Arabic lessons. She has to recognize the missing letters and write them out. A good game for beginners. What are some games you use to help your kids learn Arabic? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. #kuwaitmoms #kuwaitkids #kidsinkuwait #q8moms #q8kids #kuwait #safyre #arabic
FRIDAY, Jan 16 1. Beach cleanup with KsPath in Sulaibikhat mangrove beach from 8am to 10am. Email volunteers@kspath.org for information & location 2. Air show near the Kuwait Towers as part of the Hala February festivities. At 2:30pm. 3. Marina Market at Marina Crescent from 10am to 10pm (also on Saturday.) @marinamall Lots of shopping, activities and fun for the whole family. 4. Fun in the sun play morning at Cascade British Nursery for kids ages 0-6. Indoor and outdoor play areas. KD 3 and must register in advance. Call/Whatsapp 9957-3363 5. Rainbow crafting fun with @bibialayoub from 4-7pm including rainbow frame, jars, drawers and notebook. 6. Character painting workshop at Crafts and More. Will use gelato colors to create backgrounds and paint. Participants receive set of 10 gelato colors starter kit with papers, gesso, brush, stamps, stencil, drip dropper and misting bottle and canvas. Additional materials provided. KD 25. Must register in advance. Telephone 5112-0069. Workshop at 6pm in Al Liwan Mall, Egaila 7. Al Farsi Team Kite flying in Bnaider following Friday prayers. Take 30/40 South, make a U turn at the 70km market and turn left onto Road 258 Bnaider. SATURDAY, Jan 17 8. Potluck at @thesecretgardenproject with gardening, composting and community. From 9am to 1pm. 9. Children's art workshops at Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyya from 9:30am to 11am. Teaches art skills, critical thinking, introduces kids to museums, art and culture. 10. Operation Hope reopens. Visit the reuse boutique Esther's Attic or learn more about how you can help from 8am to 11am in Rumaithiya, block 9, street 92, house 23. 11. Lets Go Forward 5k & 10k at Scientific Center from 8:30am. @forwardsportsevent #kuwaitmoms #kuwaitkids #kidsinkuwait #q8moms #q8kids #weekendq8 #eventsinkuwait #kuwait #kuwaitmomsguide As part of the Layaly Febrayer festivities, the Smurfs live stage musical is coming to Kuwait. The Smurfs Save Spring-the evil wizard Gargamel, sworn enemy of the Smurfs, hatches a plan to trick Mother Nature and turn off Spring and capture the Smurfs in the process. Will the Smurfs be able to save themselves and Mother Nature? The show will be held at the Kuwait International Fairground, Hall 5 from February 12 - 15. You can buy tickets here. Showtimes Thursday 12 February 2015 03:30 PM 07:30 PM - Friday 13 February 2015 1:00 PM 5:00 PM 9:00 PM Saturday 14 February 2015 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 7:00 PM Sunday 15 February 2015 10:30 AM 06:30 PM Perfect day to explore the outdoors and let them play. Happy weekend everyone. 💕💕 #kuwaitmoms #kuwaitkids #kidsinkuwait #q8moms #q8kids #playmatters #outdoors #kuwaitparks #parksq8 #kuwait Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyya offers a range of programs for children to develop their cultural awareness and artistic understanding and skills.
