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[babymemom]

The Prefect Christmas Gift Guide For Kids

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It’s everyone favorite season of the year! Christmas! Needless to say, it’s the season of giving. Being a child, I grew up having a Christmas wish list every year, hoping that Santa will be able to make one of my many wishes come true! Here are some the gift ideas team Memom put together to help you with Christmas shopping this year.

1. A Complete Stationery Artbox

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Nothing could get any kid more excited than receiving a complete brand new set of stationeries for school. Just like a Mom can never have enough makeup and clothes, your children will never have enough stationery for school! Stationeries are the best essentials you can get for any kid.

2. Advert Calendar

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This light-up advent calendar creates a festive atmosphere for Christmas. Parents can be creative by personalizing an advent calendar for their kids. Make counting down to Christmas an exciting one for your kids by filling up the numbered drawers with tiny festive treats or poems. Kids will be thrilled by the surprise that awaits them every day.

3. Personalized Storybooks

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The perfect bedtime stories this Christmas for children of all ages. No doubt, reading bedtime stories is one of the best and easiest ways to spend some quality time with your kids. Reading will be more interesting than usual upon seeing their name in a personalized storybook.

4. Quirky Stationeries

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We have been through those days where writing secret messages to our classmates become part of a most memorable activity in our school life. Your kid will thank you for this simple and quirky stationery for them.

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These interesting notepads will add a little fun for your kids when taking down notes in class!

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These syringe watercolor pens can be used for both highlighting and drawing purposes. These quirky stationeries are not commonly seen around kids’ pencil cases. Your kid will look forward using them for school!

5. Build A Little Teepee

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Do up a mini room renovation to for your kids by building a teepee corner for them! I remembered how much I love the little tent that my parents got for me when I was in elementary school. I enjoyed the little ‘me’ space I have to myself at home. It’s definitely a corner that I spent most of my time reading, napping, a little hideout with my friends when they come over to my place for a play date.

6. LeapFrog’s LeapPad

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It’s time to replace the iPad for a better option for your kid. The LeadPad is an educational tablet that works similarly like an iPad. It has built-in software with a series of educational games, music, and videos designed for kids. The main feature includes an enhanced parents control over the time usage and Internet access.

7. Constructive Eating Tools

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No more chasing around the house to feed your kids during mealtimes. This brilliant constructive eating plate will keep your children occupied while having their own meals. Be less worried about your kids being picky about the food you cook as this creative approach made mealtimes fun and enjoyable!

8. Bicycle Trailer

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Add some fun and bonding time to your usual workout with this trailer. This could be a perfect equipment to get your calories burnt, meanwhile bringing your kid for a fun ride around the neighborhood. You may even consider getting your groceries done with this bicycle trailer as it consist of a large storage compartment for your groceries. Your kids will love tagging along for grocery shopping!

9. Rory’s Story Cubes

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Suitable for children of all ages, unleash your kids’ creativity and problem solving skills with this story cubes. Kids are encouraged to put on their thinking caps to construct unlimited stories based on the cube that was randomly picked by them.

10. 1-Year Subscription Of Their Favourite Themed Park

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One of the best Christmas gifts a kid could ever ask for would be an unlimited chance of entering their favorite theme park for the entire year! Get the benefits from shorter waiting time for rides and discounts for merchandise stores. Definitely paying less than what is it worth for to create memorable moments with your kids!

Happy Shopping!

Team Memom

[babymemom]

8 Simple ways to Childproof your home!

Are you prepping your new home for a baby? Or moving into a new home with young children - racking your brains on a childproof interior design? Anyone who has young children knows how that can be. Children run around the house, play, and jump – often without paying attention to what's going on around them. Even more so for inquisitive toddlers, crawling everywhere in the house. Here are 8 simple ways you can childproof your home.  

1. Covering up sharp furniture corners

You should take some time to prepare dangerous corners and edges of your furniture and in your home to make sure your children can't hurt themselves on them. DIY: Foam tubes cut up and lined against furniture corners.

 (pic credit: www.ikea.com)

Most edge and corner guards are self-adhesive. You'll be able to install them in just a few minutes without any tools or extra glue. It's also helpful to have some double sided tape in your home just in case one of the protectors doesn't stick on as well as you'd like. Clean the surface where you want to stick on the protector before installing it; it will stick best on a dust and oil-free surface.

2. Put locks or latches on cabinets and drawers that contain unsafe items.

Cabinets in bathrooms and kitchens can hold a variety of items that are dangerous to your child, including chemicals, glass, medicines and utensils. Keeping a curious toddler out of your cabinet is as simple as finding a secure child-proof latch that is not only a deterrent to your toddler but also easy for an adult to operate. There are several varieties of cabinet locks on the market, and choosing the right one depends on your needs and the structure of your cabinets.

(pic credit: www.toysrus.com)

● Push-Down Lock

Push-down locks work for both cabinets and drawers. A long piece of plastic is installed on the cabinet door and the latch is installed on the frame of the cabinet. When the door shuts, the plastic catches the latch, preventing the door from opening fully. To open, press the plastic piece down to disengage from the latch. These locks do not prevent fingers from being pinched in the door, and you might find that an ingenious toddler can disengage the lock.

● Over-the-Door Locks

Over-the-door locks keep two cabinet doors shut, assuming the cabinet doors are next to each other and open to reveal the same cabinet. The lock slides over the top of the two cabinet doors where the doors meet and keeps the door closed when the lock is engaged. Remove the lock to open the doors. This type of lock is visible on the outside of the cabinet doors and might be difficult to remove with one hand.

3. Non-slip mats

The bathroom. Part of every morning ritual. You probably use it so often that you have become oblivious to how unsafe the bathroom can be for adults, let alone for kids. A top heavy uncoordinated child is not the most sturdy at the best of times. Adding a slippery floor to the mix is just asking for trouble.

A non-slip rubber mat will give your little one that extra traction on the floor after he has just finished soaking in during bath time. A good bathroom mat will have little suction cups to prevent the mat from sliding across the floor when weight is placed upon it. Just be sure to dry the underside of the mat every now and then to prevent mould growth.

4. Electricity + Baby = Disaster

Whether you like it or not, electrical products form a major part of our everyday lives. You can find them in every room of your home. Power outlets, extension leads, phone chargers, computer cables… The list goes on. Unfortunately, none of these electrical products were designed with your baby’s safety in mind.

