Tuesday, July 31, 2012

First Fast for Children

My six years old nephew tugged at my elbow with his little nose twitching and took the scent trail straight to coffee-scented bakeries shop at the entrance of GIANT Margo City. He whispered to me, “Bulik, bau rotinya sedap…” (Auntie, the aroma is so tantalizing). He couldn’t resist the smell of food obviously. That was enough to make any child break his first fast. I smiled mischievously at him and said, “Mau gak Bulik beliin? Tapi dimakan sekarang ya?” (Do you want any? I buy you some if only you eat them now). I ruffled his cropped hair and grinned widely. He looked at me with his thoughtful eyes, and then pursued his lips and frown. I burst into laughter. He dragged me away from the counter and headed for the supermarket. I teased him and asked why he refused to eat. He glared and said “Zaki puasa, Bulik.” (I am fasting auntie). Atta boy…that’s just my sweet little darling, lol. We are just proud of him. And I can be sometimes his devilish guardian….lol.




Ramadhan 1433 H is indeed a totally new experience for us, as our six years old Zaki is also fasting. Today is his 11th day of fast. It is his first time to complete a full day fast from dawn to dusk. Last year, he occasionally fasted half day. During weekend he would come to my home and ate milk and cookies I preserved in my fridge. Alhamdulillah, this year, his parents had encouraged him to fast full day from day 1. It had been also supported by his Islamic school that promoted the students in 1st grade to start to fast depending on their strength. It wasn’t easy on the onset. He kept whining of being hungry and thirsty. Initially, his parents planned to make him fast half day just but he seemed okay and no further complains afterwards. At times, we were tempted to let him break his fast, seeing his small lean posture weakened during the day. It’s a bit tricky to distract his attention from the gnawing hunger after school. His parents had to keep him occupied, playing games at his PC, racing his toy cars, drawing, and so son. Once, he got tired, he fell asleep immediately. When he woke up, he would look at the clock and counted how many hours left before iftar. Then, his parents would let him kill the time by playing. His steeled his determination more when his parents promised to buy him the thing he wanted if only he could complete a full month fast. He was all excited to take up the “challenge”. Honestly, we didn’t put any high expectation on it but so far only on 3rd day he broke his fast at noon.

From my observation on my nephew, I take some notes on how his parents succeeding in encouraging him to fast full day at his age.

1. First and foremost, instilling a desire to fast. Compulsion is without a doubt out of the question. Forcing him will only weaken him to succumb to temptation.

I kept asking him, “Zaki, why do you fast?” He said, “I want to get IPAD from Allah.” I chuckled hearing this.

“And how Allah will give it to you?” I questioned further.

He smiled sheepishly and looked at his mother. Then his mother intervened and said that Zaki was fasting to get rewards from Allah. They constantly told him the blessings and rewards that a fasting person received and the wisdom behind fasting.



I know the concept of rewards from Allah is still too abstract for him so his parents relates the prize to describe such reward.

2. Explaining the purpose of fasting in simple language.

Once, we took a drive. His parents asked him to look at the traffic light intersection with some little children begging in the scorching heat. Then his mum said, “Look at those less fortunate children. Instead of playing, they have to make money to eat. Now, tell me how do you feel when you go hungry like this?”

He looked bewilder, rubbed his stomach and said “It’s bad feeling hungry.”

His mother smiled and hugged him. “Yes, being hungry is miserable. Therefore, we are obliged to fast in order to feel what it’s like being hungry. Thus, we want to share our food with those less fortunate. Sharing and giving is a good way to help those in need.”

Well…it’s not completely the purpose of fasting, but I believe with such language, children are easier to grasp the idea. In the end, he dived in his pocket to find some small change, and gave the money to a child with a guitar. His mum then added extra money.

3. Offering positive reinforcement.

When breaking his fast after Maghrib, his parents would praise him. They gave him his most favorite food and drink. “Wonderful, that’s my boy, smart boy” are among praises uttered by his parents. Or when he was on the verge of giving up, his mum would gather him in her arms and said it was only a couple more hours to go before he could eat. Then, she would stay with him playing puzzle.

Further, they would tell him that at the end of Ramadhan, we would all celebrate the feisty day with Eid gifts and new clothes.

4. Keeping him occupied.

It helped him staying away from food and drinks. It offered distraction. Whenever, he whined, his parents would tell him stories, or let him play his favorite games or let him just doze off to sleep. As long as he was doing things he likes, he would easily forget his hunger.



