Christy @ Kidsrsimple, Author at Kids 'R' Simple

Counting Down to PSLE from a Laid-Back Mum’s Perspective

It is 9 days to PSLE as I am typing now. While many parents out there are pushing their PSLE kids hard for the final 100m on this marathon run, I have decided to stay off the track and be a spectator, but not without conscious effort to be hands-off.

I was like many, counting down the number of days left and ensuring reasonable number of hours of revision put in for each day. However, when school homework took my girl much time and suddenly our planned revision seemed to be put on hold, my girl panicked a little. I panicked a little too but I told her school homework comes first and it is also a revision on its own anyway. Then when weekends come, we expected more hours put in for revision. It did not happen. Missy slept till 11am even though the night before she slept at 10pm. She started her homework for an hour, took lunch, and resumed for 2 more hours before asking to join her younger siblings for a swim.

I knew she could have all the freedom she want when PSLE is over and told her she would not go. Of course she protested. Then my hub reminded me that there is a limit in what one can absorb for the day. I told him she only had 3 hours of revision on a weekend and if she skipped swimming, she could have at least completed one paper! After deliberating for a while, I relented. And that’s when I decided I had better switch back to my laid-back mode.

I was brought back to what I believe all along, not to place too much emphasis on PSLE. I got carried away trying to help Missy achieve her dream school which has a really high cut off point. I was affected by her disappointment when she did not get into that school via DSA. I thought I could help her achieve it judging from her big jump in grades in prelims. I thought perhaps by pushing just that little bit more, she may get into that school that she wants.

But, what really matters to a 12 yo child and her precious 13-16 years of age? Isn’t Secondary School a place of fond memories, a place where we meet our BFFs, a place we giggled and have fun with our peers, a place where after 20 years later, we are still touched by our school song? Is getting into a good school really, really THAT important? Wouldn’t academic ability mismatch demoralise our teen in those supposedly fun teen years? Wouldn’t an unsuitable Secondary School wipe off the smiles from our teen’s face? Does being clad in a top school uniform all that glamorous but without joy? Why are we aiming and placing high emphasis to get into a GOOD School?

Of course, if our child breezes through PSLE and his/her ability is up to the level that he/she does not struggle in a GOOD School, we should congratulate our child and be happy for him/her. But if our child is at a borderline, scrapping through the entry into THAT GOOD SCHOOL, perhaps, we are secretly worrying and hoping for the best. With such thoughts which brought me back to what I had initially set off the PSLE year to be from a mum with NO expectations, I encouraged Missy to do her best, and come what may, we shall choose a Secondary School that suits her. Hopefully, one that will groom her in her talents and one that she enjoys.

“Suits” is the right word and that sets our mindset for the remaining 9 days to PSLE.

Missy, I will be there to celebrate with you on the last day of your paper. I will be there to celebrate on the day of PSLE results release. No matter what results are shown on that slip of paper, we will still be proud of you! You have worked so hard and all that matters now and in future is the smile on your face, your laughter and exciting journey to forge good friendship and enjoy your best teen years. You are our pride and joy! All the best for your PSLE! We love you 🙂

My CoolSculpting Results Of My Thighs

Slimming is a nervous business. I was nervous when I decided to entrust my slimming journey to Halley Medical Aesthetics (I have not walked into an aesthetics clinic before!). I was nervous on my first visit of consultation due to shyness. And I was even more nervous on my last review to see the verdict!

But I really shouldn’t be because I can already feel the awesome effects of the CoolSculpting by Zeltiq before my last review was up! But still, there is always the element of anxiety on what the doctor will have to say.

If you have not been following my CoolSculpting journey, you may read my first consultation with Dr Terence Tan and what to expect on the CoolSculpting day.

A recap on what is CoolSculpting:

CoolSculpting by Zeltiq is a treatment to reduce stubborn fat bulges that may not respond to diet or exercise. It freezes and eliminates stubborn fat by delivering precisely controlled cooling to gently and effectively target the fat cells underneath the skin. These treated fat cells are crystallised (frozen), and then die.

Over time, your body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells, leaving a more sculpted silhouette. Further, the sub-zero freezing does not damage the skin or surrounding tissue. The CoolSculpting effects are long term as the treated fat cells are gone for good. It takes as early as 3 weeks and mostly around 3-6 months to see the full slimming effect.

