Our Story: How Our Parenting Digital Platform Was Developed

Hi,

I created this video yesterday and it got me reminiscing about how our parenting digital platform came to be.

I have been blogging a lot about enrichment centers, products, educational news and events. Today, I will take a step back and tell you about our story instead.

You are reading this because you are on my parenting blog - The Parenting Times. This blog was started way back in 2004. At the time, I started it as a personal blog. My firstborn was just a baby then and my second not born yet. At the time, I called it "Mumsgather" because I thought it would be a good place for mums to gather to chat as was popular during the old blogging days. The name stuck and I became known as MG among my online blogging friends. Many of them still call me MG to this day.

Two years into blogging, everyone told me that it was better to get a dotcom for my blog and so I did. I called my dotcom Mumsgather too for lack of a better idea, but I didn't have the heart to delete this first blog, so I changed the name to "Parenting Times" and kept it. I'm glad I did because it continues to be my favourite place to blog though I have several other blogs including my personal dotcom.

As my children grew and by the time they were ready for school, I had accumulated so many articles about my dilemma as a banana mom trying to send her kids to Chinese School. So much so, that I wrote an ebook. It's called "Banana Mom's Guide To Preparing For Chinese School"

However, that was not enough. I didn't have anyone to ask when I had problems as they started schooling. I wished I had a platform to ask other parents about how to register my child for school, where and what type of school bags to buy, co-curricular activities, school holidays, exams and even homework help. So I started a group and invited 50 of my blogger friends to join my group. The group is called the Malaysia Primary and Secondary School Parents On Facebook. The parents in the group are really helpful. Sometimes you get an answer almost instantly when you ask a question, almost faster than Google Search. You also get many view points. It is much better than picking up the phone or texting your query to 10 friends in those days before Whatsapp.

It seemed that I was not the only one that wished I had a place to go to for school and education related discussion. Soon the group grew and grew. It grew till the secondary school parents wanted to have another group to discuss their own issues. So we split the group, renamed it and created the Malaysia Secondary School Parents on Facebook group.

It grew till there were so many people selling their second hand school workbooks that we had to start another group just for trading in preloved school related items without spamming our main group. Not everyone wants to buy or sell stuff and it was getting too distracting. Our trading group is called the Malaysia Market For Children Preloved and Educational Items.

It grew till we needed another place to nurture ourselves instead of talking about school and kids all the time. We parents need a positive place to take care of ourselves so we can take care of our loved ones better. That's why Happy Mom Happy Dad was created.

When the group grew, our bigger numbers also meant that it was easier for us to get all sorts of deals, giveaways and discounts for our members. We have managed to get free parenting talks, story telling session for kids, free workshops for kids, discounts for books, free tickets to shows and events and more.

Along the way, I started Mumsgather Finds, the website to list workshops, enrichment classes, school holiday programmes etc. to make it easier for parents to find. I like to create printables like calendars, subject references etc so now I have a place to store them digitally for sharing with website members. By linking Mumsgather Finds to this blog and the Facebook pages,  we became a complete digital parenting platform. We are also on Facebook (page), Instagram, Pinterest, Google Plus and Twitter including about 4000 website subscribers who subscribe to weekly updates on group happenings.

To address some of the most frequently asked questions including search for tutors, transporters, day care etc, I started the Parents Helping Parents Forum to group the topics together so they won't spam up our wall as they would from being asked almost daily by members. I do weekly updates for those on the Facebook group wall so they continue to reach out to all parents in a more organized manner. Grouping them also makes it more easily searchable for example, in our transport forum, we group topics according to schools so both parent or transporter can find each other more easily.

There were so many members searching for test papers so why not share them with each other, and that was how the test papers bank was started. It is password protected for members only and free for members to download for personal use. Currently we have over 1000 test papers shared by 400 parents.

The latest initiative is the Exchanges and Giveaways forum. I dream that it would be a place for parents to exchange stuff to save space and money and for parents to donate stuff so that parents who need them can go and search for them there. That idea is starting rather slowly. I have learned along the way that not all projects or ideas work and some may need to be shelved re looked into but it should not stop us from dreaming.

Everything starts with a dream. Dreams may not happen overnight and may require lots of hard work to realize. With a little bit of dreaming and lots of hard work, today, our group of 50 has grown to 38000 members. Our parenting platform now consist of a website, 4 Facebook groups, a forum and a parenting blog.

To our blog readers, Facebook members, website subscribers, forum participants, thank you.
Thank you for your support!

Electronics And Coding For Kids And Teens

Have your children ever wandered what's inside a tablet computer or smartphone, what makes an alarm clock go off or how a rice cooker works? Curious and inquisitive children may wonder how many household appliances and electronics works. Some may even try to pry open some devices to study them. Understanding electronics is a good living skill to acquire as more and more gadgets become "smart" and "digital". Coding and electronics is what make these gadgets work.

Electrical Engineering and Coding makes everyday gadgets come alive. This is one fun element in the computer courses for kids and teens offered by KidoCode.

