Seriously Addictive - Rainbow Loom

Not sure whether it's the color, or the feel of a well manufactured product. Within hours of owning it? Son (yes, 5 years old boy), daughter, and I were addicted to it.

As an avid crafter and a nerd, I really love that it creates beautiful wearable product, while also challenges the grey cells. 

If you chained rubber bands to make skipping rope when you were small, imagine making it with much nicer bands.  And... Million more ways to braid/weave it to make nicer chain. Even, charms like Christmas tree, the yellow minions, flowers, whatsnots are possible. 

Check it out (don't judge the product by the website, please go on... Check out the video, a patented device surely deserves to be admired)

http://www.rainbowloom.com/instruction.html

Or, if you're you-tubers, just search there. There're much more videos to enjoy.

Pssst... If you're considering, I bought it from Spotlight @ Plaza Singapura for around SGD 30. It's the loom, plus picker, a bag of bands plus c-clips enough for 24 bracelets. Price is a bit steep, but I think of it as a well-deserved reward for a brilliant idea.

As usual, this is NOT a paid post for advertisement. I do not receive anything from Spotlight or Rainbow Loom for this post. Strictly to share and support good product.

P.S. If you know any good cheaper place to get the rubber bands, please do leave comments. I think I'll need to stock up soon. So many ideas to try out!

What to do when your mobile dropped to the toilet

Sounds funny?

Not sure with you, but recently I found that it happened more often than I expected. Somehow, people got very much attached to their mobile such that it is there, no matter when no matter when. 

So, what to do?

These steps are good to go for any electronic devices that comes into contact with liquid

1. DO NOT attempt to power on. I know that you must've been so anxious to check, but resist! These few steps might be able to save it.

2. Dry up as much as you can.

3. Open up the protective casing, wipe, open the casing, wipe, take out the battery, wipe, take out the SIM card, wipe... It is important to wipe at every step to ensure water droplets do not enter any opening, no matter how small. Patience pays...

4. Get a hand-dryer... Hair dryer... Fan.. Paper to fan... Anything that can help to blow dry. Then, blow dry all the openings. Speaker, power jack, USB port, switches, connectors...  Until when? At least until it is not moist, at most until you're tired...

5. Leave it. Someone suggested for at least a day. But my hubby waited a night and his baby worked fine. This step is to ensure there's no water moisture inside the phone that might cause short-circuits. At this step, do not assemble yet. It will help the drying process. 

6. Pray

7. Assemble, and then Power on. 

Hope it helps! :D

Beware of the perils of abacus

Before I'm pouring on my opinion, please note that I do very much agree that abacus is a very handy skill. Utilizing it properly, it is quite powerful.

There are many kinds of abacus. If you google it, check out the images, you'll see at least three kinds.

My dear daughter loved numbers. So when she's about 5, I enrolled her in an abacus class. She loved it. The ability to process four-five digit numbers thrilled her.

After a while, students from her class dropped one by one. Many couldn't stand the homework load. So after a year or so, the teacher decided to close the class.

When she is in K2, I started teaching her addition and subtraction 'the school way'. O ooo... My darling got confused , her young mind was frustrated. Why the way she is accustom to is wrong now. Luckily, it was only at the beginning. After a while, she got it that both ways have similar principles.

My girl is one of many kids with similar experience. One girl I know lived with the confusion until P2. Poor thing. 

So to close, hope to draw analogy to my children wise Chinese teacher. She said, don't teach hanyu pinyin before the child can read English. Let the child use the time to master Chinese character. Learning Chinese pinyin before English phonics will confuse them. 

So for numeracy, I'd say, let the children learn 'the school way' before abacus. In that way, they will be able to build up confidence on and to be comfortable with numbers.

That's all, good luck to all Mommies. Hope it is useful.