Singapore comes up top in many arenas but there is one top ranking statistic affecting our young ones which we shouldn’t be proud of – high rate of myopia.

Taken from www.healthhub.com.sg
Singapore is #1 in the world for the prevalence of childhood myopia in seven to nine-year-olds. This is one Singapore statistic that we’d all like to change. Whether it’s because of all the studying children do, genetic factors, or lighting conditions, myopia is extremely common in Singapore.

I was and still am a book worm (more e-books now as it is easier to borrow and read but not for the kids ), but of course motherly duties and K-drama has overtaken my love for books. Nothing makes me happier to see my kids buried in books. However, they are very picky with genre and titles that they read. If they read something they like they will be very engrossed ,vice versa. So one way is to bring them to the library and have them choose …though they may have chosen uninteresting titles too. They were most excited to receive the recent loot from Pansing Books which featured very interesting titles.

KID NORMAL

YOU DON’T NEED SUPERPOWERS TO BE A HERO

Big J’s review of Kid Normal series 

The story is about Murph Cooper moving to a new house. When he moved to the new house, he was enrolled into a school of superheroes by mistake.  His friends can do very magical things like control the weather and conjure tiny horses from thin air, but Murph did not have any special ability. They had weird teachers like Mr Flash and Mr Souperman. Even with no superpower ie Kid Normal which is Murph, he makes the best of things and is even the leader of a super hero team. One day, a scientist experiment went wrong and created Nektar who is half man and half wasp. Murph and his friends finally defeated Nektar with the help of the school’s caretaker and secretary of the principal.

I like this book because it is very interesting that a normal kid like Murph can be a super hero too.  I think the illustrations throughout the book makes the book even more exciting to read. I also loved the part they were battling the enemy which was a climax of the story.

KID NORMAL #2 AND THE ROGUE HEROES

In the second book – Rogue Heroes, Murph Cooper and his friends has completed their first year at the school. Murph, Hilda, Nellie, Mary and Billy continued on their adventures as Super Zeroes to battle even more evil bad guy. Following the same theme, all of them work together as a team in their missions from the very start and battled the most dangerous super-village (Rogue Hero) which was even more exciting that the first story. The villain actually ask for Kid Normal to be brought to him.

I love the second book more as the plot was even more interesting with a more evil villain with more missions to do and  more villains to fight! I hope there is also Kid Normal #3 for more Super Zeroes’ adventures.

This series is suitable for age 8+.

The books featured are available at any good bookstores.

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FB winner :Imelda Ong

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

I had my fair share of trial and errors with electrical toothbrush and even one with music, but it didn’t sustain their interest and the amount of time needed for a decent brush.

But it has all changed now with the introduction of Brush Monster in our lives. Even my very skeptical husband also was in awe that the kids follow step up step to ensure a clean brush every night – more than 3 minutes of brushing (if you find it a tad too lengthy, there is a setting in the apps where  you can remove the first and final part of the process ie the toothpaste and gurgling part)

At first glance

It is the lightest smart toothbrush in  the market weighing at a mere 32g. It uses anti bacterial soft brush which makes it safe for kids brushing. It comes with a few different vibration mode to choose from.

And what makes this toothbrush extra special is the built-in sensor which can track and analyze the data of kids’ brushing within 16 regions via Bluetooth.

At first use

Just download the app (for both Apple and Android phones) , and switch the bluetooth on your mobile (there is no need to pair), and follow the brushmonster apps guide when it informs you push the power button on toothbrush.

You should be able to stop the video by pressing the button on the toothbrush. This way you know that the toothbrush has been paired to the app in order to produce the tooth-brushing analysis at the end.

