How To Make A Pinata

I did this snowman pinata last Christmas. Thought I'd better post it before I forget. Pinatas are a wonderful activity to add to any children's party. Don't have to buy expensive ones at a party shop. You can make your own with just a balloon, paper mache and some decorations.

Just in case you are wondering what in the world is a pinata, its a "container" filled with candy and/or small toys. It hangs in the air as children, blindfolded, try to hit it with a stick to break it.
As the candy and toys fall, everyone rushes to grab it. Very fun.

I've taken pictures so you can see how I made it. A word of caution -- it can be a bit messy. Be ready to get your hands sticky.

1. I blew up two balloons and stuck them together. One balloon for the snowman's head and the other for the body. Find a container like a pail or pot to hold the balloon while you work.
2. Tear strips of newspaper about 1-2 inches wide. Don't have to use scissors or blade to cut the paper. Tearing them with your hands is good and better (I read that somewhere).
3. For glue, I just used corn starch and water. You could also use normal flour. Start with 2 cups flour, 1 cup lukewarm water. I used an old ice cream tub to hold the glue.
4. One strip at a time, dip into the glue and then layer it on the balloon. You could use a paint brush I guess, if you don't want to get your hands dirty.

5. Do one layer horizontal, and the other layer vertical. Overlap the strips until you cover the whole balloon.
6. After 2 layers, let it dry.

7. The last layer I used white paper because then it is easier to decorate it. You could use white mahjong paper or normal white paper.
8. Don't put too many layers coz' then it will be difficult to break the pinata. About 3 layers is good.

9. After everything dries, use a pin and pop the balloon inside.
10. Cut an opening near the top with a blade and put whatever candy you want inside. I don't recommend wafers, biscuits or whatever that can be beaten to crumbs. Remember, children (and adults) will be whacking at this thing. You don't want crumbs to be falling out. Any hard or wrapped candy is good.
11. Just seal back the opening with clear tape.
12. Poke two holes at the top about 3 inches apart. I used a drill but you could use anything to make a hole e.g. crochet needle, screwdriver. Put a string through it so you can hang the pinata. Make sure the string is strong enough and will not break. After you put candy into a pinata, it can be quite heavy.
13. Decorate the pinata according to your creativity.

You want something really simple, just use one big balloon. Use crepe paper to make it colorful.
Hope I've covered enough for you to try making your own. If you do have a go at it, I would so love to see what you did. So don't forget to show me yours okay?

SOME TIPS:

• Don't really have to blindfold the children. Some of them have trouble as it is trying to crack the pinata with their eyes wide open :)
• If you can't hang it from a beam in the ceiling, hang it at the end of a long stick. Have the person holding the stick stand on a chair or something. Make sure the stick is long enough so the poor guy holding the pinata don't get accidently whacked. Also, make sure you find someone with strong arms.
• Baseball bats are good for hitting a pinata.
  
  

How To Help Children Be Not Afraid of the Dentist

Just a follow up from my last post. Seeing that both my kids did okay in the dentist chair, I must have done something right. So, let me think back to some things I did that may have helped allay their fears:

• I never told them any dental horror stories. I guess I never gave them a reason to be scared e.g. don't tell them about your own fears or how horrible it is to hear the sound of the drill etc....
• Talked about it like a matter of fact. A dental check-up is all part of the routine - brushing, flossing, dental checkup.
• Read books about going to the dentist or loosing teeth. (I currently have 2 of the books available at my children's bookshop: 'Dad, Are You the Tooth Fairy?' and 'Harry and the Dinosaurs Say 'Raahh!')
• I didn't give them a choice. Don't say, "you want to go or not?". I just said, "We have to go and see what the dentist say. I already called the dentist, we are going ...."
• Be honest and tell them what will happen e.g. The dentist may pull out your teeth, so the other one can grow properly. He will make your mouth numb first so you don't feel any pain. Even if you feel pain, it will be like an ant's bite.
  With my son, I told him that the dentist will just look at his teeth. If he has been good at brushing, the dentist won't have to do anything. As an incentive, you could always say "let's go show the dentist what beautiful teeth you have."
• Continually give assurance and comfort. Sit on the dentist chair first if you have to.

One more tip from a&a'smom (which I am guilty of not doing):
Visit the dentist regularly. Don't only go when there is a problem coz' that is how children will associate dentist with pain.

