The Feed Issue 1

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HTFEEDEPLAY Trending back-toschool products (and more!) for your children PARENTING Ways to engage with your children through activities!creative SPECIAL Tired of the same old school lunches? Fresh ideas that will feed your little ones! Issue 1 September 2022 Back to School Edition

From the Desk JaqfounderGraceofPaik,ofJaqBird A Word

"I pretenddon'ttoknowtheanswersbuthopeIcanbepartofyourparentingjourney"

Keep on Parenting,

Instead of technology changing with the times, technology is changing the times, ripping across the globe while affecting habits, actions, thoughts, and behavior. It is changing our kids. It is changing parents. It is changing all of us. I don’t pretend to know the answers but hope I can be part of your parenting journey, and that our monthly magazine can be a resource and guide. I have three children, with a 4 year gap between my oldest and youngest. The toys and behavior changed dramatically over the four year span due to technology. The youngest was exposed to screens and digital learning at an earlier age than my oldest. Technology had already replaced classic toys such as puzzles, wooden toys, and books. Being a parent for over twenty years, and living in different countries, the unanimous desire in what parents want for their kids is this: happiness. The desire for happiness rings true across all continents, countries, and cities. It doesn’t matter where you are economically, who you are racially, what gender you are, this is the answer I hear over and over again. How we attain happiness for our kids is another matter, because there is not one road to get there. Every child is different, and what makes one happy may not be the same for another. There is no one formula, however, I believe there are some basic ingredients necessary to help in raising happy kids, and we will be talking about these each month. I am honored to be part of this journey in partnership with you, and I hope we will be able to contribute to raising happy, citizens!happy,childrenwell-adjustedwhobecomeproductive

It has been a goal for me to start the JJB Bird Feed for a couple of years now, for our customers and followers. We are faced with an everchanging landscape of parenting and education in this historical and unprecedented time.

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Parenting

The making of breakfasts and lunches, the hectic morning drop offs and after school pick ups, and driving to post school activities may seem a bit overwhelming not just for parents, but also for children. During this time of transition and adjustment, children will still need down time (and parents will probably need a second cup of coffee), and moments spent with mom or dad will become even more precious and necessary. Here are a few ways you can spend some intentional time with your child:

The Gift of Time Incorporating Pauses into the School Year

Warm summer sunsets are coming to an end, and the sun is shortening its stay as fall makes its way towards us and beckons in the school year. It may have gone more quickly for some than others, but we must face reality that a new school year has begun, which also signals new schedules and routines.

Take 15 minutes out of your afternoon without any technology to spend “floor time” with your child.

Set aside your computer and phone in a separate room - take time to read a book to your child, play a board game or just spend time drawing with your child. Our doodle books are a great way for both children and parents to draw, talk and enjoy time talking about each others’ day, or coming up with spontaneous ways to draw and create whatever comes to mind.

Spend time taking a walk outdoors, or go play atpark.the I would sometimes make it a point to stop at a park right after school, before going home, so the kids could have a quick snack and run around for a bit after a long day of studies and sitting. Moving their bodies is part of their job, and I’ve found that it’s a great way to decompress.

Some children love to cook, and helping a parent prepare dinner in the kitchen could be a nice way for your child to feel a sense responsibility.of This takes some preparation on the part of the parent. If I knew I needed carrots, celery or potatoes in a dish, I would usually prep them to be cut into thinner strips/sticks so they could cut them into smaller pieces more easily with a paring knife. The cooking project could also be something as simple as making a smoothie in the blender - having them cut up bananas and strawberries doesn’t take too much thinking or effort (the clean up might be another story!)

Having a mystery shoe box set aside full of things like buttons, random lost game pieces, one sock, etc. can be a fun way to do an impromptu game of each person making up a story about something.

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Parenting

You can always add and discard whatever items you would like to put in there. This is very open ended, and you can even write down those silly stories in a note book to revisit later.

Sprinkling in some spare moments here and there to connect with your child during the busy school year shows your child that you are still thinking about them as they become more and more independent. This will give them more confidence knowing that they have someone who is a part of their “team” and supports them emotionally. When you spend the time to listen and to take a few big breaths and pause, this can help your child as they grow older and face various challenges to know that you are willing to stop what you are doing to listen if they need an ear.

There is an element of empathy that a book cannot always convey in just words, although many times the author can be quite convincing. I was surprised to find that this Human Library has been around for 20 years, Books

Setting OurforFoundationtheReadingSuggestedBooks

There are moments when a “human touch” makes things a bit better, and I can see how hearing the information from a person could make the topic more “relatable.”