What I really love

The apps has a step by step plus visual to guide the kids throughout the entire tooth brushing process..all the way to gurgling and rinsing of cup. I tested this on all my kids (age 3 to 9 – yes I know the 9 is a tad old but he truly love using it too) and the ones above 5 were able to follow the steps quite effectively (I get pretty good analysis thereafter)

Only my 3 year who did his very best to follow all the positioning but due to his maturity, it is best for parents to help the younger ones. That said, ever since I started using Brush Monster with small C, he could sustain the entire duration of more than 3 minutes. Pre-Brush Monster days, he wouldn’t even last half a minute!

Next, once the brushing is down, you can see an analysis of your brushing , which part was good and which part was not. As you can see those in yellow are the parts that the kid didnt do so well in brushing – typically the inner part of the teeth and the back areas.

And after every brush, they will get a new sticker and they can take a selfie to mark their achievement for that day! I always get their best smile to show off their clean teeth!

My kids have been using Brush Monster for a few weeks and their interest has remained high. Every night, they will ask for their Brush Monster. What I really love out this is that for my older two kids, I don’t even need to supervise their teeth brushing and I could do a quick check on both the app and their teeth after they are done!

Recently, I discovered that you can have it changed to Chinese or even Korean! So now I had it in Chinese for my “potato” kids -see the video below.

You can purchased the full set (Brush Monster Toothbrush x1  -Brush Monster Replacement Refill x1 -Brush Monster Phone Holder x1) at an introductory price of SGD 84.90 which comes with a 2 year warranty and just the tooth brush only which retails at SGD 74.90.

Do quote mypreciouzkids10off for a 10% discount off the introductory price.

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Brush Monster Singapore has kindly sponsored a Brush Monster worth SGD 79.90 (retail price) to 1 reader.

photo credit: Brush Monster

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Brush Monster

2. Followed mypreciouzkids and Brush Monster on Instagram

3.Comment in this IG post why you want to win this revolutionary AR toothbrush from Brush Monster.

4. Repost publicly with #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and comment on the same IG post (tag 3 friends or more, one tag per comment).

5. Subcribe to mypreciouzkids on youtube (bonus point)

I will be picking the 1 lucky winner using random.org. The giveaway closes on 16 Sept 2018 2359pm (Sun)

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Many people find me odd that I don’t really use air-conditioner (AC) when I sleep especially in our hot and humid tropical climate. Of course, there are nights when they are so unbearable I do switch on the AC for my rooms before I going to bed. The biggest reason why I don’t fancy using AC is that I often wake up in the middle of the night feeling very cold even though at the point of sleeping, the AC temperature was set to a nice temperature. Typically, I would be awoken at night as I feel so cold at night, then I need to switch off the AC and switch on my fan for the rest of the night. So for not so hot night, I prefer to sleep with solely the fan so that I won’t get interrupted at night due to “freezing” temperature.

When I came to know of Ambi Climate ,a device so smart, uses machine learning and smart sensors to adjust the AC’s temperature to my comfort preference while I am sleeping, I become curious. I hope that I may able to sleep peacefully throughout the night without being awaken by cold and freezing temperature ever again.

Unboxing it 

When the package came, I was amazed that it is actually a very tiny device  – just a palm size. For me , I just placed it next to my bedside as it needed a power point and it is in line sight of the AC. It is just an inconspicuous little device but little did i know the benefit I can gain from it will be immense – the first of its kind in the world – an AI enabled smart AC controller. It has a sleek minimalistic Danish design which would fit any home decor easily.

At first use, 

The setup was a breeze, with just an initial one time pairing. Download the  Ambi Climate app (available on app store and play store) in your phone and pair Ambi Climate with the AC within minutes, you will be synced to Ambi Climate!  It was just less than a 5 minute setup for a tech noob like me. Even if you can’t find the model of  AC in the drop down list, you can simply ask the app to search and pair.( I actually didn’t check the model before hand as I was confident it would work) It works with almost every brand and model of AC, the whole list is found here. Generally, the rule of thumb would be that your remote control must come with an LCD screen, when in doubt do check with the good folks at Ambi Climate before purchasing to be very sure.

There is only one LED button, once it is in green, it is all set to be your little personal assistant!

this is a simple instruction that came in the box ..i dont think it can get any easier than this!

