Trust yourself! You know your child best!
Whether you are about to have children or already have, you would probably be going through parenting blogs, reading parenting magazines, talking to family and friends, seeking out professional advice [...]
What your Child’s Behaviour is Telling You
Behaviours, whether coming from a child or an adult, are a communication of unmet needs. It is a communication of what we have right now and what we want, and is [...]
Sambal Ikan Bilis
Nasi Lemak is a very popular dish in Malaysia, so much so that even most Malaysian airlines will serve it on their flights. This dish is accompanied by hot and [...]
20 Minutes Penang Hokkien Mee
This Penang hokkien mee paste is one of more authentic pastes I have tried, and it is seriously simple and delicious. First I pre-cooked the pork stock and froze it. [...]
Confinement after child birth – the Malaysian Experience
Recently there was a conversation about the support of new mothers and I was sharing my experiences of the 30 day confinement after both my children were born. Many mothers [...]
Spam Fried Rice
This is a very simple fried rice recipe for busy GoParents – Spam Fried Rice! Whip it up for afternoon tea, breakfast or for school lunches. It is not the [...]
How to encourage younger generations to consume more home cooked meals rather than eating out
How to encourage younger generations to consume more home cooked meals rather than eating out? Chatting with a friend yesterday, we were discussing about meal preparations, fussy eaters and young [...]
Happy New Year and here’s to a wonderful new beginning
First, it is the start of a new year and I would like to wish all of you good health and may the new year bring happiness, health and joy [...]
Steamed fish with Chinese cabbage
Steaming fish is one of the simplest and easiest dishes you can prepare. This dish is light and soothing on your stomach, and we normally had steamed fish (when growing [...]
Happy Boxing Day everyone!
Happy Boxing Day everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and spending quality time with family and friends. As for us, we had the most wonderful and relaxing Christmas [...]
Traditional Food and its benefits
Are natural traditional foods important in our diet? I was going through Facebook, and several health posts popped up about turmeric. So I decided to do a bit more reading [...]
Penang White Curry Mee
I am going to introduce to you Penang Curry Mee. In Penang, this dish is known as curry mee. It is a mixture mix of yellow / egg noodles and [...]
Penang Hokkien Mee (Har Mee)
My favourite – Penang Hokkien Mee! Also known as Hokkien Har Mee. One of the famous hawker food at Penang. It is a dish serve with yellow mee and rice [...]
Mee Sua Soup
Today I am sharing another of my favourite Malaysian dishes – Mee Sua Soup. It is a very light version of noodle soup, with minimal ingredients and light on [...]
Home Made Pork Dumpling
This is a simple yet delicious dish that you can whip up within half an hour. I used to make this for my children's afternoon tea after school. You can [...]
Baked Tuna Roll
Today I have a great recipe for you and some good connection tips. Food and cooking open the door to communicating with your kids. This is an easy recipe that [...]
From Disastrous Fish Dish to Fish Fried Rice
Fish fried rice After writing about planning your grocery shopping and weekly dishes, last night was one of those nights where I totally failed. I was running late coming home, [...]
Fish Porridge
Simple comfort dish using left over steamed fish and over night rice This is a very simple dish you can cook whenever you feel like something light and savoury. The [...]
How to make simple, delicious and nutritious meals from your leftovers?
Make rice or noodle dishes from leftovers Leftovers are my best friends!! I have relied on leftover steamed pork, stir fry vegetables, stir fry chicken to make many wondrous breakfasts [...]
Chicken Corn Soup
Sharing another of my favourite Malaysian dishes – Chicken Corn Soup. This is very simple and delicious soup, great to go with your rice/dinner or as an afternoon meal for [...]
How to Prepare Chicken Stock
I love soups and stocks, and they normally go well with our main rice meal. I like to make my own home brewed vegetable stock, chicken stock or pork stock, [...]
Home Made Fish Ball Soup in under 30 minutes
Simple home made fish ball soup This soup dish is something you can whip up within 30 minutes. I was running late with dinner preparation and the only thing I [...]
The power of stories
Have you visited the library recently? What about browsing through Amazon and iTune’s books section online? There are thousands, in fact millions, of book titles available to borrow or purchase. [...]
School Readiness for Pre-schoolers – Part 2
Schooling is an important part of our lives. I am currently spending two weeks in Penang to visit my parents and relatives. It has been great to meet up with [...]
School Readiness
Social and emotional competency is crucial when determining school readiness. As a parent, education of our children is always on our minds – even when travelling. I am currently making [...]
