Author: SengkangBabies

I am a Blogging Daddy of four. Our kids are roaming Singapore to bring you FUN, This blog is use to capture our kids' growing up phases, and we want you to leave our blog with a smile :)

What are the kids saying about the Haze?

The adults’ lunch topics has shifted from Dengue, COE and MRT breakdowns to PSI, Facemask and stop-order. Maybe that Indonesian minister might agree Boon Kang’s Darth Vader mask looks childish.

Last Mon, if you live on the higher floors. You might have commented Singapore looks like Genting or Cameron Highlands, depending which direction you see. Our eyes and throats are uncomfortable with the burning sensation from the polluted atmosphere.

And that was only at PSI 100. Since then, we have hit PSI of 300 every day !

Singaporeans have a sense of humour, we joke about using recycled brassiere (please wash first!) if N95 face-masks run out of stock. Trending topics in social media is 95% about the HAZE, and 5% about Hello Kitty (wahaha !)

Referring to first photo, Daddy hopes Darth Vaders (masks) will not be roaming Singapore when PSI climbs higher. Meanwhile, someone from 9Gag even improvised a facemask made with Bread, Kaya or Peanut Butter?

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In the media, we are reading the problem from two perspectives.
From Singapore : We know the problem, but we cannot solve it.
From Indonesia : We are trying our Best, year after year.

In summary, Daddy told the kids Indonesia’s farmers (Sumatra) are burning a lot of land so that they can prepare it for crops plantation. Slash and burn might sustain the farmers’ families livelihood, but the wind will carry the smoke to neighbours Singapore and Malaysia. Daddy ask kids whether they will purposely smoke-out their neighbour’s hall ?

Meanwhile, Ministry of Health (MOH) has some Health Advisory to combat the Haze.

[Image credit MOH fanpage]

Daddy suspect history will repeat itself again, no wonder the general public can only resort to mockery to reduce the misery. Since the adults cannot do anything much, Daddy tries to ask for some tips from the kids 🙂

Kids are stuck at home during the school holidays, the windows are mostly closed, and kids are asking for their “Sunny days“!

Yes Boon Kang, no one likes to wear a mask…

School holidays should be full of FUN, not cooped at home 🙁
Parents and teachers, do take this opportunity to ask the kids to share their opinions (and maybe recommendations) to improve the Hazy situation.

If you do not mind, do share your kids’ drawings and stories with us on our Blue-Sky–Green-Fields fanpage album. Daddy would like to tell more adults about how the kids are affected by the Haze.

** Rain Haze Haze go away, do not come back to Singapore again **

More Haze Foggy details :
– http://www.nea.gov.sg
– MOH Haze FAQ
– Twitter Hastag #SGhaze

Independence and Monsters University

We were invited to watch Monsters University. Yes, it is that cool “MonstersInc” movie which we watched back in 2001, and remarked that Boon Xin looks like Boo (human girl).

You can read about Monsters University’s admission criteria here. But first, Daddy and Mummy wanted Boon Wee and Boon Kang to demonstrate some independence first. We need to know the kids are able to standup for themselves and more importantly, each other.

Our readers often hear Daddy nag that Singapore kids are too sheltered and comfortable (highlighted here and here). Are they able to face the “Real” world?

What are some of the simple activities which can encourage our kids to be more independent?
– walking two blocks to the convenience stall to buy bread.
– Waiting at gate, and bringing sibling back from school
– waiting at bus stop for younger sister
– bringing them across the road safely (Look Right, Look Left etc)
– washing their own utensils (cleanliness not up to standard yet :p )
– preparing milk for the younger siblings

Is the process simple? Maybe.
Is it necessary? Absolutely.

Throughout all these little actions, we are empowering the kids to think for themselves. One day, they have to make their own decisions. We can only bring them to a junction, but kids have to decide to turn left or right.

ps..
We are doing all these tasks in a controlled environment, and we sometimes tail the kids to make sure they follow our instructions. It is very common for European or US folks to send their young kids to fly home over ten hours by themselves.

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Back to our MRT train adventure. Boon Wee and Boon Kang took the train from Sengkang to Dhoby Ghaut to meetup with Daddy. After countless minders and reminders, we tell kids to stay together, at all cost 🙂

The first picture actually captures our text to each other. The boys wings hardened already, they dare to call Daddy Naggy!

Their reward? Movie night with Daddy 🙂
This is the prequel to the movie MonsterInc. Everything rewind back to ten years ago.
Young kids go to University to learn how to be “scarers”, their ideal job is to act Monsters and scare human kids 😡

How did Sullivan and Mike (the one eye monster) become best friends? They were always at loggerheads. How did they pull their team together, and raise up to expectations? The “OK” team proves everytimes that Teamwork Matters.

Video : Monsters University Triller

Just like the siblings in SengkangBabies, brothers and sister must work together and be there for each other.

Before we head home, we could not resist the ultra CUTE Yellow Despicables !

Monsters University start screening in Singapore from 20th Jun, and we would like to thanks Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Singapore for the preview.

Meanwhile, let Daddy Untick taking-MRT from Children’s to-do list.