Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category
Cocoro’s news from Japan
Monday, November 7th, 2011 by lewisI’m so sorry for not updating my blog for this long. How have you been?
Have you already started your Xmas shopping? I have asked my hubby to get some Xmas card and my mother-in-law has already baked her gorgeous Xmas cake. I’m still in Kochi, the warm part of Japan, so it’s weird talking about Xmas but it’s already less than 2months away!
My daughter became 6months a few weeks ago, so she has started weaning. She loved baby rice and mashed potatoes, carrots and some apple juice! She tried to hold her spoon and didn’t want to let me feed her, so she gets so messy every time! She’s definitely my girl!
My 3years old son Oscar somehow gets upset if Yuna is messy, and the other day I caught him cleaning her nose. I’m not sure if Yuna liked it….. I’m sure I would have been freaking out if I had seen that sight when I only had Oscar, but now I understand why second children are tougher!
If you are a mother/father of more than one child, I would like to know your tips about entertaining two kids at the same time!
I’m struggling!
Oscar cleans Yuna's nose
Yuna is now 6 months old
Tomono x
Cooking with a Toddler
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 by tomonoAlthough the days are getting longer and brighter, it was a really, really cold day again here in the U.K., so I stayed at home in the afternoon with my son Oscar.
On this kind of day, what can you do witha super active 2 year old? Well, we decided to cook!
We had just bought some very fresh sprats from the fishmonger, so we made Nanbanzuke.
He was supposed to be helping me but his favourite part of cooking is nibbling and taking all the tupperwear out from draws!
How do you entertain your toddler at home in this kind of weather…?
Oscar helps line up the sprats
Catch them with your chopsticks!
Stealing carrots to nibble
Tupperwear all over the place
Mmmmm yummy!
T x
Do you know Anpanman?
Thursday, September 9th, 2010 by tomonoWhen my brother took us to Anpanman museum just a few days after we arrived in Japan, Oscar did not really get the idea of Anpanman.
Well it didn’t take long for him to recognize this popular character which you can see everywhere you go in Japan. So when we went back to the Anpanman museum in Yokohama a few weeks later, he absolutely loved it!
Oscar was wearing a lovely baby Kimono that was a gift from a dear friend of mine. Big thank you for my dear friend Mami!
Oscar and Anpanman
At the Anpanman museum
...and Anpanman goodies!
Tomono x
Places to take a little one when it’s hot
Saturday, August 21st, 2010 by tomonoWhere do you take your little one when it’s too hot to go outside?? I can’t imagine having this kind of situation in the UK but it was so difficult to entertain Oscar in July Japan.
No park to run around unless it’s early in the morning or the afternoon but had to spray anti mosquito every few hours. They are very annoying and leave us such a red marks…. So I took Oscar to Kids Plaza science museum in Osaka.
Entering in the first thing in the morning is the best while its still quiet. Oscar enjoyed feeding little fish, experimenting how water pump works, and making lots of big bubbles, wearing traditional clothes from the other country etc. He especially showed interest in balancing balls. He played there for about 30minutes.
He could also do shopping experience. It was so funny to see him choosing only his favourite things!
Can you recommend me good places to take a little one when it’s too hot/cold outside in your country?
I’d love to know!
Oscar at the Osaka Kids Plaza
He loved the ball games
Tomono x
A mother’s love…
Thursday, July 15th, 2010 by tomonoHigurashi cicada starts crying in the very early morning in the summer. They make me feel very nostalgic, reminding me of my childhood. It is the sign of the beginning of summer here in Kochi. Summer may just be beginning but I only have 2 more days with my parents before heading off to Osaka - then back to UK.
My mum called me this afternoon during her lunch break asking what I would like for my last supper at home. I answered straight away “I’d love to have your curry and rice, mother”. It is not a special dish, but her curry and rice is special to me and still my comfort food.
When I was working in Osaka, I was only able to come home for few days a year because of my work. So she used to cook all my favourite dishes in one night. The big table was filled with Sushi, Sashimi, BBQ steak, Udon noodle and lots more small side dishes. I was so confused and never really appreciated it. I told her it’s not helping my diet and I will have stomach ache!!!
Now coming home as a mother of Oscar, I realized how much love I received from her. All her concern was about my busy life style with bad diet. In Japan we have Cool Takyubin which is a small freezer truck that delivers parcels. So she used to even send me some cooked dishes by Cool Takkyubin.
I would like to continue this love to my beloved Oscar.
Tomono x
A few years ago...
Mum and me
Mother and daughter
Aren’t kids amazing?
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 by tomonoOne of my good friends from school Kazumi invited us for dinner last week. She has a 7 year old son Makoto and a 5 year old little cutie called Aoi. The last time I saw little Aoi, she was so small and still holding onto her mummy. Two years later today, she is reading a book for Oscar.
She also had two nephews over. One of the boys asked why we are speaking English and where England is.
All four of them kept asking ‘How do you say this in English?” and as soon as I teach them English words, they can pronounce perfectly! I was so amazed by children’s infinite ability.
