DIY: Grip Socks

I have trouble looking for reasonably priced grip socks for older children, that is if you can find them. A lot of times, grip socks are catered mostly for younger children. Those that I managed to find are not cheap and the designs are not worth the price.

Then my friend showed me the many pinterest sharing of DIY grip socks. I decided to try on my own. However, because most of these craft sites are from US, I found it difficult sourcing for the similar material brand they use. Even if I do find them, many a times, they are expensive to start with.

Many crafters use Tulip slick paint or puffy fabric paint. I found none. But alternatively, I discovered 3D fabric paint. An 11oz tube cost me RM7+ in Art Friend (The Gardens Mall). I bought 2.

It is my first time trying this craft. I'd say it was really easy and fun. Just draw whatever you like at the bottom of the socks and let it dry for 24 hours. I finished 2 pairs in less than half an hour. I am already having ideas of naming the socks and/or letting the girls do it for themselves.

Have fun trying!

For the peace of me and happiness of my gal

Since PM started school, I started to detect that she is a right-brained user despite she writes and eats with her right hand. Math concepts seemed a bit elusive to her. Although I do not expect her to become math genius, but I do not wish for her to feel defeated by math. She can master it with the right method. But having us both exhausted after a whole day of work to sit down and discuss math?
Conclusion: Left-brained mom to teach right-brained daughter math = Disaster.
I lose my head most of the time, although I know fairly well that her learning methods is different from mine. I needed more guidance, if we want to trod through this situation happily.

Then I found this in one of the websites that facilitate teaching to the right-brainers. The book seemed interesting with the colours and pictures.

And so my journey of book searching begins... Local bookstores are kind of hopeless, be it online or offline. Amazon is expensive after conversion and shipping. MPH quote me quite an exorbitant price. I was about to book myself a ticket abroad to hunt for the book (no-lah... just exaggerating to create more reader interest hihihi...), when I came across www.bookurve.com . The homepage looks simple, but they are able to source the books and quote me a more reasonable price than my previous searches.

I think the effort to bring in more channels to source for books and improve the reading habits in Malaysia is really commendable. We need this.. Our minds are too constricted. Not only do we read very little, even access to variety of books is limited. I hope more of such effort could open up our perspective, not only in books, but life too.

Now I am waiting for the arrival of those books and hope my sessions with PM will improve moving forward. Will update you with review of the bookurve services as well as the books' effectiveness. Stay tuned but not so soon (I am a working mom with no maid and juggling work, home and children. I am not seeking your understanding. I am telling you to deal with it!).

"How to print chinese writing exercise from web applications" ~ A banana-mom's preparation for banana-kid's Primary Chinese School in Kuala Lumpur

What a long title, which kind of match the long process (in my mind) I am preparing myself and my PM for primary 1 in a Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) or simply put chinese national school.

For a banana like me, I am not sure what to expect. I am not looking for a "Smart School" for PM. I am simply looking for a school that teaches chinese wihout all the stress. I do not think that is going to be easy. I will have to brace through this with PM.

By the way, PM was not expose to much chinese reading and writing until now (it is late, I know). PM will have to pick up speed now and learn as much as possible so that she can fit in comfortably when she reports to primary 1.

My bff offerred to tutor her (best thing happening for us, I could not ask for more).

She recommended this website http://www.yes-chinese.com/ with many forms of learning materials.

I use it mostly to print out writing exercises for PM to practice http://www.yes-chinese.com/zh-cn/wordcard/edit.html?cat=P3

For banana-moms, you can use google translate to translate the page and words.

This is how I do it:

1) Translate the intended words into simplified chinese

2) Copy and paste the simplified chinese words into the large-left box (highlighted in blue).
     Then click on the "Slide Show" icon-button on top (Preview)

3) You will get this page. If you are happy with what is shown, then click the red button for printing.

4) Tada.... Your kids have work to do!