Where Do Babies Come From? Useful Tips To Help You Talk To Your Child Part 1

When junior drops the big question on your bulging bellies, what do you say to him or her? What do we say?

Here are 5 useful tops for parents to talk to their child about where babies come from.

1. Use proper labels

We ought to begin teaching our children about sex and their sexuality from the time of their birth. And this begins with simple labeling of their anatomy. For the record, boys have penis and not “ku-ku-bird” or a “pee-pee” or “birdy”. Girls have a vagina (and actually the vagina is only part of the female genitalia; it actually is called the vulva) and not a “wee-wee” or a “peach” or a “hamburger”. Proper labeling will lay the ground foundation for future discussions.

I bumped into my niece and nephew one Saturday evening when my sister and brother-in-law took them out for a family dinner. As I was about five months pregnant, my niece who was 4 years old jumped out of her chair and asked me excitedly, “Yee Yee (which means aunty), do you have a baby in your womb?” I was amazed at how she knew the word “womb” at the age of four!

My sister then explained that she bought a child-appropriate storybook to introduce the subject to her. My sister and brother-in-law insisted on proper labeling of their children’s anatomy and body parts at a young age and indeed has helped their children to learn properly and made it easier for them as parents to introduce the subject when needed.

2. Be comfortable to discuss the topic

Because modeling a healthy relationship between men and women is every bit as important as the actual conversations we have with our kids about sex, the first task we must approach as parents is exploring and discussing our own beliefs and feelings about the subject. Do discuss the subject between you and your spouse first, and process any fears you may have about raising the subject as honest as you can before approaching your child on the issue.

If we cant be comfortable talking about the subject between the husband and wife, how can we expect that our child will be comfortable to bring up the subject with us? Working out on our own issues as parents with our pasts and with each other about sex and sexuality will allow us to be a blessing to our children, and that we will be able to talk to our children effectively.

Think of how much less afraid our children will feel if they knew that their parents have experienced the same feelings and can model how to deal with them in a healthier way. If need be, age-appropriately, be willing to share your story and journey with them. Let them know that they are not alone, and that you wish to help them to overcome the challenges.

3. Go beyond the birds and the bees

Most parents say too little, or too late. Even if they successfully transmit information about the biology of sex, most parents considered that the case is closed and issue is resolved. They don’t realize that our children will continue to question and learn about sex and sexuality through what they observe around them as they grow up. It is very crucial for parents to take the conversation to the next level.

What I mean by taking it to the next level is to teach and model healthy male and female relationships. By doing so, this will create a vision in our children’s minds and hearts on how a rich and fully developed relationship that married couples can enjoy looks like. If you are remarried or are living alone, you can still do a good job in educating your kids about healthy sexuality. While it is good for a child to hear about sexuality from both a man and a woman at the same time, that is not always possible, even for married couples.

Taking it to the next level would also mean to take the opportunity for parents to communicate about our values about sex gently to our children. Although they may not understand or adopt these values when they are older, at least they will be aware of them as they struggle to figure out how they feel and want to behave.

4. Give accurate, age-appropriate information

“It is important to discern at what stage of understanding and maturity the child is at before deciding on how much to share.” Page, 42-year-old teacher and a mother of two teenagers 16 and 14 years old advised. This is important. Talk about sex in a way that fits the age and stage of your child. A four-year-old doesn’t need to know every detail of the sexual acts, but you can lay a solid foundation for later.

5. Whose responsibility is it?

It is a myth that only a woman can talk to a female child and only a man can talk to a male child. Some of the most wonderful conversations take place between a mother and her son or between a father and his daughter. This would illustrate to children that men and women don’t need to be a mystery to each other, and that in many ways, our sexual needs are not entirely different. Establishing a pattern of talking freely with any of your children on any subject will serve you well as they mature and will enable you to have a series of ongoing, productive conversations.

While there maybe moments that you may correctly sense that your child may wish to speak to someone of the same gender, same-sex gender perspectives can sometimes help a child, especially adolescents and teenagers, to feel more comfortable and possibly less embarrassed.

