Preschool Kindergarten 2 | Graduation Overnight Camp!

Lil Pumpkin had her first stay-over in school last Friday night. I was surprised when I received the letter a few weeks back as I didn't realise that camping {without ANY parental supervision of sorts} started in preschool! But a few of my friends mentioned that the K2s in their kids' preschool do that too.

Oh well... How times have changed!

This is the itinerary of her Graduation Camp. Doesn't it seem fun??! I guess this will only appeal to the kids who sleep late, which is fine for Lil Pumpkin because she knocks out around 10.30-11.30pm since we're usually home late after work. 

I knew Lil Pumpkin would be really excited to go and honestly, I was excited for her to have this experience too because most likely, she will not be seeing her preschool friends any more once they all go to different Primary schools.

Having attended camps before, I understood how enjoyable it could be and loved the sense of camaraderie and bonding you get from spending a whole night or two together. Unforgettable memories are shared and it will surely build her confidence and independence level.

At 6.5years old, @lovelilpumpkin is going for her first overnight stay in sch today for the "graduating class"!! Part of me is soooo excited for her, but part of me is pretty anxious too 😱😱😱🌸 #sakuraharuka #wheredidmybabygo #singapore #preschooler #motherhood

A video posted by Ai Sakura  (@aisakuraharuka) on Nov 12, 2015 at 10:13pm PST

However, obviously a part of me worried as well if she was too young?? This was the first time in a very long time that I felt so anxious over her well-being. I've gotten used to her being in school and away from me while I'm at work, and it isn't the first time I've been away from her at night but usually she will at least be with the boy, my mum or sis... never alone without any family members.

I wondered if she would be used to not sleeping on her comfy bed, or get scared and cry in the middle of the night, or suddenly wake up looking for us and panic that she ended up in that strange place. Also, would she be able to sleep without her usual night milk or us by her side??

Anyway in the end the boy and I decided to let go of my our parental fears and let her spread her wings a little. We trust her school and teachers, and for the past few years she has attended classes there, they have provided a safe and secure environment for her to grow and develop. Also, Lil Pumpkin herself is a rather careful and disciplined child. She might be a little silly sometimes, but she does listen to her teachers well and I think in our daily lives, she has shown herself to be responsible and emotionally mature enough to spend a night without us {and in the safe hands of her teachers.}

Leading up to the camp, we talked about it often with Lil Pumpkin and reminded her of things that she should do {e.g. eat well, listen to teachers, brush teeth, call us if she doesn't feel well etc.} and should not do {e.g. play hide-and-seek in dark areas, leave the group, go near fire etc.}. That morning before school drop-off, we also encouraged her to have fun and don't be scared {although I seriously think she wasn't!!} and reassured her that if she wants to come home, just ask her teachers to call us.

On Friday night I stayed over at my parents' place since it's much nearer to her preschool and I could be there in a jiffy if the school suddenly called to say that she really couldn't handle staying the whole night. I tossed and turned and kept checking my phone to see if I missed any calls. Reading news about what was happening in other parts of the world that night did not help either #prayforhumanity

But thankfully, nothing eventful occurred at her preschool. Early in the morning, I made my way there to pick her up and chatted with some parents at the gate. Apparently some of them felt anxious too, and it was kind of reassuring that I wasn't the only wuss of a mum who was up worrying last night. Hah!

When the kids finally ran out, there she was grinning ear to ear and proclaiming that "it was the best night ever!!"

Lil Pumpkin had such a fabulous time and was so eager to tell me what they ate and did. Hear what she has to say about the camp in the vlog above or if it's not working, watch it on my YouTube channel here.

Truthfully, I felt a bit silly losing sleep worrying and all the anxiety I felt last night were for nothing. But then again, that's the life of a mother right? She never stops worrying about her children, even when they are all grown-up and have children of their own.

Looking at Lil Pumpkin now I realise, truly, my baby girl is a big girl now. If she can handle one night all by herself without Mummy and Daddy, surely she would have no problem handling the challenge of starting a new life in primary school too, right?

P.S. Check out these 20 tips for kids entering Primary 1 and 20 recommended things to buy for them, from parents for parents!