Libraries are usually places where there are so many walls and walls of books, they almost look like wallpaper. These books are filled with stories that transport us beyond our own walls, or are tomes of information stacked high, but did you know that in Denmark, there is a place called The Human Library? It’s a library where you can talk to people about topics you may not normally feel comfortable discussing openly with other people, and the volunteers are there with expertise in their topic, ready for difficult questions. The Human Library website states “Every human book from our bookshelf, represent a group in our society that is often subjected to discriminationstigmatizationprejudice,orbecause of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic origin, etc.”

"Each of us has a story that is so very different than our

ourmembersclassmate,neighbor,evenfromofimmediatefamily."

whilesameSomeIt’santopicWell,ours.experiencesstorieswechangeotheraren’tofareabooksYourproblem.manycases,challenges,answerstheretopics,perspectivesdifferentonthesameandsometimesarenoclearcuttoproblemsororinothertheremaybewaystosolvetheThe“ChooseOwnAdventure”Iusedtoreadaskidcomestomind.Weallourownbooksfullvaluableinformation,we?Nomatterhowpeoplemaytryandournarrative,aretheauthorofthewekeep,andthearedeeplyhereisanotherwhereeveryonehasopinionorcomment.afavoritebooklist.ofuswillrecallthebookasafavorite,othersmayrecall not finishing it halfway through and

and how many people it has touched. It has now made it onto my list of “places I must visit.”

Each of us has a story that is so very different than our neighbor, classmate, even from members of our immediate family. We all have putting it to the side, never to be picked up again. No matter how much time passes, there are always a few gems that remain true to any generation, the storyline transporting us to another place and time. We won’t be putting a superlative in front of the title of our booklist. It will merely be “Jaq Jaq Bird’s Suggested Children’s Books.”

booksfromthosedifferentHumanthataresummonwithraysremindrecommendationstogetherThisasthantheirbycanaabilitywordpredictable/rhythmicalwithpatterns,andthetoberetoldusingvarietyofmedia.Theyevenbeactedoutyourchildalongwithfriends,orratheraboardgamenight,anentirefamily.month,we’veputsomebooktoyouofthoselastofsummer,alongsomebookstointhefall.TherealsosomesuggestionsnotunliketheLibrary,giveusperspectivesonthataredifferentus.Theseareallthatcanbeenjoyed

Each book on this list has a universal appeal to a mixed age group, an engaging story line anytime, anywhere and by anyone. There will be a suggested book list every month. This was my not so short way of letting you know that it’s happening, so without much ado, here they are:

Books One StregafromSomethingCanoeDogMaryCasanovaNothingPhoebeGilmanNonaTomiedePaola

The Lion and Little Red Bird Elisa Kleven Little Blue and Little Yellow Leo We'reLeonniGoingonaBearHuntHelenOxenbury

Books TheYoko'sFletcherJessicaDrumLeopard'sShameandtheFallingLeavesJuliaRawlinsonPaperCranesRosemaryWells

been running around for awhile, but once we put those on, we knew it was a match made in heaven. They were light, had a very cool yet not too flashy design, and the soles - he didn’t burn a hole through the soles before he outgrew the shoes (yes, he did that a few times). There was also a really great option to accessorize the two velcro tabs with different ones. Plae has an accessories section where you can choose different tabs. We had an extra set, but we justwere happy that the shoes lasted. I’d say give them a try! Unfortunately my kids are now old enough that they are swayed by their peers and are more into whatever the trendy shoes are that teens wear. I just want to give a shout out to Plae for making some great shoes! They even make them for adults now, so if you want to go twinsies with your child without dressing in matching dresses or shirts, here’s your opportunity!

Check www.plae.co

My kids have always been on the go since they could crawl. Once they discovered mobility, it was game over. We had gates all over the house so they wouldn’t tumble down stairs or get themselves into places we weren’t prepared for them to go. My friend has a hilarious story about her mytheyshoesinwewouldforlookbuiltthequickly,throughTheshewellsay,productdiscoveringtoddlerherfemininedrawer.Let’sjustherchildwasverypaddedbythetimefoundhim.kidswereburningtheirshoessoIwasalwaysonhuntforalight,well-shoethatdidn’tliketheyweremadeseniorcitizensandlast.TheonesdiscoveredandfelllovewithwerethesebyPlae.Whendebutedin2012,oldesthadalready

PlaeSpotlight:ProductShoes

out website!their

Lunch?forWhat's Nutrition

"All I need to do is make sure the lunches are mostnutritioushealthy,andtastegoodenoughsoofitendsupintheirbelliesratherthanremaininthelunchbox."

