New Facelift For so-sweetcloset

Yes...today I have just applied for a new design for this blog, so-sweetcloset. (*only for those who have visited or followed my blog may alert of the change) Actually I like the old design alot but it no longer fits my blog. The new design gives a fresh and clean look here.

6 months ago, I just resigned a 9to5 job to become a full-time mother. Also, I am operating online selling business in small scale but also trying to take over family business. I have to adapt myself to the new challenges and new schedules. Same to my family, my husband and our 2 y.o boy. Am I too ambitious? Or selfish? It's quite complicated to tell my new status. At first, I thought I could spare more time to look after my boy with the new roles. After 6 months, I realise that I need to reposition myself amongst the roles I'm doing.. yes, before I lost.

1st Role: 24h Mother to my beloved boy
I have to say "sorry again" to my boy because I'm not able to look after him around the clock. I need to focus on the family business soon. But I'm feeling better that I've the flexibility to fulfill certain tasks in my boy's daily life. Like we can have breakfast together and I can fetch him to/from kindergarten later.

2nd Role: Online selling business
In May, I have switched the Sale of remaining children stocks to the hottest network - Facebook under account of "oneplusone-maternity@live.com". We will keep our passions in promoting eco-baby products like Glass bottle and Cloth diaper. Think GREEN if you have options.

3rd Role: Small family business
It's never been so easy to take over a business which runs for 20+ years. It's unlike studying the economy or accounting... then I can handle it. The most challenging part is how to get familiar with the human network, ie the suppliers (small or big), the customers and also the competitors. Just lucky that I get a chance to learn with my parents. So I need to devote greater effort and time as to sail it alone one day.

4th Role: Blog-a-Mum
I definitely will spare time to continue my first and only blog. so-sweetcloset is like a diary of my parenting life as well as a keepsake to my toddler when he's grown up. Sharing with you about my thoughts and my experiences and my materials on bringing up a child.

Wish me luck and thank you.

Train My Boy To Speak Bilingual

During our school days, we were trained to learn in multi-languages. I'm so well aware of the hardship I had in accomplishing my tertiary studies at foreign university where English is the only medium. So for me whose mother tongue is Mandarin always have to study harder.

Hence, I have compromised with my hubby as to speak English with our newborn. Yet we don't give up mother tongue - Mandarin. Our parents and people surrounding our baby are speaking of it. We glad that we could expose our baby to a bilingual environment as early as. Now he's picking up both languages quite well.

1st Point: Never mix any two & above languages/dialects in your conversation with your baby.
For example: Baby, 你要watch TV吗？(Translate: do you want to watch TV?)
Our method: My hubby and I analyse the main speakers surrounding our baby (include his family, my family and the babysitter). We understand that our baby will be exposed to "Mandarin" the most. As such, we both decide to converse in English (though it's not our 1st language) to him whilst others speak other languages with him.

2nd Point: Be consistent. Stick to one language or one dialect from the 1st day you speak with your baby.
For example: You speak only in English with your baby in private. When involving others (your mom/babysitter/friends), you may use other language/dialect spoken with them to your baby. Avoid this situation as much as possible as not to confuse your baby's recognition of language.
Our method: Similar to the 1st point. We remain using English as the medium of conversation with our boy since he's born. No matter where and when. Not shy to speak up even though we are not so fluent in English.

3rd Point: Speak and explain in one language/dialect. No need to translate what you speak of (include reading).
For example: Baby, this is an apple. 这是一颗苹果。
Our method: We speak and read to him in English. We explain the meaning/object in English too. Either we use body action to describe the words like running, crying.. or we show him the picture/real object like apple, tummy, water. We notice that young child is able to match the same words/phrases in different languages. Like he will tell my mum "Ja-Ja, 我要踏脚车" then turn to me and say "Mummy, I want to ride bicycle".

4th Point: Correct/guide your baby to use the same language which you speak with him/her.
Sometimes, we have to correct our boy when he mixes the languages in his conversation. For example, he says "Mummy, 我要go to park". (I want to go to park)
Our method: We'd ask him to repeat his sentence by hinting the first word "I.." then he'll respond "I want to go to park". With more and more practices, we believe that our boy can pick up both languages smoothly.

Says "No" To E-games

In my previous post, I commented about the use of i-book for my boy. Worried if he will lose interest in books. However, it's hard to avoid electronic impact in our current daily lifestyle. Like myself, I always online to write blog and go to Facebook. My boy can tell "computer","handphone" and "remote controller" which I don't think I'd know such things during my time. Even some of the kids I know have their private email accounts and many have registered with Facebook as well. Hence, I really need to monitor my usage of internet at my boy's sight.

Electronic games are very popular amongst the young kids like Game boy or PSP, Playstation and Wii. Many parents reward their kids for good academic performances; some parents buy these for entertainment. With more and more new inventions, I'm very scared that my tot will indulge in the E-world before he attends school. I really miss the childhood time I had with my siblings and neighbours. On windy days, we played kites in the field; on rainy days, we went to find the tadpoles in the drains (after rain).

For my 2 y.o boy, we only can play at indoor. So I need to invent some games to play with him and make him happy. These days, we enjoy throwing balls into basket. During playtime, I instill simple rules for him: (1) queue behind me after his turn (2) take turns to throw. An experienced mum advised me to rotate different types of 'Play n Learn' materials. New things can challenge and inspire children learning spirit. Just lucky that I got many used stuffs from my sister-in-laws. (see one at right) Slowly I take one out for my boy to play. Wished I could delay my boy in making his commitment to E-generation.

