Preschool Learning Environment Best for your Child

Finding a preschool for your kids? Here's some guidlines you may follow to ensure your kids get the best out of it. 

[From: MumCentreMalaysia website]

Being a mum involves a lot of knowledge and discovery. We learned about our baby’s nap schedule, swaddling and making baby food. During toddler years, we studied managing tantrums, setting limit, child-proofing equipment and potty-training. And now, come the preschool ages, we are beginning to feel that we really have mastered quite a bit of motherhood business.

Mums are picky in all ways. That’s why choosing the right preschool is so crucial. It compels a lot of thinking and decision making. One should understand the mightiness of preschool education, be it private, public, parochial or home schools. It is important to choose the right school for our children for them to get a positive impression about preschool learning.

Take a glance on a few tips for choosing a perfect preschool for our children:

Make a survey about the preschool. 

Ask your friends, relatives and family members about your prospect preschools. Word of mouth is applicable in this case. Nothing beats the experience of people you know and trust. Their stories and experiences will give you a better idea of what kind of preschool to choose for your children. 

Observe preschool’s environment.

Make a plan on visiting the potential preschools. Often times, we are fooled by ads most schools make. They present a lot of things that make us think they are the perfect preschools for our children. It’s best to personally visit the school so you will see how staffs work and how children behave while on visit. Read its school policies and regulations so you will be guided how they run the school.

Check preschool curriculum.

Obviously, your goal on sending your child to school is to help him develop socio-psychology. A quality preschool education should have opportunities for learning through play such as outdoor activities and other extra-curricular events. Preschool should have a good balance of academic pursuits and more creative activities.

Open communication of parents and teachers.

Effective preschooler’s school should also have a good system for parents to communicate with teachers. It is important for parents to know how their children get along with the other children or how they behave in their daily class.
Make sure your child has good and happy experiences at preschool. It helps him easily adapt to school life.

Your children will discover a lot of things through preschool education. Here, they become exposed to numbers, letters, colors and shapes. And most especially, they learn how to socialize with other children at their age. So, choose the best preschool for your children now!

For more parenting articles, please visit MumCentreMalaysia website.

Flea Market @ Fabulous Mom TTDI

[From: Fabulous Mom's Facebook page]

Fabulous Mom is organising a flea market for all! This is exciting we must say! What's more exciting is that they're calling out for anyone interested to take a booth for rental. Here's a few details of the flea market for your info:

Date: 6th February 2010 (Saturday) from 10am to 6pm (Rain or shine!)

Venue: Fabulous Mom Boutique @ 136B, Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000, Kuala Lumpur

Spaces: They provide a table measuring 3 feet x 2 feet and 2 chairs for each stall. Bring your own deco/table cloth to beautify your space.

Cost: Individual: RM50 per table per day. Business owner: RM80 per table per day.

Closing date: All application forms and all other necessary documents and/or photos must reach us by 30 January, 2010. Application can be sent via email or postal mail. For email application, please email to info@fabulousmom.com

Selection criteria: Fabulous Mom Sdn Bhd will inform you if application is successful. Approval is not based on first come first serve basis but is based on the uniqueness of the products, stall concept and our preferred selection.

Please email info@fabulousmom.com to obtain the application/registration form. For more info, please visit their facebook page.

If you're not selling anything, how about buying something? :D 

So do mark you calendar, mommies! We already did! Yay!

Bad for Foetus (Pregnant Mothers Please Read).

[From: The Star, 20th January 2010 - www.thestar.com.my]

Medication consumed by an expectant mother can be passed on to the foetus. 

EVERYONE gets ill at some time or other. Sometimes, the condition is self-limiting and requires no medicine. At other times, medicine is required.

The pregnant woman’s circulation is intricately linked to that of the developing foetus’, through the placenta. Just like how the necessary nutrients for foetal development cross the placenta and get into the foetal circulation, medicine consumed by the pregnant woman will be passed on to the foetus.

The effect of a medicine on the developing foetus depends on the medicine itself and the stage of pregnancy. In general, most pregnant women are aware of the need to avoid taking non-essential medicine. Yet they are not spared from illnesses and minor ailments.

Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters lasting about 13.3 weeks each. Foetal development is at its maximum in the first trimester. Medicine taken during this time can lead to foetal malformations or birth defects. If the defect is substantial, it would result in a miscarriage.

The foetus grows during the second and third trimesters with the development of the foetal nervous system in the first trimester continuing into the second. Medicine taken during the second trimester can affect the foetal nervous system and foetal growth. The latter could lead to low birth weight.

Medicine taken in the last trimester can remain in the newborn’s body. The baby may not be able to deal with medicine in the same manner the mother can. This can lead to complications like breathing difficulties in the newborn.

Medicine taken by a pregnant woman can also affect the environment in her uterus. For example, some medicines lead to uterine contractions which can affect the blood supply to the developing foetus.

The maximal impact of medicine is often in the first trimester. Some are risky if taken in the first trimester but may be safe in the second or third trimesters. Others are safe in the first trimester but risky in the second or third trimesters. In general, the risks are least in the second trimester.

Safety

Before a prescription medicine is marketed, it is first tested in animals, including pregnant animals, to detect any problems. Then it is given to humans in clinical trials to check its effectiveness and efficacy for various conditions, and to identify any side effects.

Although tests of medicines in animals can identify potential problems, they do not always predict its effects on humans.

As a general rule, pharmaceutical companies do not carry out clinical trials in pregnant women because it is unethical to do so. This results in few medicines being licensed for use in pregnant women.

Once a medicine is marketed, its effect in pregnancy is monitored in various ways:

· Adverse event reports – Pharmaceutical companies, doctors and researchers are required to report any adverse events to regulatory bodies, such as the Drug Control Authority in Malaysia.

· Pregnancy registries – Some pharmaceutical companies conduct special studies called pregnancy registries. Pregnant women who have taken certain medication are recruited and their babies are compared after birth to the babies of women who did not take the medicine.

· Research that identify risk factors for birth defects and problems with medicine in pregnancy.

Information about the safety of medicine in pregnancy is usually obtained from practical experience. When a medicine has been used extensively for several years without reports of adverse effects on pregnancies, it can be concluded that it is not harmful. Information is also available from the accidental consumption of medicine by pregnant women and animal studies. Some of the former may not know they are pregnant. It is in this manner that some prescription and over-the-counter medicines are known to be safe and others, harmful.

However, there is still insufficient information about the safety of many medicine in pregnancy. When medicine is taken during pregnancy, the benefits and risks have to be considered. If the benefits to the pregnant woman are greater than the risks to the foetus, then the medicine may be consumed. If the risks to the foetus are substantial, alternative treatments have to be considered.

Sometimes, a pregnant woman has to take medicine to reduce the likelihood of harm to herself and/or the foetus. The conditions include high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes mellitus, fits (epilepsy), asthma, blood clots in the veins or lungs (thromboembolism) and certain infections. When treating these conditions, the doctor will prescribe medicine that is the most appropriate and safe for the pregnant woman.

Dietary supplements and herbal products

Many dietary supplements and herbal products are produced from natural compounds. This has led many people to believe that they are harmless and safer than prescribed medicines, especially with the marketing strategies of some companies.

It must be remembered that the regulatory requirements for dietary supplements and herbal products, if any, are considerably less stringent than that of prescribed medicines. Furthermore, most of these products have not been subjected to animal studies or human clinical trials. As such, any woman who is pregnant or intends to get pregnant is advised to consult the doctor before taking such products.

Folic acid is the only medicine available over the counter that is important to take, prior to and during pregnancy. It is used by the body to make new cells. If a woman has sufficient folic acid in the body before she gets pregnant, some major defects of the foetal brain and spine called neural tube defects (NTD) can be prevented. A dose of 400mg should be taken daily by every woman intending to get pregnant and for the first trimester. If a woman or her spouse has spina bifida or a previous child was born with NTD, a higher daily dose of 5mg is recommended.

Minor ailments

The only way to minimise risks to the foetus is to avoid consuming all non-essential medicine, particularly in the first trimester. Consult the doctor or pharmacist before consuming any medicine, including dietary supplements and herbal products, during pregnancy.

