Saturday, March 11, 2023

Finding the 'Lost' Me

 Little I knew how much I missed doing things that I had enjoyed doing in my life. I was so engrossed chasing, fighting, wasting all matters that didnt even matter. Can I get back all that lost? Never. Past few years was like living in a dream. What differs it wasnt a dream but a reality. Looking back, I wish I had done it better, of course but there is no point crying over spilt milk. I miss expressing emotions, thoughts, opinions, views. I missed to realise that writing is a form of 'mind detox' which I often indulge. Wandering in my own world, finding solace in every words that I write, crafting life stories, chanelling energy.

Recently I stumbled upon a book 'Man's Search For Meaning' by Viktor E.Frankl. It was given by a dear friend, someone whom I would not imagine to be my friend, whom appeared in a weirdest way, but yet a friendship I would treasure forever. Quoting one of Viktor E.Frankl's quote which says “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

It is the time we allocate for ourselves that matters the most. As such as we do not want to do it, but, it is important to realise how desperately we need it. No one would be able to do it for you, except yourself. What it takes is the courage to make changes. The only control you have is yourself, as you can't change people nor you can make them change for you. Hard to accept, but this is the reality we have to face. Lets learn to embrace the truth that only me, me and me is needed to survive. 

Happiness in a cup of coffee


Sunday, January 29, 2023

The Demon & Angel

The demon inside me demands a lot of things recently. However, there is also an angel. While I'm finding it hard to listen in balancing manner, I'm more inclined towards the demon. As people say having negative thoughts tend to attract negative things. I should rather say ideally the demon should be kicked out of my mind but I'm just a normal human being. I do not know how to do that or rather to control it. 

The angel says ignore everything around you. Let go all the burdens which have been sitting on your shoulder for so long. It is important for self healing. Do you want to focus on yourself or others? Angel also says there is no such things as expectations. It only creates pain, miseries and sufferings. Accept the reality that peace comes when do you expect nothing from others. Detachment is necessary. While this is completely true, as I said I'm just a normal human being (It would have been so much easier if I was made as a robot).

Having saying that, no one can run away from reality. Even though we do not want it, or think about it, nothing can be done to ignore it. Rather, painfully swallow it as though it is one bitter pill. A better way is to trick the mind to give some things to focus and ponder upon. Of course, it is hard said than done. But, most of the time, or maybe all the time, the greatest influence is none than other but ourselves, our dearest twin who is born and will die together. Over time, we, painfully learn many life lessons, making us wiser and wiser. We will talk less, think more and sometimes keep silent knowing it is just merely waste of time and effort.

While life journey continues, we shall say bring it on to me - whatever it is, I'm ready to face you.

~ When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves - Viktor E.Frankl

Just one flower is sufficient to bring 
joy to the entire plant


Saturday, December 31, 2022

The last day of 2022 - Reflection

 I guess it is a perfect time today, now, to reflect a year in history. What I have done as 365 days went by? One thing for sure, there was a change in mindset, I would say something that came about not voluntarily for sure, but somehow "forced". We humans tend to be too confortable in our own cocoons, don't we? We love the routine activities so much that it consumes you over time and we forget to change. Of course, sometimes change is triggered voluntarily but most of time we do not change unless it is forced. Nevertheless, an attempt to change is good :-)

As for me, I think I have enhanced my level of self-awareness so much, starting from last year, and, it is all for good. For past many years, I had been so engrossed focusing in other people's life that I have forgotten mine, so hence, I have started to reclaim what belongs to me. Even though there had been incidents that sort of tried to steer back into the my old life, but I think so far I have been doing good. The key word is "FOCUS". Never lose your focus on what is the utmost priority to you. Once you have this engraved in your heart and brain, everything else becomes easier to manage.

Reminder to me and also for the coming year would be - only put in energy in what matters most. What is life if there is no negativity? It would not be called life isn't ? Ups and downs, challenges, surrounded by humans with complex minds. Navigating thru all these hurdles would be something that I need to master and come out from it successfully. And what matters the most is myself and nothing else. Hope 2023 brings me a journey of peace, wisdom and accomplishments of self-nurturing.










