Little Red Bus, Blog

Daddy's First Few Decisions...

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +0000

I think the first decisions we made after staring at the stick, were:

Where are we going to have the baby?
Who is going to help us deliver it?
How much (OH GOD) is all of these going to cost?

To a certain extent, most of these answers were dictated by our insurance and health policies, nevertheless, we still had a range of options to consider. I did however, make sure I gave my wife 52% of the votes. After all, the ultimate decision really affects her more than me. She's the womb-woman.

Naturally we had to choose a hospital, and there aren't that many other options here in Singapore. We then had to choose a Gynae who would be able to birth at our choice of hospital.

Natural vs. Medicated
Men, this is where we actually have got to listen to the woman when she explains. It's a lot more complicated than mere pushing. In recent years, giving birth "naturally" - without drugs, pain medication, or any medical intervention has become all the rage. However, just because it is popular, doesn't mean it is the best option for every woman.

Labour and delivery are going to be an painful experience, for both you and her (okay, more for her), so whichever way you go, make sure the decision is well thought over.

That said, be flexible. You may both be planning for a natural birth, but conditions could develop that necessitate intervention, or the use of medication. Make sure you are able to judge what is best for your family when the moment comes.

OBGYN Shopping
Besides their certifications, most gynaes share little in common. From experience, I've learnt that most practice with their own set of values and opinions. So before you set your huge chunk of savings down on one, make sure he/she reflects your values, and paycheck.

Here's a bunch of questions you might want to put in front of your proposed gynae:

At which hospitals do they deliver?
How often are the checkups, and what are their routines?
When and what are their 'special checkups'?
What are their C-section policies?
Episiotomy?
How much can the father be involved in this process?
Fees

Really, there's lots more you'd ask, and ask away. Having a baby isn't cheap. Even if you have good policies and Medisave stocked up. It's a good idea to start counting how much you'd have to fork out in cash for the delivery and start figuring out now how you are going to pay for the rest of it, like University, and Gucci shoes.

Most doctors charge a flat fee for your wife's care during the pregnancy. This generally covers her visits for the 2nd and 3rd trimester. BUT don't make the mistake of thinking that that's all you'll pay. They charge you separately to prick your wife's veins and de-blood her, for her pee tests, ultrasounds, and so forth. Bet you'd never thought you'd have to pay someone to accept your wife's pee.

On top of these, you'd also have to pay for her hospital stay. If you have sufficient Medisave, you'd be able to offset it after the delivery, but you'd still need the cash to pay first. If your partner ends up having a C-section, all bets are off.

It's expensive as it is a major surgery. Add in the longer hospital stay +medication + bandages + baby care, etc, you'd easily top 20k. Yes, you read right. That alone made me religious overnight.

Cheers!
- Jeremy

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Jeremy- An Introduction

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

When my wife and I got pregnant with our first child, I was probably the happiest I've ever been. The pregnancy, labour, and the baby's birth was a time of incredible closeness, tenderness, and passion. It seemed only natural that the process of sharing parenting should begin during the pregnancy.

However, since neither of us had had children before, we were both rather ill-prepared for pregnancy. Fortunately, for my wide, there were literally hundreds of thousands of books and blogs designed to educate, share, encourage, support, and comfort women during their pregnancies. They seemed to have forgotten that I too (speaking for the other fathers, too), was expecting! Very strangely, I began noticing that the pregnancy was bringing out feelings and emotions I didn't understand.

To make things worse, my wife and I were the first couple in our group of close friends to get pregnant, which meant that there was no one else I could talk to about what I was going through, no one who could re-assure me that what I was feeling was normal and all right.

I began turning to the Internet (it's rare that I find time to hit the libraries) for answers. I was shocked to discover that men's emotional response to pregnany is no less varied than women's; expectant fathers feel everything from relief to deinal, fear to frustration, anger to joy. And for anywhere from 22 to 79 percent of men, there are physical symptoms of pregnancy as well. Someone ought to tell us these more loudly!!

It's a given that in our society, we value motherhood more than fatherhood, and we automatically assume the issues of childbirth and child-rearing are women's issues. I've learnt though, this simply is not the case.