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"What does a Veterinarian do?" | His First Vet Talk

Most of you probably know that the boy is a vet and for the past few years since she started preschool, Lil Pumpkin's school has been trying to get him in to give a talk about his job as a vet to the kids but their schedules always clashed. It's nice that at least one of us has an interesting job... (*≧∀≦*)

He finally managed to squeeze time in for them a while back. I took some time off work to give him support too ✿ヾ╲(｡◕‿◕｡)╱✿

Lil Pumpkin was so pleased as both of us thought that it was going to be for her K2 class but actually, the boy was supposed to give a talk to the K1 class as they are currently learning about animals and how to take care of them properly.

Oh well. Next time then!!

The preschool has a pet rabbit which they brought into the class to help with the talk. Quite a sweet-heart.

The boy wore his cutest scrubs haha and brought along some basic equipment to explain what he does in a day, what type of animals he looks after and what he does for a typical check-up. The children were all interested and kids being kids, asked sooooo many questions.

He gave an actual "check-up" to the school rabbit but it was quite timid and kept running around so the boy just did it while it was inside the cage. He also let the kids have a go at touching and handling his vet equipment.

When you first meet the boy, you might think he is an introvert but he's actually a people's person like his mum. I could tell the kids liked him a lot and it's probably because the boy's very genuine when he engages with people. He is non-judgmental, does not talk down to anyone and listens intently.

But I think next time, he should try to break down the big words even more and make his talk even simpler for the young kids to understand.

A gift from K1 kids at @lovelilpumpkin school after I gave a short talk about vet's work. Thank you! I think I should do more of this!

A photo posted by nothing to see over here (@i_am_dr_dru) on Jul 9, 2015 at 10:26pm PDT

The kids even drew him a huuuuuge "thank you" card. So sweet!!!

The boy said that he enjoyed the experience a lot too and won't mind giving more talks to small kids to educate them about what he takes to be a vet. It's not easy, and it's not all rosy, but it's definitely a very meaningful vocation especially when you get to save lives. 

Well done dear! I think you did a brilliant job with your first vet talk （　◜◡‾）凸 （‾◡◝　）

Have you give a talk to kids before?

Any tips to engage and keep it interesting?

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Bub & Me: Teacher's Day 2015 | Easy "You're Sweet & Tea-rrific!" Obentos

This year we started on Lil Pumpkin's Teacher's Day presents reaaaaaally late. Because, Life.

It has been a hectic few months for us and every weeknight after school and work, we have a fixed enrichment class or workout. Weekends are times for us to run simple errands, finish household chores, catch up on sleep and spend quality family time too.

But whatever it is, I wanted to make sure that we still take some time out of our busy schedule to put something together to show our appreciation to her teachers. Yes, it is a present not just from Lil Pumpkin, but from me as her mother too.

Giving her teachers a gift for Teacher's Day was never about trying to "bribe" them or competing with other mums to see who baked, bought or crafted the best gift. Ours may not be the most elaborate or expensive, but it is a token of our appreciation to say "Thank You" for giving their lives to help nurture her potential and mould her into a useful citizen of the world.

I can see Lil Pumpkin growing and learning so much under their tutelage, and for that I am grateful. Thank you for being the "mummy" in class for her, even though she's not your own flesh and blood. Sometimes I may not agree with your actions or the way you handle things, but I still appreciate your dedication to nurturing my child, and many others.

When giving gifts, no matter to who or for what occasion, I always think about what I would like to receive if I was that person. If it's not something that I'd personally like or use, I won't give it to others as well. That's my golden rule for gift-giving.

This is the first time we're not having handmade gifts. In the past, we've given out Rainbow Loom bracelets/ key chains, washi tape notebooks, and hand-stamped tote bags.

This year, we put together a little snack obento for her teachers filled with flavoured lozenges {soothing for their throats since they have to talk so much!} and plum tea bags {effective in overcoming fatigue, preventing food poisoning and is used as a remedy for upset stomachs} since they are so "sweet" and "tea-riffic"!!

I think most people prefer practical gifts so rather than just packing the lozenges and tea bags inside a decorative gift bag/ box, I got the teachers these kawaii mini obento boxes from Daiso instead. They can use them again for their own kids or to pack their own snacks again in the future. Actually I liked them so much I went back to get more for myself Lil Pumpkin too :)

Lil Pumpkin chose the designs for each of her teachers. On top of giving something to her preschool class teachers, she wanted to give something to her Maths enrichment class teacher too. Someone she really, really adores.

