DID YOU KNOW ...? (71)

A school that had only five students when it was first established in 1959 now holds the world record of the largest school in terms of pupils. According to a news article, Guinness Book of Records has Lucknow City Montessori School in India as the world's biggest school with 39,437 students in 1,000 classrooms in the academic year of 2010-2011. However, it is claimed by the school's website that the school now has over 47,000 students.

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Travelling with Young Children: What to Know?

My recommendations to people who are planning a lengthy travel with their babies and toddlers especially by plane are as follows:

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1) Apart from a front baby carrier, make sure you arrange a cot for your baby to sleep in on the plane. The best way to do this is to enquire about it while purchasing your ticket as well as checking in approximately two hours in advance as they generally work with 'first in, first serve' policy. They only have a limited number of baby bassinets they can offer on planes. Also, keep in mind that there is an age and weight limit to the use of the cots on planes for safety purposes.

2) If your baby is breastfed and you prefer to be covered while feeding, make sure you bring something to serve the purpose with you. Some businesses sell 'breastfeed covers' but you can easily make your own in less than half a minute and it doesn't even involve any sewing! Take a large shawl with you, fold it in half lengthwise, pretend it is a top that you can wear and where your shoulder is (the one that is not close to the folded end), attach a safety pin. This shape simply allows you to 'wear it' and lay on your shoulders while having the flexibility to bring your baby/toddler under it and breastfeed comfortably. This is not only an easy and functional breastfeed cover, but is also something that you can wear to keep yourself warm with and it doesn't have to add to your luggage weight at all as you can get on the plane with the shawl on you. It can also easily become a little blanket over yourself or your baby while having a little nap or a read/watch. (I will be making a visual post on this breastfeed cover sometime soon. Stay tuned!) 

3) While taking off and landing, make sure your baby/toddler suckles something, whether it be you (if breastfed), a pacifier or their own fingers. This allows babies to handle the pressure that builds in ears better, hopefully totally pain-free. 

4) Bring some age-appropriate toys/books with you. Taking a few favourite toys of your child is always a good idea. However, I also suggest that you take some new toys/books to catch their attention and make them curious so that hopefully they spend some time with them. Take them out one at a time. 

Some books come with a hook that allows you to attach them to some other objects so they don't keep falling on the floor. As for the toys, if you can attach some nice cheap baby rings to them, do so as they will help them stay still (they can even chew on them). 

If your baby is teething, bring some items such as teething rings to give him something to chew. 

5) If your baby is attached to a certain object, do not forget to bring it with you.

6) Keep some large objects (such as a hair accessory for yourself) handy. Sometimes, your everyday objects keep them busier than their own toys. 

7) Depending on your baby's age, bring some plane-safe foods, drinks, snacks with you. Sometimes, it takes a while before they serve you on the plane and babies are not the most patient human beings on earth as you would be well aware by now. Your baby's milk and food is not subject to the same maximum restrictions for aeroplane cabin baggage. You are allowed to carry enough for your baby's journey. 

8) I always take some extra clothing and other necessary items than usual in case your baby reacts differently on that day (vomits, has a diarrhoea, spills food/drinks on him etc).  

9) Back to the toys again.. Make sure your toys are not too hard or noisy for the plane. Not everyone is patient, has a baby or can emphasise.

10) Keep a nice bib or two handy with you. There are some bibs that has a 'waterproof side' and the other side is nice and soft. It may become your best friend on the plane. One side is the best for drinks or fluids in general, the other can be used for solid foods. It is also preferable especially on the plane if it has a pocket as well as it makes it less messy. Also, make sure it is easily washed and can dry fast. 

11) I would not wear any jewellery while travelling with a baby or a young child. To me, it is a safety issue (both mine as well as my baby's. Some babies tend to pull things and a family member's ear was ripped while her baby son at the time decided to use all his strength and pull the earring off her mum's ear). 

12) Especially if you will be transferred from one plane to the other during your journey, you may want to consider bringing a lightweight stroller with you.

13) Don't forget your 'must have' items (eg. wet tissues, nappies, change mat, some bags to put dirty clothes/nappies in etc.)

14) Walking on the plane is one of the most favourite activities babies/children tend to have. So, try to make sure you are well rested and are wearing some comfortable shoes and clothes as you may have a good workout walking up and down with your little precious one during your travel.

15) It can be an overwhelming experience for your baby, so try to be patient. You being calm will surely help them in a positive way as well. Whatever you do, keep in mind that it is a new experience for your baby and try to capture/feel the excitement they are likely to have in their eyes while it is there.  

I hope these recommendations are of some help to you. I am sure there are many other tips that people with experience would have in mind. Please do share your tips with us all in the comments section below. 