I have a FREEBIE for you -- dental care worksheets. Say thanks to SMILES (San Diego Dental Disease Prevention Program) for these fun worksheets.

Just click here and save it to your harddisk. There are 20 pdf files.
(For more FREEBIES, visit my bookshop's blog)

Permanent Tooth Sprouting

Last week, K opened her mouth and showed another tooth growing behind her bottom front incissor. YIKES! Permanent tooth already coming up and milk tooth not yet drop. What to do? What to do? My brother who came over for baby D's birthday "makan" said, with his daughter, the dentist told him it was normal. Nothing to worry about. But to be on the safe side, I asked my dear good e-friend Sheela to enquire from her dentist husband, if I would need to visit the dentist. The answer "YES". So off to the dentist we went, FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Came back and this is what she look like.
What a bloody affair. Scary or not????

Actually ah, no pain. I say she was a very brave girl even though she said she was scared when sitting on the dentist chair. So scared until she don't know how to answer the dentist. Dentist asked "how many times you brush your teeth", she answered "don't know!". Dentist asked "where do you go to school?", she answered "Shah Alam 2". Actually her school is in Puncak Alam, not Shah Alam 2. Mommy also feel a bit scared, sitting down and watching her. I thought she might have felt some pain during the injection or after the anasthetic wear off, but final verdict... "NO PAIN MOMMY!"

Woohoo.

She not only pulled one tooth, but two because the permanent tooth is quite big! Dentist was going to pull only one and said to come back next week to pull another. But I figured, she is already numbed and already on the dentist chair. Might as well pull another and spare her the fear of coming back again. I know if it was me, I wouldn't want to have that hanging over my head the entire week.

This is her smiling face "before"

This is her smiling face "after"

If you have a child that thinks it's painful to go to the dentist, show them what this Jie-Jie do after she come back. Seeeeee.... no pain. Can still play computer game. No pain itelyu.

Damus also had a check up. Dentist knocked his front tooth a bit to see if it was painful (coz' he fell down a few years back and injured it). He came back home and told his daddy that the dentist "whacked" his tooth. Aiyo! Anyway, I thought this was a funny picture. His jie-jie is trying to open his eye, coz' they get very small when he smiles. Don't he look like an evil Jekyll?

p.s. Talking about dentist, here's a little story about myself. When I was younger, my mother drove me to the dentist but I absolutely refused to get down from the car. I practically hung on to the car for dear life. But then I have very good reason -- that scary, evil nurse/dentist in primary school had scarred me for life. The horror of watching classmates return from her clinic with bloody gauzes hanging from their mouths (shudder).

Baby Milestone: 1 YEAR

So quickly times has past and baby is now 1 YEAR OLD. What marks this milestone?

• His understanding has increased by leaps and bounds. These are some words and instructions he understands:
  - “pom-pom” meaning bath time – he tugs at his shirt trying to get it off.
  - “brush your teeth” - he points at the toothbrush.
  - “put inside” - put cloth diapers into the drawer, toys into containers. We got him a toy where you put the shaped blocks into the correct hole. He is able to put them in. Still a little clumsily but successful 80% of the time. I’m sure he’ll figure how to match the blocks to their respective holes soon.
  - book, ball, or shoes – he will go and find it.
  - “You want me to read to you?” – he will bring the book and plop down on our lap.
  - “kiss” – he will open his mouth and plant a kiss on our cheek or mouth with sound effects 'Aaa..Wah'.
  - “Where’s the cat?” – he will go to the door and look outside.
  - “Where’s your tummy?” – Pat his tummy
  - “Where’s your ear?” – Tug at his ear
  - “Where’s your tongue?” or if I see him chewing an unknown object, I scream “What’s in your mouth, open up!” – He will stick his tongue out.
  - “Pray Danic” – he will put his two hands to his chest. Doesn’t work all the time though, depends if he is distracted or not. Plus, only holds that position for about 5 seconds.
• Tries to pull up my shirt when he wants 'nen-nen'. He even says “Aaahhh”, opening his mouth just like when we feed him.
• When we feed him, he will put one finger to the palm of the other hand to tell us you wants more. Pats his stomach to tell us he is full.
• Likes to turn round and round to make himself dizzy.
• Likes to do writing like his siblings. He can hold the pencil and make light scribbles on paper.
• His first word is “Aaa…pa” – as in apple. He will flip through the books and look for apple. - Recently he started saying “Paaa…pa” for paper. Of course he can say “Mama”, especially when he wants me to carry him.
• When his shoes accidently come off, he will bring it to me and ask me to put it on for him. Sometimes he tries to put it on himself. The other day while I was on the phone, he brought his shoes to me because he wanted to go outside.
• He can sit on the slide by himself. Even sit on the swing by himself.
• He likes to play catching with his brother.
• His siblings quarrel often and one of them usually ends up crying. He will comfort whoever is crying – sayang their head, hug them and give them kiss.
• Likes to climb on to our back or stomach when we lie down to play horsie.
• He can climb out of the baby cot.
  