The key for the first 2 weeks is to constantly give feedback to Ambi Climate so that the device “learn” what is your preference level of temperature of comfort. This is what Machine Learning is all about – teaching a machine to learn from data provided and adapt its program to mirror what it learns – which basically means Artificial Intelligence. The device analyses how temperature, humidity, sunlight , weather and time of the day affect the overall thermal comfort. With on-board sensors and external data (local weather via an internet based service), and combining with my own feedback, Ambi Climate is able the adjust the AC to my comfort. My husband ask what temperature did i set it to, I don’t really know, all I did was to let Ambi Climate know whether it was a bit cold, too warm or comfy.

Loving it

Do you know that you can actually switch on your AC before reaching home using the app? Especially when you have sleeping kids in the car and you got to have the most successful transition from the air-conditioned comfort of the car to home ! Ambi Climate does just that! Ain’t my home become a little smarter , all thanks to Ambi Climate. With the use of geo-location, the AC intelligently turn itself on when I reach a certain distance from my home.

The biggest benefit in having the ability to predict your comfort level, it means setting the AC at the correct temperature thus conserving energy and saving electricity (means saving money on your bills).  As you can see, the many adjustments made throughout my sleep.

The 2nd edition comes with 4 mode – Comfort, Away, Temperature and Manual.

Comfort mode which is the main reason why Ambi Climate is so smart  -it allows Ambi Climate to take control over the AC of coz this is the mode that you should be using most of the time. Temperature mode focuses on your own selected temperature and the AI adjust all other elements to meet that temperature. Manual mode  simply mean replace AC remote to using the Ambi Climate app on your phone – just the typical function of the AC remote. Away mode is for user who work long hours or travel a lot hence they are able to make use of Ambi Climate to maintain the level of heat/cold/humidity of the room/home. Away Mode will make sure your plants, pets and clothes are protected from unwanted moisture and extreme temperature .Once you have set the Away mode, Ambi Climate will only turn on your AC when the thresholds are met, and only for long enough to bring conditions back to “acceptable” levels.

There is also a timer function where you can configure the timing when you need a particular mode to be switch on or off. You can set the temperature when you wake up too as well.

I also constantly getting email updates from Ambi Climate of simple tips and reminders how to use Ambi Climate to make my home smarter and my life better.

I guess the biggest benefit from having Ambi Climate is my uninterrupted sleep, I am having the most comfortable sleep in recent weeks with the AC switch on. However, nothing beats knowing that there will be savings in my electricity bills. If there is anything I can critic which is not really Ambi Climate’s fault per say, due to the constant adjustments to temperature to the AC, I constantly hear the AC beeping sound whenever the AC temperature is adjusted automatically. As you can see, there are many adjustments made throughout the night to the AC temperature to ensure that I will be in my most comfortable temperature when sleeping. I will have both my AC switch on from now on – the air-conditioner and Ambi Climate!

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Ambi Climate 2nd edition is retailing at SGD 199 and you find the local retailers in this link

Giveaway

The giveaway is being administered by the folks at Ambi Climate.

Do participate in the short survey and you may be the lucky one to Ambi Climate which has been helping me have uninterrupted sleep.

Giveaway ends August 13th, 2018 at 11:59 pm (GMT +8). One entry per person. Duplicate entries will be disqualified. Entries on behalf of another person and joint submissions will not be accepted.

Disclosure: I received the Ambi Climate for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

I am ashamed to admit that I only cycling on 2-wheel bicycle when I was around 12 years old. To me , cycling is in the same league as swimming, my kids need to how to know how to cycle and swim from childhood. My two older kids learned cycle the old school way – like  how I started,y which is using 4 wheelers.  My husband did all the coaching from removing of the wheels into a 3 wheelers and with a few evening coaching both of my older kids learned to cycle on 2 wheels before they turn 7. Now I am a bit greedy, I am sure they can learn to cycle even earlier than 7 years old. So now is getting the younger two boys age 3 and 5 years will try to learn how to balance on balance trainer and then directly to 2-wheel bicycle.

