Party Planning on a Budget August 25, 2011

Planning a birthday party for your kids are exciting and at the same time exhausting. Exciting, because it reveals the child in you and exhausting because you want to collaborate everything that you think in one party but yet it doesn’t jive all together . Also, (mums will agree to me) the B word, BUDGET!

The solution: decide a theme, limit your guest and stick to your budget.

The theme should be the celebrant’s favourite hobby, cartoon character or something she would appreciate. It’s her day and you want her to be happy.
You might want to consider these:
Luau party theme
Fairy theme
Pirate theme
Cowboys and Indians theme

Invite only those who is special to your child; a close relative and close friends/classmates. In this way your child won’t be overwhelmed with a lot of guest and will be able to interact with all of them.

A lot a budget for the party and stick to it! Schedule your party after lunch so you just need to serve snacks instead. Plan a menu that is easy to prepare and of course which is with in your budget.
You might want to consider these:
Pizza
Chicken lollipop
Cupcakes
Punch with Pop Rock

You may also consider lootbags but take note, lootbags are for kids only. Don’t oblidge yourself to provide lootbags for the adults. Simple gifts like sweets and treats, stationary sets, stickers, coloring book or small toys will do. A simple thank you gift for the kids will be well valued.

Just remember, no matter how big or small the party is, your child will surely appreciate it. So, stress no more fellow mums, you too deserves to enjoy the party.

For party planning and supplies:

http://thepartytag.multiply.com

Recipes For Your Little Chef July 15, 2011

Here are some of my favorite recipe that are simple and easy to make together with your little chef.

The Benefit:
Getting your kids involved in the cooking process is a great way to spend quality time together. Instill a love for cooking in your little ones and it will last a lifetime.

French Toast

6 white bread slices
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
Oil or butter for frying

Beat eggs and add milk. Use a fork to dip each bread slice into the mixture one at a time. Dip each bread in the mixture long enough to soak well, but
not too long so you avoid it breaking apart.
Cook bread on a hot pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Gently press down the bread so your French toast is crispy and golden in the center without burning the crust.

Serves 3.

Suggested toppings/sidings:
Bacon
Pancake syrup or powdered sugar
Banana

Carbonara

1 can of big evap milk
1 250 ml All Purpose cream
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 cup of mushroom chopped
1 can of cream of mushroom
Several pcs of ham; chopped
Several pcs of bacon strips; chopped
butter
1/2 kilo of pasta
1 medium size Onion; chopped
1/2 cloves Garlic; chopped

Sautee the garlic and onion. Add bacon, ham and mushroom.
Pour the cream of mushroom, nestle cream & the milk. Remember; every time you cook any food that has milk for ingredients, make sure you stir on one direction only. This would maintain the consistency of the milk.
Let it simmer.
Add a handful of cheese to make it more creamy. Add salt (but the cheese is a bit salty already) and pepper.
Place the cooked pasta on a plate and pour some sauce. Sprinkle with bacon bits and/or add cheese on top.
Best with garlic bread.

Chocolate Wonton Surprise

Wonton wrappers or molo wrappers
Peanut butter
Chunks of bitter sweet chocolate
Banana peeled and sliced
Oil for deep frying
Powdered sugar for dusting

Lay down the wonton wrapper, put a sliced banana in the center, topped with peanut butter and a chunk of bitter sweet chocolate. Pinch and seal the ingredients inside the wanton (tracing water around the wonton like glue). Deep fry till the wonton wrappers are golden brown.

You may dust it with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

EQ Your Toddler June 28, 2011

EQ stands for emotional quotient, it is said to be a measure of a person’s emotional intelligence. EQ is your child’s ability to feel while EI is your child’s ability to think. It is as important of your IQ and an important factor in our toddlers living a happy and fulfilling life in the future.
Children has different approach in relating to their everyday experiences and for a 2 year old, expressing their feelings would be confusing. As a parent it is our duty to guide them on how they manage emotions and establish good social development.

Let them be. Children comes with different shapes and sizes same as with their personalities and interest. Other children might be better with other aspects but it’s no different with your own child. Hone their talents and encourage them with what they do best. A self-confident child is a happy child.