Enjoy your trip to wherever you are planning on going!

Sleeping Bag: An Upcycling Project

I have been longing to make a sleeping bag for Miss Junior for a while but it took me some time before I could find the time and courage to work on it. When I saw the gorgeous Abby's sleeping bags for her beautiful son and the tutorial she has put together on her page, thingsforboys.com, I thought it was the time I made an extra effort to make one for my daughter as well.

As usual, I actually tried to find more tutorials on it online but unfortunately there weren't many that I thought was great. I think Abby's tutorial was still the best option of them all even though there were some page navigations to be done at times and I was hoping to avoid that. Regardless, I set my mind to it and voila! My little beauty now has a new sleeping sack!

Before moving on to the sleeping bag project of mine, I will share a few photos from my precious new fat quarter stash. Aren't they just amazing? I can look at them with a smiley face and some wildly running ideas in mind for hours and wouldn't even recognise it has been hours!

Now, this much drooling over the gorgeous fabrics of mine should be enough. Lets move on to the actual topic of this post: an upcycling project of turning some baby blankets into a sleeping bag.

Here is how I have made it. I first made a rough pattern on some newspaper pages using one of Miss Junior's sleeping bags. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of making the neck too big at this stage and I only noticed it after I pretty much completed the project. Too late to change it but it is still OK for me as even Mr. Junior wants to wear it at times. It fits him as well. Also, it is all about learning, isn't it? It has taught me a lesson and I am happy to take it. I now know what not to do next time.

Then, I pinned the paper pattern onto some of my children's baby blankets that weren't in much use anymore. I particularly chose the warm materials. I had a pink and a small blue fleece blanket for the outer, and some soft thick 100% cotton blankets for the lining inside.

I must say, for me, the trickiest part was the decision of how to place the zipper and also make it reversible. After a few trials, I think the zipper worked well, but not so reversible (the installation of the zipper was easy, it was the planning of it that was challenging for me). For the ones who have dreaded working with a zip, don't! It is actually surprisingly easy to install one. If you don't believe people who say 'trust me', then just do a quick search online and you will find lots of tutorials on it. Here is only one of the videos that you may find useful (it has brief information on different types of 'feet' for a particular branded sewing machine but also explains how to install a zipper as well). Otherwise, if you would rather prefer pictorial tutorials, you can try this link.

Unlike the tutorial, I cut the two front fabrics (both the pink fleece and also the cotton lining) in half upto the point where my zip was going to end as the zip I had was shorter than the whole length of the sleeping bag but was definitely a good size for my daughter to get in and out easily. Then, I tried to follow the tutorial with the rest of the project.

I was hoping to make it reversible initially, just like the very skillful Abby has made it, but I couldn't (I had to go back and forth to another site here and I didn't have that much time for it). So, I kept going and instead, used some bias tape around the neck and the armholes to give it a professional finish. I must also admit that it was also because I actually really like this finish. It just gives it a more character and adds value to it.

I may also add some fabric cover over the zipper on top of the sleeping bag to make it harder for my daughter to open it. I can close it with a snap fastener or a button.

Since my pink blanket was larger than what I needed at the front and my blue piece was not big enough for the back, I simply used a bit of both at the back.

Here are a few notes for myself for the next time:

* Your daughter is petite. This sleeping bag will possibly fit her until she is at least a teenager. You can aim for a smaller fit next time.

* As you have noticed after trying it on yourself, the neck suits you perfectly well. Since it is originally made for your 2 year old daughter, not for yourself, make sure you make the neck-hole much smaller next time. 

* Follow instructions well. Do not get lazy. Otherwise, be happy with your 'not-so-reversible' sleeping bag. 

Make something that you enjoy making today!

DIY KIDS: Bucket Stilt Balancing Fun

Here, it is the second week of school holidays. In my opinion, it is a great time to stock up on some easy and affordable activity/toy ideas to keep the little ones happily busy. Busy kids, happy parents!

Stilt walking challenge will not only amaze your child(ren) during their school-free time but is sure to make a great party activity too.



What you need for this stilt fun is as follows:

- a drill to make holes with, 

- some rope, 

- two buckets, strong enough to carry your child(ren).

Simply, drill two holes on the bottom of your buckets across from each other just large enough for your rope to go through. Secure each side of the rope with a knot inside the bucket, where the holes are. Make another knot less than halfway through the rope on the outside and voila! That is all there is to it. 

Have a joyful day!

DID YOU KNOW...? (70)

Butterflies have tiny receptors on their feet and most butterflies taste the food they are on with their feet. 