And so, I begin my journey with you here on Little Red Bus. I don't quite know how long or short will I last, but I'm here to stay as long as I've something left in my Little Black (Manly) Book. You will probably see much of me in early January, while I cover the new bride's blogging routine. (P.S.: Congrats, Ann) and watch me fade away as I return to the strong corporate currents.

I'm not much of a blogger (thus the lack of my blogging URL), but I'd be happy to retaliate to any comments you might have, I'd be happy to remain anonymous (even the wife doesn't know about my stint here) as long as I can.

I sure hope you'll be enjoying my little input, leave me lots of comments, I'd love to hear your thoughts (oh yee opinionated ones).

P.S.: You'd probably notice much of my posts are pre-posted. Don't get all judgmental on me now, the corporate glare is laser sharp.

Cheers!
- Jeremy

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#101: Every Child Should Have a Dream for the Future

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +0000

and an adult who believes in that dream!

Games for Kids: Paper-bag Head

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Your child will have fun seeing the world in a whole new way, with a paper bag over his head!

Materials:

Large paper bag
Table
Felt tip pens, crayons, stickers, and other items to decorate the bag
Scissors

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Problem solving
Self-awareness
Sensory awareness
Spatial relationships

What to Do:

Lay a paper bag flat on a table with the flap facing down.
Have your child colour and decorate the bag to make a human head, monster head, robot head, and so on.
Cut eyeholes in the bag.
Let your child walk around the house or yard with the bag over his head, looking out through the eyeholes.
Ask him what it's like to walk around with a paper-bag head!

Variation:
To make the game more challenging, place the bag over your child's head without cutting eyeholes. Watch him carefully as he walks around, since he can only see down.

Caution!
Make sure the area is clear of dangerous items, and watch your child closely as he moves through the house or yard.

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Games for Kids: Object Outline

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Can your child tell what an object is by looking at its outline? Find out with this fun games!

Materials:

Several objects with well-defined outlines such as cookie cutter, fork, ball, action figure, shoe, toy car, pencil, toothbrush, and so on.
Construction or drawing paper
Fine felt tip pen
Paper bag

Learning Skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Language and vocabulary development
Mental imagery
Problem solving/deductive reasoning
Social interaction

What to Do:

Select several items that have well-defined outlines.
Place each item on a separate sheet of paper and draw its outline with a fine felt tip pen.
Gather the outlines in a pile and place the items in a paper bag.
Call your child into the room.
Show her the first outline and have her guess the item. Give her hints if necessary.
After she guesses correctly, pull the item out of the bag and place it on the outline!
Repeat for the remaining items.

Variation:
After your child guesses the item, have her draw the details into the outline.Or, have your child draw the outlines for you to guess.

Caution!
Make sure to use items that are safe to handle.

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Games for Kids: Noisemaker

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Children love to make noises, and your child will have fun guessing what noise you make!

Materials:

Noise making objects
Table or floor
Blindfold (optional)
Tape recorder and tape (optional)
Quiet room

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Listening/sound discrimination
Mental imagery
Social interaction

What to Do:

Sit with your child at a table or on the floor in a quiet room and ask him to listen carefully. Blindfold him or have him close his eyes so he cannot see what you do.
Make the sound of one of the items on your list.
Ask your child to guess the item. Give him hints if necessary.
Repeat with the rest of the sounds.

Variation:
Cut out pictures to match the sounds, spread them on the floor or table, and let your child match the sound to the picture. Or, have him take a turn making sounds for you to guess.

Caution!
Avoid loud sounds that might startle your child or hurt his eyes.

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#100: Every Child Should Have the Opportunity to "Kid-Out"

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Games for Kids: No Hands!

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Your child is becoming quite skilled at using her hands, so give her a task where she can't use them and see how she solves the problem!

Materials:

Supplies for a task such as a washcloth to wash her face, sock to put on her foot, sandwich to eat, and so on.

Learning skills:

Cause and effect
Cognitive/thinking skills
Creativity and imagination
Gross motor development
Problem solving
Self-awareness/body image

What to Do:

Choose a challenging yet manageable task that your child can perform without her hands.
Let her figure out how to complete the task. She might use her teeth, her feet, her head, and so on.
Watch her carefully as she figures out the various problems, praising her as she solves each part of the challenge!
When she finishes, have her clap and yell, "Look, Mom, no hands!"

