blog – Page 2

#FASHIONFRIDAY : BLEU BLUE

These shots was taken last Sunday, straight after church. Because that is the only day when the whole family dress up well for the occasion. Oh yeah…we’re meeting Jesus, we’d better put our best attire on, right?!

It was raining that day, so we chose to wear something waterproof. Daddy and Mommy were up for some navy trench raincoat while Jared was looking cool with his feather printed blue jacket.

We had such an early departure from home, church was fun and amazing, then the kids were over-tired; they had some nap in the car while us, the parents had to eat some Chinese take away lunch in the car. You gotta do what you have to do, they said.

We stopped by at the Hunters Hill skate park on the way home, and let Jared play his scooter there. 30 minutes later, he refused to go home. 45 minutes later, he started to negotiate with us. 60 minutes late, he accepted our bribe; McDonald’s run it was. Happy Meal to keep the kid happy.

Went straight back home and took some quick indoor casual family photos utilising the minimal lights inside our unit. NOW, ALL EYES ON US.

Last but not least enjoy some #thecuttingroomfloor from last week shooting – and let me introduce you to Jared; the over-achiever, cause there’s always one in the family, right?! Happy weekend guys! Enjoy your time with some lovelies. X

Daddy: I had enough of this boy’s calling out that random skater boy.

J: *gasping* AAAAAAAA

J: AAAOOO

J: *screaming* AAAAAAA

// Kenny: Trench Coat (Sportscraft) , High Neck White Tee (SHEIN), Navy buttoned shirt (Zara), Denim Skirt (@bevnoir), Suede high knee boots (Zara) //

// Andri: Trench Coat (Topman), Navy sweat (Marcs), White tee & Black Jeans (H&M), Shoes (Vans) //

// Jared: Feather Printed Bomber Jacket, White Sweater (Huxbaby), Black Pants (Uniqlo), Shoes (Vans) //

// Asher: Overall (Cotton On Kids), Bomber Jacket (Zara Kids), Beanie (Toshi), Socks (Jamie Kay) //

Love,

Kenny

#FASHIONFRIDAY – AUTUMN FEELS

black and leather are very versatile for any seasons. It goes well with any denim and colours. It is a MUST ITEM in everyone’s wardrobe, including the kids’.

Hello Friday! It’s been a while I am putting my passion for fashion aside. Until last week, when I was cleaning up my IPhone storage, I found some great lookbook photos of me with the family. Somehow, it sparked the fire back to start The Tjungsquad fashion section. So, let’s level up the fun by starting a new official hashtag of my fashion section #fashionfriday – I will try my best to update this section once a week, yes new fashion inspiration will up live on Friday.

Today, let’s talk about autumn. Yeah I see it’s June already which means winter is no longer near, instead, IT IS HERE! But, how can you deny the beauty of autumn?! I can not. It is surely my favourite season. And still in the autumn feels and my favourite colour mode; Yellow and orange.

These photos were taken 2 weeks ago during our family day out. And our first time out & about photoshoot with Asher. I didn’t planned in the first place to take some family fashion shots, but just realised we were wearing colour – coordinated outfit that day except Asher when I run through the photos. So, here are some inspiration for you and your family; black and leather are very versatile for any seasons. It goes well with any denim and colours. It is a MUST ITEM in everyone’s wardrobe, including the kids’. Photos were taken at Centennial Parklands.

Hope you enjoy this section as much as I do. X

And some #thecuttingroomfloor especially for YOU to enjoy! Because taking photos with kids are full hard work. And just to give you an idea that those perfect pictures are definitely one of many. We treasure them, we don’t take them for granted. ><

// Kenny: black denim jacket (Cotton On), Blue Stripe Skirt (Sussan), Shoes (Nike) //

// Andri: Black leather jacket (Calvin Klein), Black tee (H&M), Shoes (Adidas Ultra Boost) //

// Jared: leather jacket (Eve Jnr), Khaki tee (RXR), Pants (Cotton On Kids), Shoes (Vans) //

Love,

Kenny

OUR STORY – LAST BUMPDATE BABY #2

Hey humpday!

