When I come across a kids related product that is made or conceptualised by a local Singaporean/ company, my radar goes up! Often enough , most kids related products are from the US or like the best wooden toys from Germany etc, seldom we do we see kids related local products which are made for us local and urban kids in mind. So when I saw BookBuddy, I knew I had to try it out in the name of supporting local products and of course most importantly to cultivate good reading habits!

Since young, I have tried to reduce screen time for my kids in the bid to delay myopia. As my older two kids are already starting reading on their own, many a times I cannot ensure that they are reading in conducive environments as I need to tend to my younger kids. They will normally grab a book and read just about any where in the house, on the sofa, on the floor etc. I can nag and nag as much as I want but I am unable to cultivate good reading habits and I hope to solve this with the BookBuddy.

I was a bookworm when I was young and often I will lie on the bed to read with no proper lighting. To no one surprise, my myopia was as high as 600 plus (though it was corrected by the wonderful technology of LASIK in my adult years).

The 3 most important elements to proper reading and healthy eyesight are light, posture and time.

With BookBuddy, kids are reminded to maintain good posture, read in sufficient light and take sufficient breaks in between read to rest the eyes with the use of light sensors. These 3 very important aspects are often overlook which is also the cause of increase the myopia in kids in Singapore. With the BookBuddy, kids are reminded to maintain all the 3 elements by  the inbuild light sensors. Besides functioning as a book stand, the BookBuddy will act as my “nagging persona” especially when I am busy with my younger kids.

There are 2 light sensors indicating when its too dark, too near or too long. For example, if the child is reading too near, one of the light sensor will beep to tell the child that they are reading too near and need to be readjusted.

The BookBuddy also offer 2 reading angles – 60 degree and 22 degree . The 60 degree is more for general reading while the 22 degree is more for referencing when doing school home work. 

It is also very lightweight and you can bring it along for outings or for travel. It is also very slim and fit easily in my kids’ ergo table’s pull out drawer so that it does not take up any space on the desk when it is not in used. 

It may a bit early to say whether the BookBuddy will be able to cultivate a lifelong habit of correct reading habits, but it better to start earlier than later. 

Check out this video where books, papers and tablets of differing thickness and sizes fit well using the BookBuddy. Most importantly, parents please ensure the battery are charged fully to make full use of the light sensors.

Powered by 2 AA batteries (which are provided with the set), BookBuddy comes in 3 colours,  Brainy Blue , Perky Pink and Groovy Green. Each set comes with a 1 year warranty.

The BookBuddy is priced at SGD 84.90. It may seems a tad pricey for a “reading aid” but there is really no price to pay to maintain good eyesight and keep myopia at bay and for kids which already have myopia to slow down the increase of myopia. And for now there is a 20% discount if you were to order online here

Disclosure: I received a Groovy Green BookBuddy for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

ecostore has been in the Singapore market for sometime now and are very popular with their range of laundry and household cleaning products . Recently, they introduced the baby care range into the Singapore market. For those who are unfamiliar with this brand, ecostore is from New Zealand founded by a husband and wife team back in 1993. They had been using sustainable and organic gardening practices on their property for many years but realised they were still being exposed to many toxic chemicals through the cleaning and body care products they were using. As a result, ecostore was born.

All parents want to give their best to their newborn and babies especially their skin are not fully developed and more vulnerable to harmful chemical. So when I select baby care products for my newborn for my younger kids, I often choose ones which are does not have harmful chemicals especially some of my kids have sensitive skins and are eczema-prone. I am constantly looking for the most gentle of body care products for my kids.

newest range of products from ecostore in SG

On first look, I am already impressed when they even proudly announce their bottle are environmental friendly. Their 200ml bottle is made from renewable sugarcane plastic, which is 100% recyclable and helps to reduce your carbon footprint. I have never since such a commitment from similar product companies before. Which manufacturer actually pay so much attention to the “make” of the bottle and probably choose the cheapest material for it to reduce production cost.

proudly proclaim that even the bottle is good for you as it is made out of sugarcane to reduce carbon footprint!

The first promise that is made by ecostore are the products are safer for use. The second promise is that by using ecostore products, we are kinder to mother nature as the products and packaging used are sustainable and biodegradable. A total win win situation for consumers!

Currently in Singapore, ecostore has brought in 4 baby care products –  baby moisturiser, sleepytime bath, baby body wash and baby shampoo and 1 baby essential mini pack which contains mini size shampoo, body wash, moisturiser and laundry liquid (perfect for travel mode!)

baby essential mini pack

You may think that eco-friendly products cost a bomb, and I found out it is not the case for ecostore baby range. Their regular sized bottles comes in 200ml are priced at SGD 14.90 each. It maybe a small bottle, but it is due to the fact that you do not need a lot for each bath/usage.