We had a lovely meal that Kazumi cooked and also take-away Sushi. Years ago we always met up at the bars but it was so nice to spend some time at home with children around. Both of us agreed that we are not getting any younger and that is shown by the way we enjoy ‘Ienomi’ (having drinks at home).
Oscar had such a lovely time and even watched Sponge Bob in Japanese! Sponge Bob is capturing the world! Aoi also gave Oscar a few books with the Japanese Alphabet ‘Hiragana’. The alphabet was all about food, so Oscar absolutely adore it and making ummm noise!
Oscar having fun
Cute little Aoi has grown up so fast
Food book
Tomono x
No prams allowed?
Saturday, June 12th, 2010 by tomonoCan you go anywhere with your little one in a pram in your country? Do you have any popular children’s characters?
When we visited Anpanman museum* I was surprised to see the big sign which says NO PRAM ALLOWED because of the narrow aisles. I could go anywhere with a pram in the UK, so it was a big culture shock.. What if I had a baby in a pram and a toddler? It would have been a nightmare!
*Anpanman is a mega popular character among toddlers in Japan. He is a super hero. His head is made from sweet bread with Azuki beans inside. So whenever his friends need energy, he can feed them his head and his master Uncle Jam bakes another sweet bread.
Odd, isn’t it?
Anpan Man
Oscar the art lover
Anpanman's world
Tomono x
Treating babies with colds the Japanese way
Sunday, January 31st, 2010 by tomonoWhen Oscar has a cold, it’s usually involves a runny nose and lots of coughing. The worst thing is to see him lethargic with high fever. I don’t really like taking medicine for myself so I have natural Chinese herb instead. But how should I take care of my little one?
I would like to tell you about a few useful, but maybe strange, goods from Japan.
Baby runny nose syringe
This helps a lot to prevent baby from having an uncomfortable night because of a horrible runny nose.
http://www.tampei.co.jp/shouhin/lifehealth/MH/mh.htm
Reusable gel ice pillow
If you keep one in the fridge it lasts a good few hours to help keep their temperature down.
http://www.kobayashi.co.jp/seihin/nyam/index.html
I also heard it’s effective to first cool down under the armpit to bring down the fever.
Do you have a good wisdom to keep little one’s fever down or to prevent them from catching a cold?
Feeding hungry baby and hubby within 30 mins!
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 by tomonoFeeding a hungry baby and your family at the same time seems daunting when your little one is demanding your attention and love 24-7…
But I couldn’t possibly feed jar food for my little one unless we are on holiday, but I also dislike being in the kitchen all the time. So I have found a few good, clever recipes where you can cook baby food and yours at the same time - using the same ingredients!
This is one of my favourites (and my family’s too). If you like it please le me know and I’ll post more in the future.
Pumpkin mash with Soboro
- 1/4 pumpkin
- 300g minced beef
- 4tbs soy source
- 3tbs sugar
- sesame 10g
Pumpkin mash
- Remove the skin and slice the pumpkin
- Boil in hot water till it goes soft
- Drain the water and mash pumpkin
Soboro
- Stir fry the minced beef till it browns
- Add sugar, soy sauce and stir very well
- Sprinkle some sesame
The pumpkin mash is perfect for a 6-12 month baby, but mix them together for 12 month+ baby and you!
Making the pumpkin mash
Pumpkin mash with Soboro
I’m holding a Japanese themed playgroup tomorrow at Long Eaton Bumps and Babies and taking this dish with some lovely sushi!
Hope they like it…
Tomono x
No more baby words?
Monday, January 18th, 2010 by tomonoDin-din, doggy, wee-wee, mummy and daddy…. Do you use baby words with your baby?
While I was in Japan I was talking to my son using Japanese baby words, my friend heard it and told me it is such a bad idea according to Kayoko Kubota (site in Japanese).
So I got her book and learned a little bit about her philosophy. She is nearly 80 years old and believes 0-1year old is the most important stage to develop the brain. Her husband is neuroscience professor in Kyoto University and she read his text books and studied by herself while she was pregnant.
She soon found if she connected to neuroscience and friends and family to motherhood experience, that would be something interesting. She strongly believes stimulating Frontal Association Cortex till 1year old develops a good brain.
It all sounds difficult but what she is telling us is very easy. She is now looking into not only brain development but also what can help make them into good leaders in the future.
What made me fall in love with her book was a bit of brain development but her down to earth character and her foul mouth. She is quite funny….
Here are some of her tips for parents with a 0-1year old
- Always talk to your baby when you are changing their nappy to let them hear you and see your expression.
- Try peek-a-boo more than 5times a day to help them concentrate on one point.
- Dress in colourful clothes to develop colour sensation.
- Try using a sling as much as possible to let them experience your side.
- Don’t use baby words. They only confuse them when you try to teach proper words later.
- Don’t let baby use chopsticks/knife&fork/pens by themselves but show them how to use them many times. Encouraging copying stimulates the brain.
- Let baby have choice and ask her/him “Which one would you like?” It helps making decisions.
Well Oscar is already nearly 2years old… is it a bit too late? Thankfully, she has got so many good ideas for toddlers, too.
I’ll share them in a later post.
Tomono x
"We have absolutely fallen in love with your super cute baby kimonos"
Tina, London
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