the new age parents jun jul 14

jun/jul2014

Meaningful Bonding ideas for The Whole faMily

5

For Travelling WiTh Your

Kids

Tips

Father’s Day special:

DaDDy BonDing

MoMents

How Much Do You Know About

Cord Blood Banking?

My Child Can’t Stop Coughing!

RespiRatoRy syncytial

ViRus in chilDRen

Coverpage Models: The Eliasson FamilyPhotographer: Photography by Yew Kwang

2 The New Age Parents

table of contents

Contents04 Our Experts

08 Editorial Note

10 Pregnancy9 Ways to A Happier Pregnancy

12 Your BabyHow Much Do You Know About Cord Blood Banking?

14 HealthMy Child Can’t Stop Coughing! Learning All About Respiratory Syncytial Virus

18 DietWhat Can I Feed My Diabetic Child?

20 DentalTooth And Gum Injuries In Children

22 Brain DevelopmentBrain It On: Optimizing Your Child’s Brain Development

24 PreschoolRaising A Wholesome Pre-Schooler Part 3: Literacy Development in Children

26 CreativityFood With A Mission: Education Kitchen

28 Family SpecialThe Importance of Family Bonding

Five Meaningful Bonding Ideas For The Whole Family

Let’s Have A Party! Essential Tips on Organis-ing a Birthday Bash for Your Little Ones

38 The New Age Parents Family Coverpage Contest

42 Father’s Day Special Daddy Bloggers We Love

Just For The Dads! How Do I Bond With Thee?

46 Growing UpA Wish List For My Child

48 For The Parent8 Tips For Travelling With Kids

50 FinanceTravel Insurance: Are You Covered Overseas?

Growing Your Money: Investment Basics 101


Our ExpErtsPAEDIATRIC MEDICINE

Dr Vera Oh Dr Oh graduated from the Na-tional University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1994. Her post-graduate qualifications include a Master of Medicine (Paediatrics),

Singapore, and a Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, United Kingdom. Trained in paediatrics, with an interest in growth and endocrinology, She has over 15 years of medical experience and received her advanced training at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in U.S.A. CliniC Address:sBCC Baby & Child Clinic (Growth & endocrinology Centre)3 Mount elizabeth, #12-14Mount elizabeth Medical Centre singapore 228510Tel: 6732 2292

Dr Jenny Tang Dr Jenny Tang obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the National Uni-versity of Singapore. She obtained her specialist qualifications of Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and membership to the Royal

College of Physicians (United Kingdom) in 1995. She has also been conferred Fellowship by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.CliniC Address:sBCC Baby & Child Clinic (Asthma, lung, sleep & Allergy Centre), 6 napier road, #04-15Gleneagles Medical Centre singapore 258499Tel: 6475 0820

Selene Diong Selene Diong is the Principal Instructor of Gymnademics Early Enrichment Centre. The centre focuses on chil-dren from five months to five years old. As the

Principal Instructor, Selene is responsible for creat-ing a fun and engaging curriculum, to help young children learn through play. She also promotes a strong engagement with parents, working with them to develop a more meaningful and fun time with their little ones. You can contact Selene at [email protected] more information, go to www.gymnademics.com.

Dr Lim Min MinDr Lim Min Min gradu-ated from the Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, where she was awarded the Southeast Asia Association for Dental

Education (SEAADE) medal for her clinical and academic excellence in endodontics. Prior to joining T32, Dr Lim worked with the Ministry of Health. She then joined the National University Hospital where she did a specialized posting in pediatrics (children’s dentistry), while concur-rently practicing advanced general dentistry in the Dental Centre. PrACTiCe Address:One Orchard Boulevard, 17th FloorCamden Medical Centresingapore 248649Tel: (65) 6733 1388 email: [email protected] dental services: (65) 6398 5578

BRAIN DEVELOPMENTDENTISTRY

Have a question for our expert?

Comment and post your question on our

Facebook, or drop us an email at [email protected] with the

subject title "Question for TNAP Expert".

Kristie LimPrincipal & Co-Founder of Mind Stretcher Education Group, Kristie is a double-degree holder from the National Univer-sity of Singapore and the University of London. She is both a trained accountant and a lawyer, and holds a Certificate in Early Childhood Education. Since leaving the legal profession, she has immersed herself full-time in Mind

Stretcher. Besides being in charge of operations, she also helps develop the curricula for Science and Mathematics. Her eldest son is the 2012 President’s Scholar and a very outstanding all-rounder and perennial prize winner at Raffles Institution and the very prestigious Wharton Business School. For more information, go to www.mindstretcher.com

FINANCIAL PLANNING

PRESCHOOL

Fiona WalkerFiona Walker joined Julia Gabriel Centre in 1991 as a teacher and is now the Principal of Schools / CEO of Julia Gabriel Education. She holds a Mas-ters in Early Childhood Education and is a qualified Montessori teacher with more than 20 years of experience in providing quality education for young children. She is committed to the ongoing develop-

ment of teachers and curriculum in Julia Gabriel Education.For more information, go to www.juliagabriel.com

Tan Ooi Sim WinstonWinston is a Chartered Financial Con-sultant, with 12 years of experience in Financial Planning. Becoming a Dad in May 2013, his business is focused on Insurance Planning and Retirement Planning for young families and individuals.For any queries, you can email him at tanooisim _ [email protected]

Esther LimEsther Lim is the CEO and Founder of LEAP School House. Born and educated in Singapore, she holds a Master Degree in Education (NTU/NIE), Bachelor Degree in Arts (NTU), Diploma in Marketing – Top student for the year 2000 (Chartered Institute of Marketing). Esther has more than 10 years of teaching experience and

has taught widely in both Secondary and Primary schools. For more information on leAP schoolHouse, go to leapschoolhouse.com.sg

Ms. PoojaMs. Pooja is the Curriculum Specialist at Nurture Education Group. She began teaching in 2001, garnering more than 10 years of teaching experience in preschools. Holding a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) from University of South Australia (Dean’s merit list), she has taught all levels: from Playgroup through to Kindergarten 2. She is deeply passionate

about pre-schoolers and believes that each child should be allowed to develop at his or her own pace in a supportive environment. For more information, go to www.kiddigroup.com.sg

CREATIVITY

The New Age Parents 5

The New Age Parents contributors:Dorothea ChowDorothea is a dedicated Christian homemaker, mum to two darling little boys and wife to a wonderful and supportive man. She loves to plan fun learning times with her toddler, read to her sons, and hang out with them at playgrounds, parks and shopping malls, in the company of fellow mummy friends. Baking, writing, scrapbooking and shopping are some of her favourite pastimes. She also runs a small home-business, Dottieshop creating customized paper cards and art pieces for birthdays, weddings and other occasions. Read more of Dorothea’s thoughts and motherhood experiences at www.apancakeprincess.com

Som Yew YaA stay home mother while pursuing a Masters in Counseling course, Yew Ya has returned to the workforce last year. Working in a Swiss pharmaceutical, she enjoys her work in the clinical field as well as being a hands-on mother cooking and planning activities with the family.

contributors

Holistic Pregnancy for Mums

New Age Pregnancy

child ? Expecting your first

Get tips from our experts and be inspired by other first-time mums as they share their stories.

New Age Pregnancy is a comprehensive and holistic online resource portal for parents-to-be and parents of new babies.

Learn more about your pregnancy jour-ney and your baby’s growing years.

editorial note

Family. Family bonds are so important. When

my parents had us, they stopped working on Sun-

days, and it was always reserved for the family.

Our article Bond with me! the Importance

of Family Bonding tells us why it’s so important

to do so. And if you ever need some ideas, flip

to Five meaningful Bonding Ideas For the

whole Family for some inspiration.

F is also for fathers.

Are you a new dad? Stuck in a rut and need

some inspiration? Let our local Daddy bloggers

Daddy M and Andy Lee give you some ideas in

Just For the Dads! how Do I Bond with thee.

You can also gain some insights and inspirations

from 3 other daddies in our Father’s Day feature,

the Life online: Daddy Bloggers we Love.

To all the fathers out there – new fathers, single

fathers, second time fathers and ‘old-timers’ aka

grandfathers, I wish you all a Happy Father’s Day!

Yours sincerely,

p.s. Don’t forget to join us in our parenting seminar: Parenting With Love on 6 July, Sunday at NTUC Auditorium. See you there!


Do you have any stories, tips or any feedback to share? We love to hear from you!

Drop uS an emaIL at [email protected]

ConneCt wIth uS at www.facebook.com/newageparents

F is FOR…

Seminar For New Mums & Dads

What is it like to parent your child in this new era? Learn all the fun and challenges you will face and learn how you can breeze through parenthood.