Saturday, February 13, 2021

Mind, Body and Soul

Everything has got a trigger point. As a human we are so used to of robotic life. A robot does what has been programmed to. Input, process, output. A routine. Life which has been put on auto mode. Morning, afternoon and night. What are the activities in between are commitments towards people around you. Drawn, taken and sucked into web of things. So when do you actually have time for yourself, just you? There is none. Sadly this is the reality.

And it bites you really hard when you are confronted with this truth. Making it worse when you have been thrown with a trigger point that makes you think what have I done to myself? You started to think where have all these years gone? Have I not been thinking of myself? Am I being so busy caring and thinking of others but I forgot about one person that is myself? Have been putting everyone else in front of me in all matters but I did not realize that I'm missing something?

It is like someone taking a pail of water and throwing over your head. Wake up! Where have you been? Look at what you have done to yourself. You have created miseries and inflicted fears and wounds because you forgot about your self. You have lost in a thick and dense jungle. You saw everyone there but you not yourself. You helped everyone to overcome their challenges but you failed in your own race. It takes a long time to realize or even to get a slightest hint of what has transpired over the years. And we are talking about decades.

So, people say everything happens for a reason. It is a trigger point that serves as an indication to tell you to sit and reflect upon yourself. It is cause and effect. Histories, past events would flash in front of you which you wished you can go back and change it. But alas, you don't have a time machine to do it. Regretting upon past actions are useless. Thinking about it is even worst. But there is one good thing came out of it. Realization of truth. Depiction of your mental state. So they say - Mind, Body and Soul. 3 golden words.

Monday, July 6, 2020

Reflection

There is such thing as good time, isn't. Each moment is a good time. This is what life is trying to teach you. But you would not understand that easily, don't you? You are so caught up with your little or big daily stuffs you do each time and you hardly have time to reflect upon yourself. Those days of past 3 years, how would you describe it ? No words. Battles of inner demons. Never ending arguments with self. Pointing finger back to you. Questions were raised, how worthy are you? Then you get into the endless of games of blames. But, it is actually no one to be blamed at the end.

So, even if it was running away from reality, it was a decision which was never regretted even a bit. Going back into the world of education was the best feelings in the whole wide world. Walking past the rows of racks full of books one after another, surrounded by quietness and breath of knowledge is an indescribable feelings. It is like craving for more and more but there is no time. You long for it but you are forbidden to have it. Enjoyed every moment of this. Surrounded by circle of unknowns who later became known, exchange of opinions and advices made you think there is definitely a bigger world out there.

The period of 1.5 years was indeed some kind of nectar. It will be missed forever. As tough you were on express train. You gotta catch it before you miss it. It was a sweet escapade. Brought relief to cluttered mind when you channel the darkness inside you to something worthy. It made you feel worthy too. Probably that was the expectation. To get the answer to the riddle which was tormenting you for years. The puzzle piece which was missing. Even though you know this was not what you are looking for. The end result is face the monsters residing in you. The monsters who would lay out straight the truths inspite knowing all the pains that would be caused.

All the hard work paid off. It was truly an experience which cannot be bought over with money. Memories that would last forever. Trips after work, sacrifices during weekends, these were too expensive not to be mentioned. The outcome is an opened mind to think holistically, ability to face your fears and an option to choose whether you want to spend your time wisely or waste time unnecessarily. Assignments, deadlines, presentations, exams...just amazing, stretches your ability, making the impossible to be possible. At the end, indeed, it was all possible. Make many friends along the way. Few gotten close. Just one thing lacking was time. It flew away too fast. I wasn't allowed to step back and ponder. But it was still fresh in mind. It would stay as good memories forever thats for sure. Maybe I had my time in this phase.