This does not mean that pregnant women have to put up with minor pregnancy ailments. There are medicines that are safe to use in pregnancy. They will be discussed in the next article.

There are a number of essentials to remember for pregnant women:

• In general, avoid all non-essential medicine.
• Consult the doctor or pharmacist before consuming any medicine.
• Some medicine sold over the counter are harmful to the foetus.
• Dietary supplements and herbal products are not necessarily safe. Consult the doctor or pharmacist before consuming any.
• Contact the doctor or pharmacist immediately if there are any unusual effects experienced after consumption of a medicine.

Dr Milton Lum is member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.

Events for pregnant mothers @ DEMC and Pantai Hospital Ampang

[From: Mingguan Malaysia, 17th January 2010]

Event 1

What: Antenatal Class - talks by DEMC specialist in relations to pregnancy and birth process

Who: Darul Ehsan Medical Centre (DEMC), Shah Alam

Where: Orchid Room, Hotel Concorde Shah Alam

When: 24th January 2010 (Sunday) - 8.30am to 5pm

Fee: RM120 per couple

Registration and enquiries: Marketing & PR Department 017-9606164 (Din) or 012-6699422 (Nadia) 

Event 2

What: Pregnant mother programme - breastfeeding techniques, diet & nutritions, normal & abnormal birth, birth problem, etc.

Who & Where: Pantai Hospital Ampang

When: 6th February 2010 (Saturday) - 10.30am to 5pm

Fee: Free

Registration and enquiries: Ms. Malar 03-42892877

6 Cara Mudah Simulasi Bayi

[Dari: www.majalahpama.com.my]

Bayi yang masih kecil belajar mengenai pergerakan, komunikasi, sosial dan persekitarannya dengan cara bermain. Untuk dua tiga bulan pertama kehidupannya, bayi anda akan belajar dengan anda. 

Perkara pertama bayi anda akan belajar ialah sentuhan, bunyi suara dan mimik muka yang anda lakukan kepadanya. Malah anda juga boleh menggalakkan stimulasi dengan senyuman, bunyi yang lembut dan sentuhan. Stimulasi ini merupakan ‘senaman’ kesihatan buat bayi anda yang masih kecil.

Aktiviti menukar pakaian
Sewaktu menukar pakaian atau lampin dan waktu dimandikan, anda boleh berbual mesra dengannya. Sambil menyalin pakaian gunakan perkataan indah untuk merangsang minda bayi seperti “ cantiknya anak mama” dan “wanginya anak mama”. Sambil itu bermainlah dengan jarinya. Jarinya boleh dicium dan kedua tangannya ditepuk supaya mindanya terangsang serta berasa gembira.

 

Mainan ringkas
Dalam beberapa minggu bayi anda boleh diperkenalkan kepada beberapa barang permainan yang ringkas yang mempunyai bunyi dan boleh di sentuh. Permainan itu seperti rattles, permainan lembut dan anak patung yang mempunyai melodi yang lembut.

Berbual mesra
Cakap dengan bayi anda. Bahasa digunakan ibu bapa setiap hari dapat membentuk minda bayi membentuk bahasanya. Ibu bapa perlulah faham mereka seharusnya memberikan perhatian terhadap perkembangan bahasa bayi dan membantunya dengan berbual mesra.

Sentuhan kasih sayang
Apabila bayi asyik memerhatikan wajah ibunya, lakukan sesuatu untuk menarik minatnya. Cuba menyanyi, menunjukkan senyuman gembira atau mencium tubuh bayinya itu. Senyuman dan suara anda ketika bercakap dengannya akan membuatkan dia merasa selesa dan selamat. Ini kerana suara dan sentuhan anda dia sudah biasa didengari akan membuatkan dia berasa selamat dan selesa.

Ketika menyusukan bayi, ibu jangan hanya memandang wajah bayi. Sebaliknya ungkapkan kata-kata manis untuk merangsang bayi. Perkataan seperti “anak mama comel’ dan “anak mama sayang” boleh digunakan bagi tujuan itu. 