Date: 6th July 2014 Sunday Venue: NTUC Auditorium (1 OMB) Level 7 time: 10am – 3pm (Family Carnival starts from 3pm- 4:30pm)Cost: $15 per pair/$8 per person Early Bird Discount: $10 per pair/$6 per person (Sign up by 30th June) Buffet Lunch And Tea Reception provided

M o r e i n f o r M a t i o n o f t h e e v e n t

10 ways social Media affects ParentingIn our busy schedules many of us have turned to social media to keep in touch with family, friends and share photographs of our children. But there is much more to be aware of as we create content on social media and share content created by others. Let Eunice Lim, a mother of three, share her experiences with you. Speaker: EunicE Lim; AssistAnt DirEctor, Young ntuc, sociAL mEDiA tEAm

good sleeP, sMart KidSleep is an important physiologic need for growth, well-being, rejuvenation and academic performance. Dr Pang will reveal the true reasons for the need of sleep, the common sleep myths, and talk about the commonest sleep disorder - snoring and obstructive sleep apnea in children and adult. Speaker: Dr KEnnY PEtEr PAng; EAr, nosE & throAt surgEon, consuLtAnt/sLEEP sPEciAList & mEDicAL DirEctor, AsiA sLEEP cEntrE

nutritional needs and tiPs for successful breastfeedingBreastfeeding 101. What are the nutritional needs and techniques that Mothers should know to successfully breastfeed your child with ease. Speaker: mrs Wong Boh Boi; DirEctor (cLinicAL) sEnior PArEntcrAft AnD LActAtion consuLtAnt thomson mEDicAL

How to Handle tantruM in toddlerWe heard about terrible twos but did you know that that are strategies in dealing with your child’s tantrum? Speaker: EiLEEn YEo; founDEr of DA LittLE schooL

wHy do woMen lose Hair after cHildbirtH? tiPs to caring and Managing Hair loss. The course of pregnancy and child birth is physically demanding on the moth-er, affecting the quality of hair especially after childbirth. Find out how you can regain your wondrous locks again.Speaker: ALYshA ng; tK trichoKArE consuLtAnt

role of nutrition in allergy PreventionThere are a series of early childhood disease and allergies affecting young children. Learn more on how nutrition plays a part in the prevention of these allergies.Speaker: Dr Ang Ai ting; consuLtAnt PAEDiAtriciAn & nEonAtoLogist thomson PAEDiAtric cEntrE

Get your tickets now!

Closing Date 4th July 2014

❶ Balloon Sculpting

❷ Mini-Workshops

❸ Photo Booth

❹ Photo Contest

❺ Lucky Draw & Attractive Prizes To Be Won

P r o u D L y B r o u g h T T o y o u B y

o u r p a r t n e r S

Holistic Pregnancy for Mums

New Age Pregnancy

Exciting EvEnts

Seminar For New Mums & Dads

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Infant Cereal with milk •Bijirin Bayi dengan susu

Big Nutrition for Small Tummies

Receive a Parenting Booklet + Goodie Bag worth more than $50

special needs

Happy Preggy Me!

9 Ways To a Happier pregnancy

Being pregnant is an extraordinary journey where emotions

abound. There are happy days feeling the kicks and waiting in ear-

nest anticipation for the big day. Then there are days when you just

feel tired and slow, jostling on the train, feeling oh-so- heavy and

you can’t believe you have another 4 months to go…. So what are

some ways to possibly lift that mood during pregnancy?

som Yew Ya suggests 9 ways to a happier pregnancy journey.

1 ExErcisEExercise is a well-known health benefit. It improves muscle and stamina. The brain releases endorphins and protein; making you feel less stressful and more at ease. On days of exercise, the mood improves sig-nificantly and can last even on non exer-cise days for some people. The key is not to stretch yourself doing too much, rather it is more important to focus on the regu-larity of exercise. Low impact exercises like swimming and walking can keep you moving without putting too much stress on your body. This helps to keep excess weight gain at bay, improve sleep quality and circulation to the lower limbs.

2 slEEp morEPregnancy makes the body tired. Cranki-ness is around the corner if sleep is lack-ing. Sleep is a reparative process and restores the body for another day. Some sources point to the relationship between sleep and higher positivity and lower sensitivity to negative emotions. So sleep when you can, enjoy it before the baby comes.

3 GEt outsidEBeing outdoors is certainly better then being cooped up at home. Feel the wind, look at nature, go for a stroll. Being out-doors keeps the mind in natural environ-ments which is healthier then being with-in 4 walls which tends to make the mind focus on self and tasks.

4 manaGE ExpEctationsManage expectations of yourself as to what to accept and what you are able to do. Some things cannot be done as eas-ily as before or as much as before. Keep things in perspective. Jot down the list of things you want to do after birth.

5 a nEw YouWeight gain is unavoidable. Limbs swell-ing, a chubbier face, a booming waist are just some of the changes. Embrace this new you! You don’t have to trudge around in loose clothes or disguise your bump. Nowadays, there are plenty of flattering maternity clothes –some don’t even look like pregnant wear. Complement that bump! You can enjoy pregnancy looking great too.

6 tacklE thE fEarFear of the unknown – some women fear childbirth even though they have never gone through it. It doesn’t help that some mothers feel the need to share their bad experiences with you. Every child birth is different even to the same woman, so there’s no way to really predict what each birth experience is like. It may help to talk to people with positive experiences. It may be worthwhile to put down a birth plan so that you have a basic idea what you would like to do if something happens.

7 takE thinGs with a pinch of saltLike it or not, there will be unsolicited ad-vice and frequent questions from family,

friends or even strangers. People will want to comment on what you should eat or do or do-next-time. Some ad-vice is well-rooted, but don’t get too affected or pressured by others’ ex-pectations of you. Talk things over with your spouse if need be. At the end of the day, you know best your baby and yourself as a parent. Read-ing up and making informed choices will serve to build your confidence as a parent.

8 spEnd timE with Your spousELet the romance continue even with a bump! Go on dates. Dress up prettily. Besides a mother, you are a woman too. A getaway or a time away will give you and your date that needed attention and a place to just chill.

9 pampEr YoursElfDo something you enjoy. What did you use to enjoy before you were preg-nant? Was there something you have been wanting to do? Go for a mani-pedi. A foot massage. A babymoon trip. Catch up with your girlfriends over high tea. The list is endless!

pregnancy


how Much Do you Know aBout

Cord BloodBanKing? We asked Dr ashish Munjal, Chief operating officer of Cryoviva singapore on the facts and importance of Cord Blood Banking.


Q: What is the purpose of cord blood banking?Life is very unpredictable and so is health. Many new medical technologies have been developed in the last few decades that allow for better treatment of many diseases. How-ever, there are still diseases and disorders that are currently beyond the scope of active and successful treatment. Stem cells, the building blocks of human body, are under extensive study for evaluation of their potential in treat-ing these diseases for which cures have yet to be found. Umbilical cord blood has one of the rarest sources of high concentrations of various stem cells, including progenitor stem cells that can be specifically developed into blood and immune cells of the body, making these cells special for long-term cryopreser-vation.

Q: When, where and how did cord blood banking come about?It was in 1988 – the first time the cord blood of a patient’s sibling was used to treat Fanconi Anemia illness. Since then, a lot of research has gone into this subject, and more than 20,000 transplants have been conducted worldwide. Today, almost every developed and developing country has the facility for cord blood storage.

Q: What is the difference between a private and a public cord blood bank?Cord blood banks can either be Family (Pri-vate) or Public. Private banking is based on contribution from a family member and is readily available to any family member if ever the need arises. The cord blood stored belongs to the family for a contracted number of years. In public cord blood banking, the sample do-nated can be used by someone else, even those with no relation to the baby whose cord blood was donated. It is entirely the parent’s decision on whether to go for family banking or public

banking. However, in public banking, the fam-ily has no legal right on the sample once it has been donated.

Q: Why should young parents be in-terested to bank their babies’ cord blood?Every parent wants to secure the present and future health of their children. While public cord blood banks play a significant role in sup-porting the transplant requirements using pro-genitor stem cells samples, the rare availabil-ity of matched cord blood has pushed many parents towards considering family (private) banking.

Q: Who is suitable for cord blood banking?Parents with a family history of particular life-threatening diseases would be strongly recommended to have their babies cord blood stored as a preventive measure. How-ever, in very rare circumstances (depending on the type of disease), the benefits of stor-ing the cord blood might be limited for the family. Otherwise, cord blood banking is suitable for all healthy babies as an “assur-ance” against future life- threatening diseas-es which could be treated using cord blood.

Dr Ashish MunjAlA medical doctor and the Chief Operating Office of

Cryoviva Singapore, Dr Ashish Munjal has 14 years of experience in the medi-cal field including 5 years in regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies.

About CryovivA singApore pte ltDCryoviva Singapore is another extension of

world-class quality services in cord blood banking and is a joint venture between Cryoviva International Pte

Ltd and AsiaMedic Ltd. Email: [email protected]

Website: www.cryoviva.com.sg

Tel: 6737 8482

your baby

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that

causes respiratory tract infections. Dr jenny tang from sBCC Baby & Child Clinic tells us more about

the virus.

ReSpiRatoRy SynCytial ViRuS

in ChildRen

MY Child Can’T sTop Coughing!

Will my child get RSV?RSV is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infec-tions e.g. bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) or pneumonia (infection in-volving lung tissue) of young children. Almost all children are infected with the virus by their second birthday, but only a small percentage develops severe


disease. When infants and children are exposed to RSV for the first time, 25% to 40% of them have signs or symptoms of bronchiolitis or pneumonia, and 0.5% to 2% will require hospitalization. Most children hospitalized for RSV infection are under 6 months of age. RSV can also infect adults. Infections in older children and adults are generally less severe.

