Every once in a while, I sit in front of the computer with the boys, and surf Youtube for things that they are interested in.
Athos was reading a book about carnivorous plants so we found a clip showing a Venus Flytrap eating a bug (dastardly deed happens around 1:20). Both Athos and Porthos like using Jenga blocks to build a domino rally so we found some great clips of those, including one fantastic clip of three Japanese guys who use everything from CDs and videocassettes, to books and soap!
But by far the boys’ favourite is The Incredible Machine, a compilation of Rube Goldberg-inspired contraptions which are utterly useless and thoroughly creative
I’ve lost count of the number of times they’ve watched this (sometimes two or three times in a row). And each time leaves them wanting to try building one. So we’ve used marbles and ping pong balls, books, Jenga blocks, toilet rolls and every conceivable household object we can get our hands on. It makes a great mess in the living room and we don’t always get great results, but it’s a whole lot of fun!
On Sunday, while Athos was absorbed in NLB’s Tumblebooks and Aramis was having a nap, I had some rare one-on-one time with Porthos. I asked him what he wanted to do, and he said, “Let’s make a volcano.”
This is another inexpensive activity that the kids enjoy very much, though admittedly a little wasteful. Many websites explain how to build a volcano out of clay/soil/papier mache, then concoct a vinegar solution before adding in the powder. Given how quickly the experiment goes, I don’t find this a particularly good use of time, especially with impatient younger kids, so the process I describe is a whole lot simpler.
I use a large bowl, and put a small glass bottle in it – we have a saltshaker that works well. The smaller the better so you don’t use up too much vinegar at a go.
Fill the bottle with vinegar. The cheapest option is artificial vinegar – Tai Hua brand costs $1.20 a bottle at NTUC.
Add a few drops of food colouring for effect. Red or orange work best.
Beyond the cool visual effect, you can also explain a couple of scientific points simply. First, mixing the two compounds releases carbon dioxide. That is what causes the ‘eruption’ and the bubbling over. Second, you can let the kids put their finger in the vinegar before and after the experiment. The vinegar will feel much cooler to the touch. That’s because the reaction needs energy to happen, and it take up heat from the vinegar. Also known as an endothermic reaction.
Speaking of endothermic, I’m finding that both Athos and Porthos love long words (current favourites include “momentum” and “paleontologist”). They may not be able to say it right nor understand precisely what the words means. But I think they just find it cool, the same way anything that is Really Big or Very Gross is cool.
One of my favourite recent discoveries is this website – online Boggle played against people from all over the world. I love word games of all kinds, including Boggle. But this just takes it to a whole new level. First, you can play Boggle just as you would in your living room. But there is the added thrill after the round ends of seeing how well you scored against other players, what words you missed, and even links to what these words mean! All done automatically without having to shake a Boggle box, turn an hourglass, or tally up scores manually. You can play as a team, or even create several teams and play against each other.
The game is loads of fun, but hugely addictive. Just as well the boys are still too young for this game! In the meantime, Pilgrim Mom is practicing. (And practicing, and practicing, and practicing….)
I just received an email alert from the Singapore Science Centre – Prof Bob Friedhoffer the “Science Magician” from the USA will be entertaining kids with science- and math-based magic tricks. Details as follows:
Event: The Professor and His Sensational Science Magic Show
Date: 29 Nov – 3 Dec
Time: 12pm, 3pm, 4:30pm
Venue: Maxwell Auditorium, Singapore Science Centre
Age: 6 and above
It looks like the usual admission charges apply. Check it out!
A few weeks ago, Athos was singing a song from Veggie Tales about God being bigger than the bogeyman. Porthos says, “No He’s not.”
Pilgrim Mom: Yes He is.
Porthos: No He’s not.
Pilgrim Mom: Yes He is. He’s bigger than you and Kor Kor and me and everybody.
Porthos: No He’s not. Because He lives in my heart. Right?
Today I was listening to someone talk about creativity, and I was reminded of something Athos said when he was a mere tike of three. We were having lunch somewhere, and he was served a plate of chicken rice. The rice came in a perfect bowl-shaped mound, and Athos took one look at it and said, “Esplanade!”
I was so tickled I couldn’t stop telling people for days….
I was thinking today about some of the things that Athos has said (or came near to saying) that very nearly gave me a heart attack:
Getting in the lift with a very large Caucasian gentleman, Athos asks, “Mummy, why is this man so fat?”
Pilgrim Dad is talking to his Indian friend. Athos strides in, looks at the friend and wonders out loud, “Why is he so black?”
At a mall, we are served by a sales staff with a severe case of acne. Athos’ eyes widen, he points, and is just about to say something when I catch his eye and give him a stern look. He gets the message and comes close to me and whispers, “That boy has measles!”
