Review: Natural corn-based baby utensils

Finally, moms can say goodbye to toxic plastics and feed their babies nutritious food from all-natural, 100% baby safe utensils made from corn!

"Mothers put tremendous effort to feed nutritious food to their babies, but it's frustrating to have to feed them with conventional plastic utensils that contain toxic chemicals like BPA, Phthalates, Maelamine or PVC" said Daphne Goh, owner and Director of Boo-tiful, a fine children's furniture boutique.

"We want to give mothers in Singapore an organic alternative to complement their feeding routines with their babies," she adds.  Boo-tiful's latest addition to its feeding range, Dandelion feeding products are made from all natural cornstarch that are environmentally friendly and completely child-safe.  

You can be assured when baby puts these award-winning feeding utensils and teething links into their mouths for oral stimulation, their health and well-being are taken into consideration. 

Dandelion products come in bold colours, with unique shapes and multi-texture surfaces to assist the babies' exploration development.  They are recommended for all ages birth and up.

Dandelion range is priced from S$14.90 - S$16.90.  It is available from Boo-tiful and the following stockists: 

• Mothercare stores islandwide
• Eat Organic
• Doolbydoo
• Jam and Muffin
• Simplethots

The Singapore Traffic Police Department answers some of our questions on child safety when travelling on the road.

1. What are the general car seat guidelines in Singapore?
Under the Road Traffic Act, a child below the age of 8 years old, who is the passenger of a motor vehicle, has to be secured using a child restraint that is appropriate for his/her height and weight, or use a booster seat cushion in conjunction with the vehicle seat belts. (A note to clarify: a child restraint comes with its own seat belts, but a booster seat cushion does not. A person sitting on a booster seat cushion has to be belted up with the vehicle seat belts.)

The law does not specify the age group that has to use a child restraint and the age group that has to use a booster seat cushion, because different children may grow at different rate. It is left to the discretion of the parents / driver to decide whether a child restraint or booster seat cushion is more suitable for a particular child. Parents typically switch from using a child restraint to a booster seat cushion when their children turn 4 years old.

2. Is it illegal to have your car seat in the front seat?
There is no traffic rule which states where a child restraint should be placed (front seat or back seat). However, some cars do carry labels on their sun shade flaps, advising against putting a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat, due to the location of the air bag in the car. Parents should check their cars to see if they carry such a label, before deciding on the appropriate place to put the child restraint.

3. How old should a child be for him/her to sit in the front seat?
The law does not specify where a child has to sit in the vehicle. A child can sit in the front passenger seat as long as he is secured with a child restraint.

4. Will the driver get into trouble if a child is not buckled?
It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all his passengers – whether they are adults or children — wear seat belts. If the passenger is a child, the child has to be secured with a child restraint or use a booster seat cushion. A driver who fails to ensure that his adult or child passenger is belted up commits an offence which entails a composition fine of S$120 and 3 demerit points.

5. Can a child sit in the front seat with an adult?
A child who is travelling in a motor vehicle has to be secured with a child restraint. If sitting “in the front seat with an adult” means that the child is sitting on the lap of the adult, with the adult holding on to the child, it is not allowed.

The purpose of a child restraint is to secure the child properly so that he/she can have a safe journey. It is not possible to adequately protect a child by carrying him/her in the arms. This is because, in the event of a forward collision, the effective weight of the child would increase dramatically. An adult would not be able to hold on to this weight.

6. What are the penalties for flouting the traffic law on car seats - are there any?
Any driver who fails to belt up or ensure that his adult or child passenger is belted up commits an offence which entails a composition fine of S$120 and 3 demerit points.

7. Advice from traffic police on car seat / child safety in a moving vehicle
Motorists,  especially  parents,  should be aware that they are responsible for  the  safety of  young children travelling in their vehicles, and that they  are  endangering  the  lives  of these children whenever proper child restraints are not used. The use of proper child restraints is a simple act that could help save lives.