Here is the new schedule for the 2014-2015 20th Cultural Season Children’s Program Amricani (UPDATED from Jan 2015) ************** Minis: Children ages 18 months – 3 years old AND a family member. Please note: Registration is required; class size is limited to 12 children. Register by email to info@darmuseum.org.kw Gallery-based storytelling program designed to support developmental goals as defined by the National Art Education Association (USA) and introduce children (and families) to the Amricani. Each session will include story-time and a related activity designed to foster creativity. Sessions are on the following days: 14 October, 18 November, 16 December, 20 January 17 February, 24 March, 14 April and 19 May. ************** Children’s Art Workshops (CAW): Tots Children 3. 5 – 5 (MUST be potty trained) NOTE: Registration is required; class size is limited to 10 children. Register at info@darmuseum.org.kw New this season, each of the two six-week sessions focuses on art, with a particular emphasis on creativity. The purpose of this programme is not to develop specific artistic skills but an overall awareness of art and the wonderful ability of art to always, always be “right”. Spring Block: Imagine That! will concentrate on imagination and how that is important in both creating and seeing art. 14 March Imagine seeing more 21 March In art there are NO MISTAKES! 4 April What “perfect” looks like 7 March What is imagination? 11 April Ideas from the Heart 18 April It’s a . . . what? CAW Juniors Children ages 6 – 8 Themes are shared with CAW but related activities are age/skill appropriate. Similar to the CAW programme, CAW Juniors also uses objects from The al-Sabah Collection and other cultural institutions in Kuwait to promote an appreciation for and understanding of the art and culture around us. In addition, the promotion of the important 21st century skills (including critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, proactive learning, and collaborative working) is planned into each session. Schedule: 17 Jan Storytelling through animation 24 Jan Storytelling through animation 7 February Field trip: Dar al-Funoon 14 Feb Contemporary art 7 March Field trip: DAI library 14 March Selected art periods 21 March Selected art periods 4 April Annual play: storytelling and play writing 11 April Annual play: sets and rehearsal 18 April Annual play: costumes and rehearsal 9 May Annual play: Rehearsal 16 May Annual play: perform play for IMD Children’s Art Workshop (CAW) Children ages 9 – 12. Using objects from The al-Sabah Collection and other cultural institutions in Kuwait to promote an appreciation for and understanding of the art and culture around us. In addition, the promotion of the important 21st century skills (including critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, proactive learning, and collaborative working) is planned into each session. Schedule: 17 Jan Storytelling through animation 24 Jan Storytelling through animation 7 Feb Field trip: Dar al-Funoon 14 Feb Contemporary art 7 March Field trip: DAI library 14 March Selected art periods 21 March Selected art periods 4 April Annual play: storytelling and play writing 11 April Annual play: sets and rehearsal 18 April Annual play: costumes and rehearsal 9 May Annual play: Rehearsal 16 May Annual play: perform play for IMD All the Saturday programs (CAW, CAW JRs, CAW Tots) start at 9:30 AM. Amricani Minis, which is on Tuesdays, start at 10 AM. All activities are at the Amricani Cultural Center. For more information on any of these programs email info@darmuseum.org.kw It might be cold outside now but warmer weather is just around the corner and everyone will soon be wanting to head to the beach or the pool. If you are looking to shape up for swim season or help the kids get a head start on swimming lessons before summer, check out our extensive list of swim coaches and classes and pools in Kuwait. There are plenty of heated pools and now is a great time to find discounts on swimming classes or to help little ones who aren't yet able to swim to learn the basics, water safety and confidence. My family loves photos and every year in late December or early January, I like to have a series of family photos taken to kick off the new year and also as a way to benchmark the children’s growth throughout the year. For the last several years, we have visited photography studios in Kuwait and had a series of professional family photos taken. These usually turn out great and serve as beautiful family mementos. The only problem is that the photos can sometimes look stilted and too posed and our two young children really don’t enjoy the process. They find it difficult to sit still, they fidget and get bored and this eventually devolves into whining, surliness or just plain unhappiness which eventually shows up in their faces in the photos. This year, I decided to take a different approach to family photos. My hubby gave me a DSLR for my birthday, so I wanted to practice and thought why not do our family photos at the park or some other outdoor location? I could practice using the camera and if