You may find it helpful to have also someone of the opposite sex, someone whom you have a mature nonsexual relationship with, to serve as a role model and guide for your child. Your parents, pastor, church elders, child’s coaches, child’s cell leaders or teachers may be excellent candidates. But remembering that you will still be the one who will have most of the conversations with your child. There is no reason you cannot be the best resource for your child. We can be effectively well equipped to answer their questions, and to support them in this journey.

source: http://thenewageparents.com/where-do-babies-come-from-part-1/

Details of KidsSTOP Unveiled

by littledayout.com on 21/02/2014 - 11:59 pm

Donning a red KidsSTOP cap, on 18 February 2014, Science Centre Singapore’s Chief Executive, Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, used augmented reality to walkthrough the different zones of KidsSTOP, the new children’s science centre scheduled to open on 5 June 2014.

Designed to spark the interest of children aged 18 months to eight years old in science, KidsSTOP will comprise different zones and areas, centred around the four tenets of Imagine, Experience, Discover and Dream.

The Built Environment Zone will be fashioned after a bustling construction site where children can operate a mechanised crane and experience different aspects of construction. It will feature a magnetic wall with movable pipes and ramps for children to create their own structures and introduce concepts such as gear ratios and energy transfer. The Built Environment Zone is sponsored by the Building and Construction Authority.

At the Supermarket, children will be able to take on roles such as cashiers, customers, chefs and street vendors. This zone will introduce them how different food items are produced and the importance of good nutrition.

The Dino Pit will give kids a chance to become a paleontologist and search for dinosaur bones. They will be able to learn about common dinosaurs and how to classify them.

The Flight and Space Zone, sponsored by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, will allow chilren to create their own flying machines and even their designs in a wind tunnel. Here, they will be able to learn the science behind flight and also role-play as pilots and ground crew.

Active young ones will enjoy scaling the Big Dream Climber, a nine-metre climbing structure with unique hanging elements such as suspended leaves, flying fish and fanciful, hanging doors. Adventurous ones can take on the Giant J, a seven-metre slide that will allow them to experience free-fall for an instant before sliding to safety.

In addition to other learning zones, facilities at KidsSTOP will also include The Party Room, an open space with a stage for performances and a room in the corner that can be rented out for birthday celebrations. Very young children will be able to enjoy Small and Smaller Worlds, a dedicated space for them that will include a Nursing Alcove.

Associate Professor Lim said, “We are very excited about the development of KidsSTOP, a dedicated facility for younger children. It will tap on their natural curiosity at a critical stage of development as they discover the world around them through discovery and play.”

Talking To Kids About Sex And Porn

Nothing makes parents more squeamish than thinking about talking to their kids about sex. Truth is, we never know when our children may ask us that question. How will you reply them when that day comes? We can start by slowing introducing and talking to their children about the different body parts, including the female and male genitals, using the proper terms.

Now imagine you need to talk to your kids about porn. With the arrival of smart phones, porn can be accessible within the palms of your child’s hand. Whether we like it or not, our kids are going to encounter or hear the word one way or another, intentionally or unintentionally. It is not ideal that kids watch or consume porn, but if they happen to, they would need adult guidance.

Clearly, you don’t want the first conversation you have with your kid about sex to be about porn. Therefore, talk to your kid about sex NOW.

With young children, sex talks involve identifying their body parts by their correct anatomical name. Reading books about the human body can also help to get the conversations going. These are body parts that all humans have, and there is a reason behind each body part. It may be very awkward at the beginning. But the more experience you and child have, the easier it will be to talk about it.

As a family counselling therapist, I have many parents calling me with their concerns, who seek for my advice when they realize their child has been surfing pornography online. Working pre-emptively about porn is a parent’s best strategy. You want your child coming to you to learn more about sex, and preferably not through friends, the internet or pornography.

Dr. Marty Klein, a Sex Therapist and Marriage counsellor from the US sheds some light about pornography. Parents can educate their children about the points below when they are old enough to understand.