Baby body wash & Baby Shampoo

Using plant-based ingredients, the body wash matches the oils and amino acids found naturally in babies skin. I realised unlike other body wash, a small 10 cent coin of liquid is enough to lather the baby. Hence, 200ml bottle will go along way. 

The scents are similar for the all products in this range which is the scent of lavender and geranium. I have been using it on C’s long locks. After shampoo and rinse off, it leaves the hair tangled free without the use of conditioner.

Baby C also has sensitive skin. For the first 6 months of his life, he is prone to dryness and patchy red spots. All his baby photos before he turn 6 months had red spots/patches all over his face and body. Thankfully, he went away probably his skin got more mature as he grew and able to adapt to the weather. It also helped that we constantly moisturise him. After shower, I always use moisturiser on him to protect him from dryness and irritation.

It smells great too with the hint of lavender and geranium. Especially at night when the air-con is switched on due to unbearable Singapore heat, skin gets drier and moisturiser is a must. Even small J has to do his moisturising routine as he is also very prone to dry skin.

According to ecostore, one for the ingredients called Cocamidopropyl Betaine is considered a harsh and harmful ingredient  which has been excluded in ecostore baby range but I found it in my current wash. Well, I am not going all paranoid and throwing all that I have but since it is not causing any “known” after effect on my kids and it is safe for use (it is in the Singapore market), probably this will be my last bottle as I have found better alternatives in ecostore’s range of baby product. 

Using ecostore is not only safe for our skin, it is also in support of their cause. After using their baby care products, I am slowly become a convert. I hope to be able to try their other range of products and in due course change the products I use in my household which are safer for me and my family and kinder to the environment.  I guess I can be more “green” and environmental friendly not just buy bringing own carrier to the supermarket, by also using products which do not have harmful afterwaste be it the ingredient or the packaging.

My kids have been exposed to swimming at an early age -3/4 years of age (nothing to do with the Schooling effect). Of all skills to be learnt, I am most particular about swimming as it is a survival skill and a very good form of exercise. Kids who are asthmatic are also encouraged to take up swimming lesson.  There are many reported cases of children drowning often due to lack of adult supervision. I am not saying that when kids know basic swimming skills adults can supervise less, but kids should know be afraid of the water and have some water confidence if faced with water hazards to reduce the chances of drowning.

However, that said swimming is the most “harsh” of sports. Not only does my kids get exposed to UV rays , they are also exposed to the chlorine in the pool. As my kids swim regularly, I am often on the lookout for good sun and swim care products formulated for kids specifically. There aren’t many in the market , and I am glad to have found it in Pout Care. Not only are they specifically designed for kids , the packaging comes in the prettiest labels , which kids wouldn’t want to use it. They are have matching stickers with bottle labels. Pout Care is made in Australia using  natural ingredients without any harmful sulphates and parabens to clean and hydrate. Pout Care also add a variety of organic plant and flower extracts, such as Alfafa, Sage and Rosemary, to help enrich and strengthen children’s hair.  Hence, their product is specifically formulate for children as they tend to have sensitive hair and skin.

Besides the ingredients used, Pout Care also has carefully designed the bottle packaging which are represented by the 7 different fairy tales characters. Each character represents a different products from their range. Each character are the one printed on the stickers as well which accompanying  every product purchased. Each character/product features a fun poem describing the adventures of the character associated with the product.  My kids were first attracted by the pretty packaging, then the wonderful smell when using the products! First time, my kids took notice of the products they are using (because no other children’s products is so pretty!)  I wouldn’t bear to discard the bottle once they finish using it! Once you have collected all 7 bottles, it can create a pretty carousel just like the picture below!

Not only they come with the prettiest labels, they smell really fruity and nice!

SUN & SWIM CARE

what’s in my kids swim bag now!

Orange Float Sun & Swim Protection

This spray which represented by orange sea diver helps protect the hair from UV rays, chlorine and salt water. It creates a protective barrier to minimise the exposure when the kids going outdoor for sports especially water sports. The main ingredients in this bottle are calendula (which soothe sensitive scalps) , rosemary ( encourages healthy hair) and comfrey  (condition and nourishes the hair). All it takes is a free spritz on the hair and massage all over the hair before going for the outdoor activities or swim. So not only my kids are protected by sunscreen for the body, now I have an excellent product to protect the hair too from the harsh sun and water be it the sea or the swimming pool!