The importance of emotional attunement and your child’s development
Your child needs more than love and bonding; she needs you to be attuned to her emotional and physical needs to allow her to thrive both physically and emotionally. We [...]
The challenges of Parental Influence and Setting Boundaries
I was listening to tone of the segments on the Today Show one morning, and one of the panelists was commenting whether there should be a statewide lockdown of pubs/bars [...]
Creating deep loving relationships with your children is more than hugs and kisses
Parenting is one of the most difficult, daunting roles, but yet the most rewarding “job” in the world. We face daily challenges of balancing our commitments, such as career, and other [...]
Cultural Conflict – What does it look like?
Cultural Conflict is very common among migrant families whose culture is not similar with the country they migrate to. How do you overcome those cultural clashes? I was at a [...]
Parenting – The Most Rewarding, Yet the Most Challenging Job in the World
Parenting is the most rewarding job, yet it can be the most challenging job in the world, do you agree? Do you agree that parenting is the most rewarding job [...]
How to prepare a meal for 10 people in under an hour
Meal preparation for family visits I have had relatives visiting from Malaysia for the past 7 days. Their trip was hectic but an enjoyable time with the family. It was [...]
Bridge Generational and Cultural Gaps Through Cultural Dishes
One of many ways to bridge cultural gaps with your children is by introducing your cultural dishes to them. By introducing the cultural dishes to our children, it is [...]
Cheng Beng – The Malaysian way
Cheng Beng (qingming) is also called the All Souls Day. Recently, on the way back from Malaysia, I came across a magazine on the plane; it had an article about [...]
Connections through fun – gardening together
Nowadays with work, career and social media, we tend to communicate and interact face-to-face less and less with each other. As we know, when we interact and communicate less, the [...]
4 simple tips on how to make meal time an enjoyable time with the family
Make One Meal Time a FAMILY time! I am an advocate for making one MEAL time a FAMILY time! It is a time for family to sit down together, enjoy [...]
What is value for money when shopping?
Everyone loves a bargain once in a while, right? It is a moment of triumphant and joy, and great to be getting something for less than what you were meant [...]
How to cook roti chanai in under 5 minutes?
This is something simple, and I can guarantee your family will love this simple Malaysian delight. You can enjoy this dish as a main meal, or just for breakfast - [...]
The art of bargaining – to bargain or not to bargain?
What is bargaining? According to dictionary.com, bargaining is "an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction" or according to Wikipedia: [...]
How to instill good eating habits in your children
Establishing good eating habits, just like everything, starts at home. It all starts with our family rituals, like eating at the dining table, no television or any electronic gadgets during [...]
What is your family’s dining ritual?
I thought this would be an interesting topic to share this week - what is your family dining ritual? Family rituals are things that you do with your family members [...]
Happy Chinese New Year
Today, 8th February 2016 is Chinese New Year, which is the first day in the Chinese calendar. This day is also known as the Spring Festival. For Chinese, those in [...]
Tok Panjang
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy new year. May the New Year bring you good health, joy and abundance. Every new year, I would [...]
The secret to enjoying your favourite home cooked traditional Malaysian dishes
Nasi lemak traditional malaysian spicy rice dish Fancy a traditional dish that you have not had for a while? When we move overseas, there are times you just [...]
Why is it important to share your culture and traditions with the next generation?
Why is it important to share your culture and traditions with the next generation? Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Some of you will be starting to [...]
Traditional Chinese Steamboat the Australian way
Even though I left home almost 30 years ago, I still practice the one of the Chinese New Year rituals – cooking a traditional Chinese steamboat. But first, what is [...]
The importance of role of grandparents in the family
Grandparents are an important part of the family structure. They represent the history, the traditions and the bond that binds family members together. I grew up with my grandparents around, [...]
How to influence, impact and have good relationships with your children?
How to influence and empower your children with ease and joy Connections and communication are major areas that I see many parents struggle with, especially with their older children. I often [...]
Migrant Challenge – Language
One of the many challenges for migrants is Language! As discussed in my previous blog post, one of the many challenges that migrants may face is language. For most migrants, [...]
Your culture, beliefs and habits
The other day while having lunch with a friend, we were talking about habits and beliefs, and we made some comparisons about different cultures, such as: Why do some people [...]
It is not your parents’ fault
Parents play an important role in their children’s life – they are supposed to love, care, protect, nurture, and guide their children in their life journey. Children depend on parents [...]
Family recipes
Every family has one - What is your family secret recipe? DO you have family recipes that you love? The past few nights I was on the phone discussing with [...]
When guests visits… the Malaysian way and how to prepare your children for the visit?