• He can wave bye-bye.
• Likes to throw everything down the staircase
• He points to the things he wants.
• Claps his hands when we say "good boy". Or he will clap hands to show that he has accomplish something or did something good. For example, he took something from the table. When he put it back like we asked him to, he clapped his hands and we had to clap for him too. Unfortunately he kept taking it just so we could clap when he put it back. Sigh! Cheeky monkey.
• Very engrossed with advertisements on TV. He will sometimes sing along or dance to the music.

Wow, quite a long list. Which goes to show the rate of development in babies this age. Well, what can I say, he is a joy to have and I love watching him grow.

Mamas Bag of Tricks:

Even though it may be dangerous and troublesome to let baby try new things, we have to give them room to explore. For example, letting baby slide down himself at first seemed like too much for this baby. But if I didn't try, I wouldn't have known he could do it himself. Daddy went one step further and let him swing by himself. Who would have guessed that he could actually do it? Of course safety precautions must be taken. Anyway, the message here is to not underestimate baby or "protect" too much less we hinder their development.

Baby Milestone: 11 Months

Tomorrow is baby's FIRST birthday and I realized I hadn't done his 11 month milestone. So, here it is before I do his birthday scrap.

December was an exciting time as we eagerly awaited for Christmas to arrive. The Christmas tree was up and baby busied himself pulling off the round ornaments. So, what are some tips to stop baby from pulling down the whole tree?

• Don't put up a tree
• Put up the tree but put the ornaments up high where baby can't reach them.
• Constantly watch baby and hold his hand firmly whenever he reaches for an ornament. Firmly say "NO" and teach him to give it to you.
• Confine baby to the "dungeon" - that's what we call the baby cot/fenced up play area.

This baby is different from his siblings. His siblings cried the first time they saw Santa Claus. Baby showed no fear. Well for now that is. Don't know how he'll be next year.

He has already learned how telephones work. Whenever he hears the phone ring, he puts his hand to his ear (imitating how we put the phone to our ear). This one time we were at the supermarket and our handphone rang. We didn't hear it coz' it's quite noisy. But baby alerted as coz' he put his hand to his ear.

He plays with books more than he plays with toys. He loves to sit with a book and flip its pages. Will still bite the books once in a while.

Loves to go into the kitchen. He comes running especially when someone opens the fridge door.

He also loves to look out the back gate to see the children playing at the back court. You just know he longs to go out and run like them.

Trauma for the month:
We were busy getting ready to go out. He was playing with the front grill door. He then slammed it on his thumb. It got all red (bleeding inside) and he screamed and cried. But his pain tolerance must be quite high, coz’ he didn’t cry long. After that it didn’t even seem to bother him much. The nail eventually fell off.

Mamas Bag of Tricks:

Don't let your child play with the door. Obvious parenting tip but accidents do happen, especially when you are busy and not watching.

When I'm Old...

I count myself very lucky to have parents that can still take care of themselves. My parents are already passing their mid 60s but have no problem with mobility. Although my dad had a bypass in the 90's, he still is actively out and about. My mom is a very happy-go-lucky person. No ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems etc... whatsoever. She still plays golf every morning and does her line dancing. Oh, not to forget her mahjung playing too. Now she takes Cryptomonadales and often sits in the bio-electric chair. My mom always said, if we take after her, we will have no problems.

Well, I really hope that I am still that active and ailment free when I'm aged. But what if I'm not? What about you? Will you opt to have your children care of you or will you not mind a care home for the elderly?