Fasting is certainly more difficult and tougher for children than it is for adults in its most basic notion of absenting from food and drinks from dawn till dusk. Children who are extra active in their play may also have trouble fasting. Nevertheless, the parents should not be lax in the matter. It is important to introduce children on the importance of fasting in their early age. As long as a child is in good health, the child can be introduced to fasting in some manner or another. After all, children are like a sheet of white paper. It depends on how we write on that blank paper. It is during his early age, a child is easier to be instilled with good values and religious piousness.



Children who have a weak constitution might not be able to fast on the onset. Likewise, those who normally need to eat frequently can find fasting difficult. Children who are extra active in their play are also among those who have trouble fasting. It is the job of the parents to determine whether their children are ready to fast. They know their children's health...

Monday, July 30, 2012

Tahu and Tempe: From Abundance to Zero

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/08/06/imo-view-tempeh-from-abundance-zero.html

Two weeks ago, as I was buying groceries in my neighbor’s home stall, I was surprised to get a very small chunk of tempe for Rp. 2,000.-. Usually, with such a price, I could get large piece. Then, yesterday when I stopped by at the traditional market in the Depok Baru station, I could not find any tempe or tofu at all. Tempe and tahu are always available in my dining table since I was a kid. They have always been actually part of our main serving alongside with rice in my family for generations. The food is exceptionally cheap and nutritious, being a substantial source of protein. Thus, it is affordable by any household, and the majority of Indonesians always craved for tempe at all times. Wherever you go in Indonesia, you will always be able to find some variety of tempe with its distinctively nutty taste and nougat-like texture whether in its plain-fried, mendoan, tempe bacem, or sambal tumpang. There is also, among others, tempe gembus, which is made from the sediment left over from the tofu-making process, and tempe benguk, made from the benguk bean. However, the most popular and well known tempe is made from soybean. As for my parents and the older generation before them, they consume tempe and tahu to provide cheap qualified nutrition suitable with their meager income. And they were abundant during that time, having been a staple in Indonesia for over 2000 years.






However, nowadays tempe and tahu become rare commodity. If there are any, the price is rising sharply or the amount is being reduced into smaller hunks. Accordingly, I called my relatives who have been small tofu and tempe-producers since 1970s in Mampang, South Jakarta to ask their situation. They said the price of soybeans as the raw material for the products has skyrocketed in recent months, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. It has increased to Rp 7,900 (80 cents) a kilogram, a substantial increase from March, when it was Rp 5,500 a kilogram, and the Rp 6,700 at the end of June. Now, the price has reached Rp. 8,000. With such price, they could hardly gain any profit at all. They have been halting their products, and waiting for price reduction as instructed by the chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti). They hoped their outcries would be heard and the government could tackle the issue immediately. It was a great loss having no opportunity to raise production during approaching Idul Fitri. It is also a threat to loyal consumers like me and most families in Indonesia who enjoy the delicious and cheap traditional food. It means tempe or tahu is no longer abundant or affordable.



The current spike on the soybeans is triggered by a drop in production in the US which is the main supplier of soybeans for Indonesian to make items such as tempe and bread. Drought in the United States has sent prices for wheat and soybeans soaring. The soaring prices were also attributable to adverse weather in Brazil and Argentina, which were among the world’s largest soybean producers. As a result, the price of raw material imported by companies in Indonesia has risen sharply since Indonesia largely depended on imported soybeans for food production. It is an irony while Indonesia is renowned for its fertile agriculture, but many agricultural products are being imported. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the country imported 17.6 million tons of seven main commodities — rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar, milk and beef — last year, for a total value of $9.4 billion. It exported 250,000 tons of the commodities, valued at $150,000. Indonesians consumed 2.2 million tons of soybeans per year, but the country was only able to produce 700,000 tons per year. Thus, the country needed at least 1 million tons of imported soybeans. To reduce such dependency remains as enormous tasks for the government to solve. So far, the government is still catching its breath in safeguarding the national food security. If no incentives whatsoever offered to soybeans farmers, then such problem will keep recurring because the nation will remain largely depended on imported products.



