Let's Grow Vegetables!

We have given our garden a revamp recently and part of the garden was reserved for building an edible garden. So I thought it is a good chance to teach the duo about growing some vegetables and flowers, since they have been learning about Mother Earth (and always have tons of questions!) so the best way to learn is to experience it yourself..

They have been helping up in the garden on and off, but this time we will do it properly by maintaining a plant growth journal. 

After I havegathered the required materials, we started working right away, and I can't explain how excited they were when I asked them to help.. Both of them fighting for the gloves and watering can right away. *laugh*

Here's what we used:-

• organic soil / compost

• an empty egg tray

• a garden scope

• some seeds, fresh garlic or onion 

Why use egg tray? It is a recyclable material that will decompose itself without harming the environment. I will just cut the tray once they sprout and  plant directly into the soil. No waste, no additional cost, just extra nutrition.

This is how our nursery looks like. We have here some red onions, pumpkin seeds, lime seeds, okra seeds, mini cucumber seed, cabbage seeds, thyme seeds and 2 sunflower seeds that were not labelled.

Step 1: Sow the seeds

Fill up each slot with soil, make a hole with your finger and drop about 1-2 seeds in each slot. Onion and garlic are among the most fail-proof vegetables to grow, just peel off the outer layer and drop it whole into the soil, ensure they are at least 1/2 covered in soil.

Step 2: Label them

Cover up with some soil then label the plant. This way we would not forget what we've planted. (Yes, it happened)

Step 3: Water them profusely.

Make sure the soil is all wet.

Next, just wait for them to germinate, they need an airy and shady place. I will remind the duo to water them daily, this shall be their responsibilities from now onwards.. 

It shall take about 3-7 days for first sprout to appear and I intend to get them to record the progress in a plant journal. So stay tuned for more update! 

【updated】

Day 4- look who has popped? 

Cucumber, okra, pumpkin and few cabbages; even the shallots had grown roots too. The duo, especially E, were feeling excited as E has been watering the seedlings every morning.

The oregano and French beans that we sowed earlier are growing beautifully.  They sure love the sunshine and daily watering.

Look forward for more to germinate soon...

P/S: this is how our 2 week old garlic looks like, guess it is due for a "hair cut"..

What are you planting in your garden? Please share as I have a new found love in gardening!

[Updated] read our part 2 update  here!

Xoxo

PH

Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

{Money Matters} Money Concept for the Little Ones

During my early childhood, I was quite a blur kid who had no understanding of money value. I just knew I must not simply spend as those were my old pa's hard earn money and I had my piggy bank to save my extra allowances, but other than that I was clueless how to conserve or make good use of my money. I learnt to manage my money and investing them only after I started my first job, some how school did not and still does not teaches money management, and in my opinion it would be too late to wait till college years. So, I decided to take this matter into my own hands and starts my little ones early.

After much research, reading and applying with my little boy, I am happy to share the tips on teaching money concept to the young kids.

Here's how we did in our family.

First, be friend with numbers

#1 Begin with numbers & counting.

How can a child understand money matters without knowing how to count 1,2,3 and simple addition or subtraction? So, start with counting with fingers, small pebbles, beans, biscuits etc, everyday objects can be the counting tool. Even Cherios cereal. :)

Then we made cards to teach them simple counting. 1+1, 1+2, 1+3, 1+4, 1+5, then proceed to 2+1, 2+2, 2+3, 2+4, 2+5. We never rushed it when my little boy was under 4 years old, just kept the counting under 5, and only 1 set of numbers at a time. When he is used to the concept of addition only we gradually introduced him to larger number like 6,7,8,9,10.

#2 Introduce them to coins and notes

When my little one was around 2-3 years old, we used coins for sorting game; 5¢, 10¢, 20¢ and 50¢ all comes in different sizes. Then I introduced them the value of each coins, which is more and which is less. Notes can wait till 4yo onward, you know, when I have the assurance that they are not interested in tearing paper anymore.  :)

#3 Get a piggy bank, cultivate habit of saving

Start by learning to save and that the money saved can be used to buy things they like, so in a way it's delay gratification - they have to wait till it's time to get their reward. 

I give my little boy whatever coins I had in my pocket when I got home from work, and he will happily drops the coins into his piggy bank. 