Grapefruit Island Swimmers’ Top to Toe

This product is represent by the pirate is a specially formulated for remove chlorine and salt water from hair and skin after swimming. It helps repair and protect hair and skin from chlorine and salt water damage. Its main ingredients are sage (encourages hair growth), comfrey (nourishes hair) and parsley (anti bacterial benefits) and contains Vitamin B5 to help regenerate hair and skin. Big J is always very indifferent about the shampoo that he uses as he is only one in the family who is less sensitive , so he can use any random shampoo (unlike the other 3 which has sensitive skins , all have their own shampoo). When he first used this, he actually commented that it smell very very nice! Besides smelling heavenly, I am glad that I am using this after their weekly swimming session to remove all the chlorine residue from the swim!

Huckleberry Sorbet Natural Hair Wax

Besides the new swim care range, I will also be reviewing the hair wax. I don’t think there is any other hair wax in the Singapore that is specifically formulated for kids as I have been looking for it myself for the longest time! I always have to “steal” the hair gel from my husband for big J! I don’t normally use hair wax for my kids, but  on special occasion such as dinners , photoshoots and their performance arts recitals, I will be “stealing” hair gel from my husband. Now, the boys will be sharing this tub of hair wax specially formulated for kids.

Mad scientist is the character for this hair wax. It is made from organic Bordoch root (decrease breakage), rosemary (encourages healthy hair) and yarrow (for treating dandruff, itchiness and scalp irritation).  The wax gives a medium to firm hold and a matte finish to the hair styles!

sporty hair do all thanks to the Huckleberry Sorbet Hair Wax from Pout Care

Green Apple Whoosh Hydrating Conditioner

I do not use hair conditioner for my girl’s long hair often. But I do tend to use it after a swim to manage the hair and give it a tangled free after shower. The green witch represent this product which contains organic alfafa (strengthen hair and scalp) calendula (soothe sensitive scalp) and elderflower (condition scalp). It smells so good that i use my own conditioner smells so good too! After hair wash, my girl’s hair stays tangled free!

The remaining 3 characters/products from Pout Care are the peaches and cream natural detangler (fairy) , strawberry magic natural shampoo(princess) and blueberry potion natural shampoo(knight).

Do check out Pout Care’s complete range of products here….they are so so pretty!

Do try them out especially they are offering at 15% discount for their new sun and swim care range!

Disclosure: I received the above products from Pout Care for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

You may think that I am an expert in stroller given that I have 4 kids. Let me tell you the story of the strollers we had in our family.  I have lusted for many fancy strollers but my husband doesn’t believe in buying a stroller that cost 4 digit as cheaper strollers can do the job too.  My first ever stroller was a hand me down Graco stroller which came with a bassinet for newborn which serve me well for 2 kids. It was sturdy yet bulky though it has stand the test of time, used for more than 10 years!

Then came no 3 , I had another hand me down light weight Graco stroller and within a few weeks of his birth, we lost it! We lost it at a HDB car park as we forgot to unload it into our car. It was lost forever. Finally, we were forced to purchase a stroller after being parents for 4 years and for kid no 3. We brought a Capella stroller at Robinsons with minimal research (I was still harbouring hope for a fancy stroller, but hubby was wiser) which can be inverted as we thought it will be cool to face the crying baby as we never had that function in our previous hand me down . However after using it, the baby didn’t stop crying even though he is facing me. After the baby got bigger, we transited to lightweight umbrella stroller more for travelling purposes as the umbrella stroller collapses to take up a slimmer/ smaller part of the boot than the Capella.

As my family continues to grow, the boot space whenever we do our road trip is a hard squeeze. I remember we had to collapse of the one of the back row seats in our MPV just to squeeze in the long but thin umbrella stroller, else we would have to leave the stroller behind. And here is stroller no #5 and I am sure the last one of my household!

Unboxing it

The Bondi 2.0 comes in 5 unique colours – I chose turquoise as I feel it is more gender neutral. Every stroller purchase come with a cup holder, mosquito net. rain cover, cooling straw mat and a detachable front safety bar.

Dimension of the Bondi 2.0

Storing it

fit at the foot rest of my car

And let me tell you my greatest pet peeve. We owned an MPV by no choice due to the large family size This means that once we have reversed parked against a wall, we are unable to open the boot. So we have to come down remove the stroller, and then reverse all the way. The same goes for storing the stroller, drive out to open the boot unlike sedan, where we can open the boot without moving the car.