Power strips are commonly used in areas of the house which hold many electrical products in one area, such as your television or computer area. Power strips are a common solution to the “Too many plugs, not enough outlets” problem that plague the majority of houses. The downside of power strips is that they sit on the ground. And every baby knows, if it’s on the ground, it’s a play toy. A child proof power strip cover may be just the solution you need. The cover slides over your existing power strip and has a cut-out for the cords to hang out.

(pic credit: www.saferbabies.com)

A quick and cheap DIY way to baby proof wires, is to use duct tape to stick the wires to the floor. Use a wide duct tape and make sure the wire is in the center of the tape. You want both sides of the tape to easily stick flat to the floor. You will need to cut the tape into lengths as the wire bends around corners.

5. Socket covers

We don’t know what it is about electrical outlets, but babies love them. Maybe it’s because they see you plugging in an appliance and want to imitate you. Maybe it’s because outlets look like little faces, just waiting to be fed something.

(pic credit: pupikstudio.com)

The first and cheapest way to prevent your child sticking objects in electrical outlets is to buy a packet (or more if required) of childproof electrical outlet caps. These covers are entirely made of plastic and plug directly into your electrical outlet. The exposed front is entirely flat, making it difficult for your child to grip. If your baby can’t poke anything inside, then they are safe.

6. Windows

Windows are a problem, they attract your child by offering an awesome view of all the amazing things going on outside the house. With all the excitement of the outside, the temptation may be too strong for toddlers to resist.

Many windows will be high enough that your child cannot easily reach them. With this in mind you will want to survey the area around each window. Keep an eye out for the following risks: ● Furniture near the window that can be used as a ladder. ● Light objects that can easily be stacked by your child to form a ladder. ● Objects that, when thrown, are capable of breaking a window (marbles and the like).


(pic credit: www.pinterest.com)

There are different ways to childproof your Window:

● Childproof Window Locks: Locking all the windows in the house is the most effective way to childproof them. There are locks for every kind of window too.

● Childproof Window Guards: Window guards are grill-type protectors that work with almost any size window. The government’s Consumer Goods Safety Requirements (CGSR) recommends that you install them if you have babies or toddlers in the house. The government strongly suggests that you choose window guards for your childproofing needs because they are hard to open for young kids, but easy to open for adults in case of an emergency.

7.     Playroom

● Baby-gates Place safety gates at the entrance or exit to any room that's off-limits to baby, such as a storage room, kitchen or down a staircase - if your house has one, or even outside of their playroom/bedroom. ● Cushioned mats If you’re worried that the hard marbled/concrete floor of your home may be the main enemy of your kid, line it up with thick gym/cushioned mats.

8. Tap/bath spout covers

That spout sticking out of the wall in your bathroom? That’s what will hurt your child an awful lot if he or she knocks their head on it. There are many baby themed products designed to keep your baby safe around the spout. Spout protectors are a cover that slides over your faucet. Made off a soft material, the spout cover will prevent painful bumps.

(pic credit: www.bestproducts.com)

The spout covers simply slide over your faucet and form a protective barrier. Spout protectors come in all shapes and sizes designed to appeal to little children.

Most of the childproof items mentioned above can be found from stores like Home-DIY and IKEA, and online from Lazada and mothercare. Do you have any other methods that you use to childproof your home? Share with us in the comments below!

This article is submitted by Averspace which helps Singaporeans to save money and time by empowering them to sell, lease and buy property on their own terms without the need for agents or intermediates!

[babymemom]

Unique baby traditions from around the world

Even though giving birth is a universal thing, the postnatal care of the mother and baby care changes from one part of the world to another. This week we present to you, unique baby traditions from 24 countries around the world:

1.Albania - Garlic is sometimes placed under the baby’s crib to protect the baby from the ‘evil eye’.

2.Armenia – In a ceremony named Agra Hadig, the baby is placed on the floor surrounded by symbolic items and the one she or he chooses symbolizes his or her future. For example, choosing a tape measure means that the baby could possibly become an architect or an engineer.

3. Bali – Balinese babies cannot touch the ground until they are 3 months old. After the period of three months a formal ceremony takes place where the baby first touches the ground.

4. Brazil: In Brazil, it is a tradition for new mothers to give gifts to all those who come to the hospital to visit her after childbirth.  

 5.China, Singapore and Vietnam – A ‘full moon’ party is thrown on the 30th day after the child is born, during which gifts are given to the mother and baby (It is considered unlucky to give gifts to the mother before birth). The baby’s parents also give gifts to their friends and family, most commonly red eggs which symbolize prosperity and happiness. This celebration is conducted after one month as this is the time new mothers get off bed rest and also because the infant mortality rate used to be high in this part of the world that the baby were only welcomed when they lived through their first month.

6. Denmark, Sweden and Norway – Parents in these regions often let their babies nap outside, on the sidewalk or the balcony, as there is a common belief that cold and fresh air helps babies sleep and eat better.

7. Egypt – The baby’s existence is acknowledged on the seventh day after the birth in a ceremony known as Sebou. During this ceremony, visitors get jewellery or amulets which are pinned to either the baby’s clothes or bed to ward off bad luck and disease.

8. Finland – The government of Finland gives a baby box to every baby born. This box includes diapers, clothing and bedding and the box is made into a crib. It insinuates the thought that every baby is born equal.

9. Germany – Mothers in Germany are given a diary or a children’s examination books which contain all health information about the baby and doctors’ appointments, among other baby-related information, for the purpose of documenting the baby’s growth.

10. Great Britain – In an event called ‘wetting the baby’s head’, the new dad and his friends go out (probably to a pub) soon after the baby is born to celebrate the new baby.

11. Guatemala – Putting a baby into freezing water would probably go against any parent’s instincts but in this country, babies are given ice baths to encourage good sleep.

12. India – In India, newborn’s hair is shaven off completely in a ceremony called Mundan, which signifies freedom from the past and that shaving of hair stimulates proper growth of the brain and nerves. It is also believed that this makes their hair grow back faster and thicker.

13. Ireland – A bit of the parents’ wedding cake is saved for the first child’s christening. During the christening, a few crumbs of the cake are sprinkled over the child’s forehead.