Three episodes, one dilemma. Part of me needs to teach him to communicate according to social norms. But another part of me just wants to hug him and savour every moment of that sweet childlike innocence, when political correctness is alien, and a question is simply a question.
“Death, taxes and childbirth! There’s never any convenient time for any of them.” – Margaret Mitchell, “Gone With The Wind”, 1936.
So the GST is going up. It’s not a change I like, but it’s one that I can understand. Rather than add to the sound and fury online, I thought maybe my energies would be more fruitfully channeled towards something more positive.
So today I’m starting a new category on my blog – “Shoestring Singapore” – all about how to stretch your dollar, particularly in regard to raising kids. No doubt life in Singapore is expensive, and about to get more so. Let’s see if we can’t find ways to live more simply, while living more meaningfully and abundantly!
For starters, check out my posts on:
the Concourse, the place to start if you’re on a budget and planning a party.
the Toothpick Game, which has kept my kids occupied for long periods, and costs less than $5 to assemble. (Less than $2 if you already own a deck of cards.)
The other day, I picked up a brochure produced by Nestle. It promotes their hypoallergenic infant formula (Nan), and also includes some information on how to reduce the incidence of food allergy which I found really useful. Here are the salient bits:
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months provides the ideal protection
Introduce solids after the 6th month
Foods least likely to cause allergic reactions: rice, pear, prune, carrot, apple, pork
Three days in a row, three different boys, three kinds of pain….
On Thursday night, Athos and Porthos were playing a crazy game of chase around the house, opening and closing the doors while hiding from each other. We’ve told them many times how dangerous it is to play with doors but let’s just say it’s the kind of lesson best learnt by experience. So as it happened, Porthos was hiding behind the door just as Athos swung it open, and ended up getting his big toe slammed into. He shrieked non-stop for a good 15 minutes. After we made sure his toe wasn’t broken, I cuddled him and tried to soothe him as best as I could. But Porthos has always worn his heart on his sleeve, and I was sure his screams could be heard clear across the neighbourhood. Eventually I distracted him with stories and songs. And he fell asleep.
Friday night, we came home to find Athos lying on the couch, clutching his head, gritting his teeth and stifling sobs. This was the first time we’d ever seen him do this and it was nothing short of alarming. I cradled him and it seemed to calm him though the pain did not go away. He slept cuddled against me, and fortunately the pain wasn’t bad enough to awaken him in the night. At the doctor’s the next morning, we were told it was an ear infection, commonly caught from swimming. We were prescribed an antibiotic and some ear drops, which have been a great help.
Last night, Aramis awoke with a loud cry and continued inconsolably for a good 10-15 minutes. I tried carrying him, rocking him, nursing him, singing to him. But nothing worked. It was beginning to frazzle me. Pilgrim Dad took over and after a while, Aramis cried himself to sleep. I still don’t know why he cried.
But these three consecutive experiences have taught me a few things. First, every child responds to pain differently, so every episode needs to be handled differently. Second, knowing the reason for the pain (no matter mild or serious), is far better than not knowing the reason. And third, pray!
Pilgrim Dad and I had a rare evening alone without the kids, who are staying at Grandpa and Grandma’s tonight. We had a light dinner at Cedele – a heavenly onion and tomato soup, followed by a superb potato salad. Then we watched An Inconvenient Truth, an hour-and-a-half documentary about Al Gore’s one-man crusade against global warming. I was wondering whether the movie would be able to sustain interest for such a long stretch while selling just one message.
It did. The movie began as a presentation that Mr Gore put together and continues to present across the globe. Weaving laymanised science, arresting data and impactful graphics and animation, Mr Gore tells a compelling story of The Blue Planet at the tipping point between environmental catastrophe and a turnaround. I left convinced, intellectually and emotionally. As a parent, it worries me to think of what kind of world we are leaving behind for our children.
What can we do?
The movie website lists a variety of ways that we can make a difference. If you still need to be convinced of the case for global warming, watch the movie! The DVD has just been released.
As for me, I’m going to start by giving up hot showers. Bleagh.
Porthos’ 4th birthday is coming up so we went to the Concourse to get some party favours for his guests.
If you’ve never heard of or been to this place, you’re missing out! The second floor comprises ex-tenants from the old Blanco Court, who sell every conceivable item you could want for a party, and then some. We found decorations, disposable tableware, stationery, party favours, toys, even a confetti cannon! And all at reasonable prices. Unless you’re into branded or high-end items, this is really the place to start.
I’m old enough to remember Blanco Court (vaguely), and even the kuay chap (more clearly). There appear to be fewer shops now than before, but the festive atmosphere is a real treat, especially now that Christmas is round the corner. The whole atrium is a sea of Christmas trees, ornaments and light.
A caveat though: I brought Athos and Porthos with me, thinking it would be nice for Porthos to pick out what he wanted for his friends. Let’s just say he wanted far more than I was prepared to give! On the positive side, there was no shortage of “teaching moments” while I headed off a couple of tantrums and guided him through the options. But if you’re looking for a focused and decisive shopping trip, leave the kids out.