I am still here in front of my laptop and sipping my second cup of raspberry leaf tea of the day, hoping that it will help the natural inducing process. However, bub has another say, he enjoys being inside mum’s tummy a lil longer. WELL, SO BE IT!! I believe he will come out at the right time when he is ready.

So, let’s move on… today I am going to share my latest bumpdate at #39 weeks and 3 days.

SYMPTOMS

First thing first, let’s celebrate that my baby is officially considered full term! Yeah we made it! We gotta celebrate every small wins in life, aren’t we?

Bub is as big as watermelon. Weight around 3.2 kgs according to the pregnancy application I have been using this time round.

As my bump grows each inch, so does my level of discomfort. Often times, people misrecognized that I’m carrying twins. And no offense, I am totally fine with the statement. I would be more than happy to carry twin girls in the future. Ha. I cannot stand more than 10 minutes. I cannot sit more than 10 minutes. I cannot lie down more than 10 minutes. Every move seems like a dead-end at this point. I have to keep changing positions in order to avoid backache.

I feel a lot lighten at this stage, because the baby has dropped and settled deeper into my pelvis (not fully; getting there). I can breathe more easily than before. Because pressure on my diaphragm has been relieved. As pay-back though, I feel more pressure on my bladder, which means more trip to the bathroom. Especially during night time. However, I read once on the internet this week, way to reduce night trips to the bathroom is by avoiding to take sip of liquid right before you go to bed. And it worked!! So, please keep this in mind all expectant mama.

Stronger and more frequent Braxton hicks contractions, which is commonly known as “false” or “practice” contractions. Braxton Hicks are a tightening in your abdomen that comes and goes. They are contractions of your uterus in preparation for giving birth. For a first time mama, you may or may not notice these events. However, if you do so, don’t get panic. Stay calm, the baby may not come out anytime soon. It could be days or weeks away.

While some women experience insomnia during their third tri-semester. That has never been my case, I am blessed with the ability to sleep anytime anywhere I feel like doing so.

My physical body is getting moody. I would feel very sick some days and very energetic on the other days.

Last but not least, I am on nesting mode most of the days with loaded snacks near me. Don’t judge please.

Clothing

Honestly, this is not my favourite topic to share with. I am comfortably living in my maternity bra, and pyjamas all day at home. When I go out, I prefer to wear one-piece dress than two pieces (maternity legging or jeans and oversized tops). I move more freely with a dress than two-pieces. I have less than 10 options for my daily go-to outfit (mostly dresses). They are from ASOS and H&M. They are made of good fabric and fit me perfectly. For more safety and support for your growing bump, get a maternity shapewear under your dress. It will help you hold the weight of your bump.

Nursery

Latest update on this matter; I decided to go with modern Nordic style, majorly playing with monochrome color; black, white, and grey.

And accidentally, I bought many bear wall and room decorations for baby #2 for no reason, other than I found them cute and trendy. Some are hanged on the wall and styled already, some are still sitting on the box. So, by saying that, I would say the nursery isn’t 100% done; more than halfway done I supposed. And honestly, it doesn’t bother me at all, since we decided to let baby #2 to sleep on bassinet next to our bed for the first few months of adjustment before we transfer him to his own room for a sleep training.

Alright…that’s all for today! I just finished my last sip of tea and I guess I’m feeling it. Yesssss the early contractions. Is it gonna be my last bumpdate for sure?! Ha. Wish us luck. X

Love,

Kenny

EASY RECIPE // LEFT OVER FAVOURITE

Hey SMONDAY!

SMONDAY – “The moment when Sunday stops feeling like a Sunday and the anxiety of Monday kicks in.”

I am currently on my last lap of my pregnancy and I feel like the day’s long and the night’s short. I fell asleep at 3PM, wide awake at 3AM. Dear anyone…. help me.