What are the symptoms of RSV?Signs and symptoms of respiratory syn-cytial virus infection typically appear about four to six days (range 2-8 days) after exposure to the virus. In adults and older children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and symptoms. These in-clude:Congested or runny nose, sneezing Dry coughMild feverSore throatMild headache

In severe cases, RSV can lead to a lower respiratory tract illness such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis. Signs and symptoms may include:High feverSevere coughWheezing — a high-pitched noise that's usually heard on breathing outRapid breathing or difficulty breath-ing, which may make the child prefer to sit up rather than lie downBluish color of the skin due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis)In very young infants, irritability, lethargy, poor feeding and breathing difficulties may be the only symptoms of infection. Most otherwise healthy infants infected with RSV do not require hospitalization.Most children and adults recover from the illness in one to two weeks. But in

young babies, infants born prematurely, or infants or adults who have chronic heart or lung problems, the virus may cause a more severe - occasionally life-threatening - infection that requires hos-pitalization. However, even after recov-ery, very young infants and children with weakened immune systems can continue to spread the virus for 1 to 3 weeks

When should I bring my child to see a Doctor?Most cases of respiratory syncytial virus infection aren't life-threatening.Seek immediate medical attention if your child experiences difficulty breathing, runs a high fever or turns blue, particu-larly on the lips and in the nail beds. Poor feeding, lethargy and excessive irritability or any unresolved concerns may also re-quire the attention of a doctor.Who is at risk for severe illness?Infants younger than 6 months of ageYounger children, especially under 1 year of age, who were born prematurely or who have an underlying condition, such as congenital heart or lung diseaseChildren with weakened immune sys-tems, such as those undergoing chemo-therapy or transplantationOlder adults aged 65 and older Adults with asthma, congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary diseasePeople with immunodeficiency, in-cluding those with certain transplanted organs, leukemia or HIV/AIDS

What are the complica-tions of RSV Infection?hospitalization. When respirato-ry syncytial virus infection causes severe illness, hospitalization may be required so that doctors can monitor and treat

breathing problems and give intravenous (IV) fluids.pneumonia or bronchiolitis. When the respiratory syncytial virus moves from your upper respiratory tract to your lower respiratory tract, inflam-mation of the lungs (pneumonia) or the lungs' airways (bronchiolitis) can result. Middle ear infectionasthma. There may be a link be-tween severe respiratory syncytial virus and the chance of developing asthma later in life.Recurring infections. Once you've been infected with the virus, it's common to have an occasional recur-rence of RSV, usually in the form of a common cold. Subsequent infections usually aren't as severe as the first

What tests are useful in the evaluation of RSV disease?Respiratory syncytial virus infection and disease may be suspected based on a his-tory of symptoms given and a physical examination. Tests may be useful for as-sessment of more severe disease.Painless skin monitoring (pulse oxim-etry) to check whether the level of oxy-gen available in the bloodstream is lower than usualBlood tests to check white cell counts or to look for the presence of viruses, bac-teria or other organismsChest X-rays to check for pneumoniaLab tests of respiratory secretions from your nose that check for the virus

What treatments are available for RSV disease?Treatment for respiratory syncytial virus generally involves self-care measures to

health

make your child more comfortable (sup-portive care). But in severe cases, hospital care may be needed.

suppoRtiVe caReMedicines to reduce fever e.g. Paracetamol, Ibuprofen. Antibiotics may help if there's a bacterial complication, such as bacterial pneumonia.Offer plenty of fluids and watch for signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, little to no urine output, irritability or drowsiness.

hospital caReHospital care for RSV in severe cases may be necessary to provide intravenous (IV) fluids and humidified oxygen.Inhaled bronchodilator e.g. Salbuta-mol or Adrenaline may be used to relieve wheezing. These medications open air passages in the lungs. Antibiotics may be used for bacterial complications. In severe cases, some children may need breathing support or inhaled Ribavirin treatment.

How is RSV spread?Respiratory syncytial virus enters your body through your eyes, nose or mouth. It spreads easily when infectious respira-tory secretions — such as those from coughing or sneezing — are inhaled or passed to others through direct contact, such as shaking hands, kissing. The virus RSV can survive on hard surfaces such as tables, door knobs and counter tops for many hours. RSV typically lives on soft surfaces such as tissues and hands for shorter amounts of time. Touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching a con-taminated object and you're likely to ac-quire the virus.

How can RSV infection be prevented?There is currently no available vaccines for RSV disease. However, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent the spread of RSV. wash your hands frequently. Do so particularly before touching your

health

baby, and teach your children the impor-tance of hand-washing.avoid exposure. Limit your in-fant's contact with people who have fe-vers or colds. This is especially important in premature babies and all infants in the first 2 months of life.Keep things clean. Make sure countertops are clean in the kitchen and bathrooms, especially when someone in your family has a cold. Discard used tis-sues right away.Don't share drinking glasses with others. Use your own glass or disposable cups when you or someone else is sick. Label each person's cup.Don't smoke. Infants who are ex-posed to tobacco smoke have a higher risk of contracting RSV and potentially more severe symptoms. If you do smoke, never do so inside the house or car.wash toys regularly. Do this es-pecially when your child or a playmate is sick.Special attention should be paid to pro-tecting children who are at high risk for developing severe disease if infected with RSV. A drug called palivizumab is available to prevent severe RSV illness in certain infants and children who are at high risk. The drug can help prevent de-velopment of serious RSV disease, but it cannot help cure or treat children already suffering from serious RSV disease and it cannot prevent infection with RSV.

CliniC Address:SBCC Baby & Child Clinic (Asthma, Lung, Sleep & Allergy Centre)6 Napier Road, #04-15Gleneagles Medical CentreSingapore 258499Tel: 6475 0820Fax: 6475 1903



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What Can i Feed My

diabetic Child?


What happens when your child has Diabetes Melli-tus (DM)? What do you feed him or her? Dr vera oh from sBCC Baby & Child Clinic tells us more.

Insulin produced in the pancreas regu-lates the blood sugar in our bodies. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) refers to a condition where the blood sugar is too high because of ab-normal regulation.

Children with Type 1 DM are unable to produce sufficient amounts of insulin. As a re-sult, they require insulin treatment. Those with Type 2 DM produce insulin but because their bodies have reduced sensitivity to the insulin, large amounts of insulin are required. The pancreas continues to produce insulin but is unable to keep up with the large requirements so there is a relative deficiency rather than an absolute one.

Type 2 DM is often associated with obe-sity. Type 2 patients take medication to im-prove their sensitivity to insulin or boost their pancreatic insulin production. In more severe cases of Type 2 DM, insulin may be required.

Diet For Diabetic ChildrenChildren with diabetes should have a healthy normal diet like every other child. In order to grow and develop normally, they should con-sume enough calories for their age in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

The only difference is that they should be aware of the amount of carbohydrates they take. Excessive intake will raise the blood sugar levels and also increase weight gain. Complex carbohydrates (like grain, pastas, potatoes) are preferable to simple sugars (like sweets and so-das etc.), especially since the latter often come with little or no useful nutrients.

While fats and protein do not contribute to raising blood sugar levels, they contribute to overall energy intake and weight gain. Fatty or fried foods increase the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease in all of us. However, people with diabetes are at increased risk of these con-ditions.

Dietary fibre is important because it slows down sugar absorption in the gut so children with diabetes should be encour-aged to take enough fruits and vegetables. They should also try to drink plenty of calo-rie free liquids especially when their blood sugar levels are high.

Get ActiveOverweight or obese children and families should work with a nutritionist to reduce their snacks and caloric intake. Physical activity is just as important as diet and children should be given time and space to exercise and play.

Insulin Intake Type 1 diabetics should be sure to take the ap-propriate amount of insulin for the amount of carbohydrate in their meal. Occasional treats and desserts are fine as long as the appropriate amount of insulin is given with the meal.

ClinC Address:SBCC Baby & Child Clinic (Growth & En-docrinology Centre)3 Mount Elizabeth, #12-14Mount Elizabeth Medical CentreSingapore 228510

nutrition


injuRieStooth and gum

in Children Studies have shown that ap-proximately 35% of children would have suffered some form of dental injury by the time they are 5 years of age. So what are some of the common dental injuries in children? Dr lim Min Min, Dental surgeon from t32 junior tells us more.

dental

in younger children, their coordina-tion and judgement are incompletely developed and majority of falls hap-pen in and around the house as they become more inquisitive and start to

explore their surroundings. In older children, most injuries are a result of falls or collisions while playing and running.

Dental injuries may result in small chips of the tooth to completely avulsed (knocked out) teeth. It is important to note that if the child is experiencing any of the following symptoms due to the accident (loss of consciousness, dizzi-ness, disorientation, unable to open the mouth, teeth do not fit together properly or bleeding from the noes or ears), he or she should be sent to the hospital immediately for management. Common dental injuries in children and what should parents can do:

Chipped oR BRoken toothThere are different levels of severity for chipped teeth, ranging from a small enam-el chip to a fracture involving the nerves of the teeth. Oftentimes, the chipped tooth will have sharp edges that may cut the lips or tongue, and cause the situation to seem much worse than it really is. In such situa-tions, apply gentle pressure to the bleeding areas with a clean gauze or cloth and try to locate any broken fragments of the tooth. Do visit your dentist at the earliest time possible.

Generally, small chips can be repaired, smoothened down or left alone. In cases where the frac-tured portion involves the nerve of the tooth, nerve treatment may be required. Dental x-rays are recommended to check for other possible injuries and to ensure that no broken tooth frag-ments are lodged in the oral soft tissues, eg lips, cheeks and tongue.


Bleeding guMSBleeding gums due to dental injury is not un-common and can have a wide range of causes.

In many cases, the gum bleeding is due to superficial cuts on the gums or impact trau-ma to the supporting tooth ligaments. These can bleed readily but usually pose no danger to your child. It is important not to panic in these circumstances and try to render the best possible first aid.