What came next as thunder and lightning pushed you aside. Ain't sure how to describe it. As tough you knew it was coming but you denied it. Maybe you were a coward not to face it. But I decided I had enough. Its ripped apart bit of pieces of my heart. Few incidents followed thru. Seemed like I was in fantasy land. A bubble blowed up in dream. Its just that this time was real. They said life teaches you many lessons. Indeed, it is. Humility, gratefulness, back to basics. Nothing else matters. Life is good to you.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

The Butterfly with Broken Wings

The Butterfly with Broken Wings

She noticed how beautiful she is under the morning Sun 
Blazing rays of lights across her colorful wings 
So delicate that warms her heart 
Small little flutters shakes her little wings 

She sees the bright skies up above her 
They are like soft cottons floating in the air
How she wish she could touch those skies with her wings!
Embracing the freedom she always wanted 
Unlocking the grips, unreleasing the locks 
To meet with unknown adventures which she dares to dream 
She feels so excited suddenly, so energized
To realise the dreams which she always think of
She knows what she wants
As she lifts her wings, it feels so heavy 
Just then she realized, they are broken
Overwhelmed with grief, she mourns 
For the life she once had, the freedom which shaped her identity 
Now it is all futile, her destiny looks hazy
Frozen with fear she remains unperturbed till her fate is decided
As she is the butterfly with broken wings...

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Ipoh - 1st Sept 2017

We decided to do something different this time rather than just sitting home and filling up our stomachs with good home cooked food. Hence, we headed to Ipoh enroute to explore some new places. On the way to Ipoh, we found this interesting place called Gaharu Tea Valley at Gopeng. "HOGA" stands for Holistic Gaharu. Something new where you get to taste tea made of "gaharu" tree barks. Plenty of gaharu trees. Visit the website, you will learn more about it. They have rides to 3 different stations where you can experience standing at view points to see gaharu trees at high up. Nice soothing eye sights to enjoy. "Lover's Park" and "Hugging trees" are the main attractions. There is also a place where you can enjoy Hoga tea for free and purchase other merchandises.




Funtasy House Trick Art located at Market street, busy place located at Ipoh town. Busy with people and plenty of food. Many interesting art work for explorations. The day we went was a public holiday, hence, it was crowded with people. A little patience, you will get to snap pictures and get back your investment.

We went to Gunung Lang Recreational Park, it was equally crowded as well with full occupied parking. I guess it was okay because that gave way to go to next destination to Kellie's castle at Gopeng. Intriguing, fascinating and mysterious place. It brings you back to almost 100 years ago to experience the priceless moments. The unfinished castle, hidden underground tunnels, ghostly balcony where Smith was spotted. Somehow missed the most haunted place - the basement which was supposed to be storing wine bottles. Spiral staircases leading to secret underground tunnel, eerie pathways will make you wonder what Smith was up to long time back. There were elevator shaft which was never installed, quite freaky to see to be honest. This place makes you wish to be transported to the past to witness and experience the greatness. Overall, it was a great trip, castle being the best.

Kinta River


Old Kellas House, ruined by WWII

Kellie's castle, standing high

Underground tunnel ventilation hole

Remnants of old Kellas House


One of the 14 rooms


Spiral staircase





Setting at the living room

Not a place for kids to run around!


~ the end ~

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Chocolate Museum

While thinking that I should try to instill some education senses, I came across this place "Chocolate Museum" located at Kota Damansara. If you don't have much time but yet you want your child to receive some education about how chocolate is produced then this is the place for you.

Entrance is free. Children get to see how the "cocoa trees" and "cocoa beans" look like, background on how chocolate was first discovered, how it was introduced in our country and how it evolved throughout these years. 

You get to see the instruments and machines that were used to process the beans and also a demo on chocolate making! 

The whole tour took less than an hour. It is best if you walk thru with your child (if he/she is patience enough) to cover the entire showcase. At the end, you get to purchase some yummy chocolates. Guess can't escape this part with excited kids waiting to be rewarded. Anyways, it was a good, short trip, recommended for those with school-going kids.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Marina Island, Pangkor

We went to Marina Island Resort located at Lumut for our company event on 4th of August 2016. The official website is here. The trip took around 4 hours (by bus) from Kuala Lumpur. The newly opened jetty to Pangkor island is available, takes just 10 mins to go there (good news for travellers!)

This place not as what the name claims "island" is referred to man-made island. They claim it is the one and only man-made island in Malaysia. One of the attraction here is what called "Wibit" located at Frenzy Water Park. It can be called as water sports with various challenges. 

The room is very spacious with 1 king size bed and another room with 1 single bed. The room adjourns with the bathroom so there is flexibility for travelers.

The hotel's restaurant is called 'Terumbu Cafe'. There were lots of flies when we were there. The food was okay. Surprisingly we did not see any fish dishes. Breakfast varieties was okay too, average rating for food.