My friends and I were talking and we said maybe we should all just house ourselves together when we're old so we can take care of each other, or hire someone to take of us. It'll be like an exclusive retirement home. I think growing old among friends is a good option no?

Candy Bouquet Business: A Work From Home Idea

I haven't been writing much on work-at-home topics but I came across this wonderful idea of starting a Candy Bouquet Business.

I think it is a very unique idea, different from flower bouquets. It not only looks good, but you can eat it too. I, for one, just love candy. There are two different kinds of candy bouquet:

1. Candy mixed with flowers (either real or plastic)
2. All candy

I have not come across this kind of bouquet in Malaysia. Well... maybe except for the Ferrero Rouche bouquet. Maybe some of you moms out there want to give this a try. You could make candy bouquets for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Birthdays, Graduation, Weddings, Christmas, Hari Raya, Baby Gifts etc....

Here is an ebook to help you on your way to starting a Candy Bouquet Business.

180 page step-by-step Guide "How to Make Candy Bouquets for Fun and Profit"

If you are still wondering what in the world is a Candy Bouquet, just watch this commercial.

One of the challenges I see in this business is getting your children to not eat all the scrumptious candy and also not eating it yourself :)

Insight on Learning Problems

Parents spend a good deal of time worrying about their child's education. Well, I asked a good friend of mine who has many years of experience teaching young children to share her insight on why normal children sometimes encounter learning problems. She cites 3 general reasons:

• Age factor /Readiness
• Short Attention Span
• Temporary Shut Down of the Brain

The full article is on my Value Bookshop's blog. Click the following to read it:

Why Smart Children Have Learning Problems?

Starting School - Part 2

Yesterday's first day of school was deemed "boring" by K. Well, today she had a bit of "stress" (including mommy).

Had a phone call about 12:30pm today saying Karina had missed her school van and was crying. So faster than a speeding bullet, mommy rushed over to look for her. As I pulled into the carpark, I saw the van just leaving the school. The 'pakcik' said he couldn't find my dear K. I look at all the children around the gate and didn't see her. So I went inside the school, to the school office and the teacher's room and no sign of her. Went outside again and finally, saw the back of a little girl in her baju kurung uniform standing in the sun. With tear stained eyes, she hugged mommy tight-tight.

Don't know how this little girl couldn't locate her school van. Plus I believe the poor 'pakcik' couldn't recognize her because wearing baju kurung, she looked like all the rest of the Malay girls. Even I missed her the first time round. Thank goodness I made her memorize the house phone number. Also repeatedly drilled her on what to do in case such an incident were to happen - go to the school office and call home or locate your teacher. Thank goodness all that preparation helped. Other things taught were not to follow strangers e.g. don't trust anyone who comes up to you and say "your mom asked me to pick you up" or "the pakcik asked me to come get you."

Another lesson for today was regarding pocket money. She told me she had given her friend RM2 to go buy chicken nuggets for her. Her friend gave her back RM1. In her little mind, all is fine and dandy. Afterall, her friend did give her back some money. Well, all would have been well if it were not for the fact:

1. I cooked her chicken nuggets to take to school, so why in the world is she still buying chicken nuggets??????
2. She didn't eat the chicken nuggets that were bought, her friend ate it all. So, in other words, she 'belanja' the friend a meal lah.
3. She didn't finish eating the chicken nuggets in her lunch box.
4. Her friend didn't ask for the money, she voluntarily gave the money to her friend.

Asked her why? I get the famous answer "don't know!" Sigh! Okay, pocket money is now slashed from RM1.50 to 60 cents. Sigh!

Mamas Bag of Tricks

1. Repeatedly drill your children on safety procedures. Tell 101 times also nevermind.
2. Make sure they know how to contact you. Either memorize or write down phone numbers and address.
3. Don't forget to assure them if anything goes wrong, you will come and get them. So it is NOT a big catastrophe. Mommy/daddy WILL COME for them.
4. Don't simply give money to your friends. Mommy/daddy not rich you know!