none turned out well, then I wouldn't have lost anything and the girls would have had a day out. So we chose a place that included great scenery for the backgrounds, play areas so the kids wouldn't get bored and a time of day (mid morning) when the light would be good. A few drawbacks: As we did the photos ourselves, none of our pictures include the whole family but instead are mostly just the kids and a few with me or hubby. This was ok because it was just for practice but next time I want a professional to capture all of us together. Another drawback, lots of folks are now enjoying the outdoors so be prepared for random people walking in and out of your shot just as you are ready to snap the pic. We didn’t mind and so some of our photos show people walking by in the background. Finally, as I’m still learning, none of the photos I took turned out like I wanted and I need to practice quite a bit more as you can see from those included. So if you want professional-quality photos, definitely consider hiring a professional or practice a lot. If you are thinking about trying the outdoors for your next set of family photos, here are some tips on locations. If you aren’t a camera whiz or perhaps don’t even own one, you might consider engaging a freelance photographer to do the photos for you. We’ve added a quick list of some local photographers as well for convenience. Many will meet you at the designated location and do the shoot for the whole family. SUGGESTED LOCATIONS Corniche – There are many beautiful spots along the Corniche to choose from. The area around the Scientific Center is really lovely with lots of grassy lawns and the sea for a background. We choose the Corniche seaside path across from Amro Bin Al Aas Street in Salmiya (just down from the Scientific Center) as there are several gazebos, a water fountain, playgrounds and a lovely little creek with shade trees and lots of grassy lawns. Kuwait Towers – The area near the Kuwait Towers also makes a great background but this might work better for older kids. Green Island – Recently spruced up ahead of the Hala February celebrations, the Green Island has lots of great spots for family photos, and there are playgrounds, walking tracks but not many grassy lawns. Still you can rent bikes and capture the kids riding or just playing around. Ahmadi Public Park – Located in Ahmadi, this park is well tended and clean and has lots of space. There are playgrounds and climbing structures, a water fountain, trees and grassy lawns and even a small zoo to entertain the kids. It’s also one of the few local parks that I’ve found to be clean on a Friday morning. Family Photographers in Kuwait
There are a growing body of family photographers who will shoot pregnancy, infant, baby, hospital and family photos and include a range of shoot types including outdoors, cake smash, newborn, hospital and more. Check out this awesome list and find one that's right for your family. Alaa Makki – Popular newborn and baby photographer that also does smashcake photograhy, location shoots and more. Mobile: 9961-1773 Apache Photography – Renowned local photographer Stephanie McGehee’s studio. Studio and on location photography. Telephone: 2244-5508/9 or visit website: http://www.apachephotos.com/services.html Caroline Ericson - Swedish family photography living in Kuwait, does baby, family and pregnancy photos. Email pixbycaroline@gmail.com or check out her gallery of work at www.pixbycaroline.wordpress.com Chigish Photography Kuwait - Specializes in outdoor, expressive, emotional, conceptional, couple, baby and family photography. - Email Chigishphotography@gmail.com Fatma Wahedi – Newborn and baby photographer in Kuwait. Check out her Instagram gallery at @fwahedi.photography or call her 6965-8950 Pixies Photography – Baby, children and family photography. Mobile 9409-9144 or Telephone: 2562-0499. Instagram @pixiesphoto Qumra Photography - Specializes in children’s photography. WhatsApp 5546-4506 Romeo Productions - Studio photography, located in Avenues Mall, phase II. Telephone: 2571-4714 Safiya Ghulam Photography - Specializes in outdoor photography. Contact Mobile: 6045-8008 SayCheeez Photograpy – Children’s photographer Dalal Al Dughaishem takes awesome studio portraits with a variety of props and backgrounds. WhatsApp: 5506-2262 Website: http://www.saycheeez.net/ Tammy Ali Photography – Family and children photography. Visit website: http://www.tammyaliphotography.com/#!/Home Tania Davies Photography – Tania Davies is a fine art photographer specializing in portraiture, make over sessions and fashion shoots. Check out her work on her website and blog. Website www.tania-davies.com and blog www.thewildorchard.com Check your inbox for the latest issue of our e-newsletter. Inside you'll find more about our first attempt at an outdoor photo session with the kids (and how it failed miserably!), read a thoughtful interview with Engineering for Kids founder Dr Mona Al Shaikh about the growth of STEM education for kids in Kuwait and learn more about a wonderful cancer support group, Al Sidra along with upcoming events, classifieds and more.
