Growing Pains

The Happiness Scientist Who Stopped Pretending to Be Happy Sha-En Yeo spent her teenage years being bullied in a girls' school, quietly asking herself "is this it?" A teacher left a note on her desk that changed something. Twenty years later, she's Singapore's first happiness scientist, trained under Martin Seligman at UPenn, and the author of an upcoming Penguin book called I Miss Feeling Like Me...

Maggie Dumra films her family for content and after over 78,000 followers later, she still won't let her own daughters near social media. The contradiction sits at the centre of this episode. She spent twenty years in marketing, watched K-pop idols starve themselves to be on camera, and knows exactly what the algorithm does to a girl's body image before it happens to her own kids. Ange and Maggie...

Every parent in Singapore thinks about it. Not everyone says it out loud. The pressure our kids are under to perform, to get the grade, to stay ahead, starts earlier than most of us realise and shows up in ways we don't always recognise. A child reaching for the eraser to hide a mistake. A kid who looks fine on paper but is quietly falling apart inside. Greg Wilde is Head of Primary at Sir Manasse...

Why Women Become Angry in Their 40s — And Why That's Not A Bad Thing 46% of women aged 40 to 54 face the highest burnout risk of any age group. More than half screen positive for depression and anxiety. Over 60% of later-life divorces are initiated by women. In this conversation, Ange sits down with Amanda Lim and Jasmin Dhillon, hosts of The Forties Formula, who’ve had the conversations about “mi...

Dr. Elaine Kim spent years in palliative care sitting with people in the last days of their lives. What her patients kept saying at the end changed everything about how she thinks about the beginning. By age seven, a child's trajectory is already largely set. 90% of brain development happens in the first five years. And 250 million children around the world never get access to quality early educat...

Most parents wait for belonging to happen. James Sweeney says that's exactly the problem. James is the head of One World International School's Nanyang Campus, with students from over 70 nationalities. He's also spent his whole career watching children walk into rooms where they don't know anyone and figuring out how to make that okay. In this conversation, he unpacks what schools that get this ri...

What do you do when everything falls apart at once and nobody's coming to save you? Shireen Jones has lived a version of that question most of us can't imagine. She was one of Singapore's first 200 COVID-19 cases. She lost a nine-year teaching career weeks after discharge, for a reason that has to be heard to be believed. Then came a pregnancy that broke her, a baby who wouldn't stop crying for th...

Welcome to Growing Pains by Honey Kids Asia! I'm Steph Dickson, a mother of one with another on the way, and this is the podcast for the conversations parents actually want to have. We're diving into things like: Am I accidentally gaslighting myself with my own beliefs? Is telling my kids to "think positively" actually making things worse? Why does my partner suddenly forget how the washing machin...

From the workplace to our children’s schools, AI is gradually becoming the norm in our daily lives. But how young is too young for children to be using AI? Our latest episode of Parenting Playbook discusses the use of AI in preschool classrooms with Wu Jing, CEO and co-founder of House on the Hill. Jing will touch on the pros and cons of using AI in early childhood education, share best practices...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — and gift panic season is here! In this episode, Syaz and Andrina unwrap their favourite Christmas gift ideas for the whole family. From DIY craft kits and cuddly toys for the little ones, to gadgets and gift cards for teens, and spa-day treats and festive sleepwear for parents, they’ve got every name on your list covered (even dads!). Tune in to this f...

Eating out with kids CAN be enjoyable, we promise! Syaz and Andrina share kid-friendly restaurants and cafés in Singapore, all tried-and-tested (and loved) by the team at HoneyKids Asia. Tune in as they take you around Singapore, from lush enclaves to hilltop views, from beachside dining to brunch vibes — to places where parents can actually finish a meal! Bonus, some restaurants even have playgro...

Rain or shine, parents — we’ve got you covered! In this episode, Syaz and Andrina chat about one of the top parenting MVPs: indoor playgrounds. They cover everything from cool slopes and thrilling rides to science-filled fun and themed play areas, so every kid, big or small, gets their fun. Find out about some of their favourite spots for kids to climb, explore and burn energy, while parents sit b...

Before cafes, there were kopitiams – which come with a language of their own! If you’ve ever stood at a hawker stall wondering what on earth kopi C peng siew dai means, this one’s for you! In this episode, Syaz and Andrina spill the teh (tea) on how to order coffee and tea like a true local in Singapore. From kopi O kosong (think, rich Americano) and teh tarik (pulled milk tea) to special concocti...