Starting School

I guess I join the many parents out there whose child is starting school for the first time. Since my DD is in the morning school, we woke up early to catch her van transport. I asked her if she was excited, she said "No." BUT I knew she was as she was out at the gate very early (6:45am) waiting for the van rather impatiently, plus she packed her school bag the afternoon before.
My girl is rather independant so I don't really worry about her starting school. I think most children starting Std. 1 are already regular school goers because of kindergarten. So, there was hardly any fussing or crying going on. Actually, the worried onces were the parents anxiously standing around, finding it difficult to let go.
My only worries for DD are:

1. She won't understand what everyone is talking about because her Bahasa Malaysia is not that great.
2. She won't know how to find the van that is her transport home. Or she will get into the wrong van. Went to the school to make sure she knows how to identify the van and get on the right one.

Orientation day was on the 1/1/2008. They highlighted 3 things to the parents:

1. Transitional period - The children will go through a 3 week transitional program. It's a time for teachers to get to know the pupils, for pupils to get to know other pupils, and also to familiarize them with the school compound. Basically, to get them to transition from kindergarten to a bigger, formal school environment. So they will be no learning for this 3 weeks. They tell us this coz' they don't want parents to call and question them "why my child no homework ah?" or "why my child say they only jalan-jalan in school today?" They also told us the child does not need to bring any books during this time, just writing material and color pencils. Talking about books, the said they will only give during the 2nd week but today she already brought home some.
2. KIA 2M - I think that's what it's called. The kids will be given an evaluation test (one on one with the teacher I believe) to gauge their reading, writing and counting skills. Those that don't have sufficient reading skills will attend this special KIA 2M class. Evaluations are done 3 times a year. Any time they pass the evaluation test, they will be integrated back to the normal class. According to the teacher, there are children that start school without even knowing the alphabets even though they've already attended 2 years of kindergarten. This program is to ensure all children have basic reading and writing skills. Oh, must add that this is only for Bahasa Malaysia.
3. Special education class - I'm impressed that this school actually have a class for children with special needs. Teachers will monitor the children and those that need special attention, will be transfered to the special education class.

Now, I don't know if this is the same for all schools. I'm sure the Chinese schools will differ. But maybe these 3 programs are the same for all kebangsaan schools?

Okay, so how was the first day of school for K? One word-- BORING!
Why? Because they didn't do any work. Nevermindlah, you come back home, mommy give you plenty of work okay? :) I guess the following can be a tip:

• Don't hype up too much the experience of starting school. In other words, don't tell children "it will be sooo great" or "it will be fun, you make new friends, learn new things" etc.... First day of school will generally be confusing and like my daughter said, BORING. Be realistic and let your children know that the first few days is a transitional period. Teachers are getting things in order, new students are figuring how things work.

Here's a list of how much we spent or what we got for getting ready for school:

1. School bag - given by friend. Not advisable to get the roller/pulley bags because they don't last long. If you have to carry them, they are heavier than normal bags. Plus, you can't roll them everywhere e.g. staircase, uneven terrain.
2. Pencil box with pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, ruler - given as Christmas present.
3. Color pencils - given as a Christmas present.
4. Water bottle - given as a Christmas present.
5. Food container for recess - just an old one from the house.
6. Wallet - given as a Christmas present.
7. Watch - RM10.00
8. Glitter pen (marker pen also okay, but glitter pen looks nicer mah) - to write her names on her bags, pencil box etc.... Plus glitter pen can be used for other art and craft work -- err... can't remember how much it cost.
9. 2 pairs of school shoes - RM23.99 each.
10. 1 set baju kurung uniform - RM40.80
11. 2 sets pinafore uniform - RM69.60
12. 4 pairs of white socks - RM11.80
13. Exercise books and school badge - RM23.60
14. School fees and whatever other fees like PIBG, sports, awards etc... - RM148.65

Another thing I realized today that I should get for her - umbrella or raincoat. Okay, I hope this has been somewhat helpful to parents who will have children starting Std. 1 next year.

Influence Of TV On Children

Son: Mommy, what if I can climb the walls like Spiderman? What happen if I can climb up to the ceiling?
Daughter: Good. Then you can help mommy clean the fan and the ceiling.

Hahahahah. Fantastic answer. Couldn't have come up with a better answer myself.

My son has evolved from Maisy Mouse and Hi5 to Power Rangers, Ultraman, Spiderman and all kinds of superhero cartoons and movies. TV is a big influence in the lives of our children. Just take a look at the picture, there is my son trying to scale the walls of my home. He, of course, told me not to show "the aunties" when he saw me clicking on the camera. Aiyoh, how not to tell. So farnee!

