Today’s Motherhood

The Annual Library Book Sale 2010, organised by the National Library Board, will be held on 10 to 11 Jul 2010. The much-anticipated event offers a wide choice of books for the whole family at really affordable prices.

Event: Library Book Sale 2010
When: Saturday, 10 July 2010 – Sunday, 11 July 2010
Time: 9.30am – 8.00pm
Where: Singapore Expo Hall 6A
Nearest MRT: Expo MRT station

Admission: Free

What’s it about:
Select from a large collection of used library books at bargain prices at the Library Book Sale 2010!

Books and magazines in all the four official languages will be on sale. Prices range from $1-$5. Each customer can buy up to a maximum of 60 items. Payment can be made by NETS, CashCard or cash only.

Books will be categorised under ‘Adults’, ‘Young People’ and ‘Children’. Under each group, they are sub-divided into ‘Fiction’ and ‘Non-Fiction’. Magazines will be categorised under the four official languages.

Home delivery service will be provided by TA-Q-BIN at the event.

Mothers experience some moments when they feel that their children are not so close with their father. Mothers can do many things to strengthen the bond between baby and daddy. By giving them space and time together, you are creating and strengthening the link between them.

Mother and baby connection is inherently strong from conception, giving birth and growth. However, there are instances when mothers tend to worry about the baby and the father not having quality time together.

New moms can do something and it just takes time and some worthwhile activities which the two can do together and share with each other to create a bond. Almost all dads in the world might find it hard to sink into their new roles but with your help, you can look yourself into building a family of love and happiness.

Takes these five moves in refurnishing bridges between baby and daddy and worry no more about their closeness.

Give them their space

Give your husband the time to try on his own ways of nurture and cuddling without you hovering around and checking onto his adherence to “mothers know best” principles. You may know almost everything about child rearing but you need to let the father handle you baby in his own comfortable ways.

Dads have amazing ways in dealing with their babies. Boost his confidence as a father by welcoming his ideas regarding child nurture and care. His ways maybe extraordinary but giving him this chance will let your baby enjoy both ways of pampering from you and daddy.

Help them get a little closer

Touch is the best natural expression of love. Put your baby on sling-type carrier and let Daddy carry him through for quite sometime. Let Dad shine by wearing his baby around the neighbourhood for some exercise and bonding.

You can do this in the afternoons when he can show to all how great a Dad can be while you could take that chance to rest and sleep at home.

Let Dad start from the bottom up

Changing diapers will seem awkward for Daddy but understanding how this will enhance his relationship with the baby is beneficial. Let your husband view diaper changing as a fun activity instead.

Let every diaper fitted perfectly be seen as a reward and let every wrong fit become a chance to change for the better. Refrain from scolding him or nagging him out of a mistake because Daddy might not try changing diapers again.

Share feedings and sleep time

Having your baby rested on Dad’s arms after feeding or during sleep time is one of the best ways to strengthen bond between them. Your baby will find it uncomfortable at first but as you place it in routine she will be used to seeking for Daddy’s comforting arms.

Put Dad on the night shift

Putting Daddy on night shift can be difficult especially if he works during day time. Weekend nights are perfect times for Dad to take the night with the baby. Sleeping together until the next day is a great opportunity for daddy and baby to connect.

Yes, you can build a lasting connection between your husband and your baby. Let every moment of nurture be an opportunity for them to connect and experience great moments together.

This article was first published in Today’s Motherhood Magazine Aug 09 issue Page 16

First Time Ever in Singapore

Asia’s Best Selling Seminar for Parents “Kids Can Learn About Anything and Everything” - A Seminar by Janet Doman and brought to you by Glenn Doman Baby Singapore.

Find out:
Why Babies are Smarter Than You Think
How Early Can You Teach Your Baby
Baby is Only Limited as the World She is Exposed to
Why Learning in School is Too Late for Your Baby

Date : 31 July 2010
Time : 2 to 5pm
Venue : Grand Copthorne Hotel

For all Today’s Motherhood readers
Enjoy a member’s price of S$50 to the seminar instead of S$60.. .

Limited Seats Available
Call 6456 3526 (Raja) for Booking Now and Quote “Today’s Motherhood“! Closes on 28 Jul 2010

Or purchase directly from Glenn Doman Baby Singapore directly via Paypal by clicking the Pay Now button below.