Here are what kids will learn when they join the electronic course in KidoCode:

• They will learn how to program electronics using Arduino. Arduino is an electronics prototyping platform which you can use as creatively as you like to invent new and exciting gadgets that work in real life
• They will create fun DIY projects using Raspberry PI. Raspberry PI is a computer in the size of a credit card. It plugs into your TV and a keyboard. Raspberry PI projects is educational and help kids learn about coding, programming and computing by allowing them to build practical and creative inventions
• They will discover the basics of electronics while tinkering with jumper cables, buzzers, ultrasonic sensors, light sensors, and more
• They will make simple LED circuits with Push Button or Pull Up/Down Resistors. These are helpful in understanding their Science lessons at school.
• They will find out how a DC Motor works and its importance for many electrical and electronic devices.

All of these lessons are hands-on and incorporate STEM, the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math into the course syllabus. Besides satisfying kids natural tendency to build and invent, kids are learning essential coding and computer programming skills that is essential in 21st Century Learning.

Kids can also learn Python programming, Mobile App Development, Web Development, and Game Development depending on their own knowledge and capabilities by learning using an adaptive learning system using artificial intelligence.

Interested in introducing your child to the world of Coding, Electronics and Robotics? Sign up for a free demo class today. The 3-4 hour demo class is an eye-opener not only for kids but for parents too. 

Schedule for Demo Classes in March - April 2017:
Venue: KidoCode (Solaris, Mont Kiara)
Click on the Sign Up link above to book your free demo class

Time Slots: 10:30 A.M. or 2:30 A.M.

March 16-March 19

March 21-March 26
March 28-April 2
April 4-April 9
April 11-April 16
April 18-April 23
April 25-April 30

English Language Enrichment Classes For Kids Aged 4 To 18

There is no denying that learning is essential at any age. Many parents want to send their kids for English Language Enrichment Classes but they are not sure where to start  or how to go about it? How many times a week is enough? Should you send for phonics, reading or writing, speech and drama or public speaking? Which is better?

We were able to catch up with Lorna Whiston during their recent Open Day at Taman Tun on 25th February 2017 to write this mini guide. We hope this will help you to understand what type of courses are available so you can pick the right one for your child.

Lorna Whiston Open Day

At Which Age Should You Start Your Child On English Lessons?

Lorna Whiston Taman Tun accepts children starting from 4 years old. This is because they are a government registered institution and this is in compliance with requirement. 4 years old would therefore be a good age for you to start thinking of English Enrichment Classes.

How Many Times A Week Should My Child Attend English Enrichment Lessons?

Lorna Whiston Taman Tun runs several types of English Language Programmes. Once a week, intensive daily or specific focus programmes.

You can sign your kids up for English Enrichment Classes for once a week classes for kids on weekdays (2 hours) or weekends (2 1/2 hours). Parents have a choice to select between weekday or weekend classes. The syllabus for both is the same. Weekend classes are 30 minutes longer and therefore may include a little bit more practice for an extra fee.

Classes are available for kids of all ages, Language Development Classes for kids age 4-6, Language Extension for Primary Students and Advanced Language for Secondary students.  All areas of English language are covered in these programmes. (Who is this for? We feel this is suitable for parents with kids in public schools who wish to give their children extra exposure and help in English language to supplement school lessons or existing preschool. The native English speaking teachers and different style and approach will widen kids horizons from their current school based learning especially for SK and SJKC/T school going kids. These classes also provide valuable support for children at International Schools as they help improve grammatical knowledge.)

Language Development Class 

They also have an intensive daily English class from Mondays to Fridays for 3-4 hours each day for kids from 4-6. (Who is this for? We feel this is suitable for those who are planning to send their children to International Schools. This will give children the early preparation they need in a fully immersed English speaking environment for kindy or preschool years with Math, Science, Art etc taught in English by native English speaking teachers. These classes also provide a solid grounding in all areas of the curriculum for children who proceed to National Schools. However, they will need extra tuition in BM and Mandarin before primary school.)

In addition if you prefer a specific focus, you can go for the Phonics, Creative Writing, Speech and Drama or Public Speaking or you can mix and match your programmes. (Who is this for? We feel this is suitable for everyone who wish to train their kids in these particular areas specifically)

Speech And Drama Class

What Do They Teach My Child In English Enrichment Classes?

Lorna Whiston uses their own syllabus and materials in their English Language Programmes which cover vocabulary, speaking, writing, grammar, comprehension, composition and all other aspects of English Language development. In addition they encourage all their students to read a lot with their extensive student library. Parental involvement is very much promoted as well.

What Is The Classroom Size Like?

At Lorna Whiston Taman Tun, classes are small and cozy with no more than 12 students to a class for individualized attention.

Lorna Whiston Classroom

So Where Do I Start?

This depends on the age of your child.

For example a 7 year old child may be required to sit for an assessment to decide whether it is more suitable for him/her to join the Language Development Classes for kids aged 4-6 or the Language Extension Classes for primary students. (Note: Parents can call up for an appointment for their children to do a free assessment which is conducted on Thursday afternoons or all of Saturday)

After assessment, secondary school students go to the Advanced Language Programme. Teenage students will benefit from classes with native English speakers to prepare them for tertiary studies overseas in later years.

Your child can join starting from age 4 and continue right up to age 18 progressing steadily as he or she goes along. The programmes runs over 4 terms in a year. Each term is 11 weeks long.

We wish to thank Lorna Whiston Centre Taman Tun Dr Ismail for providing the information for this post.