Oh, a few of you have asked me which Maths enrichment class she's attending now ever since I posted on a comparison of popular Maths Enrichment classes in Singapore. It's not a secret {and no, we are not sponsored lessons} but I want to write a proper review on her classes so will update on that later.

She also divided the individually-wrapped lozenges and tea-bags evenly and put them into the obento boxes for them.

The "thank you" cards were meant to go inside the obento boxes so are kinda small. A good size if her teachers wanted to put it inside their wallets too :P

I wanted to write "You're So Sweet & Tea-rrific!" but there was only space for "You're So Sweet!" heh. At the back of the card, Lil Pumpkin drew each of her teachers and then I laminated the cards. I love her cute drawings!!

Ta-dah! A simple diy gift that took less than an hour to put together {excluding shopping time} but still filled with so much love, respect and appreciation from us.

Lil Pumpkin is pretty pleased with the gift too, and I reminded her that the most important thing that can make a teacher happy, is to see her students working hard and making themselves into a useful person of society.

Wishing all educators a Happy Teacher's Day 2015!

Check out the other fun activities we did with Lil Pumpkin or my list of Kid-Friendly places in Singapore.

P.S. If you like Hello Kitty, or mooncakes.. or BOTH, come join my current giveaway for a Hello Kitty Mooncakes Box Set {worth S$59.80}!! 2 winners, and ends this Sun 6 Sep 2015.

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DIY Cloth Pencil Case | Learning to Sew from... Daddy!!

If there is one home-making skill that I've not mastered, it is sewing. Yup we did have classes on it during home econs class but I always got my mum to help me out with that (*^▽^*) Even now when I need help to mend a hole or sew a button... sad to say, I'd have to turn to her.

It's not that I don't try.. but I just can't seem to do it. The skill just eludes me and maybe my fingers aren't nimble enough?? ( ・◇・)？

This year, Lil Pumpkin has to do more show-and-tell in her K2 class and these are are usually tied to a parent-child home activity. We've already made puppets, a travel poster, a recycled robot etc which she'd bring to school to talk about. Early this week her teacher sent a new email on her latest parent-child school project and I nearly choked when I read it. She had to sew something from scratch!

Uh oh, sorry but Mummy can't help you with this! #cantsewtosavemylife I knew the day would come when I would have to teach Lil Pumpkin to sew.. but I didn't expect it to come so soon!

I was thinking to ask my mum for help again but the boy reminded me that he can sew thanks to his army days and life as a vet! He needs to sew for his surgeries you see (๑☆‿ ☆#)á•—

I'm glad that at home at least one of us is good with the needle *phew* The boy taught Lil Pumpkin to make some easy stitches with a big needle and together, they sewed a little pink pencil case / pouch.

Lil Pumpkin was very eager to learn and wasn't scared of getting her fingers pricked at all. She did very well for her first lesson!! Even better than me I feel haha.

Took a short video of them while they worked :P If it's not showing, watch it on my YouTube channel here.

Ta-dah~ Looks good!! OK it's probably 70% hubby's, and 30% Lil Pumpkin's work but at least she made effort to do it and learn some basic sewing.

All the materials - fluffy bow, pink felt, yarn, needle - are from Daiso.

My two darlings {and her beloved Fullerton Bear} with their first sewing project together.

I feel kinda bad that I don't know how to sew and want to go for classes again to learn properly when I've more time. One day, I'd really like to stitch and make bags, pouches, soft toys or even kiddy clothes for Lil Pumpkin (　＾∇＾)v

Any sewing classes online or in Singapore to recommend?

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Alpha Loom by Rainbow Loom | How to Use & FAQs #happyfathersday

Together with the new Hair Loom Studio Double {kit to put Rainbow Loom creations in your hair}, I got the new Alpha Loom kit as well. It's supposed make looming those thick, personalised bracelets with alphabets and patterns much easier and faster.

Each kit comes with 1 Alpha Loom, 1 Alpha Comb, 1 metal hook, 48 C-clips, around 600 Alpha Bands {red, black, yellow, white & blue}, around 600 clear Rainbow Loom bands and 1 instructions manual.