Visit www.gdbaby.com.sg for more details or email info@gdbaby.com.sg

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Secure your tickets directly from Glenn Doman Baby Singapore directly via Paypal by clicking the Pay Now button below.

Stand a chance to win Numberjacks DVDs in Innokidz and Today’s Motherhood Giveaway Contest. We have 3 sets of DVDs up for grabs.

Simply fulfill these 2 conditions

a. Sign up Today’s Motherhood mailing list for free below;

Note : Existing subscribers need not sign up again

b. Like InnoKidz Singapore Fan Page in Facebook.

Contest ends 14 July 2010.

The above contest is proudly brought to you by InnoKidz Singapore and Today’s Motherhood

P.S. Names wlll tallied for both Today’s Motherhood mailing list and Innokidz fans page

Terms and Conditions Apply

Financial difficulties are ballooning anywhere in the world today. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work and even have several jobs at a time, the tendency is still big for you to face the difficulties of supporting your financial obligations because as your money grows, your needs also expand.

Stretching your finances will become a bit harder if you have a family to maintain and children to support. Thus, having a family budget to be religiously adhered to is important in keeping up with home expenditures and doing away with financial disasters.

Here are some ways to spend your hard earned cash wisely and protect your family from financial burdens in the future:

• Keep Track of Your Money. Know where all you salaries and earnings go. In your budget, you can list down short-term and long-term goals in order for you to know where all you earnings have gone.
• Your spouse and you should be able to discuss financial patterns and arrangements carefully. Evaluate which pattern needs to be changed and which should be enhanced in order to boost your financial condition.
• Limit Your Expenditures. Refrain from lunch outs and dinner outs in expensive restaurants. Your family can always bring packed food which is indeed healthier than those offered in fast food chains. You can also limit the purchase of new clothing and some gadgets which are not actually very necessary but would only serve aesthetic purposes.
• Set Your Goals. Be able to clearly define what your money is for. Long-term goals like own home, a car or a vacation spree with the entire family could help you trim down your spending.
• Beware of Emergencies. Emergencies come in the most unexpected way at the most unexpected time. Setting aside some amount to size up critical situations would save you from usury or from borrowing with very high interest rates.
• Avoid Impulse Buying. Think twice and more when opting to buy a sale or a bargain from your department store. They might not be of use as you go home.
• Pay Your Debts. Debt accumulation is painful and depressing. It is also alarming as interests get higher and that debts come haunting you until the end. Unsettled accounts are reflective of your preference and character.

Money isn’t everything but managing your money wisely is something. See how much difference it would make to save a little for the future. As you manage your family budget responsibly, you do not only protect your investments, your sacrifices but also your children from the painful threats of financial disasters.

Written by: Cecilia Ko

Recent reports by the Straits Times on child abuse have been on the rise and this is a concern for parents, educators and the society at large. Our children deserve childhood that is free from abuse and they have the right to have their physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs met.

Early Childhood Educator, Cecilia Ko shares how we can empower the children and prevent themselves from being abuse.

I. Teach children to recognise appropriate and inappropriate adult’s behavior such as shouting, humiliating, belittling or verbal abuse.

This strategy helps children to recognise what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior of adults. By teaching children to recognise such behaviours, we are protecting children from adults who deflate their self-esteem. We should value children and view them as competent and help them devise a plan for improvement such as offering appropriate praise on specific behavior helps them to build self-confidence and encourage them to work towards their goals.

II. Teach children to be assertive

Teaching children to be assertive means having the ability to communicate their opinions, thoughts, needs and feelings in a direct, honest and appropriate manner. This requires children to stand up for their rights that do not offend or deny the rights of others. As parents and adults, we influence children’s self-esteem by allowing children to make choices, appreciating, fostering independence, listening and valuing their opinions, encouraging them to try new and challenging activities and giving them time to explain their reasons.

III. Teach children to respond to bullying or attacks by other children or adults and respecting others

Children below 4 years old are visual learners hence using picture books, stories, puppets and dolls to raise the child’s awareness on topics like “Not to follow strangers’, ‘how to speak to a stranger when approached by one’, ‘how to avoid dangerous situations’, ‘staying in a group with other children during outings, ‘not to be tricked when stranger says ‘mummy sent me’ can help them to respond to bullies and adults.