• It is not real. Porn is a group of professional actors and actresses who follow a written script and play characters, just like in other movies.
• Porn is like a video game, designed to entertain.
• It is not a documentary. It has a lot of editing and it is designed to thrill.
• Porn does not portray sex the way it really is. It leaves out a lot of what most people like about sex— the emotional aspects such as laughing, talking, and feeling close. Instead, porn is mostly physical, and show bodies rubbing against bodies, which is sex without feelings.
• Porn features unusual bodies doing unusual things. Your body doesn’t, and probably will never look like the bodies in porn.

If you need additional help or guidance for your child, going to your health counsellor or psychologist will be a great place to get accurate information and advice.

By Tammy M. Fontana, Lead Therapist, All in The Family Counselling

This article was first published in The New Age Parents Oct / Nov 2013 e-magazine

a relatively short 2 hour volunteer work, could be fun for your child too

------------------

Christmas Kettle Appeal Bell-Ringers

Assignment Name: 

Christmas Kettle Appeal Bell-Ringers 

Opportunity Available:

Late Nov - 24 Dec (Annually)

Commitment Level:
One-off, Project Basis, Regular, Adhoc

Location:

• To be advised
• Note: Do consider helping at heartland and "non-town" locations, as these areas do also require much help. Thanks.

Vol Requirements:

• Kettling is from Mon – Sat, 1pm – 9pm, late Nov - 24 Dec.
• Each kettling shift is 2 hours (starting from every "odd" hour i.e. 1pm, 3pm etc)
• 2 volunteers to a kettling shift
• You may choose to sign up in pairs with your friends or family or we will assign another volunteer to partner you for the shift
• Kettlers need to be 16 years old as at 31 Dec this year (unless accompanied by a parent/guardian, 21 years old and above)
• All volunteers will be required to be registered.
• For group/corporate volunteers, you are also welcome to adopt the pot e.g. for a day or period of time.
• Certification of voluntary involvement is available for registered volunteers upon request.
• We appreciate your help in assisting us to manage the scheduling of volunteers for shifts. Kindly consider your availability carefully to avoid inconveniences caused with last minute changes.
• Please sign up for alternate shifts with rest breaks in between (rather than consecutive shifts e.g. kettling for a whole stretch of 2 or more shifts), as this would be more manageable and less tiring. 
• For first-time bell-ringers, please sign up for one shift to try out if you like the assignment. We welcome you to return to sign up for more shifts after that.

Vacancies:

• 1000
• Individual, Group & Family Volunteers Welcome

Registration:
Please sign up at least 3 working days before to allow us to process and match you to a shift. 

1. Online Registration: Click here.   http://sav-opp.blogspot.sg/2010/04/christmas-kettle-appeal-bell-ringers.html
2. Phone Registration: Call our hotline (Tel: 6452-4093) from 4 Nov-21 Dec 2013, Mon-Fri (9.00am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5.00pm). 

 For batch registration of 6 or more volunteers, please contact our Volunteer Resources Manager at Tel: 6555-0232,  5 Nov-21 Dec, Mon-Fri (9.00am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5.00pm). 

Contact Person (for Clarifications):

James Lim 

Tel: 6555-0232

volunteer (AT) SMM.salvationarmy.org (replace (AT) with @ to email me) 

Registration Closing Date:

21 Dec

Opportunity Description:
The Christmas Kettle Appeal is a unique fundraising project that enables The Salvation Army to continue its work with the needy and underprivileged. Every year, staff and volunteers take to the streets ringing bells and encourage passers-by to drop a donation into the kettles. As such, we would like to extend an invitation to you to join us in this tradition and make a difference.

You can read about the Christmas Kettle story on The Salvation Army’s Volunteer Portal at http://bit.ly/bellringers. For a video on the history of The Christmas Kettle Pot (created by The Salvation Army in British Columbia), you may wish to visithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0y3_4mlnAc. Read our volunteers' experience kettling here at http://sa-v.blogspot.com/search/label/kettling.