I have known of the method of using balance bike as an early introduction to balancing and cycling. I do have a free balance bike (milk powder redemption) however it was bulky and none of the kids took any interest in it. S0 I kept it in hope that one of the younger kids would pick it up and learn balancing. But I do recognise that it is bulkier and very plasticky, the reason for why it is now collecting dust in my storage. I dropped the idea of using a balance bike as a way to learn cycle due to an inappropriate balance trainer.

What make me wanna try Kinder Bike Morph Hybrid is its ability to be both a balance trainer and a 2-wheel bicycle (hence, in case the kids doesn’t like to stride and balance, the bicycle is not another white elephant).

These are many reasons why I really like about Kinder Bike Morph Hybrid :-

1.Convertible ie that’s why it is called Morph

THE selling point for me is the ability to convert from  a balance trainer to a fully operational bicycle. So even if the child does to use it as a run bike, you can still use this as a normal operational bicycle provided he can cycle (ie learn through old school method).

And it is also very easy to convert, even my 7 year-old is able to convert it easily (I only help to tighten the screws)

You can also see the video of  big C’s doing the conversion in my IG post 

2. Easy to assemble

With an allen key and a few steps, the bicycle can be setup easily. Just connect the handle bar and the back wheel portion to the main body part, and you are off …don’t forget to pump the tires too!

these are pneumatic tyres so remember to inflate before riding

3. Made fully of aluminium, with NO plastic parts

My old white elephant balance bike was a 100% plastic bike. It really felt like a bulky piece of toy, I guess it neither a balance bike nor a toy. However, the Kinder Bike Morph Hybrid feels like a real bicycle and not a toy bicycle for my younger boys.

4. Grows with your child – the seat is adjustable and hence it is suitable for kids from 3 to 6 years old

The wheel are at 12″ , a tad too small for my 7 year old but perfect for small J at almost 5 years old. I really hope he can learn to cycle quickly before he outgrow them and he can pass it to small C to stride or cycle. The maximum weight limit is at 34kg. Even the handle bars are adjustable, which allow you to raise them as the rider grows taller and move them forward to back for a custom fit for your child.

This is my 3-year-old at the its lowest configuration.

Small J’s at almost 5 year old

This is my 7-year-old at the highest configuration.

5. Lightest pedal 12″ bike in the market at 3.9 kg

Given it is an aluminum bicycle , it is definitely heavier than other balance bike with plastic parts etc, however it is still one of the lightest in the market given that it is a conventional bicycle when converted.

6. Coaster brakes

You must be wondering why there are no hand brakes on the handle bar. This model uses coaster brake which is a a brake on the hub of rear wheel. The braking is applied by rotating the pedals in reverse until the brake engages. This is not a similar concept to most bicycles including our adult bicycles hence, it does need some time of getting used tol

Kinderbike Morph Hybrid comes in 4 different colours-  red, blue, green, violet.

Accessories included: Bell, reflector, coaster brakes, drive train (plug-N-play) pedal kit.

Now lets see if my younger boys are loving their new ride

As a run bike , this is small J’s first time trying and he do not fully understand how to use it as a run bike , but my bigger kids as they are able to cycle on 2-wheel, they get the balancing concept in an instant.

As a conventional 2-wheel bicycle, I had my girl demonstrate the conventional cycling using the same bike. Obviously, it will take sometime before the younger boys can do this but I hope it sooner than later by starting on a balance bike.

Kinder Bike also have different models for younger kids  and even older kids, see their listing here You can also buy helmets from them as you must have a helmet for your kids every time they ride.

