Giveaway for SmartParents 'Sure-win ways to correct your toddler's bad behaviour' Seminar

No idea how to tame your toddler's tantrums? Join this seminar & learn how to handle your tot's meltdowns like a pro! 

Date: 4 December 2016, Sunday
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Venue: NTUC Centre, One Marina Boulevard

This seminar is suitable for parents with children aged 2 to 3.

Topic 1: Understanding your toddler

Synopsis: As your baby reaches the “Terrible Twos” and the “Three-nager” stage, they will grow rapidly and experience changes in their motor, intellectual, social and emotional skills. Learn why your child misbehaves at times, plus find ways to enhance their learning journey. Also get practical strategies from Ms Cheryl Chia, Founder of BrainFit, on managing your child, as well as tips to get them to listen.

Topic 2: Handling yourself before dealing with your child 

Synopsis: Do you find yourself flaring up and snapping at junior all the time for every little boo-boo they make? If you often lose your temper with your child, this session by Ms Jacqueline Ong will show you how you can be more intelligent with your emotions and manage them to increase your resilience to prevent emotional outbursts.

Directions to win:

1. Like "Grub n' Grow" Facebook Page.

2. Tag at least 3 friends to this Facebook Post.

3. Share this post publicly on your timeline.

4. Closing date is 30th November 2016, 2359hrs.

If you're keen to join me at the following seminar, you may either purchase your tickets here or participate in the giveaway to win a pair of tickets worth S$38.52. A total of 3 pairs of tickets will be given away to 3 lucky readers! Hope to cya all there ~.^

About SmartParents
We want to be a part of that rewarding journey you make to becoming a better parent. Which is why we started smartparents.sg, a parenting portal by Mediacorp Pte Ltd. SmartParents.sg is a one-stop information resource for parents with children up to age 14.

Backed by teams from the former BabyCare and Mother & Baby Singapore magazines, SmartParents.sg brings you everything from real-life stories to easy-to-access insights by our panel of experts, so you can make smart parenting choices. Tune in to us and take part in our exciting events and seminars all-year round. Visit SmartParents.sg and like us on Facebook!

Are BPA-free plastic bottles really as safe as we deem them?

I'm pretty certain that most of us are using BPA-free plastic bottles for our LOs since they're readily available everywhere. However, are they really as safe as we deem them?  

Increasing studies are linking chemicals in our everyday products to serious health problems, from cancer, reproductive harm, infertility & endocrine disruption to even learning disabilities as well as development problems. There've been many researches done in recent years which have shown that BPA-free alternatives aren't exactly toxic-free too. For eg, BPS which is a common replacement for BPA is linked to endocrine disruption & potentially as toxic as BPA. In addition, phthalates which are commonly used to soften plastics have been associated with disruption to hormones & reproductive harm. With very little regulation around chemicals in commerce & undisclosed ingredients, it's very difficult for us to ascertain if a product may cause harm to our family. Therefore, to limit exposure to possible toxins, the best choice is to use stainless steel, glass & food-grade ceramic containers for both water & food storage.

Furthermore, I remember when I attended the antenatal classes conducted by Mrs Wong Boi Boi (Assistant Director of Thomson Medical & also a very well known Senior Lactation Consultant), she told us that even for BPA-free plastics, they may still leak toxic substances if scratches are formed due to wear & tear. In fact, it's recommended that even BPA-free bottles be changed every 3 to 6 months but, if there're chips, cracks, dents, discolourations, leaks or scratches, it should be discarded immediately. In reality, how many of us really change them that regularly? >_<

Knowing that it's high time I changed BB's bottles to non-plastic ones, I've been looking around for stainless steel bottles. Coincidentally, 2 of my gfs actually shared that they've gotten Pura bottles for their boys. After doing some research & reading up more, I'm totally in love <3 You can imagine my elation when Kidzloft generously agrees to the sponsorship!

See how it fits perfectly in the side pocket of BB's school bag as well as my haversack ^.^

Do you know that Pura is the only NONTOXIC CERTIFIED bottles in the world? Their products have been lab-tested to ensure they don't contain known carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxins or other known harmful chemicals before being certified by an independent third party (MadeSafe.org) as nontoxic & are the only such bottles on the global market to achieve this status!

