Q: Food seems to go flying everywhere when my daughter eats. Is this bad behavior? A: Your daughter is naturally curious about how food looks, tastes, and feels. She’s making a mess because it’s a hit-or-miss process figuring out how to feed herself, and she’s exploring the sensation of food in her hands and mouth. … Read more

1.2. Cutting boards Most cutting boards are made of either hardwoods, such as maple or walnut, or plastics like nylon or polyethylene. Regardless of which type you get, look for ones that are at least 12″ × 18″ / 30 cm × 45 cm. Bigger is better, as long as the board fits in your … Read more

1.4. Measuring cups and scales In addition to the common items used for measuring (e.g., measuring cups and spoons), I strongly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale.  You can pour ingredients directly into a mixing bowl by weight, skipping the need for measuring cups. You will obtain better accuracy when measuring by weight. Dry ingredients such … Read more

She had always longed for a mother that she could have a heart-to-heart talk. Instead, her mother kept her down. In the end, she had to make a choice. Growing up, my friends liked to stay the night at my house. My mother would bake crumpets and listen to their stories about the boys. My … Read more

Whether it’s changing hair colour or switching faiths, sometimes truly amazing things come out of the most unexpected choices “Becoming a Muslim has made me a better person” Author and TV presenter Kristiane Backer, 46, lives in West London.  “I converted to Islam 16 years ago, after a relationship with the Pakistani former cricketer Imran … Read more

Boys seem to be a non-scandal choice to “chat” about your girlfriends and about the person who broke your heart. Then, why is everything so complicated? The kind of friendship you have with your closest male friend is quite amazing. He is the only person you can be yourself with, the one giving you the most sincere advice on your love life and who you can see on Friday evenings without having to buy a new … Read more

Family meals offer a great opportunity to encourage your toddler to try new foods, and to experiment with new tastes. Too many people assume that babies and toddlers want bland, tasteless meals, when, in fact, most of them love to try new flavors, and have sensitive palates right from the word go. Q: My toddler’s … Read more

Lasagna Al Forno Nothing is more of a crowd-pleaser than a big dish of baked lasagna—at any age and any time of year! Mixing the meat and cheese sauces may sound odd, but it makes the sauce taste richer. 1 hour 35–40 minutes NOTE A family of 4–5 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for … Read more

1.5. Spoons & co. Few things symbolize cooking more than a spoon, and for good reason: stirring, tasting, adjusting the seasoning, stirring some more, and tasting again would be virtually impossible without a good spoon! I prefer the wooden variety. In an age of technology and modern plastics, there’s just something comforting about a wooden … Read more

1.6. Thermometers and timers Probe thermometers are awesome because they use a thermocouple attached to a long heat-safe lead, designed so that you can stick the probe into a piece of meat and set the controller to beep when it reaches the desired temperature. Timers are handy, and if you’ll be doing much baking, one … Read more

Your toddler needs to learn to communicate so that he can relate to other people and develop the social and inter-personal skills that are so important for building friendships and being understood. He relies on nonverbal, verbal, and listening skills and in many ways operates at an intuitive level. “Karl is a real chatter-box. His … Read more

Bilingual families Children under the age of three who are raised in a bilingual environment are believed to learn both languages simultaneously, with no detriment to developing language skills. The easiest way to support language-learning is to be consistent in approach, perhaps by adopting a “one parent/one language” approach at home or by agreeing that … Read more

Up until the teenage years, children generally are pretty happy if they’re told when they have to do things. But with a growing sense of independence, your teenager may quickly decide that such time-dependent scheduling is being “treated like a child.” What can you do to alleviate the stress this situation causes without having your … Read more

Just because you’re willing to make some adjustments to your family’s schedule to support your teenager’s growing independence doesn’t mean that you have to—or should—rearrange your family’s schedule to accommodate everything your teenager wants to do. If you’ve shown respect for your teen’s scheduling needs, your teen should show a reciprocal respect for the rest … Read more

In a quandary? Ask Zest’s self expert, Emma Kenny. As psychologist, counsellor and life coach, no dilemma is beyond her repair. “Tell your sister you’ll only attend if she invites him. If she says no, don’t go. She’ll get the message.”  ‘My family exclude my partner and it’s putting a strain on our relationship. We’ve … Read more

2. Standard Kitchen Equipment There is a balance between having the right tool for the right job and having too much stuff on hand. When looking at a potential kitchen tool, consider if you can do the task it’s intended for with a tool you already have, and whether the new gizmo is a multitasker … Read more

2.2.2.4. Unitaskers I know, I know…unitaskers. Some unitaskers are worth making space for, though, because of how well they perform their particular tasks. Box grater. A simple box grater for grating vegetables, cheese, and butter (for cutting into pastry dough) can save a lot of time. Sure, you can use a food processor with a … Read more

Q: My child can’t do half the things other parents say their children can. What am I doing wrong? A: It is worrying to hear other parents talk about how far ahead their children are—particularly if your own child appears to be slower to develop in some areas. It is important to remember, though, that … Read more

One to three years What to expect at each stage Over the next two years, your toddler will strive to be increasingly independent. He will become more mobile, learn about his environment, himself and other people, and develop speech and language skills. Be prepared—your child will start to have opinions and want to do things … Read more

Don’t be surprised if your newly independent toddler stomps his foot and demands his own way. Fussy eating is a hallmark of the toddler years; it’s best to relax and let it run its course. Persevere and continue to offer new foods confidently and positively. Q: If my toddler flatly refuses a food over and … Read more