Tikes and Bikes

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Tikes and Bikes  has kindly sponsored a beautiful red Kinderbike Morph Hybrid worth SGD 239.99 (the exact same model as mine but in red)

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Kinderbike Singapore

2. Followed mypreciouzkids  on Instagram

3. Liked and share this FB post and tag 5 friends on the FB post and repost this IG post using #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and tag 5 friends in the same IG post (1 tag per comment).

Please keep your Facebook shared post and IG shared post public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry.

I will be picking the 1 lucky winner . The giveaway closes on 13th May (Sun) 11.59pm.

For those who don’t want to wait for the results, and would like your kids to try this bicycle, I have a good offer especially for my readers:-

The first 5 readers to email at tikesnbikes@gmail.com to express interest in the Morph will be entitled to purchase bike for a low $99

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own

I remembered when I was young , my parents brought me a whole set of Britannica encyclopedia. It look really lovely on my  book shelf however, it is also very intimidating, full of small font text, no colour…so I hardly ever browse them and the 30-year-plus set still sits in my parents’ home till this very day.

Even the word “encyclopedia” itself is an intimidating word for any young kids. Thus far I have not gotten the older kids any encyclopedia to accompany their learning journey.

I was most happy when Marshall Cavendish approached me to review their very own version of Mini Science Encyclopedia. I have not known of this mini encyclopedia before but being one focusing on science, this definitely a welcome addition to my kids’ library . The book is SO different from my pre-conception of an encyclopedia, big font sizes, colour pictures and illustrations…..definitely not intimidating at all. Targeted at primary school children, I reckon you can even start your K2s on some of the simpler science concepts as well.

These are the reasons I give this mini encyclopedia a big thumbs up!

1. Well-rounded content

As this mini encyclopedia focuses on science, this book covers a variety of topics from our body,animals plants, ecology, environment, space, magnets, heat, electricity, energy, life sciences and many more.

Being a primary school kid’s parents, I did a quick look if I would rely on this book for primary science revision. Do note that this book does not follow the PSLE science syllable strictly, hence for revision purposes you would still need to use the textbook and accompany assessment books. However, this is a very good base to introduce new topics and science concepts!

2. Written in a local context

The book is written by a local author. Being in its 7th edition, it was first publised in 1998 and have been constantly updated.Many of the facts in foreign published encyclopedia are very general and do not mentioned on things we see in this part of the world ie Singapore.

This books covered the topics from a very local context perspective such as introduction to saga seed, rambutan, durian, chiku, duku and even the Semakau landfill which makes the book relatable to kids in Singapore.

3. Big fonts and colour pictures/illustration

One of the best ways to attract young readers is using big fonts and also colourful pictures and illustrations. This book is the less intimidating as my p1 girl took an interest in reading the book and having a introduction to science concepts around her. I have taken some shots of the simpler concepts and the beautiful illustration for the lower primary school kids. This book will also appeal for readers who prepare non fiction materials – animals, solar systems, dinosaurs!

4. Peppered with simple science experiments you can try at home

One of the best ways to encourage to love for science is to dabble in them. The book has included simple science experiments you can try at home with your child.

This is a very suitable mini encyclopedia for your lower primary school kids for leisure reading and brief intro to new science concepts. As mentioned previously,  this is not a primary school science text book (does not followed school syllable( but a mini encyclopedia to accompany the young minds …I am very sure this is more useful that having a full set of Britanica Encyclopedia.

You can purchase this mini encyclopedia priced at $20.50 (before GST) available in major bookshops such as Popular, Times and Kinokuniya or from online .

Giveaway

Marshall Cavendish has kindly sponsored a copy to a lucky reader. The winner will be required to pick up the copy from their office during office hours.

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Marshall Cavendish Education

2. Followed mypreciouzkids  and  Marshall Cavendish Education on Instagram

3. Liked and share this FB post and repost this IG post using #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and tag 3 friends in the same IG post (1 tag per comment) on the same IG post.

Please keep your Facebook shared post and IG shared post public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry.

I will be picking the 1 lucky winner . The giveaway closes on 29th April April (Sun) 11.59pm.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own