Other causes of gum bleeding can be from deeper lacerations of the gums or injury / fracture of the tooth and surrounding bone.

In most of the above cases, the immedi-ate concern will be to manage the bleeding situation. Application of a gentle pressure with clean gauze / cloth for a few minutes will often significantly reduce or stop the bleeding. This not only calms the child but a l s o allows a better assessment

of the extent of injury. When the bleeding has stopped, it is often found that the actual injury is not as bad as initially imagined. Do consult your dentist as soon as possible for the appropriate follow up management.

knoCked out peRManent teeth In the event of accidental trauma,

avulsion (knocking out) of the adult tooth usually causes the most alarm to the child and their loved ones. While it is understandably disturbing, it is impor-tant to remain as calm as possible and take the following steps to increase the chances of a successful replantation by your dentist.❶ Hold the tooth by the crown and do not touch the root.❷ If the tooth is dirty, wash the tooth brief ly (approximately 10 seconds) un-der cold running water. Do not scrub the root.❸ Replace the tooth into the socket, or place it in milk. If replaced in the socket, bite gently on a handkerchief or cloth to retain it in place.❹ Attend a dental clinic as quickly as pos-sible.

the critical factors for a successful replantation are:❶ The time interval between the acci-dent and when the tooth is replaced in

the socket / placed in milk to protect it.❷ The transport medium the tooth

is placed in. The best medium is the tooth’s own socket. However, other

mediums of similar osmolarity as our body cells, such as milk and normal saline, are acceptable alternatives. In the same vein,

wrapping the tooth in tissue dries up the cells and should not be done.

❸ The amount of time lapsed between the accident and when the avulsed tooth is replanted by a dentist. The sooner a dentist gets to manage the tooth, the bet-ter the chances for a successful long term outcome.

optiMizing youR Child’S BRain deVelopMent

Brainit On!

tibular system that is located in your inner ears. The vestibular system in in charge of a person’s ability to balance, co-ordinate, establish eye control and pay attention. You can continue to rock, swing and jiggle your child in various directions to stimulate and strengthen the vestibular system. In our classes, our children are exposed to different sets of balance and gymnastic activities with the sole pur-pose of strengthening their vestibular system.

contRolleD MoVeMents

Continue to engage your child in games that requires them to move with accuracy. A few such examples would be the hop-scotch, jumping jacks and musical games. Movement plays a very crucial roles in building pathways between neurons in a child’s brains. These pathways are im-portant in establishing a child’s ability to think, solve problems, plan and memo-rize. A child who has developed a good sense of understanding of their body grows to become the adult who finds it easy to pay attention, concentrate, draw up and plan and carry it out. They are also the people who can think out of the box to solve problems. Movement grows the brain.

In our classes, the children are ex-posed to a range of mobility exercises and songs that accompanied with purposeful actions in order to continually strengthen their brains. As we do so, children begin to combine movement with hearing and thought. The more they can build the link between language and movement, the more our little children will learn to lis-ten to their own body which in turns help to develop their inner voice and thought processes.

I read an interesting article about a young girl who planted two seeds with identical DNA in two different types of soil – one rich in nutrients and the other poor in nutrients. As expected, the seed planted in an environment with poor nutrients turned out to be a weaker plant than the one in the rich soil.

Similarly, while nature plays a role in our child’s development, the environ-ment in which we plant our children in for the first few years of their lives makes a profound difference to their learning abilities as an adult. In this article, we will discuss three different ways to enrich the “soil” in which we plant our children.

let theM cRawlWhether they are 5 months old or 5 years old, crawling and creeping is an activity that we should do with our children on a daily basis. In our classes, we see chil-dren who found many interesting ways to move around such as rolling or even back scooting. The teachers will always work together with parents to develop the child’s ability to crawl and creep be-fore they walk. Why?

brain development

How do we optimize our child’s brain de-velopment? selene Diong, principal in-structor of Gyman-demics shares with us three ways.

Crawling directly strengthens a child’s mid brain which controls important func-tions such as reading, writing and speech. When our children crawls in a cross pat-tern manner, the left and right side of the brain will work together to complete the action. This strengthens their ability to co-ordinate their body to complete any activity from sports to writing. This not only strengthens a child’s brains for mo-tor co-ordination, it also strengthens their core muscles, shoulders, arms and wrist. When they do so, crawling can develop arches in their hands, helping them to strengthen their writing, colouring and scissors cutting abilities.

BalanceIt is commonly known that we have five senses. Here in Gymnademics, we talk about the sixth sense – a sense that is controlled by the vestibular system. Have you ever felt yourself shaking your head to keep yourself awake? What you are really trying to do is to stimulate the ves-


In this six-part series, Kristie lim, principal & Co-founder of Mind stretcher education Group shares tips on raising a wholesome pre-schooler.


pArt 3: Literacy DeveLopment in chiLDren – WorD recognition

Word recognition is also a powerful tool in learning to read. At a young age, exposing children to a set of suitable guided reading books with frequent emphasis on com-monly sighted words would aid in increas-ing the rate at which children pick up read-ing skills.

Raising a Wholesome PReschooleR

At this juncture, it is also apt to know that there are different types of learners; the most common ones are visual, audi-tory and kinaesthetic. Most people have one style that is dominant. We use all three styles of learning, but most of us know that we have one learning style that we use more and feel more comfortable with.

We should use this information to our children's advantage in their learning journey. For example, when a child is a vi-sual learner, flash cards is a good tool to use when he or she needs to commit things to memory. For an auditory child, we could record materials on a recording medium and let the child listen to it repeatedly. For a kinaesthetic child, we could re-enact the material or use some types of movement while reciting the material.

As a parent, we must try our best to be sensitive and discover our children’s domi-nant learning style as early as possible. We should then use this information to help them learn in the most effective and fastest way possible.

My three sons picked up reading main-ly through a combination of phonetic pro-nunciation and word recognition. With the mastery of these two skills, reading did not pose a major problem. The only thing left then was to cultivate their love for read-ing and ultimately, hope that they would become independent readers as early as possible. Then, the world would be their oyster and they would not be reliant on parents’ constant involvement in the jour-ney of knowledge acquisition.

My daughter, on the other hand, was more of a visual learner. She picked up new words very quickly just by looking at them. However, she was not open to learning phonetic pronunciation. I could under-stand why this was so. She did not see the need to have to tediously sound out and

blend letters when she could simply rec-ognise the word by sight. This, of course, had its own drawbacks as she would often have to ask how new and unfamiliar words should be pronounced instead of using phonetics to try to sound them out herself.

I did not think that being a visual learn-er was any problem at all. As far as literacy was concerned, the more she read, the more new words she picked up. However, as I was always busy at work, I decided to enrol her and my younger son in a Math-ematics enrichment centre that focused

on drills in the hope that they would have a good foundation in the subject. The cen-tre’s method was to let the children learn on their own, at their own pace, through self-discovery, without teaching or ex-planation. Well, I thought simple drills would not require too much explanation anyway and it was also my way of filling their pockets of free time with purposeful learning while I was busy at work. She did extremely well, scoring full marks while my son would lose some marks here and there through carelessness for the same set of worksheets. It did not however, bother me as he proved, in the tests that I would give him, that he had understood the con-cepts. I did not think it was necessary to test my daughter as she was getting full marks for all the worksheets and periodic assessments.

I saw her working through a worksheet with drills such as “1 + 1, 1 + 2, 1 + 3, …” and she got full marks for that worksheet. Then came the shocking truth. A few weeks later, she was working on another worksheet which had simple sums like this: “1 + 1, 2 + 1, 3 + 1, …”. Apart from the first sum “1 + 1”, she could not do the rest without asking me. I was utterly shocked that she could do the previous worksheets but not this one for both contained the same sums except for how the numbers were arranged. Then it dawned on me that

she was a very strong visual learner and as such, “1 + 2” presented a totally different picture to her compared to “2 + 1”. I re-alised then that the Mathematics centre’s approach did not suit her learning style and hence took her learning into my own hands.

Had I not been a perceptive parent and been aware that my daughter had a differ-ent learning style, her learning would have been stunted. I would thus like to encour-age all parents, however busy we might be, to monitor our children’s learning journey especially during their early years.Look out for Part 4 in our Aug / Sep issue.

preschool


As a parent, we must try our best to be sensitive and discover our children’s dominant learning style as early as possible. We should then use this infor-mation to help them learn in the most effective and fastest way possible.

Food would be the last thing on one’s mind

when it comes to the arena of education.

“Learning through food?” you might scoff. “I’d be

ecstatic if my kid just learned to eat food nor-

mally.” You would be sur-prised at what kids can

pick up through food. Be it general knowledge, lin-

guistics, social skills and etiquette, even gratitude

and appreciation, there is much to be fed to the

brain through hungry little mouths! Ms. pooja,

Curriculum specialist from nurture educa-tion Group shows us

how the culinary arts can be utilised as a creative

medium.

Food With A Mission:

Education Kitchen

Getting picky eaters to be more involved in the processActive participation helps kids be less intimidated by food. From farm (vegetable, of course) to table, make sure kids understand the hard work and effort that is put into farm-ing, harvesting and the subsequent cooking of the food. Their opinion should be sought and valued. Have them help you cook. Depending on their age, this can mean count-ing out cherry tomatoes or toasting sunf lower seeds to add to a salad,

stirring, and later making a meal on their own. Even setting the table contributes to ownership.