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RECIPE: Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Here is a delicious mushroom sauce recipe for you. It may not be the lightest sauce but is sure to become your favourite once you taste it. 

Ingredients: 

2 medium sized diced chicken breast

Approximately 500gr finely sliced/grated mushrooms

1 tub of cream (500ml)

A generous tablespoonful of mustard (We used a combination of two mustard sauces (Australian and Dijon) in this recipe today. However, you can choose one of your favourite mustard sauces and just use that)

Some crushed garlic to taste (you can omit garlic in this recipe if you like but it enhances the flavour)

50-60g butter

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Method: 

First, cook diced chickens well in some oil and salt. If it becomes a bit watery, then pour out the water and keep stirring it until it cooks well. In another pot, melt some butter and cook your garlic in it. Then, add some shredded mushroom to it, add a little bit of olive oil into it and keep stirring until all the mushrooms are nice and soft. After that, add your mustard sauce(s) and cook until you are happy with the thickness of the sauce. If you would like your sauce to be runny, then cook less. Otherwise, keep cooking until the sauce forms the thickness that you like. Once your mushroom mixture is ready, combine it with the chickens cooked earlier and serve this delicious creamy mushroom sauce on top of your choice of pasta. Enjoy!

Note: The photos below show you the images of step-by-step instructions. I took these photos when we were making this sauce for 5 adults and 2 children. You can make it in a smaller size. (We used the whole cream container for this recipe). 

Guest Post: HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARLIC

When discussing the aromatic personality of garlic, the question remains, would you be willing to smell a little like this potent herb if you knew that it has gobs of health benefits?  Many would answer yes when they consider what this miracle food does.

Photo: Home of Homemade Treasures

For centuries, garlic has been prized around the globe for its distinct culinary taste and the wonderful flavor it adds to many sophisticated dishes.  Additionally, because of its sustainability, garlic has been shipped and traded across long distances.

Now scientists from several countries, including France, Italy and the U.S., are confirming the plethora of health benefits gained from garlic, specifically because this herb helps to facilitate detoxification and acts as a powerful antioxidant, stimulating immune responses and reducing inflammation.

Studies are finding that the components in garlic, called Allyl Sulfides and Bioflavonoids, may be key to lowering incidences of heart disease and cancer in those who consume large amounts of it.

Many of our modern-day cancers are thought to be caused by damage to DNA, often induced by environmental toxins. A study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that eating a teaspoon of fresh garlic a day increases the levels of a key enzyme for removing toxins in the blood cells.

Clinical experiments have shown that regular consumption of garlic decreases calcium deposits and the size of arterial plaque in coronary arteries, prevented unhealthy blood clotting and improved the circulation of the subjects who were studied.   

What's the Magic Behind Garlic

Garlic produces a chemical called Allicin, which is what seems to make garlic work. Allicin also makes garlic smell. There is a lot of variation among garlic products sold for medicinal purposes. The amount of Allicin, the active ingredient and the source of garlic’s distinctive odor, depends on the method of preparation.  

Garlic also has germanium in it. Germanium is an anti-cancer agent, and garlic has more of it than any other herb. In lab tests, mice who were fed garlic showed no cancer development, whereas mice that weren't fed garlic showed at least some. In fact, garlic has been shown to retard tumor growth in human subjects in some parts of the world.

Taking Garlic for Health Reasons

Current research has shown that garlic not only has major impact on cancer prevention, but it also reduces the risk of other major maladies. Not surprisingly the presence of all these antioxidants in garlic have a very positive effect on the immune system in general and can therefore protect the body against all types of bacterial and viral attacks. Allicin has been shown to not only lower blood pressure, insulin and triglyceride levels in laboratory animals fed a sugar rich diet, but also to prevent weight gain.   

Garlic is an invaluable medicine for coughs, difficulty of breathing, asthma, hoarseness and other disorders of the lungs because this herb promotes expectoration.  The positive effect of garlic on your circulatory system is extremely well documented and it has been proven to decrease platelet aggregation,plus it stimulates the production of nitric oxide in the lining of blood vessel walls, a substance that helps them to relax. As a result, garlic helps to prevent arteriosclerosis and thereby reduces the risk of heart attack and strokes.  Finally, because garlic is famous for reducing inflammation, the herb is an excellent natural remedy for those suffering from arthritis.

Garlic is one of the most valuable and versatile foods on the planet. Known as one of the oldest medicinal plants, garlic is a widely recognized health enhancing supplement, and if you can stand the odor, is considered one of the best foods around to promote your well-being.

David Novak is a international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in GQ, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, USA Today, among others, and he has appeared on The Today Show, the CBS Morning Show and Paul Harvey Radio. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries.  He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline.com.  For more information, visit here.