I used to own those traditional porcelain coin boxes when I was a child, and every new year eve my mom will break the coin box with a hammer, I would then excitedly count my fortune and bring them to the bank. I still recall those moments when I peeked into my bank book balance and feeling happy that I just got richer. :)

** never leave the little ones alone with the coins as they can be chocking hazard **

  

Make it Fun

#4 Introduce books & number games

We got few sets of books and card board games at home. From the puzzle maths game from Toy R' Us, to the book / games on concept of Money as part of our Phinken education series. All these trained little ones to do mental arithmetic where counting is done without using paper & pencil. It took time to train but we always make it fun.

#5 Monopoly! What better games to introduce concept of money to little ones than using the good old monopoly game? Apart from the classic game, there is a children version and also localised Malaysian version (with name such as Kedai Telekom or Indah Water). Whichever your choice is, Monopoly is a great game to teach the concept of money (buying, selling), basic of investment (property renting, upgrade, tax etc), and that life is full of uncertainties (the Chance and Community cards, arrgg... I always have bad luck with those!)

My little boy loves the Monopoly game and he is a much prudent investor than I am - he will count the amount of cash he has on hand and choose the property selectively. Soon he will be a smarter investor than the parent (or I certainly hope so) 

Make it REAL

#6 Take them grocery shopping

Prepare a shopping list, write down clearly what are the items to purchase and the quantity. Let little one picks each item for you. It's a good chance to teach basic skill like reading the price tag, checking the label for the expiry date; It also gives the little one a sense of responsibility by helping to carry out the chores and understand the value of our groceries. 

My boy will be helping to "hunt" the listed item whenever we do our grocery shopping, it's like a mission to him. From rather lost and slow in the beginning, he is now having better understanding of each section (the supermarket's layout) and can locate the items much faster. Each time he cross out an item on the grocery list, he was grinning in pride. :)

#7 Get them a wallet

What better way to empower by entrusting little one with a wallet? Yup, I made a kid's wallet for my little boy, completed with coin, card and notes compartments. Of course you can always buy one for your child. The point is, let him feel the ownership & responsibility of looking after his own money. I let him pay for simple purchases like bread, a doughnut etc, where only small change are involved and he only has about RM$7 in there - mixture of RM$1, RM$5, and coins. Initially he was rather nervous, but he is getting much at ease now that he is able to handle the counting a lot better. 

So, that is all about it, folks. The tips on teaching money concept for young kids. 

If you have successfully introduced all the above to your little ones, continuously teach them to handle money matters in real life. It is better they make mistakes early in life under our guidance, than making mistakes later in life when it is beyond our knowledge, right? 

Do share with me on the methods you apply with your kiddos, I would love to hear from you!

Cheers.

Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

{Book Review} For the Terrible Two - The Way I Feel and The Way I Act

I often hear parents complaint about Terrible Two stage of their little ones. The little ones being difficult, being cranky, unreasonable and causing the parents to loose control. Touch wood, thing was rather smooth for us with my Captain E when he was young, while it is not exactly easy with my Princess C who is nearly 2.5 years old now, she is still manageable. We had our fair share of challenges, but the fact that they were both rather expressive of their feeling and need, the Terrible Two was not, and is not that terrible after all.

Here are 2 of the books that I think had helped and would be most useful for parents with young toddlers or preschoolers:

• The Way I Feel, by Janan Cain
• The Way I Act, illustrated by Janan Cain and verses by Steve Mertgez

The Way I Feel
by Janan Cair

The Way I Feel 

"Feelings come and feelings go.
I never know what they'll be.
Silly or angry, happy or sad -
They're all a part of me!"

This board book teaches little ones to understand their feeling and emotions, which any toddler commonly face but may not be able to tell. Emotions are neither good nor bad, they are all just apart of us. This book covers the most basic oneslike:

Happy... 
Angry... 
Silly... 
Sad.. 
Thankful.. 
Jealous.. 
Scared.. 
Disappointed.. 

The fun drawing and short description makes it easy for little ones to understand and relate to their own feelings. When the little ones are able to better express themselves, instead of being often misunderstood by the adults, you may find them more manageable and 'reasonable' to some extend.

Here are some of the abstracts..

The Way I Act

When my little Captain was around 4.5 years old, I introduced him to the another book instead - The Way I Act.

This board book is a sequel to the previous book. It uses simple verses and colorful drawing to explain the character traits like bravery, responsibility, curious, persistent... These may be big words for the little ones, but read with them, explain to them by relating to what they do in their daily life, you may be surprised that our kiddos may actually understand. I like that this book uses easy to understand English that are non-bias and beautiful artwork that most kids would like.