Covid may still be rearing its ugly head here and there, but essentially we are now managing the surges and zoom school is pretty much over, with almost every student back for in-person learning. This means lunches had to be packed for at least a year for most of us. Parents who got a break from rushing through the morning races of making breakfasts and lunches simultaneously while one child is asking you where their one sock went, your boss is texting you about a last minute meeting, and another child is asking you to sign a permission slip, are back in action. If the school does not have a lunch program, we are all back into the swing of making Kudoslunches.to my friends who find great joy in making amazing creations for their kids, whether it be pinwheel flower sandwich triangles and green melons shaped into the petals and the stem, or the occasional Mickey Mouse shaped sandwich. We all need to find our moments of joy throughout the day. Making flowers out of apples and creating unicorn shaped brownies do not happen to bring me joy, rather, the thought of constructing food art brings me anxiety. I did once try to make ants on a log. It was an experiment, and well, my children came home with the ants buried inside the peanut butter log, like someone had stepped on them and left them for dead. One log did have an attempted bite, still dangling off of the log. Yup, big fail. I have my limitations, and I had to remind myself - all I need to do is make sure the lunches are healthy, nutritious and taste good enough so most of it ends up in their bellies rather than remain in the lunch box. And, universally for all parents, time is of the Oneessence.thing that helps me greatly is to write down a weekly road map in my notebook calendar. I color code various things on the calendar with my wishy washy markers. My kids have simple, solid color lunch boxes, which they like to decorate with Jaq Jaq Bird reusable stickers. You could also cut out our wall decal into shapes and designs to your liking, changing the design on them with the wipe of a paper towel and water. Here we’ve put together a few simple ideas to shave off a few minutes in the lunch prep department with nutrition and time in mind.

BreakfastforLunch

Some kids do not like to eat a solid breakfast, and one thing that I have done is made overnight oats in a container, usually with some dried fruit, nuts (if your school allows), and some sort of seed. These are easily prepped the night before, so all you need to do is put it in their lunch bag with a piece of fruit, some sort of crackers or protein option.

Nutrition

I often make extra portions of dinner, especially if it has pasta or a protein component. If I make spaghetti, I make sure there is extra sauce and noodles to heat up and put into their thermos in the morning. The same goes for soups or stews. We usually have a rice cooker with some cooked rice in it, so if it’s protein, I can cut it up and add it to the rice for their main lunch meal.

Leftovers

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Sometimes it’s just a lot of easy components put together. One that I like is hummus, slices of pita triangles, little tomatoes or carrot sticks, dried fruit and some sort of treat on the side (a small piece of chocolate or cookie). This one can pretty much be assembled the night before and pulled out of the refrigerator in the morning. I always add a piece of fruit into all of the lunches because my kids love fruit.

Sandwiches

These are a staple for us. I know some families do not like sandwiches. We like them with our bread toasted and found that if we put mayo on it, the bread doesn’t get soggy. I’ve found that cream cheese is a great alternative to sliced cheese and is great with not just salmon, but with chicken, ham, etc….pretty much any protein. My kids really like lettuce, so with the added crunch, it’s been a good go-to for us. Any sort of nut butter or sun butter work with bananas or jam, or both. The nut butter sandwiches and egg salad mixtures can always be made the night before and put in the fridge. If there is any leftover protein, these sometimes make it into sandwiches. Thankfully sandwiches usually don’t take too long to make.

Sometimes, my kids don’t feel like any of the above. When this is the case, it becomes a protein/fruit/ vegetable game. I may put in a greek yogurt with a protein or granola bar and a piece of fruit, some carrot sticks, and maybe another vegetable like tomatoes, some crackers and cheese, etc.

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Nutrition

And…Yogurt

These are just some ideas that may be helpful if you start running out of ideas. Sometimes if I just feel like calling it in, I have stopped by the bakery on the way to school to grab a ham and cheese croissant for their lunches with the vegetables and crackers I’ve packed. However you pack your lunches, know that we are rooting for you, and we wish you the best of luck in this next school year ahead!