14. Israel: The Jewish dominated community have an event 8 days after the child is born called Brit Milah where baby boys are named and circumcised.

15. Italy – The family of the new born hang a colored bow on the door of their house announcing the gender of the baby when it’s born.

16. Japan – conserving the Umbilical cord. The hospital saves the umbilical cord which is then presented to the new mothers in wooden boxes upon their departure from the hospital. These cords are considered to have a strong link to the well-being of the babies.

17. Malaysia – After giving birth, new mothers go through Pantang – a confinement period lasting about 45 days for the new mother to preserve the health and femininity of the women. She also receives hot stone massages and full body exfoliation to chase away the postpartum changes.

18. Mauritania – Women spit on the face of the babies while men spit in the ear – a way of giving their blessings.

19. Nigeria – In traditional ritual named Omugwo, the baby’s first bath is given by the grandmother, or an aunt or close friend if the grandmother isn’t around, sending a message that the mother is not alone in child rearing.

20. Pakistan – In a ritual called Aqeeqah, the baby’s hair is shaven off and gold or silver (or paper currency equivalent to that) equal to the weight of the baby’s hair is given to the charity.

 Picture Sources: shakarbakery.com, mommyish.com, mangosalute.com, bbci.co.uk, oddee.com, ovuline.com

[babymemom]

16 Ways to Save Money When You Have A Baby

Having a baby is not easy. It tires the parents both physically and mentally. To top it all off, having a baby is not easy on the wallet. You don’t know where the money goes. I have seen many panicking because of the realisation that having a baby is more expensive than their estimates. Don’t panic, here are ways you can save money when you have a baby:

 Be a wise shopper!

1. Buy second hand baby clothes and gear: They are often in great shape and are used just once. Often people give away their baby’s clothes just after one wear because they have so many clothes or because the baby grew out of that size real quick. It is also good to buy special occasion clothing from second hand stores as they are unlikely to be used more than once.

2. Convertible gear – Buy gear which can be adjusted as the kid grows. For example, a car seat or a stroller which grows with the kid and a crib which can be converted into a cot. 

3. Don’t splurge on shoes – babies will not use it until they start walking and socks work well enough to keep them warm till then.

4. Hold off from buying things in bulk (except diapers) – Different kind of baby items suit different babies – buy a small amount of the item you want to use first and see if it suits your baby. 

5. Resist buying branded clothes for baby – They are only going to wear it a few times.

6. Borrow things which you won’t need for a long time. For example, maternity clothes.

7. Save baby clothes for future kids – Additionally, it also a good idea to buy gender neutral colors or unisex clothes – this is especially useful if your second kid’s gender is not the same as the first.

8. Research well about the prices - You will be surprised to see the price difference in different stores, especially in the case of online store.

9. Samples and coupons are the way to go! Sign up for newsletters of different brands and they will often send you samples of their product. You can find coupons in newspapers, magazines and also through an easy google search – these coupons may help you receive free samples or even discounts in the stores when baby items are sold. You can also ask you paediatrician or the hospital for samples – manufactures give them free samples to be given to patients. Don’t be afraid to ask, you have nothing to lose.

Think natural and homelike!

We understand that these tips may be hard to follow through with as they are time consuming and require a lot of effort. But they are also highly rewarding, especially as they help to strength a mother-child bond.

10. Make your own baby food – make and store in the freezer. It is a much cheaper than buying baby food from outside. Find easy recipes for baby food right here.

11. Breastfeed rather than using formula for the first few months. Formula is expensive and not as nutritious as breast milk.

12.Opt for cloth diapers instead of disposable ones after the first few months - they are eco-friendly and much cheaper. However, the responsibility of laundry will fall on you.

Use your friends, family, and community!

13. Make a baby gift list – so that your family and friends can actually buy you things you need or those which may be too heavy for your budget.

14. Use your family and friends – be it for babysitting, used clothes or baby gear. Learning from their experience is a plus!

15.Share and trade – Use your network of new mom friends. For example, you could trade babysitting for baby food. This helps both the families.

16. Use the Library and Community centers. Check if the library or community center offers hobby classes for kids – they are generally cheaper as compared to private institutions. You could also buy a few books for your baby and borrow the rest from the library.

 We hope these tips help you save money (which you can then invest in your kid’s education – you know that’s going to expensive.)

Picture Source: todaysparent.com, myitalianliving.com, thelittlebeeco.com

[babymemom]

5 tips to declutter & organise your kid’s room

Children love toys and doodling and somehow these toys and artwork always end up all over the house. Even though parents try to keep things organised, it doesn’t always work.

Feel like your kid’s stuff just keep cluttering up in your house? Here are some storage and organisation tips to declutter your house!

Throw away all the things you don’t need!

Get your family together and sort out things which can be removed from the house, for example, broken toys, old paintings and old clothing. This will make organising and storing the remaining things much, much easier. You could also ask your kids to help you sort out things such as their artwork – they are likely to throw out a larger quantity of artwork than you are. Hard to discard things? Borrow some tips from KonMari, an expert of decluttering and a million-seller book author, and discard things that do not “spark joy”.

You could then donate the old and unused things to charity or even sell them second hand on websites such as craigslist (some extra cash hurts no one).

Categorise and label

Next, categorise your things – this could be on the basis on how often your kids use them (or any other category you are comfortable with).

LABEL! Labelling may seem tedious at the start but it helps when you or your kids are trying to find things.

Use organisers!

Use mason jars or over the door shoe organisers for storing pencils, pens, scissors and other stationary  

Use bins, buckets or boxes to store toys and categorise them by the type of the toys – for example, dolls, balls, stuffed toys etc – and label them accordingly. You can then rotate the toy bins – keep the ones which are used regularly within the reach of the children and then rotate the bins when they get bored of the previous selection. This will make the kids feel as if they are playing with new toys every time the bins are rotated.

Use clear or tinted bins and label them. This will make it easier for children to find their things and put them away - (a plus will be the reduced mess every time they have to find some toy).

Let’s get into specifics

LEGO

I know that almost every parent secretly fears Lego boxes. Reason? Only a few hours after opening them, the kids just happen to lose some pieces which are then found a month later (or maybe six months even) in between the sofa seats or under the carpet. Here are some solutions for this problem:

Use Ziploc bags to store the pieces. Personally, I like to store the Lego pieces according the box (like Lego City) they come from – this makes it easier when you have to build something from the box. You could also categorise them on the basis of their colour of size if your child likes to build things based on their imagination. Don’t forget to label them – trust me, it helps a LOT.