Lorna Whiston English Language Centre

Units 8-10, Jalan Wan Kadir 1

Taman Tun Dr Ismail

60000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 7727 1909

Learning English As A Second Language In Malaysia Public Schools

Malaysian kids have to be multi-lingual in school. They learn 2 or 3 languages in school. In Public National schools or Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), the main medium of instruction is Bahasa Malaysia with English as a second language. In National type school or Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Tamil, or Chinese the main medium of instruction is Tamil or Chinese with English as a second language while Bahasa Malaysia is compulsory.

According to the KSSR Review for 2017, the number of hours allocated for languages are shown below.
KSSR stands for Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah. It is the new curriculum for primary schools in Malaysia which was introduced in the year 2011. A review was done for 2017.

Number of hours allocated for English as compared to other languages 
(minimum per year)

For SK
Std 1-3
192 hours for BM
160 hours for English

Std 4-6
160 hours for BM
160 hours for English

For SJK
Std 1-3
192 hours for Tamil/Chinese
160 hours for BM
80 hours for English

Std 4-6
160 hours for Tamil/Chinese
128 hours for BM
96 hours for English

Source of above information is Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia website, (Malaysia Ministry of Education website). Look for the pdf file download with the following title:
"Surat Pekeliling Iktisas KPM Bil. 8 Tahun 2016 - Pelaksanaan Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (Semakan 2017) Secara Berperingkat-Peringkat Mulai Tahun 2017"

Students from SJKC/T are required to learn 3 languages. Therefore the number of hours allocated for English is less. Inevitably, the level of English is also slightly lower.  

These days many parents switch their kids to private or international schools starting from P4 onwards. Sometimes this switch is unplanned, and they are unprepared for the jump in the level of English.  Parents who have the intention to send their children to International schools for upper primary school onward including for their secondary education must ask themselves. "Will my child be able to cope with the transition to English as the main medium of instruction given the amount of time allocated for English at school currently?"

Plan Ahead For Your Child's English Language Education

Planning ahead is essential. There are many cases of parents looking for short cut or fast track language learning before switching their kids to International schools. When it comes to language learning, there are no short cuts so start them young. This will benefit them in the long run. 

English is a critical success factor whether you are going to International schools or otherwise. Even if your child continues to study in public secondary schools with BM as the main medium of instruction and English as a second language, eventually they will need to have a good command of English for college, private universities and beyond when they enter the job market. 

Lorna Whiston, Taman Tun Dr Ismail is having their Open Day on 25th February 2017. Drop by to see how they can help your children find their voice and confidence in the English language.

Interview With Alice Foo Author Of Bento Fun

Today, I am very lucky to be interviewing Alice Foo. Alice Foo uses the pseudonym Angeleyes in the Bento community. She is a stay-at-home mother of two girls and a boy. Her book “Bento Fun” is a culmination of all her years of experience preparing Bento with love for her childrens’ lunch boxes.

Hello Alice,

Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

1. What inspired you to write Bento Fun?

- Ever since I started packing bento and getting better at it I hoped I will have a chance to publish my own book to share my ideas and journey.

2. Where do your ideas come from?

- I always love to look at beautiful and cute things and when I see something I really like I will have this little thoughts running in my head on how to turn them into a kyraben (character bento). I also browse some really creative Japanese mommies’ Instagram to get new inspiration every now and then.

3. Who do you think will benefit from your book?
- I strongly believe this book is a great start for parents whom want to pack healthy lunch boxes for their school going kids or those who have little fussy eaters to entice them to try new food.

4. What should readers expect from your book?
- I have designed the book in a way to help beginners to start their bento journey. There is a general introduction of what is bento, the tools of the trade as well as simple recipes and some step-by-step guides to start off. There are 3 categories in the book which readers get to learn the basics before moving on to more complicated kyaraben work.

5. When did your passion for preparing Bento boxes begin?

- It was in mid 2007 when I first saw some mommy friends started making cute bento for their kids and thought that was a cool idea. Though my son was only 2 years old and he do not have any problem with his meals I decided to pretty up his meals. He loves it! I was so obsessed with all the cute bento gears that I can’t help myself from collecting those that strike my fancy.

6. How do you find time to write?
- I was thrilled when my editor, Mr Oon Yeoh from MPH left me a message on my messenger and asked if I am keen to write MPH’s first bento book. As discussion went on, I was a little hesitant as there were so much work involved since I am not residing in Malaysia. That means I will have to do everything from planning to food styling and photography. It was certainly not an easy feat as I have to juggle house work, minding the kids as well as cooking for the family. Here in Australia, we do not have the luxury of live in helpers to help with house work hence, I have to be really discipline to complete the book. I have almost given up many times as there was just too much on my plate but my editor cheered me on and I was glad I made it to the end.

7. Are you working on another book? Can you share a little of your current work with us?

- There are certainly plans for next book but nothing is firm yet at the moment. We are looking at adult bento and some other recipe books.

8. There are many interesting recipes in the book. Which is your favourite or the one you prepared most often?
- All the recipes in the book are our favourites and I make them all the time. My kids enjoyed all of them so to keep myself less headache and the kids happy, I rotate the recipes frequently. They are easy to prepare and yummy to eat.

9. What advice can you give for someone preparing or thinking of preparing Bento for the first time?

- Do not be overly ambitious. Start with something that is achievable and after doing it a few times, you will get better and better and attempt the more complicated designs.

10. How can readers discover more about you or your work?

- Currently I do not have much updates on my blog (www.bentofun.wordpress.com) but hopefully I will when I have more time once my kids are back in school.