In the manual are handy picture tutorials on how to use the Alpha Loom as well as sample layouts for the alphabets, basic shapes and symbols. It also has a sample design template which you can photocopy, or download blank Alpha Loom design templates here. 

For my first Alpha Loom creation, I decided to make a personalised black & white bracelet for the boy as a diy gift for his Father's Day!! Handmade gifts are still the best, I feel. Last year I made him a one-of-a-kind Luffy Rainbow Loom doll for Father's Day which he still cherishes.

The hardest part was actually planning the bracelet design to make sure that the alphabets were evenly spaced and in the middle of the bracelet. I used 5 rows, instead of all 7, to save on the bands as I wasn't sure if there were enough of each colour to finish up. Thankfully, there was. Phew!

For the alphabet design, I referenced from Justin Toy's alphabet chart as each alphabet design is "bolder" than the ones shown in the kit manual, so can show up easier on the bracelet.

After the design work, the looming bit was actually pretty easy once you got the hang of it. Even though it's small and portable like the Monster Tail loom and Finger Loom, I think it's better to work at the table when using the Alpha Loom as full concentration is needed. If you make a mistake on any row, it'll mess up the whole creation.

I found that the Alpha Comb was extremely useful in making the work less tedious and faster since it can hook up all the rows at one shot. I completed the boy's adult bracelet in about 1.5 hours {including time to sort the colours}, and it was just my first try!

Also, the specially-designed Alpha Bands means that there's no need to double-loop or use 2 bands to get the same thickness or tightness that's usually seen in thick bracelets or character looms. I made a "Mum" charm for my mummy but with the regular Rainbow Loom bands. Since I had to double-loop it each time, it took a longer time. Actually, next time I might just use Alpha Bands in my character looms too. So much more convenient!

Can't wait to work on other name bracelets and cute designs for Hello Kitty, Pac Man, Disney Princesses etc.!

Lil Pumpkin made a Father's Day card for her daddy dearest. I think her drawing of him was pretty spot-on!! We love you very much dear!

Wishing all dads, especially hubby & my own dad, a very Happy Father's Day too!

Thanks for being the pillar of strength and support in all our families ♥

*****

Frequently Asked Questions {FAQs}

1. Where can I buy the Alpha Loom kit?
In Singapore, you can get an official Alpha Loom kit from Rainbow Loom Singapore and their listed retailers. It costs S$19.90.

2. Are Alpha Bands the same as usual Rainbow Loom bands?
No, Alpha Bands are specially designed for the Alpha Loom so are flatter, smaller and less stretchy. Alpha Bands can stretch up to 3 pegs, while normal Rainbow Loom bands can stretch up to 7 pegs.

3. Where can I buy Alpha Bands refill?
Currently not sold in Singapore {will update later if I see them}, but you can order online at the Rainbow Loom US website. Colours are quite limited though as it's still a very new product {just released in mid-May 2015}. 

4. What if I don't have Alpha Bands in the colours I want?
Just use the regular Rainbow Loom bands! They’re a little larger than the Alpha Bands, so double-loop it each time, or the creations will turn out larger.

5. Is it difficult to use?
I'd say it is not for Rainbow Loom beginners or young children like Lil Pumpkin {kit is recommended for kids aged 8 and over}, but definitely not hard to pick up either. Prior knowledge on how to use a normal Rainbow Loom is really useful.

6. Where can I find more Alpha Loom creation ideas?
Check out Loom n' Bands for free Alpha Loom pattern templates, online tutorials from e.g. Made for Mummy, and of course my fave Pinterest {see my Rainbow Loom board} for inspiration （⌒▽⌒ã‚ž

7. Any tips for using?
a. As with other Rainbow Loom creations, follow a basic template first to practise before starting on harder designs or improvising your own.
b. Always hold the Alpha Loom with the circle facing towards you so that it lines up exactly with your pattern template.
c. Cross out the row you've finished on the design template so that you won't get confused at where you're at.
d. Try to finish your creation in one sitting so that it doesn't stay on the loom too long & gets over-stretched.
e. Never forget your row connectors!

8. What if I made a mistake?
Watch this video on how to fix an Alpha Loom mistake.

If you have the Alpha Loom too, I'd love to see the designs you've made! Come email me your photos or share with me on Facebook page & Instagram! (★^O^★)

* Disclosure: This is a review for Rainbow Loom Singapore. All opinions are my own.

