Jay and the Dentist

One of the amazing thing about raising kid is you can plan and build the foundation since young. Jay is 2 years and 8 months old and it's time to set up routine dentist appointment. I remembered I as almost 7 when I get to see dentist. And I am very scared of seeing dentist.



For Jay, choosing the right dentist is very important. As I said I am afraid of pain and usually associate dentist with pain. Until I found this dentist Dr. Kenneth Lew. Yes .. Amosr the same name with me.



He is gental and his work does not cause pain. So when Jay as siting on the chair, Dr Lew comfort him, while checking, talks to him a lot so to make Jay comfortable. 15 minutes later check up completed. And Jay seems to love it.

And I am proud of Jay Jay.

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Jay's first tennis lesson

Today is Jay's first tennis lesson at AST Advantage. Jay used to visit the court and deliver 100Plus while I was playing tennis. Therefore the first sport words from him is tennis, tennis court and tennis ball. Therefore we decided to sent him to learn tennis.






At the school, they teach...
- warm up, hop, jump and run
- what base line, serve line and net
- holding racket and hit ball
- use swim paddle and hit ball
- and others

Short 45 min course.

Great workout and waiting patiently for him to play tennis with his dad...


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Jay's report card

It was the right decision to sent Jay to Lorna Whiston. He know can speak mandarin, especially 帮帮我 which he use the most...

I am very proud of him...




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Jay & the Comic Instructions

For a two years old, if verbal instructions is way too early to understand, the best way is to use pictorial or comic drawings... We have been training Jay on this and he now understands a lot of things to do or not to do....





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We draw this for Jay one night, it goes like this....

1. Jay Jay and PaPa read books in room.
2. Mommy sit on her exercise ball, eye looking at computer, and ear listen to phone.
3. So what is mommy doing?
4. Mommy working...
5. Why mommy working?
6. Because to earn money.
7. Why earn money?
8. To buy train track for Jay Jay...
9. So don't disturb mommy and tell mommy "see you later..."

It's simple to do and effective...

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My favourite card game

Citadel - is a card game that will keep friends together yet have the capability to break friendship. If it is not played properly, disasters tends to happen.





The rule of the game is not too complicated but yet a bit confusing...

Each round, for 8 players game, a card is covered, and each player will need to choose a card from the remaining cards. The player who has the throne gets to choose first. He is the one who knows what is the covered card. The last player get to choose either the last card or the covered card. He is the one get to know what is the real covered unused character card.

The assasin character will start the game, and he can kill any character except thief character. Any character that is killed shall not be about to take money nor build any buildings... The second is thief and he can still money from any one. The third is magician. He either change his card with the covered buildings deck or he can swap his entire deck with any one he likes. The fouth is the king. He will hold in to the throne and he will get to choose the character cards. The fifth is bishop who can protect his building being destroyed by warlord. The sixth character is merchant who get one additinal gold each round. The seventh is architech who draw extra building cards each round. The eighth is warlord who can destroy any building he likes. And lastly the queen who does nothing but gain extra gold if she sits beside the king.

Sounds fun already? The goal of he game is to try to build 8 buildings. The first get to build 8 buildings gets the win.


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Jay & the Zoo

It is funny that Jay's definition of zoo is somethings else other than wild animals.





To Jay, the water park inside the zoo is his definition of the zoo. Even on the boat ride we was asking where is the zoo (although we are in the zoo already)...





I strongly recommend to get a Zoo's Friend card. And visit the zoo regularily. This will help him get familiarize with the zoo. Because it was very rewarding to play at the water park.






Here is our routine each time we are at zoo...

1. Go to the boat ride jetty.
2. Visit and say hello to white tiger.
3. Get on to the boat ride.
4. When you reach, it is the water park.
5. Spent 1 hour there.
6. Always ask " Jay, can I check your hand and see your finger?"
7. If it is fully soaked and began to whiten. It's time to go. Jay notice the difference. And automatically will stop playing.
8. To get him trained on this, try do it at home swimming pool. Or during shower sessions.
9. Visit the herbs and veggie garden.
10. You should also see lion, giraffe and zebras on the exit routes.
11. Don't forget to get your carpark ticket before drive out. It's free.





I give this place a 5 out of 5!


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Cousins

It is very important for a kid to have playmates during childhood. When we were young, I do remember playing with friends in the rubber plantations.



This is Daryl. My brother's son. Jay is copying whatever he does.




This is something that they have fun, talk about it and this is where the bonding starts. If not better plan to have at least 2 kids so that the elder won't get too lonely.




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Science Centre

For a two year old kid, Jay probably still won't understand how things work, what is mathematics and so on. But there are things inside the science centre that interest him. For example, those green buttons that you press and things happen.

That is curiosity that once a while you need to build. Furthurmore there is a small water park that Jay may enjoy for a hot afternoon sun.



This is the second visit for Jay. And he has express interest in several kind of exibits. I have signed up 2 years plan for Jay and his cousins from Malaysia.

It's a fun place to visit. I give an 4 out of 5 for this.

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Jay & the Shin Kanshien (新干线)

Last year, we brought Jay to Japan. It was his very first oversea trip. Everything was a first for him, including the bullet train.



Ever since, Jay felt in love with train. So you start to buy books about train, bring him to sit MRT, show him the Thomas & Friends.

But what I found the most useful is to replay the home video of our Japan trip over and over again to him. Now, he not only remembered the trip, he remember who we went with, he remember the plane, the train, the fun things, miso soup.