I have been caving inside the house and do a lot of chores and cleaning for the pre-arrival of the baby. The other thing I enjoy doing these days is baking. I and Jared spent most of our day time in the kitchen together to bake some goodies. Using some left overs on the fridge. Because, really….around these times, I have little energy to do big groceries and cook big meal. SO….WHY NOT occupied those left overs aye. Today I’ll be sharing 2 of our favourites left over recipes in the house. It is full packed of goodness and nutrients. Even though, it’s majorly made out of left over. Ha.

Most importantly, it is SO easy to cook. Throw them into the oven and voila. You have it!!

LEFT OVER ROASTED CHICKEN VEGGIES FRITTATA

Served: 4 – 6 pax // Cooking time: 35-40 minutes

1 cup of leftover roasted chicken (shredded)

1 tbsp frozen carrot

1 tbsp frozen peas

1 tbsp frozen corn

1 small onion, peeled and finely diced

4 cups of grated cheese

4 eggs

olive oil

salt & pepper

How to:

Preheat oven to 160C.
Heat up a pan with olive oil, mix onion, left-over shredded roasted chicken, and frozen veggies on to the pan. Stir fry them for further 5-7 minutes or until veggies soften, Salt & pepper to taste.
Transfer them to an oven proof muffin tray.
Sprinkle grated cheese over the mixture.
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and poor them evenly over the mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

MOMMY’S BANANA BREAD

Served: 4 – 6 pax // Cooking time: 50 – 60 minutes

150 gr softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

2 cup self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup milk

½ icing sugar

honey

How to:

Preheat oven tp 180C.
Grease and line 11x21cm loaf tin.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale.
Add egg in 2 batches, beating well after each batch.
Stir in banana. Sift flour and baking powder over banana mixture.
Add milk, stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
Spoon mixture into loaf tin and smooth the surface.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan before serving.
Serve with icing sugar and honey drizzles.

Well, here’s the thing that I do enjoy doing during my last trisemester with my son. And looking at both of my boys were taking each bite with a big smile really made my heart burst. These simple things are the things that are matter the most to me. I count twice for this kind of view and moment. I am grateful for my humble little family.

What are you thankful for this Monday? Feel free to share some on the comments below. Or if you have some yummy left-over recipes, I would like to know them as well below. I created this blog as a platform for us, moms, women, to encourage, empower, and support one another. So….looking forward for more connections in the making. X

Love,

Kenny

OUR STORY – SECOND BUMPDATE

Hello homestretch!

First, let me admit it; I am poor at counting. This blog is about my second bumpdate of the pregnancy, even though, I have passed the second tri-semester phase.

YES! I am currently #33weeks pregnant. Things started to get very real. It gets to my nerves every single night before I close my eyes. It feels surreal as i’m writing this article.

Symptoms

The third trimester revealed a wide range of new (and not very nice) symptoms.

This Baby is as big as honeydew melon and the belly was starting to resemble a basket ball.

I experiences leg cramps often in the morning, so that, I was forced to take my morning very slow and low.

I have this very “weird” crave that only happens every Monday; after breakfast, I have to have an hour cat-nap before I could really start my day. It’s been going on for the past month, and i can’t run from it (right after breakfast, my head feels heavy spinning and my eyes goes weak). I can not find any specific explanation on this symptom still. Is there anyone of you experience the similar symptom? Please raise your hands and ease my curiosity.

I still get my beauty sleep – NO insomnia for me. Hallelujah….

Midnight bathroom runs are rapidly increasing.

Sometimes, my brain goes blank while I’m driving, hence nowadays, I always try my best to avoid long-driving.

Swollen feet appearing since last week.

Clothing

Dressing your bump always become a challenge for me since week 15 or so. The moment I entered the second tri-semester, I opted for oversized t-shirt dresses. Thank God for ASOS and Zara, they have great range of clothing which keep me cool during summer in Sydney.