The Lumut town is not so far away from this hotel (not a walking distance, you need transport to get there).










View from the balcony

Swimming pool

Single bedroom










Friday, July 15, 2016

Pangkor 2016

Somehow we made it to Pangkor last week during Raya holidays. Having had to promise my little one during the school holiday break,it was time to keep to the promise. It was a good break, felt refreshed and rejuvenated. Seriously, normal humans need frequent time outs as life can be really stressful at times. 

We stayed at Anjungan Beach Resort & Spa for 2 days 1 night. Wanted to book via online initially as it was cheaper however due to some circumstances we just made reservation thru hotel. It took couple of days to get the confirmation (not that efficient though!). I made my own research online as previously we had been to Pasir Bogak beach, we wanted try somewhere else. Based on some feedbacks, we decided to go for this resort. We paid RM275 per night (Deluxe for 2) as it was a public holiday. Buffet breakfast for one child was RM15. 











This resort is conveniently located in between Nipah Bay and Coral Bay beaches. So, that is the plus point of this resort, Nipah Bay beach is just a stone's throw from the resort. You just have to cross the road to get to the beach and Coral Bay is just few minutes walk. Waves were rough the day we were at Nipah beach. It was heavenly sight to see the waves hitting the beach endlessly. I must admit that I was a little terrified not to take it seriously! 

Calm sea in disguise

It is not so 'calm' after all


The resort's restaurant operates till 3PM only. Therefore we had to look out for food, but it was not an issue as there were plenty of eateries around. It was a nice feeling to have dinner at the beach side. Wish can do it everyday! :)


Sunset view

Buffet breakfast the next day was not so bad with mixture of Malaysian & Western dishes. We managed to take a lazy stroll at the beach again. And caught few rare sights of rainbow along the way before checking out and heading home. Overall it was a good time-out for us.

Hornbills!


Rainbow sighted!

Thursday, December 31, 2015

An Eden Of Nature & Animals - Farm in the City

On 6th of December 2015, we visited a place called Farm In The City. It is situated at Sri Kembangan. Easy to find this place using Waze. Good place to bring kids, if you are not planning to go to the zoo. Even though this place does not have the full range of animals, but it is not too bad. I think what makes this place unique it works some sort of petting zoo where kids can experience touching the animals and see them roam freely. 

The entrance fee is RM32 for an adult and RM27 for a child. They do have family packages available too. Plenty of animals to see - divided by its own farms such as reptiles cavern, turtle & tortoise farm, aviary. They have few sessions of feeding activities such as otter feeding, parrot show, cute raccoon feeding, rabbit & guinea pigs feeding etc. Kids will enjoy pony ride (of course it comes with cost!), fish and swan feeding. They also can try to catch fish using the bucket (if they are lucky). They call it 'Traditional Longkang-Fishing Stream. They get the hold snakes, chicks and other 'safe' animals. There are also vegetable and fruits farms. It is good educational trip for kids. Something different for them to experience.





Hi 5 Show in KL 2015

If there was something extraordinary happened to me in 2015 then it must be this. Not sure how it happened though because it was never expected. Well, things happens unexpectedly, is that what you called luck?

With this, I was able to bring my the little one to the Hi 5 House of Dreams show for 2015 at Istana Budaya, KL on 12th of December. The tickets being more expensive than Disney show, it was a worthwhile lucky win!

To make things even more sweeter, the win also included the Meet & Greet session with the crews. The overall 1.5 hours show was energetic and entertaining for the already excited kids. It was full house. Too many kids who are just crazy of this team! Anyways, it was something unforgettable! Blessed just to be able to make the kids happy!



Sunday, September 27, 2015

Criticism vs Kindness


I was on the way to office when I read a story (a real story by the way) on the radio. The deejay mentioned that there a 41-year old lady queuing up to buy coffee and donuts for her two kids. Then, she heard few women at the back of her called her ‘whale’. Now, that’s enough to cause someone to feel demotivated and allow some bad mood to set in. Most probably, she would pass the reactions of her bad mood to her kids too. No more sunshine.  Or she might vow to herself that she would prove those ladies wrong. Undertake some kind of exercises or diet to lose weight. Feeling of dejection is intolerable. There are so many bad auras associated with low self-esteem.