Baby Talk

I don't recall what I said when I was 3, but I definitely wonder if it is "normal" for my 3 year old to say all these strange, amusing and unfortunately "not exactly wrong" things...

mummy: this book is too difficult for you, you are too young...
3 yr old: wait, give me 10 mins... I will grow up

Goodie bags for kids' parties

http://bagagoodie.com

had a wonderful experience with them, allowing multiple customization to the goodiebags plus taking photos to show me the results after which change.  All these at no additional charge plus the price is rather reasonable, especially if want to get an odd number instead of buying in nice multiples of 10s or 12s

I will use their service again

Preparing for Primary 1

 

Toilet training: What to expect when

No magic age signals the ideal time to start the process of toilet training. Some children develop the necessary physical and cognitive skills as early as 18 to 24 months, whereas others aren't ready until they're 3 or 4 (boys are often slightly later than girls). Some children get the knack in a few short days, while it can take others a year or more.

What accounts for the wide age range in mastering this skill? Timing. Doctors have a saying about toilet training: If you start at 2 you'll be done by 3; if you start at 3 you'll be done by 3. For most kids, potty training takes 3 to 6 months – though if you get the timing right it may not take this long.

"If you catch them when they're ready, it may only take a month," says Denise Aloisio, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician in Rochester, New York. "But if you miss the signals or don't wait for their cues, it can take six months or more."

Signs of readiness

Your child must be physically ready to start potty training before you have any chance of success, meaning he can hold urine and stay dry for two hours or more (this indicates that his bladder muscles are sufficiently developed to store urine). He also needs to be able to recognize the physical signs that signal when he has to go, and act on them before anything comes out (no small feat when you've never had to think about this before).

It makes it easier, too, if he can pull his clothes up and down by himself. Steer clear of overalls if he can't undo the clasps.

Physical and mental readiness aren't the only factors involved. Motivation is key. If your child demonstrates a desire for independence and shows an interest in imitating others' bathroom habits, it may be an auspicious time to plunge into the process. Children may figure out how to have a bowel movement before they learn to urinate in the potty consistently because it's harder for them to delay urination.

What you can do

Your job as a parent is to make the toilet-training process as natural and non-threatening as possible. Keep a relaxed and positive attitude, and encourage your child to get accustomed to his potty. Let him help pick the potty out at the store, then let him play with it, look inside, sit his teddy bear on it. Then, ask him if he wants to sit on it — with his clothes on at first — so that he can get used to how the seat feels.

If he wants to take a rain check on this, don't push it. Explain how the potty is used in simple terms that he can grasp: "This is for making pee and poop in when you're ready to stop wearing diapers." (Use whatever words you're comfortable with for urine and feces, but be sure he understands them.)

By now your child has probably seen you and your partner use the toilet on many occasions. He may be more interested in just watching at this point. Role models take the mystery and fear out of new things, so let him watch.

After about a week of familiarizing him with the potty with his clothes on, empty the contents of his diaper into the potty, so he sees what's supposed to go in there.

Once your child is willing to use the potty, make it part of his routine — start with after breakfast or before his bath — and gradually increase from once to several times a day. Praise him for his success and brush off accidents or no-shows.

Don't rush to flush: Kids see pee and poop as an extension of their own bodies. They may be fascinated by and proud of what they put in the potty. Some children also like to wave bye-bye to their BMs.

Be careful not to push your child or nag. Just like grown-ups, children are much less receptive when someone is constantly on their case than when they feel like they're in charge.

Instead, watch your child for changes in posture or facial expressions that signal he has to go. If he grabs himself or grunts, for instance, let these be your cues to gently remind him about the potty.

Handle accidents and setbacks calmly and kindly. Just clean up the mess matter-of-factly and suggest that next time he try using his potty. You may also want to switch from disposable diapers to cloth diapers at this stage.

You're more likely to have success with toilet training if you choose a time to plunge into the process when all is reasonably quiet on the home front. As a deadline-oriented adult, it might seem logical to start training a few weeks before the next baby is due, just before your child goes to preschool, or when you're planning to move to a new house.

But 2-year-olds are contrary creatures, and the more they sense your not-so-hidden agenda, the less inclined they are to go along with it. So ditch the deadline, act casual about the whole thing, and let your child "own" the experience.