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Play

Product Spotlight:

The pandemic brought on so many challenges, for many of us it felt like a weighted blanket placed on top of us too heavy to move. One of the trickiest situations was the fact that we couldn’t see our loved ones outside of our immediate family. Even then, our spouses and children sometimes felt like the opposite as we were tested to our limits while wearing the hats of parent, worker, cook, cleaner, tech support, teacher, etc. Children had to find ways to be creative inside the home, especially for those who did not have large outdoor yards or spaces. This is where the wishy washy markers did not waver and made a firm decision to do good, and bring happiness into the world closed off by a disease that had no bounds. Little glimmers of sunshine started to pop up in cities across Europe and around the world. Children and adults started to draw on the windows of their homes, so others could appreciate words of encouragement and see drawings that brought smiles to peoples’ faces.

The Markers That Are Not So Wishy Washy

Grab some and see for yourself!

Now that the world is getting out from under the heavy weighted blanket, and gatherings are happening once more, these markers are being used to label plastic cups for children’s birthday parties, putting names on the wine glasses for the adult juice the parents can enjoy with friends, and still decorating windows so passers by and neighbors can remember that there is much joy to be had even in the little things.

The wishy washy markers of course work fabulously in our doodle books.

Nurses and doctors going off to work could see the verbal cheers of those rooting them on (although allandeasilytheythatmarkerswishyThethegrandparentsinsidechildren“playdates.”seengrandwhofreshtheysprinkleswalkanyonebackwards),sometimesandtakingaquickoutsidecouldseeofhopewhiletookinabreathofair.Grandparentscouldn’tseetheirchildrenwerehavingdrawingWhilethedrewontheofthewindow,thedrewonoutside.beautyofthesewashyiscanbewipedoffusedonanyandnon-poroussurfaces.

Grace Paik

Grace Paik is the founder and Chief Amazement Officer of Jaq Jaq Bird. She has hopped around from continent to continent while juggling motherhood, a full time job, and living the life of a military spouse. JJB’s aesthetic is a curated collage of Grace’s life abroad and at home. Whether she’s foraging through handmade celadon jars and jewelry from Insadong in Seoul or sorting through smocked monogrammed linens and gold leaf hand-bound books at a flea market in Nice, France, Grace finds beauty in tradition and history. She imagines how people used to live their day to day lives. Grace brings these sensibilities with her in her creative process as she develops Sheproducts.founded Jaq Jaq Bird around the time of her third child. That was 17 years ago. Not able to keep a steady career due to constantly relocating because of her husband’s profession, JJB was a hobby until she was able to settle down towards the latter part of his career.When not working, you can find Grace making sure her kids and husband are alive, walking her furry dog in the hills of Colombe.bydraftcreamtriplediscovery:Herdaycrankyjoe,baddayoffshesnob.aGraceFuntheandFrancisco,andBerkeleySanplayingviolin.fact:iscoffeeIfstartsthewithacupofsheisalllong.recentcoffeeLa

bacon!likeFunmachine.runprowess,organizationalJJBisablelikeawell-oiledfact:Amydoesn’tporkbutsheloves

Liang

If there was a world competition of the most organized person, Amy would win the grand prize with Marie Kondo coming in at a close second. Amy is JJB’s Brand Alchemist, and the cogs in her brain are constantly at work coming up with innovative products to further promote creativity in young Ourchildren.resident Mary Poppins finds no task too daunting and completes them with alacrity. Due to her

Amy

Minjae Bae

Minjae Bae joined in 2022 as the in-house early childhood educator for Jaq Jaq Bird. After receiving her B.A. in Studio Art at Smith College, she tried on different hats until she landed a job in education and hasn’t looked back. She went on to receive her M.A. in Human Development at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, and has worked for over 15 years in several preschools in the Bay Area, of which over a decade was spent teaching at the Bing Nursery School at Stanford University. She is passionate about open-ended play and sees the importance of how it relates to executive functioning, problem solving skills, curiosity and so much more. A couple of fun facts about Minjae: She has knowledge of all things random and loves the adrenaline rush of finding an amazing deal while thrifting or shopping.

Austin Li joined Jaq Jaq Bird very recently in 2022 as the digital content designer and 2D/3D visualiser. When something needs to be visualised or shown to clients or audiences, Austin is hunkered down on his laptop, switching between 3-7 different applications at the same time. At peak work hours, his laptop fan starts whirring like a brand-new jet engine. After moving from Beijing to Los Angeles to attend college at the University of Southern California, Austin has spent his time doodling, baking, and practicing Dragon Boat all the way in Long Beach. As for baking, Austin runs his own mobile bakery business on the USC campus, serving fresh pies and tarts to a wide array of USC events, clubs, organizations.and

Austin Li

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