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Written by Zoe Daniel
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Sunday, 31 January 2010 00:33 |
 Taking your tiny tot out on a playdate is not all play and no work as Zoe Daniel discovers. Make no mistake – playdates with toddlers can be seriously fraught events. There was a time when I wondered whether I could be bothered with them at all. In fact early in my first child’s toddlerhood I recall them being overwhelmingly stressful, so much so that on many occasions I elected to wrangle him at home alone rather than facing the sandpit police.My son was a demanding but affectionate baby. When he first started walking he was physically adventurous but emotionally clingy and spent more time cl… |
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Written by Zoe Daniel
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Thursday, 07 January 2010 18:00 |
 Who do you call when the tummy bugs bite? Words by Zoe Daniel. It’s 2am and Phnom Penh has wound down for the evening. The streets are dark and quiet, apart from the odd tuk-tuk transporting straggling tourists back to their hotels. One by one the last of the lights have winked out. But in the clinic where I sit with my son, the lights will burn all night. He’s finally asleep against me, his hair flopping over his pale face as he breathes softly. Exhausted but sleepless, I wonder worriedly if the ordeal is over.Months before, back in Australia, we had carefully considered the down sides of mov… |
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Written by Zoe Daniel
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Wednesday, 02 December 2009 22:11 |
 Flying with kids is a necessary evil for the expat family; it requires patience, determination and a fair dollop of courage. Words by Zoe Daniel.I recently read an article that argued that children under 12 should be banned from aeroplanes. The writer, a mother of three (now teenaged) children, had been unlucky enough to be allocated the seat next to a baby and a toddler on a 14-hour flight from Sydney to the United States.Scarred by the experience, she argued that parents who travel with young children are moved not by the desire to share their travel experiences with their offspring, but by … |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 09 November 2009 12:32 |
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Shopping for your kids in Phnom Penh can be a challenge. Or it could be just the retail therapy you’ve been looking for. Words by Danielle Craishe
I hope my husband’s not reading this because I have to confess that I’m a shopaholic. Even worse, I think I’m turning my children into shopaholics as well. I’ve been pregnant or breastfeeding for the last three and a half years which has destroyed any buzz that I previously enjoyed from shopping for clothes for me. So I’ve had to turn the pleasure that once came from a slinky dress or a pair of shoes into a vicarious one; that comes from baby-sized bargains. The beauty of Phnom Penh is that the cost of the addiction is about as teeny tiny as the clothes themselves.
Where to start? The Russian Market. The piles of clothes can be daunting, particularly in the heat, but the trick is to target your search. The kids’ shops are clustered around the South Eastern corner near the DVDs. Quality cotton Abercrombie and Fitch polo shirts sell for around US$4 or US$5. They look very smart on little boys, or as my fashion conscious two-year-old says “That’s lovely Mummy.” Ralph Lauren shirts, Milo the bathing ape and Paul Smith t-shirts are a similar price. The colours are fabulous; vivid purple, bright reds and greens and soft blues. There are also lots of groovy shorts in wild prints or more tailored styles in khakis and browns and black.
For little girls it’s a carnival of colour. Carter’s and the The Children’s Place use cheap, bright cottons. Some of their dresses, printed shorts and leggings come in wild patterns that young kids will love. There’s also cute baby stuff – cotton suits, overalls and t-shirts from newborn upwards. Check the items carefully though, sometimes they’re marked or have an unstitched seam and beware 100% polyester. , Your kids will melt in it!
If you’re into exploring you can also find the occasional special piece at both Olympic and Central Market but you have to take a bit of time to sift. Since my baby girl was born I’ve been a sucker for pretty dresses. She’s only just turned one but already says “Oh Wow!” every time I bring another one home that I just couldn’t leave behind. It’s better if the profits are going somewhere worthwhile though so I like Soksabbai and Cheeky Monkey; cute, inexpensive brands that are made as part of projects that deliver profits back to the women who make the clothes.
There are sailor’s pants and lightweight jeans and checked shirts for boys. For girls the cotton dresses are pretty and full, just perfect for little princesses. They also make great gifts to send to little relatives and friends back home. The shop at Le Jardin has the best range.
For pink and white knickerbockers with candy stripes, multicoloured soft cotton pants and little hair clips, browse Chilli Kids. It’s a relatively new place with some locally made stuff and some inexpensive imported board shorts and t-shirts for boys. Prices here are a little higher than the markets but it’s air-conditioned and the locally made pieces are cute and a bit different.
After you break for a Danish and a coffee sneak into Bliss if only for a minute. “Oh wow” indeed. The little dresses are floaty and light and as pretty as can be. The price tag is high for Cambodia, but still cheap by foreign standards and that vintage flower number will have definite wow factor when you take your little one home to see the grandparents.
Finally, for floaty satins and silks, in buttery yellows, vivid reds and romantic white, exquisite beading and extraordinary needlework, Ambre is the place. These dresses from baby sized to Mummy sized are the special occasion kind with prices to match. Little shopaholics will love them, and so will big girls, so leave the boys at home. Maybe Mummy is ready for that new dress and shoes after all?
Soksabbai and Cheeky Monkey, 16 Street 360, 011 723 399.
Chilli Kids, 43Eo Street 240, 023 992 710.
Bliss, 29 Street 240, 023 215 754.
Ambre, 37 Street 178, 023 217 935.
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Written by Georgie Treasure
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Friday, 02 October 2009 12:30 |
 If you are new to Phnom Penh don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll miss Halloween this year. My daughter is still haunted by the image of four giant eyeballs passing silently down Street 57 in a Tuk-Tuk at sunset. This year, given the recent blood-thirst for Stephenie Meyer’s series of Twilight novels, I expect to see a lot of romantic, well-intentioned vampires lurking in the shadows of Phnom Penh. Should they come knocking at your door, don’t be alarmed. Meyer’s vampires are mostly vegetarian. You might want to hang a crucifix and a string of garlic round your neck to be sure, but they will p… |
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