What to watch out for

If you find yourself getting angry or frustrated about potty progress, or if your child seems to resist toilet training, consider it a sign that you both need to take a breather. Too much pressure to perform can sabotage the whole exercise, so wait until you've regained your patience and your child seems more open to the idea — it could be a couple of days, or even months. If you choose this battle, you will inevitably lose — toilet training can only be mastered with your child's voluntary cooperation.

You should also stop the toilet training if your child is reluctant to use his potty or becomes constipated. If your child has infrequent bowel movements (less than three per week), if he passes either large stools or hard, pebbly stools, or if it is difficult for him to pass a bowel movement, talk with his doctor about possible constipation.

Address his health problem first by varying his diet (bananas are good for firming up BMs while prunes and other fruits are good for loosening them) and getting him to drink lots of liquids. Then you can try toilet training again.

What's ahead

Once your child is using the potty regularly, you'll gradually make the move from diapers to training pants during the day. In preparation for preschool, you may also need to help your child make the shift from the potty to the toilet.

Most children take longer to conquer naptime and nighttime dryness. Don't worry, though, if your child is not ready to take these toileting steps. When he's ready to learn these new big-kid skills, he will (and not a moment sooner).

In real life...

Cupcakes and more cupcakes....

Plan to bring cupcakes to cc's preschool for her birthday - to save the effort of utensils as well as easier for distribution

And just like anything else, be it her clothes or bags, I try not to have any cartoon motif. Because I stand by my belief that kids start from Barney --> Disney Princess --> nike --> LV ! Hence, tend to go for "no brand" graphics of plants and animals

sweetest moments
Friends forever cupcakes, 10 for $31.90
Delivery $15, self collection only from 10am to 5pm at serangoon

cake story
Garden Theme big cupcakes $3 each, minimum 15 pieces

cupcake mama
$2 to $3 per piece, minimum 12 pieces
$15 delivery, self collection at woodlands (can be after office hours)

What Can Preschoolers Draw?

Drawing becomes an inevitable activity for our preschoolers at this age. Be it at home or in school, children aged 3 to 4 are constantly drawing. Of course, they have progressed through the scribbling stage where their drawings become more recognizable. The lines are also more developed as children have better control over the pencil. They shift from holding the pencil with their fist to using the pincer grip.

At the same time, preschoolers are also able to combine lines to form simple shapes such as circles, ovals, squares and triangles. Some children who are more experienced may attempt to draw objects using a variety of shapes. For example, a child may draw a combination of a large square, and a triangle to form a house or drawing a circle and lines to draw a person which is also commonly known as ‘stick man’ or ‘tadpole person’. Though it might not be a perfect square or circle, most adults can distinguish its shape.

Some children might encounter difficulties in drawing shapes, which is normal too. What adults can do is to draw together with children and encourage them to explore. This can also generate interest and discussion on shapes and drawing among children. As a child, I did not enjoy drawing as I felt that my drawing was not beautiful as compared to my peers and siblings.

Most of us might have instances where we felt how we are not ‘creative’ or ‘artistic’ enough to draw. But there is actually no right or wrong way in drawing or art, since it is a form of one’s creative expression. As parents, we should encourage our children’s creativity by providing opportunities and experiences for them, and to enjoy the pleasure of drawing as there is so much that we can learn or tell from a child’s drawing.

~~ taken from http://thenewageparents.com/what-can-preschoolers-draw/

Car Seats

The rules for car seat have changed again. It is no longer till age 8 but till height of 135cm. Based on typical statistics, that will be > 8 yrs old especially for girls

Happily Ever After

No longer...

Things to bring for playschool/childcare

Below are the things which cc bring in her backpack currently (slightly modified..actually more like add on, along the days! such as the jacket/cardigan which teacher advised to bring on day 2)

these are for her half day class which is from about 8am till 12.30pm or so...

- 1 waterbottle with sling

- 1 extra set of clothes (prefer school uniform, but if no spare uniforms to bring, can bring home clothes..)

- 2 diapers (2 because asked the teachers to default change her at about 11am...and 2nd one is in case she poo poo!)