Use toy bags like swoop bags to store all the pieces in one place. This is good for cleaning up after playing as all the kids have to do is dump the pieces in the bag and close it.

Children’s art

All kids love doodling and slowly these drawings become a pile of artwork. One way to store and display this collection of artwork is hanging clipboards – this stores the art while it is also easy to change them whenever you want. You could also use a clothesline to hang the artwork in your kid’s bedroom either across the room, or on the wall - utilising the wall space. Alternatively you could also take photos of the artwork and print it as a photo book or a collage while getting rid of the originals.

We hope that these tips will help you reorganise your kid’s room (or even the whole house) as per your wishes!

Picture source: HGTV.com, truevalue.com, designimprovised.com

[babymemom]

Tips on how to lose the baby weight after pregnancy

Lots of women start thinking about how they will lose weight after their pregnancy - it is a very normal thing to do. However, after giving birth it can be hard to focus on losing baby weight when all your time is spent in making sure your baby doesn’t start crying (and also you staring at the beautiful creation of yours). So, here are some simple ways to lose the baby weight which you can integrate easily into your day-to-day life.

Exercise!!!

Don’t want to go to the gym? Exercise at home using your baby. Do sit ups, arm lifts, squats, lunges and jog in place while holding your baby. As your baby grows and gains weight, these exercises will become more and more challenging. If this is not your style, try yoga! It is very common to see yoga classes being offered by hospitals and health centers for new moms. If you don’t want to make the trip, do at least 6 rounds of sun salutation at home every day and you will start to see the difference soon.

Initially, however, you should start with walking regularly. Take your baby for walks, either in a stroller or in a baby carrier strapped to your body, every day for at least 20 minutes. (If you use a stroller, doing lunges while pushing the stroller is a plus!) This will give your baby a change in scenery and some fresh air as well.

If you have access to a flight of stairs, use it! Walk up and down the stairs, and watch the calories burn. If you have stairs in your house, keep some essential baby items in the area where you are the most in the day and keep the rest in a room up the stairs. This will force you to walk up and down the stairs when you need the items.

Dance! It is a fun way to lose weight and boost your mood. Get comfortable clothes on, put the speakers on and dance your heart out.

If you are facing a problem motivating yourself to work out, connect with other moms and make plans to exercise together. Having people by your side who are facing the same problem as you will definitely help and motivate you.

Diet Control

The keyword here is “control”. Do not go on a strict diet immediately after giving birth as it is very harmful for the body. Just eat the right food. It is important to control your diet but do not skip meals, especially breakfast. If you do, you will probably snack when hungry, which is not going to help you lose weight. Here are some tips for altering your diet to help you lose baby weight:

> Substitute potato chips and cheesy delights with fruits and low calorie snack packs to fend off temptation

> Substitute ice cream with yogurt

> Drink more water – this will keep you full and away from snacks. Drink water at least once when nursing

> Limit alcohol intake – to say not more than 2 cocktails a week

> Limit intake of fatty foods.

> Avoid sugary foods. This is important as after eating sugary foods, we have a sugar rush after which we get very hungry and want to eat more. Instead have milk, yogurt and high fiber snacks which will fill you and help with digestion.

> Have high nutrition snacks like carrots, apples and salads. To add variety to your food, you could experiment with different fruit juices every other day.

Sleep

Sleep is super important! While it may be hard to get enough sleep in the first few weeks after the baby is born, try to get sleep whenever you can. Take naps! They will give you energy AND will keep you from snacking when bored. Studies show that moms who sleep for at least seven hours in a day are more likely to lose weight as compared to those who sleep for five hours in a day. Sleep when your baby sleeps. The household work has to be done, but it can wait - prioritize your sleep over it.

For tips on sleeping with a kid around, check out our blog post “5 Helpful Ways to Get More Sleep with A Baby Around”.

Things to remember

Be patient: It took you 9 months to put on that weight, it will take time to go away. Wait at least 6 weeks after your delivery to start seriously exercising. If you start earlier, it will not be good for your body. If you are having trouble losing weight, get help! Consult your doctor or dietician to find out what kind of exercise and diet is good for your body. Do not compare your body and the rate you are losing weight to others – you have to remember that everybody’s body is different and works differently.

Lastly, stay positive and cut yourself some slack - you have given birth to a beautiful child and nothing is more important than that.

Image Source: babiesmagz.com, from2to3.com

[babymemom]

Children are truly amazing! 

[babymemom]

5 Helpful Ways to Get More Sleep with A Baby Around

Swamped by all the work that a baby brings, sleep is probably the last thing on your mind. Or maybe it is always on your mind, but you just can’t seem to get a wink of it. Getting enough sleep is just as vital (if not more) after having a baby, as it is at any other stage of life because you need more energy while taking care of your baby when he/she is awake! I am sure you agree that your body needs all the rest it can get...

Read on to get a few easy-to-implement tips on how you can get more rest with a baby! 

Sleep when your little one is asleep Many parents have tried this, and they say it worked really well. While napping during the day doesn’t fully make up for the inadequate sleep at night, it will certainly combat some of the fatigue, and leave you feeling refreshed afterwards.

Lie down even if you can’t seem to fall asleep Once your baby has gone to sleep at night and you have finished the essential tasks that need to get done, lie down. Avoid watching TV, reading or using your phone, even if you are not sleepy yet because these distractions can eat up hours of your precious sleeping time. Your body is exhausted even if you don’t feel it, and you will surely fall asleep after lying down for a while! 

Don’t drink too much coffee While a morning cup of coffee can’t do much harm, ensure not to drink too much! The caffeine will mask your need for sleep and may keep you awake even when you are trying hard to sleep. 

Alternate baby duty between you and your partner This ensures that both of you don’t sacrifice uninterrupted sleep, or that only one of you is sacrificing it. Creating a routine between you and your partner, perhaps alternating days on which you are on baby duty, allows both of you time to get some of that coveted uninterrupted sleep. Even while you are breastfeeding your baby, your husband can handle the night feeding with pumped milk.