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Never Get So Busy Making A Living, You Forget to Live

Ahhh how nice it is to enjoy a long weekend straight after coming back from a weekend vacay for my birthday in Vietnam! :P I love not worrying when my alarm would ring, waking up as my body wants next to Lil Pumpkin {my poor hubby still has to go to work!}, seeing her sweet morning smile and doing our "piggy nose rub". And of course, not going through our hectic morning schedule.

I don't watch The Daily Show but earlier the year its host, Jon Stewart, announced that he was leaving the show after 19 years. I read an article on why he decided to leave, which partly stemmed from an increasing sense of dissatisfaction.

Jon Stewart said, "It’s not like I thought the show wasn’t working any more, or that I didn’t know how to do it. It was more, ‘Yup, it’s working. But I’m not getting the same satisfaction,’” he said. “These things are cyclical. You have moments of dissatisfaction, and then you come out of it and it’s okay. But the cycles become longer and more entrenched, and that’s when you realize, ‘Okay, I’m on the back side of it now.’"

I can relate to that. Work for me is pretty mundane as the scope is not something I'm interested in and it is a chore for me to go to work every weekday. But it's something I've accepted to do since my boss is amazing, there is no overtime, I've a good working environment with healthcare benefits and also because Lil Pumpkin is in her current preschool / childcare.

Once I leave my current company, I've to find her another preschool/ childcare as it is only for the children of my company staff. And I don't want to do that as we like her preschool and she's happy there.

Like what Jon said, you have moments of dissatisfaction, and then you come out of it. I usually come out of it when I think of reasons why I've to do it, but it's really getting harder and harder.

The boy thinks that it's just that I don't want to work. Not that true because I just don't want to work in my current job anymore. If I've something else that I want to do, a dream job where perhaps I get to interact with more Japanese, go traveling, is more challenging and closer to my interests.. then yeah I'd like to do that.

Not that I have it, but I think the longer I stay on in my current job, the less likely I'd go look for it.. or work on other things that make me happy - like blogging, or spend time with people that make me happy - like Lil Pumpkin.

Lately, I feel that 5 out of 7 days, I wake up somewhat feeling life sucks because I've to go to a job that I don't really like. Of course I am grateful for the job stability and income, but that's not really the way to live, right?

What if I suddenly passed away in my sleep? I can say now that I will have many regrets if I die tonight.

And so, I've decided to go part-time next year after Lil Pumpkin leaves preschool, or maybe even quit my current job. Firstly, it'll give me more time to spend with Lil Pumpkin after her school {supervise her work, bring her out, rest, do stuff}, secondly it'll also give me more time to work on what I like and maybe even find a better job I'd love more.

I guess that means less money to spend and travel until something comes in to fill the income gap but I can live with that if it means I'll be happier on a higher percentage of the week. It is ridiculous to always wait and look forward to the weekend, the next break, the next travel vacation. I want to make a change to have more happiness in my life every day. 

There are too many uncertainties when it comes to a big life decision like a job change. But if I don't try, I'll never know. I'm 32 next year and personally, that's kinda old already to not be doing what I want to do.

Thought of changing jobs or changing from a FTWM to a SAHM?

How did you handle the change? 

P.S. Photos are from our sunny Gold Coast trip last year :) So awesome!

P.P.S. Don't forget to take part in my The Wind in the Willows Family Performance Tickets giveaway {worth S$248} which ends on Wed 3 Jun 2015!

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Happy Mother's Day 2015! ♥ + Win The Incredible Book Eating Boy Family Show Tickets

Mother's Day was pretty simple this year. Actually, most of our celebrations are rather muted nowadays haha. I don't care much for grand plans, big parties or lavish spending.. as long as I get to spend the time with my beloved family, I'm happy :)

It started off as a pretty "normal" Sunday. I knew we'd be out for most of the day so woke up early to do some work. Then the boy woke up about 2 hours later, prepared Lil Pumpkin's morning milk, kissed me good bye and left for work.