Waktu tidur
Apabila bayi menangis atau menguap, ini memberi tanda waktu untuk tidur sudah tiba.  Bayi yang berusia lebih kurang 3 bulan memerlukan waktu tidur hampir lebih kurang 20 jam sehari. Jangan abaikan waktu tidurnya ini. Jadikan ia waktu yang berkualiti. Wujudkan persekitaran bilik yang nyaman untuk bayi tidur dengan selesa. 

Untuk lebih artikel mengenai keibubapaan, bayi dan kanak-kanak, sila lawati www.majalahpama.com.my.

Got 10 Seconds?

[From: Young Parents Singapore Magazine - www.youngparents.com.sg]

Not spending enough time with your kids? Almost every working mum (and dad!) feels the guilt. Before you dash off to the office, how about a touch-up that'll bring a glow to Pumpkin's face - and yours - in 10 seconds flat?

Funny smacks

Before darling gets out of the car and just a second after your goodbye kiss, say something like: "Oh, you get 10 kisses today!" Quickly plant the spontaneous smacks all over his face - and maybe one of the tum-tum, too - and hear him giggle.

Have and hold

Give your sweetie a 10-second tight bear hug, A few gentle strokes on his back reaffirm love, security and understanding in the simplest, most heart-warming way.

Present a smile

It can be a cartoon pencil or 3D sticker. Whatever that something small you get for Kiddo on your way home, hide it. When he's asleep, stick a Post-it-note in it that say something like "Surprise! With love and many kind words for today. Love, Mummy" and stash it in his pencil case.

Jar of sweets

Not of gummy bears but a jar of positive mummy thoughts you wrote on small slips of paper. Perhaps "You have a gift for music and I love that about you" or "Thank you for doing your best at school". Fish one out every once in a while and press it in your child's palm just before you dash the door.

Music moves

Turn off the morning show on the radio. Sing and dance to a song that you and your child love.

Say and snuggle

You don't always have to be an authority figure. Bonding with Junior by getting him to snuggle up to you - and opening up with a confession that you've had a bad day or that you need a hug - takes tension and fear out of anyone.

Weaning & Nutritions

[From: www.babyambrosia.com]

Weaning to Solids

The benefits of breast-feeding for both you and your baby are not only to nurture the mother-child relationship. It helps build immunity and can help in cutting down the risk of developing breast cancer. Breast feeding (up to the age of 6 months) may also delay the development of allergic disease in high-risk infants (those with a family history of allergies). The ideal is to breast-feed (or bottle-feed) your baby up to the age of 6 months, and then introduce solid foods gradually as a supplement to their milk until the age of 1 year. However some babies are extra hungry! If this is the case for your child, weaning can begin from 4 months.

[picture from www.babyambrosia.com]

How To Wean?

Breast milk is the ideal food for infants up to the age of 4 to 6 months. Formula milk is the best substitute for breast milk. A baby should never be given cow’s milk as a substitute of either of these as it does not contain the balance of vital minerals and vitamins needed in those first months. From 4 to 6 months it becomes important to start introducing ‘solid’ foods. As your baby grows, she requires more iron and other nutrients than breast milk alone can provide. However, weaning off breast milk can be a challenging task!

Weaning has to be a gradual process of introducing different flavours and textures to allow your baby time to adapt and accept solids as he/she learns to chew and swallow. Introducing a variety of individual flavours and textures (such as apples, pumpkins, carrots) gives your child the opportunity to differentiate between tastes and subsequently helps in recognizing each flavour. It also allows you to identify any foods that your child may potentially have an allergic reaction to.

For stage by stage weaning guide, please visit www.babyambrosia.com.

Do's and don'ts when decorating the nursery

[From www.parenthots.com.my]

We have been brainwashed to think that baby girls must be surrounded with light pink and baby boys are normally in light blue. Often, if we're not sure yet whether it's a boy or a girl, then we go with yellow when painting the walls of the nursery.

Forget everything you've been brainwashed into believing.

According to celebrity designer and TV host Eric Leong, newborns, whether they are boys or girls, should be in a light pink room.

“From newborn to three years old, light pink will help them develop their brain. The light pink will help their brain to develop, they will be very active and and it will make them happy, too. Blue and yellow are not as effective. In colour therapy it represents unconditional love. So, babies when they look at this colour will feel happy and loved.