Porthos’ kindergarten organised an excursion to Explorerkid @ Downtown East last week. The place is quite a lot of fun – a large indoor playground with ball pits and a multi-layered jungle gym with two slides and other fun features . The structures are fully padded so it feels very safe for kids. The place also has a couple of computer kiosks, and apparently a nursing room though I didn’t see it.
The pricing is quite complex, with peak, off-peak, member and non-member prices – click here for the pricing chart and other information. The highest rate (peak for non-members) is $8 per hour.
Porthos enjoyed himself, though it’s probably a safer bet with older kids – I’d suggest at least 4 1/2 or 5 to be quite safe. Although you can see right through the gym, it’s big enough to get lost in, and a younger child could get disoriented and bewildered, as happened with Porthos once or twice.
Important note: socks must be worn at all times! The kindergarten informed accompanying parents but I forgot and had to buy a pair (Explorerkid sells them for $2).
NLB’s Tumblebooks was a big hit with Athos and Porthos! We spent a good half hour at the e-library this morning. After showing them the three books I’d flagged, we listened to some others, including Can I Have A Stegosaurus, Mom? and Can I Have A Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dad? (Athos is really into dinosaurs right now.) The site allows for manual advance for faster readers who do not want to be read to, and going backwards too.
I’m so excited about my latest discovery – the National Library Board’s eBooks service. I was thoroughly absorbed by the kids’ collection, called Tumblebooks Library. You’ll need to register as a member (free, and the Singaporean in me says Hurray!) Then scroll down to Tumblebooks and start browsing.
Some are pdf versions of books for reading online, including classics like Alice in Wonderland, Little Women and the Wizard of Oz. Others are audio books.
And then there is the best category of them all – picture books with audio and animated visuals. I randomly listened to/watched three – Little Pea, The Dot and The Fire Station – unqualified fun! It’s been a long time since I’ve been read to, and I felt like a happy child.
The reading is expressive, American-accented (Tumblebooks looks like a Canadian outfit), and the images appear to be animated versions of the actual book illustrations. Best part for the beginning reader: the sentence being read lights up, karaoke-style.
No substitute for parents reading to their kids of course, nor the range of a physical library. But on a rainy (or hazy!) day, I can imagine how this service might be a great babysitter. And it’s one way for parents to check out the books before deciding whether to borrow/buy them. I heartily recommend this. Can’t wait to show this to Athos and Porthos tomorrow.
One more week and the year-end school holidays will be upon us. Eeek!
The Pilgrim family has no plans to vacation out of the country. So if we don’t intend to let the Musketeers vegetate all day in front of the TV, it is going to require every ounce of our creativity to keep them engaged. We’ll post our ideas and adventures as they emerge. Ideas from our gentle readers are warmly welcome!
Peanut butter is a staple in the Pilgrim family. Athos and Porthos have it for breakfast several times a week, sometimes for supper as well. Some months back, I read that many brands of peanut butter contain trans fat. So I switched from our usual brand to Peter Pan, whose label read “0 trans fat”.
But while doing the groceries at NTUC Fairprice today, I decided to read the ingredients more carefully. To my surprise, I found “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” listed. I always thought that was the same thing as trans fat.
I’ve been wondering about how trustworthy food labels are. Anyhow, I decided that today I would stop wondering and start acting. So I’ve just emailed ConAgra Foods (which owns the Peter Pan brand). Here is what I wrote:
“I recently switched from a rival brand of peanut butter to Peter Pan because the nutrition label says “0 trans fat”. However, I just noticed that ‘partially hydrogenated vegetable oils’ is listed in the ingredients. Isn’t that the same as trans fat? I’d appreciate a clarification.”
Now that Athos prefers to read by himself than to be read to, the only way I know how much he likes a book is if I see him read it more than once, and especially if he uses it for loo reading.
Imagine my delight to discover him doing both with one of my favourite children’s books, The Velveteen Rabbit!
I still remember the first time I ever heard the story. It was on a long plane ride many years ago. I was idly listening to the in-flight entertainment system when an audio recording of the story came on. The narrator was the incomparable Meryl Streep, accompanied by a gentle, lyrical George Winston on keyboard. I was riveted. Margery Williams tells a magical tale of a stuffed rabbit, beloved by his owner, and what happens to him when he is Really Loved.
After that I simply had to buy the book. I’ve possessed various versions at various times, and my current edition is a hardcover illustrated book I got in 1997, on sale somewhere (I think) in the US. Sometime after the kids came, I put the book together with their books, hoping one day to read it to them. And lo and behold, Athos has read it by himself, not once but three times!
I’m so thrilled he likes it — it’s such a beautiful classic and I think the world might just be a better place if everyone read that story!
