The HoneyKids Asia Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the HoneyKids Asia Podcast (formerly Growing Pains), your go-to source for all the exciting, family-friendly happenings and more in Singapore! In this episode, Angela and Syaz share top tips for making kiddos’ birthday bash memorable! They dish on the best party venues, from fun arcades to educational centres and more! Plus, they also share their tried-and-tested tricks for hosting the ultimate budget-friendly parties. Fancy some watermelon cake? Tune in for pro tips, party hacks and behind-the-scenes from their party-planning experience.

Time codes:

00:39 - Our favourite kids' birthday party venues in Singapore for every budget

03:25 - Best birthday cake shops in Singapore

06:40 - Best kids party entertainers and party planners in Singapore: Where to find magicians, clowns, face painters, and more!

10:44 - Eco-friendly birthday parties 

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Syazana ‘Syaz’ Hishamuddin, editor at HoneyKids Asia and mother of two.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for more information on all things family fun, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions. We’re also on Telegram!

Singapore has snagged the title of the priciest city this year! No need to stress because in this episode of The HoneyKids Asia Podcast, Ange and Syaz dish out practical family cost-saving tips from the awesome restaurants where kids dine free to budget-savvy tricks while having family fun at the coolest attractions. Discover some insider secrets to wallet-friendly sustainable living, like snagging secondhand treasures for the kiddos, mastering meal planning, and more.

Time codes:

01:23 - Kids eat free: our pick of the best family-friendly restaurant meal deals in Singapore

​​03:20 - Weird and wonderful wildlife in Singapore: where to see dugongs, otters, crocodiles and more!

05:23 - Love for preloved: Best circular fashion brands for kids in Singapore 2023

07:45 - How to save money in Singapore: 50 budget hacks

Featured voices

• Angela ‘Ange’ Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Syazana ‘Syaz’ Hishamuddin, editor at HoneyKids Asia and mother of two.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for more information on all things family fun, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions. We’re also on Telegram!

Life as a single mother in Singapore has unique challenges – challenges often hidden from plain sight. From the unrelenting caregiving responsibilities to the weight of financial burdens and the pangs of social isolation, single mothers quietly persevere, often seeking a helping hand that's tough to find.

In the final episode of Growing Pains, we chat with Kanak Muchhal, senior manager of Programmes at Daughters of Tomorrow, a non-profit organisation in Singapore dedicated to lifting the prospects of underprivileged women in Singapore. These resilient women face daunting hurdles, from limited access to education to the relentless grind of high living costs. 

Discover the strength of single mothers and the challenges they face in Singapore. Learn about the importance of uplifting single mothers in Singapore, especially those in low-income families and underprivileged situations.

Further reading

How to be a Befriender with Daughters of Tomorrow

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Kanak Muchhal is the senior manager of Programmes at Daughters of Tomorrow, a non-profit organisation in Singapore which runs programmes and initiatives to facilitate livelihood opportunities for underprivileged women and support them in achieving financial independence and enable social mobility for their families.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

As parents, we all want our kids to grow up confident, secure, and in control of their well-being. But how do we empower them to set boundaries that protect their physical and emotional health?

In this episode of Growing Pains, we dive deep into the art of teaching children to set and maintain healthy boundaries with corporate transformational coach Priyanka Tiku-Gupta. She shares her insights and offers practical tips to help you raise resilient, boundary-savvy children.

Find out how to foster healthy relationships with your children and raise them to be confident, well-adjusted kids.

Further reading

• Teaching kids about self-love

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Priyanka Tiku-Gupta is a corporate transformational coach, empowering ambitious corporate women to navigate feeling stuck, undervalued, and vulnerable to feeling confident, calm, and clear. Find out more about her work via her website and follow her on Instagram.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

Even if the world continues to celebrate success and stigmatise failure, we can’t deny the profound importance of embracing setbacks as a crucial stepping stone to personal growth and resilience. How, then, do we encourage our kids to embrace failure? 

In the fifth episode of Growing Pains, we have a thought-provoking conversation with Oi Yee Choo about how she instils critical skills such as resilience, risk-taking, and more in her Gen-Z daughters. 

Find out how to let children experience failure, allow them to take risks, and equipping them with financial literacy.

Further reading

• Teaching kids about money

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad, is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Oi-Yee Choo is a former investment banker and currently CEO of ADDX, a global private market exchange headquartered in Singapore.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

It’s a delicate balance between indulgence and exercise, especially with the kids in tow. Processed food abounds! Amid the hectic schedules, life can get sedentary. Can we really have it all in terms of keeping healthy as a family while still loving the process? 

In the fourth episode of the latest season of Growing Pains, Coach Amanda Lim and Dr Tyler Lim, who jointly run LIFT Clinic, discuss ways to balance healthy eating and exercise as a family and useful tips to make a healthy lifestyle a family affair. 

Discover ways to nurture prenatal fitness, insights into kids’ diets, the ideal diet for sustainable weight management, as well as the underrated role sleep plays in overall health and more. 

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad, is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Coach Amanda Lim is a certified fitness and nutrition coach, perinatal specialist, and self-proclaimed "chill mom" of two. Follow her on Instagram.
• Dr Tyler Lim is a physician with a keen interest in metabolic health and weight management, as well as a proud papa to one daddy's girl and one mini-me son.
• They jointly run the LIFT Clinic, a comprehensive metabolic health facility in Pasir Panjang offering medical weight management, aesthetics, exercise testing, hormone replacement, nutrition therapy, professional coaching, and other optimal wellness services - a "one-stop shop" for total well-being. 