The Way I Act
Illustrated by Janan Cair and verses by Steve Metzger

If you have a young toddler or kindergartener at home and you enjoy reading to them, do give these books a try. I got them from scholastic but you can always find this in local bookstores, online sources or purchase from AppStore too so you can read it anytime, anyway. You may also check out other publications by Janan Cain here.

May these books help you to coach your little ones to understand their emotions and behavior, so instead of a Terrible Two, you have a toddler with Terrific Two instead. ;)

Where to get the book? check out these online store if you are too lazy to visit a book store..
MPH Online 
Book Depository (Free worldwide delivery)
Amazon.com

Happy reading!


Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

{Book Review} Grooming a Star Wars Lover... Young Jedi who Loves to Read!

Who usually plays the bedtime story reading role at home? Is it mommy or daddy? In our home, 95% of the time it's done by me, Big Guy hardly has the patience to read through the books with the duo.

But not with these books. He read them far more animatedly than me. It's easy to tell why... He's the hard core Star Wars fan since teenage years, he can name every character in every Star Wars episode and Darth Vader was probably his childhood idol. He has a few lightsabers so he can trains the little ones on lightsaber fighting skill. In the dark. 

So yes, he is no doubt one die hard Star Wars fan.

So here are some books I would like to recommend to the Star Wars fans out there, especially for daddy who find reading boring. You shall enjoy this and have some good laugh with your little ones, or even just to yourself.

#1 Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown

About the mighty dark lord and his 4yo son, Luke, this is an adorable comic that illustrates how Darth Vader's life would be as a father in a funny yet touching way.  Each page is a short story of how Darth Vader attempts to coach Luke to use his Jedi power, or how Luke got himself into mischief with his R2-D2 and C-3PO. My boy was deeply in love with this book and would read it aloud all to himself. Reading the book gave me good laugh, really. I can totally picture myself in his position. :)

It's a 64 pages hardcover with beautiful illustrations by Jeffrey Brown. You may read out more about him here or discover his blog, I truly admire his creativity and humor. Here are some snippets..

#2 Vader's Little Princess by Jeffrey Brown 

Who says Star Wars is only for the boys? Little girls too can enjoy some exciting galaxy quests! Princess Leia, the teenage daughter of Darth Vader is smart, curious and strong will. She gave the Sith Lord equal if not more headache than managing the brother Luke or even the Galactic Empire, especially when she met a boy friend, Han Solo. Reading this book some how made me laugh hysterically, as I can really imagine my girl being the rebellious Princess Leia as portrayed by Jeffrey... 

#3 Star Wars: the Jedi Academy, by Jeffrey Brown

This is a paperback children book and also the latest publication of Star Wars chronicle by Jeffrey Brown. We got from Scholastic and it's a paperback in black & white print, the bonus was, it came with a free figurine of C-3PO (which got my boy super excited..) It's about how all the young Jedi name Roan who couldn't make it to the Pilot academy but was recruited into the Jedi academy instead. 

Roan undergone his Jedi training under the wise Yoda master along with a bunch of other gifted kids. The book was written like a journal or doodle, which makes it really fun to read. My little handsome especially likes it when I read to him in Yoda's signature voice, always giggled and asked for more. Personally, I like this book too for the awkward sense of humor. :)

The description on Master Yoda... approximate 10lpm and 15hpm?? LOL

#4 Star Wars: How to Speak Droid with R2-D2, A Communication Manual

This 12 pages hardcover book was a present the duo got from a good friend's son who returned from his Aussie trip. It is published by Chronicle Books which also published an earlier book on How to Speak Wookie, which apparently was another bestseller... Gosh, there sure is lots of Star Wars fans out there else there won't be so many Star Wars books being published!

As you can tell  R2-D2 is the main character here with a built-in sound module that makes 10 different droid phases akin to R2-D2. You know, the ti-li-tu-lu-beep-beep-bap or the bi-rap-rap-tap-wa-tee-tee-pee. It's a fun book that let you discovers the other side of the droid, like how they walk the dog, gives a back massage or even serves in a restaurant. Something that will make the little ones laugh. :)

My little girl has yet to be able to read by herself as she's barely 2yo, but she enjoys flipping and pressing all the buttons, and laugh in the most care-free way. I love listening to her chuckles, really washes away any troubles in my mind.

#5 Goodnight Darth Vader (Coming Soon!)

Another new book of Jeffrey Brown is expected to be released on 22 July 2014. Since I have yet to get this book for my little captain, let's read the published synopsis.. 