Accept all the help that you can get If guests, your parents, your partner’s parents, the caretaker, or any other family or friend offers to help, take it! Do not let yourself feel guilty about not taking care of your baby round the clock and not being able to do all the other duties you normally perform, because you need to get all the rest that you can!

Remember that kids grow very quickly, and this phase where both your baby and you cannot get enough sleep, will pass before you know it! Cherish every moment of it  

Image Sources: News1130, Aplaceforparenting, Be-coffee.blogspot, Sites.psu

[babymemom]

5 Fun and Easy Ideas to Have Quality Time with Kids

How many times have your children told you that they were bored, and you were not sure how to entertain them? Although advice from some psychologists suggest that boredom could help to nurture the creativity and emotional development of kids, if there are easy ways to both solve kids’ boredom and create great family memories, they are worth trying, aren’t they?

Explore nature Whether you live in a city or in the suburbs, there is bound to be nature in some form around you – a nature park, a hill that you can hike up, or even the beach. All these places are great to visit with kids, because it gives them space to run around, and at the same time, presents you with the opportunity to sneak in a lesson about nature. It will also make for great pictures and bonding time!

Playing games at home Board games are a great way to gather the whole family and engage your kids at the same time. Games such as Battleships are better suited to older children, but you can always pick games such as Pictionary or Chutes and Ladders which even younger kids can play! If your little one is too young for these games too, it might even be a good idea to just play with Lego and see what they create!

Pool Day Most kids love playing in the pool, so why not make a family event of it? Bring beach balls, pool noodles and colorful pool floats for extra fun!  

DIY projects that the kids can use as décor in their rooms Crafting a DIY project will allow you to get down and dirty with your kids, and in the process, you can make something that they can hang up or place in their rooms as decoration! One of the easiest ones is making a pattern with tape on a large canvas and then finger painting over the tape along with your kids. This will make for great décor for their room or even the living room.

Camp out in your living room The idea of camping will appeal to most kids, but what’s better than camping in the comfort of your own living room, with easy access to the bathroom and kitchen, and without the trouble of worrying about insects? To make it an authentic camping experience, build a tent out of blankets and chairs and bring snacks, books, and flashlights!

Image sources: Livescience, Lifeasmama, Toysplash, Thehaletelescope, Thingstodowithkids

[babymemom]

6 Wise Tips to Pack for Your Vacation with Kids

Packing can be quite challenging to us, especially if we are flying with our little ones! This is mostly because of the weight restrictions imposed by airlines, but I can safely say that many of us are guilty of being over packers (Don’t deny it ;)) and the packing problem only intensifies with kids. Will they get cold? Will their clothes get soiled? Maybe I’ll just pack two (or three, or four?) extra pants, JUST IN CASE. Here are six ways that will help you prepare for these situations, but also pack light to avoid paying excess baggage fees, and simply because it’s so much easier to carry around lighter bags! 

Place all the essentials in a backpack Passports, tickets, itineraries, charging cords, an adapter, headphones, all the baby essentials including baby wipes, any medication you might need and possibly a stuffed toy that your little one cannot sleep without, should all go in your backpack, so they are conveniently accessible.

Pre-plan outfits and pack each outfit individually in Ziploc bags Choosing outfits beforehand will help you save time and space while on vacation. These outfits can be packed into Ziploc bags, for example, you could pack a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, underwear, and socks into one Ziploc bag. This means you will only be taking what you need, thus saving you lots of space. It might be helpful to pack one extra outfit for those ‘just in case’ moments, and in case such moments happen more than once, you could simply hand wash the outfit and reuse it! 

Carry only two pairs of shoes per person Shoes take up a lot of space in our luggage, so cutting back on the number of shoes will surely save you space! On most vacations, we end up walking a decent amount, so your best bet is to take a pair of sneakers and a pair of dressier shoes for any fancy outings.

Get your kids to take a backpack of their own If your kids are old enough to carry one, let them each carry their own backpack. Pack things that will keep them entertained on journeys in these backpacks, such as storybooks, travel size games, coloring books, and perhaps even an iPod. This will ensure that they do not get bored during long journeys, and it allows them to learn to be responsible for their belongings!

Invest in travel-size toiletries or travel size bottles Always keep travel-size toiletries such as shampoo, toothpaste and perfumes which are only meant to be used for travelling, at home. Or, you could buy empty travel size bottles, and squeeze product from your regular toiletries into these! 

Wear your heaviest clothing while on the plane Pull out those heavy jeans, the heavier of the two shoes and take a couple of jackets with you on the plane. This will definitely help you save space in your bag, but also, you will be able to cover up in case it is cold on the plane.

Now all that’s left to do is enjoy your vacation and make memories!

Image Sources: anefforttoevolve.com, thefroo.com, moneysavingmom.com

[babymemom]

Tips to making Fun, Simple and Healthy lunchboxes for preschoolers!

For busy working moms, preparing lunchboxes for your preschooler always seem to be difficult. If you have two kids or more - mission impossible. Two kids in the same age range - let’s not even begin to try to fathom. Because of that, our kids may not be getting enough nutrition from their food, adding on the unpredictable Singapore weather the chances of our kids falling sick is sky-high. Preparing lunch boxes need not have to be tedious, here are some tips!

1. Draw up weekly lunch planners

Handy tip in preparing meals, especially so if you have more than one lunchbox to prepare daily. By planning ahead, you could do your grocery shopping during the weekends and get the ingredients you need for the entire week - saves you LOADS of time during the weekday nights after work where you simply have no time to spare.

2. Using cupcake/muffin liners to separate food

The layout of lunchboxes has to be as simple as possible, not to you, but to your preschooler who will be eating out of it. Having too many compartments or different containers may not seem the wisest option. Here’s a way to do it. Get a medium sized, flat, one-layered lunch box and segment them using muffin/cupcake liners! Grocery stores, Confectionery stores or stores like Daiso sell them for cheap. You could also put circular food items (eggs, grapes) into these liners. The best part? You’ll only have to wash ONE container at the end of the day, throwing out the liners!

3. Sneaking Veggies

Many of us have a difficult time coaxing the little ones to have vegetables. Force them too much and they get upset, not force them at all and we can’t get them to have a balanced meal. When preparing their meals, try sneaking the veggies into bigger meals. Vegetable puree works as a dip or sandwich spread. Also, cauliflower mash makes a good and healthy substitute for common potato mash.