What happened after just 1 and only session of CoolSculpting?

First month

There was no obvious visual change in the appearance of my thighs after the first month. But I could feel that my jeans were slightly looser.

Then, there was a gradual transformation of my thighs from first to fourth month that increases my confidence by the weeks!

Now, I must add that the transformation that was happening has to be complemented by a healthy diet. Remember? I mentioned before that CoolSculpting has nothing to do with weight loss? It is to sculpt a slimmer silhouette.

There is no point to binge and consume calories freely while expecting that you maintain slimmer thighs. If you eat unhealthily and excessively, the fat cells grow in size and you will look bigger size. And these fat cells will reduce in size if you choose healthier eating options. I truly believe in the effectiveness of the Active Slim Programme that Dr Terence Tan prescribed for me. The nutritionist, Jean Tong, educated me on what constitutes to a healthy and sustainable diet. Without gaining knowledge on the right diet, I would not be able to see the positive results on the 4th month!

4 months later

I measured my thighs immediately when I came home on the day of CoolSculpting session. They measured 24 inches each. 4 months later, the measuring tape showed 21 inches. Whoa! That’s 3 inches or 8cm off each of my thighs! No wonder I can now slipped into my jeans so easily! My legs look better with shorts and dresses. And that is just my thighs.

After going through Active Slim Programme, I start choosing less calories options and reduce to occasional snacking for these months, my muffin tops are gone too! I have to put on belts to hold on my shorts as instead of squeezing out fats on the sides of my waist, they now slip to my hips! I really feel that I have got back my slimmer body that was forgotten with child-bearing years! To one ex-colleague, I replied when he commented that I looked slimmer, “You are just looking at the same me 10 years ago!”

I went back for a review session with Dr Terence Tan at the end of the 4th month. We went through our before and after photos together.

If you noticed, the After photos were taken slightly close up, nevertheless, you are able to spot the bigger thigh gap in the inner thigh, as well as, less bulge at the outer thighs.

If there is one thing that I regret, it must be not going to Halley Medical Aesthetics early enough. Now, friends remarked that I have slimmed down and some commented that I looked prettier than before. I guess my looks still stay the same, it is the confidence which exudes when I carry myself in a slimmer and lighter body that makes the glow.

Walking out from Halley Medical Aesthetics Clinic 4 months later, I regain the confidence of my self-image. Shopping for clothes now is a happy experience. I am also not afraid to stand near the camera when taking wefies! What I am going to do from now, is to maintain my healthy eating habits and exercise regularly to keep my figure and health in shape!

Join me on my CoolSculpting Journey with the below posts!

1) Achieving Slimmer Thighs With CoolSculpting at Halley Medical Aesthetics

2) My CoolSculpting Journey – What to Expect on Day of Treatment at Halley Medical Aesthetics

3) Active Slim Program – Losing Weight by Nutritional Counseling at Halley Medical Aesthetics

277 Orchard Road #03-15
Orchard Gateway Singapore 238858
T: 6737 8233
halley.com.sg
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Song-Cho Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker – Busy Mum’s Saviour

Tell you what. I may be maidless soon by choice. Well, as what a good friend advises, I shall need good appliances in the house to help do the work in half the time to free my precious time after work for the kids. Cooking is certainly one of the areas that I will need good appliances. As a FTWM, I want to be home to cook in time and allow the family to have hot soup everyday. So how to make it happen? I discovered that the Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker by Song-Cho can cook soup in 1/8 of the usual time needed! Yes, just 1/8 of the time! Unbelievable, isn’t it?

Tell you what. I may be maidless soon by choice. To prepare the busy days ahead, I shall need good appliances in the house to help me do the work in half the time so as to free up more time for the kids. Cooking is certainly one of the areas that I will need good appliances. As a FTWM, I want to be home to whip up dinner in time and allow the family to have hot soup everyday. So how to make it happen? I discovered that the Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker by Song-Cho can cook soup in 1/8 of the usual time needed! Yes, just 1/8 of the time! Unbelievable, isn’t it?