- Readers can join https://www.facebook.com/bentofunbookclub for updates on my book and other activities planned for the future.

Thank you very much for taking time from your busy schedule to answer our questions.

Bento Fun is now on offer for the members of our parents platform. Read our review of the book here:
Bento Fun By Alice Foo

Bento Fun Book Order Form (Currently taking orders from 13 February 2017 to 19 February 2017)

Importance Of Packing To School

As parents, we want to give the best for children to perform their best in school and in everything that they do. And providing the best nutrition for children will not only support them in their energy level to take on the day but it’s another way to let children know that parents care about them. One of the best ways to ensure that they have sufficient energy to focus in class is by packing to school!

Below are some of the questions asked by parents of our Facebook group - The Malaysia Primary School Parents On Facebook group during the first week of school.

Q: Hey there moms! What do you usually feed your kids for breakfast? My girl does not like to eat upon waking up and complains about tummy cramps if I give her anything to eat. Is it ok to send her school with empty stomach?

· Children lose energy during sleep and they require breakfast to replenish the energy lost the next day. Hence breakfast is very crucial.

· It is best to prepare your child with a complete and balanced breakfast before she heads off to school.

· Parents should also play a good role model and have breakfast with their children to cultivate good eating habits from a young age.

· School requires a lot from a growing child. Without breakfast, they will feel lethargic and won’t be able to concentrate in class. To get her to eat, you can create creative breakfast choices to entice children to eat their breakfast when it’s really early in the morning e.g. sunny side up egg with a smiley, sandwich shaped in their favourite characters.

· Opt for a delicious, familiar-tasting and nutritious malted beverage like MILO®. For a mother’s convenience, MILO® UHT can easily be packed into your child’s school bag for her to drink on the way to school

Q: Hi there. Would like to know what is usually packed in your kids lunch box. My son is in afternoon session and his break is from 3-3.20pm. He is entering standard 1.Besides bun, what else would be ideal to pack for him? Any suggestions are welcome. Tia.

In general, a balanced meal contains food from at least 3 out of 5 food groups:

o Whole grains: grains, breads, cereals
o Protein: beans, meat, eggs, nuts,
o Dairy & dairy products: milk , yogurt, cheese
o Fruits and/or
o vegetables

 The trick is to choose one with an appropriate mix of nutrients and calories. Choose one that contains carbohydrates for energy as well as protein, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals that fuel his body and brain

 For snacks, fruits, vegetables, crackers with a slice of cheese, peanut butter, plain high-fibre crackers or cereal bars and yogurt are ideal choices

 An ideal accompaniment to these snacks will be malted beverages. For busy parents who don’t have the time to prep too complicated lunchboxes, a malted beverage, such as MILO® UHT, in ready to drink formula makes a great compliment to sandwiches and high-fibre biscuits

 MILO® UHT contains a unique combination of PROTOMALT®, minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin B, specially blended to provide efficient release of energy from food to help your child take on a full day’s challenges. It also contains calcium to maintain stronger bones and teeth and vitamin C for increased absorption of iron from food

We are also happy to share the following recipes to help parents with packing to school. Here are 3 easy recipes for busy parents to try courtesy of Yan Diana a member of Kelab Bekal/Bento Malaysia.

Recipe 1 - Giraffe Chicken Sandwich 

Ingredients: 

•  Cheese 
•  Seaweed 
•  Chicken strips 
•  Baguette 
•  Fruits - Guava, Orange 
•  Mixed Nuts 

Recipe 2 - Japanese Scrambled Eggs Bento Box

Ingredients:

•  Cheese 
•  Seaweed 
•  Toasted Bread 
•  Tomato 
•  Baked beans 
•  Scrambled eggs 

Recipe 3 - Rapunzel noodle box

Ingredients:

•  Cheese
•  Seaweed
•  Salad
•  Fried Beehoon
•  Scrambled Egg
•  Cherry Tomatoes

Today with the internet at the tip of your fingers, recipe hunting is a lot easier! As you get more and more comfortable in preparing recess boxes for your children, you can also attempt to create your own recipe and even shape the ingredients according to their favourite cartoon characters!

With a convenient pack of MILO® UHT which can be easily packed into your child’s recess box or school bag, mothers can ensure that their child’s energy needs are fulfilled. MILO® contains Activ-Go™, a unique combination of PROTOMALT®, minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin B, specially blended to provide efficient release of energy from food to help them take on a full day’s challenges. It also contains calcium to maintain stronger bones and teeth and Vitamin C for increased absorption of iron from food.

Music Lessons – At Home Or At A Music School?

Should I send my child to music lessons at a centre or should my child have music lessons at home? Which is better?

According to Airina Lee from The Music Factory, this is one question frequently asked by parents. Here we share with parents, the following major differences she observes when a child goes to music lessons at a centre compared to having music lessons at home with a private tutor.

1. Students come to class mentally prepared

Having home lessons means students will enjoy the comfort of their own homes - sometimes being 'too comfortable'. They tend to get easily distracted with the on-goings at home, especially when the class location is not in a contained (i.e. a room) environment.

If lessons are conducted in a classroom environment however, they are emotionally prepared for lesson and better attention spans can be achieved. This is because most children are familiar with the classroom environment and conventional classroom rules.

Home-based learning might work better with adult learners as they are able to stay focused throughout.