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

Pregnancy can be life-changing for most women, especially impacting how women look and feel about themselves! Nothing stays the same, whether it’s the body or lifestyle; how can we consciously navigate these changes while remaining true to our sense of style?

In the third episode of the latest season of Growing Pains, we chat to Biek Speijk, a wardrobe whisperer with over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry. She shares ways to make conscious fashion choices and elevate how you feel in your clothing post-pregnancy and beyond.

Discover some meaningful insights on finding out your own style, forging a better relationship with clothes and more. 

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of Growing Pains and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad is a senior lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Biek Speijk is a designer, wardrobe curator & artist. She empowers conscious living through the lens of fashion one wardrobe at a time. She endeavours to help women be the best version of themselves through the art of fashion. She runs Biekaleidescope and Biekindle. Follow her on Instagram.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

We think teens are scary, but adolescence is a bit of a roller coaster ride, especially in this digital age. Today we face other kinds of issues, especially as we navigate the aftermath of the pandemic and the rise of social media. There are new challenges when parenting teens; at the forefront is how these challenges impact their mental health.

In the second episode of the latest season of Growing Pains, Dr Neil Forrest of Osler Health International shares how parents can help teens struggling with their mental health. 

Discover some meaningful insights on how to spot and deal with mental health issues in teenagers, some important facts about the teenage brain and some useful advice on how we can work with teens during this period of their lives. 

Further reading

• Signs of depression in teens - when to seek help
• Teens - their physical, sexual and mental health

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad, is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Dr Neil Forrest is the go-to for adolescent health-related concerns. Known for his calm, non-judgemental approach, he is the ‘safe space’ for teens (and their worried parents)! Osler Health believes mental health is as important as physical health and is known for its ethical approach to healthcare (even providing helpers with free cervical cancer tests). The organisation always keeps emergency appointments free each day, so if you need to speak to a doctor urgently, just contact them. Follow Osler Health on Facebook and Instagram. 

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

In a world where screens have become companions, and digital devices shape the way we learn and connect, parenting in the digital age presents a unique set of challenges.

In the first episode of the latest season of Growing Pains, Shem Yao, manager for the Digital Wellness department at TOUCH Wellness Group, joins host Angela Neo to discuss the art of raising children in the digital age.

Discover the secrets to setting healthy boundaries for your kids' tech use while safeguarding their well-being as we discuss how parents can navigate the world of screen time and digital balance. But it doesn't end there - we also delve into parents' own relationship with social media, sharing tips for a harmonious coexistence between the virtual and real worlds.

Featured voices

• Angela Neo, host of the Growing Pains podcast and mother of two.
• Sufyan Saad, is a lifestyle writer at The Honeycombers. He was previously at HoneyKids Asia.
• Shem Yao is the manager for the Digital Wellness department at TOUCH Wellness Group, and works on matters pertaining to digital and media literacy education, parenting, and understanding what children, youths, families, and seniors are doing in the digital arena. Follow TOUCH Community Services on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to learn more.

Visit the HoneyKids Asia website for the full show notes on today’s episode, and join in on the conversation on Facebook or follow us on Instagram to keep up-to-date on our latest discussions.

In the final episode of this season, we chat with Alsen S/O Chanamuto, Schools Engagement Manager of Dads for Life and Centre for Fathering and a father of three. We want to learn more about modern dads – are they really the best generation of fathers?

Before joining Dads for Life as its Schools Engagement Manager, Alsen was a primary school teacher. It’s due to his love of mentoring younger fathers that led him to where he is today. Centre for Fathering is a non-profit organisation that inspires fathers to be better parents by being actively involved in parenting and their kids’ lives.

06:00 – How can we change the perception that parenting is equated to a role mothers mainly hold? Alsen highlights what fathers can do to change the perception and debunks the misconceptions about fathers when it comes to parenting. The two also discuss the differences between Asian and Western fathers, and if there’s such a thing as a tiger dad.

10:48 – What’s Alsen’s take on today’s fathers, who are described as “the best generation of dads yet”? Spoiler alert: He believes today’s generation of fathers is doing better, but there are still some ways to go. Alsen then talks about full-time dads, and the two share their thoughts (and anecdotes) on fathers being more involved in parenting.

16:13 – Ange wonders if it’s true that children with more involved fathers tend to be confident and emotionally secure. Alsen emphasises the importance of a father in a child’s life. He touches on daddy issues – which is a real thing – and how it affects both women and men.

20:22 – Alsen shares one thing that would help fathers connect with their children and parent differently. He also dispenses tips for dads who want to better support their partners. “Let’s spend quality time with our kids and wives,” he sagely advises.

What makes a good dad? Jill Lim gives her hot take on this issue. We also asked a few fathers about what being a dad means to them, and any advice to share with new or expecting dads. Speaking of new dads, here’s a survival guide that the menfolk should take to heart when it comes to taking care of the latest addition to the family.

Alsen briefly mentioned filial piety, and if you’re curious about it, one of our HoneyKids mummies shares what the topic means to her as both a parent and a child.

Here’s a cool dad confessional, if you want to know more about stay-at-home dads in Singapore. And if you’re curious about tiger mums, listen to our podcast episodes featuring Paige Parker and Anabel Chew.

Have you been racking your brain trying to come up with activities to do with the kids? Fret not – Jei, a father of two, has listed down his