Hello again!

In this episode we talk about mom's burnout and how real it is. Kazu goes through tough times and Grecia also shares how it was for her.

We talk about what has worked for us. Of course the most immediate solution is to get help in whatever task you can (babysitting, housework...) but if you can't afford it, talk to your partner, relative... to see how they can support.

If you are struggling please talk to your partner/ friend/ therapist /...

Hi everyone on this episode we have a fun conversation about Grecia's holidays in Bali with her family (17-month old toddler included!)

I actually really enjoy travelling with my toddler this time, I felt it was special as he's older he was really interacting and being very independent as opposed to previous trips where we needed to do more things for him.

My motto for traveling with kids is prepare and plan but don't overthink it, try to relax and also have fun. Kids can also be unpredictable so be flexible.

Enjoy!

In this episode we continue to talk about our experience in Forest School.

Kazu's son is now becoming a scientist (actually aren't all kids scientists?!), not but really they have been doing lots of cool experiments and we bring you some here.

Grecia talks about the balance between letting your little one explore and keeping him/her safe (not an easy task!)

Experiments to do with kids*:

1. Making snow: ingredients: Baking soda & shaving cream - that's it! We use our hands to make them (all the mess with hands/ clothes at home, highly recommend doing it outside or anywhere easy to clean afterwards) it was fun and good for sensory play!
2. Changing colour water: ingredients: violet flowers, baking soda and vinegar. We boiled flowers to get colours but you can also boil vegetables such as purple cabbage or any vivid colour vegetables. Mixing baking soda and vinegar is a key because it makes bubbles, looks fun and kids will love it!

*under adult supervision

In today's episode Kazu and Grecia talk about everyday parenting challenges...How to make friends with other moms, kids' social skills, and everyday differences we face regarding raising kids between various cultures among USA and Singapore.

As challenging as parenthood can be, it's also great!! Grecia finds that sometimes taking things not so seriously helps. "My child is soooo curious you would go crazy trying to make him behave in a certain 'acceptable' way, but why would you? I enjoy his sense of humor, and try to guide him in a loving manner, ultimately coping with this new world is tougher for them than us as parents"

instagram: spontaneousmother

In this episode we talk about the challenges of being a mother and wanting to have a career. Yes it is possible! Grecia shares her struggles.

I have talked to so many other women and it is definitely possible to have a successful career while being a mom. A strong support system is needed (at home) and an understanding partner so that you can both support each other when needed.

Yet, one part of me wants to be with my baby 24/7...they grow so fast....and the other wants to work on interesting topics. Actually, having a kid has also given me perspective on what really matters. I don't want to go back to working long hours for the sake of working as now the opportunity cost is so high!

Enjoy!

In this episode we go deeper in our conversation about childcare / schools. Kazu takes her older son everyday to Forest School in Chicago, after a difficult time in other type of schools; and Grecia coincidentally also takes her little one to forest school once a week in Singapore.

How is forest school different in these 2 countries?, What is forest school anyway? Are the kids feeling better?

Is there forest school in your country / city?

If you are currently living in Chicagoland or Singapore we give you the details to our forest schools! This episode is not sponsored so these are actually places we like

Chicagoland

Forest School Village provides: https://www.parkfun.com/news/forest-playschool

Forest school in the Morton Arboretum (Kazu personally loves it so much because this is the only one she can send her kid without her attending! It's very rare finding the places without adults for 3 year old kid still with diaper!!!) : https://mortonarb.org/explore/activities/childrens-family-programs/curiosity-woods-forest-play-program/

Singapore

Wildlings Singapore - Forest school, they also offer camps and much more!. The dynamic is really free so kids are not bound to do a specific activity for a period of time: https://www.wildlings.sg/

Today is Kazu only speaking about the situation regarding her first son who stop going to the school because of the stress. Kazu got stuck and stressed because she was thinking too much what to do with him while still breastfeeding her second son. However, she managed to change her perception to see the world and think positive, everything changed. Mental feels so good, physical gets better! Thinking happy, live the moment is a key for parenting. (and of course, patience!) Hope you enjoy listening what she wants to shout out to all the parents!

This is a continuation of our school series, we explore the specificities of each country and how we try to navigate them

Cultural differences are so great but they also add a layer of complexity when it comes to finding childcare / schools! Maybe we as parents need to be more flexible and embrace these differences

Enjoy!

Hi everyone, Very short episode!

On this episode we discuss some ideas to transition kids at school.

However we notice this is different in every country dependent on the culture but also on how much bandwidth parents have to support this transition.

We would love to hear what is typical in your country!!

In this Episode we share our struggle with finding and continuing school for our kids.

Finding school for kids is never ending! Kazu's son quit Montessori school because of stress. Sharing how Kazu felt and thought about Montessori.

Grecia‘s journey trying to find childcare for her 1 yo and how cultural differences make it challenging. We also discuss tips & advice on different schooling topics.