Pura bottles' unique features are as follows:

1. 100% Plastic-Free - They're crafted from 18/8 (#304) stainless steel (with lifetime warranty) & medical grade silicone only. Therefore, all of them are absolutely BPA/BPS-free, EA-free & toxins-free!!

2. Baby Grows...Bottle Evolves technology - All Pura Kiki bottles allow the bottles to grow with & adapt to the changing needs of your LO since their patent pending stainless steel lid design is compatible with all Pura silicone components. The Natural Vent Nipples were designed to mimic the variable flow rate of breastfeeding. When ur LO grows older, you can seamlessly convert it to their XL Sipper Spout or swap to the Silicone Straw depending on their drinking preferences. Subsequently, you can still 'upgrade' it again to the Big Mouth Silicone Sport Top (note that it's not designed for hot liquids though) which is also suitable for adults / athletes or a Silicone Sealing Disk for both snacks & a variety of drinks. This is actually the most unique feature that really left a deep impression in me as compared to other stainless bottles in the mkt!!! Unfortunately, it's also the only one which I didn't have a chance to benefit fully from it yet since BB has outgrown most of the stages T.T 

Look at how many sippy cups & water bottles have BB used since birth & these are excluding his numerous Tommee Tippee milk bottles which some have been discarded due to discolouration while the hardly used ones are already stored away. Too bad Pura bottles aren't available in sg back then or else I would definitely have gotten them instead! 

If you do the Math, a BPA-free plastic water bottle easily costs btw $11.95 to $18.95. After changing every half-yearly for 1.5yrs, you would have spent approximately the same amount as the cost of a Pura feeding bottle (325ml) with teat which is $34.90 only! Therefore, the initial capital outlay may be slightly more but since their bottles can effectively last u a lifetime, it's definitely an extremely worthy investment. Moreover, u can use it without having a nagging worry if it's time to change the plastic bottles again as well as having a peace of mind knowing that they won't be harmful to your LOs at all!! Life's too hectic in our fast pace society so u can absolutely do with 1 less worry ;)

3. Compatible with nipples & sip spouts from other leading brands - Some LOs die die only accept a particular brand of teats which may become a deterrence for parents from switching to another better brand. Since you may still use the existing ones with Pura bottles, this shouldn't be a concern anymore.

4. Wide range of sizes & accessories - From 5oz infant bottle to the mega size 28oz sport bottle, you can easily find one which fits your requirements!

5. Shatterproof - BB hasn't dropped it so far but I'm confident that stainless steel will be able to withstand the impact. 

6. Vacuum Insulation (for selected models) - keeps water warm for up to 6 hours & cold for up to 8 hours provided temperature is not extremely hot like 32°C & if u add ice into the cold water at the onset, the ice & cold water may last up to 24 hours! Therefore, u can have cool water anytime especially on days where the family is spending the day outdoors ;)

More about the Pura Sport 22oz Vacuum Insulated Bottle which we've tried out:

- The Sip Guard allows free flow of liquid when open yet prevents spills while drinking. Most toddlers may still get spill 'accidents' from time to time especially when drinking w/o a straw. To my surprise, since using this Pura bottle, BB has never once spilled water all over his clothes even though he's holding the big bottle & drinking by himself.

- I was kinda concerned because the silicone cover doesn't look very secure so I tested it by turning it upside down. Well, looks can really be deceiving at times & I was happy to be proven wrong as not a single drop of water dripped out from the leak proof closed lid.

- Ease of opening & closing the lid even for toddlers like BB. He has been struggling with some of the bottle caps despite having pretty good motor skills (thks to all the BLW training). This is partly due to the fact that his fingers still lack the strength to overcome the friction between the straw & cover or push the tight buttons to release them (white button in the pic below). Thus, he always resorts to biting them open instead even though we've repeatedly reminded him to ask for help instead. See all the scratches made in the process..haiz! On the other hand, he can open & close Pura's sport cap with ease after just one demonstration by me =)

- Easy to remove & clean - No hassles at all..no hard to reach parts & even the gap on the lid can be accessed & washed easily.