Anyway, I recognize how these kind of movies can foster aggression in young children. Yes, unfortunately my son has become a little fighter cock. I do try to limit his watching and even put the CDs in timeout when his behavior is less then desirable. I've tried to rid my home of such violence but its difficult to extinguish such passion. Even he himself said "Mommy, I won't watch fighting shows anymore." But, eventually, he gives in to his love for superhero action. I've asked him before "why do you want to watch fighting shows?" His answer....... "Because I'm a boy!" Hmm... maybe it is a boy thing. Sigh!

So, what is the next best thing to do? Try to turn something bad into something good.
1. Superheroes are helpful. They like to help other people.
2. Superheroes don't just fight, they also have to use their brains to outsmart their enemy. That's why it is important to learn and study. Exercise your brain everyday so you can be smart too.
3. Superheroes eat their vegetables.
4. Superheroes eat their "power pills" every morning. That's how they get their power. Its a secret they don't tell anyone. You also must eat your "power pill" (vitamin lah).
5. Call them superhero anytime you need them to help you do something.

Mamas Bag of Tricks
1. Tell them it's NOT REAL. In their little minds, characters on TV are real. For example, they really think people can fly and there are monsters to fight. Tell them the people are just acting and the special effects are done by computers. Yes, they are just "bluffing."
2. There is good and bad to everything. So why not capitalize on their passion by focusing on the good coz' it is going to be difficult to snuff out the bad.

Diapers: Pampers Stages Review

I got a jumbo pack of Pampers Cruisers flown all the way from US of A. Fuyoh!
Along with a pack of wipes. Such pride to have baby wearing diapers that are not available in Malaysia (yet). So, what's the deal? Did I pay for them. No! Are they paying me to write this review? No! It's just a simple exchange - free diapers for an honest review. So, honest I will be.

First, the things that I liked about Pampers Cruisers:

1. I like the stretchy tab. Unlike the older pampers (orange packaging I think), the tab is quite strong. I pulled it quite roughly expecting it to break but it didn't. Yeah, that happened with the older one. I pulled to secure the tab and the whole thing tore off.
2. The velcro tab is great. Prefer velcro compared to the sticky ones. With velcro you can do-undo-do-undo and it'll still work good.


3. The diaper doesn't cut into baby's flesh. I really hate diapers that leave red streaks on baby's groin. Another area of concern is the top of the diaper cutting into baby's tummy. This is one reason why I chose to use cloth diapers. Pampers Cruisers seemed gentle enough not to cause any hurt.
4. I also like the diaper's lining. It did a good job keeping baby's butt dry even after many hours.
5. It's lightweight. Fits quite well and not bulky.

The diaper could be better if:

1. The back of the diaper fit better. As you can see from the picture below, there's a gap. Although I didn't experience any leakage in wee or poo, I would prefer if the back of the diaper hugged his waist. I'm sure many mothers understand how baby can "jet propel" their poo up the back.
2. The cotton inside didn't bunch up when wet.

The wipes they gave which corresponds with the Cruisers stage (called Swipers Wipes) has a really nice feel. It is thicker than normal wipes and does a good job cleaning the mess. But I must say I didn't use it much as I usually take baby to the bathroom and wash off the mess. Personally, I think wipes are only important during the first 6 months or so. After which it is better to just use water and soap to wash their butts. It would prove useful when out and about though. So maybe a travel size pack is better. Oh, and even though it smells nice, many mothers prefer non-scented products.

Price is always an important factor. So what is it retailing for? Approximately $10.50 for one jumbo pack. There are 4 stages in the new Pampers Stages:

1. Pampers Swaddlers (0-5 months)
2. Pampers Cruisers (6-17 months)
3. Pampers Easy-Ups (18-23 months)
4. Pampers Feel ‘N Learn (24+ months)

So, overall how do I feel about these diapers? Well, I've quite enjoyed using them. No problems. They are certainly better than the older Pampers. I'm down to only a few left. Unfortunately they are not available in Malaysia. Bottom line, would I recommend it? Yes.