IV. Teach children the difference between a good and bad touch by developing their instinctual feelings

Teaching children how to identify between a good touch and bad touch helps to heighten their awareness of sexual abuse. We could teach children to recognise their personal privacy such as caring for themselves during bath times and touching of their bodies by adults whether they are strangers or relatives, kissing by adults, relatives or strangers. Children from 4 to 6 years old are more vocal and encouraging them to speak up develops their confidence and assertive skills through incorporating stories, role plays and scripted stories or allowing children to problem solve in a group in a given situation. They should be empowered to act upon their instinctual feelings.

Importance of helping children to protect themselves

Children depend on adults for survival, development and protection. They trust adults will keep them safe and perceived them as safe since they provide protection from bullies and violent children. We teach children to obey us, hence directly and indirectly we are telling them to be good by doing what is told. Young children are incapable of assessing adults’ motives and they are taught to keep secrets, especially family secrets and they fear being reprimanded when the secret is leaked.

Abuse occurs when children are misinformed or uninformed due to their natural curiosity. Hence to prevent abuse and help them to be independent and aware, we can use books, songs, videos or games to talk about topics like what is a good and bad touch, parts of the body that are private, thereby raising their awareness and growing sense of self.

Teaching children self-protection skills by such as saying ‘no’ to strangers or any adult who do things that makes them feel uncomfortable will help to dismissed children’s anxieties when they have accurate information. As a result they would have control over their rights and able to balance between safety and freedom. These skills need to be imparted at a young age and apply them when needed.

Cecila Ko, an early childhood educator believes that all young children are by nature curious, active, independent, rich and resourceful learners. She believes in facilitating children’s learning by respecting their choices and scaffolding their learning. She also believes children are capable and can thus critically reflect on their learning so that they can make connections with what they learnt and what they have planned. As an educator, she aims to develop the ability to enter into children’s thinking so that children can develop their ideas and knowledge.

This article was first published in Today’s Motherhood Magazine Sep 09 issue Page 24

The Polliwogs is celebrating our birthday with a big bang! On Party Day, there will be games and lots of family fun so come and celebrate with us!

“The More We Get Together” Contest

Visit the playground with as many kids as you can between 10am – 11am on Wed, 14 July and the group with the most number of kids will win a $300 cash prize! Simply register by emailing us through Facebook with a contact name, number, email address and estimated number of kids.

“Most Coordinated Team” Contest

Come in your best party outfits and the most coordinated team stand to win The Polliwogs Café vouchers.

What’s more, all party friends will receive a 1 for 1 entry pass to The Polliwogs on their next visit!

Terms and conditions:
Normal entrance fee applies. The Polliwogs has the right to limit the number of children and adults entering the playground and stop the contest at any time due to safety regulations. Cash prize cannot be exchanged for other items. Café vouchers are valid for use at The Polliwogs and are not exchangeable for cash or other items. No change, credit or refund will be given for purchases amounting to less than stated value. Voucher cannot be used with other offers, promotions and discounts. Other terms and conditions apply and the management reserves the right to amend these terms without notice.

Firstly, I will like you to be truly honest with me and ask yourself, “Are you tired of nagging your child?”

Well, if your answer is ‘Yes’, there is good news for you! There are ways you can get your child to cooperate with you without constantly scolding and nagging at them! As a matter of fact, most children I asked have a common wish for their parents – for them to stop nagging!

Therefore, I concluded that constantly nagging or scolding is not the way to get cooperation. The biggest secret is that parents should never tell their children what they should do. Children, especially when they are teens, have a strong emotional need for independence, and they hate being told how to think and what to do.

Instead, you should empower them with choices, giving them the choice of what they want in life.

Empowering them with Choices

When you give them choices, they feel a sense of independence, and they also feel the freedom to choose their own life.

Hence, instead of nagging at them to study, you should give them choices and explain the goodness of studying and how it will enhance their lives.

If you put it across to them this way, they will feel empowered in their life. They will associate studying with freedom and happiness and not just to make their mum and dad happy. Most students study because their parents are very strict with them. Though it may bring short term effects, they will get disheartened in the long run as they feel that their feelings have been neglected and they are just studying to meet their parents’ expectations.

Talk About your Feelings

Instead of scolding my students every time they commit a mistake, I will use this useful strategy of sharing my feelings with them.

“The wonderful news is most kids care about their parents from the bottom of their heart. And if you are open enough to share your feelings with them, they will be touched!”

