Barney and Friends are coming to Singapore for an exciting Space Adventure this September! Be sure to catch your favourite purple dinosaur in action in the all-new live musical. Educational, light-hearted and entertaining, this delightful musical packs in a solid hour of learning and excitement.

When:

• Thursday, 9th September: 7.30 pm
• Friday, 10th September: 4 pm
• Saturday and Sunday, 11th & 12th September: 11am, 2pm and 5pm

Venue:

• Singapore Expo Hall 2

Ticketing:

• Standard – $78, $65, $45, $38, $28

Free admission for infant in arms and child below the age of 2!

For more information, visit the Sistic website.

Replies:

Shirley Soh Sally
my hubby always try to into new cartoons to the boys..at 1st they may throw temper, but after dat they juz simply stuck wif the new shows..

Pauline Ng
that’s nothing… my girl will replay and replay again and again her favourite.. for the past 7 yrs..

Rebecca 静敏
i face the same problem. my 2+ goin to 3 gal. love to watch tamil show. she dun allow others to switch the ch. she will make a big fuss n throw big tantrum. need help too! =(

Audree Too
Yes my boy will watch e same movie everyday. Now he is hook on “transformer” .. Will let him watch other movie, will have to let him be cause no point fighting .. Anyway that’s the only way to let him do his own things… Maybe I’m wrong but no point letting him cry and scream

Eileen Tan
No worries. Take the opportunity to widen his knowledge. For eg. introduce him to books on Marine Life (Tell him “Nemo is a Clown Fish, XX is a sea turtle…oh there are many species of sea turtle and so many different types of marine life!” ), things in the Ocean etc etc

Sioyan Ng
Will watch another together with my 2 kids…. after all the laughing, then mention to them that there a lot of good shows they that will miss if not watching them….

Yeap Hoi Ting
My daughter has variety choices of movies. First, we introduce her the movie, once she familiar with it, then we introduce her the book. This helps her in reading and comprehension too.

Phylicia Yang
I watched the same English movie for 5 yrs every day n I turned out ok. N every day at the sad part I cry & I can memorize everyone’s lines. Abit weird but everyone has different things they are hooked onto. Dun worry, if u dun like finding nemo, intro a new movie.. Anyway finding nemo is educational so no worries..

Donna Wongi
watched the same english movie for dunno how many years everytime when i have nothing to do .. i’m ok too

Lynn Lim Choo

just let him watch as many times as he likes as long as it’s not violent and it does not involve too much fighting scene

Lishan Chong

i dun think it is a big issue….my kids were stuck on ‘babies can read’…then for a long time ‘barney cd’…i then try to intro leap from cds to them …n now hooked!..give him time….can try to intro other cd or dvds…dun b too stress on tat..ha..now my kids dun like watching anymore!

Lishan Chong

i meant that do not like watching barneys anymore!

Michelle Tan

How about bring the boy to the movie? But before that, tell him that there are other nice shows and would like him to accompany mummy to go and watch. Slowly introduce new shows to him.

William Chang

In the olde days VHS tape will wear out & koyak. Now with DVD… no chance hahaha

Rita William

You’re so right William! That’s how I got rid of many of my boys’ old cartoons and introduced new ones to them.

Christy Ylk

 Children are still children. My children are also like that. They will watch the show until the tape spoils. To introduce new ones to them is so simple. Bring them to theater or cinema or television where they have an introduction of the show on screen. Children are easily influenced by what they see and through their friends. Don’t worry. It’s normal for children to be like that.:)

Roziah Barik

Dont worry so much… why are you in hurry for children to grow up? Let them savor their childhood while they still can. Children are already so stressed up having to cope with spelling at K1… give them a life and some space to breathe.

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My son (age eight), ignores me whenever I come home from work. I try to talk to him about his day and school, etc during dinner or spend time alone with him on weekend, but he does not like to talk to me. He responds only in yes or no. He is okay with his siblings and my wife, but he just does not want to talk to me. I don’t know what to do. Please advice.

Answers from theAsianparent community

Anlinna Lim : Maybe u haf offended him in some ways? Maybe he is unhappy on something u promise but din fulfill? Have some deep thots. U can get ur wife to sound him out.

Mary.m Shysta : First of all kudos for making the effort of trying to talk to your children.  Maybe its his personality to be on the reserved side. Take him out, spend the day with just him and him alone. Show him that u can be the fun daddy as well as the daddy who needs to work to earn for the family. Do it many times, sometimes bring his other siblings along. … Do the same with his other siblings as well.

My hubby and I ensure we each have alone time with each of our children as and when we can. It made us understand each other better on a higher level.

