group of great friends. Their unfailing love kept me going. I remember when I was in a mainstream school, St Hilda’s Secondary School, I met an angelic teacher, Miss Sarah Yew. It was her love that kept me going during that period of time. Another example was during the process of getting my book published. There was a group of friends who helped without asking for anything in return. They created miracles for me.

That’s why I believe that love can create miracles in life.

Walk into Siew May’s world and get lifted by her courage and resilience!

bled. I re disa “You a ot fit u are n o y k n i th YOU k here. to wor K." R T WO CANNO

“… I felt lost and depressed. I knew that I need to start all over again. I was living day by day without a job...”

y was “ Mone n g low i runnin got I nk and the ba d i n’t d… I d o worrie vings t uch sa m e v a h ith.” begin w

SM: After many setbacks, I realised that

If you could share a piece of advice to parents with special needs children, what would it be?

SM: I would like to encourage them to

believe in the kids and do their best to help. Don’t underestimate them. Don’t treat them differently. They can be someone great too! Just do the best and believe in them!

43 october 2015

I need to stand up and speak up. It’s my fear that is crippling me. By staying in my comfort zone, my life will be the same. I need to let people see that being disabled doesn’t mean unable achieve things. They cannot assume that all disabled individuals are useless. I hope to let people understand more about people like me and so, I decided to write my story.

Kids / health

play without fear Get paediatric advice on balancing modern and traditional play.

I

t is increasingly common to see parents substitute traditional messy play with electronic games due to busy schedules and the convenience of technological play alternatives. Pediatric societies around the world have advised no screen time for toddlers under the age of two. One hour per day for children aged from one to two years and up to two hours per day for children below the age of five.

We speak with Dr Janice Wong, Paediatrician at Thomson Paediatric Centre to understand the common issues related to the dilemma of reduced traditional play and of fear increased technology exposure.

1

How young is too young to expose a child to gadgets, for example, the iPad?

Dr J: As electronic gadgets have now become such

an important aspect of modern living, it is impossible to fully ban children from using them. Instead, moderation and guidance from parents is necessary.

The use of electronic devices should then be limited to provide interaction. Use these devices as a tool to interact with your child for a short while – not just to entertain your child through video games and watching videos.

54 october 2015

Meet our expert Dr Janice Wong Paediatrician at Thomson Paediatric Centre

2

Are electronic gadgets and e-books detrimental to a child’s ability to imagine and over-stimulating with its visual, auditory and kinesthetic interaction?

Dr J: The advice is not to completely discard these

devices but to use it prudently and properly as a teaching tool. Spending time with your child on an electronic tool as an interactive learning method is a way to go for the six months to three year olds. There are programmes on these devices to teach critical learning, processing speed reading, and speech.

However, it should be shared together and parent and child should interact together while using these programmes. Limit the time used and promote active play. After three years old, interactive games, using device as source of information like reading e-books, checking encyclopaedia, etc. can be encouraged but again keep to the limits.

Food for Thought

3

1

What are the most common issues seen in your practice now with regard to young children have ‘too much of technology’ in their lives.

Dr J: In my practice, I do notice more speech

problems in children who tend to be exposed to TV or electronic devices at an early age and over a long time. They have poor vocabulary, reduced communication intent and weak pronunciation.

Speech and communication is best learnt from person to person interaction – i.e., parent talking to the child not from listening through electronic devices. Electronic devices like TV, the words are often spoken too fast or too muffled for a child to pick up exact words and proper pronunciations.

• Reduced tenacity

Children seem to be easily distracted and have poor persistence when it comes to completing chores or attempting difficult tasks. This is because they are constantly entertained by electronic devices and therefore if in play, they are not entertained, they become “bored” and constantly move around seeking their own form of entertainment.

2

Is it possible for a two-year-old to be addicted to certain gadgets or technology?

Dr J: Being addicted means one cannot go a time without using the gadget or discard other toys or activities in place of the gadget. A two-year-old can have most of his attention focused on wanting to use the gadget, they can throw tantrums if the gadget is not given to them.

What are the three things you would recommend parents to take note of without eliminating technology or gadgets?