I used to have the fear that Pressure Cooker may explode if not handled properly. Hence, I have never dared to try using one. But after attending one of Song-Cho cooking demonstration, I learnt that the Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker has 5 safety features to keep the user safe, namely the handle lock, filter, balancing weight, and 2 safety valves. That gives me a peace of mind.

Here is what I normally do when I cook my favourite ABC Soup (Corn, Carrot, Potato):

1. Prepare the ingredients
2. Fill up water to the minimum level (or Bean Level) or more depending on how much soup you wish to cook
3. Put in all ingredients, be careful that the total water level does not exceed maximum level
– Close the lid by sliding the handle lock inwards and matching the lid’s arrow with the pot’s arrow
– Slide the handle lock outwards to reveal the Safety Valve
– Place the balancing weight upright
4. Turn on fire to high
5. When the balancing weight starts to shake and some noise is heard, turn down the fire to low for 10-15 minutes
6. After 10-15 minutes, turn off fire
– Wait till the Safety Valve comes down at the handle lock, this may take more than 15 minutes depending on the contents in the cooker
– Once the Safety Valve drops, open the lid and remove the lid upwards (Here the Safety Valve protects the user from opening the lid prematurely. Without dropping, user will not be able to open the lid.)
7. Add salt and serve

To be exact, the total cooking time using the Magic Quick Cook has to add on the time to start to heat up till balancing weight starts to shake + 1/8 cooking time (eg. 10-15 minutes the usual recipe recommended time using normal cooker) + time for Pressure to release fully. This can take about an hour depending on the volume and contents in the cooker. So it isn’t really just about cooking 15 minutes from start till end. So far, we have been using the Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker to cook soup daily. It saves us time and saves gas consumption because we do not need to turn on the gas stove for full 1.5 – 2 hours and we do not need to watch out for spills.

With the Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker that can cook in such a short time, we can have last minute cooking and still able to serve up yummy soup. One of my favourite desserts is Red Bean Soup. For those who have tried cooking Red Beans will know that it takes a long time to cook till the beans are soft and paste-like consistency. Now that I have this Magic Quick Cook, I only need to 15 minutes cooking time to have soft red beans!

As we love to host dinners to family and friends, we have the 8L Magic Quick Cook to cook enough for everybody. If you are only cooking for just your family, a 6L Magic Quick Cook will suffice.

How much is a Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker?

8L Magic Quick Cook – S$262.40
6L Magic Quick COok – S$238.40
With every Magic Quick Cook purchase, you will get a free stainless steel powder, trivet & glass lid that you can use for reheating the soup + Free Cooking Class

Eco Clean Oil Dissolver – another Busy Mum’s Saviour!

This Eco Clean Oil Dissolver is really awesome! You have to try it to believe how effective it removes oil residue! It saves water, saves time, saves your hands from harsh dish washing chemicals. Just a few sprays (2-5 sprays) directly on your oily wok or pan or pot, then use a sponge, cloth or paper towel to lightly scrub the crockery, rinse with water and you will not feel a single bit of oiliness! It is as simple and amazing as that!

The Eco Cleaner is sold in 250ml which is really a small handy bottle. I would have thought that it will be used up in no time and I even wondered why they do not come in big sizes. However, seeing how little of it is used everyday to clean my wok and pans, I have been using it for close to 2 months, and there is still half a bottle left!

I have 2 bottles to giveaway with compliments of Song-Cho! You have to try it yourself to believe what I said! I bet you will be returning to buy more bottles after that!

Head on over to my IG @kidsrsimple and FB page to participate! The giveaway ends on 3 Sep 2359!

More information:

Song-Cho are having some ongoing promotions which you can find in store as well as online, including:

1) Ideal Wok @ $148 –> Bundle deal with Induction Cooker (UP $128) = $276 (saves $38) + Free Cooking Class

2) Magic Quick Cook (6L $238.40 & 8L $262.40) –> With every Magic Quick Cook purchase, free stainless steel powder, trivet & glass lid + Free Cooking Class

3) Soup Maker @ $199 –> With every purchase of Soup Maker, free Dessert Maker (SC-FDM01) + Free Cooking Class.

4) Bread Maker promotion price @ $99 wef 01 July 2017 + Free Cooking Class.

