98% of Happy Mothers

Ever since Aiden and Ian were engaged to be part of the Friso Gold Yes Experiment last April, our entire household has embraced the new milk on the get go. Ian is on Step 3 every three to four hours while Aiden is on Step 4 as his warm glass of milk before bed time. To date, the two boys have been full time on Friso Gold for over eight months, and counting! 

The most common concerns for me as a mum raising two boisterous boys are boosting immunity and building resistance. As part of growing up, my boys are eager to explore the world and try new things… which ultimately expose them to circumstances that may impair their health. 

Friso Gold helps children grow stronger from the inside. Starting with improving their digestive system where germs and bacteria first attack to strengthen their immune system.

Here are some other benefits your child will get with every glass of Friso Gold:

Other than the fact that the milk is 100% imported from Holland (I never knew that!!!), I am also very much in love with the packaging. For starters, each Friso Gold tin comes with a spoon holder, so that you don't have to dig around in the milk powder to retrieve the scoop. Totally hygienic, I advocate for every milk powder brand to adopt this ingenious design! Each tin also has a protection lid which seals brilliantly but is easy to open and close. However, my personal favourite is the accurate dosage leveler in the tin. Being an engineer and an avid baker, both require for me to be quite particular about precise measurements. With the very handy dosage leveler strategically located just at the top of the tin, I am assured that every time I prepare my children’s milk, it has the correct ratio of milk and water. Sheer pure genius!

Aiden really loves the taste of Friso Gold. I have noticed a marked improvement in his alertness and energy levels. Ian on the other hand cannot really articulate his love for the milk, but is constantly saying "Yeay!!", whenever I ask him if he wants his susu. Simple gestures like these ultimately convince me that Friso Gold is the best choice for them. Not only do they enjoy their warm milk, in turn I am also comforted by the fact that they are nourished to grow stronger from the inside. 

Happy, healthy and physically fit, with Friso Gold I’m confident my kids are able to enjoy the great outdoors. Similar to our sandbox experience in Week 3 of the Friso Gold Yes Experiment, we recently had a trip to the beach where I allowed the kids to experience nature first hand. They swam in the sea, dug for hermit crabs and built sand castles all day long! Knowing that my kids have a stronger natural body resistance courtesy of Friso Shield, I was a worry-free mummy and gave them their space, honoring their joyful moments. Thank you Friso Gold,for that priceless memorable experience.

Last but certainly not least, I am not the only one happy with Friso Gold, but 98% of Friso Gold mothers are also happy with Friso Gold products.* Discover the reasons behind the love of mother and child for Friso Gold at http://www.frisogold.com.my/products/friso-gold-3#friso-gold-reviews

#FrisoGoldMY #FrisoGoldMalaysia #LocNutri #preservesnutrients #easydigestionforstrongerinside

Disclaimer: *Results based on a database survey of Friso Gold mums.

Celebrity For A Day?

Ever wondered how it feels to be known, to have random strangers greeting you by your name, or feeling conscious that everyone is looking at your every move? You know, the kind of attention that celebrities get?

Well, I got my dose of fame (and attention!) last week at the Friso Gold media launch. And I am soooo not kidding. It was such a surreal experience that after it all ended, all I wanted to do was to go back to my engineering job. Hahaha I'm so not cut out for Hollywood!

Mind you, this is not a bragging post so if you've read this far and you feel like I am bragging, please feel free to scroll downwards to my other blogposts. (Hahaha bukan menghalau tau!)

So anyway, back to my train of thoughts. The Friso Gold Say 'Yes' To Experiences Media Launch was organized to introduce the Yes Experiment to the media. And as one of the lucky mommies who got subjected to the 5 week experiment, I was invited to share my journey with them. Not only did Friso Gold invite TV reporters and newspapers journalists, they invited bloggers too! And coming from a pool of bloggers who had attended similar events, I knew the press release would have been circulated earlier, prompting the bloggers to view the videos before the event.

The event was due to start at 11am but my stated call time was at 9am! Silly me thought that I would have time to go to the salon at 10am to blow my hair and get to the event by 11am. But no such thing okeh! So I ended up blowing my hair the night before, rolled it into a tight bun to maintain the curls and slept on my tummy so as not to squash them. Aaahhh the things I do for decent pictures.

And so I arrived just five minutes after the stipulated call time. To my surprise, Serena C was already there. Waaahhh such an experienced emcee and she arrived even earlier than me. *amazed* I guess what they say about discipline in the entertainment industry is true. It's what makes and breaks them. Anyway, Serena was super duper friendly. We then sat down with the PR & Event agents and went through the entire flow of the event on paper. Yes, I might as well declare that I was given an on-stage guide script to be 'recited' on stage, but honestly, they were mostly cues and come the actual stage interview, I ended up using none of them and just rattled off stuff that came into my head! *grin* After that, I was allowed to take a break so I went strolling around the hall taking pictures.

The event was held at a beautiful gallery by the pool bar and grill of Le Meredian Hotel. 

Ian's favourite milk - Friso Gold Step 3!

Product presentation at the back of the hall.

Photos with my PR & Event agents and of course, the emcee for the day - Serena C.

While I was busy snapping photos, a lady walked up me and said "Hi Liz!" Wow that was shocking. Random stranger acknowledging me by name! Thankfully my years of talking to strangers at work paid off and we started chatting. She was very friendly too! She raved about how it was great to finally meet the lady in the video, and I finally deduced that she worked for Friso. Our great chat got interrupted by the media agent, who wanted to introduce me to some big shot in Friso. Wow! Second shock - people making an effort to introduce you to influential people! At work, we struggle to get close to people who run the company, to create an impression. But this time, I'm being introduced freely to one! Oh the power of fame! *chuckles*

The other thing that was interesting for me, was that people had predetermined assumptions about me. I guess that was the effect of the videos which portrayed me as an over protective mother. I'm not saying that assumptions are bad; for instance I know some people at work tend to assume I'm a 'firm' project engineer hence I play it to my advantage. But this parenting assumption was completely new to me! They also asked how Aiden was enjoying his pet, whether Ian was liking his new found freedom... It was quite impressive to see how a few videos can tell people so much about your family.