Variation:
Have your child put her arms behind her back. Sit behind her and slip your arms into her arm spaces. Have her perform a task using your hands instead of hers by explaining what needs to be done!

Caution!
Make sure the task isn't too difficult and watch that she doesn't do anything dangerous to solve her problem.

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#99: Every Child Should Learn the Value of Money

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:21:00 +0000

WW: Baby's 5 Days of Christmas

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:40:00 +0000

Games for Kids: Make a Chain

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Have your child make a colourful paper chain to count off the days before a special event!

Materials:

Coloured construction paper cut into 1 by 4 inch strips.
Scissors
Felt tip pens or stickers
Calendar
Tape or glue

Learning skills:

Cognitve/thinking skills
Fine motor development
Math/counting skills
Mental imagery

What to Do:

Choose a special calendar date such as a holiday or your child's birthday.
Help your child count the number of days until the special event.
Cut out this number of paper strips. Make sure to add one for the special day.
Label the special-day strip and number the rest in ascending order beginning with 1.
Show your child how to make chain links by looping the special day strip to form a ring, then gluing or taping the ends together.
Select the strip labeled 1 and run it through the special day link before taping the ends together.
Continue connecting the numbered strips in ascending order.
Have your child remove the highest-numbered link each day by tearing the strip in half. He will always know how many days remain until the special event!

Variation:
Make a candy or cereal necklace and let your child eat one item each day.

Caution!
Tape is easier than glue for this project. Always be careful with scissors around your child.

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Games for Kids: Magic Letters

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

With a little imagination, your child will enjoy turning ordinary alphabet letters into magical pictures.

Materials:

Table
Pad of drawing paper
Felt tip pens or crayons

Learning Skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Creativity and imagination
Eye-hand coordination
Fine motor development
Language and vocabulary development
Pre-reading skills
Pre-writing skills
Social interaction

What to Do:

Sit at a table with your child.
Ask her to name a letter of the alphabet.
Write the letter in large print in the middle of the paper.
Slide the paper over to her and have her transform the letter into a funny picture of an animal, design, or other object.
Select another letter, another repeat.

Variation:
Select a number or other symbol and have your child turn it into a funny picture!

Caution!
Make the letter big enough to allow plenty of room for your child's creativity.

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Games for Kids: I Can Chart!

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Help your child appreciate how many things he can do by making an "I CAN!" chart that highlights his accomplishments each week.

Materials:

Poster board
Ruler
Felt tip pens
Stickers or stars

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Fine and gross motor development
Problem solving
Self-awareness/self-esteem

What to Do:

Make the chart by drawing grid lines on a piece of poster board.
Write "I CAN!" at the top.
Down the left side, list several tasks your child can already do such as "Brush my teeth," "Get myself dressed," Feed the dog," and so on.
Each week, add a new task that your child has accomplished. Review all the items occasionally so your child can appreciate his achievements!

Variation:
List the new tasks you want your child to accomplish in the future help his work toward those goals. Each time he succeeds, add the item to his "I CAN!" chart.

Caution!
Try to find at least one task per week that your child has accompanied, even if it's something small. Every major achievement begins with a small step!

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Games for Kids: Hands and Feet

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Your child can tell her hands from her feet, but can she tell her handprints from her footprints? She'll have fun following the Hands and Feet path!

Materials:

Construction paper
Felt-tip pen
Scissors
Double-stick tape

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Fine and gross motor development
Problem solving
Self-awareness
Spatial relationships

What to Do:

Using a felt tip pen, draw outlines of your child's hands and bare feet on construction paper. Cut out the outlines to make handprints and footprints.
Make several duplicates of the prints.
Place double-stick tape on the backs of the prints.
Stick them to the floor, forming a path from one end of the room to the other.
Have your child place her foot on the first footprint on her hand on the first handprint. Make sure she selects the appropriate side- left or right- as required.
Have her continue along the path, placing her hands and feet on the appropriate prints, until she reaches the end!

Variation:
To make the game more challenging, place the prints farther apart.

Caution!
In the first game, make sure the prints are close enough for your child to reach easily.