2. Exposure

While it might save you some travelling time to have lessons at home, students who learn at home miss the opportunity to get to participate in activities like recitals, concerts, and group activities that are often held by music centres.

Through recitals, the child gets to learn how to play confidently at a young age. The importance of performance opportunities in young children should never be undermined, it teaches that practice makes perfect, and most importantly, is a great self-confidence booster! If you are good at something, wouldn't you want to be able to showcase it confidently to others?

Sadly in many children's musical journeys, the only audience they have is often the examiner when they undergo music exams.

3. A holistic learning experience

A large part of enjoyment in playing music is when one learns to play with others, for instance in a band, an orchestra, or chamber music groups. Being in a music school means the child will have a chance to meet others who share the same interests.

It serves as a source of motivation as well when they see their peers being able to master the instrument. They are given the opportunity to build friendships from there and eventually, form their own jamming sessions with students of the same age groups/ learning abilities. 

 
Music Lessons at home or at a music school? We hope that this sharing will give you a better idea of what to expect when you send your child to music lessons at a centre.

Here are some other tips brought to you by The Music Factory:

· How To Motivate Your Child To Practice Music
· Tips For Parents To Choose The Right Musical Instrument

Milo® UHT Pack in the Energy for Champions Workshop

Recently a few lucky members from our Facebook group: The Malaysia Primary School Parents On Facebook had the opportunity to attend the Milo® UHT Pack in the Energy for Champions Workshop held at the Cilantro Cooking Academy in Subang Jaya. In this post, we will share tips we learned at the workshop with the rest of our FB group members who couldn't attend the workshop.

The Milo® UHT Pack in the Energy for Champions Workshop was moderated by Sheahnee Iman Lee, emcee, media trainer and former TV host who did a wonderful job getting the audience to warm up to the session.

Sheahnee Iman Lee, Puan Yan Diana and Puan Nurul Iliani

At the start, participants had the chance to get some tips from Senior Nestlé Nutritionist, Puan Nurul Iliani on the importance of packing to school and eating right. The most important tip is the fact that kids will go through energy deprivation in school at various intervals while at school. This is because the hours between breakfast and lunch is rather long with breakfast taken as early as 6 am in some cases. She suggests that parents pack recess or bento boxes for their children with healthy nutritious meals to counter this energy deprivation.

On this note, Puan Yan Diana an admin from Kelab Bekal/Bento Malaysia came on to show participants that packing to school doesn't need to be complicated and can be prepared in a flash. Puan Yan makes Bento Boxes on a daily basis for four of her school going children.

The creative Puan Yan Diana demonstrated how to make 3 creative Bento Boxes in quick succession. She made the adorable Giraffe Chicken Sandwich, a cute Japanese Doll Sandwich and an amazing looking Rapunzel Noodle Box in minutes.

Giraffe Chicken Sandwich

Japanese Doll Sandwich

Rapunzel Noodle Box

Quick Tips From Pn Yan On Preparing Bento Boxes

1. Ingredients. Do not be overwhelmed by using unusual items. Use normal items that your kids like to eat like fried mee hoon, spaghetti, fried rice, bread, beans etc and build on those
2. Preparation. Ingredients may be prepared the night before or during the weekend to save time
3. Involvement. Involve your kids in the preparation and the ideas for their Bento Boxes. They will be more likely to eat them that way
4. Shaping Items. Use cheese and seaweed sheets to carve out or cut out unusual cartoon characters or shapes. Tomatoes may be used to carve out lips or ribbons.
5. Appearance. Use flat boxes so that your creation will maintain its appearance at recess time hours later to avoid them from tumbling about.
6. Vegetables. Introduce vegetables slowly but repeatedly for the reluctant vegetable eater
7. Drying. Do not mix wet items with dry ones. Wipe dry first before working on your Bento
8. Cleanliness. Make sure you wash your hands before preparing and keep them clean throughout

Puan Nurul Iliani stressed that a balance of protein, vegetables, fruits and carbohydrates should be kept in mind when selecting the ingredients for a Bento Box meal. She added that children can greatly benefit from the Activ-Go™ in MILO®, a unique combination of PROTOMALT®, minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin B, specially blended to provide efficient release of energy from food to help them take on a full day’s challenges. MILO® also contains calcium to maintain stronger bones and teeth and Vitamin C for increased absorbtion of iron from food. You can easily add a convenient pack of MILO® UHT in the Bento Box or in your little one’s school bag to ensure he/she has sufficient energy to take on the day!

Finally, parents and children worked together as a team to create the most creative Bento Box in the MILO® UHT Bento Box Challenge. Participants were provided with MILO® UHT’s Bento Box, ingredients and a packet of of MILO® UHT that fits in nicely in the Bento Box.. 

Below are pictures of the ingredients, tools and Bento Boxes provided.

Watch the video below to see some of the creations by parents in the MILO® UHT Bento Box Challenge. You will be amazed at their creativity as many of them were preparing Bento Boxes for the first time. The video will also give you some ideas on what to prepare for your kids for recess.

Most importantly, everyone went home with new knowledge gained on the importance of packing balanced and nutritious meals for kids and how to do so in a non-stressful and fun way.  MILO® UHT comes in convenient single serve packs of 125ml and 200ml and is available in all convenient stores, mini markets, supermarkets and hypermarkets.