Khairudin Abdul Kadir : communication is key in every relationship. both u and ur son need to be honest with each other, respect each other, apologise when needed, compliment him in front of people.

Ashlee Chua : I always believe that fathers are sons role model. Did you do something wrong that hurt him that makes him lose respect of you?

Lynn Lim Choo : try asking different questions, maybe he doesn’t likes the questions you are asking or ask in different way.

Joy Bea Lee : probably yr tone of voice ?  try to have fun with him, and blend into his world. Probably he will open to you then … make him feel comfortable … u’ve gotta look at things from his point of view too

Eileen Tan : Bring your boy out for some outdoor activities such as cycling, badminton, playground, play catching…after the activities, have a hearty meal together (must be your boy’s favourite food). He will talk non-stop to you while eating!

Aira Mokhtar : be his best friend.

Ava Azlin D’ Rossi : Well congrats for making an effort! When I was growing up, my dad rarely made the effort to bond with me and its dragged on till this very day (I’m 27 btw). Find an activity that he likes to do (eg:indoor or outdoor) Make a full day once a week, available for him and yourself to have a dad and son thing.u can start by asking open ended questions … eand then tell him a couple of things u used to do as a kid that relates to him. Of cos the ben and jerry’s does work pretty well with this idea. gd luck!

Steph Loke : maybe d bond isn’t there since young? need time to build up
instead o asking him abt sch, talk to him abt his hobbies, his fav band…
ya, being a fren. male bonding helps. all d best

Aisha Ghafar : Find out what he likes and do it together. Take the xtra step in fulfilling his dreams. Eg, he likes drawing, get him THE pencil colours that he had always wanted. and then sit and draw with him. kids are kids. no harm in a small kinda ‘bribery’ but you gotta follow up with time spent too. he’ll appreciate you.

Annabel Chua : try spending more time with him, bring him out often and have some quality father & son private time. Most importantly, keep your promise if you had promised him something, otherwise, the trust he built on you will be destroyed

Samantha Yeap : VIDEO GAMES!!!! Try playing a two player game together. Mario-Kart Wii is a good one to start with.

Candy Chee : b playful… omit the school things.. they had enuf from school liao…

Shirley Soh Sally : yah i agree wif samantha & candy..prob he juz wanna haf fun wif u ba..skool stuff juz bore him out

TheAsianParent : Hi Dad – I think it’s great that you are trying to reach out to your son!  Like what some of the other parents are suggesting, I think you should try to have a heart to heart with him, and ask him if daddy has done anything to upset him. Also, reassure him that you love him no matter what, and do not be afraid to apologise if he feels you have hurt him in some way.

Also, try to engage in a topic he might be interested in – soccer perhaps?  Good luck! Please keep us posted on the progress!

Rita William : If yr son is upset with you over something then you need to talk to him to clear the air. If you have not spent time with him since young but now realise you want to, then give him time to get used to that. Maybe you can check with your wife if she knows why he’s not talking to you – she most probably will know the answer.

Patricia Alvisse : Have a heart to heart talk with him, tell him that you are not only a dad to him but a friend. Pray for guidance and wisdom from God. God bless

Christy Ylk : My son too seldom talks to his father. He always calls me to be his middle person to convey messages. He is fearful because his father is very strict to him even though his father spends time with him. To be near to our children, we need to build a strong relationship with them. We need to know their likes and dislikes, understand and feel together… what they are going through in their life. What I usually do is to hug them and kiss their forehead as they begin their day and before they go to sleep. I believe as I do that, in the middle of the day as they face the storms of their life, they will remember of my presence being with them. Spending time and talking to children are not enough. They need your love, care, understanding and help as they grow up. I believe you can overcome your problem. Give him and yourself some time. Relationship does not build up over night but progressively. Cheer up!

Dyerra Sherry : spend more time with him..try to do things he do like his hobbies, and get yrself involved in it with him, frm der slowly talk things with him as a ‘fren’, hopefully he’s open his heart to finally realised ur a gd dad & u loves him:)

Chuyan Kwek : Recommend you to read the book ‘The five love languages of children” by Gary Chapman.

 Andy Ang : I am also a dad, a teacher. Maybe talk to wife and other kids to help you, dun do this alone. You need support. Find his likes and dislikes. Do not over-indulge, but spend time with him and be sincere in complimenting him. Worked with special needs kids before and kids with low self-esteem. Your boy may be sensitive to certain remarks or acts that you might have done. You forgot. He didn’t. The baggage may still be on his shoulder. Jiayou, and good luck.

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For more replies or if you have a burning question you’d like to ask, become a fan on our Facebook fan page and post up your question here!