Learning language and culture through foodKiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Grandstand holds a bi-monthly International Cul-ture and Cuisine Day where a country is focused on in a week-long affair of the-matic activities which includes craft and food craft. It culminates in a day of learn-ing all about the chosen country’s culture through food.


This event is Kiddiwinkie School-house’s initiative to cultivate cultural cognizance in children as we believe that exposure to cultural diversity helps shape astute and respectful chil-dren. Beyond racial and cultural toler-ance, we aim to raise knowledgeable citizens of the world who have genu-ine fascination and respect for other cultures.

China was in the spotlight during the February’s International Cuisine and Cultural Day and our children had a chance to learn about the country, its cultural practices and had a chance to make their own Dumplings.

Getting crafty with food“Stop playing with your food and eat it!” Sounds familiar? Leave behind the days kids are chided for playing with their food. While it is important for kids to cherish the food that nourishes them, mealtimes shouldn’t be present-

ed as a daunting chore that they strug-gle to complete. Whoever said that playing with food and eating them had to be mutually exclusive? Help strengthen the association between food and fun with these adorable little culinary projects. Structure of Succulence Aptly named for these sweet and juicy treats, the structure of succulence is an engrossing activity that will keep kids entertained for hours. Using grapes as building blocks, kids can construct towering creations borne of their own creativity. Problem solving and criti-cal thinking skills are engaged in this construction game. To make this proj-ect entirely edible, replace toothpicks with low sodium pretzel sticks.

Piglets and Jam Suitable for the younger ones, this project can be used as a supporting activity when learning about farm animals. To make a piglet, simply cut out circles to make the face, little tri-angles for the ears and an oval for the snout. Have the kids put them to-gether using jam as ‘glue’. Chocolate buttons make the eyes and a couple of raisins complete the nose. A com-plementary lesson on basic shapes or even teaching children about ‘pairs’ (and ‘even numbers’) can also be in-corporated into this activity.

Cereal NecklaceMake rainbow necklaces with froot-loops. These pretty accessories are fun to create and do not require any-thing more than string and cereal. This simple little project was the pride of Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Newton’s K1 class who made the necklaces in commemoration of their 100 Days of School celebration hence, were exposed to a lesson in numeracy. The number ‘100’ didn’t seem so big and scary at the end of the day!

Food Craft can be and should be included as part of our ‘education’ kitchen. Learning through such fun sensory activities is not just a great way for the children to acquire ‘knowledge’ but it is also great for the parent-child bonding as well as developing life skills such as perse-verance and teamwork!

creativity


Nurture Education Group is a well-established pre-school operator in Singapore with over 15 years of experience in the pre-school industry. It operates 15 childcare centres and kindergartens under four brand names: Kiddiewinkie, Pibo’s, Little Footprints and eduWINkidz, as well as various enrichment programmes.

Family Bonding is impor-tant as it strengthens the family unit and reinforces

the mutual respect be-tween the parents and children. Marlina sar-

kan, principal at learn-ing vision @ Work pte ltd tells us why. Photos

by Marlina Sarkan.

Bond With Me!


the importance of Family Bonding So that’s how you say or do it properly…When parents and children spend time together meaningfully, parents model the ex-pected behaviors in the family circle and with others in the community. This is also a platform where parents and their children learn how to communicate with each other, be an active listener and eliminate certain frustrations when both parties lack under-standing.

I am important and part of this familyChildren whose parents spend time with them will feel that they are important in the family and they will not be easily influenced by their peers. When there are personal problems, the children will likely consult their own parents for advice.

Daddy and mummy loves meFamily bonding also builds strong family relationships and spending time with the chil-dren shows that their parents love them because actions speak louder than words and no matter how busy their parents are, they always have time for their children. That’s the most priceless gift that parents can give to their children.

Marlina’s

Top ThreefaMily BondingaCTiviTies Pretend Play is a learning curve for a

child. It is an outlet for them to role play what they have seen in the real world. As parents, we can support the children’s social and language development during pretend play.

Bonding Activity

#1

family special

creativity


Going on a vacation is ideal as families can participate in many activities overseas.

Bonding Activity

#3

Grab a Book and Read Together: Parents have the power to boost their children's learning poten-tial simply by making books an integral part of their lives.

Bonding Activity

#2

family special

need a getaway? head to Montigo Resorts in BatamAn award-wining Resorts, Montigo Re-sorts, Nongsa, is Batam’s first 5-star all villa resort. With contemporary, minimalistic clean lines of the villas and residences, each villa has two bedrooms (a master and twin sharing bedroom), your own private plunge pool, al-fresco dining area, a living room and a sky terrace, ideal for fam-ily gatherings or barbeques, or simple a night of star-gazing. The Olo Kids Club is catered for children 6 to 12 year olds. photos by Michelle ang.


The New Age Parents 31 Follow us @MindStretcherEdMind Stretcher Learning Centre [email protected] www.mindstretcher.com

Do you have cold feet when speaking in public?Does your tongue inexplicably get tied up when you are confronted with an audience?

Run 1 Date: 10 to 13 June 2014 (Tue to Fri)

Time: 2pm to 6pm (10, 11 & 12 June)

2pm to 6pm, *7pm to 9.30pm (13 June)

Date: 17 to 20 June 2014 (Tue to Fri)


2pm to 6pm, *7pm to 9.30pm (20 June)

Date: 24 to 27 June 2014 (Tue to Fri)


2pm to 6pm, *7pm to 9.30pm (27 June) *Final presentation - Parents are cordially invited to attend the presentation.

Run 2

Run 3

Kindly contact any Mind Stretcher Centre for registration and enquiries. Due to the limited seats, confirmation will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

Venue: Seminar Room

New Tech Park

151 Lorong Chuan,

#04-07C (Lift Lobby G)

Singapore 556741

Workshops 2014June Holiday

Public Speaking W o r k s h o p (For P4 & P5 Students)

Don’t miss out on this mind stretching

workshop at an unbeatable value of

$385.20 (Inclusive of GST)

(for MS students)

$481.50 (Inclusive of GST)

(for non-MS students)

PROGRAMMEDETAILS

9 - 13 June 2014 (Mon to Fri) Day 1 to 4 : 9am to 12pm (Hands-on Experiments) Day 5 : 8am to 12.30pm (Outdoor Field Trip)

Day 1 - Wondrous Water

(Floating Marbles, Self-Painting Paper & more!)

Day 2 - Cool Colour

(Super bubble, Rainbow Connection & more!)

Day 3 - Mysterious Magnetism

(Magnetic Maze, Force Field & more!)

Day 4 - Lustrous Light (Solar Clock, Light Magnifier & more!)

Day 5 - Explorer Trail (Field trip to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve)

NoteAvailable at these 18 centres:Anchorvale, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Timah, Bedok, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Hougang, Punggol, Jcube, Jurong @ YOHA, Tampines , Pasir Ris, Toa Payoh, Katong, Yishun, Sembawang, Woodlands A mininum number of 5 students to kickstart the class at the centres listed above.

16.5hrs of Learning Fun!* MS students: $246.10

* Non-MS students: $299.60 (Prices inclusive of GST)

Fees include 4 Handy Science Packs

Science ExplorerHoliday Programme

For P3 & P4 Students Please choose 1 of the pick-up locations for 13 June:

Bishan Tampines Clementi

Primary 4 & 5 studentsDate: 2 - 4 June 2014Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Secondary 1 & 2 studentsDate: 9 - 11 June 2014Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Course Fee:

$246.10 (MS student)

$310.30 (non-MS student)

(Prices inclusive of GST)

Specially designed for budding IT enthusiasts, From Bits to Bytes will show you how coding works using a simple yet robust programming language popular with technology-savvy schools around the world.

Are you the nextJaakko Iisalo

(Angry Birds creator)?

Venue: @ Bishan 510 Bishan Street 13 #03-01 (above NTUC) Singapore 570510

Demystify the world of Science through 24 hands-on experiments & an outdoor field trip !

Instructor:

Ms Katrona Having more than 21 years of experience as a certified teacher / coach /

curriculum writer of Communication Arts, Speech & Drama and Public

Speaking programmes, Katrona is often invited to be an adjudicator for

Public Speaking competitions. She is also qualified to prepare candidates

for internationally accredited UK-based examinations.

Light refreshments will be provided.This 18.5-hour highly-acclaimed workshop aims to mould pupils into more confident and articulate public speakers.

Through this workshop each student will:1) Learn techniques of public speaking/presentation2) How to develop confidence & poise3) Identify one’s unique oratorical strengths4) Have great fun practising speaking!

From Bits to Bytes

9 hours of coding fun!A Programming Course by


Dreading the long school

holidays? Not sure how to keep your

children occupied? fiona Walker, principal

of schools & Ceo, julia Gabriel

education shares five meaningful ideas you can

do with your family.

Meaningful Bonding ideas for The Whole faMily

A s a working mum I often face the long school holi-days with a bit of dread. How am I going to keep my two children oc-

cupied week in and week out, without spending a fortune!

But with a bit of planning the school breaks can be the opportunity to do things you simply never get the time to do when you are on that hamster wheel of breakfast, school, activity, homework, dinner, sleep.

And although we can become un-comfortable when every second is not

planned it is actually when children have ample free time that, after initial com-plaints of boredom, they are able to in-volve themselves in constructive, imagi-native play.