Lil Pumpkin got out of bed not long after and was such a sweetie - smiling so brightly and wishing me good morning. She must have remembered that it was Mother's Day :)

After her morning ritual, we folded clothes together while catching up on my Chinese drama shows. I did the boy and my own pile, while Lil Pumpkin is great at folding her own clothes with her own mini folding board {see her in action here}. That seriously was one of my best buys ever!!

Then we got ready to go out and wore our new matching "stained glass" 3D Rosella dresses from Glitter Glam with our bling-bling Pazzion ballarina shoes.  No better day to go matchy-matchy than on Mother's Day!! :P

My mother-in-law came to pick us up around noon for our family lunch at Paradise Dynasty at One KM, near the boy's clinic. We had an early Mother's Day dinner with my parents the night before and were going out to celebrate with my in-laws on Mother's Day itself. Oh my goodness it was so packed! I think it was the most crowded restaurant in the whole mall :P

Paradise Dynasty serves both northern and southern Chinese cuisine, with an innovative touch. Their specialty is the Eight-Flavoured Xiao Long Bao, which are little dumplings with soup inside made in 8 different flavours {original, crab roe, cheese, garlic, herbal, ma la, foie gras and black truffle}.

This is the foie gras Xiao Long Bao, which tasted delicious but sadly, I didn't really taste much foie gras in. 

Lil Pumpkin likes to eat Xiao Long Bao. I think she finds it interesting to have soup "hidden" inside that little dumpling haha. 

Paradise Dynasty kind of reminded me of Din Tai Fung but the portions are more decent. We ate Xiao Long Baos, the silky handmade La Mian, egg fried rice, sweet and sour pork. squid in vinegar, drunken ginger chicken etc.

Was so full but it was such a satisfying meal. The boy, his mum and brother are all very busy people so it was nice to be able to sit down, have a meal together and catch up.

We went to Suntec City after lunch and Lil Pumpkin scooted around outside for a while. She just got a new scooter last Friday for her birthday {more on that later!} and has been asking us to bring her scooting every day since. Her birthday is only tomorrow {12 May} but we let her open it earlier.. ah well, gotta live a little, you know? :P

It's so fun to watch her whizz by and I'm thinking of getting one myself so that we can go scooting together! That would make our weekly walk to her swim classes even faster! I reckon it's easier than mastering a bike??

Yes, yes, I'm one of those "weird" people that don't know how to cycle :P

Lil Pumpkin gave me a a carnation flower and portrait of me she drew in school. I was actually looking forward to her annual Mother's Day class party {see past N1. N2 and K1 celebrations} but for some reason, we didn't have one this year! Was kinda disappointed as I wanted to see her sing and perform with her friends...

Love the heart cut-out and intricate paper weaving here!! Lil Pumpkin said that she specially chose pink because I like pink *grins*

Does this look like me? :) Sorry can't get a good photo of it but yes, she drew the eyes and mouth too, as well as purple eyees (^^)v I'm glad that she sees me as a sweet young thing with 2 ponytails rather than a naggy old witch, which I'm sure I sound like sometimes!

She wanted to take a shot of me and the boy too :)

Happy family!! ^^ I'm really so blessed to have these two in my life and wouldn't trade it for the world.

As for the boy's present? Well,, he paid for and gave me 1.5 hours to "feel" & find the whole collection for the new Lego x Simpsons series hehe #itsthelittlethingsthatcount

The new minifigs came out about 4 days ago but I haven't had time to check them out until Sunday.
We went to Toys R' Us and I saw that they weren't on the usual shelf space so I asked a sales assistant if they had any. Didn't have much hope really... as the release had been highly anticipated and on the first day, most places were already wiped clean.

Lo and behold! She went into the storeroom and got me a new box!!! Wheeee! So happy and I might have done a fist pump #winning

Haven't opened all the packs yet but since I've been "feeling" and collecting for the past 4 {??} series, I'm pretty sure I've the whole set. Quite good at picking out the correct minifigs from the blind packs haha.

My fingers and hands are so sore now!! (>-<)"

Ended the day doing groceries at Giant and we saw the Coca-Cola roadshow to get our own personalised coke cans. It was the last day! The boy was quite keen to do it so we bought 60 cans of Coke Zero to personalise 4 cans {you've to spend S$10 to personalise 1 can}- 1 for each of us plus his bro.

Turned out pretty nice... the more I see it, the more I like it too heh.