Become a Registered Member. It’s Free

You can get more helpful information when you’re a registered member of theAsianparent! In addition to our awesome Singapore parenting related articles, you will also receive our weekly newsletters delivered to your in-box. Be the first to hear about new free offers and member-only specials!

The event will include 8 different stations for boxing, table tennis, basketball, fencing and more. Families will get a chance to have a first-hand experience with the sports played at the YOG, and spend some time with the family at the same time.There will even be a one-hour live boxing demonstration on both days of the event.

Event: “Let’s Play!” Sports Carnival @ City Square Mall

Date: 17 and 18 July 2010

Time: 12pm to 8pm

Venue: City Square Mall
Fountain Square Basement 1
180 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208539

Admission/Tickets: Free

For more information or enquiries, visit the website at www.citysquaremall.com.sg.

Almost half of the children’s “earnings” are rewards (or bribe) for good behaviour, more than thirty percent are for doing household chores and the rest are for getting good grades in school or helping care for the family pet. The findings of this survey show us the important role that children play in our economy. Experts say that today’s generation is handling more money than the generations before them. So if you want your kids to behave, then make sure your pockets are loaded.

Is it right for us to give our children money just so they’ll behave well? What other ways can we use to motivate our kids to be well-behaved?

Z1 Pro-Fencing.com

On the 30th of July, witness a thrilling fight to the finish among the world’s top fencers with the world premiere of the Z1 Pro-Fencing World Series™! Dubbed “Duel at the Marina”, the event will feature the world’s best fencers, including the Beijing Olympic 2008 gold and silver medalists – Germany’s Benjamin Kleibrink and Yuki Ota from Japan.

Something special will be happening as well – your children have a chance to take part in the action! The event, held at the glitzy Marina Bay Sands, proceeds on the 31^st of July with an international fencing gala for the young. The Z1 International Youth Fencing Gala for boys and girls falls in three age groups, aiming to give the young an opportunity to pit their skills against the world’s best.

In conjunction with the event, the “Discover a Young Fencing Star Workshop” will be held, part of the ongoing plans to realise Singapore’s call for Olympic level sporting excellence. The outreach initiative, conducted by German Olympic medalist Ralf Bissdorf, aims at introducing fencing to the young with no former fencing experience. This is in line with Z Fencing’s strategy to get youths involved in such sports from an early age, allowing more time for honing the young into refined and skilled sportspersons.

Details:
Participants aged 8 – 14 years with no former fencing experience

Structure:
Preliminary selection rounds:

1) 10 & 11 July at Orchard Central

• 1pm to 3pm
• 4pm to 6pm.

2) 17 & 18 July at United Square

• 11am to 1pm
• 4pm to 6pm

1 winning boy & girl will be identified at each session. The pair will progress to the finals on 18 July at United Square. The final winning pair will get the chance to fence the Champion on the night of 30 July.

Each 2hr session includes:

• Introduction to fencing history
• Rules of engagement
• Basic attack and defence
• Fencing bouts

For Registration, please call 6352 6010 or e-mail fence@zfencing.com.

About Z-Fencing:
Z-Fencing was established in 1993 by Singapore’s top fencers and an Olympian, and has since expanded to become the largest fencing club in Singapore, owning 4 studios and teaching 700 private students. Their aim has been to develop real sporting talent in preparation for

For more information, visit www.z1pro-fencing.com.

As a teacher, I’ve had my fair share of parents who like to complain about homework. They think that I just want to give them a hard time. I know that with the responsibilities that they have it’s easy to think that way. But believe me when I say that most teachers only have your children’s best interests in mind when they assign homework.

For kids to have a healthy regard for homework, parents have to show their children that they see all homework as important. Here are a few guidelines to help you do this:

1. Look for a place where you and your kids can do homework. Make sure that it is a place that is free of any distractions so that they can fully concentrate on doing homework. Supplies and other necessary equipment should be found within this place so that no time will be wasted just for finding them.

2. Set a regular schedule for homework. This is very helpful especially for young children as they are a stickler for schedules. Choose a time that would really work out for you and your kids. If both parents are working, then it would definitely be after office hours. But if only one parent is working, then one parent can do homework time right after your children has had their afternoon nap.

3. Always be enthusiastic about your children’s education. You cannot expect them to be excited about doing school work at home if they see you showing no interest in what they do at all. Ask them about the things that they do in school and help them enumerate the new things that they learn each day.

4. Try to regularly visit your children’s teacher so you will know their progress and the areas in which they need to improve on. Attend school activities so your children will see that you are genuinely interested in their education.

Having an interest in your children’s education is important but it is not the only thing that matters. You also need to have access to a wide range of resources that will enable you to effectively and efficiently assist your children when they do their homework.