Dr J: Entertainment time with these electronic devices is not the only thing that children should do as there are important skills and aspects that need to be developed from a young age. Unplugging to play with your child is not impossible even as a working parent.

Here are some simple guidelines that parents can keep in mind to have a fulfilling time with their children.

• Quality time over quantity

We’re all busy, so focus on quality time spent. Identify pockets of time to connect with your child. Take five minutes to ask about their day on the ride to school. Have a conversation over dinner – no TV or smartphones allowed.

• It is okay to play

• Delayed literacy

Later on, these children will struggle in school with feats that require more mental concentration. Their language skills become stunted and this affects understanding and coping in school.

Let kids be kids and promote activities that encourage their sense of curiosity, enthusiasm and energy. Let them run, skip, prance and chase each other at the playground. Arrange for playdates at the beach to reinforce positve experience for non-gadget play.

• Be a role model

• Reduced social skills

Poor social skills because of lack of interaction will cause these children to not know how to read emotions, have a hard time with peers and not be able to be “streetwise”.

• Need for instant gratification

Finger Painting

Tip!

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and indulge in messy play. Children love the tactile experience and top it off with colours. And if you are a little more adventurous, try face painting – and get ready for Halloween!

55 october 2015

Behaviour can also be affected because of “I want, I get” nature, causing tantrums. This is enhanced if programmes watched on electronic devices are not child-appropriate.

Put down your electronic devices when not needed and show your kids that they can have fun without a screen. Time to pick up a hobby that they can see you do.

BREAK THE CYCLE OF

stress & sleeplessness Try these few TCM natural remedies for better sleep.

A

re you sleep deprived and feeling absolutely irritable, and not to mention how you would like to simply have that one night of good sleep? As much as you hate to hear this, sleep deprivation and stress usually come in a package. Stress can cause sleeplessness and this dumbs you down with sleepiness creeping in at the most inappropriate times. Your mind becomes foggy and your mental alertness is on a downhill ride. You are feeling frustrated and at times depressed as you seem to be out of control. Unlike others who stay up to work, watch television or go online for whatever reasons, you stay up because you can’t seem to fall asleep.

You are desperate just to get forty winks. You toss and turn in bed and nothing seems to work. Before you start to beat yourself up over this, slow down and take some time to relook at how you can slowly bring better sleep back into your life.

Accepting your situation without guilt is the first step. Don’t stress yourself out and blame yourself or get angry every time you can’t sleep. This will not help to ease the situation and instead can aggravate the sleep problem and you find yourself even more frazzled. We have some tips to break the cycle slowly by changing your sleeping environment to incorporating TCM remedies. Sleep tight now.

Did You Know?

68 october 2015

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) explains that sleep deprivation or stress causes the kidney’s yin energy to impact the liver negatively, leading to an accumulating of ‘heat’ or poisons in the liver. There is little wonder why rest is often recommended for people with liver diseases such as hepatitis A, B and C to have plenty of rest and not to overwork the liver.

tips to get a better night’s sleep

Have a regular routine • If possible, go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

• Develop a bedtime routine that includes calming, relaxing activities.

• Do something relaxing just before bedtime (such as taking a bath).

• Avoid dwelling on worrisome issues or brainstorming for ideas.

• Avoid strenuous activity two hours before going to bed.

Adopt sensible eating diet and routine • Avoid eating heavy meals at least two hours before going to sleep.

• Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages in the evening or late afternoon.

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Foot massage - for the soles Harmonising the yin and the yang Step 1: Identify the Yong Quan acupuncture point at the ball of the left foot.

(Location: One-third of the distance from the base of the 2nd toe to the back of the heel, and the fleshy spot between the metatarsal bones. The depression when your foot is flexed.

Step 2: Use the Lao Gong acupuncture point (red dot indicated) of your right palm to massage the left feet at the Yong Quan acupuncture point.

Step 3: Massage for five minutes Step 4: Change over (now using left palm’s Lao Gong) to massage right feet at the Yong Quan acupuncture point.

Step 5: Repeat at least twice per side.

Contributed by Professor Feng Jiayang, Senior Consultant TCM Physician at SINCHONG MEHECO LTD.

69 october 2015

It is important that you seek professional help if you suspect you have insomnia that affects your daily function and quality of life.