In between moments of fighting over the remote control and wails of boredom my children, Finlay (now 11) and Ruby (now 7) have had some magical holiday times. Here are some of the ideas that have worked well for us.

CookPut together a dinner menu by going through simple recipes and prepare a list of all the ingredients needed. The children have the responsibility of buy-

ing the food at the market and are aware of how much it will cost. They then do the majority of the cooking, or asking their assistant (me or our helper) to do what involves a very sharp knife or hot oil, for them. We still talk about Ruby’s tomato pasta!

Trace your Family TreeBy going through old family photos we have been able to put together a family tree. Instead of cutting up old photos we took them to be colour photocopied and then cut them up. Where we didn’t have a photo we drew pictures. This was great fun and sparked a real interest in the fam-ily history.

family special


Photos: Fiona Walker

Open your eyesTake time to explore the environment we actually live in. All too often we are bustling back and forward in the same routine without actually noticing the nature or geography that surrounds us. When the children were younger we would go on a bug watch. This in-volved getting a magnifying glass, and we had one of those bug catcher-jars. We would go to the nearest park or grassy area and look for bugs, we looked at how they moved around, and where possible we would put them in a jar and bring them home as a ‘pet’. To be honest this was maybe not the best form of conservation, as the new ‘pet’ never lasted much more than 24 hours! But it was fun and it developed awareness in the children of the habi-tat they live in.

Intrepid explorersExamine the geography and history of Singapore. Holidays are the only time we have to walk around by the river, take the boat, which ferries people up and down between Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. We have climbed Bukit Timah Hill (on hindsight we should have taken more water, sunscreen and mosquito repellent) but you can also look at the view from the top of Mount Faber and maybe take the cable cars across to Sentosa. Visit Sungei Buloh to see the rich and varied flora and fauna found in the mangrove swamps. Imagine what Singapore looked like long before there were any cars or of-fice and apartment buildings. Once you start thinking about this it is a good time to visit museums. Looking at pictures of old Singapore and then

drawing pictures of what your home or street may have looked like is fun.

PlayI have saved this for last because it is the most important thing your chil-dren can do in the holidays! There are some amazing playgrounds in Singa-pore! We recently went to the play-ground at Gardens by the Bay with 6 children, aged between 7 – 11, and they had a blast for half a day, running and racing around playing. The play-ground at the Zoo is wonderful, the playground at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden in Botanical Gardens is also really extraordinary. These are world-class gardens and play areas. They are

well worth getting up early and get-ting to.

It was Albert Einstein who said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited but imagination encircles the world”. Dur-ing term time they are pumped full of knowledge but imagination can be neglected. Let the holidays be a time you redress the balance by allowing young imaginations to have the time and space to soar.

Childhood is a magical time and what I want more than anything is for my children to have happy memories of their childhood. It is in the holidays that you can do more ‘memory-mak-ing’ activities than any other time.

family special


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ESSENTIAL TIPS ON ORGANISING A BIRTHDAy BASH FOR yOuR LITTLE ONES

Let’s Have a

Party!

Want to plan a memorable, fun and meaningful birthday bash for your little one? ms. Sharmila Vijayan, assistant Director of education Services at SaFra shares with us how.

Qis it necessary to think of a theme for a birthday party?

It is always good to adopt a theme that the birthday child likes such as their favourite cartoons or niche interests for a special touch, but it is not absolutely necessary. The most important factor is fun.

Get the child involved in the planning


family special

Kidz Amaze is giving away 10 complimentary memberships (worth $50 each)!Click here or log in to our website for more details:

www.thenewageparents.com/contests

of the party and find out what is fun to him or her. That way, you can tailor the type of games and activities to the interests and liking of the child. Some like mass games where they can play together with all their friends and family, while others prefer smaller pockets of activities where they can pair up with their best friends for some face painting or friendly inter-group com-petition.

QWhat are the must-haves for a fun birthday party?

For kids aged five to nine years old, the must-haves for an enjoyable party include: Bright and colourful decorations to en-liven the whole venueGoodie bags with fun party props, a variety of candy and even some special surprisesCelebrative music and a host of fun-filled games and activitiesA uniquely designed birthday cakeFinger food and refreshing drinksLots of photo-taking to capture the great moments

Fun-filled games and activities are what keep the children entertained and excited. They love hitting piñatas. We have also seen some really hilarious ones such as this particular party where the kids were blindfolded for a food tasting guessing game. One of the items was wasabi and the kids went into a frenzy after tasting a bit of it.

Q What are the important things parents should take note?

When it comes to kids, parents have to consider the safety and hygiene aspects of the programme and venue. Most kids will dash around in the heat of excitement during games so it will be wise to avoid venues with a lot of furni-ture with sharp edges or made of glass. They should also select a venue that is sufficiently large and spacious to accom-modate the number of guests and the type of activities planned for the party.

It is also advisable to check whether any of your guests, especially the kids, have food allergies and steer clear of these items on your menu. If your guest list also includes parents or other adults, you’ll have to consider how they can also be entertained and be part of the ac-tivities so that they too will have a good time.

Finally, don’t get too dolled up. Something comfortable will do just fine. I recall one party where this kid dunked her mother’s face into the cake when they were blowing out the candles to-

gether. It was a hilarious moment!

Qi want my child’s party to be meaningful as well. What

can i do?It is always nice to showcase images

or how the child has grown up over the years either through a video or photo slideshow. Funny and heart-warming family moments work best in both en-tertaining the kids and the other par-ents alike. Parents or the child’s siblings can also take the opportunity to give a short speech to share about certain fond memories together and well-wishes.

Ms. Sharmila Vijayan manages Kidz Amaze and has over 18 years of expe-rience in early childhood sector. Kidz Amaze is an indoor playground that explores different means of facilitating the development and education of chil-dren through play. It hosts an average of 55 parties a month.

Address: SAFRA Toa Payoh293 Toa Payoh Lorong 6Singapore 319387SAFRA Jurong333 Boon Lay WaySingapore 649848Tel: 6355 4551Email: [email protected]: www.safra.sg/en/Enjoy/Kidz-Amaze/Birthdays-Field-Trip-More.aspx

Meet The Eliasson FamilyWhitney, Anton, Luna and Sydney, our Family Photo Coverpage Feb/Mar 2014 Contest Winner!

“We come from a diverse background which gives us an open and multicultural approach to raising our children and building our family. We place family as a priority and are happy as long as we are all together - regardless of where life takes us in the future.” – WHiTney


“One of our favourite bond-ing activities is going the Zoo. We also love going to the beach. We also have a tradition of eating Buffalo Wings together - one of our families favourite treats. We typically go once a week for a meal or snack of wings during the weekend."


coverpage contest

Runner up: Debbie Lin and family

Want to be our coverpage

model? Click here for more details!

coverpage contest

father's day special

Daddy bloggers are fiercely sprouting onto the World Wide Web these days. In fact, they are almost as popular as mummy

bloggers. Here are TNAP’s Top 5 local picks. By Yiying tan and Michelle ang.

DaDDy Bloggers

We love

t h e l i F e o n l i n e :

❷ Daddy M, The Wacky DuoThe blog started back in 2006, and is written by Daddy M. We love their section of 'Travel Tales', where Daddy M shares the fun of travelling with his family. Can we also add that cool dude 'Big C' and chubby 'Little Lou' are the cutest models ever? Don’t you think they look like Japa-nese boys? Check out his posts: 'Letters to Sons (Daddy Talks)' and ‘Brother Love’.check this daddy out at www.thewackyduo.com

❶ Andy Lee, Senkang BabiesA father of 4, Andy is probably one of the pioneer bloggers, his blog-ging journey started as early as 2003. That's 11 years and counting! Most of his blog entries encompass the daily lives of his children and the different phases of them growing up. Looking for interesting ac-tivities to attend or places to visit over the weekend? Andy’s blog is the place to go. Check out his posts: ‘Singapore’s Oldest Playgrounds’ and ‘Talking About Love and Affection’. check this daddy out at sengkangbabies.com

Phot

o: w

ww.t

hew

acky

duo.

com

Phot

o: A

ndy

Lee

❸ Kelvin Ang, Cheekie MonkiesKelvin is a proud daddy of three cheeky monkies (what Kelvin calls his little ones). We love his recommendations when it comes to child-friendly places to go. With anec-dotes and pictures of their mischievous moments, his three little cheeky monkies indeed live up to their name. Check out his posts: '10 Great Kids-Friendly Restaurants in Singapore' and ‘12 Places in Singapore to Bring your Children Before They Grow Up’. check this daddy out at www.cheekiemonkie.net

❹ Edmund Tay, Ed UnloadedFather of 3, Edmund is a pro-family activist and believes strongly in family bonding. His blog reflects his belief, in which he documents his pleasures and challenges of be-ing a husband, a father and a friend to his wife and chil-dren. It is heartening to read through this blog as you'll get to enter the world of a down-to-earth family of five. His eldest daughter, Nicole never fails to crack us up under his 'Must Read Posts'.check this daddy out at www.edunloaded.com

❺ Lee Kin Mun, Mr BrownIf you’ve been active online, then this blogger probably needs no formal introduction. Mr Brown is a father of 3 and though he doesn’t blog often on his children, when he does, it usually makes us feel all warm and fuzzy in-side or leaves us in fits of laughter. With his witty humor and use of Singlish, he blogs about topics dear to a Singaporean's heart - from the weather, to politics, to increasing Bak Chor Mee and HDB prices. Check out his post: ‘Thirteen’, ‘Never Lose Your Wonder’ and ‘Sunday’s are fun days’.check this daddy out at www.mrbrown.com

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To all the dads out there, how much time do you spend with your little ones? What do you do with your child during your pockets of free time? TNAP spoke to two Daddy Bloggers, Daddy M from the Wacky Duo and andy lee from sengkang Babies on how they bond with their kids. Photos by Daddy M and Andy Lee.