Remember last time, we could only remember our past thru 4R photos. Now, the kids are more lucky, as home video recorded every single moment. Especially those that has been edited with captions and coupled with wonderful music.

Tips to make your child remember the trip...
1. Select places that will interest him. I don't think Bangkok or Bali will interest him. Find those countries that has relevent things to him.
2. Bring along a camera and a camcorder. Spend some money on it. High quality photos and video helps you to remember more clearly.
3. You gotto have a Mac to edit the pictures and video. I strongly recommend iMovie and iPhotos and iTunes and iDVD. It makes your life easier.
4. Then I recommend AppleTV so that you can replay it over and over again on your TV.
5. Lastly put all your hearts in it to produce the video.
6. Don't forget to give grandfolks a copy.

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Jay & the Grandpa

It was somehow very strange, when Jay was born until 1.5 years old, Jay still refuse to call 阿公 (ah Gong).  By then, he can call PaPa (爸爸）, MaMa （妈妈）, PoPo (婆婆）or Ah Ma (阿嬷) and Nai-Nai (奶奶) as expected.  But he simply cannot pronounce ah Gong!

One fine day, out from Jay's mouth was the word "Gong Gong", as he knocked his head on to the table, and said "PaPa, Jay Jay head Gong Gong, Table..."  His Gong-Gong means Pain.  So, I decided to train and make him say "ah Gong" as he already know how to pronounce "Gong Gong".  So, pick up a photo or video that has Grandpa in it, and always use our hand to touch our head and shout "Gong Gong"... as if, if you see this man (Grandpa, your head will pain)... hahaha... and it works...

The next trip when Grandpa came to our house, Jay automatically put his hand on the head and shout "Gong Gong"... And a big smile on Grandpa head...  This is better than nothing... hahahha

Jay & the Chopsticks

It is very important for a Chinese toddler to learn how to use a chopstick. It is not easy to train, but we have to use our best efforts to train our boy to learn this traditional arts.

Today, we are very proud of Jay as he knows how to ask for chopsticks to eat noodles, kuay tew, and use the chopstick to pick up the meat, fishballs, etc. He started this since he turns 2 years old (last October).

The mommy saw this training chopsticks from Combi, and bought it. And ever since then, we trained Jay Jay to use chopstick. 

Well, it is not that you ask Jay to use, he would listen, you have to spent some times and some patient too... Here is the drill...

1. Best start with friend bee hoon. Don't cut the bee hoon.
   
2. Every time we eat we use chopstick. And when we do, we show Jay Jay the wonderful things you can do with chopstick, pick up a piece of food on the table, pick up his finger and pretend eating the finger.
   
3. Introduce "Copy Cat" concept. Do an action, and let him follow. then say "Copy Cat".
   
4. Soon, after a few weeks, he felt fun to "copy" every action that you do, and you award him with the "copy cat" title.
   
5. The Combi training chopsticks is the only chopsticks that I see on the market.
   
6. Take note that, up until now, Jay is holding the chopsticks the other way. (like holding a torch light or knife). But he is able to pick up a fish ball using this way. So be it, let him use his own way to use the chopstick. The first step is to provide him the concept.  He will change the style once he found that he is wrong in future. So there is no hurry to change him. I actually prevent the mommy to correct him. This is very important.
   

And now, from time to time, you notice that he is trying to correct his way of holding the chopstick. So, that is kind of success already.

Jay First Hair Cut by Stylist

All the while, Boon Ching was giving Jay the not so skillful hair cut... and his hair looks ugly most of the time. Ha Ha Ha Ha...

Today, we decided to bring Jay for a hair cut, and it was a total success. I have seen so many failure case where the kid were crying and moving here and there, etc etc. Here are some personal tips and hope that it can give your kids a happy hair cut...

Here are the steps and preparations...

1. Prepare your kid a week before. Tell him, Daddy, Mommy and him is going for a hair cut. 
   
2. Every day remind him about the hair cut. It goes like this... "First, uncle Alvin (the stylist's name) is going to cut PaPa hair. Then, you watch, how uncle Alvin cut PaPa hair. Then it's Jay Jay's turn. Then followed by Mommy.
   
3. On the actual day, don't forget to bring along his favourite movie & iPhone (or iPod Touch).
   
4. First, you sit down, and let the stylist cut your hair, keep asking him to come and watch.  So, he will see the whole process. Wash hair, blow hair, cut hair, wash hair, blow hair,  comb hair... etc. Make it like a fun thing to do.
   
5. Later, you ask him to sit down and you turn on the Video for him to watch. Ask him to sit quietly there, and watch the movie, (in this case, the baby einstein series). And remind him not to move.
   
6. Things you can do is to take camera to start taking pictures. and keep reminding not to move around.
   
7. Other things you can do is to keep talking and say "wow... it is a handsome boy, good looking hair cut, ... " make him feel good.
   
8. And after 10 minutes, Jay stood there, watch in the mirror, watch the movie, and finally, a handsome hair cut...
   
9. When you sent him to school on Monday, don't forget to tell the teacher in front of him, and praise him very good and have nice hair cut.
   

I think it is very important to let the kid to understand and see the process before you push him to the chair. So that he is not afraid, and he is well prepare for the hair cut. I think once you got it first time successfully cut his hair. The following times will be very smooth.

Also, forget about the Toy R Us hair saloon, which charge $30-$45 for kid hair cut. Just 
bring him to the one that you always go. For me, ours cost $15 only. And Alvin really did a fantastic job!