But, what amazed us was instead of feeling demotivated this lady chose to buy coffee for her newly found friends. Now, how many of us can do this? Do you think you can accept it when people talks bad about you? Can you digest criticism? Do you think you have that ability to shut off negativity from entering your mind? Or rather why is it we feel so easy to allow and feel negativities? We think we can embrace negative better than positive vibes? Or most importantly, can we turn negativity around, see it in different perspective and present it in a positive way?

Some thinks it might be related to genetics. I just feel I’m born with it they say. I’m so attracted with it that when people start being pessimistic, I find myself incline to it. “Work is so boring”, I heard one my colleague saying. I have 2 options, instead of saying, “Ya, I feel bored too” or “Be happy you have job”. Yes, you are allowed to feel bored. The question is what you are doing to cure your boredom. So, you think you have this wonderful ability? It is really a skill we can master? I seriously think this is very vital in our daily life especially when we are not in control of others. To start with be grateful with what you have and the best thing is you can change and control within your means. Try this for once. Return kindness to someone who hurt your feelings. Experiment it and lets rejoice the outcome.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

School Holiday Program For Kids 2015

The school holidays are back again.Time for parents to take break is here. Some may sleep a bit longer. Some might take leave and relax with kids. Some might have planned holidays long time ago and its time to execute the plan.

No matter what you have decided, there are few places around PJ and KL area worth to be checked out :-

Petrosains
It's Yay! Time @Petrosains! Check out here for some fun programs.

Circus Time 
Who does not care for FREE SHOWS? Check this out happening at Subang Parade!

Fun with CraftyMinds
Plenty of excitements here for various age groups.

Lara's Place
Activities lined up at Lara's! enough to keep kids entertained.

Learn English @BC
Check out their programs at here.

Fun4Kids
For a real serious fun stuffs here!

STEM Exploration Centre
This would be interesting! Check out this place!

Happy exploring!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Reflection

I looked at the mirror today and saw my reflection which brought me back to my senses, what's happening I asked ?

At the brink of flipping thru another decade...


Little that she realised it was a complete switchover...


From an outspoken to think-before you speak. From a chatty person to a quiet one. From a argumentative person to a swallow-everything. She thought she was on top of the world. She had everything with her. Career, money and most importantly the freedom. Was she told that this world is round ? Was she told nothing is permanent ? 


Then there was a breeze. It was so cold that it numbed her.  Series of events was about to change her perspective on everything.  She thought or rather she assumed things would be sweet, rosy and cosy. But alas, first lesson was to realise she could only plan but did she ask the God of He likes it or not ? 


Therefore, she learnt she could only plan but God decides. Then, she thought she could beat this thing but it was too powerful. It is called karma. When it is meant to happen it is really meant to happen.  She loved to potray herself as a strong willed, very independent and kind of do everything by herself. Soon, she knew she was wrong too. In this world it depends what role are you playing. It is no longer about adopting i-know-it-all attitude. It's about fitting into different hats. And it is all about people.  This was second lesson.  

Third lesson was to appreciate.  As maturity sets in she was able to see life in a bigger view. Things that she took for granted once, more like sort of leisure are no longer the same. Life has changed. 

Acceptance was a cliche. Now it is slowly sinking into her like a sponge thrown into water. She used to argue and rebel putting her feet firm on what she thought was right. She was so adamant to prove herself right. It was so crucial and important for her. Eventually her mind started to digest to accept it than rather than opposing. Her mind told her, sorry, it's ain't easy. 

Where's is my future? She started to look for eternal satisfaction. Why it seems nothing I do for myself ? She questioned herself. She started to realize life has robbed one decade out of her. She looked back. She could not find the answer. But there is nothing she can change. She accepted the truth that what is meant to happen is meant to happen. 

Happiness at the greater intensity and volume is different. There's no turning back for her.  She has put her foot into it. She has to manage it somehow. All she knows is she's no longer the same person she used to be. She has mellowed. If keeping mum at certain times would save bitter moments she would do it. She is becoming good in barter trade. Sort of 'I want this, so I will give you that'. It is no longer 'Okay, I want to do this, so let's do it'. It's more like think before you do anything. Think 1001 times questioning and justifying why it has to be done. She goes across the waves, fights against her wills for benefits of others. She has become a candle which burns herself to keep the rest alive. 