- 1 school book (the communication book between teachers and parents)

- 1 packet of wet wipe (saw classmates leaving a full pack in school..plan to do so too)

- 1 small tub of biscuits (she didn't really eat in school as there's breakfast and lunch...but she is always super hungry on way home and begging for milk!)

- 1 milk bottle + 1 serving of milk powder (as back up)

- 1 cardigan/jacket (teacher will wear for her if cold)

- 1 plastic bag (to contain soiled clothes back...not for soiled diapers..hee)

Weekly Schedule for Toddlers @ childcare

Meal menu @ childcare

Sleeping...

Why does someone so small...occupy so much space?

Iphone Apps

Still tend to agree that passive activities such as watching tv, and even playing the "so called interactive" apps are not suitable for kids before 2 yr old. As kids should build on their social/environment etc awareness during this age. Nevertheless, at whatever age, it takes away time which could otherwise be used for physical activities or any activities with other human beings (playing mahjong online live with other adults, do not count as "real" activities with other human beings!).

But of course...look at who's talking? Updating this blog itself, doesn't sound like should be encouraged! Nevertheless, came across some recommended apps (to make the bad activity of playing with apps...a little less bad..)

1. Tozzle – Toddler’s favorite Puzzle (By nodeflexion.com)

Looking for something entertaining but also educational for your kid? Then Tozzle is the perfect App for you! It keeps your toddler entertained as he or she learns to improve shape recognition and motor activity, with 39 different puzzle pictures with funny and sound effects to choose from! Very user friendly, all your child needs to do to solve the puzzles is to drag and drop. Once a puzzle is solved, your child can play around with the sound effects by simply tapping on the figures. Designed for children from ages 2 and up, you can now look forward to relaxed car rides, and not fret over what to do to entertain your kid child while driving!

Costs: US$1.99 (Search for Tozzle Lite for a free version)

Promotes number and shape recognition

2. SUPER WHY! (By PBS KIDS)

Help your child achieve the power to read with this collection of four SUPER WHY! interactive literacy games. Your child can play along with each of the four main characters from the TV series: Alpha Pig, Princess Presto, Wonder Red, and, of course, Super Why, while practicing the alphabet, rhyming, spelling, writing and reading. A Super Duper App for children indeed!

Costs: US$2.99

Promotes language and literacy

3. Lola’s Magic Cube (By BeiZ Ltd)

Have your children met Lola Panda yet? Lola Panda is back with an all new and fun children’s education puzzle game. Lola’s monkey friend has accidently used Lola’s magic wand and mixed up the magic cube. Now Lola needs your help to solve the puzzles and put the cube back in the correct order. Use the magic wand to solve each magic cube puzzle and progress on to ever more challenging puzzles. Enchant your child on your iPhone with Lola Panda’s magic cube. Fun and easy to play, this app is designed to develop new skills for children aged 3 to 8.

Cost: US$0.99 (Search for Lola’s Magic Cube Lite for a free version)

Promotes concentration, visual and mental skills

4. iStory Books (Infomarvel Business Solutions, Inc)

iStory Books is a collection of 25 free children’s story books with fun pictures, text & audio for your little ones. It comes with interactive stories which include text and audio for every story. The books will even read to your little ones! With a new book published every 2 weeks, your children can enjoy these books on their own or with you, when you can read to them. New books they will appear automatically in the App, and all books we published will be picture books with audio included. Types of books available include: fairy tales, animal story books, folk stories and educational books.

Cost: Free

Promotes language

5. Juno Jr’s The Day The Music Stopped (The Juno Company)

Based on the wildly popular Juno Jr. DVD of the same name which won a gold Parent’s Choice Award, this full length musical eBook features loveable Juno characters, colorful animation, original orchestral music, mini games, unique touch screen interaction and more! Through dazzling pages, videos and games, your child will embark on a journey inside the 3D world of Harmonia Springs, where everything is made of music! Action, adventure, original orchestral music, and breathtaking animation provide a new element of reading entertainment for toddlers and preschoolers. What’s more, you can even create your own melodies, harmonies, and rhythms throughout the book!

Cost: US$2.99

Promotes language and music awareness