J u s t F o R t h e D a D s !

HoW Do I BonD WItH tHEE?

love them. In fact the usual reward for good behaviour is a hug and the boys know it.play time is bond timeBe it kicking a ball or role play with LEGO, every play time is the time to bond. The longer we play, the closer we get.pay attentionPut down the gadgets , stop reading the papers and pay 100% attention. You will be amaze how much the little ones will appreciate the effort to spend time with them, even if it was for a few precious minutes. enjoy a hearty laughTell a joke and be a clown in front of the children. Happy kids are content-ed children and they will remember these moments so make it plenty.Be generous with praise... For the right reasonBe selective and praise them when

“A father does not make a family; he would only make it whole with the mother and children. A family that bonds together stays together.” - daddy M, the WaCky duo

I would be the first to admit, at least in my household, the mum is the one the boys go to when they want a touch of comfort. Daddy, on the other hand, is synonymous with discipline. That does not mean that there are limited options to bond with the children. Here are some methods that works for me and the boys in a typical bond-ing sessionsaying 'i love you' with a hug and a kissWe do that each evening and at every other opportunity to show them we


father's day special

their action is worthy of one. Recog-nition of their extra efforts will make them feel appreciated. Be there to comfortWhen the boys are distress or throw tantrums, instead of reprimanding them, comfort them. Let them know that you will be there for them in good times and in bad. spend one-on-one time I will make an effort to spend some time alone with either sibling. This is to show them that I treat them as individuals and they are special on their own.Be a Dad Being a dad means more than just bringing home the bacon, caring for the kids and just being there for them. It means being engage with them al-ways and be a part of their growing up process. You are not just a provider or a friend. "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad"

“To see our kids smile, to un-derstand a little bit more about them, to see their confidence grows. That is my motivation to bond with them.”- andy lee, Sengkang BaBieS

I subscribe to the notion "work hard and play hard". When the kids are hav-ing their exam preparation, a short one-hour break can do wonders. Bringing the kids outdoor can be a tiring affair, but we strive to enjoy more family ac-tivities whenever our schedule permits. There is no particular activity to dif-ferentiate between my boys and girl. As long as we do our bonding activities together, kids are generally happy.

Be sportySports is a good way to de-stress, and you can really see them brighten up when I bring them outdoors. It is eas-ier to interact with the kids when we go outdoors, away from distractions like TV and Ipad. Some of our favou-rite sports are cycling and swimming.

Little explorersWhile we explore our neighbour-hood, heritage and parks, my Mrs get to enjoy a few hours of peaceful bliss.Doing Chores Together

Washing our car can be a fun activ-ity too, especially when kids know they can splash the water at Daddy! Everyone volunteers to join the next grocery shopping at NTUC, the joy of ticking the shopping list and push-ing the trolley.

Best gift To My KidsKids grow up too fast, I need to be present in their childhood, and "Time" is the best thing I can give to them. I just hope the kids will appre-ciate our company.


WhAT’s yOuR WIsh LIsT FOR yOuR ChILdReN?

esther lim, ceo and Founder of leap schoolhouse shares with us hers.

advenTurous

Brave

CrFeaTive

honesT

loving

Kind

independenT

FunnY

diligenTenThusiasTiC

generous JoYous

niCe

poliTe

TidY

WarM Yearn (For suCCess & happiness!)

unassuMing

respeCTFul

oBJeCTive

ModesT

QuieT

sinCere

‘X-CepTing’Zeal

8 TipsFor Travelling With Kids

Travelling with young kids can be a very stressful enter-prise. The plane trip to and fro is often a

tumultuous event of its own to be

grappled with. With adequate prepara-tion and planning

for the trip, you’ll more than “survive” your holiday – you

might even enjoy it! Dorothea Chow

shares with us how.

#1 oRganize the RooM

As soon as you arrive at your hotel, make yourselves safe at home in the room. By that, we mean giving the room a thor-ough check for items left discarded on the

floor or danger zones like electric sockets or sharp table corners. If you’ve got a tod-dler on your hands, you’ll want to bring along some baby proofing supplies so you can have greater peace of mind. Set up your portable cot, if you’re using one,

or designate a couch as your child’s play area. Unpack your diaper supplies and set up a makeshift diaper changing sta-tion in the room, so you won’t be caught unawares and helpless if you child should suddenly have an explosive poo.


#2 let Routine take a BaCkSeat

Holidays are meant to be a break from routine – yes, even your child’s one! It can be tempting to stick rig-idly to your daily schedules and sys-tems even when on holiday, because the truth is that just one day out of routine is enough to set you back many steps which will need to be re-traced post-holiday. And yet, enforc-ing these routines too strictly simply ups your level of frustration, and your kids will sense your stress. By all means, keep a few basic systems or routines in place for the family, such as bath times before bed, but let go of fixed nap times, allocated reading slots and whether or not to give snacks on the go. Let your hair down, and let your kid and you enjoy life as it comes.

#3 don’t CRaMp youR Style

As far as financially and logistically possible, ask for a bigger room or suite – if you can get two connect-ing rooms, even better, because that affords you and your husband some privacy of sorts! Even if you couldn’t book a big enough room online, check with the hotel staff when you check in if an upgrade is possible. More square footage to move around generally means less accidents wait-ing to occur, and more breathing space for everyone concerned.

#4 loCk up eVeRything

Besides the door and windows, which should always be latched (for obvious reasons), always keep your

suitcases closed when not in use. This will prevent you from losing track of items in your luggage which the kids might find particularly amusing, and prevent them from ac-cidentally swallowing some unwant-ed stuff.

#5 StoCk up youR fiRSt-aid SupplieS

Whenever you’re traveling with kids, a well-stocked first aid kit is a defi-nite must-have! Bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes are part and parcel of any holiday adventure. You’ll want to bring along some of their basic medicines as well – for the unfore-seen cough, cold, fever or diarrhea. Figuring out the medical system of a foreign country is always a stress-ful process, and not one you need to waste precious time on if your child is just having a case of the sniff les.

#6 SnaCkS and StiCkeRS

Distractions are key when you are in foreign territory, which a holi-day most certainly will be. Every-thing, from the new hotel room to the strange skin colour of the lo-cals, may be daunting to your child. Consequently, he may act out more than usual in public, especially when waiting in line or on public trans-port. So it’s good to have a ready supply of distractions to keep him meaningfully entertained.

We’re not saying pack their toys to go on the road – instead think small and light. Look for small bite-sized portions of fun, like mini snack packs, sticker pads, a small notebook and pencil, or a pack of playing cards.

#7 paCk diSpoSaBleS

Here’s a very useful tip – don’t assume that restaurants everywhere will read-ily have children’s utensils on hand for your little ones. It’s always good to pack a couple of disposables that your child can use, to prevent him from breaking a glass every other day (and your sanity). For the same reason, be sure to pack some plastic forks for your self-feeding child, especially when travelling to chopstick-dominant countries like Japan and China.

#8 pRoVide adult enteRtainMent

At the end of the day, you might not re-ally want to share a bed time with your child who knocks out at 8pm. And yet, if you’re rooming together, you can’t

really make a whole lot of noise, for fear of waking the sleeping tiger. So come prepared with a good book or two, some games on your iPad, or a movie on your laptop. A bottle of bub-bly is always a welcome diversion too!


for the parent


For many, buying travel insurance while planning for an overseas trip is a must. However, most do not know that travel insurance covers much more than what they thought they knew. By tan ooi sim Winston

aRe you coVeReD oVeRseas?

Travel Insurance:

oVeRSeaS MediCal expenSeSThis pays for medical and hospital expenses incurred while overseas as a result of sickness or injury.

MediCal expenSeS inCuRRed upon RetuRn to SingapoReThis covers follow up treatments of the overseas medical / hospitalisa-tion and new medical treatments sought in Singapore after return to Singapore. Insurers normally impose a maximum time frame where one can claim for the treatments.

oVeRSeaS hoSpital ViSit & additional aCCoMModation expenSeSThis pays for the cost of transporta-tion and hotel accommodation of one relative or friend if the insured is hospitalised overseas.

hoSpital daily inCoMe (oVeRSeaS and SingapoRe)If insured is hospitalised while over-seas or in Singapore (after the trip), insurer will pay a pre-determined dai-ly cash benefit based on the number of days stayed in hospital.