Now she has to establish her identity. She has passed thru the critical moments of her life. Seems like she's in quest to search for the 'thing'. Eternity. Meanwhile, life is not over yet for her. In fact it has just started. It's brand new chapter. Waiting to be written. Good or bad ? Only God decides. But she's wiser now. She knows how to move her cards. Nevertheless, what's in store for all of us ??


Monday, August 3, 2015

Baking with kids - idea for weekend

If you are looking for something to do with your kids, this is it. It is steamed banana cupcake! Healthy food for kids and even for adults. Thanks to this blog's post, you get yummy tasting cupcakes via Food4Tots.

With the little helper to mash the bananas, beat the eggs and scoop the mixture, they can do more things than you think. This recipe yields around 12 cute looking cupcakes. 

My very first attempt of making steamed cakes!



Next would be my little helper's favorite - Steamed Chocolate Banana cupcakes!

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Express Yourself! ~ All About Your Presentation Skills

The normal day-to-day routine was broken for the last two days. But, it was all for good. I attended a training for corporate called 'Express Yourself'. Basically, it is all about tips and tricks of good presentation skills. Good experience, great exposure :-)

First, overcome your nervousness!
How do you do this? Calm yourself down by taking few deep breaths. Or you can opt to do 'Brain Gym' techniques. Try out one of this activity. This activity will stimulate your left and right brain. 

What if you are still nervous? Try below points:
1. Turn your nervousness (negative energy) to positive
2. Engage into exercise to ease tension
3. Refrain your negative thoughts
4. Think of positive events in your life
5. Organise and rehearse
6. Use anchoring (for eg. pat your shoulder)
7. Powerful act - SMILE

There are 2 parts of delivering successful presentation - the way you present and your slide deck.

Presentation slides (tips & tricks)
1. Use maximum of 4 colors
2. Use font size of 30 or 32, colors should not be too bright (remember any color on white will make eyes tired)
3. Data should be in point forms (highlight & explain as you go thru the points)
4. Use visual aids appropriately (make sure it is relevant to your content)
5. Limit text on visual
6. Use statistics, graphs, comparisons, findings, blow out texts or pictures

You as a presenter :
1. Know your audience
2. Start with opening, body and closing. Opening is powerful when you involve your audience with multimedia presentation aids, props or questions, counter tension/ice breakers, tell popular quotes, use impactful statements, metaphors. Capture your audience.
3. Show confidence, avoid clasping hands, avoid touching your hair, keep your hands to your side. Use gestures, body language
4. Engage your audience. Ask questions. 
5. Avoid saying "Sorry","I think..", "But..", "However.."
6. Include humor
7. Must include - purpose, objective, strategies, action
8. Use tonality, high & low pitch
9. Eye Contact with audience
10. Use props (flipcharts). Remember, write, turn to audience and talk.
11. Response positively to audience's questions. (Say thanks, acknowledge). Avoid negative comments.

There are many CEOs out there has given remarkable and memorable presentation, one of it is Steve Job's product launch.

Practice makes perfect - very true in delivering an impactful presentation :-)

Thursday, July 16, 2015

The wholesome of WHOLEGRAINS!

Grains, grains and grains. This is what the whole world is talking about. Eating healthy and staying healthy. So, it has to be wholesome grains! Now, I learn something today. As usual, when we talk about grains, what comes to mind are items such as rice, pasta, bread and noodles etc.

But, do you understand when people talk about polished and refined products? In summary, whole grain is the most nutritious because it is not 'processed' and wholegrain contains minerals, vitamins and rich in dietary fiber. 'Processed' grains may not contain the 'kernels' whereby components of 'kernel' are defined as 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm'. 

Now, the interesting facts are :
Whole grains - contains 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm'
Whole meal - 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm' and refined into a finer texture

To reap the benefits, go for whole grains!
There are many health benefits associated with whole grains such as reducing cardiovascular diseases, improves bowel health and reduces diabetes.


