Happy 8th Birthday, Ale! (but please stay cuddly & kissy for me)

Dear Ale,

Today you turn 8. EIGHT years old. How is it even possible?

They always said that time would fly by. They were right.

But I still cannot believe how fast the past eight years flew by and as I write this, all of the memories of you being just a tiny baby flash before my eyes... moments that I wish to recover but can’t.

And as you get older, you are developing your independent, very strong character. And even though I admit you drive me crazy sometimes, I would not have it any other way. I could not be more proud of the young woman that you are becoming.

So on your 8th birthday, here are 8 things I love about you.

You have a big heart. You are so full of kindness and generosity that it is a joy to see. It makes me so proud that you are an amazing big 'sister' to your cousins. Sharing toys with them and going along with their wishes are your natural inclinations... even dancing silly in front of them just to make their day.

You are so thoughtful. You like to do things for others that know will make them happy: draw pictures, sing songs, make presents. Even allowing me to 'disturb' you. LOL.

You are a great friend. You have the ability to make others feel love and accepted. You step in when your friends are bickering and try to mediate.

You are a bookworm. Sure, you are a big YouTube addict too, and would watch the videos if we let you, but you also love reading so very much. I have lost track of the number of times seeing you engrossed in a book. Perhaps being close to your er-ge, Ayd, has influenced you.

Which brings me to my next point.

You are an amazing little sister to your two brothers. You love them to bits, look up to them and even help them to complete stuff around the house!

You are tough and soft rolled into one. You never hesitate roughing it outdoors but yet scream at the sight of a cockroach. It's just too cute that you are all things tough and all things soft and lovely all at the same time. 

You are strong-willed. How is it this is something I love? Because oh geez, you are stubborn, my word, you are stubborn and yes, it drives me nuts. But yet, I hope that you always use this for good and use it to always stand up for what is right and good.

You will always be my baby. You might be 8 years old now, and turn 9 next year but in my heart, in my mind, in my memories you will always be my baby. Stay as cuddly and kissy as you are now, never grow out of my hugs and kisses as I will never want to stop giving them to you.

I am so blessed and proud to call you my daughter.

Now go tell the world you are EIGHT and let's celebrate!

Loads of love,

Daddy

Be an 'unfiltered' parent today (& you may just win vouchers!)

Sponsored Post

There is no other job in the world like being a parent.

It can be immensely fun and nothing swells me with more pride than seeing my kids reach a milestone in every stage of their lives. On the other side of the coin, it can also be extremely messy and brutal.

Because let's not kid - pun fully intended - ourselves here: Parenthood is the most complicated thing we have ever done in our lives because there is no handbook to follow. Raising our children will forever be the hardest endeavour we will ever undertake in our lives. It IS hard work.

But if you are a parent, you already know that, don’t you?

And it sure doesn't help that social media has played a huge part in shaping the way we parent our kids. The thing about social media nowadays is we often see picture perfect moments other parents post of their kids - together with feel-good captions about being a parent, and idyllic photos of their lives, their meals, their homes, their vacations and their fitness regime. Sometimes insta-filtered to the max.

Well, there isn't exactly anything wrong in doing that especially in this day and age where being visually appealing helps. A LOT. But there is also nothing wrong in showcasing the truth behind parenthood.

Behind every smiling baby, there are less than 4 hours of sleep, tons of diaper changing, and never-ending messes to clean up.

Behind every posing school-going child, there are the endless homework, revision and trying one's best to solve those Math problem sums.

Behind every teenager in a family photo, there are the constant eye-rolling, emotional outbursts and thoughts of running away. And that's just the parents. 😂

Truth is, we all have our 'no-filter parenting' moments - moments that happen frequently on a daily basis but we don't usually put them up on social media because you know, they are not exactly 'insta-worthy'.

And I have just the perfect example. See the photo below?

This was taken on Langkawi island last year and it constitutes what you will probably acknowledge as a great family portrait to share on social media.

But this is what you do not get to see.



Hey, where did Ayd go??? He somehow managed to lost his footing just when the camera shutter snapped and this was the 6th unsuccessful attempt in taking a smiley family portrait… hence, the sian-ness, or frustration, written all over my face. Oops.

But this photo probably sums up what parenting is really like – moments of irritation that happen on a daily basis. Just because we parents do not post such ‘unglam’ shots on our social media accounts doesn’t mean they do not happen.

Or maybe a moment of spontaneous fun when the monkies decided to pile on top of one another?

I would have joined in but I didn’t think they could support my weight. 🤣

Again, this photo shows another side of parenting – moments of spontaneity rather than kids all lined up in a single file and asked to smile & pose for the camera. And for every shot of fun in this photo, there are plenty of not-so-fun moments in our parenting journey as well.