Book Review: Dr.Suess's ABC

Book Review # 4: Dr.Seuss's ABC (An Amazing Alphabet Book)

I have bought few titles from Dr.Seuss's collection. Included this one. But I still haven't read it to my 2y.o boy because I think he's still young to adapt the "amazing part" of this book. In this book, you can find many weird animals (not seen in the real world) with funny/silly names. Really amazing... Nevertheless, the author is brilliant to write the playful sentences which create tongue-twisted fun as well as to attract the young readers with his wild n crazy drawings. Definitely I want to read it to my boy when he grows older (ie 4 y.o).

Never expected that his daddy has downloaded an i-book app from Mac-Apple (for iphone or ipad). No doubt that my boy was so attracted to view the i-book version of "Dr.Seuss ABC". I-book can be viewed via 3 different options, "Read-to-me", "Read-it-myself" and "Auto-play". For my boy, he was delighted because of the "touch" effect which can play "sounds"... which he can't get it from the normal book. But it aroused his interest to read this book.

Last night, my boy wanted his daddy to read this book. So his daddy held the book but my boy who sat on his lap was moving his index finger on the pages... then asked "why no sound?". Hilarious... (I looked at my hubby -- his i-book's fault) My hubby entertained his little boy and said "you point it again".. once my boy point at an image or a sentence, my hubby will read.. as if using "Read-it-myself" @ i-book. But there's a little argument arisen with 1st alphabet.
His daddy read: Aunt Annie's Alligator..
My boy said: Ooi.... crocodile! (point to the picture, see left)
His daddy repeated: Alligator. It's alligator.
My boy opposed: No, crocodile!
I explained: Crocodile and alligator look "same". (how to explain?)
My boy finally said: Aunt Annie's Alligator Crocodile. (haha, agreed to me?)
I decided to continue reading this book to him (not to wait till 4 y.o). I like how the book conveys uppercase and lowercase letters and produces the fun words in rhyme.

Explore Fun During School Holidays

Haha.. my boy hasn't attended a full time pre-school programme. So for him, it's a holiday on every day. In fact, he just has a very normal day everyday. Wake up, eat, play, watch TV, take nap, read and sleep... only me and my mom are his companions.

The mid-year school holidays start now. There are many holiday programs held at the major shopping malls. I think my 2y.o boy could take part in some of the programs. Let's go.

1) Pavilion Kuala Lumpur - Balloon Carnival from 4th June to 15th June
- Free one ride on Hot Air Balloon (indoor) with purchase of RM 200 in single receipt
- Open for children aged 3 to 10 whose weight is below 30kg
Well, my 2.yo boy is not qualified to take a ride on the Hot Air Balloon. But I think he'll be excited to see the colourful balloons and meet the clowns who can make any kinds of art balloons.

2) IKANO Power Centre - Bird Park II from 4th June to 20th June
- Discover & Learn Bird Species, Photo booth, Feeding time, Colouring contest
- Spend RM 100 with any credit cards and bring home with a free goody bag of stationery & gifts
Definitely it's a good chance to educate the young kids about the variety of bird species. I've told my boy that we will bring him to meet the owls at the Bird Park... (hopefully they are there as seen in the ad)

Hope my boy could explore fun like the other school kids from these holiday programs. Happy School Holidays!!

My Boy Has A Bag: DPAM's Rhino Backpack

It's a good idea to let a toddler have his/her own bag. For my boy, he's happy to carry his own bag - a children backpack. By carrying a bag, he is trained to take a responsibility to look after the bag on his own (and the contents inside it). Not to weight too much on his shoulder, normally I put one book, one piece diaper, one water bottle and one piece of handkerchief. I will tell him to carry his little backpack when we are going for occasions or shopping. Sometimes he will ask for his backpack if he sees me holding a nice bag or sees us dressing so formal.

I just introduced this french brand - DPAM (Du Pareil Au Meme) in my previous post. I bought a DPAM's Rhino backpack for my boy last year. I like the design and I think my boy will like it. Yes, he is. See how co-operative he was when I told him that I want to take a picture of his little Rhino's bag.

Home Project 2: The Very Hungry Caterpillar's DIY book

For our 2nd home project, I managed to get some ideas from the website. We made a DIY book based on the same story. Just I use fill-in-the-blank format to do this book. My boy can stick the appropriate image (of the word) to each blank (in fact, the words are printed in shadow). In other hand, the print-out images are in blank for colouring purpose.

1st Step: Type the story and Copy the images. Print out.
2nd Step: Colour the images. (cut out the images for fill-in-the-blank)
3rd Step: Bind the DIY book.

4th Step: Read the DIY book and stick the appropriate image one by one. (see left)
*Have a look at the DIY book's cover & contents via below videoclip:

Besides, this book was featured in his toddler class last week as well as a topic for the art project (see right-the beautiful butterfly). While his teacher holds up the big book version, he happily pointed the book to me and said "Mommy, caterpillar book, I have this in the house". His teacher also surprised that he could name many such as caterpillar, strawberries, oranges, cocoon and butterfly. I'd just say: Good job.