“However, after they reach three years of age, the advice is to paint the walls according to the child's gender. So, if you have a boy, then you paint the walls in baby blue. If it's a girl, you can maintain the walls in that baby pink or you can use lilac. Why after three years? This is because studies have found that after three is when the children develop their own character. So, if you maintain the baby pink, then the girl will become very girly and the boy will be a bit effeminate, too,” says Leong.

However, for soft furnishings like the curtains, comforter and bedsheet, strong colours can be used as long as it's not too much.

Leong explains that the soft pastel colours on the walls will help baby to relax while the strong colours will get their attention and help them develop their brain.

He warns against using too many strong primary colours in the nursery or children's room.

“For kids' rooms we don't use too many strong primary colours because if you have a hyperactive child and you have lots of primary colours in the room, the child will be more active.

“We also don't use white for the nursery or children's room because it's too pale and not fun. Usually we don't use white, black or grey. One of the big mistakes parents make is using dark blue for the baby boy's room. For boys aged three and above it should be baby blue or sky blue not dark blue. Sky blue also happens to be the colour of the year for 2010.

“Painting little pictures on the wall is fine but it takes up a lot of time and it's okay provided the parent is an artist or they can draw very well.

“Otherwise, just get wallpaper. But don't put it over the four walls, just one wall which is the feature wall. So you have the play area near the feature wall and can play with your child there.”

Three zones

Leong advises dividing up the space in the nursery or children's room into three areas, for sleep, play and study.

The sleeping zone is where the colour scheme needs to be very soft. The play zone is supposed to be very fun so you can have wallpaper on the wall or use strong colours or even have cartoon characters on the wall.

The play zone needs to be an empty space with no furniture where you can put toys for the baby or toddler to play with.

“The study area is very important because from young you can train them to read books. The study area is usually near the window so that you get the daylight coming in. You can make the study area near the window and put a small table there.”

Leong says by having different zones in the room, the children will learn to differentiate the sleep and study areas from the play area.

For storage in the nursery or child's room, Leong says it doesn't need a separate area and can be integrated into the play or study areas.

Open shelving

For toys and books, he recommends open shelving instead of closed cupboards, wardrobes or drawers. This way the child can see his toys or books and easily reach for them. Don't forget to make the open shelving unit a short one though for easy access.

This way the child learns to be more independent instead of constantly asking an adult to get a toy or book for him. Also, for children it is often a case of out of sight, out of mind. So, if they see their toys and books, they will play with them or read them. If you have these locked up in a closed cupboard, they won't remember they have those books or toys and won't use them.

Leong recommends open shelves rather than boxes because he says often with big boxes, the toys at the bottom of the box are forgotten and not played with.

“Besides having a good environment with different areas in the children's room, we must also train them to tidy up. So, after they've played, get them to put the toys and books back on the shelves. So, from young they are trained to clean up after themselves.”

Floor and lights

As for the flooring in the nursery or children's room Leong says laminated floorboards are a good choice.

“They are easy to install, not so expensive and easy to maintain. Even if the children use crayons to draw on the floor, you can clean it easily. Because it is laminated, the surface is easy to clean. And laminated floors feel warm too compared to tiles, marble or granite.

“Carpets are a no-no for the baby's room or children's room because of the dust.”

How about the lighting?

Leong says parents should get a few night lights for the nursery because babies don't like total darkness.

“Even if you don't want to have a night light, you can have one little table light in a corner of the room so they will see some reflection on the wall. Then the entire room will have very soft lighting.

“For the ceiling light, I would say get warm lighting for them to relax. In the day time you can open the windows and pull back the curtains to get the daylight in.

“For the study area in the children's room, you need daylight such as fluorescent lighting in case they want to study at night. So you need two types of lights for the children's room – one is warm for atmosphere and for them to relax and the other is daylight for them to study or read.

“Studies show that if you expose yourself under daylight or fluorescent lighting one or two hours before you sleep, chances are high that you will have trouble falling asleep. Warm light, on the other hand, prepares you for sleep.”

Conclusion

With those tips, you're all prepared to paint and decorate your baby's room and you won't have to repaint it or redo it until they turn three years old.