- The reinforced carrying finger loop on the silicone sleeve, with its well thought out design, provides insulation for cold liquids, eliminates condensation on the exterior of the bottle & enhances tactile feedback with a better grip for small hands. It fits tightly so it will stay on the bottle when tugged by little hands yet easily removable for cleaning.

Frankly speaking, there's no turning back for me anymore..lolz! Stainless steel is definitely the way to go!!! Not forgetting my Grub n' Grow readers, Kidzloft has also agreed to extend the generous special 30% discount code till 2359hrs on 25th November 2016! Simply enter "30FORU" at checkout from this page: http://www.kidzloft.com/product/brands/pura

In addition, Kidzloft's concurrent Xmas promotion also entitles you to a free gift pouch, which is prefect for gifting, with every bottle purchase! I'm pretty sure that with such a thoughtful gift, your family & friends will thank you for many years to come..hee, I know I would ;p

Disclaimer: Financial compensation was not received for this post. The Pura Big Mouth sport top insulated bottle is kindly sponsored by Kidzloft but opinions expressd here are BB's & mine ^.~

Bebemi, Organic Snacks from Korea!

JWoohoooooo! More healthy snacks for BB..look at how excited he was ;)

Bebemi's organic snacks, exclusively distributed by Totsworld Pte Ltd, use selected non-pesticide grain brown rice which actually contains 5x the fibre & 2x the iron of white rice. In addition, the grain bucket is 'rubbed' with the world's first patented technology using ceramic friction heat (about 150°C) without losing the nutrition.

Been a more health conscious mummy, what I love best about them are as follows:

- NO sugar

- NO salt

- NO colour

- NO synthetic additives

- NO preservatives

- NON oil treatment

- NOT baked or fried

Therefore, BB can enjoy the natural taste & aroma of whole grains & vegetables. Furthermore, it's so conveniently packaged with the resealable pouches that you don't have to worry about ensuring freshness once it's opened.

The different types available:

1. Bebemi Lotus Root Rice Cake (for babies 6mo & above) - The bigger size allow little hands to grip & hold easily. The unique non-crunchy texture melts immediately after touching the saliva, melting in your mouth literally! Thus, it neither causes choking (very safe for little ones) nor sticks to your teeth. There's also a very subtle lotus root taste which will suit their palates.

2. Bebemi Stick (for babies 7mo & above) - Despite having a very light taste, BB said he likes them & couldn't stop munching on them. 

3. Bebemi Brown Rice Petite (for babies 8mo & above) - We had this as breakfast with fresh milk & some chopped organic prunes since BB is slightly constipated recently. Honestly speaking, I prefer the rice petite soaked in the milk than on its own..heehee!

4. Bebemi Ring (for toddlers 12mo & above) - Our faves!! The moment I opened it, a nice waft of sweet fragrant drifted into my nostrils. Even though no sugar is added, they actually taste slightly sweet with a toasty citrusy flavour..yummilicious! BB simply couldn't get enough of it & asked for 3 more rounds of top ups!!!

Since they are specially designed for toddlers during their weaning stage (minimum age for consuming is indicated on the top right hand corner), the right sizes which actually get smaller for older babies allow them to grip nicely & this promotes the developments in their brain, motor skills as well as gum or tooth.

Ways to enjoy them:

- Eat as a snack straight from the pack.

- Enjoy as a breakfast ceral for both kids & adults by mixing & stirring well (to release the nutrients) with lukewarm water, milk or yogurt then top with fresh/dried fruits or nuts.

- Lightly crush then use them to top milkshakes / smoothies / salads to further up the nutritional value.

Price & Availabilty:

- Usual price of $8.90 per packet

- Bundle price of $15 for 2 packets at exclusive retailers which include all OG & BHG departmental stores, 1010 Mother and Child & Totsworld website at www.totsworld.com.sg. They'll be available on Redmart soon too.

