More online educational games to keep our kids occupied during the school holidays. Check out especially the online traffic game, it's good for sharpening your kids' logical thinking skills.

Labels: education, games, kids, parenting

Definitely something to ponder about: beating or no beating? I guess we shouldn't go for the two extreme ends, there must be a balance somewhere. I believe that beating with the intention of educating our kids to become a better person is OK. Beating because we are stressed out with work is NOT! Beating them when we are not in control of our anger is dangerous. But not beating them at all will teach them that they can get away with murder. So, as Russell Peters says, beat your kids.

Labels: parenting

Instead of Hungry Jacks, you can try this simple pancake recipe, which I got from my auntie.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder (double action)
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
4 tbsp melted butter (cooled to room temperature)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp castor sugar

Method:
1. Sift all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) into a bowl.
2. Separate egg yolk from white. Add egg yolk to the dry ingredients. Add melted butter, milk, sugar and vanilla essence. Whisk until smooth.
3. In a dry clean bowl, whisk egg white till light and fluffy.
4. Fold both ingredients together. (Do not overfold or overbeat)
5. Rest 5 minutes before cooking. Cook on a non-stick pan. No oil needed.

This is Mimi's fav breakfast food. I was ranked third in terms of cooking skills by Mimi. After making the pancakes for her, I am now number one, beating my MIL and mom hahaha ... How easy it is to please Mimi :)

Labels: recipes

I finally tried out my friend's tiramisu recipe and it is incredibly easy and yummy :)

I'll put the recipe here together with where you can get the ingredient if you are staying in Bangi or Kuantan.

Ingredient:
1 packet of sponge finger (No tesco brand available in Bangi/Kajang but you'll be able to get the sponge fingers from a shop that sells baking stuff in Section 9, BBB, it's called Vanilla Pastries. It'll cost you around RM15. It's a large packet and you'll only be using half of it. In Kuantan, you can get the same sponge fingers from Pantai Selamat at a cheaper price , around RM10++)

300g soft cheese (I used mascapone cheese, also bought from Vanilla Pastries, which cost around RM18++ for 500g, this is really cheap, in Tesco Kajang, the Mascapone cheese is RM19++ for 250g. In Kuantan, we weren't able to find the mascapone cheese, so we used the philadelphian cream cheese instead. It turned out ok too.)

300ml whipped cream (Make sure you get double cream or you can also used non-dairy sweetened whipped cream for baking, otherwise you can't beat it still it's stiff)

250g sugar (optional or to taste - depending on the sweetness of the whipped cream and soft cheese. The first time we made it, it was too sweet. The second time, we tasted the cream mixture first before adding sugar, since it was already sweet from the sweetened whipped cream, we left out the sugar entirely)

2 tbsp nescafe/coffee
water

Cocoa powder
Grated chocolate

Method:
0. Prepare nescafe/coffee. Let it cool to room temperature.
1. In a chilled bowl, beat (from low speed to high speed) cold whipped cream until stiff.
2. Add cheese and sugar.
3. Prepare a 8x8 tin.
4. Dip sponge fingers quickly into room temperature nescafe/coffee.
5. Line them in the tin.
6. Pour in half of the cream cheese mixture. Even it out.
7. Add another layer of nescafe-dipped sponge fingers.
8. Pour remaining cream cheese. Even it out.
9. Sprinkle cocoa powder and grated chocolate all over.
10. Chill it in the fridge.

Labels: recipes

Ramadhan month is here again, Ramadhan Mubarak to all muslims. May we always strive to be better muslims :)

Here is a cute clip, Upsy Daisy, from the 2nd "I Look, I See" album


and another clip which the kids like, Arabic Alphabet Nasheed

Labels: education, kids, nasheed, parenting, songs

My sis bought this book titled "Learning Fundamental". It is a really cool book with lots of activites that focus on making the child a well rounded one. It has the usual activities for math, science & nature, reading, writing, music, etc. but what I find interesting are the activities for self-esteem, creativity, values, and thinking skills.