Merry Christmas Song and Greeting

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Why Mothers Are Important

Just want to start this week with something I read in the December's issue of the Liahona magazine.
"E.T. Sullivan once wrote these interesting words: "When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn't stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home and of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother's heart, and she puts it into the baby's mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies."
And those babies, I should like to add, will become forces for good or ill, depending in large measure on how they are reared."
President Gordon B. Hinckley (President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Mamas Bag of Tricks

• Your children are not just children. They are "the greatest forces in the world." Yes, you DO hold the power to change this world to a better place. Don't underestimate the power of your influence.
• Are you rearing your children to become "forces for good or ill?"
• Who is the greatest influence in your children's lives? You or someone else?
• YES, it is worth it to invest your time in your children.

Another story in the magazine that touched my heart:

"The story is told that in ancient Rome a group of women were, with vanity, showing their jewels one to another. Among them was Cornelia, the mother of two boys. One of the women said to her, "And where are your jewels?" To which Cornelia responded, pointing to her sons, "These are my jewels." Under her tutelage and walking after the virtues of her life, they grew to become Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus - the Gracchi, as they were called -- two of the most persuasive and effective reformers in Roman history. For as long as they are remembered and spoken of, the mother who reared them after the manner of her own life will be remembered and spoken of with praise also."

WATCH YOUR JEWELS!

Homemade Christmas Cards

Wanna know what has been keepin' me and my girl busy since last night? Homemade Christmas cards. And the final product... tadah!


The cotton ball snowman idea came from this familyeducation website.
And the origami christmas tree you can learn from activityvillage.

Mamas Bag of Tricks:

1. Always handy to keep some colored paper, stars and sticky thingies, and googly eyes around the house.

2. To decorate the Christmas tree, I just used a hole puncher and punched out some colored paper.

3. Try NOT to be too critical of your children's work. I assigned my daughter to do the tree decoration and the snowman. I had to bite my tongue many times. Try NOT to over-dictate their work and try NOT to do the work for them (unless they are getting tired or have lost interest). Giving them the freedom to work means giving them the freedom to be creative. It also helps them learn from their own experience (I'm sure you agree that sometimes that's the best kind of teaching). Plus, it builds their confidence.

4. Teach them to always do their best. My daughter once gave me a card that she had made herself. But I could see it was done very in a sloppy manner - scribbled handwriting, mistakes she just cancelled instead of erasing it off, words were written half on one line the other half on another line etc.... Usually I would praise her by saying how wonderful the card was BUT I realized it has become a habit for her to produce sloppy work. So I outright told her the card was terrible. Cruel huh? However, I did explain to her why I was not happy. I gave her an analogy of making a birthday cake. Imagine if it was your birthday, would you prefer a beautifully decorated cake or a half baked cake, or a cake that was crushed and crumbled? I told her that when you give a gift to someone, it has to be your best work - meaning done with effort e.g. best handwriting, best drawing etc.... Sometimes, you just have to let your children know what you expect out of them. Especially when you know they can do better. BUT also check yourself to see that your expectations are not overboard lah.

Christmas Traditions

Christmas has never been as exciting as Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is a time we have family reunions, but not Christmas. I didn't grow up a Christian. Not all my family members were Christians either. But eventually, we all converted. However, we all go to different churches.

I do want to make Christmas an important celebration. Being a first generation Christian, it is up to me to put the spirit into Christmas. I want my children to feel excited about Christmas. The only way this is going to happen is to instill family Christmas traditions. Here are some traditions to consider:

• Special Christmas Eve Program
  What do you do after a scrumptious Christmas eve dinner? How about a session of singing Christmas carols and reading the Christmas story from the scriptures. If you have enough people for casting, why not reenact the Christmas story. Since we're so close to the end of the year, how about reviewing the year with each child and setting goals for the next year too.

• Homemade Christmas cards
  Children love doing art and craft. So here's a way to kill two birds with one stone: make your own Christmas cards. You could make a pop-up card or stick an origami Christmas tree to a card. For really young children, it could be as simple as sticking cut up pictures from Christmas wrapping paper.

• Rules on Gifts
  Children usually can't wait to open their presents. So I always allow them to open one on the eve and the rest on Christmas morning.
  If budget is tight, put a limit on the cost of the gifts. For example, gifts should not exceed RM20. Want to reduce the materialistic nature of gifts? How about a rule that there each person must give at least one gift that wasn't bought with money. It could be a "wash your car" coupon for dad, or a homemade photo frame for mom.