Like having to study for exams.

At the end of the day, parenting isn’t as easy as it looks. But we still continue to plod on, for the sake of our children – IG-worthy photo or not. Because no matter how hard it gets, we parents will never stop trying to give them the best... in all its unfiltered parenting glory.

Which is why OCBC gets it and wants to reward all you long-suffering 😜 new parents out there.

You will have definitely heard of the Child Development Account (CDA) where the Government matches your savings ($6,000 for first and second child, $12,000 for third and fourth child and $18,000 for fifth and subsequent child) over 12 years.

Today, Singaporean newborns will also receive the CDA First Step, an initial balance of $3,000 upfront, in the child’s CDA, without parents having to contribute anything first! Definitely a great ‘starter kit’ for all dads and mums. Do note, however, that the amount will count towards the existing caps, meaning that first-time parents who receive the grant and then save $3,000 in their child’s CDA will hit the $6,000 co-savings ceiling.

The money in my monkies' CDA account definitely came in useful. Besides using the funds to pay for their kindergarten school fees, the money also came in useful at hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and even optical shops!

And if you really want to maximise your CDA benefits, open a CDA with OCBC, because they have been providing both parent and child with a lot more than just interest earned for 10 years and counting!

2% per year interest with OCBC CDA
Enjoy 2% interest per year on the first S$36,000 deposited in your child's CDA and 0.05% per year thereafter.

Enjoy up to 50% off with the OCBC Baby Bonus Card
Save on learning courses, kindergartens, party catering and more. View all OCBC Baby Bonus Card offers, including their 10th anniversary specials, HERE.

0.8% per year interest with OCBC Mighty Savers® Account
Open the account with your child to join the OCBC Mighty Savers ® Programme. Deposit S$50 per month with no withdrawals to enjoy 0.8% per annum interest.

S$108 credited into OCBC CDA with purchase of MaxMaternity Care
MaxMaternity Care protects expectant mothers (from 13 weeks) against 8 pregnancy-related complications, and protects babies from 18 congenital diseases.

S$100 credited into OCBC CDA with purchase of Endowment Plan or Protection Plan
With purchase of Endowment Plan (annual premium between S$3,600 to S$11,999) or Protection Plan (annual premium above S$1,200). More details HERE.

40% off PA Protect for parent, child plus child rider bundled plan for the first year
PA Protect is a comprehensive personal accident protection plan that protects you and your child against accidental death, total permanent disablement and accidental medical expenses. Your child will also be covered against animal bites, and infectious diseases such as chicken pox, and hand, foot & mouth disease. If you want to know more, you can provide your contact details HERE.

BONUS!
In addition, share your imperfect parenting moment on Instagram from now to 25 November 2018 and you could be one of 40 winners to receive S$20 worth of FairPrice Gift Vouchers each!

Here's what you have to do:

1. Post a photo of your imperfect parenting moment on Instagram (account must be public)
2. Write a caption about the moment
3. Include the hashtag #OCBCnofilterparenting

Now, who says being an 'unfiltered' parent cannot be rewarding too?



To find out more about OCBC CDA, please visit HERE for more details.

Terms and conditions apply. SGD deposits are insured up to S$75,000 by SDIC. Insurance plans will be underwritten by The Great Eastern Life Assurance Company Limited or Great Eastern General Insurance Limited.

Kuhl Home's Modular Bed System for Kids is a hit with the monkies!

Product Review

With Ale growing up ever so quickly day by day, there comes a time when she inevitably needs her own space in the home - as well as a proper place for her to mug for her exams. 

And it came in the form of Lifetime Kidsrooms!

A reputable and renowned kids’ furniture brand from Denmark, Lifetime Kidsrooms is distributed exclusively by Kuhl Home in Singapore with a focus on kids' bed as its main product line.

To find out more about the brand - and for Ale to pick out her dream bed - we visited Kuhl Home's showroom... which frankly looked more like a playground for kids. 

And I mean that in an absolutely good way because the moment the monkies stepped into the showroom, they were off exploring the various kids' furniture!

The kids' beds are handcrafted out of solid pine wood sourced from sustainable forests and are handcrafted by top craftsmen in the region. Yes, your order is handcrafted in Denmark upon order... that's how seriously they take their job!

Each kids' bed attains the highest safety standards in its construction, and uses non-toxic chemicals in its production process. With a warranty of 5 years, parents can be assured that it is a good investment with a brand that strongly believes in quality and guided by their motto that all children should be able to play, explore and have fun without worrying.