And when I saw  how compact the Baby Charleston’s Bondi 2.0 stroller when folded,  can actually placed it at the leg space at the baby seat (ie not the boot) I DO NOT EVER NEED TO OPEN THE CAR BOOT to store the stroller. How convenient. It is  SO COMPACT that the stroller can be carried to the cabin in the airplane as well. So we do not have to wait for the airport staff to retrieve it from the baggage storage –  picture and elaboration below.

And now whenever I go for road trip, the boot shall be solely for the luggage. I do not ever need to consider some space to put the stroller.  My only regret why didn’t I discover such a stroller before.  My husband who asked  me why do we need another stroller when I first got it is also a convert today because it is not just another stroller, it makes our lives so much easier and convenient minus the bulk and storage.

cabin size

Picture speaks a thousand words, see how come the Bondi 2.0 vs my Capella or my umbrella stroller.

Using it

As it is light weight and narrow, it is really a breeze strolling around the town, on pavements, we can push through tight spaces and gantries (at the immigration) which is unthinkable for my older strollers.

For the first time in my 7 years of parenting and 7 years of travelling with kids /babies in tow, I carried a stroller on board the plane! Typically, we will have the stroller all the way until the gate where it will picked up to be stored in the airplane’s baggage area. When we disembarked, some airports will have it ready at the door of the airplane itself or at times, at the baggage collection. It is not a long wait but when you have many kids and a sleeping toddler, the short wait can feel like its forever. With the stroller up in the cabin, this means I have instant access upon disembarkation which was a god send. We came back into Singapore at 1am and my 3 year old no matter want just couldn’t wake up, so we had the stroller opened at the door of the plane. So we had to carry him a short distance from the seats to the door of the plane and we can proceed ahead to the immigration and baggage collection.

The basket at the bottom is quite roomy too. Here is after my Lillebaby carrier (folder) and a Jujube fuel cell for baby milk etc.

Sometimes i prefer to hang it all up , the Jujube fuel cell and Super be diaper bag.

Loving it

I have been using it for more than 2 months now on weekend outings and a staycation and a vacation.

For my staycation,  it was 2 adults vs 4 kids and at one point my eldest was pushing the stroller while my no 3 was napping inside. It is very easy to maneuver. Despite it being light weight, it does feel stable and not going to topple easily especially if its a 15kg plus toddler.

However, do be careful as some of us parents have a habit of hanging lots of bags /barang on the stroller’s bar and when the “light -weight ” baby (like my #4 who is barely 10kg) is asleep , the centre of gravity will shift backwards and hence the overall weight will not be balanced with all the bags hang at the back of the stroller, and risk of toppling is exist.

If the baby is sitted up right, it is more balanced with the bags/barang at the back of the stroller, hence it is very stable despite the weight at the back of the stroller.

For my vacation, I travelled with all 4 kids without husband but with my parents.  I needed to travel light with as minimal luggage and a light weight stroller. I do not need to consider very much which stroller would follow us on the trip –  the one that is easiest to maneuver, lightest to carry and take the least amount of space when folded.

all thanks to the stroller I survived HK Disneyland with 4 kids!

On our way back to HK airport, as we were near the Airport bus terminal ( I didn’t want to fuss looking for a taxi as we were just 15 min away from the airport), we took the Airport bus with 2 luggage bags , 4 kids and a stroller. As the stroller comes with a shoulder strap and I was carrying my baby using my Lillebaby , I am totally hands-free to even help my parents with one of the luggages to board the bus.

Though mine is a sponsored set, but when my husband was told the price of the stroller at the baby fair, he went “I told you, you don’t have to get a 4 digit price stroller to do the job and more!”

All my other strollers have been kept in storage as they do not serve my current lifestyle any more.

Now in conjunction with the up and coming baby fair, there is a pre-order promotion

Baby Market Pre Order Promotion at $199.00

Suitable from Newborn onwards as it can be reclined flat and up to 15kg of weight.
Freebies Freebies:
Mosquitos Net
Cup Holder
Cooling Straw Mat
Rain Cover
Front Safety Bar

**while stock last

Self Collection during 14-16 Oct, For order please see this link here

All Baby Charleston comes with 1 year local warranty.

Disclosure: I received the Baby Charleston’s Bondi 2.0 Stroller for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

So far my review has been 99.99% kids related products. I must disclaim and admit I am not a techie person and not updated with the least tech gadgets. Hence, I have not review a tech product before as it is not my forte. I shall be honest what caught my attention of this product was not its technical capability but two things – the wireless freedom and the colour PINK! In my free time online, it is always about me sussing out things for  my kids ; lesson, products, toys classes, clothings etc. Finally,  something for myself and I may turned into a cool and hip mummy!