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#98: Every Child Should Learn About Their Family's History

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:19:00 +0000

Games for Kids: Flea Circus

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Take a trip to the Flea Circus for a creative game that enhances your child's imagination!

Materials:

Construction paper
Scissors
Felt tip pens
Table or floor
Imaginary fleas

Learning Skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Creativity and imagination
Fine motor development
Social interaction

What to Do:

Cut out three large circles from construction paper to form your three-ring circus.
Place the circles on a table or floor near each other.
Sit with your child facing the circus rings.
tell him that this is a flea circus, and the performers are so tiny you can hardly see them!
To stimulate your child's imagination, use your finger to point out the different flea acts. For example, you might say, "Here comes the flea lion and over there is the flea tamer. Now watch the flea lion jump through the hoop! Wow, he made it! The flea tamer is giving the lion a snack for doing such a good job! Keep moving your finger as you describe the performances so your child can follow along in his imagination.
Let him tell you what else is happening at the flea circus, using his finger to point out different acts.

Variation:
Create other miniature events and have your child imagine what's happening.

Caution!
If your child becomes confused or frustrated, remind him it's only make-believe.

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Games for Kids: Finger Golf

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Your child's fingers are getting better and better at following her commands by 6 years. She'll enjoy her manual dexterity with a fun game of Finger Golf!

Materials:

Large play area
Ping-Pong balls or golf balls
6 sheets of green construction paper
Scissors
Black felt-tip pen
Double-stick tape

Learning skills:

Cause and effect
Cognitive/thinking skills
Eye-hand coordination
Fine motor development
Math/counting skills
Problem solving
Social interaction

What to Do:

Find a large area for playing.
Make golf course greens by rounding pieces of green construction paper with scissors.
Number each green and draw a hole in the middle of each one about three inches in diameter.
Position the greens around the room in consecutive order a few feet apart.
Secure the greens to the floor with double-stick tape.
Place double-stick tape on each hole to catch the ball.
Place your golf or Ping Pong balls a few feet from the first hole.
Take turns using your fingers to swing at the balls and move them toward the first hole.
Take turns pushing the ball toward the hole until you both reach it.
Repeat with the other holes.

Variation:
Set up a peewee gold course in the back yard for fun gross motor development. Use plastic clubs and balls and be creative designing holes.

Caution!
Be careful not to flick your finger too hard- it can hurt!

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Games for Kids: Feely Bags

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Preschool-age children learn a great deal with their senses. Help develop your child's sense of touch with a game of Feely Bags.

Materials:

6 to 8 paper bags
6 to 8 items to feel such as a sponge, ball of clay, handful of rubber bands, sheet of sandpaper, sticky candy, glob of Slim, package bow, flower, and so on...
Floor or table

Learning Skills:

Classification skills
Cognitive/thinking skills
Language and vocabulary
Mental imagery
Sensory awareness
Social interaction

What to Do:

Place each item in a paper bag and fold the top.
Place the bags on the floor or table between you and your child.
Have him choose a bag, open the top, and stick his hand inside without looking.
Instead of asking him to name the item, ask him to describe how the item feels in as much detail as possible.
When he finishes his description, you should try to guess the item.
Have your child remove the item from the bag to see if you were right!
Continue playing with the other bags.

Variation:
Have your child collect thins for your to feel and describe, so he can guess!

Caution!
Choose items that can be handled safely.

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Games for Kids: Face It

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Have fun mixing up facial parts to create funny-looking people, then have your child try to restore the faces to their original appearance.

Materials:

Magazines with large pictures of faces
Scissors
Glue or tape
Construction paper

Learning Skills:

Classification skills
Cognitive/thinking skills
Fine motor development
Mental imagery
Problem solving
Self-awareness/self-image

What to Do:

Cut out large faces from magazines.
Cut out the eyes, noses, and mouths, and separate these into piles.
Glue or tape the remaining facial parts to pieces of construction papers.
Next, place the wrong eyes, noses, and mouths on the various faces.
Have your child looks at the funny faces you made!
Ask her if she can figure out what parts belong to what face.
Have her rearrange the facial features until they're restored to their original appearances.
Glue on the parts to make the faces complete again.

Variation:
Let your child take a turn selecting and mixing up the face parts for you.

Caution:
Handle scissors carefully.