Instead of scolding them…

“Why are you so playful? Can you stop playing the computer games and study?”

Share your feelings…

“You know, son, I get upset when I see you neglecting your studies.”

Give Constructive Feedback

When children make mistakes, the first thing most parents do is always throwing accusations such as,

“That is wrong!”

“That is really so stupid!”

“Don’t do that!”

When we tell people that they are wrong, their automatic response will be to defend themselves. They will tend to ‘fight back’ to justify their actions.

So what can be a more effective strategy? Instead of scolding straight away, you can first praise your child for what is correct, and then give advice on what can be improved.

Remember that there is nothing wrong with your children, there is only something wrong with their behaviour.

E.g.
“It is great to see you putting so much effort in your art, at the end of it, do clear up the table so that you can save me some time in tidying up the house.”

I have just shared 3 creative ways in which you can get your child to cooperate and listen to you willingly. Follow them and you may enjoy a happier and closer relationship with your child.

For more empowering parenting strategies and effective revision skills to help your child ACE his/her exams, visit www.studygrandmaster.com

Eczema is a common skin condition in children. Due to the irritation of symptoms caused by eczema, toddlers can become extremely irritable and grouchy. There are; however, ways to ease their discomfort.

Eczema Facts

The most common and first signs of eczema are patches of itchy inflamed (irritated) skin. People with eczema typically develop the condition by the time they are 5 years of age. The good news is that most babies will outgrow eczema by the time they are 2 years old. Some; however, may not outgrow the condition until they reach their mid teens.

There are three types of eczema – atopic, infantile, and dermatitis. Listed below are some factual information about each type of eczema.

1. Atopic – Caused by Allergies

• Runs in the family and is often liked to other atopic conditions such as asthma
• Causes the skin to be excessively dry, red, itchy, and inflamed
• Due to dryness and scratching, skin may begin to crack and bleed
• Usually starts with a rash on the cheek, which spreads slowly to other areas of your body (i.e. neck, legs, arms and nappy area)
• With toddlers it usually appears at the back of the knees, inside their elbows, or on wrists and ankles

2. Infantile Seborrhoeic Eczema (aka cradle cap)

• Flakey skin that does not become itchy
• You can get rid of loose flakes by massaging your baby’s scalp with olive oil and combing her hair the following day, then wash with a mild shampoo
• Another alternative is to buy cradle cap shampoos

3. Allergic Contact Dermatitis

• This occurs when the immune system reacts badly to certain substances like lotions, soaps, detergents, etc

Eczema is being diagnosed on a much more frequent basis. Part of this is due to an overly clean, or sterile, environment. Immune systems have become weak and cannot fight infection as they used to. Children who are exposed to fewer infections are more likely to suffer from allergies. This is because their immune system does build up immunity.

Eczema can also be caused by cow’s milk or drastic changes in temperature. It is NOT contagious. Breastfed babies tend to have a stronger immune system due to the antibodies in breast milk and are less prone to eczema.

Self-Help Methods to Relieve Baby’s Eczema

There is currently no cure for eczema, although a doctor may be able to recommend antihistamines to ease itchiness. Doctor will sometimes prescribe steroids to reduce inflammation and relieve discomfort. There are; however, some “home eczema natural remedy” that can help to lessen your baby’s irritation.

1. Moisturizers help to ease itchiness and replenish the body’s natural oils. It will also help to prevent dry skin and form a barrier against irritants.
2. Use mild soaps. Harsh soaps can cause skin irritation and dryness.
3. Find a vacuum that efficiently removes carpet mites, dust, dirt, and more.
4. Hard wood floors and blinds are less irritating than carpet and curtains.
5. Hot water can dehydrate the skin, use lukewarm water for baths instead.
6. Cotton clothing allows the skin to breathe easily, avoid wool and synthetic fabrics.
7. New clothes should be washed prior to wearing them.
8. To avoid scratching or cutting open dry skin patches, keep your child’s nails clipped.
9. Chlorine will dry skin out very quickly, bath children as soon as you get home from a swimming trip.
10. Have your child drink plenty of water and eat foods that are high in fatty acids. The combination of these two intakes helps to rehydrate the skin.

However, you should always consult a physician if condition does not improve after using these self-help methods to relieve baby’s eczema.

This article was first published in Today’s Motherhood Magazine Mar 09 issue Page 27