• Christmas stockings
  Apart from presents under the Christmas tree, I also like to fill up my children's Christmas stockings. If you don't like the idea of candy and sweets, look for small items such as notebooks, pen, pencils, erasers, hair clips, stickers etc....

• A new set of pyjamas
  I've heard of families who buy a new set of pyjamas for their kids during Christmas. I think this is a wonderful idea. We usually buy new shirts and dresses for special occasions. Pyjamas makes things a little different and unique.

• Special Christmas table cloth
  A Christmas themed table cloth gives the home a festive feel. Just run to the cloth shop, look for a Chrismassy cloth, hem the sides and there you have it, a special Christmas table cloth.

• Cookie Giveaway
  Make cookies together with your children. Pack them into little bags and tie them up with a ribbon. Distribute them to friends and neighbours. This is a great way to spread the Christmas cheer.

What are some of your Christmas traditions (if any)?

38 Questions Tag

You know how at the end of the year, people try to clear debts, tie up loose ends, finish unfinished business so they can start clean the new year? Well, here I am trying to clear my "tag debt". First one is this 38 questions tag I received from Perridot&Sapphire.

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night?
Rob Schneider in the movie The Animal (shown on TV last night)

2. What were you doing at 0800?
Still sleeping

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Putting baby to sleep.

4. What happened to you in 2006?
Pregnant with Danic

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"Ya, that sentence is wrong". DH was asking for my opinion on an article he was reading.

6. How many beverages did you have today?
3- Water, Pink Guave juice, Vico

7. What color is your hairbrush?
Blue

8.What was the last thing you paid for?
Vege and titbits at the pasar malam last night.

9. Where were you last night?
At home.

10. What color is your front door?
Light brown

11. Where do you keep your change?
In my wallet

12. What’s the weather like today?
Rain, rain, rain.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Strawberry

14. What excites you?
Going out to makan with friends. Socializing is a rare treat nowadays. How sad. Hahahah.

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Already so short. If cut some more, will end up botak.

16. Are you over the age of 25? Yes

17. Do you talk a lot? No

18. Do you watch the O.C.? No

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? Yes

20. Do you make up your own words? No

21. Are you a jealous person? Depends

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Angela

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’. Karen

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? Miow Lin

25. What does the last text message you received say? Friend telling what time he'll be home so we can go over to collect road tax documents.

26. Do you chew on your straw? No

27. Do you have curly hair?
Yeah, hair tends to curl the wrong way at certain places. How infuriating.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? To bed

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Rani Rajagopal. A fellow lady golfer.

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Rice with bok choy and tau yew bak.

31. Will you get married in the future?
Not if I stay married.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Pulling a marathon watching the 2nd season of 4400. Does that count as a movie?

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
My baby coz' he is soooooo cute.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
After dinner just now.

35. Are you currently depressed? No

36. Did you cry today? No

37. Why did you answer and post this? Because I feel that tags are people's way of saying "I thought of you" and so I appreciate such gestures by actually doing the tag (if not already done).

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
Shannon Chong
Magical Milestone
Mama Hasif
Cindy on Tour
Joy

Christmas Freebie For You

Head on over to Value Bookshop's Blog to get your FREE Christmas Coloring Book.

There are 75 Christmas pictures for your kids to colour, colour, colour.... You could do a countdown and have them colour one a day until Christmas!

Easy Craft for Christmas

Need More Money

Okay, so here is another avenue to make money through your blog. Everybody say hi to bloggerwave. Truthfully, I don't do a whole lot of paid postings. Two reasons for that:

1. Want to maintain my niche topic. Don't like the idea of a 'chapalang' site.
2. Burn to many braincells thinking how to make a paid posting interesting.

BUT, I admit, it is nice to receive 'deposits' into my paypal account once in a while. How much you wanna earn depends on how much you are willing to put in. Me, I'm happy earning some chicken feed at the moment. What with my girl starting school next year, I'm glad I have a little money to draw out to buy all her school stuff. Thank you my little blog.

So, hopefully signing up with Bloggerwave can help grow my savings a little further. Then my kiddies can have a slightly fatter 'ang pow' for Chinese New Year next year.