4. Cookie cutter to make food fun!

The idea of eating may come easily to us Adults. However, kids, on the other hand, are like mini energizer bunnies. They can go on and on and on without a sip of water, much less a meal. Getting them to eat may prove a more difficult task than anything else! To combat this, purchase cookie cutters of various shapes and sizes. Press it on different foods to entice your kids to eat. Foods have to be visually appealing - especially to kids! Work on them craft skills, Mommy!

5. Sandwiches

There are many ways to make sandwiches for kids and not just stick to a plain looking one. Few ideas include a Deconstructed Sandwich (you don’t actually put them together), A sandwich kebab for older children (sliding bite size sandwich ingredients into a wooden stick) or an Artsy Sandwich (creating faces on the bread itself, cutting out ingredients). Yes, time-consuming at first, but you’ll soon master the art and speed through it! Anything works as long as it puts a smile on your child’s face!

6. Simple homemade fruit juices/smoothies for healthier choice

Bottled/packet juice works, but what better way than juicing personally to know what goes in the blend? This is also another way to sneak veggies in (Apple + Carrot juice) your child’s diet! Also, blend as much as possible, it’s not only good for the kids but for parents as well! A tip here, blend the fruits and/or vegetables and pour out an amount for your child first, then blend some ice cubes in for the adults! Best refresher drinks in our warm climate.

7. Brown apples no more

Food preparation sometimes takes a long while, and fruits go through oxidation and turn color when it's ready to be eaten. This simple problem can be solved just using salt and water! Cut your fruits like apples and pears and put them in salt water while you prepare the rest of the lunchbox. Just remember to rinse with fresh water - your kids wouldn’t appreciate salty apples!

8. Don’t overpack! 

Lunch breaks for children are usually really short - due to their playful nature, taking this into consideration, they’re most likely not going to finish up their lunch if you were to pack a huge amount! You’ll end up throwing away a lot of leftovers. Few slices of apple, 6-7 grapes, a child-size yogurt for sweet treats should do the job!

9. Small note of the day

The best way to keep our children motivated throughout the day when we’re not around with them. Put in a small note of encouragement, motivation or just simple loving words to keep them going throughout the day. They’ll grow to be more appreciative, confident and caring individuals!

10. Talk to them about what they’d like to eat! 

Lastly, always remember that you’re preparing food for your children, not yourself. What works for you may not necessarily work for them. Yes, you have a certain amount of control over their diet, but kids like to have a certain amount of decision-making authority. If you include small amounts of things they suggest, they may eat even better! 

And there you have it, 10 tips to make Fun, Simple yet Healthy lunchboxes for your preschoolers!

[babymemom]

Mom Photographer series: Aditi from Aditi Chivate Photography

Aditi is a Singapore-based freelance photographer inspired by nature, lovely people & innocent children. She is a mother to an adorable boy, and has mastered the art of taking photos of young children! You can find out more about her business on her Business page and also connect with her on Facebook.

Here she shares her favourite tips on taking wonderful photos of your little ones!

#1: Always be ready

Always be ready with an equipment. Kids can unexpectedly show their moods which can make for adorable photos. I believe in capturing every moment - planned or unplanned. So stop looking at the images on the back of your camera and capture that special moment that is happening live. Also, make sure you have an extra set of clothes and diapers. Carry lots of water and snacks to combat those cranky moments!

#2: Let the child run the session

Let the child take the lead and have more fun!

- DO NOT force them to pose

- DO NOT yell at them if they don't follow your instructions, it will leave your child frustrated.

- DO relax and be part of that fun session

On many occasions, I have literally packed up to leave after a wonderful session, and then found the little one opening up and starting to show their true self under the perfect light! And there I go again with my camera. I just can't resist taking candid shots and capturing those special moments.

#3: Let them explore

Don't just stick with one backdrop, allow your kids to explore and move around. If you really want to capture powerfully authentic stories, then let your kids explore. You will end up being frustrated if you spend the entire shoot directing your kids to do this, to do that, look here,look there, sit down and stand up. So let them be!

#4: Choose your focus modes carefully

Always check your manual to find out more about Focus modes. Select the one for continuous or tracking mode to capture motion and fast moving kids!

#5: Get silly with them and connect with little people

I make silly faces, get down in the sand and play with them. I play ‘tickle-monster’. It’s always a win-win situation. Kids win and I get that perfect shot! So don't forget to get down to their level.

The best thing you can do to create beautiful art is to relax and go with the flow. Kids can sense if you are getting stressed or impatient. So be patient, relax and have fun! Bring their favorite toys, bubbles, treats - these are always great for setting the right mood for the children. Have lots of fun together :)

[babymemom]

Birthday Party Ideas That Won’t Break The Bank!

Celebrating your little munchkin’s birthday soon and not sure what to do? How to make it fun and memorable without drilling a hole in your pocket? Here are some ideas you can incorporate into your kid’s birthday party plans!

Let your kid design their own invitation cards

Instead of spending loads of money getting ready made invitation cards, why not have some parent-child time with your kid, letting them design their own invites? Let them draw on drawing paper or coloured papers and decorate with stickers (kids love stickers) and colourful inked marker pens!

Venue Selection

Choosing venues for your kid’s party can be overwhelming. Taking in the costs and venue limitations, we often have not much option. If you have a backyard in your house that is a great place to start. Condominiums have function rooms and neighbouring community centres hire out rooms at an affordable per hour rate. Or, you could head to either East Coast Park or Sentosa for some outdoor fun!

Pick a theme!

Themed parties are relatively easier to manage and plan for - and they do not have to be pricey! If your child enjoys cooking or baking, throw them a chef/baking party with little chef hats and aprons for their friends to join in. Just make sure the adult to child ratio is just right to lend a helping hand whenever needed!

Cake

Cakes can be super expensive depending on the size, flavours and decorations. Why not bake your own and enlist the help of your child to decorate it? Not only will you spend more time with your child, they’ll feel a sense of achievement of having “made” their own birthday cake! Huge confidence booster!

Cheap plastic cups + stickers

There’s absolutely no need to purchase new and matching silverware to cater to your many little guests arriving for the party. Get a tube of plastic cups from the supermarket, paste a couple of stickers and voila! Your little guests can choose whichever stickers to their liking and paste them on THEIR cup. Pass them a marker to write their names on it too, so they wouldn’t mix it up!