At this stage forward, with 6 weeks approaching to the the arrival of baby #2, I decided to rotate my clothing more often, I pretty much live in basic tee/dress or pj’s shorts while I’m working home-based.

Nursery

Even though, I am NOT a first-time parent, I do still find nursery decor is a BIG thing to me. It requires a lot of research and planning in order for you to achieve the look and feel you are desiring for. So far, I have got one third of the room done, assembled the cot and put up some wall prints. What else to add? Shout out on the comment. Tag or share a shop link below. All suggestions and ideas are welcomed here.

Overall this second pregnancy flew by, and I can’t wait to update you all on the last week of my journey with baby #2.

Love,

Kenny

STEP BY STEP TO DIY YOUR PERSONALISED DREAM CATCHER

I am currently in the progress of doing the nursery for my 2nd boy. I am so excited but at the same time worry that it will cost me much.

I always wanted to have add a dreamy feel to the room. But it is simply not easy, because the newborn will share the bedroom with my 3 year old toddler. Thus, I decided to play around with the wall art rather than adding more furniture to the room.

Then, I was searching online for black dream catcher, since the theme of the room is monochrome following Jared’s corner style. I really don’t keen to change a thing. I wanted to keep the aesthetic and the feel of the room itself. BUT, I couldn’t find any shop selling a “black” dreamcatcher. Most of them selling the white or cream one, I don’t know why. Which to my preference is a way too girly for a boy’s room.

And yes!! I thought to myself, let’s make your own. DIY DREAMCATCHER. For the boys room. Thanks youtube and pinterest for the ideas. I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY with the end result! And I would like to share with you the step by step. It is low cost and easy to make, it only cost me two episodes of The Good Doctor. I bought most of the materials on Spotlight.

PS: you may use other color and type/style of ribbons according to your preference.

You will need:

Metal ring
Doily
Faux Suede Cord
Thin Cord
Cotton Lace
Satin Ribbon
Fine Lace
Pompom Ribbon
Feathers
Scissors
A ruler or tape measure
Clothespeg or paper clip (optional)

Steps:

WRAPPING THE METAL RING

Start by tying 1 piece of faux suede cord onto the metal ring leaving 30 cm tail. Use the clothespeg or your finger to hold this knot in place. Then start wrapping the cord tightly around the metal ring leaving no gaps between each wrap. When you have covered the ring, tie the end of the cord onto the ring at the same place as your first knot. Cut the end so it is the same length as the first tail. Tie the 2 tail ends together to create a hanging loop and cut off any excess.

ATTACHING THE DOILY

Measure 1 metre of the thin cord, and tie it onto the ring at the base of your hanging loop. Keep the leftover thin cord for tying on the feathers later on.

There are 12 “points” on the edge of the doily. Take your cord and weave it through a hole on one of these points. Continue to weave around the ring and through the points until you have completed the full circle. Stretch the doily as you work to make sure it is centred and covers the centre of the metal ring. Tie the cord off once you get back to the point on the metal ring where you started. Trim off any excess.

MEASURING & CUTTING THE TRIM

Measure and cut 4 kinds of the trims into 20 pieces according to the table below.

PIECE #	TYPE OF TRIM	LENGTH OF PIECE
1	COTTON LACE	82cm
2	COTTON LACE	82cm
3	SATIN	78cm
4	SATIN	78cm
5	FINE LACE	74cm
6	FINE LACE	74cm
7	POMPOM	70cm
8	POMPOM	70cm
9	COTTON LACE	66cm
10	COTTON LACE	66cm
11	SATIN	62cm
12	SATIN	62cm
13	FINE LACE	58cm
14	FINE LACE	58cm
15	POMPOM	54cm
16	POMPOM	54cm
17	SATIN	50cm
18	SATIN	50cm
19	FINE LACE	46cm
20	FINE LACE	46cm

TYING ON THE TRIM

Fold each piece of trim and tie onto the ring so it makes 2 hanging tails. Start with pieces #1 and 2 at the bottom centre, then add pieces #3 and 4 to the left and right to it. Carry on with piece #5 and 6 and continue to add 1 piece the left and 1 piece to the right, until you finish with piece #20.