Meanwhile, you might like to read reviews of other Song-Cho products (some posts are coming soon):

Ilovedefamily – Rice Cooker
Mummy Ed – Ideal Wok
DinoMama – Magic Quick Cook 6L
Universal Scribbles – Bread Maker
Xavvy-licious – Soup Maker

Disclaimer: Thanks to Song-Cho, I received an 8L Magic Quick Cook Pressure Cooker for the purpose of this review, and have a chance to attend their cooking demo and witness how effective good kitchen appliances can help save time tremendously and make cooking seem so much easier!

Shape Run 2017 – Fun to Run as a Family

This is the first time we are running Shape Run and as a family of 5 in the 1.8km category. And perhaps the last family run that I can sign up Missy as a child. Kids grow up so fast! Kids size shoes do not fit her anymore too! I hope that regardless whether my children are running as Child or Adult, our family can keep up running together for as long as possible.

Shape Run is an all-women run event, so it was kinda interesting to see Daddies and Sons running too! Well, they were running in the 1.8km family run. The Shape Run official run tee-shirt is in pink and comes with a grey crop top. While we were wondering if the male runners would be wearing pink, we were glad to receive a lovely blue version for all of us instead.

On the morning of Shape Run, we were all up and about by 7am, well, most of us. Interestingly, Master 5, who is usually the earliest riser in the family, always chooses to sleep in on days we need to wake up early. Despite all the buzz in the house, he stirred lightly and continued sleeping. What we usually do is to do whatever we need to get ready and wake him up 10 minutes before we leave the house.

Shape Run was held at the Kallang Practice Track. It took us a while to search for the Start Pen entrance to realise that we came from the opposite direction. We saw the Start banner and quickened our pace to wherever the entry to the Start Pen was. We spotted a few blogger families wearing the same blue tee-shirts as us and that made it easy to spot if we were heading the right direction. However, seeing that the race was going to start in a couple of minutes, and the entrance was no where near, we decided to climb over the barricades. Not exactly a nice thing to do, but it was the easiest thing to do with children in tow. The kids found it fun though.

We had a little time to take some pictures with the Skechers Shoe Mascot before the race and did a little warm up.

Soon, the loud buzz was heard to flag the race, and all families leisurely crossed the start line. As I had sprained my ankle badly a month ago, I could only walk the entire 1.8km. My sprained ankle caused me to miss a few favourite run events this year to my great disappointment, and this family run of a short distance is the best I could managed for now. So, while I walked, my elder kids ran ahead, stopping only to wait for each other. My hub ran with the youngest and to my surprise, he did not even once asked the Daddy to carry him. It would be quite different if I were to run with him. It must be a Mummy’s boy thingy.

When I made it to the finishing line quite some time after the rest completed the race, my elder kids told me that 1.8km seemed surprisingly short compared to the NAPFA 1.6km run. They did not feel a single bit tired. All thanks to the amazingly light-weight Skechers Shoes that they were wearing on their feet. Missy told me that with her Go-Run 5 Skechers shoes, she felt her feet were light and could cover the distance effortlessly. That’s what I felt as well, I could walk slightly faster than usual and even attempted to run a few steps to test out my ankle’s recovery. Apparently, I did not feel any pain wearing the good support shoes. The shoes did give me some false hope of resuming my Mizuno Ekiden the next weekend. But of course, Ekiden is a totally different ball game.

Having good company made the run event more fun. We were happy to run with the cousins together (yes, you spotted correctly! The 3 cheerful kids of Summer from A Happy Mum), although at different speeds, and gathered again at the race village to play. It takes very minimal play toys to have fun when the kids are together. Balloons can keep them playing for hours. So can trampoline, if not for a photo-taking queue, they could jump for hours too.

It was easy to take family photos as well. We could help each other take photos instead of doing we-fies. And take unique pictures like this (with help from others of course)! Spot all our colourful Skechers Shoes!

After the run and numerous photo-taking fun, we headed on to eat breakfast together. While I was thinking of my favourite Mac Donald’s at Kallang, a place I frequented during my Secondary School days with friends, both the hubs preferred Hawker Centre instead. Sometimes, I think my hub is like an old uncle who favours hawker and Chinese food anytime over restaurants and Western. Nevertheless, the kids were happy with whichever choice of breakfast place as long as they got to eat together and prolong their bonding time with their cousins. I can’t be happier with such strong ties. Hope they will grow up as close as ever.