A few days ago, Metro TV has broadcasted a dialogue attended by Agriculture Minister Suswono; chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), Suharto, and an agricultural economist at the Institute for Development of Economy and Finance, Bustanul Arifin; discussing the shortage and skyrocketing price of the products. The chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tempe and Tofu Cooperative (Kopti), said the price of soybeans had increased 35 percent this year, making it difficult for producers to stay afloat. He asked the government to interfere in stabilizing the price. He also stressed the importance for Kopti to import soybeans on their own, in contrast to importing them through third parties, a factor contributing to the high prices. Meanwhile, the minister said that the soybean production decline constantly because the price of the the product wasn’t not encouraging farmers to keep on producing. Thus, the rise the product’s price was indirectly perceived as a blessing in disguise for the local producers. It was deemed as incentive for the planters to grow the product if the price was fair and promising profit. Second problem was the fact that the cultivated land to grow for the products was declining. It would be difficult for Indonesia to increase domestic soybean production, as the country only had 600,000 hectares of soybean farms in contrast to the 1.5 million hectares needed. Combined, the two problems stand as the major hindrance to achieve domestic soybeans productivity. As a result, price stability will be greatly affected by the imprted products. However, he promised to closely coordinate with related departments to increase the land for planting the soybeans and stabilized the price so that both consumers and producers would have a win-win solution. Further, he said his department was still reviewing to put Bulog as means to maintain food security. Bustanul said the government had failed to show the same commitment to boosting production as it did for rice. He suggested reviving the role of BULOG in safeguarding the price stability for main agricultural products including soybeans. Further, he emphasized the role of government to provide incentives to farmers as well as to develop developed researches on agricultural products particularly soybeans. Such research could invent products profitable and suitable for Indonesia's land nature. Thus, it could in return boost the production and quality of the products.





So far, the Indonesian government has decided to remove its 5 percent import tax on soybeans in response as announced by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa on Wednesday after a meeting on the issue at his office in Jakarta. The tariff’s removal would be temporary, until soybean prices returned to normal. The policy was taken in the hope of sellers would immediately lower the prices and not take excessive profits. And last Friday, the Jakarta’s Cooperatives Agency and the Confederation of Indonesian Tofu and Tempe Producers Cooperative (Primkopti) have reached an agreement on the skyrocketing price of soybeans. Thus, tempe and tahu will be back at our plates again starting by Saturday when the soybean-based products producers were expected to be back on production again.



Safeguarding the national food security is an arduous task that needs to be addressed seriously. With the constantly declining production, it is important to create incentives and supporting regulations that guarantee the stabilization of such important commodities. As a loyal consumer, I am glad if tahu and tempe will be back at market again. It means I can keep enjoying the delectable food, and save some money to provide protein. Afterall tahu and tempe is considered as 'makanan rakyat' for generations :-). And so glad, last Sunday, tofu and tempe were already available on my dining plates 



Tuesday, July 10, 2012

My Worst Nightmare Ever

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/07/16/imo-view-safety-first-bike-riding.html

Last week, I got my worst nightmare ever when I watched in helpless horror my nephew tumbling down off his bike. He slammed his left shoulder first so hard (it's like watching bikers flew off their bike, and crushed hard on solid concrete during a race on live television) and I couldn't get to him- it was nightmarish. He had been able to ride on a four wheels bicycle since he was four. It was always an easy ride with him. Then, he turned 6 this June and the bike was suddenly a dwarf for him. It’s odd to see him still riding with training wheels. People we encountered during our morning ride had started to throw some comments that he needed a two wheel bicycle for his age. One day, at his school, he managed to ride a two wheel bike. It was his friend actually and twice bigger of my nephew's bike. We were all so excited seeing him waving and smiling widely, saying “Look, I can ride this bike! I don’t need the training wheels!” His face beamed with pride. He kept pedaling in such sweet proud stature. It's like seeing him taking his first step 5 years ago. So, my brother bought him a new bike suitable for his age. It had no training wheels, and its seat could be adjusted to various heights. Even, I could ride on it when it was adjusted to my height. But my nephew found it a bit too big for him. He was terrified and we have tried several times to encourage him to ride. He freaked out and preferred his old four wheels bike. In the end, my brother removed the the training wheels so he would be accustomed to ride in two wheels. He loosened up, and enjoyed the ride. He practiced his balancing & steering, pedaling, and braking in the lane.