For more upcoming initiatives of the MILO® UHT Pack in the Energy for Champions campaign, visit www.milo.com.my.

Pack a MILO® UHT in your child’s bag pack for the energy they need to take on the day!

Congratulations to the winners of the MILO® UHT Bento Box Challenge

MILO® UHT single serving packs in 125ml and 200ml.

Ergonomically Correct School Bags For Kids

What Is Ergonomics And Why Kids School Bags Should Be Ergonomically Correct

Ergonomics is the science of  refining the design of a product for optimal human use. Characteristics such as the user's weight and proportions are considered. These days ergonomics design for school bags are essential because children carry heavy bags daily for years. If heavy school bags are not properly designed or adjusted, children using them may suffer from bodily fatigue, stress and even injury.

Besides textbooks and several exercise books for each subject, children are required to carry many workbooks to school as well. In addition, they have their lunch boxes, water tumblers, art materials, gym outfits and more to fit into their school bags. That is why more and more parents are now opting for ergonomically correct school bags for kids.

Where To Buy Ergonomically Designed Bags For Kids In Malaysia

One of the places to buy ergonomically correct bags or spine protection school bags is Dr. Kong. Dr. Kong Malaysia is well known for their healthy shoes and foot care products. Established since 1999, they are dedicated in developing functional foot and spine health products including their pressure free chirobag. This spine protection bag is designed to reduce the pressure from the neck, shoulder and back.

Dr. Kong's Back To School 2017 Promotion

Parents, you can now get Dr. Kong's spine protection bags at a discount during their back to school 2017 promotion period which runs from 15 December 2016 to 15 January 2017. You get 15% off your first product, 20% off the second, 30% off the third and beyond. T & C applies. You can view their bag selections here. 

Besides bags, the promotion extends to their shoe products as well as shown below.

Where To Find Dr. Kong in Malaysia

Check out the chart of Dr. Kong's outlets in Malaysia below to find a Dr. Kong outlet near you.

You can also find them online here:

Website: http://www.drkong-malaysia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkongmalaysia/

Free Printable 2017 School Time Table For Kids

Members can click on the image above to download the free pdf time table

It's getting nearer to the new school year 2017. Time really does fly. In the blink of an eye the year-end holidays 2016 is almost over. Those with children going to Standard 1 or Form 1 will soon be attending orientation days or just recently attended one. In no time at all, the new school session will begin. Kids will soon receive their new time-tables and they have to start getting used to their new school routines.

I used to create time tables for my kids when they were younger. They were in A4 size so they wouldn't misplace them. I would print one copy for them to put in their school bags and another copy for pasting on or above their study tables. In this manner, I always have a point of reference for them and for me.

Last year, I created a free printable school time table for kids for the members of our parenting platform which comprise our website, blog and FB groups. It was very popular and useful so I am making a new one for the year 2017. The time table is created using Microsoft publisher software with clip art from the software.

Members can click here to login and download this free printable 2017 blank school time table for kids now.

I hope you find it useful. You can print it out now for use in the next 1 or 2 weeks or bookmark this page for use in the next two weeks. To make the time-tables last longer, you can either laminate it or do as I did. I would print out the time-table, cut out a hard cover page from a recycled magazine or old unused book, then wrap it up using transparent plastic book wrapper and tadaaa I had a time-table that lasted all year round of "abuse" from being taken in and out of bags.

Tip: Hold back on the wrapping part for the time being because in the early part of the term, there may be some changes here and there. However, if there are major changes, you can always print out the blank time table and make a new one! 

KSSM - What's New Compared To KBSM

This post is for those going to secondary school or Form 1 in 2017. In this post I will talk about the new KSSM syllabus and subjects for lower secondary school going kids or SMR. I will not be talking about SMA syllabus or subjects.

Firstly before you continue reading this post, you should know some of the terms used and what they mean.

Terms used in this post:

• KSSR = Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah
• KSSM = Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah
• KBSM =  Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah
• DSKP = Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran
• SMR = Sekolah Menengah Rendah (Lower Secondary School)
• SMA = Sekolah Menengah Atas (Upper Secondary School)

What does all this mean to us as a parent? As a parent, reading all the acronyms make our heads spin a little. So, in this post, I will try to make it as simple as possible, cutting out a lot of technical terms with lengthy explanations. You can still get those too because links will be provided.

Please note that this is not an official document/article. This is merely what I got by researching and curating information found around the web to try to understand the subjects or syllabus that kids going to Form 1 starting in 2017 will be studying.

Kids going to Form 1 in 2017 will be the first batch that completed the new KSSR syllabus and sat for the new format UPSR in 2016 for the first time.

They will now move on to do the new KSSM syllabus in Form 1. Before this, secondary school students did the KBSM syllabus. So, what is the difference between KSSM and KBSM?

Here are some links you may find useful on this subject:

1. Taklimat KSSM kepada pengetua by slideshare user roszelan majid. Note that the slides were published in 2012 so there may be changes thereafter. The slides are embedded below for easy sharing.

Go straight to page 11 of the slides to see the subject changes of KBSM vs KSSM. You will notice that the following subjects are not in KSSM syllabus. 