After three, Leong advises parents to involve the children in the small decisions in designing their room.

“By making small decisions, they will feel a sense of belonging to their room. Involve them in the simple decisions such as what cartoon characters to have on their wall; not the major decisions because at that age they are still too small to decide. Always remind them that this is their decision so they will feel confident.”

For more parenting articles, please visit www.parenthots.com.my.

10 Resolutions for parents

[From: www.parenthots.com.my]

It's that time of the year when we are grateful for lots of public holidays this month, clearing leave and all the good things that happened in the year. As we prepare our children for the new school year, we remain hopeful of being better parents, better providers and having happier families in 2010.

With that in mind, ParenThots has come up with a list of 10 resolutions for all parents:

1) Spend more time with the children.
Your children will grow up fast and before you know it they're going to university and then going abroad or moving out of the house. So, spend as much time as you can with them now while they still want you in their lives and want to spend time with you. This is where you build that parent-child bond which will hopefully last until you're old.

2) Stop being kiasu (overly competitive).
It's always good to be competitive but don't overdo it. Your child's happiness must always come first. Don't force your child to keep going for more classes and activities just so you can brag about how well your child does at school or music or dance.

3) Take time to better communicate with the children, collectively and individually.
You need to listen to your children and spend time individually with them. They will remember it for the rest of their lives and this will strengthen your bond with them. If something is wrong or if you're upset about something, calm down first before talking to your child and explaining how you feel and why you feel this way. Your child will sense if something is wrong in the family – if you and your husband are going through a rough patch or if you have money problems – so it's best to explain it to him or her in the best and simplest way that you can.

4) Stop comparing your children to other people's children.
Your children have their own strengths and weaknesses and should never be compared to other people's kids. Remember how you hated it when your parents used to do that? So, don't do that to your child. It's okay if he's really bad at Maths. He may have a heart of gold and isn't that better that being brilliant at Maths?

5) Encourage the children in what they are passionate about even if you think it's a waste of time.
Times have changed from when we were children. Today, our children are more interested in social networks and being in touch with their friends. It's not necessarily a bad thing as we too network for work. What may seem like a trivial interest to you means the world to your child and nothing would please them more than seeing you take an interest in it. Would it hurt to show some support?

6) Stop beating yourself up if you make a mistake as a parent.
We all make mistakes in our lives on a daily basis. Parenting is not excluded. Nobody is perfect and there are no perfect parents so don't beat yourself up over mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and move on. By doing that you demonstrate to your children how to deal with mistakes so that they too can apply the same attitude in their own lives.

7) Make time for your spouse.
This is ultra important. Happy parents make happy children. Your children feed off your energy. If the parents are warring, the children will know it (even if it's a cold war). They will not feel happy being in a home where mum and dad are constantly bickering or if mum and dad are not talking to each other. Keep communicating and spending time with your spouse so that your kids and your spouse will be happy and this makes for a happy family with a strong bond.

8) Stop farming out parenting to the maid and / or babysitter.
The maid and the babysitter have roles. Their job might be to clean house and keep an eye on your children but draw the line at the maid taking care of your sick child who needs you at night or making the babysitter comfort your child. They can be there for temporary help and support but ultimately your child should come to you when they need help, are in trouble or just want a hug. You do not want to have your child running to the maid instead of you when they hurt themselves.

9) Get healthy.
It's time to stop smoking, cut down on sugar and stop drinking. If you don't care about your health, think about your children. They need and deserve healthy parents who will be around to watch them get married and have children of their own. Plus, you don't want to expose them to the risk of getting cancer because they've had to breathe in the smoke from your cigarettes. Make them get healthy too by cutting down on the sweets and chocolates and getting to eat more vegetables and fruits. A healthy family is a happy family.

10) Have fun.
Parenting should not be all serious and by the book. Learn to laugh at yourself and your mistakes and have fun with parenting. Be creative in bringing up your child. Remember, you are building a bond with your child and you want your child to have happy memories of their childhood, so don't always be the strict disciplinarian. Have fun when you can.

For more parenting articles, please visit www.parenthots.com.my.