- Special promotion for readers of Grub n' Grow at $14 for 2 packets or buy 4 at $28 with 1 free packet! This means it only costs $5.60 per packet!!! Simply key in code "GRUBNGROW" during checkout ^_^

Disclaimer: Financial compensation was not received for this post. Samples were sponsored by Totsworld but opinions expressd here are BB's & mine ^.~

About Totsworld Pte Ltd

Totsworld, founded by Qiqi, started in January 2014. Before Totsworld, Qiqi has been selling unique & innovative products to parents ever since her arrival of her first daughter in 2011. In order to ensure the products are of e highest quality & safety standards from the right sources, she made the decision to start her distribution business in 2014. That is how Totsworld started - To bring in quali, innovative & premium products to help parents enjoy their parenthood without the frustrations. In these 2 years, Totsworld has distributed brands to major departmental stores like OG, BHG, Tom & Stefanie, Watsons & several retail chain stores. they have also expanded their business to services such as Babywise Singapore & Balloon Town to provide a one stop holistic solution for parents. All products have been tried & used by herself & her 2 daughters to ensure that both she & her daughters enjoy the products & causes no harmin the process of using it. Because, Qiqi truly believes in the products she bring in & she wants everyone to know about it.

Tomatoes Beefy Rice with Eggs

Previously, this was a very popular 1 pot dish for LOs. The reason is simple. Fast to cook & good to eat. Furthermore, the variations for this dish is endless as long as you add in the main lead, which is of course TOMATOES. Since I happened to have 2 big tomatoes in the fridge so decided to cook it again today. Here's my version ;)

Ingredients (serve 1 toddler + 1 adult):

2 medium-sized tomatoes, top & bottom slitted

1/2 cup organic brown rice, washed

100ml of water

100g of minced organic beef (can replace with pork too)

8 organic French beans, diced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tbsp of sesame oil

1/2 tbsp of Bob's Red Mill All Natural Cornstarch

1/8 tsp of freshly grounded black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate beef with sesame oil, cornstarch & pepper for at least 15 minutes.

2. Mix beef into rice & water, top with tomato & steam for 20 minutes (I used my Techno 3-Tiers Electric Steamer but can use rice cooker alternatively).

3. Add French beans & continue steaming for another 15 minutes..

4. Once rice is cooked, add in eggs & mix evenly, mashing up the tomatoes simultaneously. Optional: remove the tomatoes' skins then add more sesame oil & black pepper. Serve immediately.

Such a hassle-free meal yet so healthy & satisfying..I especially love the moist & juicy rice <3 BURP!!!

Homemade Sweet Potatoes Mooncakes with Mung Bean Fillings

I did a trial run today since I had to prepare the mung bean fillings in advance for tomorrow.

Ingredients:

1 big purple sweet potato (abt 200g after skin peeled which yields 4 small mooncakes), cut into big chunks

1/2 cup of split mung beans (still have leftovers for making of more mooncakes tomorrow)

1 tbsp of organic Simple Mill raw virgin coconut oil (VCO)

1/4 cup of Billington's molasses (can half it if prefer less sweet for LOs)

Some boiled water

Directions:

1. Steam mung beans for 30 minutes (I used my Avent steamer & blender) or till soften.

2. Blend to desired texture (BB likes more textured food so I left it quite chunky). If mixture is too dry, add a bit of water till it can blend smoothly.

3. Heat up the VCO then add in mung bean purée & sugar.

4. Mix evenly over low heat till sugar has melted (can add some water if mixture is still too dry to prevent it from getting burnt). Cool the mixture completely before using. Can also leave overnight in fridge once it's cooled if you're preparing it in advance too.

5. Steam sweet potato for 20 - 30 minutes till soften then mash, cool & put into fridge for at least 30 minutes.

6. Put a thin layer of sweet potato purée all around the mooncake mold.

7. Fill with the mung bean filling then cover it with another thin layer of sweet potato purée.

8. Invert mold over a plate & slowly push down the plunger (firmly so that the design is imprinted). Slowly lift up the mold while continuing to push down the plunger gently to remove the mooncake from it.

I did the first 3 mooncakes using the method shown in the video I've shared earlier on Grub n' Grow's FB page but it's quite difficult to get a thin outer layer of sweet potato as the purée breaks up quite easily. This resulted in very little filling in the centre as shown in the picture below.