Old subjects under KBSM 

1. "Pendidikan Sivik Dan Kewarganegaraan (PSK)" and 
2. "Kemahiran Hidup Bersepadu"

Ignore the new KSSM subjects in the slides because this appears to be a dated document.  (I merely included it to show the old subjects under KBSM because I could not find it elsewhere in the newer links which I shall share with you below)

Taklimat KSSM kepada pengetua. from roszelan majid

2. What are the new subjects included in KSSM?

Teachers can download the DSKP for each subject and this information and download links are often widely available on the internet. If you search online, you may find many teacher's blogs with the download links. Many of these are dated 2016 so this will be more recently updated than the link provided above.

Here are two places you can find the DSKP KSSM Tingkatan 1 (Form 1)

• http://kurikulumdskp.blogspot.my/2016/04/dokumen-standard-kurikulum-dan.html (This one is good because of the way it classifies the subjects. Easy to see at a glance)

• http://www.cikguhailmi.com/2016/08/dskp-dokumen-standard-kurikulum-dan-pentaksiran-kssm-tingkatan-1.html (This one lists them all in vertical list format)

Both show two subjects previously not under KBSM. 

New subjects under KSSM 

1. "Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi" and 
2. "Asas Sains Komputer"

I shared the two links above because they are presented in an easy to read format. However, those who are interested in the official download links and who have time to go through long pages of documentation meant for teachers who will be teaching the subjects can download the DSKP KSSM Tingkatan 1 etc. from here: Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia Document Download These will show you each KSSM subject in detail.

There are some who once the child reaches secondary school, do not follow the syllabus, subjects etc. as closely as they did when their child was in primary school. 

I remember the words of a secondary school teacher who once said "Many parents think that once the child reaches secondary school, they do not need as much guidance as before. Look! They say. My child is even taller than me now. He/She can very well look after themselves." As a result, many of the parents do not even know the children are playing truant behind their backs when they drop them off to school. According to the teacher, once the child reaches secondary school, they need just as much support as well as a different sort of guidance from us. That is why I feel it is important to at least know what they will be studying in school, don't you?

Placement Test To Test Your Child's English Level At British Council Open Day

The British Council Malaysia Open Day is on this week and next at their KL and Mutiara Damansara offices on the following dates and time.

Dates: 

10-11 December 2016 

(Ground Floor, West Block, Wisma Selangor Dredging 142C Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur)

Phone: +60 (0)3 2723 7900

10,11,17,18 December 2016 

(Lot 245A, Second Floor, the Curve, 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor)

Phone: +60 (0)3 2723 7900

Time:

10.30 am to 4.30 pm

Kids and teens can take the placement tests to test their English level during the Open Days. Placement tests will determine your child's level for the new term starting 8 January 2017.

You will also get the chance to learn about their teaching methodology and check out the premise. We did just that today during the Open Day at the KL centre. You can check our Facebook video below to give you a good idea of what to expect at the British Council Malaysia Open Day.

British Council is an international organization. They are in six continents and over 100 countries. The centre in Malaysia aims to help improve children's grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking and writing skills. Courses start at age 5 right up to age 17. There are 4 terms in a year for each level. Typically classes are 2 hours long per session on Saturdays and Sundays. Each term runs for about 10 weeks. British Council uses in-house materials developed by their own teachers for their primary plus (ages 5-11) and upper primary (ages 10-12) courses while their secondary level (ages 13-17) course uses selected books suitable for Malaysian secondary school students.

At British Council, English is taught in a safe and fun environment. With small classes in a team setting sitting arrangement, kids are encouraged to interact with each other. Team building and creative High Order Thinking Skills are encouraged among the learners. Fitting for those seeking for an environment that gives children the self motivation to learn, helps children think out of the box while learning essential living skills that last a lifetime.

British Council Malaysia (KL centre) Open Day on 10 December 2016

Children sitting for placement tests at British Council Malaysia Open Day

Classes are kept small and students are seated in a setting that encourages team work and interaction

Children are encouraged to work together as a team to present their materials during lessons

Course materials for primary and secondary school students at British Council Malaysia

British Council Malaysia Open Day KL Video. View our FB video below before you visit the rest of the Open Day in December and read our Open Day Tips.

British Council Malaysia Open Day December 2016

You are invited!

You are invited to the British Council Open Days this December.

Dates: 
10-11 December 2016 (KL)
10,11,17,18 December 2016 (The Curve, Damansara)

Time:
10.30 am to 4.30 pm

Registration is now open for the open days.

Click here for more information.

Open Days are an excellent opportunity for parents to find out more about the centre and the programmes they run. This is when a centre opens up its doors to the public to show you what's available at their centres and to take any questions from parents.

Here are a few of our Open Day Tips to help you get the most of attending an Open Day at an enrichment centre.

Open Day Tips For Parents

• Bring your child along. Placement tests are available for your child. This is a good opportunity for you to find out your child's level 
• Arrive early before the crowd. Being early gives you the chance to talk to teachers and decide on the activities your child can take part in during the open day
• Ask questions. Ask about the timetable, the fees, the course available. Write down your questions on a booklet or a reminder app on your mobile and write down the answers so you won't forget.
• Walkabout. Walk around the centre. This is your best opportunity to visit the classrooms and activity rooms and visualize your child learning here. 
• Speak to the teachers. Sometimes teacher profiles are listed at the centre. Read it and get to know the teachers by talking to them.
• Participate. Have your child participate in the open day activities. Your child can enjoy the open day activities like story telling, arts and crafts and more while you look around, ask questions and get to know the teachers and the centre better
• Follow-up. Remember to collect brochures for courses you are interested in. Take down contact numbers and names so you can call up for more information in case you miss out anything during the Open Day
• Enjoy! Open Days can be a fun day of activities for your child. Allocate some time so your child can have some fun at the centre during the Open Day.