Craft booth

Instead of paying big bucks to hire an entertainer or have a bunch of kids crowd around the TV/Computer/Tablet, create a craft booth! For younger children, you may want to stick with child-safe, mess-free craft booth ideas such as ‘Decorate your party hat’. For older children, feel free to experiment with messier ideas like ‘Cupcake decorating’. Children love the idea of decorating their own food! A small tip here, use plastic wrap to cover the floor area where your craft booth sits - saves you a lot of cleaning time!

Photobooth, DIY props

Photo opportunities are a must especially at such joyous occasions! What better way to document these than a photobooth? With the mega quality cameras built in our smartphones, we just need a few props to make the picture POP! Few ideas include creating a frame with your child’s birthdate and your family photo and a few more fun props according to the party theme! If the theme is Magic, first print out magic-related items (wand, Wizard’s hat). Then paste them on cardboard to make them more durable and add a wooden stick (disposable chopsticks from hawker centres work just fine) to make it handy for posing!

Balloon Decorations

Who doesn’t love balloons at a party? Blow up balloons and string them together to create a balloon garland and drape it across your windows, door frames or walls! Put a hole through the mouthpiece part of the balloon and use yarn or thread to string them together. You could also tie a string to the balloon and weigh them down with keychain rings and place them around the house, on the ground! (Tip: Instead of blowing up balloons manually or buying an air pump, fill up bottle with Vinegar and Baking Soda and drape the balloon opening over the bottle mouth!)

Make your own Juice Bar/Popsicles!

Singapore’s hot weather calls for a cool, refreshing snack. What healthier way than making your own juice bar or popsicles? Juice out fresh fruits and freeze them in either ice cube trays or popsicle moulds overnight for that mid-party Vitamin C booster! Set aside juices for Adults to make themselves a drink as and when they want!

Party Favours

No kid wants to leave a party empty-handed, however, favour bags do not have to be over the top! Get some colourful paper bags stapled with a small Thank You note and a marker to pen the names of recipients. Favour items could include more sweets (never one too many for kids!), or essentials items such as stationery.

There you have it! 10 birthday party ideas to include in your plan that doesn’t break the bank! Do keep in mind that children are simple and happiness comes easily to them! Do not stress yourself out trying to initiate an awesome party you saw online or heard from someone else. It’s YOUR child’s party not anyone else’s, so focus on what they like and make it fun ( and budget-friendly) for everyone!

[babymemom]

How to make your kid’s room look amazing!

Designing a child’s room can be both delightful and exhilarating for most parents. They want their kid’s room to be the most creative, nurturing, soothing yet memorable. Thankfully, there are plenty of creative ideas that can be put together to build a drool-worthy room for your children. We’ve put together some amazing ideas you could incorporate into a kids room that you and your children will love!

1. Doodle Wall/Art Wall

Admit it, how many times do we come back to our children covered in paint, food or makeup! While that may sound like fun, but when all of that stuff gets on your furniture, walls and floors, it may not be fun anymore! Give your child a designated Doodle Wall in the kids room! Fit a big chalkboard or transparent plastic wrap over one wall and voila! The Great Picasso said “Every child is an artist”. Let their imagination run wild, while keeping the rest of your house clean! You could also use yarn or strings to display your child/children’s art pieces that they’ve done in school. 

2. Ceiling Swing

The unpredictable Singapore weather can be a real headache when making playtime plans for your children. Install a ceiling swing as a backup for the days where it’s too hot, too humid or pouring with lightning storms. Afraid that it might be too dangerous? Install it closer to the floor or stack a few child-safe gym mats beneath the swing!

3.  Smart Storage

We tend to buy way too many toys and whatnots for our children. Add to that, there are gifts from birthdays and Christmas, and then there are just way too many! Space is an issue especially with room sizes getting smaller through the years. We recommend these smart storage ideas. Not only do they make your kids room neater and bigger (meaning more play area!), it also rids of you stepping on any toy and hurting yourself! Play items that double up as storage units are a fun way to teach the kids about the virtues of putting stuff away in a neat manner.

4. Reading Nook

Following the smart storage ideas, this idea fully utilizes room space yet not compromise fun for your child/children. Placing a rug/sofa/beanbag close to a bookshelf would encourage them to pick up reading and immerse themselves into the literal world.

5. Foam tiles 

Want to childproof your house/playroom? Instead of lining your floors with carpet - which are more difficult to keep clean, why not line them up with foam tiles? They are easy to assemble, easy to clean and most importantly, child safe! 

6. Having a play tent/ canopy 

Play tents provide the perfect environment for a child’s imaginary world of rainbows and unicorns. If there isn’t enough space for a play tent, hang a canopy on the ceiling - it will still be fun for the kids!

7. Fairy lights for the girls, Superhero lights for the boys

Perfect for bedtime stories, not too bright for your kids to fall asleep, not too dark for you to still see the story text. And most importantly, it beautifies your house - why not!

8. Brightly colored walls, big windows for plenty of sunlight to come in

Understand how to properly work color schemes and paint the playroom accordingly! Yellow represents sunshine and happiness while Green eludes calm and serenity.

9. Half door for the playroom

Worried about the kids in the playroom but you’ve got household chores to be busy with? Install a half door to give your kid freedom without the worry!

10.  Rocking chair/horse and Large bean bags

These days you can find bean bags in various shapes, sizes and colors. Animal shaped bright colored beanbags will brighten up any child’s room. A rocking chair or horse is another childhood favourite that makes memories and and makes playtime more fun! Adding enough soft surfaces to make the playroom seem plush!

You can get as creative as you want with your children’s rooms - try different colors, shapes and objects - however be mindful of the practicality of all the items, as well as the safety of your children. The kid’s room should be fun and nurturing - allowing them to play, learn and relax at the same time!

[babymemom]

Mom Photographer series: Ashta from Ash D Photography

Ashta is an exuberant photographer who loves to take photos of children and families. She herself is a mother to an adorable 1-year boy, and has mastered the art of taking photos of young kiddos! You can find out more about her business on her business page, and also connect with her on Instagram.

Here are some of her awesome tips for taking photos of your children!

1. It is best to choose a place where the kiddos love to hang out and are most comfortable in! When kids are comfortable with their surroundings it is easier to get candid happy shots and they are generally more co-operative too.