An example of a self-esteem activity:
All the thing she can do - a just a simple activity where we sit down occasionally and list all the things that she can already do. Children are faced daily with the things they can't yet do, so they need to realise the progress they are making. It will help your child to keep trying as well as have the effort to do more.

There are more interesting stuff. Will put in more when I have the time, hopefully.

And Aisya, if you are reading this post, here is a list of learning sites from the book for your create a toy homework :)
Craft ideas using materials found around the house from enchanted learning
Gustown
The Idea Box
Kids Space
Kaboose

Labels: education, kids, parenting

I must thank my hubby's friend for this. An interesting post of his, "A little muslim kid at heart", reminded me of Islamic teachings through songs :)

Songs are important, especially in the car. We do spend a considerable amount of time in the car, the drive to school, Tesco, Atuk's house, the long journey back to Kuantan, etc. Instead of the usual lazytown songs and disney's cartoon soundtracks, these Islamic kiddies songs from Yusuf Islam's "I look, I see" album featuring the pupils of London's Islamia Primary School, are so much more meaningful.

There are 9 titles in the album.
1 I Look, I See
2 Al-Khaliq
3 Allahu Allahu
4 Bismillah (I Am a Muslim)
5 Months in Islam [Extended]
6 Sing Children of the World
7 Our Guide Is the Qur'an
8 Your Mother
9 Tala'a Al-Badru 'Alayna

I love all of the songs .. and so do the kids. It makes me smile to hear Mimi and Naqib singing the songs.

The lyrics of Mimi and Naqib's favorite ones.

Your Mother

Who should I give my love to
My respect and my honour to
Who should I pay good mind to
After Allah and Rasulullah
Comes your mother
Who next? Your mother
Who next? Your mother
And then your father

'Cos who used to hold you
And clean you and clothe you
Who used to feed you
And always be with you
When you were sick stay up all night
Holding you tight
That's right, no other
My mother

Who should I take good care of
Giving all my love
Who should I think the most of
After Allah and Rasulullah
Comes your mother
Who next? Your mother
Who next? Your mother
And then your father

'Cos who used to hear you
Before you could talk
Who used to hold you
Before you could walk
And when you fell who'd pick you up
Clean your cut
No one but your mother
My mother

Who should I stay right close to
Listen most to
Never say no to
After Allah and Rasulullah
Comes your mother
Who next? Your mother
Who next? Your mother
And then your father

'Cos who used to hug you
And buy you new clothes
Comb your hair and
Blow your nose
And when you cried who wiped your tears
Knows your fears
Who really cares
My mother

Say Alhamdulillah
Thank you Allah
Thank you Allah for my mother



Bismillah

(Teacher): “Now children, who knows what we should say before we start some new job or begin eating or go on a journey? Can anyone tell me?”

(Children): “Teacher! Teacher! Me! Me.... Bismillah!”

(Teacher): “Very good. Now what does it mean?” Bismillah.”

(Children): “In the name of Allah!”

I am a Muslim, the things I say
In everything I do everyday
We are Muslims, the things we say
In everything we do everyday

Oooh, Bismillah,
Oooh, Alhamdullillah (x2)

I am a Muslim and this I know
I need to eat so that I will grow
We are Muslims and this we know
We need to eat so that we will grow

When we eat we say Bismillah
When we’re full, we say Alhamdullillah (x2)

Water, juice and milk, these I think
Are so delicious for me to drink
Water, juice and milk, these we think
Are so delicious for us to drink

When we drink we say, Bismillah
When we’re done we say Alhamdullillah (x2)

Going out with my mum and dad
Coming home, oh what fun we had
Going out with our mum and dad
Coming home, oh what fun we had

Driving in the car, Bismillah
Coming safely home, Alhamdullillah (x2)

I go to sleep saying Allah’s name
And in the morning I do the same
We go to sleep saying Allah’s name
And in the morning we do the same

When we sleep we say Bismillah
When we rise we say Alhamdullillah (x2)

Repeat first verse

Labels: kids, parenting, songs

For my own future reference, and anyone else who's interested, THIS is the link to my friend's tiramisu recipe, but baked by her friend, complete with photos :D

Labels: recipes

Labels: parenting