Happy Teachers' Day

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

To all teachers (parents and extended family included) – thank you for guiding, educating and molding the future generation. Teachers, apart from parents, are the main source of knowledge and values for children. Teachers impart knowledge in the most impressionable years. Teachers have a significant mark on the development of children. Keep up the great work…

Happy Mother's Day!

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Here's wishing mothers everywhere a very Happy Mother's Day! Thank you for all the sacrifices; and for always going beyond. We love you!

One-Two- Three- Say Ahhhh

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

For the dentist that is.

Ayanna made her annual trip to see the dentist recently. All her teeth are good.

Ayanna has started losing her teeth. Milk teeth fall out in the same order in which they arrived. Her two middle bottom teeth have been the first to go, and in its place we can now spot two permanent teeth sprouting. Her top two are loose and shaky.

Ayanna is excited about this developmental phase. Though there are times when she’s afraid to bite into her food just in case she may experience pain. Most baby teeth fall out on their own. Healthy tooth brushing habits are to continue to ensure clean permanent teeth. When the permanent teeth do come in, they'll be larger than milk teeth, have ridges and may be slightly yellow.

How is your Big Kid handling this phase?

 

Holiday Fun!

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

 

Swirl & Twirl at the circus

Ayanna's back to school after an exciting holiday that involved various activities such as circus training, the sun, sea and sand. Shamindra had his dose of fun too.

Fun in the sun

To the beach we go...

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Our bags are packed and we are ready to go. We are counting the days before we can feel the sun, sea and sand.

The essentials are packed - sunblock, medicines, toys and swimmers.

See you all real soon.

Ayanna & Shamindra

Holiday Fun!

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Deep in play dough...

Ayanna’s on her second term break. How do I keep little minds and hands happily occupied? I rely on themed days with a host of activities for each theme from art and craft and music to colouring, sensory play and role-play.

Our theme days for this holiday include-

Even the little one is happy...

Dinosaur
Music history

An invitation to travel around the world...

Around the World
Earth Day
Solar System

Each theme day has surprises rolled into them such as science experiments, visits to the art gallery, museum, a concert or to an exhibition that relates to the specific theme.

It’s a great and fun way for the kids to learn about new topics with numerous activities to enhance their various motor and sensory skills.

How do you keep your little ones occupied?

Contemplating pre-school

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Ready for school?

We are considering sending Shamindra to preschool sometime midyear. Ayanna began at 18 months but with Shamindra, I’ve been a little reluctant to let go (perhaps because I know he’s our ‘baby’ of the family).

For the longest time, without any doubt, my first choice was Ayanna’s previous preschool for a variety of reasons – dedicated teachers, a great mix of creative play and learning with strong emphasis on reading and writing. We are now, however considering other options because we simply spend way too much time on the road trying to get from one school to another.

As we weigh our options, these are some things to think about:

1. Identifying our priorities – we are looking for a preschool closer to home for the convenience, which will also allow us to spend more time with Shamindra rather than on the road. We want a curriculum that includes creative activities such as art and craft, dancing and singing. The Montessori approach focuses on key areas of development which we like.

2. Researching – visiting different schools or reading about them online or speaking to other parents will help give us a clearer picture of what each school has to offer. Preparing a list of questions as a guideline would help. Some questions to ask – qualification of staff, discipline approaches, teacher to student ratio.

3. Visiting the school with Shamindra will help us see how the staff interacts with him and his reaction. Observing the teachers with their kids in a classroom setting will also give us a first-hand look at how classes are conducted.

What are the other factors you look at when choosing a preschool? Any preschool that you highly recommend and why?

Our precious little ones....

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

Double the fun...

Our two-year-old Shamindra...

He’s a busy one; exploding with energy. He’s just now mastered the art of kicking and jumping and can’t seem to get enough of it. He loves playing with towers of blocks, stacking them up and building them into ‘playgrounds’ and ‘houses’. 

Our busy builder...

Shamindra is a budding conversationalist; he’s asking questions and picking up even more words than ever before. Some of his favourite questions – “What’s that sound?” or “Where did that come from?” Parents who are responsive help their little ones learn language and gain knowledge at the same time.

He recognizes the names of familiar people, objects, and body parts; he can point to most familiar objects when we name them; follows simple instructions; and sorts objects by shapes and colours.

Our five-year-old Ayanna...

Our budding fashionista

Ayanna is a budding Picasso- she loves her art and craft. She’s also quite a chatter box who loves to tell stories (especially fairy ones), asks questions and loves to tell jokes. The how and why of the way things work fascinate her. Her sense of humour is maturing too. Her vocabulary continues to expand and she can pronounce words clearly. Talking and reading with her have really helped with her language skills.

Physically she’s making great strides exploring different sports at school. These days she’s teaching me about soccer and rugby. Her large and small motor skills are advancing which makes swimming lessons perfect right now.

 

Daddy's home....

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

A welcome party for Daddy- a special tea party indeed.

The laughter is a little louder; the tickles are a little harder. The kids are thrilled. The calendar is done. The smiles are wider....

That's because Daddy's home...

 

Potty Training Update!

Posted by: Sharmila Rajah Post(s) by this blogger

No more diapers for me...

Yeah Yeah! We’re jumping for joy! We can confirm it – Shamindra is potty-trained! We are excited and so is he because these days he’s one of the Big Guys wearing his underwear, which is a great incentive to stay dry.

He rushes to the potty; is able to undress himself (sometimes he requires assistance of course) before using the portable potty. We are very proud indeed. We have even ventured out on short trips to the playground and park without his pull-ups or training pants. We still get Shamindra into his pull-up pants for longer trips.

We know accidents are inevitable…

Toilet training can be challenging for parents and children. Temporary setbacks are completely normal and virtually every child will have several accidents before being able to stay dry all day long. It’s only recently that a child’s muscle development has allowed him to hold his bladder and rectum closed at all, and he's still learning why it's important to use the potty. mastering the process takes time.

When accidents happen is advisable to stay positive, loving and caring. Suggest gently that next time he/ she is to try to use the potty instead.

Next up: nighttime training...