If you measure and tie your trim correctly then your dreamcatcher will have a v-shape when you have finished. If not, just use scissors to trim the ends to form a V.

ADDING THE FEATHERS

Measure and cut the remaining piece of your thin cord into the following lengths:

PIECE #	LENGTH OF PIECE
1	40cm
2	30cm
3	30cm
4	20cm
5	20cm

Tie one and of each piece of cord around the shaft of the feather.

Take piece #1 and tie it to the bottom centre of the metal ring. The feather should hang evenly with the bottom of the trim. Tie pieces #2 and 3 to the left and right of piece #1. Then tie pieces #4 and 5 to the left and right of #2 and 3. Snip off the ends of the cord.

TADAAAA….

Your dream catcher is ready to hang.

What do you think about this? Yay or Nay? Leave your comment below. Create your own personalised dreamcatcher for your little ones is easy at low-cost.

Love,
Kenny

10 SMALL SPACE HACKS YOU MAY NEVER CAME ACROSS BEFORE

Whether you live in a small apartment or have a tiny room in your home, it’s quite likely that you’re going to get yourself into some trouble figuring out how to make your space livable. – Shelby Wax

Our growing family lives in a 800 feet; 2 bedroom apartment. There are 3 (soon to be 4 ) living under the roof; 2 adults, 1 toddler, and 1 newborn’s on the way.

Not to brag that we have a LOT of stuffs. toys and music instruments, since my boys are musician buddies. For more than a year since we moved in, we have never felt comfortable with the space that we’re staying in. You will see stacked stuffs on every corner of the room. Or perhaps some squeezed things in between the cupboards. Trust me, the view was really unpleasant to the eyes and soul. Limited storage is mainly the only problem we could jot down on the list. But then, I realised, if we didn’t try to make things work, it won’t do any good to us, especially with the next living human addition is going to enter the house.

Thus, this year, we made a new resolution to create a livable home for the family.

After spending 264 nights on pinterest, we came up with 10 hacks of making small spaces livable. Hope we did something right, and may inspire you to start revamping your space.

10 SMALL SPACE HACKS YOU MAY NEVER CAME ACROSS BEFORE

TALL THIN LEGS – Furniture with tall thin legs are the go-to solution for the storage issues. They looks light, they don’t use up a lot space in the room, we are able to tuck away stools or extra storage baskets underneath.

VINTAGE CRATE – Do you have some unused crate? Do not throw them away, store your magazine and books there. And in case you need a coffee table, it will do too.

SKIP THE FLOOR LAMP – proper lighting is really needed in the room, but sometimes a floor lamp could be very burden. Instead, hang the lamp next to your bed or working table. Then, you may have more free space to work on the ground.

HIDE THEM SHOES – Who love shoes? I DO!. Too many is never enough to me. I loose count on my black shoes. Duh. But, seeing them placed on along the doorway is way too heavy, plus it leaves stains on the wall too. So, why not hiding them at the back of the door and leave your doorway clean and tidy.

CLEAN STATE – Visually open up your space by painting your walls white. The neutral works wonders at making a home feel bigger and brighter.

MULTIFUNCTION FURNITURE – It’s all about functionality. Be smart in choosing your furniture and homewares. Pick high-tech things which covers 2-3 functions for the house. For example, I bought this bedside table/coffee table/speaker. It has Bluetooth and phone charger too. Perfect for a relaxing night in my room.

COLLECTIBLE JARS – You may have no space for another boxes or baskets in your room. No worries. Collect more pretty jars in your room, and store your jewelry, cables, and stationaries in there. Other thing, these jars will add some aesthetic look to your room.