Hope you enjoy. #kuwaitmoms #kuwaitkids #kidsinkuwait #q8moms #q8kids #kuwaitmomsguide #newsletter #kuwait One mom’s story of fighting cancer with her child’s support Twenty-seven year old mom, Batul Katub, received the scariest news of her life when she found out she had cancer. After traveling to India and receiving treatment, she has beaten the disease. Involving her daughter in her treatment was a major part of her victory. In an interview with Kuwait Moms Guide, she shares her story and how she told her four year old the devastating news. KMG: Let's start at the beginning. When and how did you first find out you had cancer? Can you share what type? What is the prognosis and how long have you been fighting it (chemotherapy, etc.). Batul: First of all, I had a tumor called Ewing Sarcoma, which is basically a tumor on your pelvis region on the left side to be precise. Coming to the diagnosis, I had excruciating pain in my back and left leg for two months and being a mom means no sick days. Also, I was in the process of shifting my house so we all thought that I had pulled a muscle while packing. When, I finally did see a doctor, they also didn't take it too seriously. I was diagnosed a month later. And it was done by a simple MRI. But at that time, I was so depressed and agitated with the lack of interest shown by the doctors in Kuwait that I shifted to India for a proper diagnosis. There they saw my MRI and immediately conducted a biopsy, which revealed the tumor. I would, therefore, urge anyone and everyone reading this to get a diagnosis as soon as you have any unnatural pain, lump or rash on your body. Most likely its nothing but you never know you can save yourself a world of pain. KMG: You must have been terrified, shocked and scared when you found out. How did you handle this? Batul: You would think that but I was actually relieved, like I said I was in excruciating pain for a long while. I was just glad that I now knew that I could be cured. The shock, depression and fear only came when I started the chemotherapy. It was an absolute nightmare. KMG: When and how did you tell your daughter? What was the thought process you went through? What did you say and how did she react? Batul: At the beginning of my treatment, my daughter was in Kuwait with my sister. She was there while I had my initial treatment done. I was worried about her seeing me like this and how it would affect her but the mother in me missed her so much. I cried for her constantly and kept looking at her pictures. Finally, I decided that I couldn't stay without her. When my daughter first saw me, she had assumed that my disease was related to my leg pain and I didn't want to explain the intricacies of cancer to her. But when she did ask me: "Why do you still go to the hospital, you can walk a little now?" I said, "That there is something dirty inside mommy's back which the doctors have to remove." She was fine with the explanation. The truth is I want a close and truthful relationship with my daughter. I feel if we tell them the truth and answer their questions, we encourage the same behavior in them as well. KMG: What has been the most challenging aspect of having cancer and involving your child? Batul: I have a big family and my mother, sister and husband took care of my daughter Zahra. But I think the hardest part was not being able to do things for her myself. Just simple things like dressing her for the day, tucking her into bed at night and etc. I really missed that. KMG: Have you turned to experts or resources or outside help to explain the disease to your daughter (if so, what resources/outside help) and was that helpful/useful? Would you recommend it? Batul: No, I haven't relied on outside help. I tried to find help on the internet but couldn't find any. KMG: How did telling your daughter turn out? Did it make things easier for you and her or did it make it more difficult? Do you feel that your child is more fearful of losing you, more anxious or worried as a result? Batul: I think it was great that I told her, but I did that when she asked me and I think that was the most practical approach. I tried to stick to her normal routine because that provides a sense of comfort for the child and I think the best thing was we never pampered her tantrums but I hugged and kissed her a lot. But she missed Kuwait a lot and that was one of the major reasons I came back mid-treatment. And that was a good decision as well. KCC was better than the private hospital in India. She had become reclusive and withdrawn there and she used to worry about me a lot too. But coming back she became the same old Zahra again. KMG: What have been the benefits of involving your child? Has it helped you in your struggle physically, emotionally, psychologically? Batul: A child’s love is so unconditional and healing, it gives you one thing that no medicine in the world can give you and that is motivation. Whenever Zahra talked to me, she would always say when you get better, it was never if you get better, it was always when. She used to help me exercise by counting 1-10 for my repetitions and she used to give me my medicines. In fact, she used to remember the timings of the medications better than me. And as I started getting better, I told her that it was because of her and she felt so ecstatic. KMG: What advice would you offer someone who has just found out they have cancer? What advice would you offer for helping them tell / involve their kids? Batul: I believe in honesty with the kids because I really believe in an open relationship with your children. I think the best approach is to be honest with your children when they ask you the "question". I think it is better to involve your children because I truly believe that she was my anchor throughout this experience. Looking at her was an instant mood changer and I'd feel happy. And having me around made her happy as well. KMG: What is the status of your disease now and what do you hope for the future? Batul: I'm cured now but I'll still have to keep going for checkups from time to time. Batul, a mother of one, graduated with a BBA from the American University of Kuwait and has been in Kuwait for 21 years. She writes a blog on Facebook called Fighting Cancer with Attitude. You can follow her on Instagram @fighting_cancer_with_attitude Originally published in Issue #21 of the Kuwait Moms Guide e-Newsletter What are your parenting goals for 2015? For me, I'm starting small with SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely). I need to spend some time thinking about what we as a family want to achieve this year and set some goals for the girls (and for my oldest at least encourage her to set some goals for herself). This may all fall apart by February but am giving it a try. #kuwaitmoms #kuwaitkids #kidsinkuwait #q8moms #q8kids #goals #parenting #moms #children #kuwait |
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