Thank you for calling me your Mummy, and for giving me the privilege to celebrate this special day with you, dear Lil Pumpkin. Sometimes I feel like such a failure as a mum, but thank you for always looking up to me and making me feel like I'm the greatest. I can't promise you, but I will try my hardest to not nag as much and to keep my youthful, happy spirit.. just as the way you see me ♥

Thank you as well to my own dear mother and mother-in-law for all that you have done, and for shaping me to be the mother than I am today as well. Both of you are my role models and my inspiration to persevere despite the parenting struggles, give it my all and raise happy, healthy children ♥

Wishing all the amazing mums a Happy Mother's Day once again!

****

May is a very exciting time for us as we are all May babies! To celebrate, special prizes are up for grabs for the last 3 weeks of May just for my blog readers and friends :) 1 giveaway per week! Don't miss it!

For this week, I've ONE The Incredible Book Eating Boy Family Performance Tickets Package {worth S$232} to give away!! It includes 4 x Category 1 tickets {best seats!!} to the opening show on Thursday, 22 May 2015, 4.30pm at School of the Arts Singapore {SOTA}.

"Henry loves books. But Henry does not like to read book, he likes to chew them. Big books, picture books, reference books… the more he eats, the smarter he gets.

Just as he is on his way to being the smartest in the world, he realises his knowledge is jumbled up and he can’t digest it! Find out how Henry, with a little help from his parents, eventually found a way to enjoy books without using his teeth. A captivating story that encourages reading, finding success through hard work, and not taking the easy way out."

This is recommended for kids aged 3 and up, and running time is 1 hour {no interval}. Check out this stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers' best-selling book via ABA Productions website. There are only 5 performances from 22 - 24 May 2015.

Giveaway Method: Random Draw

1. Be a Sakura Haruka Facebook page fan

2. Subscribe to my upcoming newsletter. Make sure the email add you used to subscribe is working as I'll be using that to contact the winner. Remember to confirm the subscription and check your junk folder in case the confirmation email goes there.

3. Like & Share this Facebook photo and tag 3 friends. Make sure your post is public!

4. Leave me a blog comment telling me what you want most for Mother's Day + FB name you used to like the page + name you used to subscribe to the newsletter. For those unsure of how to comment, choose "Name/URL" option then add your name and comment.

Bonus entry:
1. Follow me on Instagram {@AiSakuraHaruka}
2. Repost this Facebook photo on IG & tag @ASakuraHaruka #ASHxABAshowgiveaway

ONE random winner will be chosen. Just complete all 4 simple steps + bonus entry {if you like}!

Details:
* Open to Singapore residents only.
* Ends Friday, 15 May 2015 2359hrs {Singapore time} 
* Incomplete or inappropriate entries will be deemed invalid and will not be included.
* Winners will be announced by Saturday 16 May 2015 on this blog post and notified via email with further instructions on how to collect prize. Winners have 1 day to reply, or the prize will be redrawn.
* Tickets only valid for performance on Fri 22 May 2015, 4.30pm at SOTA Drama Theatre, 1 Zubir Said Road.
* No refunds or changes to show time or date.
* Prize tickets cannot be exchanged for cash value or resold.
* Everyone must have own ticket for admission, including infants in arms.
* Sakura Haruka is not responsible for any prizes lost, damaged or misplaced in delivery.

* Disclosure: The Incredible Book Eating Boy Performance Tickets was provided by ABA Productions for giveaway.

UPDATE: The giveaway has ended. The winner is Veron TG. Stay tuned for more blog giveaways on Sakura Haruka! Check out my current readers promos too. Thanks for your support!

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Prepping for P1: Scholastic Hidden Picture Puzzle Books & Pictionaries for Increasing Vocabulary

Lil Pumpkin's going to Primary 1 next year and as most parents in my situation, I'm wondering if she is ready. Is she learning, experiencing, understanding enough at school and at home to prepare her for the "big kids school".

Yes, I'm definitely feeling the primary school parent jitters again as it gets nearer and nearer to the date of registration, and my mum has reminded me at least 3 times that I must absolutely be in Singapore from June - August this year, because that's when the registration will be tentatively conducted.