8. Are there any rules on children traveling in vans, lorries or trucks?
Yes, a child can travel in vans, lorries or trucks, but the same rule will apply — that the child has to be secured using a child restraint that is appropriate for his/her height and weight, or use a booster seat cushion in conjunction with the vehicle seat belts.

This article first appeared in theAsianparent.com

Missing Daddy

After a week of sprained neck, computer malfunctions and car trouble, Meiling is glad to have her husband home again.

My husband left me last week for an 8-day business trip. While it is not the first time he has been away, it is the first time he will be away over 2 weekends, leaving me with 2 kids, a house and a host of general activities to manage. I decided to start my “Single” parenthood off in a relaxing manner.

He left early on Sunday morning, before the kids or the sun was up. I went back to bed and by the time I woke up, it was mid-morning. My kids and I decided to spend a nice Sunday swimming and having lunch by our condominium pool. The water was cold but the kids didn’t mind. We swam to warm up our bodies. I was lulled into a dreamy holiday mood with the sun on my face and the kids in the background. After lunch, the kids returned to the pool and were splashing around in sibling harmony. All was good.

Suddenly, an urgent call: “Mommy, mommy! I can’t move my neck!”

What?! I was instantly tossed out of my dream state. Like most 6-year-old boys, my son has a talent for getting into situations that challenge me to manage my own state. In this case, not to panic when I saw his head bent perpendicular to his body.

Luckily, we have a neighbour who is a paediatrician. She recommended that we consult a doctor immediately and get an X-ray just in case. The doctor we saw was extremely nice and gentle to my poor son who was wincing in pain, but keeping up a brave front. After spending the entire afternoon at the hospital emergency, my son was pronounced to have a minor sprain in the neck, but good to go home. He was very relieved his initial fear that he would become a “freak” was unfounded and very excited to show off his new neck brace to his friends and sister.

That, was day 1.

Even the technology conspires against me.

Day 2. I’m working from home to monitor my son’s neck and ensure he doesn’t get into more “trouble” – they can’t be still even with a sprain neck, can they? And of course, this is the week that my computer and printer decide to kick the bucket. I could not print anything on or offline. My wifi keeps getting disconnected and each time I upload something, it either erases or takes forever.

Usually when I encounter a technological glitch, I yelled for my husband to fix it. But of course, he is not around this week.

My husband takes my daughter to school every morning. It is their ritual. With him gone, that task fell on me. On the morning of day 4 that my husband was away, the car engine sounded funny. Hmmm, I thought, better get my husband to look at it when he’s back. Fortunately, my daughter’s school was only a few minutes’ drive from the house. I dropped her off, came back to the car, and the blasted engine wouldn’t start!!

I still had to drop my son to school, and go to work after that. What the *&%$P!!! Should I call AA (Automobile Association of Singapore)? What does one do in such situations? I should have paid more attention when my husband was instructing me on all this ‘stuff’.

After several desperate SMSes, and waking my husband (who is in a different time zone) to ask him who I should call, we resolved the situation – the car battery had to be recharged. Duh!!

I promised myself there and then to be a better student when he coaches me on the intricacies of car trouble, technological connections and other matters concerning our home.

Daddy’s coming home today.

My kids have really missed their daddy this week. He does spend a lot of time with them, coaching, playing and tending to their needs. They’ve missed his silliness, and big shoulders to cry on when they have a boo-boo or hide behind when Mom’s angry with them.

Me? I have found new appreciation for my husband’s role in our family unit. Aside from being extremely useful when it comes to the maintenance of the car, IT and electrical parts around the house, he has always been my great rock to lean on during difficult moments in my life. And I have learnt this week not to take his contributions too lightly or for granted.

He is on a plane coming home to us today; landing 10 minutes before the day is over. I am glad my “Single” parenthood has come to an end; that there is someone to share the trials and tribulations of this illustrious profession.

Whether you have anything planned for Valentine’s Day or not, it is still a day to reaffirm your love and commitment to your family unit and to each other.

So to all of you, Happy Valentine’s Day!

And to my husband, it’s good to have you home, babe! Happy Valentine’s Day!

This post first appeared in theAsianparent.com in 2011.