EMBRACE MIRRORS – Invest on some mirrors. It will definitely adding reflective surfaces to open up a tiny space.

FLOAT UP – Shelving units are great for adding some much needed organization to a home, but they can also take up quite a bit of space. Consider using floating shelves instead that let you place other furniture pieces below.

STICK ON THE WALL – Great way to store your outfit master-piece is by hanging them on the wall. Make them a statement in the room.

Motivation is a horrible leader. So, don’t wait to be motivated. be active and motivation will follow. – @crtvchurch

Above are some results of our “active response” towards the new year. We are still waiting on some deliveries and giving some finishing touch to some rooms here and there. We are extremely happy with how it turned out so far. It’s not the best compare to other houses. Yet it is livable for the whole crew of The Tjungs Squad. (well, isn’t it the end goal, is it?) Both adults and my kid are happy to stay longer in the house while creating beautiful memories here.

What about YOU?! Are you still waiting for some motivation to do your house or are you ready to make some move to make things happen?!

Full house tour blog is coming up in a few months time, predicted to be out before the 2nd baby arrives. So, stay tuned for more. And if you’re happy with the home decor contents and wanting more of this, please like and share this blog and follow my motherhood journey being unfolded every single week. Bye for now. X

Love,

Kenny

2018 FIRST FAMILY ROAD TRIP

Due to my third – trisemester pregnancy, I and hubby decided to stay in Sydney, Australia this time around. As per usual, we would most likely be in our hometown, Jakarta – Indonesia, spending Christmas and New Year with our big families.

Honestly, after we made this decision, I slightly feel disappointed for not being able to spend the holiday seasons with our extended family. You know when you see all the family gatherings via social media, then FOMO” hits. That’s what I felt at the beginning of our holidays. I wasn’t in the mood for few days, I acted cold to my hubby and Jared, even when they did nothing wrong to me. It was JUST ME and MY HORMONES. Ha. #pregnancyproblem

Then, I realised, it’s going nowhere. I am tangled. What did I do?! I just created a problem that should not be a problem at all. If you can’t change the situation, change your perspective. SO I DID. I started to plan out a daily activities calendar with my boys; from swimming, soccer, art class, beach day out, to road trip.

And the day finally came…Yesterday we had a chance to drove 2 hours away from CBD to the Hunter Region of NSW, Hunter Valley. It was overall a relaxing trip despite of the cloudy and rainy weather. We had such a sensational brunch followed by a nice cuppa of chocolate in the midst of winery. And as we drove down back home, we passed by a house farm owned by such a kind family who allowed us to feed their horse and took many pictures on their yard. What an experience for each one of us, especially Jared that he’s gotta see the real horses closely and fed them. (Unfortunately, none of us were even care about taking photos, we were too excited to pat & play with the livestocks).

After all, summer holiday in Ausy wasn’t a bad option at all. I do feel HOME.

Home is not where you are, it is who you are with.

3 more days till Daddy’s back at work. So, I’d better step up my planning game. Stay tuned for more road trip post from our squad. Bye for now. Good night.

Hope you all had such a relaxing time with families. Stay safe friends. X

Love,

Kenny

KENNY – Floral Dress: Dotti (SOLD OUT), Sunnies: Mink Pink, Suede Boots : Zara (SOLD OUT) //

ANDRI – Denim Shirt: General Pants (SOLD OUT), White Tee: Mango, Tanned Chinos: Topman, Glasses: Bailey Nelson //

JARED – Polo Shirt: Cotton On Kids (on promo 2 for $25), Shorts: H&M Kids (SOLD OUT), Shoes: Adidas

DRESS YOUR BUMP IN ALL ONE COLOR

It’s the easiest way to get dressed in the morning.

There is no secret trick to wearing monochromatic outfits. As long as you have tops, bottoms, and accessories in the same color (different shades of the color work too), dressing in all one hue is super simple and looks really chic.