Book Review - Bento Fun By Alice Foo

Have you ever read a recipe book from cover to cover? I just did. I read Bento Fun by Alice Foo.

What I like About Bento Fun By Alice Foo

This is one pretty recipe book. It looks so good, just like a scrapbook. Bento is a work of art so I like that the book looks like a work of art too. The pictures of the Bento and side dishes featured are colourful and amazing. Each section of the book is easily recognizable by its sweet pastel colours and scrapbook like background designs.

Who This Book Is For

Whether you are a novice or an expert or even if you don't prepare any Bento at all but would like to have an idea, suggestion or tips on types of nutritious food you can pack for your child to school, this book is for you.

The book starts off with an explanation of Bento, what it is and why you should pack Bento for your child and useful Bento Packing Tips to keep your Bento fresh since food often have to be kept several hours till kids recess or lunch hours.

Then it moves on to the basics of making kyaraben or Character Bento including shaping rice balls, colouring rice and quail eggs, making coloured egg sheets and tracing and cutting from templates.


The novice will find the pictures of Bento making equipment and accessories useful as a guide including the common ingredients for making Bento.

Next the book moves on to the Bento recipes. There are 32 recipes in all. These are divided into Beginner, Intermediate and Advance level Bento recipes.

If you have never prepared a Bento in your life before but you are interested to pack cute, appealing yet nutritious food for your kids,  you will find the side dishes and finger food sections interesting. Here you will find recipes for healthy foods for kids in small portions cooked in healthy ways. Alice uses the air fryer (or oven as an alternative) a lot in her recipes.She prefers these healthy ways of preparing food to avoid having oil-soaked lunch boxes.

Finally the book ends with step by step picture guides on making kyaraben or the Character Bento tutorials.

A shopping guide on where you can find Bento equipment and accessories online and offline is also included plus a glossary of some of the terms used in the book.

The author, Alice Foo uses the pseudonym Angeleyes in the Bento community. She is a stay-at-home mother of two girls and a boy. This book is a culmination of all her years of experience preparing Bento with love for her children's lunch boxes. The ideas are practical, simple and quick to prepare. Healthy food choices and food preparation methods are recommended and used by the author.

I would like it if the book's content's section was more extensive for example the recipe pages should be included in the main content instead of at the beginning of each section. This will make the recipes easier to find. Fortunately each section has different coloured pages so it is easy to find just by looking at the sides of the book.

I find this book useful for parents who are interested in preparing their own food for kids to bring to school for recess or for lunch.

This book is currently available to the members of our parenting platform including our website, blog and FB groups at a 20% discount. Click here to order. 

Cute Labels For Kids

Parents with school going kids will know that kids losing stuff is a very normal occurrence. So, if you have a child who constantly loses their stationery, tumblers, food containers, bags, uniforms, shoes, jackets, spectacles etc. don't fret. You are not alone. Many schools these days set up a lost and found area which could be in the form of a shelf or cupboard.

Visit one of these lost and found areas and you will find all sorts of lost items. Your child can easily retrieve their item if he or she has a unique looking one but quite often the items look exactly the same. School uniforms and shoes obviously are identical. However, even bags, tumblers and more look the same if the same brand and type are used.

One of the ways to get around this problem is to label your kids stuff. You can DIY by writing using a marker pen or you can get really cute labels for kids. Previously, these labels were only available from overseas sites with expensive shipping. Now, we can get them online locally from Fun Printz. What's more, currently there is a Free Shipping Within Malaysia offer with every purchase of RM90 and above from now till 31 Dec 2016. No Promo code is required to claim free shipping as the website will auto deduct shipping cost once customer hits RM90 order.

Fun-Printz is an Express Print service specializing in Fun-Tags, Fun-Labels and Iron-On Labels. They are currently having a labels promo for members of our parenting platform as follows:

From Nov 21 - 31 Dec
Mumsgather platform members promo
(for our Blog readers and members of our website and FB Groups)

Standard Label Offer
( Fun Label, Mini Label, Shoe Label , Iron on Labels ) 
Use Promo Code: MUMSGATHERFREETAG
FOC shipping for orders above RM90 + Exclusive BAG TAG LARGE TAG (1 sided) worth RM14
Select bag tag design on Fun Printz website and key in promo code to claim the FOC item

Value Pack Plus Discount RM169 to RM149
Use Promo Code: MUMSGATHERFREETAG
FOC Shipping + Exclusive BAG TAG (1 sided) worth RM14
Select bag tag design on Fun Printz website and key in promo code to claim the FOC item
Free Shipping and Discount will be automatically deducted upon checkout

* The Value Pack Plus is a packaged label deal that includes different types of labels in various sizes. You get to pick the design you want. This is excellent if you are not sure of what labels to choose because you will receive various types to fulfill all of your child's labeling needs.

Waterproof Sticker

• 20 Size L Label
• 20 Size M Label
• 20 Size S Label
• 8 Square Shape Label
• 8 Round Shape Shoe Label
• 24 Stick-On Clothing Label
• 20 Size M Iron-On Label
• 24 Mini Iron-On Label 

Enjoy!