"In this Episode, the Sith Lord must soothe his rambunctious twins, Luke and Leia—who are not ready to sleep and who insist on a story. As Vader reads, the book looks in on favorite creatures, droids, and characters, such as Yoda, R2-D2, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Maul, Admiral Ackbar, Boba Fett, and many others as they tuck in, yawn, and settle down to dream. "

Even since we introduced these books to my little captain, he loves to start his story by saying:

"Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... 

On a planet called the Death Star.." 

He spoke with a low deep voice which he finds cool. It excites me too to see how much he enjoys the books and narrating the stories to us, he is now fondly curious to find out how stars and planets and robots are made and been flipping his encyclopedia over and over. 

The power of curiosity, is the source that leads to the quest for knowledge.

- by PH
Well, since we are on the topic of Star Wars, and I assume you must be a fan of Star Wars or you may not have read this far, do you know when was Star Wars the comic first published? *hehehe*

It's on  1 July 1977 by Marvel Comics and was on sale for USD$0.30. That makes Star Wars 37 years old this year!

Cover of Star Wars Volume #1

So, can't wait to get one of these books?

Most of these books were acquired oversea (from UK and Australia respectively, the first 2 were flown in from UK by their favorite uncle) but some local stores may have the books too. I just found one of the books on MPH Online, so feel free to try your luck by visiting Kinokuniya, Borders or MPH.

Otherwise, online purchase is available too.. 

Book Depository

Darth Vader and Son

Vader's Little Princess

Amazon.com

Darth Vader and Son

Vader's Little Princess
How to Speak Droid with R2-D2, A Communication Manual

Goodnight Darth Vader (pre-order)

Scholastic
Star Wars: Jedi Academy

MPH Online
Darth Vader and Son
Star Wars: Jedi Academy


In case you wonder.... I'm sharing these books not because I have any commission or received any benefit in any form, it is purely for the love of books and Star Wars. 

"May the Force be with you"

Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

Fun With Music: Let's Play Piano (A Year Later...)

It's been exactly 1 year 6 months since captain E enrolled into the Yamaha piano lesson. He has been attending the weekly lesson under the guidance of the same teacher, diligently practicing at least twice a week with the electric piano we bough for him at home. 

Here's the key milestones check:

• He is now able to understand and recognise all the symbols (Treble clef, Base clef), notes (crotchet, minim, dotted minim, semi-breve, quaver), articulation marks (staccato, accent etc) and counting. This is after completing 2 theory books and 2 piano lesson books. 

• He is able to read and play with both hands simultaneously, among some of his favorite pieces are Mickey Waltz, Not So Easy Polka, My Grandfather's Clock, 500 Miles and Long long Ago.
• He has good control of the beat, he used to play at random speed (depending on his mood I suppose?) but now he is able to find his pace and play with right counting.

What really surprised me was that, he no longer fears to play in front of the crowd. When the teacher asked if he wants to sign up for the audition for the mid-year student concert, he hesitated  at first but after some thought he told me he is ready to sign up for the audition. It's clear that he has his fear (I explained to him what's an audition) but he overcame his fear of crowd. From a shy boy who would quietly shake his head to now braving himself to face the challenge... my little captain made me one proud mom. :)

We were the first to arrive for the audition, and he did a really steady performance despite there were many participants watching from outside glass door with me. Not the best performer, I would say, but he calmly greeted the 3 judges, played his chosen song and paused to re-continue when he made a mistake. I didn't expect him to be chosen for the concert, but the fact that he found his courage and took the responsibility to practice at home, I know my little captain had reached a new milestone. 

Apart from being able to play quite a many children and classical songs now, I noticed my little captain had learn to be more patience and responsible - practice on his free time without being forced. I didn't fixed a practice schedule for him, I want him to enjoy the music and play on his own will, not to play just because mommy says so. I'm glad things are working out well and I look forward to the day he will play like Jon Schmidt from the Piano Guys. *wishful thinking hits me again...*

By the way, if you do not know who The Piano Guys are, do check them out. The pair Jon Schmidt  and Steven Nelson plays the most inspiring music with their piano and cello.

If there is anything else to add, it's that this mommy also managed to learn some keyboard skill and played few pieces after practicing with him for sometimes. That is definitely a bonus for me!


