Kreo vs Lego

We have a 5 years old Lego boy at home. Seriously faithfully addicted to Lego. Helped us a lot in buying Christmas and brithday and whatsnot presents. 

So, when GroupOn has an offer on Kreo, we bought a box for him. Kreo is compatible with Lego, or so they claimed. We have not checked this though.

When opening the box, he was wide eyed with wonder. All sorts of new joints and shapes to explore. Kreo really has a lot of brick type variety. I know that Lego also do have not-joking breath of design, but Lego's beginner box contained standard types mostly. We bought the 700+ pcs of Kreo bucket, but I saw parts that I've never seen before. 

Then, boy boy proceeded to copy one of the vehicle on the bucket. Only then we realized the lack of manual. I do believe to encourage creativity in children, no need to rely on manual. So we goes on.

So I guided him. Carefully opening a little packet, keeping my finger crossed that Kreo packed everything we need for a creation on the packet. After staring at it for quite some times, my engineer self decided that they are not that kind. Each figurine parts were packed in a little plastic, thankfully. Seems like other parts were bagged randomly.

Opening and searching everything. 

Found there's at least one missing part. On the pic, there are two of a kind of brick. But we only got one.

Broken hearted, dear son stopped playing. Now, the Daddy is the one putting up the puzzle, where must go where. Good luck, Hubby. Do us proud.

One more thing, Kreo joints are more loosely connected than Lego. Plus side is that it doesn't require much strength or tricks to prise open. However, it causes the creation to fall apart easily.

All in all, I do think it is a good product. Workmanship is ok, though Lego's finer. You can still see some tiny sharp points on the Kreo bricks. But the marketing strategy needs a lot of work. Though written for age 4+ on the bucket, I seriously don't think that a four year old can take joy in it independently. Serious adult help is needed.

Well, though I don't think so, could also be that my son is the one 'slow'. We are also spoilt rotten by Lego fantastic no word needed manual. With the almighty manual, son have managed to set up everything by himself (written age 11+ on packets). Please share some comments/tricks if you have one. How to make use of that bucket sitting lonesome at home?

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. 

Secret of happiness #5: Look up, look down, look sideways

After previous posting, I decided to finish this unfinished business. 

This post was first initiated in October 2013. So you see how it's been sitting there, waiting for me.

In my childhood, my parents brought me up in always looking up. No matter what grades you got, bound to have other kids that's better. Don't be complacent. Try to reach for the stars, and all...

In my dearly departed Daddy's final days, he humbly stressed out the points of looking downwards. Not in belittling-people-sense, but to be thankful. To feel fortunate that we're enjoying little comforts that others are not so lucky enough. Hence the second point. Look down, be thankful.

I'm a big 'circle' fan. I believe, everything will come to a circle. Without feedback path, a system cannot be stable (engineers out there, sure you'll agree with me).

So we already have up, and down. What else to make a circle? The sides!

What to do with the sides? Look sideways, to make sure that in reaching up for the stars, in being thankful, you are not forgetting those around you. Make sure your dream has a good purpose too for those you love. Because, what's the point of success if your loves one suffers along the way, right?

So there... A little thing that I've started living by. Look up, look down, look sideways. Reach for the star, be thankful, make sure it is aligned with your beloved's need.

Secret of happiness #4: Do something useful

I suffered from a psychological tendency that have yet to be discovered, I think. 

Many times, I caught my self in a precarious juggling act, so tight that I couldn't breath. Somehow, if I don't load myself up to a point where I break up in hives, my brain keeps on searching for more... Tick... Tock... I got 30s between lesson and bus arrival... What to do???

But that's entirely my own doing. I am blessed with a supportive loving hubby, and two kids that knows what they are doing. Not much problem caring for them.

Even being slightly 'abnormal', am truly happy.

So last Sunday, after a cup of coffee to shoo the bed calling away, I managed to scrapbook, plastic wrap the children books, paid bills, helped my children Chinese homework (when you don't speak don't read Chinese, this is an adventure on its own, worthy of another posting), ... I went to bed worn out but contended.

I think, when we're doing something useful, we feel worthy and satisfied. And, that pile of unfinished business is thinning down. Less pressure on us. Happy!

A step forward, try doing something do others... Ooo... The joy to see their smile...

Secret of happiness #3: Learn something new

My first pregnancy ended up in a miscarriage at 19 weeks. 

At that time, I have loved our baby so much. The loss is torturing. For a few days at least, I was still pregnant in my dream. Only to woke up realizing that it wasn't the case in real.

Of course, being a slight control freak, the obsession of trying out for another one kicked in soon after.

Then, I was unhappy. Frustrated in trying for a new one, while still mourning the loss of one just passed.

Thankfully I read somewhere (sincere sorry that the kind soul couldn't be credited here, am forever grateful for his/her wisdom)... That learning something new can make you happy.

Of course, bound to have tons of scientific analysis of why that is so. Or, if it's scientifically unproven. But I do know one thing, that it really works for me. True. 

I threw myself into books of interesting thing. Paper quilling, handwriting character recognition, flower arrangement... just to name a few. 

When the mind is occupied, time goes faster. With curiosity triggered by new information, the world has become more exciting. New skill, new knowledge, brings up the sense of accomplishment, opening up new possibilities. 

Until now, I do still constantly on the look out of something new to learn. It could be just nuggets of new info everyday, it still does count. Before dementia kicks in... Let a excercise those grey cells. And be happy along the way.