And the fun in picking out the ideal bed for your child begins by getting to try out the many designs at the showroom like this ultra cool Hangout Bed in the above photo! By the way, all of the beds come in three possible colours – whitewash, greywash and white, as shown on the roof of the Hangout Bed.

Oh, and Kuhl Home's staff strongly encourages all kids to test out their furniture beds because they are the ones who will be sleeping in them, no? And there are TONS OF DESIGNS for both boys and girls, ranging from a Treehouse-themed to a Fairy-themed. Some beds even make the business of getting out of bed so much fun.

No prizes for guessing which bed was Ale's fave. Unfortunately, we have limited space at home so having a Bed with a Slide isn't practical for us.

We were definitely going to get a bunk bed since space is an important factor. Not only that, I had other factors to take into consideration when choosing a bunk bed for Ale too: Safety, Design and Longevity.

Safety because for obvious reasons.

Design because I mean, I have to look at the bed every day too.

Longevity because it will be a waste of money if the child outgrows the bed once older so it will definitely be great if the bed is able to last beyond the teenage years.

Well, that last factor is what makes Lifetime Kidsrooms furniture super. The ingenuity of the brand lies in a modular bed system that you can customise however you wish. All of its beds can eventually be converted into a single bed, taking one's child through the ages, and allows one the flexibility to meet the design needs of the child's room. 

After some consideration, we settled on the STUDY KIDS BED combo which consisted of a semi-high kids bed and a cabinet with turning desk.

The kids furniture are handcrafted upon order in Denmark. So this means there is a 12 weeks wait for the furniture to arrive…but it also means that we get exactly what we want.

Soon enough, the delivery day finally arrived!

Thanks to the capable staff from Kuhl Home, the furniture was set up in no time.

All done, and ready to be tested by the Diva herself.

I love how the Semi-High Bed provides additional space as it allows Ale to sleep on top, and leaves space for storage or play at the bottom. One can even pace a cushy bean bag below and it'll be a cosy reading corner for the kids!

For us though, we had the Cabinet which came complete with a Turning Desk.

And this, my dear readers, is the ultimate space saving kid furniture that I never knew I needed. Just take a look at how it transforms into a study desk for Ale in a few seconds!

We just had to simply slide open the desk when the kids need it, and slide it back afterwards to create more space. And it was rather timely for Ayd who used it as his study area during the PSLE period.

Remember I mentioned safety as one of the factors in my decision-making process? Parents will be glad to know that Lifetime Kidsrooms products are made from sustainable pine that grew slowly over time, ensuring quality and sturdiness. Varnishes used are environmentally friendly, and non-toxic paints are applied to ensure every child’s safety is put first at all times.

In fact, all Lifetime products are certified safe for use in accordance with stringent European standards (TUV cerfified) and exceed legal standards for safety and quality.

But the best thing I love about our new kid furniture is the bed is a lifelong investment. All of Lifetime Kidsrooms' beds can be converted into a single bed, taking a child through the ages. Thanks to its solid materials, the beds are also sturdy and stable after any form of conversion.

Which only leave me with one question:

How come it doesn't come in an adult size??? 😂

JUST FOR CHEEKIEMONKIE READERS!

Enjoy an exclusive 25% OFF for all Lifetime Kidsrooms Furniture from now until 30 November 2018.  Just let the staff know you are a reader of cheekiemonkie and you'll enjoy the discount. 

(IMPORTANT: You have to mention cheekiemonkie at the time of purchase to enjoy the discount, NOT AFTER the purchase has been made)


P.S. Kuhl Home has moved to a new showroom address since our last visit.



Useful Information

Kuhl Home
Kids Furniture Showroom Address: 100E Pasir Panjang Road, #01-01, Century Warehouse, Singapore 118521
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm | Sunday & Public Holidays 12pm – 6pm
Tel: +65 68780180
Website: www.kuhlhome.com/sg/shop/designer-modern/kids-furniture/
STUDY KIDS BED: www.kuhlhome.com/sg/shop/designer-modern/kids-furniture/loft-beds/study-bed/
CABINET WITH TURNING DESK: www.kuhlhome.com/sg/shop/designer-modern/kids-furniture/storage-kids-furniture/cabinet-with-turning-desk/

The Family Rooms at Concorde Hotel Singapore are Perfect for Staycations + WIN 2D1N Stay!

Media Invite

Staycations are wonderful for the parenting soul, simply because they allow for a quick recharge without the need of excessive packing compared to an overseas trip. Which is great especially for families with young kids.

Better still if the hotel is situated at a central location, in the vicintiy of good food and shopping AND boasts spacious a Family Room like this!