Get more details at NutriWEB! 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

LO's Journey at Smart Reader Kids

LO was in Smart Reader Kids, Bt 3, Jln Ipoh for 4 years (2010-2014). When she was 2.5 years, I knew that I need to go on preschool hunting very soon. It was not my plan to enroll her in preschool at such a tender age. But, situation was not at my side. I was not in favor our shop lot preschools, but I thought why not just give a try. I met the principle, she appeared very outspoken, passionate and able to explain very well. In my opinion, we as parents must look for a good principle. I always believe a good school's management lies in their principle's hand.

I checked out another branch of Smart Reader Kids too, this was nearer to home, but I was not convinced after talking to the principal. There goes my lo's preschool started at the age of 3. Too young, some would say, but I guess it depends on their parents as they know the best. The first year was very easy going, lots of fun activities, teachers were good, passionate about kids. This is very important to develop strong bond with young children. Being a preschool teacher is not an easy task. I observed the teachers in this center, they are trained to handle any situations with kids. I was quite worried at first, but my lo blended well after first few days. 

This center runs their own day care programme with additional classes for English, Maths and Bahasa Malaysia. On Saturdays, they also have tutorials for various subjects. My lo happily graduated from Smart Reader in November 2014. I would say experience and exposure matters for young kids. Apart from having yearly concert and sports day, this center is very active in extra curricular for kids. This involves field trips to places such as Kidszania, Zoo Negara, KL Bird Park, Animal Park at Sri Kembangan, National Science Center and many more. At every special occasions such as Mother's Day, the kids get to perform for their parents. When they are 5 or 6 years old, they are encouraged to participate in events such as Story Telling and Talent Show Competition. In 2013, this center's kids made their principal proud by becoming first runner up in the Talent Competition. They also clinched second place in Champs Champion Pre-School Talent in 2014. I feel this kind of involvement is vital for kids to express themselves, build their confidence and courage. 

Few more SR Bt 3 Kids performances can be viewed here (courtesy by an unknown who uploaded the videos) :
Rasa Sayang Dance
Roar by Katy Perry 
Sports Day 2013
SR Bt 3 Kids On News

Last year, this center was featured in The Star's Higher Education newspaper section. The article was about their IEP (Intensive English Programme). 
Below is the article :


*Note: The picture is intentionally removed to protect privacy of kids & principal


Overall, I didn't regret my LO spent her precious years in this center. She made many friends. She still enjoys going to their School Holiday Programs. The child's happiness matters most!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Book Review #5 - Three Good Things

3 Good Things by Wendy Francis. Bought this book during the BBW sale. Only RM8. I expected this book to be good but it was a boring read. First half of the story was less interesting as the author spins thru 3 important characters in this book - Ellen,  Lanie and Rob.  In 40s, Ellen runs a pastry shop specialising in selling Kringle (I learnt something new). Definition of "Kringle" says this. It's basically called pretzels.

Lanie, younger sister of Ellen,  married with a young son and Rob Lanie's husband. As the author explains the feelings of 3 different characters of the story, we can basically relate to our lives as well. Relationship among sisters, life after marriage and bonds between mother and daughters. It was an easy read. No mind boggling suspense and thrills. Although towards the end there was a twist when Ellen was unexpectedly got herself pregnant. Then, came the urge to know the ending of the story as what decision would Ellen undertake. That kept me turning the pages till its completion. Each of new chapter comes with a quote which I thought was quite interesting. There are 2 particular quotes which I liked.

"The mother's day is not an eight-hour day. It is twenty-four-hour day. She is never free. No wonder she is tired and impatient sometimes - Talk to Mothers (1920)

"Be glad that your children have enterprise and invention...Do not say, 'You must keep still.  I can't hear so much noise. Can't you ever be quiet?' Rejoice that your children are alive and well - Talk to Mothers (1920)


The last quote is so powerful which every parent should remind themselves over and over. It is the hardest time in parenting when you cannot control your emotions when you are mentally and physically tired while on the other hand your children are demanding for your attention. Nevertheless, we should make an attempt or try not to be carried away by emotions. Parenting is one tough job.

Feeling little curious, I googled about the author of the above quotes and found out that it is actually a book by Lucy Wheelock (1922). Amazingly such an old book. Almost 100 years! I must explore more on this when time permits!

~ End of review