To Sum It Up...
In case you would like to know more, here are some known benefits of introducing music to a child's development. There may be a lot more other recognised benefits, but I am only picking those that really matters to me as a parent:


#1 Music has a positive influence on young children's cognitive skills, such as spatial learning and memory, it helps to connect the cells in the brain. Research has shown that children who are actively involved with music (either play it or sing it regularly):

• do better in reading and math when they start school
• are better able to focus and control their bodies
• play better with others and have higher self-esteem

Translating the note to finger positioning requires good cognitive skill.

#2 It's a confident builder and helps children to break the social shell. "They find that they can develop a skill by themselves, that they can get better and better", expert says. 

#3 It teaches discipline. It is more than just attending classes on time, but instead music requires one to practice, practice and practice. The children will learn that to play their favorite piece of music they need to have the discipline to practice. We may not aim for prodigy (not me at least), but we would appreciate a child who know self discipline. 

#3 Last but not least, Music makes the children HAPPY. Let them experience the joy of listening and experiencing the music. Play along, sing along or even dance along with the them, make it an enjoyable experience that enriches the childhood.

That's all from me. May your little one has a happy music discovery journey too!


Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 

童年•爸爸 A Weekend Down Memory Lane (bi-lingual)

双语版 | Bi-lingual

爷孙俩
Grandpa & I

小时候爸爸因为赚钱鲜少在家，只有周末才难得陪家人吃顿饭。童年记忆里，爸爸从未有时间陪我玩 ，但我清楚知道他疼我，只是时间与金钱不足所以只能把照顾小孩的重担留给妈妈。我的第一套积木，第一个小钢琴，第一辆小脚踏车，都是爸爸周末回来时带给我的惊喜。虽然大部分的周末爸爸只带回几颗糖果给我，我总是期待他的归来。妈妈也是，周末的菜肴总是特别丰富。

每个星期一的清晨和爸爸道再见后，我的心总有一点戚戚的感觉，因为知道又要等到下一个周末才能再见。我还依稀记得那冷冷的空气和天空中盘旋的小麻雀叽叽喳喳的声音，天色还未亮呢。如今回想，爸爸当时也不好受吧？

今早一家人到公园野餐时，看着脚力欠佳的老爸牵着我那小瓜的手小心翼翼地提着阳伞在公园漫步，他们俩的背影带来好大的感触。小时候我曾经渴望父亲陪伴，如今我那幸福的小瓜轻易得到，而老爸也得以重拾年轻时错过的亲子机会，十分享受儿孙绕膝的时光，总是笑眯眯的看着小瓜们搞怪。

可以的话，请记得多陪伴家人。哪怕只是那一个周末，一个小时，一顿晚饭，一个问候；有心，就好。

别以为我们有用不完的明天。

When I was little, dad was the sole breadwinner in the family and he only had weekends to spend with us. He hardly had time to play with me nor bring me to park, money and time were luxury then. However I never doubted how much he loved me then, my first set of LEGO, first electronic keyboard, first little red bike... those were the surprise presents he got for me. Although most of the time he only brought me assortment of candies which he hid in his pocket, I always looked forward to his homecoming moment, so were mom, best dishes were reserved for the weekends. 

Monday morning was always a sad moment for me, waving goodbye to him knowing that we will not meet for another week. I could still vividly recall the cold morning breeze and chirping sparrows hovering in the dim lit skies. I guess it was not easy for him too to leave the comfort of home for another long exhaustive road trip.

Last Sunday morning, siblings and I arranged a family picnic at the nearby park. As we were leaving the park, my old pa held my little bunny in one hand and an umbrella on the other hand protecting her from the burning sun. He had difficulty in walking due to rheumatism and was strolling feebly on the uneven pavement, but his attention were all on the little person. 

Watching them from the back brought me into deep thought. My old pa may have missed the fun of parenting us during our growing up age, but now my little bunny had all the attention from the grandparents. I only wish that one day she would realise how lucky she was. Of course, my little Captain too.

Being a full time working parent myself without a helper, I understand that time is one essence that we never had enough. However, where chances permit do find time to spend with the family. Be it a weekend, a dinner or just a heartfelt greeting, it is the thought that matters.

One day, we may just run out of tomorrow.



Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

{亲子篇｝为妈妈们打气的一封信 A Letter for the Mom

您可是每天都给家中小瓜气得哭笑不得，感觉小瓜不断的在挑战自己的容忍度？您并不孤单，每个妈咪都有面对这样的时刻，只是处理方式各异。在此让我分享我们家的方式。

刚刚结婚时我很没耐性，和大个子往往为了小事而闹意气不说话好几天。工作上我更是个女强人般的性格，下命令的时候多过聆听。如今回想，当初的自己真的不怎么讨人欢喜，一味要当强者不甘示弱。生了孩子后，开始发觉我一定要学会处理自己那火爆的情绪。因为不希望孩子忆童年时只记得坏脾气的妈妈，我下定决心要把自己的臭脾气磨平。

于是，我从自我情绪管理开始。

刚开始，感觉自己脾气要爆发时，我会走开一阵子，尽量不让自己开口骂人。平息了后才来面对，语气也没那么重。你可有在生气时看看镜子里自己的倒影？皱着眉头板着脸，孩子看了只有哭得更大声。

翻读了好些育儿书籍后我开始自我检讨，发觉生气好多时候是因为我希望孩子跟随我意。

全职妈妈做什么都要快快快、无法忍受慢半拍。孩子一拖延、哭闹或不回复就火气开始往上升，往往为了小事令孩子难受。但要明白孩子还在学习阶段耐性真的很重要，教导小孩不同领导员工，不能设了KPI就期望他们一定会做到。反而，身为妈妈要懂得放慢脚步让孩子可以循序跟上，从中培养他们的自信。

最近上了张宝幼老师的课程后，我又有了新领悟 --用宽怀来对待是最好的方式。

晚餐吃不完？没问题，肚子没饿到就好；

倒翻水或在墙壁涂鸦?别慌张, 捉着小瓜的手一起抹掉吧；

玩具丢的一间都是？甭生气, 慢慢一件件收拾就可以了。

功课做得慢? 没大事, 那就大家坐下来一起温习好了；

功课完全忘了做？真糟糕，就让老师决定处罚好了，让孩子懂得什么叫责任，别凡事都由妈妈杠上来；

真的太坏蛋时，偶尔罚他面壁思过；但如果孩子是因为被误解而发脾气，我选择不处罚，只是把他带到一旁，亲亲他抱抱他，告诉他妈妈明白他的委屈，往往孩子就会停止耍坏。真的闹得厉害时，我会忙自己的东西由得他独自哭闹，过了一阵之当他发泄够了我才伸出双手，往往他就会迫不及待地要讨抱抱。这时候我才会解释我对他刚才的态度很不满意，下次不可如此无理取闹。

孩子们闹脾气，很多时候是因为要讨父母的注意而已（也有可能是因为睡眠不足或不舒服，妈妈们要自己注意咯）。你是否因为忙着看面子书而没看到孩子要给你看的作画？或是心里头还在想着未完结的公事而没听到孩子的问候？要记得，没有孩子天生爱耍坏，可以的话孩子们都爱被人疼爱。打骂往往只把小孩的好奇心给提早熄灭，所以可免则免。

妈妈如果控制不了自己的情绪，往往会令小孩更加不安。

下一次，在你为孩子的表现不满时，请先别发脾气，想想你是否也应该负起任何责任？除了打骂之外还有更好的解决方法吗？想要有个开心有上进心的孩子，就从自己身上开始。

妈妈们，给自己一个漂亮的微笑，加油！

To the non-Chinese readers, pardon me for not making English post this time, will find time for translation if possible..

Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Fun with Leaves.. A walk in the garden

I took a day off from work for some errands today and I managed to settle the stuff earlier than expected. Since the weather was nice and not too hot, I invited my duo to join me for a walk in the garden, and we picked some leaves and rocks along the way. 

Don't you just love the vibrant greens?

I then requested baby C to sort out the leaves by sizes, from smallest to largest. She happily obeyed as this was something new to her, and new is always fun.

Next we got a bowl of water and taught them the concept of weight and gravity, heavy and light.. Naturally only the rock sink... The duo were busy running around picking more leaves to see which float which doesn't. Good exercise for them to burn the energy.

I could have used a big bucket but it may be too messy (imagine water splashing every where!) and a bit dangerous if my girl starts playing with big bucket unsupervised. So, small bowl it is for now.

What did we do with the leaves later? I pad dried them and glued them onto a piece of paper with the help of my little captain, then I drew a big heart and called it the heart of life. He continued to draw all the tiny objects around the big heart and colored them. I quite like the final outcome despite it's really just a random piece of work.

A simple, relaxing afternoon with the little people I love, and I certainly hope they remember what they have learnt today. 

Guess we may do this again on weekend with our mini wadding pool this time... can't wait!

Copyrights © Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones, 2012 - present. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any materials/photos within this website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Pui Hua and Fun With Little Ones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.