Parents, this one’s for you! As much as we love family time, every couple deserves a night out now and then. In this episode, Ange and Andrina share their favourite date night spots in Singapore. You can go glamorous with cocktails at Atlas or playful with arcade fun at Level Up. And if you’re looking to splurge for a celebration, there are Michelin-starred restaurants like Candlenut and Burnt End...

Sometimes you just need a break from the city — minus the long flights and jet lag. In this episode, Ange and Andrina share their top five quick getaways from Singapore that are perfect for families. Think Bali villas with private pools, fuss-free ferry trips to Bintan, road-trip fun at Desaru Coast, beach-and-culture adventures in Da Nang, and all the family resorts (plus quirky theme parks!) in...

Teens! Not the tiny tots you once knew but not quite the independent adult either! Straddling that in-between stage of childhood and adulthood, finding things they actually want to do, is a whole new adventure. Trust us, we know! In this episode, Ange and Andrina — both navigating their kids’ teenage years — dive into the coolest things to do in Singapore with teens. They talk about everything fro...

Parents, we feel you! When you’ve been up since the crack of dawn with early risers, that first cup of coffee isn't a want, it’s a NEED! That’s why we’ve rounded up 30 Cafes that open as early as 6am in Singapore, perfect for the much-needed morning pick-me-up. In this episode, Ange and Andrina share their favourite spots for strong brew and hearty bites, alongside a little family-friendly reset...

Is there such a thing as good food or bad food? What if your toddler wants sushi and your 5-year-old is asking for coffee? How can we skip the negotiations and rejections at mealtimes? In this episode of Parenting Playbook , Accredited Practising Dietitian Annabelle Johnson helps us rethink what balanced eating really looks like for kids. We talk about picky eaters, food myths, and how to raise co...

“It’s so hard to see our children in pain, and not be able to fix it!” In this heartfelt episode of Parenting Playbook, Mindset Transformation Coach Sofie Hon talks about a life-changing accident that turned her daughter’s life upside down. With her personal experience and the help of neuroscience-backed tools, Sofie shares how parents can support and even rebuild children’s self-confidence, estee...

In today’s digital world, bullying doesn’t just happen behind closed doors, it can even play out online in viral videos and messages, deepening its impact and effects on everyone involved. In the 6th episode of Parenting Playbook, we speak with Dr. Kimberly Chew of AO Psychology (Singapore) to understand the psychological impact of bullying on children – the bullied and the bully. We delve into th...

If the viral Netflix show Adolescence left you with more questions than answers, you’re not alone. From the rise of the Manosphere to the coded language teens use online, today’s digital world is complex—and constantly shifting. So fast that parents are not even aware. In this episode of Parenting Playbook, HoneyKids Asia Podcast host Angela Neo chats with Shem Yao from TOUCH Cyber Wellness to unp...

Are you guilty of yelling at your kids? The first step could be understanding your own triggers before addressing your child’s behaviour. Learn practical, guilt-free strategies to stay calm, communicate effectively, and create a more peaceful home. Syazana Hishamuddin, Editor of HoneyKids Asia, chats with Kelly Tay on how to avoid using fear and force so children stay close with family becaus...

We all want our kids to excel. But how do we do that without teetering on the side of tiger parenting? We chat with Dr. Christina Wong on how to be encouraging parents while being mindful not to impose high expectations on our kids. She is the founder of 10X Study Academy, a platform that has helped hundreds of students study better and smarter to become happier in school and have an improved over...

Have you ever wondered if your child’s constant fidgeting or daydreaming is ADHD — or just a quirky personality? In this episode, we dive into the big question: Is it ADHD or something else? We’re chatting with Joline Lim, Co-director of Chapter Zero Singapore, the mom of a recently diagnosed ADHD child, and Kavitha Manokaran, a senior clinical psychologist at International Medical Clinic (IMC). T...

We understand the FOMO that may arise from tweens and teens seeing their friends have their own smartphones. With advice varying from "Hold off on giving your kids a phone for as long as possible" to "Do you really want your kid to be the 'uncool' one in school?", how do we navigate this? HoneyKids Asia Podcast host Angela Neo chats with Lauren Adlam on navigating this new minefield! Rec...