Ear massage - using the palms Massaging the acupuncture points Step 1: Spread palms open Step 2: Position center (cup) of palms around ears Step 3: Roll palms in a forward circulation motion Step 4: Massage for 10 minutes till ears are warm

Laogong

• Make sure your sleep environment is quiet and dark.

• Cool your room to a comfortable temperature.

• Play soothing music to lull you to sleep.

• And if you can’t fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and move to another room and engage in a quiet activity until you feel sleepy.

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Two thirds

Create a conducive environment

Footbath - using natural herbs Balancing the yin and the yang Step 1: Cut three slices of raw ginger Step 2: Boil ginger in water (amount sufficient to soak feet) Step 3: Bring water to boil and simmer for 10 minutes Step 4: Pour ginger water into soaking basin Step 5: Pour in a spoonful of vinegar Step 6: Wait till hot water turns warm (exercise caution) Step 7: Soak feet for 30 minutes and add hot water to maintain temperature

One third

• Avoid activities such as eating and working in your bed.

• Avoid making your bed an entertainment zone as well.

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Yonquan KID-1

Make your bed a sacred space

3 TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM) WAYS

love thy self This month, turn back the hands of time to childhood colouring. Add splashes of creative fun to your world by penciling in your favourite hues, cooking up some traditional comfort food, indulging in couple-time feasts and upgrading your tot’s nursery.

Me Time

You don’t have to feel shy if you are shopping for a brand new set of colouring pencils or watercolours for yourself. Bring out the child in you! Immerse in the whimsical world that is taking many adults by storm.

Cook Away

72 october 2015

Spend some me-time whipping up simple yet delectable street food like the mouth-watering or luak (oyster omelette) and chye tow kway (fried carrot cake) following the recipes by Chef Eric Low, an award-winning chef and proud owner of Lush Epicurean Culinary Consultancy. With informative headnotes, invaluable cooking and preparation tips, The Little Teochew and Teochew Heritage Cooking are indispensable guides to serving up light yet satisfying and comforting treats. www.marshallcavendish.com

Colour AwaY

read Away

CoLOURING the World Colouring The World, by William Sim is a good way to globetrot without leaving your home. Be greeted by different iconic and famous landmarks from all over the world every time you turn a page. Get a glimpse of intricate daily life from great cities and perhaps, plan your next travel from here. www.kinokuniya.com.sg

LES Miserables Unwind with one of the Vintage Classics if you don’t have enough time to read a full-length novel or play, but in need of a literary fix. Grab a copy of Les Misérables and bring back memories of Fantine singing “I Dreamed a Dream”. www.timesbookstores.com.sg

Têteà-tête

After the Halloween parenting duties, reward yourselves to a hearty meal. Choose from bold cuts of meats to succulent all-time seafood favourites for a well-deserved couple time yummy oomph!

The Carvery Let the mouth-watering aroma of The Carvery’s signature roasts (Buffet from $38++) delight you and your other half.

Savour delectable roast-to-perfection premium beef, lamb, fish and more, complemented by wood-fired pizzas, salads and stunning desserts. We love the high ceiling and dinning space that adds privacy to your conversations. End the night by whispering sweet-nothings to each other at the alfresco pool bar just outside with a cocktail or mixer.

Groove Away

Sc’s recommendation Beef Tenderloin – Succulent US Angus

beef dry-aged in house paired with your choice of butter Prime Rib Roast – Tender premium cuts perfect with black lava salt

Leona lewis Sway to the beating pulse of your inner strength with Leona Lewis’s new album, I Am. We love the inspiring and catchy tune of “Fire Under My Feet”.