Help them understand how they feel. But first of all, learn how to understand your child’s emotion. Knowing the root why your child is acting differently, you will be able to teach them how to behave correctly. Discuss to them the difference between being upset to being sad, being scared from being shy and so on and so forth. In addition, help them to express their feelings in words rather than physically. And most of all, acknowledging their good traits will boost them to do it over and over again.

Instill good manner. Be a role model and your child will follow you. Be strict with your rules while explaining to them the reason behind it.

Allow them to play. Plan a play group or bring them to the park to meet other kids with the same age range. Many of the social skills that people possess as adults are developed while they are still in the toddler stage.

Raising a child is no easy job, embrace the challenge and enjoy every bits of it.

A quote from Pearl S. Buck
“Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.”

Educational Shows for Your Toddler/preschooler June 22, 2011

My children loves watching television, it’s one thing they both enjoy doing. However, am particular on the programs that they will or they are watching. So, no Tom and Jerry’s show for them (or any similar shows). Even if it’s a cartoon, all they do is hit each other and I don’t want my kids re enacting their stunts.
Usually, the programs they see are from Baby TV, Playhouse Disney and some from NickJr.

Here are some programs my children loves to watch and are on my checklist:

Special Agent Oso – Oso is a cute and funny bear who helps children perform tasks such as brushing their teeth, helping mom to set the dinner table, or how to make a freshly squeezed orange juice for a sick mom. The program encourages three healthy steps which symbolizes how simple certain task can be done (only 3 simple steps). I find the program very entertaining and helps my terrific two independent. This show actually inspire my two year old daughter brush her teeth. (Seen on Playhouse Disney)

Team Umizoomi – is a live action series that focuses on everyday problems with their Mighty Math Powers in order to keep Umi City running smoothly. This program aids our children on how to count, identify shapes and pattern recognition. This help develop our preschooler in their early problem solving skill and enhances memory and logical thinking. (Seen on NickJr)

Louie’s World – Introduces first words by naming objects that occur in a similar category such as animals, part of the house, or baby’s first toys. Louie repeats the object’s name and interact with the viewer by playing ‘peek-a-boo’. Such approach aids children to name and remember the object and explore it’s characteristics or uses. (Seen on Baby TV)

Just please be guided that children still needs encouragement from parents to learn and understand the programs that they are watching. Compliment what you see on the screen, give similar situation in real life and explain.

Benefits of Play June 22, 2011

Play signifies a lot of things specially to a child. It’s their freedom of imagination, it’s their way to express how they feel and think, and the easiest way to reach out and bond to your child. More over, what’s amazing about it is that, they are learning from it.

Here are some learning activities your child can play (you can even play along):

1. Playing pretend – This encourage your child hone her imaginativon that will develop her cognitive skills. Cognitive skills are any kind of mental skills that are used in the process of acquiring knowledge. And these skills
includes reasoning, perception, and intuition. So, if you see your child talking with her/his toys or self, try to join in. You’ll be amaze how the story ends (or will it be?).
2. Building blocks – It increases eye-hand coordination and enhances spatial awareness. Also, what I love about this toy is that there’s no right or wrong on playing with it. They can be used whatever your child prefers it to be; a building, a castle, a rocket ship or a house.
3. Scribbling or doodles – All you need is a pencil and a paper. For more creative and fun way, you can add crayons or paints. Children LOVES to doodle, random lines and abstract figures. You’ll be surprise on how they interpret each drawings. Let them tell a story from their art works and by doing so, you encourage them to think logically and express how they feel in different situations.
4. Running/exercise – Let your child run! Don’t be afraid that she/he might fall from the ground or she/he might get bruises. That’s part of being a child. Let them be.
Among the many benefits of running/exercise are physical fitness, confidence and stronger self-esteem, more energy, better memory, and simply a good feeling about themselves.

Understanding and supporting their natural yearning for physical activities will help lead them to a lifetime of happy and healthy living. If we joyfully encourage our children to play freely from the early stages of their development, we will be giving our children a gift that will endure throughout their lives.

Hello world! June 10, 2011

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