Unsatisfied with the end results, I put on my thinking cap & came up with another method. Using the remaining ingredients, I gave it 1 more try & it looks much better now >.~ As for the taste, I really do like the stronger flavour in the mung bean filling due to the usage of molasses instead of normal sugar. Actually, they'll be a nice snack for normal days too if you use molds of other designs instead of mooncake ones.

Hope everyone'll hv a Happie Mid Autumn Festival celebration with your loved ones tmr!!!

Giveaway for Singapore Parenting Congress 2016 - “Are you a SUPERHERO to your child?”

You don’t need to save the world to be a superhero to your child; what matters is being there for them at every step of their journey. Not just at the significant milestones, but also in the little everyday things.

If you have a child aged 4 to 12, you can’t miss the Singapore Parenting Congress 2016, a joint initiative by Mediacorp and Families For Life Council that addresses the challenges modern parents face. Join me at the Singapore Parenting Congress on 30th to 31st July at Suntec Convention Centre Level 3 and pick up some parenting super powers! . There will be a total of 13 sessions this year (6 English, 4 Mandarin, 1 Malay & 1 Tamil). Tickets available at all SISTIC channels starting from $18. 

These are the key parenting messages that will be highlighted at this event by different seminar sessions, which includes the following:

Active Parenting - The importance of taking a proactive approach in parenting, in developing a child's character, installing them with the right values and building them up to be resilient people. How can we prepare our children for a future we don't know? Academics should not be the only focus in a child's development.

Screen time vs Face time - Impact of technology on parenting, it is not always a bad thing. Tips will be shared with parents on how they can connect and engage with their children more effectively at this time and age.

Spending quality vs quantity time - Many parents in dual household income struggle with balancing work and family time. Spending quality time is very important in building strong family ties. Spending time with your kids (being present physically & mentally), also helps to make a child feel more confident and secure.

Grand-parenting - The role of extended family in a child's development - the important role grandparents play these days. Grandparents aren't just an extra pair of hands. They make great role models who can be positive influences in our child's life! There're only 2 sessions that touch on the role of grandparents. However, this is an important topic in today's context as many grandparents are very much involved with childcare responsibilities.

For more information on the programme schedule (synopsis in English, Mandarin, Malay & Tamil), click here. 

If you're keen to join me at the following seminar, you may participate in the giveaway to win a pair of tickets. A total of 3 pairs of tickets will be given away to 3 lucky readers ;)

Active Parenting – Developing Your Child Holistically

Date: Saturday, 30th July 2016
Time: 9:30am – 1:00pm
Speaker: Mr James Gary Satchy

Every parent wants success for their children. But what is true success and how do we achieve it?

In today’s world and tomorrow’s future, we see challenges that require more than academic excellence. A child needs holistic development in order to be a true success!

This talk will focus on what parents can intentionally do to develop their children in 4 areas – Active Learning, Character Choices, Emotional Health and Social Skills.

All these areas are interlinked to help our children be resilient in the face of challenges so that they can be true successes in life.

Directions to win:

1. Like "Grub n' Grow" Facebook Page.

2. Tag at least 5 friends to this Facebook Post.

3. Share this post publicly on your timeline.

4. Closing date is 24th July 2016, 2359hrs.

Hope to cya all there ~.^

About SmartParents
We want to be a part of that rewarding journey you make to becoming a better parent. Which is why we started smartparents.sg, a parenting portal by Mediacorp Pte Ltd. SmartParents.sg is a one-stop information resource for parents with children up to age 14.

Backed by teams from the former BabyCare and Mother & Baby Singapore magazines, SmartParents.sg brings you everything from real-life stories to easy-to-access insights by our panel of experts, so you can make smart parenting choices. Tune in to us and take part in our exciting events and seminars all-year round. Visit SmartParents.sg and like us on Facebook!

About Families for Life
Families for Life’s vision is to build strong and resilient families because that makes for stronger communities and better individual well-being.

We Listen. We listen to the issues that Singaporean families are facing.
We Explore and Promote. We bring people and organisations together to create platforms for family bonding and to engage Singaporeans in conversations about families.
We Voice. We voice out concerns that people have on family issues and continue this conversation with our partners and the community.