Be gratified and feel the fire in your heartbeat as you celebrate your essence and métier with The “Essence of Me”. www.leonalewismusic.com

English Trifle – Beautiful balance of

sweet alcohol sponge, citrusy berries and silky cream custard The Carvery 323 Alexandra Road, Park Hotel Alexandra, Level 7 Singapore 159972 Tel: 6828 8880

Crab in Da Bag Be ready to get your hands deliciously messy with oozing goodness from this hands-on seafood boil feast at Crab in Da Bag that offers boiled pots of crustaceans with just the right amount spices. Choose from local favourites like salted egg yolk and chilli padi smacks. There are also homey kid-friendly selections if your little one insists on tagging along. sc’s recommendation Admiral’s Boil – Boston lobster, Tiger prawns, Venus calms and Loligo squids ($118) Crispy Chewy Baby Squids –

Deep-fried to perfection flavourful baby squids ($12) Caboodle Mix – Choice of crustacean with local and Louisiana spices in aromatic garlic and butter

Crab in Da Bag Big Splash, East Coast Tel: 6828 8880 and Kallang Wave, SportsHub Tel: 6384 3551

73 october 2015

Jewel Remember Jewel’s Pieces of You album in 1995 when we call went crazy over ‘“You Were Meant for Me”? She returns to her acoustic singer-song writer roots with Picking Up The Pieces and even a memoir, Never Broken – both a reflection of maturity, tenacity and love for life.

A definite lift-me-up for days you need some encouragement. www.jeweljk.com

OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE 167

Did You Know?

Science Whizz

Cool Stuff

Happy Children’s Day! Share your ambition or dress up in your favourite “freaky”costume, and present your copy of

P/S… My Pals & Secrets Issue 4 at Plaza Singapura to redeem gifts.

Refer to pages 9 and 16 for details.

OCTOBER 2015

Publisher Foo Mei Siah Associate Publisher Kelen Koh Operations Manager Emmeline Lee EDITORIAL Deputy Editor Juansa Arissa Cheng Writer Shaistah Munawar Contributors Dr Scott Poh, Max Ng, Rachael Yohannan ART Creative Director Aris Lai Senior Designer Geraldine Tan Designer Chan Fei Ching ADVERTISING & MARKETING Associate Business Director Esmond Seah Business Manager Porter Christopher Andre Executive (Marketing) Lim Chin Yee, Marshall Ang ONLINE & DIGITAL Deputy Manager Arissa Ha Senior Writer Venetia Sng Writer Chew Hui Ling

Contents 2

Best Toys

4

Movie Pick

8

Did You Know?

10

Animal Planet

12

DIY

14

Book Nook

16

Fun Guide

18

The best toys available in the market.

Meet the Goosebumps stars in our exclusive interviews.

Get bitten by the Halloween Horror.

Learn about the animals that live in caves.

Make your own Halloween decorative piece and masks.

Our favourite reads this month!

Things to look forward to in October.

Happy Children’s Day

Find out what are the island wide activities you can have fun at!

For editorial matters, sc-ed@key-editions.com For advertising & marketing enquiries, enquiry@key-editions.com For subscription, subscription@key-editions.com

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Cool Stuff

Published by Key Editions Pte Ltd 20 Bedok South Road, Singapore 469277 Tel: 6445 3313 Fax: 6445 3373 Email: info@key-editions.com Business Registration No. 200005022G

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Brain Teaser

24

Say It!

26

Science Whizz

30

Math Up!

All materials printed within Singapore’s Child are Copyright 2007 © and protected under the Copyright Act. All rights reserved 2007.

MCI (P) 125/01/2015 Colour Separation & Printer: KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd 57 Loyang Drive, Singapore 508968 Tel: 6543 2222 Fax: 6545 3333 Distribution: Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd No portion of this publication may be reproduced in part or in whole by any means without the express and prior written permission of the Publisher and Copyright holder. Singapore’s Child will not be held responsible for any infringements of Copyright material in ar ticles submitted by contributors. While every care has been taken in the compilation of material for this publication, the Publisher is not liable in any way for errors, inaccuracies or omissions arising thereof and contained in the contents of the articles, advertisements, photographs or illustrations. All information published is correct at the time of printing.

The views and opinions expressed in Singapore’s Child by writers and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Publisher.

www.keyeditions.com

Find out what are the gross stuff living on your bed.

Expand your mind with Dr Scott’s fun games.

Learn about homographs and their pronunciations.

Take a trip back in time and find out the history of cells.

Have fun solving these Math brain teasers.

Bitten by

Did You Know?

the halloween Horror?

Find out more about Dracula and vampires

Take a deep breath as you step into this classic horror fiction world.