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#97: Every Child Should Experience The Beauty of Nature

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:16:00 +0000

Games for Kids: Draw to Music

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

It's relaxing to draw to music. It's also educational and gives your child the opportunity to express himself in different ways.

Materials:

Music
Drawing pad
Felt tip pens or crayons

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Creativity and imagination
Emotional expression
Self-awareness/self-esteem
Social interaction

What to Do:

Turn on the music and tell him to draw whatever comes to mind!
When the music changes, have your child turn the page and begin a new drawing inspired by the different music.
Mix up his pictures and rewind the tape. Play it back and see if he can remember which picture goes with which type of music.
Have him to talk about what the different types of music makes him feel like.

Variation:
Make a tape with other sounds that are not necessarily musical such as engine running, water flowing, etc...

Caution!
Don't play anything too depressing or difficult to follow.

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Games for Kids: Colour Calls

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Your child is learning how symbols express meaning with gestures, language, and pre-writing skills. She'll have fun expressing meaning with colours!

Materials:

1 sheet each of red, blue, yellow, and green construction paper
Felt tip pens or crayons (optional)
Large play area

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Gross motor development
Mental imagery
Social interaction

What to Do:

Explain to your child that each time you hold up a colour, she must perform a task associated with the colour. For example, if you hold up a red paper, she must jump, blue; she must run, etc..
Have your child stand in the middle of the play area, and play.

Variation:
Add more colours and more tasks to make the game more challenging.

Caution:
Go slowly at first so your child doesn't get tired too quickly.

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Games for Kids: Clockworks

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Look for an old clock or other mechanical device tucked away in the garage or attic. Your child will have fun finding out what makes it tick!

Materials:

Old clock, or other mechanical device that can be taken apart safely.
Table or floor
Screwdriver and other simple tools

Learning skills:

Cause and effect
Cognitive/thinking skills
Fine motor development
Language and vocabulary development
Problem solving
Social interaction

What to Do:

Find an old clock or buy one at a local thrift shop.
Place it on a table or floor.
Give your child a screwdriver and a few other simple tools.
As him to take apart the clock.
Have him try to figure out how to do it. Provide clues if necessary.
When the parts are removed, discuss what they do and how the clock works.

Variation:
Have your child try to put the clock together again, or select another simple device for him to take apart.

Caution!
Make sure he's careful with the tools and sharp edges.

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Games for Kids: Bling Walk

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Take your child on a Blind Walk so she can gain a new perspective on her world!

Materials:

Nature area
Blindfold (optional)

Learning skills:

Cognitive/thinking skills
Mental imagery
Problem solving
Sensory awareness
Social interaction
Spatial awareness

What to Do:

Find a nature area to explore together.
Tell your child to keep her eyes closed and trust you. A blindfold would work best, if she is willing.
Have her hold your hand as you walk.
Encourage her hold your hand as well.
Stop along the path occasionally and have her touch a tree, rock, flower, and so on.
Have her describe what she feels and guess what it might be. Tell her if she's right!
Keep walking, making sure your child is comfortable, and have her perceive all the things around her without using her sense of sight.

Variation:
Let your child lead you on a Blind Walk, but remind her to avoid dangerous objects.

Caution!
Watch out for anything that might hurt or startle her.

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Games for Kids: All Mixed Up

ann@little-red-bus.com (Little Red Bus) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Your child is becoming more logical, so play a game of All Mixed Up to see if he can figure out what's wrong.

Materials:

Several items that go together such as the ingredients of a sandwich, articles of an outfit, pieces of a puzzle, and so on.

Learning skills:

Cause and effect
Cognitive/thinking skills
Language and vocabulary development
Problem solving
Social interaction

What to Do:

Gather the necessary items for an activity.
Begin the activity, but do something that isn't right and see if your child notices. For example, if you make a sandwich, say, "First spread the bread on the peanut butter."
He should say, "That's all mixed up!"
Continue working on the task, doing some things right, and some things wrong. Encourage him to catch you when you make mistakes.
Let your child take a turn mixing things up and see if you can catch him!

Variation:
Tell a story and get it all mixed up. Have your child tell you what's wrong and see if he can remember how the story goes.

Caution!
If you child is confused, or frustrated, provide lots of clues and encouragement.

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