Formerly known as the Le Meridien Hotel, the Concorde Hotel Singapore is located a short stroll away from Dhoby Ghaut and Somerset MRT stations. That is right in the heart of Orchard Road and within walking distance to Centrepoint, Orchard Central, 313 Somerset and Plaza Singapura.

The hotel's facade may look a little jaded but the interior featured a bright and airy atrium lobby with its beautiful bullet-like elevators. They light up the lobby during the night and the view from inside is just spectacular.

Not as spectacular as my monkies' smiles. But I'm biased like that.

Well, the monkies certainly have every reason to be cheerful... because just how spacious is our hotel room???

The newly refurbished Family Room comes with brand new carpets, improved lightings, curtains, wallpapers and more accessible bedside USB power points including other kid-friendly amenities.

Of course, we all know how Wi-Fi is (almost) as important as air, no? Not only is the Wi-Fi free and allows for unlimited connectivity, it is available for multiple devices, suiting families. In addition, Concorde Hotel Singapore offers the fantastic benefit of the complimentary Handy smartphone service, complete with GPS, 3G, interactive maps and a whole host of other apps. Really handy for guests to bring it out of their rooms and explore Singapore!

The bathroom is pretty spacious, and having both a standing shower and bathtub is always welcome.

But the real draw for families booking the Family Room are these hidden gems.

What are they?

TADAH! It's a set of bunk beds!

Each family room consists of a king-sized bed AND twin bunk beds which can be folded up to create more space in the bedroom when not in use.

For some reason, the monkies seem to love them! 😉

Personally, I love how spacious the entire room is - very important especially when doing a staycation with kids!

Our Family Room is located on the third floor, which came with a outdoor area for chilling.

Great for indulging in a meal of roti prata. Yes, there's a stall beisde the hotel that sells bryani and prata. Yums!

Not to worry about the extra calories though because the hotel has recently completed uplifting works at its swimming pool, children’s playground and kids dipping pool.

Which the monkies needed no invitation to start some splashing fun!

For dinner, we headed down to Spices Cafe to check out the buffet spread.

In celebration of the hotel's 10th anniversary, Concorde Hotel Singapore is currently having the Harvest of the Sea Buffet Dinner which comes with a spread of fresh succulent seafood with unlimited servings of 4 crab dishes - salted egg, black pepper, Singapore’s signature chilli crab and its daily special - that are made to order.

Additionally, every diner can choose from along with a complimentary serving of Baked Half Lobster or Braised Baby Abalone with Broccoli and Mushroom.

And what is a seafood buffet without fresh sashimi and plump oysters?

There were also local favourites like a live cooking station for Laksa and various hot food items like prawns and BBQ meat to satisfy every craving.

The dessert bar usually gets the most attention from the monkies and it's not surprising since it is packed with a plethora of English pastries, cakes and Nonya traditional desserts. Oh, and there's durian pengat too!

The buffet dinner starts from $55++ per adult and $24++ per child but you pay only $42++ per adult (Mon-Thurs) and $45++ per adult (Fri-Sun, Eve of PH and PH) when you book online through the hotel HERE!

All in, I have to say our staycation at Concorde Hotel Singapore surprised me somewhat. I've passed by the hotel countless times and the exterior did not catch my eye. However, that all changed when I stepped inside for the first time. I love the atrium lobby, and love the Family Room even more.

It's a great location to have a short staycation with the family... I know that because the wifey was out shopping with Ale along Orchard Road while the boys and I just chilled in the room!

And that, is what a staycation is all about.


STAYCATION GIVEAWAY! CLOSED

The winner has been picked!

Congratulations to ELISE HENG for winning a 2D1N stay in the Family Room* with buffet breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children worth more than $400!

*Room stay is valid until 31 Jan 2019, and subject to room availability.

Please email me at kelvin@cheekiemonkie.net for prize redemption details. Thanks!


Thanks to Concorde Hotel Singapore, I have one awesome prize to give away. One lucky family will get to enjoy a 2D1N stay in the Family Room* with buffet breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children worth more than $400!

To participate, all you have to do is the following:

1. LIKE Concorde Hotel Singapore's Facebook page HERE.
2. Leave your comment either in the corresponding Facebook post HERE or in this blog post after you have done so.

WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING?
SHARE this blog post of the giveaway on Facebook for a BONUS chance! Remember to set your profile to public so that I can see the shared post.

Giveaway ends on 4 November 2018, 2359 hours.

GOOD LUCK! 😊



Useful Information

Concorde Hotel Singapore
Address: 100 Orchard Road. Singapore 238840
*Family Room starts from $350++ per night.
Website: singapore.concordehotelsresorts.com