The pink ruffles from my tutu that Big Sister forced me to wear tickle my nose and I feel the itchiness of a ginormous, saliva spitting sneeze coming on. Is it really fairy tea party protocol to sneeze like that..should I risk it or be banned from tea parties for life. I look over at our Hostess Extraordinare, Big Sister, who with geisha like stealth stir our watery tea in preparation for the momentous pouring off. Around the table sits the rest of our fabulous party for five, one-eyed Teddy who has seen better days and Disco Barbie with her sparkly bangles brings some light to this solemn affair. Oh I almost forgot, the head of the table has been given to who other than Just Dad. He has managed to squeeze himself into Big Sister’s new pink and gold Princess chair and being at the head of the table has been adorned with the Royal Barbie crown and a pink feathery boa boa just for a touch of “Je ne sai quoi”. He looks right awful!. No grown man should be put through this tortuous event, but Big Sister’s has “Just Dad” twisted around her tweeny weeny little finger and he adores her.

Right, I decide to gulp down my sneeze after seeing the immense concentration Big Sister had on her face I wouldn’t want to face her wrath at the disturbance I would cause, she might also take away the only real thing Mum said we could have at the tea party and that is my favourite, a chocolate cookie. Thus, bribed by chocolate Dad and I sit quietly, the watery tea is poured and Big Sister has given the silent nod that conversation can begin. There I jibber jabber to Disco Barbie and ask in no certain terms whether I can have her chocolate cookie, she’s probably watching her disco figure anyways. She stays silent and I take that as a yes. Yippee two chocolate cookies, if only Mum knew I was indulging. Just as I eyed one eyed teddy’s one. Just Dad looks at me over the feathery boa boa, Hey hey little guy that’s way too much chocolate for someone so tiny. Whatever Dad, am I really supposed to take you seriously with that Royal Barbie Crown sliding off your head. Anyways, whilst Dad and I eye each other like two gun hustlers in a western, our hostess with the mostess gulps it down. Hey I say, hostess you suck aren’t you supposed to be looking after your guests instead of gorging on all the food. MUM!!! I scream…oh well that’s the end of that tea party, there’s always one party pooper to ruin it for everyone!!! 

How is imaginary play good for kids?

Systematic research has increasingly demonstrated a series of clear benefits of children’s engagement in pretend games from the ages of about two and one half through ages six or seven. Actual studies have demonstrated cognitive benefits such as increases in language usage including subjunctives, future tenses, and  adjectives. The important concept of “theory of mind,” an awareness that one’s thoughts may differ from those of other persons  and that there are a variety of perspectives of which each of us is capable, is closely related to  imaginative play.

How much sugar is good for toddlers?

Part of keeping your toddler healthy is understanding how much food he should be eating. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends assessing calorie needs based on age and body size. For children between the ages of 1 and 3 years, caloric intake should equal 40 calories per inch of height. In other words, if your toddler is 30 inches tall, he would need to consume 1,200 calories per day for health. According to the American Heart Association, toddlers should consume only 17 g of sugar per day. If a toddler consumes between 1,200 and 1,400 calories, this means that between 7 and 8 percent of her total calories should be from sugar. This equals out to about 170 calories from sugar per day.

By Mayuri Jayasinghe