2. Avoid nap times! Nap times are usually when kids would not be very co-operative or are moody. So avoid these times! Similarly, also avoid times when they have just woken up.

4. Talking to kids about what you want them to do and what a photo shoot is all about tends to help. Showing them pictures prior to a shoot also helps them see what a photo shoot is all about and what may be expected of them. This makes them feel inclusive!

5. Be inclusive and invite creative ideas from children themselves! This makes them feel involved which means happy photographs for you!

6. If you are bringing kids out to take photos, extra clothing for you and your kids, diapers, snacks, milk and water are all must-haves! Kids tend to get hungry and thirsty at odd times when outdoors! So prepare well!

7. Be prepared to retake photos and do not get discouraged if the photos are not as expected. It is best to go with the flow and take photos of kids in their own space, doing their own thing. Do not let stress overtake you.

8. Always have a back up plan if you are planning an outdoor shoot! You never know what mother nature has planned!

9.  Bring props! Let your kids choose some toys and their favourite games to bring along! This will help them relax, and you will get some candid, happy shots!

10. Be calm. Kids photography requires a lot of patience and creativity. Let your ideas flow and be embrace the candidness of the shoot!

Ash D Photography is offering all Memom readers with a $50 off coupon! Just quote Memom2016, and choose your perfect photography package!

[babymemom]

How to create a family photo collage on your wall

In the world of interior decoration, picture collages are a fun and wonderful way to decorate a large wall space. A collage is made by bringing together various materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or art pieces on to a base. Therefore, it is almost impossible to make a collage with just one picture; instead you get to pick a bunch of your favorites to show off all at once. The most salient point in collage making is, if not done correctly, picture collages can look chaotic and messy on a wall.

In creating a photo collage, the first step on your to-do list should be choosing your wall. The right wall in the right room can make all the difference in how the picture collage fits into the space. Pick a room that is open and bright. You want to have lots of space where people can stand back and enjoy the collage, as well as the ability to come up close and look at each individual photo. Also the color of the wall should should be of a different shade from the collage in order to create a great relief for your collage. All shades of Grey can provide the best background. To pick a wall for your picture collage, look for a space that is between 6 and 8 feet wide. This will give you enough space to get frames of varying sizes to fit without them feeling squished.

Also, when creating a picture collage, the thing to remember is that you don’t need every frame to be the same. That being said, a picture collage can look pretty nice if you have identical frames with similar pictures in them, but this is best for pictures of nature. If you are trying to make a collage of family pictures, the frames can be different. When each picture has one focal point, it will allow your guests' eyes to focus on the order and symmetry of the display. If you want to create a picture collage depicting people, it would be best to choose frames that are similar, but not identical. They could all be the same color, but different sizes. Or, they could be the same color with different thicknesses to the frames. Or, you could pick ones that are different colors, but have a similar theme, like varying shades of a single color. When it comes to creating a photo collage of family members, there is an endless list of deviations that can be applied, below are some great styles for displaying family pictures in a wall collage.

1. THE RUBIKS CUBE: Take the most beautiful photographs of your family and friends and have them blown up and put onto a canvas with all the pictures in the shape of a perfect square. Then display all of them together making sure that all the little bits of family pictures form an even bigger perfect square just like one of the sides of a Rubik’s cube!

2. THE SKY HANGER:  This can be achieved by inserting your beautiful photos into some lovely frames and attaching a thin piece of rope or wire to the frames. Then set them to hang from a position high up on your wall. This way all the photos to be displayed are seen at different points on your wall.

3. THE FLOATING CLOUD: gather up a cluster of your favorite family photos and create a similar small design.  It’ll give texture, art and edge to the wall. And, it gives the illusion of a cloud of photos loosely hanging and floating around your walls.

4. THE HEART STYLE: Gather up photos of yourself and your loved ones and place them on your wall in the shape of a heart. So simple, sweet and precious. The display in a heart. The symbolism is perfect; it’s different and easy to do.

Photo collages are quite easy to put up which is why it is always found in the DIY section of any material on home making. These not only add warmth and love to your home, but also provide a great story and talking point with guests, friends and family!

[babymemom]

Mom Photographer series: Charlotte Francovalle

Charlotte Francovalle is a mother to two beautiful boys, and a photographer currently located in Singapore. Charlotte loves working with children, and is known to have endless energy and rapport with them while creating stunning portraits and photographs. She was born and raised in San Diego, but has also lived all over California, Miami and New York City before coming to Singapore. Charlotte’s recent work and contact details are available on her website and on her Facebook page.  

Being an adventure lover and a creative soul herself, she agreed to give our readers a peek into her secrets of photographing babies and children. Here are her top tips that you can use the next time you’re clicking photos of your own precious bundles! 

Have Patience One of the most important things to do when trying to get a photo of your children is to have patience.  Try not to get frustrated and irritated if they are not listening. Let them be the director.  Let them run the session, don’t try and control it (too much).  Remember to breathe, go with the flow.

It’s okay to use special treats! It's ok on picture day to use bribes and special treats!  It's just one day, it won't kill them.  Wrap a special little present and give it to them to open on the day of your shoot.  It can be as simple as bubbles and stickers with their favourite treat.

Get down to their level The next tip, get down on their level!  Shoot eye level to eye level.  Get creative and try to lie on the grass across from them, catch the blades of grass in the shot too.  

Focus and composition You always want to set your focus point on the children's eyes.  This will help ensure that your images always look focused.  Don't be afraid to line up your kids to the side of center.  They don't always have to be in the center of the image.  Try putting them in the first 1/3 or last 1/3 of the frame.

Background Pay attention to your background.  Sometime the better shot is behind you and not in front of you.  For example, the garden with all the busy bright beautiful flowers is lovely, but it might be better just to shoot against all the green trees so the child becomes the main focus of the image.

Natural Light I always prefer natural light.  So try to shoot early in the day outside or later in the day when the light is softer and not directly above.  You'll have less harsh shadows on your images and get more of a soft glow.  Pay attention to the light and how it is falling on the kids and move them accordingly.  Light from behind your subject creates a silhouette and light to the front, a more natural all over glow.  Have the light coming from the side or angled for a more artistic look.

Have Fun! And most important... Be silly and have fun!  Bring bubbles, streamers, a hula hoop and anything that will help crack a smile.