Dracula is a horror novel written by Irish author Bram Stoker in 1897.

It is about the story of vampire Count Dracula’s move from Transylvania to England in order to seek new blood and spread the undead curse, fighting men and women led by his archenemy, Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a vampire slayer.

MYTHICAL FOLKLORE OR FOR REAL? In many cultures across different parts of the world, vampires are mythical beings who feed on the blood of living creatures. How they look vary throughout time periods and cultures – they can look bloated with dark ruddy skin, gaunt and pale looking or even silvery white. No one knows for sure when did the idea of vampires first start. There are many theories and origins of vampire beliefs. The most common is the premature burial of people who are still alive and they are believed to be rising from the dead or the undead. You don’t believe this?

But it has happened before.

SOUNDS FROM THE GRAVE THE INSPIRATION Vald III, Prince of Wallachia (1431-1476/77) also known as (Vlad) Dracula was the inspiration for Bram Stoker as he was known for his cruel practice of impaling his enemies, a suitable character for the novel.

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In the cases of real deaths, the groan-like sounds produced during decomposition were mistaken as moaning from the coffin or grave.

These groan-like sounds are actually accumulated decomposition gases forcing their way past the vocal cords and in some cases, past the anus making fart-like sounds.

WELL-FED WITH BLOOD? Vampirism was popularised when some corpses did not resemble what a normal corpse would look like.

Due to different environments, corpses decompose at different rates and some are mistakenly to be continuing life when a body has not decomposed at all. To make matters worse, the illusion is intensified when the corpse look “plump” (bloated) due to the accumulated gases in the body. Lastly, the most common bloody streak of blood staining the mouth gives the impression that the corpse has been feeding on blood when in fact, the blood is caused by internal bleeding due to decomposition.

LONGER NAILS AND TEETH (FANGS?)

W

d Flas r o

h!

The lack of understanding in decomposition stages has caused people to think that the cadaver is alive after death because they observe “new skin” and “new nails” which are previously hidden beneath the skin and gums when the person was still alive.

After death, the skin and gums contract, thus revealing the nails and teeth giving the illusion that the dead person is still alive and “growing”.

impaling: piercing or thrusting a sharpened stake through the body (for torture or punishment)

The Chinese vampire in Chinese legends and folklores is more commonly known jiangshi. ‘Jiang’ means stiff and ‘shi’ means corpse. Thus, it literally means a stiff corpse coming back to life – hopping with its arms outstretched and the only way to stop it is to put a talisman on its forehead or kill it.

premature: done too early or too soon accumulated: gathered and stored up intensified: made more intense

Hap

cadaver: a dead body or corpse

ALLOWEEN! H py Dress up in your favourite “freaky” costume and redeem a $10 SPOTLIGHT voucher! One winner will walk away with $100 worth of SPOTLIGHT vouchers. Limit to the first 100 primary school pupils from 1 to 31 October 2015. Pupils must present their copy of P/S… My Pals & Secrets Issue 4 in person at SPOTLIGHT (05-11/19) to redeem their prize. *Terms and conditions apply.

Pictures are for illustration purpose only *Refer to pg 27 of PS… My Pals & Secrets Issue 4 for more details

Cool Stuff

GROSS STUFF

Living On Your Bed

Do you know what are the ectoparasites lurking on your bed?

Ectoparasites are organisms that do not kill their host while feeding on their host for an extended period.

They live on the outside of the host, either on the skin or the outgrowths of the skin, and are generally much smaller than their host.

Did you know?

Humans shed up to 28g of dead skin a month, which is roughly the weight of a pack of potato chips. This makes your home an all-you-can-eat buffet for dust mites.

Dust Mite

Dust Mite

Scientific name: Dermatophagoides farinae Beds can contain between 100, 000 and more than 1 million dust mites.

This microscopic arachnid likes to feed on the your dead skin flakes, pet dander, pollen, fungi, and bacteria that thrive indoors. They do not bite as they are not predatory. They feed on dead skin, and their droppings trigger allergic reactions such as watery eyes, sneezing, wheezing and even asthma attacks.

Human Body Louse Human Body Louse

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Scientific name: Pediculus humanus humanus The human body louse lays its eggs in the seams of clothing and beddings and feeds on human blood.