MediCal expenSeS foR pRegnanCy Related SiCkneSSThis pays for medical expenses for pregnancy related sickness. Note that each insurer has different definitions and list of pregnancy related sickness, do ask them for a list for what is cov-ered.

eMeRgenCy MediCal eVaCuationThis covers all expenses for emer-gency medical evacuation. Insurers typically need you to call a specified hotline for this benefit to be effective.

peRSonal liaBilityThis insures against third party claims for bodily injury or property damage caused by insured’s negligence while overseas. Knowing this, please do not go around hurting people or destroy-ing other private and public property.

tRip CanCellation, poStponeMent, CuRtailMentThese cover non-refundable portion of travel costs that was paid by the in-sured and caused by unforeseen circum-

stances. Please ask the insurer for their definitions of unforeseen circumstances, as each insurer differ.Examples of unforeseen circumstances include death of family members, injury or sickness suffered by insured, natural disasters, etc.

alteRnatiVe tRip aRRangeMent, flight MiSConneCtion, tRaVel delay, flight diVeRSion, tRaVel oVeRBookingThese cover additional cost incurred for alternative transport and trans-


finance

port delay while overseas.

eMeRgenCy puRChaSeS, Baggage delayThese cover emergency purchases made if insured’s baggage is stolen or permanently lost. It also covers bag-gage delay while overseas or in Singa-pore.

loSS of peRSonal Money, tRaVel doCuMentS, Baggage & peRSonal effeCtSThese cover losses suffered due to robbery, burglary or theft. Please do remember to make a police report with the local police straight away af-ter realising that there is a loss.

jeWelleRy CoVeRageSome travel insurance plans cover loss of jewellery while overseas.

fRaudulent CRedit CaRd uSageThis pays for financial losses suffered by insured while overseas due to un-authorized charges being made from insured’s credit cards.

CloSuRe of tRaVel agentThis pays for the loss of travel related expenses paid in advance as a result of financial collapse of the travel agency in Singapore.

hijaCk, kidnap BenefitS &teRRoRiSM ClauSeThese cover plane hijack and kidnap-ping while overseas. Typical travel insurance nowadays come with ter-rorism clause, which covers death or bodily injury suffered by the insured due to terrorism, i.e. use of Nuclear, Chemical and/or Biological weapons

while overseas. Do check with the in-surer whether they do cover this section.

QuaRantine folloWing infeCtiouS diSeaSeSThis benefit pays out for each day of quarantine while overseas or upon re-turning to Singapore.

Travel insurance plans, among the insurers in Singapore, are quite com-petitive. The more benefits a plan have, the costlier the travel insurance plan will be. Remember there is no one best travel insurance plan in Singapore. Choosing a right plan depends on your budget and whether you are comfort-able with the coverage provided. Also, the best plan is the plan that pays out

in a timely fashion when claims occur. A trusted financial adviser helping you to administer and speed up the claims process also does wonders.Insurers offering travel insurance in Singapore: ACE, Aviva, AIG, AXA, Income, Liberty Insurance, MSIG, QBE. You may visit the insurers’ web-sites for more details of their plans.For me, travelling with a peace of mind is a definite. I want to be able to enjoy myself thoroughly and not worry about financial losses should something happen. What about you?

For additional advice or queries, email Winston at [email protected].

finance


finance


investment Basics

MoneY:

groWing Your

101

KnoW the diffeRent RAtesSimple Interest Rate: Do not take into account the interests that your initial principal monies have accrued over the years. The interest is simply calculated from the principal you have set aside.compound interest Rate: Take into account your principal and inter-ests accrued over the years. Common layman term “Interest will keep roll-ing over”. Most financial instruments and loans, e.g. bank savings, fixed deposits, housing loans typically use this interest rate.nominal interest Rate: Interest rate that have not taken inflation rate into account. Interest rates quoted for bank savings, fixed deposits typi-cally use nominal interest.(Nominal Interest = Real Interest + Inflation)Real interest Rate: Interest rate that have been adjusted to reflect infla-tion. The actual net interest that a per-son enjoys after taking away inflation.(Real Interest = Nominal Interest – Inflation)

inflation Rate: Rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising and the rate at which your purchasing power is falling. Av-erage compounded inflation rate for Singapore since 1980 has been 1.98% per year. (See SingStat website for more details)Deflation Rate: The opposite of inflation, where general prices for goods and services are decreasing. Has the side effect of increased un-employment since there is a lower level of demand in economy, which may lead to economic depression (e.g. Japan since 1990).

How will interest rates affect me and my hard earned money?Recall my last article on emergency and spare funds? If the returns of your spare funds are giving you in-terest that are lower than the average compounded inflation rate, you need to seriously think of putting your monies elsewhere. There are many instruments that provide higher in-

Heard of the maxim “When you go to a casino, stick to the games that you know how to play, lest all your monies will be gone in a matter of minutes?” When it comes to investing, the same applies. tan ooi sim Winston shares the basics of in-vesting that we should know before we make our investing decisions.

terest rates over the medium – long term. Do remember to follow the guidelines I have outlined on how you should divide your monies into different pots of monies and where you should invest in my article ‘Dif-ferent Pots of Money and Investment Asset Classes’.When interest rates go up, it typi-cally has a dampening effect on the stock market (equities) as disposable income decreases. The yield gap be-tween safer and riskier instruments may also prompt investors to switch their investment strategies to safer in-struments, e.g. Newly issued Bonds.In an environment of increasing in-terest rates, older bond prices typi-cally also decreases, as it no longer makes sense to buy older bonds with lower interest rates.Property prices also tend to decrease in an increasing interest rate environ-ment due to the higher costs of bor-rowing for mortgage loans.The inverse will happen for the above asset classes when interest rates de-crease.

Should I invest using Cash, SRS, CPF OA or CPF SA?cashWhere do people normally park their cash savings? Either in a bank sav-ings or fixed deposit account. These accounts typically give returns that are lower than inflation rate. I would strongly advise my clients to invest their spare cash compared to their other resources as historical returns for their spare cash are typically the lowest. Depending on their risk pro-file, they may invest in endowment bonds, equities or endowments.

finance


supplementary Retirement scheme (sRs)SRS is a voluntary retirement scheme that all Singaporeans can opt for be-fore they reach their retirement age. Contribution to this scheme is volun-tary and Singaporeans can open a SRS account with any of the local banks. One can contribute up to S$12,750 a year into the account. After open-ing an account, one can decide if they want to make contributions or not in subsequent years.

SRS contributions can be exempt-ed from tax. Banks will notify IRAS on your contribution during the in-come tax season.

However, one can only start with-drawing from their SRS account only when they hit age 62. And the amounts must be withdrawn out within 10 years. Half the withdrawn amount is subjected to the prevailing tax rate thence.

Also, SRS account interest rates are the same as a normal bank sav-ings account rate. Hence, people are strongly encouraged to use their SRS monies for investments in either Unit Trusts/Investment Linked Funds.

I would advise clients to set aside monies for their SRS only when they are very sure this pot of money is for their retirement. The benefits of do-ing so are: disciplined investing and tax benefits.

For additional information on SRS, you may visit the Ministry of Fi-nance website.

cpF MoniesCPF OA (Ordinary Account) has an interest rate of 2.5% per year, while

CPF SA’s (Special Account) interest rate is 4.0% per year. I would typically advise my clients to invest their spare funds in their CPF OA. Because over the long term of more than 10 years, the chance of investments outper-forming the CPF OA interest rates is relatively high.

However, for CPF SA, it may not be advisable to invest for the follow-ing reasons. The CPF SA interest rate is 4% per year. Clients may be unwill-ing to invest knowing they are already assured of a “relatively” high interest rate.

Secondly, there are limited op-tions for investing CPF SA monies. As CPF SA monies are used for your future retirement, CPF board has re-

strictions on how you can invest these monies. Unit Trusts/Investment Linked Funds where one can invest are typically low to medium risk. By restricting investment options, your overall investment portfolio may not be properly diversified.

I would not normally advise my clients to invest their CPF SA monies unless they are very sure and firm of their reasons to invest.

Stay tuned for the Aug / Sep issue as I will touch more on Investment Styles, Investment Strategies, Invest-ment Indicators.

For additional advice or queries, email Winston at [email protected].

finance


What is the value of keyboard music in the

Kinderland Curriculum?

Playing keyboard music enhances a child’s abstract reasoning skills which are important for learning maths and science.

Keyboard music is a core programme in the Kinderland Curriculum since 1978. Taughtby professional music teachers, it helps to:

develop spatial-visual skills

accelerate early literacy

build focus and confidence

refine motor skills

1996 Neurological Research by Rauscher, Shaw, Levice, Wright, Dennis & Newcomb

QUOTE THIS AD TO GET 2 KINDERFIT ATTIRE & A SPECIAL GIFT.* *T&C apply.

a member of Crestar Education Group, is a leading provider of quality and bilingual infant care, preschool and kindergarten to children 2 months to 6 years of age.

*Promotion is valid for the month of June and July 2014.


eDitor: Michelle Ang

experts: SBCC Baby & Child Clinic, Thomson Paediatric Centre

(The Child Development Centre), T32 Junior Dental Centre, LEAP SchoolHouse, Julia Gabriel Centre, Gymnademics, Mind Stretcher Education Group & Tan Ooi Sim Winston

reGular ContriButors: Dorothea Chow & Som Yew Ya

ContriButors: Yiying Tan

Dr Ashish MunjalMarlina Sarkan

Sharmila Vijayan

Art & Design

art DireCtor: Elaine Lau & Michelle Ang

Marketing & Advertising

Business DevelopMent ManaGerElaine Lau

Web Administration

WeB DevelopMent DireCtorSeow Poh Heng

If you wish to contribute to the magazine, we will love to hear from you.Do email us at [email protected]

For advertising enquiries, email us at [email protected]

While every care is taken in the production of the magazine, the publisher, editor and its team assume

no responsibility for any inaccuracies and omission, which might arise. Opinions by the contributors

and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and the editor. The articles in the magazine are

for references only. If you have any queries on any health condition for you and your child, you should seek

professional medical advice.

editorial team

the new age parents jun jul 14

Documents

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