Below are websites that can help as you teach your children at home:

Starfall.com

This is a free phonics program that will make reading really fun and easy for your kids.

MES English

Provides free phonics materials for parents.

Sparkle Box

Contains more than a thousand materials that you can use for your preschool and primary kids. It has sections for literacy and numeracy.

Grammarman

This site uses comics to help kids learn English.

Discovery Education
Discovery has several helpful sites for parents like you:

Math Homework by Discovery Education

It contains resources that will help kids master the basics of Maths.

Science Homework Help by Discovery Education

Here you will find lots of resources that will help students visualize science concepts that they learn in class.

Science Buddies

Offers free resources for parents that will help them encourage their children to be more interested in Science.

Webtots

Contains fun and educational games for your toddlers.

Pauly’s Playhouse

Another website that contains fun and educational activities for your kids.

Silly Books

Animated books, songs and activities that will help increase literacy in children ages 8 and up.

Art Attack

This site shows fact sheets of art projects featured in the Art Attack television series.

National Geographic Kids

Contains stories, games, videos and activities that will help your children learn about various topics.

As parents, you naturally think you are aware of the activities being conducted online by your kids.  Well, you should think twice. According to the Norton Online Family Report 2010, which was released this week, statistics have revealed that 73% of Singaporean kids have had negative online experiences. In the meanwhile, only 36% of parents say they always know what their child looks at online. 3 out of 10 children actually say their parents have no idea what they are doing.

The Web has become the new ‘playground’ for cybercriminals. Parents now have to monitor their kids 2 different lives – their ‘real’ lives as well as their ‘online’ lives. The study also showcased a 13% increase of kids reporting exposure to porn or violent content, showing increase accessibility to explicit content. To make the picture even more horrifying, up to 57% of children have had strangers try to add them on social networking sites and 1 in 4 have met an online stranger who has tried to meet them in the ‘real world’.

What can you do as parents?

It isn’t a hopeless case, so fret not! Norton Online Family Service is a tool you can use to keep internet surfing fun and safe for the family. The programme permits you to keep your kids safe without compromising on their privacy. It allows parents to block unwanted content, set clear rules and also provides an account of the social networking sites that your children visit. The best part about it is that parents can access it from any computer to check your kid’s activity.

Besides using these tools as add-ons, parents need to do their part by showing an interest in your child’s online activities and their lives too. Try to create a comfortable and honest relationship with your child such that they can come to you when something goes wrong. Do not punish them when things go wrong as this will deter them from coming to you the next time they have a problem. As with everything else, the best solution is a combination of factors. In this case, combination of technology (Norton Online Family Service) and talking openly about issues with your child (Parenting 101) should ensure your kids have a positive online experience.

The award-winning Norton Online Family Service, available free of charge in 25 languages, gives parents insight into their kids’ lives online.

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This Kinderland branch @ SP moved from its former location deep within the SP campus, to its current site in 2007, to allow easier access to the centre. The newer centre consists of a group of blocks, each dedicated to an individual level. Gates outside each building also ensure that the kids are incapable of wandering off without the careful supervision of their teachers. Within the compound lies an alfresco dining area, so that children can have their meals in the fresh air within a large grassy area, where the outdoor playground, fitness corner and sand pit lie.

The centre offers a comprehensive education for the little tots, in order to prepare them for their Primary school lives. As such, the children have scheduled lessons for Mathematics, Science, English, Chinese, Art and more, where they read, play, interact with each other and most importantly, learn. Some of the other programmes offered outside the basic curriculum include gymnastics as well as English and Chinese Speech and Drama. Water play and music lessons are also held weekly.

The centre’s Principal, Ms Audrey Koh, is a picture of youth even in her 40s. “Maybe it’s because I’m working with children,” she says with a modest smile. And yes, even the principal gets involved with the kids and spends some of her time playing with and teaching the kids. It is clear that at Kinderland, the kids are what matter the most. Care and devotion of the teachers, and the attention paid to every detail regarding the children is evident from the Birthday List on glass panels around the centre dedicated to every single child.

In Kinderland @ Singapore Poly, another delightful aspect of the school culture that we note is the way the teachers engage with the kids, as they too wear the pre-school uniforms. “This way, kids feel more comfortable with us,” explains Ms Koh. And comfortable they seem to be, with the children in seemingly constant high spirits when in class with their teachers. “I like school, my friends are going to meet me and I like my teachers,” chirps 3 year-old Der Nen.

As it is, Kinderland Childcare @ Singapore Polytechnic is a great place to send your kids during his or her pre-school years for a wholesome education, and needless to say, a wonderful time as well.