How do you prepare your children about the different culture and habits that they will be experiencing For those of us who have spent many years away from our home [...]
Bridging cultural and generational gaps through cultural dishes
Connections is about shared experiences Recently we had family visiting for a week. An aunt and uncle spent about a week staying with my family. We had a good time [...]
Five benefits of walking your children to school
Did you walk to school as a child? Do you walk your child to school right now? I did walk to school when I was young. The kindergarten, primary and [...]
YOUR CULTURE IS AN AMAZING GIFT
When you bridge both cultures, you bridge the connections with your children Your culture is your heritage; it gives you the foundation of WHO you are and WHAT you stand [...]
Involve your children in the kitchen, they love to help!
Involve your children; they love to help! With our busy daily commitments, our main focus would be to try to use the little time everyday we have with our children [...]
Let’s Have Fun with Counting Lemons
Have a look at the image above, this is a photo of our lemon tree. I saw a few green lemons and thought let's make something out of these lemons. [...]
Connect and Empower through FUN – name the fruits
The best way for your child to learn is first through FUN, and, secondly, by applying what they know through everyday interactions. The third way is by presenting challenges so [...]
Connections – it is all about shared experiences
Your relationships with your family are about those shared experiences together Making time to enjoy a meal together does not always have to be have to be either at restaurants [...]
Is your child too young for structured education?
Social and emotional competency is crucial when determining school readiness. As parents, our children’s education can be a very top priority in our planning. Perhaps it has been instilled in [...]
Family support comes in many forms
Family support comes in many ways! Hey parents, listen up, you need support too! Recently through the survey I did with a few migrant families, one of the biggest struggles [...]
Three simple steps to opening up communications with you children – with ease and joy
Make your kitchen the “go to” place for your family Have you heard of the saying that the kitchen is the heart of the family. This is a place where [...]
How do you support your aging parents when they live far away from you?
I just hung up the phone after talking with my dad in Penang, Malaysia. My mum just left for her treatment for osteoarthritis. She is approaching her 80s, and still [...]
Turn daily chores with your children into connections and bonding opportunities
How to turn daily chores with your children into family connections and bonding opportunities Ideally, parents would love to spend as much time as they possible could with their children; [...]
5 unique things I do that only migrants can understand
Our backgrounds influence what we do. My husband and I are migrants from Malaysia. We settled in Australia after we finished our tertiary education. There were things that we introduced [...]
The Power of FUN
Why is FUN important for family connections and harmony? Do you remember when you were a child, playing with your friends, being carefree, happy and full of joy? Or you [...]
The difference between emotional attunement and connections
As parents, our priority is to be able to establish strong and loving connections and relationships with our children. We try our best to make time to be involved in [...]
How to connect and have fun when planning your grocery list?
Connections and bonding are about shared experiences Parents are busy; we often struggle to find enough time for our families, thus, how do you find the time to connect and [...]
Connect and have Fun through Grocery Shopping
It is the school holidays, so I am seeing many families in the shopping mall and grocery stores. I have seen stressed parents hurrying up the children while grabbing [...]
The power of words
Be mindful of your words, your WORDS carry power Have you ever experienced attending a political rally, and after the speech, you thought you have decided there and then [...]
5 Great Morning Habits that are Good for You
Good morning…. I've got a question for you… What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you wake up? i.e. What do you have to do today? [...]
When you Keep Saying You are Busy
Work Life Harmony – Your choice, your priority Being busy and stressed was my second "name", until a serious illness made me realise that my body did not appreciate what [...]
One simple way to create connections for busy family
The level of co-operation from your children is related to the level of connections and love your children feel. Connecting with your children and family is about shared experiences. It [...]
Setting your Intentions
Your first thoughts of the day are important, as they will set the tone of your day ahead. Have you ever experienced waking up in the morning feeling run down, [...]
Five Fun Ways to Turn Fussy Eaters to Food Lovers
How frustrating, upsetting and stressful can it be if your child won't eat or dislikes the food that you place on the table? Are you frustrated that all your thoughts [...]
Connections through Cooking
Create connections with your children and building relationships with them is about interacting and communicating on every occasion and opportunity you have with them. I find that the easiest way [...]
Connect with your spouse
Let's make a date with your spouse! In the midst of everyday ‘I am busy’-ness with work, children, family, friends, chores… the person that we tend to take for granted [...]
What can children learn from cooking?
Here are 10 Fantastic Reasons why children can benefit from cooking: 1. Self Confidence When children successfully cook a dish, they will gain great satisfaction and build self [...]