Its feeding can cause extreme itchiness and discomfort and they leave prominent single bite marks.

Tropical Bed Bug

Scientific name: Cimex hemipterus They leave a series of three or more linear bite marks and their bites can cause extreme itching in people who are sensitive to the bed bug saliva. They cast their old exoskeletons when growing and leave behind dark brown or black stains of excrement (which is actually digested blood) on bedding.

Tropical Bed Bug

Dog Tick

Scientific name: Dermacentor variabilis If your pet dog or cat likes to make itself comfortable on your bed, expect to have ticks beings transferred to your bedding. They often rely on the family pet to gain access to the human host as they cannot jump or fly. Ticks are arachnid pests that feed on animal and human blood. This is a concern because it may cause the spread of diseases such as the Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and others that can be contracted from direct blood contamination.

d Flas r o

h!

W

Dog Tick

Dander: material shed (dead skin cells) from the body of various animals, similar to dandruff

Head Louse

Prominent: easily noticed Exoskeletons: an external covering (usually hard shell)

Head Louse

Scientific name: Pediculus humanus capitis The head louse is a tiny, wingless ectoparasite that feeds on blood drawn from the scalp and lives on the scalp between strands of human hairs.

Though lice (plural of louse) suck your blood which causes itching, they do not spread disease. They cannot fly or jump but are highly efficient in clinging to hair, clothes, beddings, combs, brushes and caps, making them highly contagious.

Access: make contact with or being able to reach, approach or enter Contagious: capable of being spread by bodily contact with an infected person or object

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Brain Teaser

Expand Your Mind

Dr Scott is here again to help you stretch your mind with these fun brain teasers.

Are you game for it?

What comes next?

1.

?

A

B

D

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Choose A, B, C, D or E for each of the question.

C

E

2.

?

A

B

D

C

E

B

C

23 Ans wers: 1) C, at each stage the dots move 45째 clockwise and ano ther dot is added added alternate white/b at the end. The dots lack 2) E 3) B 4) D

A

D

E

?

4.

A

B

C

E

D

?

3.

Choose A, B, C, D or E for each of the question.

What time comes next?

Science Whizz

By Dr

s l l e C f History o

Scott Poh

A cell is the smallest living thing (unless you count bacteria or viruses), and all bigger living things are made of cells. Both plants and animals are made of cells.

A molecule with a wrapper?

These early cells were pretty simple, a molecule with a wrapper around it to keep it safe. Many scientists think that life on Earth first began about four billion years ago, from there, cells continued to evolve and became more and more complicated.

3 Billion Years Ago At this time, the world was full of prokaryotic cells such as bacteria. These simple cells had DNA and proteins inside them, and they could take in food and push out their garbage. They could move themselves around, and they could reproduce. Some of these prokaryotes could photosynthesize, or make food out of sunlight.

2 Billion Years Ago Most cells on earth are still prokaryotes, but a few evolved into a more complicated kind of cell called a eukaryote - plant and animal cells.

Plant Cell *Chloroplast in plant cells helps the plant to make food in the process called photosynthesis.

Mitochondria

*Chloroplast

Cell Wall Cell Membrane

Nucleus Nucleolus Vacuole Cytoplasm

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Nucleolus

Nucleus

Lysosome

Centrioles

*Mitochondria Plasma Cytoplasm Ribosomes Memebrane

Animal Cell *Mitochondria (plural of mitochondrion) helps to produce energy for a cell.

Both animal and plant cells contain prokaryotes living inside their cell membrane, which cooperated with each other so they could get more done and be safer. These became mitochondria and chloroplasts. Over time, the cells also developed other specialized parts within it that worked to digest food, get rid of garbage, move the cell around or help the cell reproduce.

600 Million Years Ago Most eukaryotes are still onecelled creatures. But by about 600 million years ago (less than a billion years ago), a few eukaryotes had evolved into creatures with more than one cell. This probably happened more than once, so that there are several unrelated groups of multicelled creatures. One group is animals and the earliest multi-celled animals were like hydras.

Other eukaryotes evolved into plants and some other groups like mushrooms and even till today, the vast majority of living things on earth have only one cell.

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