Okkkk mummy, no travel plans then :P

I think it's pretty important for Lil Pumpkin to have a strong vocabulary so that she can think more deeply, express herself better, and learn new things more quickly. That's why we read books and pretty much anything whenever we can actually. Signs, movie posters, catalogs, newspapers etc.

I've read that most of our daily conversations draw from a vocabulary bank of no more than 3,000 words, yet the average adult knows upwards of 20,000!! That richness comes from print.

Recently we were introduced to the Sam and Sally series of books from Scholastic Education to widen and deepen her vocabulary on various familiar contexts. On each page, Lil Pumpkin has to search for and color the hidden pictures, which also provides the opportunity to learn {new} words in context and develop spatial intelligence. Learning new vocab is pretty straight-forward, but I think not many children books focus on spatial intelligence much.

Spatial intelligence is what we do when we visualize, mentally generate, rotate, and transform images in our “mind’s eye”. It’s the mental feat that architects and engineers perform when they design buildings. What a chemist needs to contemplate the 3D structure of a molecule, or a surgeon to navigate the human body. Also known as spatial visualisation, it plays a critical role in engineering and scientific disciplines and something that we need to train our kids on too. 

Each Sam and Sally book feature 8 thematic picture puzzles with over 200 words, 9 two-page challenge puzzles, a thoughtful question in each puzzle to encourage thinking and speaking skills and practice on various visual discrimination skills.

Sam and Sally At Home topics

It's pretty fun to do and usually Lil Pumpkin will finish up a page or 2 at a time. She loves to colour and barely finds it as additional "homework" to do!

Lil Pumpkin likes me to colour with her and so we'd do that together. She has free reign over what colour she wants, and I like that the image-filled pages provide us with many conversation prompts to talk and think about.

Sam and Sally Out & About topics

It helps her to deepen her understanding of the word by talking about its different meanings and using the word in different sentences. For example, reminding her that uniforms are not just worn by kids for school, but by adults in various groups or organisations and getting her to tell me some examples e.g. police, army, airlines etc. Also, pointing out that "uniform" also means staying the same at all times and encouraging her to give me more examples of that.

Sam and Sally Go to School topics

Sam and Sally books are meant for preschoolers, and come in 3 titles - Sam and Sally At Home, Sam and Sally Out & About, and Sam and Sally Go to School. They are available at POPULAR bookstores and retail for S$7.40 each.

My World of Words, also a series of books from Scholastic Education, uses a different style and makes learning vocabulary enjoyable through picture stories. The colours are vivid and the stories relate to kids' everyday life.

It takes young learners on a delightful journey to discover their world with thoughtfully constructed two-part picture stories based on a before-after scenario, thinking questions and activities to develop speaking and writing skills, and additional ideas for activities to extend the learning. There's no colouring activities.

There are two things I really like about these books. Firstly are the illustrated dictionary pages, where each word is explained in simple language for kids as young as Lil Pumpkin to understand, and comes with example sentences to build vocabulary. Secondly, the picture stories convey important messages related to good values, manners and global citizenry in a fun and interesting way.

My World of Words and My World of More Words are available at POPULAR bookstores as well and retail for S$9 each. I'd recommend them for preschoolers, as well as lower primary kids due to the difficulty of some words used.

If you're looking for more ideas on increasing your kids vocabulary, do check these books out. They are very useful resources for home-based learning, and not that expensive too given the good-quality {coloured} prints.

For more of  Lil Pumpkin's Primary School journey:

P1 Registration Experience

School Uniform Shopping @ Bibi & Baba

P1 Orientation Day
First 3 Days of P1
10 Types of Parents in Whatsapp Groups
First Primary School Parent-Teacher Meeting for P1 Sem 1
Short Pixie Bob for School
Ergonomic School Bag Shopping & Tips for Choosing One
JUMPY Plus Kids Smartwatch for School
What's An Appropriate Slumber Party Age for Kids? 

For tips on P1 preparation:

Comparison of Popular Maths Enrichment Classes

20 Things to Buy for Kids Entering P1

20 Tips from Other Parents for Kids Entering P1

25 Advice Tips from the School for Kids Entering P1 

20 How to Learn Chinese Tips

 

Good deal to share:

 Discount Code for Agape Babies: One-Stop Shop for Mums & Kids

* Disclosure: This is a review for Scholastic Education books. All opinions are my own.

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