Now that we have experienced our Skechers Shoes and tested the suitability for runs, you bet we will be running in them again in our next run event. If you are wondering how comfortable they are, check out Skechers shoes in any outlets in Singapore to try on them yourself 🙂

Disclaimer: We were happy to be invited to Shape Run and have our running shoes kindly provided by Skechers Singapore.

Cosentino in Singapore – Highly Entertaining Magic Show!

When I told my kids that we were going to watch Cosentino, they gave out a scream of joy! Whoa! I probably could not have made them so happy if I told them we were watching any other shows. To my No. 2, he is a great fan of magic and has always wanted to learn a few magic tricks to perform for anyone to see. This show, I was 100% sure, will have him glued with full attention from start till end!

The moment the curtains were unveiled, I found myself moving my body forward to ensure my eyes would not miss any possible magic tricks. While we were watching the captivating magician, Paul Cosentino, the Australian illusionist and escapologist, perform his magic, our minds were full of questions and attempts to see if there were any loopholes in the tricks! Were the good dance moves by Cosentino and his pretty assistants distractions to divert attention from possible hideaways? Was there shadows behind the cloth? Was there a secret side to the wooden box that allow the magician to escape? True to the title of International Magician of the Year, there was no loopholes that our eyes could catch!

He performed a few classic illusions, street magic and thrilling death-defying escapes. One of which impressed me the most is the speed at which he switched bodies with his assistant trapped in the wooden box. That was really amazing!

A good performer really requires engagement with the audience which Cosentino did perfectly well. He engaged a good mix of audience, men, women, couple, and even a young boy. I must say the young boy is a lucky chap whom I am sure my elder son was secretly wishing he was the one on stage. The boy had a chance to ride a helicopter and won himself a magic trick set from Cosentino. I guess I am revealing a little too much! You really have to watch the show yourself to be as impressed as we were!

The last part of his performance was an escape from underwater through unlocking chains, shackles and handcuffs. It was breathless watching his attempt to break free and holding his breath for minutes. The audience was quiet when he took some moments to get ready his state of mind before he went underwater. Everyone applauded the moment he broke out of the tank! He had previously performed live in the Melbourne aquarium, sunk into the bottom of the main tank, surrounded by rays and sharks. The dare-devil indeed challenge himself to limits to bring entertainment to everyone!

While writing this post, I had done some research online and read that he has a autobiography that is really motivating and inspiring for him to get to where he is today. I saw the book in the shop after the show and if I had known, I would have bought a copy! Nevertheless, my son, like many children that night, asked if he could have a magic trick set. Almost without hesitation, I knew I would agree and the Dad paid for it without a second word 🙂

Cosentino is currently showing at Mastercards Theatres at Marina Bay Sands from 17 Aug till 27 Aug 2017. There are only 8 shows, and we were lucky to catch the Saturday 8pm show. The show is suitable for all ages and children above 3 will need a ticket.

Cosentino: Anything is Possible
Season: From 17 August 2017
Venue: Mastercard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands
Performance Times:
Thursday, 17 & 24 August – 8PM
Friday, 18 & 24 August – 8PM
Saturday, 19 & 26 August – 2PM & 8PM
Sunday, 20 & 27 August – 1PM & 6:30PM

Ticket Prices:
Cat 1, VIP – SGD145
Cat 2, A Reserve – SGD150
Cat 3, B Reserve – SGD95
Cat 4, C Reserve – SGD75
Cat 5, D Reserve – SGD45
*Excludes booking fee of SGD4 per ticket
For bookings via:
Internet: www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing or www.sistic.com.sg
Phone: +65 6688 8826
In-person at: Marina Bay Sands Box Office (Museum, Theatres, SkyPark, Retail Mall and Hotel Tower 1 Lobby).
For more information please log onto: www.MarinaBaySands.com/ticketing

Disclaimer: Thanks to Base Entertainment Asia for the kind invitation to watch the amazing performance. We truly enjoy ourselves! If you are thinking of bringing your kids to watch a performance, Cosentino is highly recommended, especially, with verdict from my kids! Cosentino Photos with courtesy by Base Entertainment Asia.