These are turbulent times with unprecedented challenges. Are you the kind of mum who has it all under control? Or are you one of the many who are barely getting by? No matter what kind of mum, everyone can use some extra help in caring for their family’s health and nutrition. So what are some things mums need to keep in mind to make the going a little easier? To help you out, we’ve made a shortlist of priorities to keep an eye on and creative solutions to achieve them!
1. Caring For Mental Health
Your mental wellbeing is extremely important. It not only affects our physical health but also our behaviour towards our children. According to psychologists, children—particularly the younger ones—see their parents as role models and tend to imitate their behaviour. “When parents express negative emotions, their kids may internalise this behaviour, with or without realising it,” said Dr Florence Huang, a Hong Kong-based psychologist.
Being home creates an opportunity for family bonding, but it’s not without challenges.
Boredom is sure to creep in and your children may act out. Likewise, juggling working from home and sacrificing me–time away from the kids and partner may wear your patience thin (completely normal).
- Set a routine. To safeguard your mental wellness, the first thing you need to do is establish a routine. When there is order, the mind worries much less. Go to bed and wake up at a fixed time, plan meals for the family to ensure their getting sufficient daily nutrients and delegate who is in charge of buying groceries once a week.
- Get exercise. While doing sit-ups and jumping jacks may not be appealing, being outside away from the computer, messy kitchen for even a short 15-minute walk can have mental benefits.
- Strike a balance between work and play. When the kids have finished learning their alphabets and how to count, allow room for unstructured play, and creativity.
- Set boundaries. While you feel responsible to keep everyone and everything in order, try to find time for productive work, bonding with your children, your partner, and for full relaxation. Staying safe and healthy is a team effort.
Lastly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Let go a little, laugh a little louder, and love a little harder!
2. Ample Nutrients for Kids and Adults
For kids:
When it comes to proper nutrition, it’s not so much about quantity as it is about quality. Your child needs nutrients to be able to stay healthy and focus on learning in spite of the current state of affairs.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) —which represents 15% of all fatty acids in the frontal cortex—is a vital fatty acid in the brain and it is a primary structural component of brain tissue, which plays a role in effective communication between brain cells. This makes it essential for brain growth and development, as well as brain function1, including key development areas such as intellectual, motor, emotional/social, and communication skills.
Other nutrients like polydextrose (PDX), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) work in tandem throughout the large intestine to foster the growth of good bacteria and promote digestive health.1,2 And of course, there’s also Yeast-derived Beta-Glucan3,4,5 that is better known for its ability to enhance the immune system.
Milk fortified with DHA, PDX + GOS and Beta-Glucan can be added to your child’s diet, to support their overall development.
Remember, the proper stimulation and nutrition can help unleash your child’s limitless potential.
For adults:
Adults should be consuming the recommended guidelines set by the College of Family Physicians Singapore.
When shopping for groceries, keep a look-out for the “Healthier Choice” symbol to help your decision making.
3. Importance of Social Distancing and Staying At Home
We know staying at home and social distancing is the best defence against the current pandemic and the government has supported shopping for groceries online. For those new to online shopping, e-commerce platform, Shopee, has daily deals and vouchers to help mums find exactly what they need at affordable prices, plus items will be delivered straight to your homes. You can download the app to try it for yourself.
From 17 to 21 May, here are some of the deals that you can look forward to:
- Up to 70% off from Shopee’s Mega Online Baby Fair with daily upsized vouchers
- Top 3 spenders stand to win:
- A Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer (worth $599),
- A $300 Shopee TKB (Toys, Kids and Babies) category voucher, or
- A $200 TKB category Voucher
You can also enjoy exclusive $40 off Enfagrow A+ vouchers during the Shopee Mega Online Baby Fair, only on 19 May.
For the month of May, you can also enjoy two exclusive gifts with value bundle deals. The gifts are tailored to support creativity and play at home and include a set of learning mats with colourful markers as well as the Play-Doh Create N’ Canister Set with 20 cans of Play-Doh compound and 45 accessories, worth $49.90.
For more great deals, don’t miss the following dates:
17 May: Mega Toy Sale
18 May: Mega Diaper and Kids Fashion Sale
19 May: Mega Formula Sale
20 May: Mega Bath and Baby Care and Baby Gear Sale
21 May: Finale Sale
Shopee Mum’s Club
In addition to the deals, there’s also a space on Shopee dedicated to mothers like you, called Shopee Mum’s Club. If you’re not yet part of this program yet, seize the opportunity and sign up for immediate free vouchers! Shopee Mum’s Club dishes the best deals, exclusive campaign vouchers, parenting guides for mummies on top of monthly vouchers that you can use to offset your cart value, and more.
To make things even better, you will receive a welcome gift to celebrate being part of the Shopee Mum’s Club! Simply sign up here to enjoy a basic membership or spend $200 in the TKB and Kids’ Fashion category within a month to enjoy even greater perks!
Mums, it may not be the best of times but it certainly does not have to be the worst. Get what you need from the online fair to take care of your child’s most important needs, keep them well occupied and safeguard your mental wellness to get through these times unscathed! You can do it!
And if you are a new Shopee user, be sure to apply SHOPEEXTAP to enjoy $7 off your purchase with a minimum spend of $15, valid till 15 November 2020, 23:59.
1 Scalabrin DM, Mitmesser SH, Welling GW, Harris CL, Marunycz JD, Walker DC, Bos NA, Tölkkö S, Salminen S, Vanderhoof JA. New prebiotic blend of polydextrose and galacto-oligosaccharides has a bifidogenic effect in young infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2012;54:343-52.
2 Ribeiro TC, Costa-Ribeiro H Jr, Almeida PS, Pontes MV, Leite ME, Filadelfo LR, Khoury JC, Bean JA, Mitmesser SH, Vanderhoof JA, Scalabrin DM. Stool pattern changes in toddlers consuming a follow-on formula supplemented with polydextrose and galactooligosaccharides. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2012;54:288-90.
3 Talbott SM, Talbott JA. Effect of beta 1, 3/1, 6 glucan on upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and mood state in marathon athletes. J Sports Sci Med 2009;8:509-15.
4 Talbott SM, Talbott JA. Baker’s yeast beta-glucan supplement reduces upper respiratory symptoms and improves mood state in stressed women. J Am Coll Nutr 2012;3:295-300.
5 Fuller R, Butt H, Noakes PS, Kenyon J, Yam TS, Calder PC. Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections. Nutrition 2012;28:665-9.