In the past, I had never use earphones as I do not listen to music or during my train rides etc. All the earphones that came with every new handphone set that I have gotten is as new as when I got the phone.  But ever since the explosion of the Korean drama serial Descendants of the Sun, I had renewed interest in watching Korean drama after a hiatus of more than 5 years (no thanks to apps like VIU which makes catching Korean drama serial so easy and effortless)  , I had absolute reliance on earphones for my viewing pleasure. I started digging out the many “new” earphones can came free with the handphone set. Especially when I watch my drama at night or on my train ride, suddenly a pair of  earphones become an indispensable item just like my handphone.

However, conventional earphones come with long wires which often get tangled up much to my displeasure. Well, there are things are cord organisers etc but I really do not like having to wind the cord after every use etc. My earphones cords often get into a tangle mess which was my greatest pet peeves. Thanks to social media, I came across a beautiful pair of earphones in PINK! Not only it is pretty in PINK it is wireless ! As I am not a techy person I do not normally look at new products in the market but the Sudio’s VASA BLÅ caught my eyes and it was love at first sight. Two PINK earpieces connected by a short cord (in PINK) and that’s it. No more tangle mess ever!

I will share with you the technical aspects as best as a layman or a mummy can do. Besides PINK, it comes in 3 other different colours Blue, Rose gold black and Rose gold white.

Unboxing it

I wanted to write about the beauty but I guess for now I let the photos do the talking…and it comes with a matching leather pouch! In the box, the earphones also comes with 4 pair additional silicone earbuds of varying sizes,  a metal clip, charging cable, owner’s manual and quality assurance card.

Pairing it

It’s a no brainer. Just switch on the bluetooth on your handphone. There are only 3 buttons on the VASA, 2 volume control button and 1 main middle button. To turn on, press on the middle button till there is blue blinking lights. To pair, press the same button again and once it is connected you can hear it and it is indicated as “connected” on the handphone as well. To switch it off, press the same middle button and you will see red blinking lights.

Using it

On a single charge, the pink beauty can last as long as 6 to 8 hours  of usage. The sound quality is crisp and clear. It more than enough for my daily usage. So I do charge it at night every other day. For a quick charge, it is a fast at 10 minute but for a full charge, you need to charge it for 2 hours.

For Iphone user, the battery life can be seen next to the bluetooth symbol on your phone. However for Android users, you need to install a third party app in order to see the battery life. I have used both types of phones to pair with my pink beauty but I don’t really need to see the battery life on my Android devices as I charge it every other day based on my daily usage.

Loving it

I have been using it for more than 1 month now, mainly for my Korean drama viewing pleasure and listening to the Korean drama OST. I am glad that I have this wireless pink beauty with me now as I am going to start a fitness regime and some jogging/running. It will be so much easier to jog/run without a long cord attached to my phone!

Mummies may ask me for the price tag, it seems a bit steep when the “free” earphones can do the same job but to me , it is a small price to pair for 3 Fs – Freedom, functionality and fashionable!

It is great as gift to husbands as well. My hubby uses earphones a lot at night to listen to music. I know he will totally love the Rose Gold Black Wireless Vasa. All purchase of earphones comes with a beautiful gift box and tag. For his next birthday, I do not need to crack my brains anymore and we can have matchy earphones!

a complimentary gift box with every purchase

You can purchase it online here or the physical store in Singapore such as Epicentre ,Best Denki or iStudio. A complete list of Singapore stores can be found here.

If you are purchasing it online, it is free shipping worldwide. They have 14 days no question asked return policy.  There is also a 1 year warranty for any manufacturing defects. Customers can visit their website to get in touch with their customer service staff for any issues with regard to repairs.

Thanks to the kind sponsors from Sudio, I will be giving away not 1 but 2 VASA BLÅ in the colour of the winner’s choice. Please read through the giveaway steps as there is a slight change from my usual giveaway steps.

1.Liked mypreciouzkids.com on Facebook

2. Liked Sudio  on Facebook

3. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram and regram this photo with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and tag 5 friends on IG

4. Liked and shared this Facebook post. Pls comment “Done. IG ??” on the same post for my easy tracking.

5. BONUS : Liked and shared the following facebook posts – 3 Little Pigs, Little Star and Spartan Junior Race. 

Do set your post to PUBLIC so that I can verify your entry. Entries that are not shared publicly on your timeline will be disqualified. Giveaway ends 12 September 2016 (Monday) 2359.

Disclosure: I received a pair of pink VASA BLÅ  from Sudio Sweden for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.