So, last Saturday, my brother and I took him for a ride with us with one of his friend next door. He was 8 and my nephew was 6. We took our usual track on weekend. They raced along the way while we followed them close by. I found it hard to stop them from racing. They just ignored our warning. We were thrown off guard when the road forked into a descending slope. Instead of riding ahead like our usual track, my nephew and his friend swerved swiftly into the dangerous lane. He was heading to his future school, and wanted to show it off to his friend. He has been enrolled in that school, and would just begin his 1st grade this July 14. They were speeding down the steep road. I screamed aloud “Stop…slow down!” to no avail. It was too late. I watched in agony as my nephew sped in such clumsy movement. He had a hard time to get hold of his balance on his bike. The bike was too small to support his weight and he’s not yet accustomed to ride in such difficult descending road without the training wheels. Everything suddenly went into a slow motion as my nephew lost his balance. The bike threw him off his bike into a sharp tumble on the hard concrete. I heard a loud crack sound of solid substance smashed into solid concrete “Braaaaakkkk”. “Zakiiiiii…!” I choked in breath as I rushed my bike forward in desperation. He smashed his shoulder first, rolled over twice, before halted into a stop. He managed to sit in an awkward position when I arrived seconds later. He stifled a cry. I secured my bike on the side of the road, and rushed to hold him. He was now crying in pain. I assessed the damage. I firsthand checked his head and face, looking for some internal injuries. To my relieved, his head was all OK. I saw only minor scratch on his left temple. Despite his sharp fall, it was a miracle he did not suffer a head trauma. I was glad but I still felt like a really bad auntie. My brother joined us and inspected further. His knees and elbow was bleeding, some bruises on his left arm and leg. It all seemed minor external injuries. It was when I touched his shoulder, he cried out in pain. I hold him in my lap, trying to comfort him. “It hurt,” He kept saying anytime we touched his shoulder. He didn’t dare to move so I just cradled him in my lap while he cried.



People started to come, offering some help. I knew that something had gone wrong with his left shoulder. The impact of the blow must create a bone fracture. We were so afraid. So, when someone said there’s a traditional massage therapist living nearby the vicinity, I carried him to his house which was only meters away. He was said to have developed a reputation for the ability to cure bone-, joint- and muscle-related complaints. The skills have been handed down from generation to generation, a tradition accompanied by a kind of mystic aura. Yes, we are lucky that in Indonesia, there are "tukang pijit" in every nook and cranny of the country, in every village, town and city. I laid him on the wooden bed on his porch, and the ‘tukang pijit’ started to work his miracle, so I hoped. The elderly ‘tukang pijit’ said he would be OK. It was just a dislocated joint and asked us to come again by the next day in case the injury got swollen. My nephew had stopped crying. I called my husband later on to fetch us. His mother soon arrived, and took him to her care.



As much as we believe in such traditional therapy (my uncle broke his leg a few years back and the doctor advised him to get a surgery. He refused and went to such ‘tukang pijit’ instead. His leg was saved miraculously), we went to E.R and took x-rays to be sure. The tech/doc said my nephew suffered a bone fracture on his shoulder blade. He needed the surgery soon to make the bone intact by inserting a pen. We were all shocked to hear this. He was just 6. It was just too much for him to undergo such surgery. I felt miserable. “I was a lousy auntie for not taking good care of him…I should have known it’s coming.” My brother went on some phone calls to ask for second opinion. We didn’t want him having surgery. The docs finally called the orthopedic doctor/surgeon, and to our relief, he instructed the junior docs to put my nephew under observation for the day until he arrived at the hospital in the evening. We immediately booked a room by 9 a.m and waited there. He was only given a pain killer and some iodine on his external injuries. The orthopedic doctor/surgeon arrived at 8.30 p.m. He examined the injuries and the bone, also the x-rays result. He said since my nephew was still so young and weighted no more than 22 kilos, he didn’t have to get a surgery. The doctor said he was lucky he didn’t suffer any serious wounds, and that he hasn't suffered a concussion or other internal damage, including a serious head injury (such as a skull fracture or intracranial injury). The doctor only put on an elastic bandage under his two armpits up to his neck to align the broken bone of his shoulder blade in its proper place. He said an elastic bandage wrapped around an injured shoulder will help prevent over-extension of the shoulder and protect it by providing added padding. The elastic bandage should still allow my nephew for some movement in the shoulder. He said his young age could speed up the healing process. We were all so glad. My nephew fell asleep almost immediately afterwards.



We were all so tired that day. It was a real nightmare to watch helplessly the one we loved dearly got such accident because of our foolish mistake, “for not keep an eye on him.” And we should have him wrist, elbow and knee pads plus helmet to ensure his safety. So, next time we take a ride “keep in our mind, safety first.”

A bicycle serves as the first mode of transportation for many children. I remember my first bike when I was in kindergarten. I fell many times before I was able to ride on it. For me, a bicycle is more of a vehicle than a toy during that day. My childhood friends and I used to ride for hours for fun. Many used them as means of transport to school. The entertainment value of riding bikes sometimes overshadows the potential dangers of whizzing down the street on two wheels. Therefore, bike safety instruction makes children more aware of the potential risks and how to reduce the chances of serious injury, including head injuries and broken bones. It is an obligatory for parents to teach their children bicycle safety before they pedal a bike for the first time. The most important is to equip the children with safety gears before embark on a ride; wrist, elbow and knee pads plus helmet, and gloves if necessary.