Well, since I am pregnant, let’s keep wearing BLACK. The instinct of most pregnant woman is to dress in dark colors, such as black or navy, because they think it makes them looks slimmer. “But, color actually really flatters your body,” says one of my fashionista friend.

Yesterday, I had a chance to date my best guy again. So, I gave it this style a try. AND I AM LOVING IT. I feel beautiful and slightly slimmer than my actual current body weight. so….here it is!! MY “BUMP STYLE IN ALL ONE COLOR” VERSION.

UHHHHH YES! Comfort is still on my top list. Baggy tops and loose pants. These combo are most probably the only basics that fit my body these days. And I have no regrets to collect many of them. They are easy to pair with anything in any season. Most say “bigger clothes will make you looks larger during pregnancy”. And I do agree with the statement. So, I decided to wear my favourite mules to give slimmer illusion to my body. It’s a hot day with my hot date. Heels, you do good, you won’t hurt me. Casually pair them with a similar color sling bag then finish it off with a big statement; sailor cap and jumbo hula hoops. (Some outfits are from old collections of the brand, I attached the “shop similar” link below).

Well, that’s my whole look. Now, it’s time to vote. YAY or NAY? leave your comments below. I am being serious. X

Love,

Kenny

tops & pants : Zara trf // mules : Senso // sling bag : Decjuba // baker boy cap : ASOS

Shop Similar

MERRY GIFTMAS // OUR GIVING PROJECT

Christmas is indeed one of the most anticipated times of the year. Christmas is identical with gifts and presents. And I would say, I tend to uplift my expectation in receiving the gifts this time around. No difference with my toddler who always plead me to give him a present every time we visit Target or Kmart. I do not blame him though. I realised, it is easy for the younger generation to get wrapped in the commercialism of the season and miss the true meaning of the Christmas when they are bombarded by the media and advertisements specifically targeted towards them.

When you think about Christmas; there will not be Christmas without Christ. We will not be able to celebrate this jolly season without someone gave life to Emanuel 2000 years ago. Giving is the true spirit of Christmas. And Christmas is the perfect season to teach your kids about giving.

My hope is to get him understand that life does not revolves around him, there’s much joy in giving than receiving, that God blessed him to be a blessing.

Therefore, I planned a special project this year called “cookie by Jared”. This is a “giving training project” where I am focusing on my child’s involvement from the production till distribution process. Disclaimer: It may cause parents to do more of cleaning works. But hey…ENJOY IT! ENJOY THE PROCESS! HAVE FUN! Having fun with your child in the kitchen builds positive memories, good vibes, and good food.

First… I let him do some of the dirty works – After I did all the measurements, I let Jared to mix and cut the dough by himself using the Christmas cookie cutters. yes, you can imagine the mess right now. Ha. But, both of us found this process interesting. He listened and followed my directions step by step by asking me “what’s next?” again and again. He was patiently and expectant at the same time waiting for the cookies to be cooked golden and crispy.

Second… I let him make a cookie name list of his school friends – This is a funny process, because he would add some names and cross some due to his favouritism. But, I love the fact that he understood how to give return to good people in his life. And, I used this chance to teach him an important value in life; kindness. He should be or/and do good to anyone not based on what they have done to you, but based on what do you want them to do to you. “You will always reap what you sow”

Third… I let him hand in the cookie to his friends – Here’s the last step when he could feel the joy of giving. When some of his friends said “thank you with a big grins” on their face. Until this morning, before we left home for school, he asked me some chocolates and candy canes to share to his friends today. But, I gotta say no this time. There’s a limit of weekly sugar intakes for each toddler, right?!

label design: Canva

This project will become a tradition in the family. Because I see a lot benefits from teaching your kids on giving from the early age. It builds up a good character and boost self-esteem of the young ones.

And I am super proud of myself and Jared to be able to share the love and kindness together.

Well, from us to you. Merry Christmas. May this jolly season brings you love, peace and joy!! X

Love,

Kenny