The stage in the hall. They were playing my Friso Gold videos on a continuous loop throughout the morning. Erk... I was quite self conscious about it!

Two screens flanking the stage. *hides face*

Then I got dragged to do a photo shoot for the product. I was told to pose... Shoulder up, chin down, hair to the back, hair to the front... Uhuh easier said than done. If this is stardom, I really miss my fire retardant coveralls and safety boots!!! *chuckles*

The beautiful glass gallery by the pool. Several activities booth were featured here, many which were the brainchild of mothers who had embraced saying "Yes" to their kids.

Creative outdoor experiences. 

10am rolled in and Yuen, the other mother from the experiment arrived. (You MUST know Yuen from her fame in 3R... even I am a fan!!!) And as I expected, she was super nice! She even said "When I watched your video, I felt like I've known you forever!" I didn't miss the opportunity for a photo with her too. To record the first time the 'Yes Experiment' mummies met!

First photo for the two 'Yes Experiment' mummies!

Later after I had warmed up to her, I asked her nervously. "Will the stage interview be exactly the same as the script?" To my dismay she answered "No!!!" An anxious me retorted, "Yuen, you're not helping!" And she said "Just answer what comes to mind!" Ooookayyyyy! Well she is definitely a pro at this cos throughout the time before the event, never once did she view the stage script given to her. I guess she didn't need it at all because she did so well on stage too.

The good thing about having a 'celebrity' as a companion throughout the event, was that I learned so much from her. I was observing her all throughout the event and picked up oh so random things:

• Say thank you. All the time. As a celebrity you are expected to be nice and courteous. 
• Phones away as soon as the event starts. I was still fiddling with my phone when the Friso folks were giving the welcome speech, not because I was not interested nor replying messages but because I was reading my script cues! (Which was a waste because the minute I was on stage I remembered nothing anyway and did all of it impromptu!) Until I noticed that Yuen had chucked her phone in her bag and placed it underneath the chair and was listening enthusiastically to the speech. Then I realized. With so many cameras trained your way, a picture with you fiddling with your phone would not be nice for your sponsors!
• That being said, smile! You never know when some reporter is taking your photo. 
• Pose well. You won't get a chance to retake your photo, and the reporter won't bother showing you the picture to see if your smile is acceptable to you. And if the reporter wants a picture of you at level with the product, take off your shoes!

See, this is how the pros do it!

Heh - I think I looked like a tunggul kayu if compared to the sifu on the right.

• Make an effort to greet the media and bloggers. Even better, remember their name! One trick that I noticed from two celebrities from previous events - when someone from the floor asks a question, remember to approach the person later and comment, "That was a great question!" Or "Thank you for participating". Stuff like that. Make them feel appreciated. 
• Never give interviews without your agent saying okay. Well don't be rude about it too, but at the very least check what the ground rules are for answering questions. I made the silly mistake of entertaining a reporter as I was making my way back from the ladies to the event hall, and she ended asking me about something unrelated to the event. Thank goodness my agent spotted me, waited patiently by my side and later asked the reporter to kindly delete the recording. 
• That being said, unless you're a complete pro like Yuen - practice your interview cues... in BOTH languages! I went through my cue cards a couple of times before the event and practiced my lines. But unfortunately, I failed to realize that AFTER the stage interview, the media would approach you to record a live interview. Coming from Bulletin Utama, RTM and Astro Hlive, all of them wanted interviews in Malay! And it was at this point that I realized that I couldn't answer interviews in Malay to save my life! Oh I struggled like crazy to speak smoothly in formal Malay... My mind was so busy trying to translate English words into Malay and unfortunately my panic showed! 
• Here's one big boo boo that I did during the event... when you are invited to go up on stage, make sure everyone is already on stage before you sit down! To my embarrassment, I had plonked my backside on the very comfy chair on stage before realizing that Yuen was still standing, waiting for the Consultant Paediatrician and Corporate Nutritionist to walk up, and then sit simultaneously with them. I was absolutely mortified! *cue red face*
• Be prepared to give your phone number/email details to be reporter after the event. They may want to ask for additional quotes for their article.

Anyway, I did not manage to snap any photos during the actual stage interview as I was busy on stage (duh!) but I managed to get these shots from Instagram. Do check out #yestoexperiences for more pictures!

The onstage chit-chat session led by Serena C, and media photography session at the end of the session.

Product photo shoot and interviews.

Before I end this post, thought I should share an anecdote of something that happened to me at the end of the event. As I was waiting for the lift down to the hotel lobby (to go home), suddenly two ladies, who were obviously from the media launch, joined me. Usually, the introvert part of me would just pretend not to see them or I would act busy on the phone just to avoid having to make small talk. However, I got so conscious about the fact that they knew who I was - hence I made the effort to tegur them. Oh my... I bet this is how celebrities feel all the time - torn between wanting to just do your own thing but worried that fans would label them as sombong if they don't play nice.

But I'm glad I did say hello to them because they were very friendly. We parted ways at the elevator, and the warm feeling of knowing that I did the right thing, stayed with me.

Tapi, cukuplah sehari jadi 'celebrity'. I'm happy to stick to my job as an engineer. I don't think I'm cut out for the high heels and glamour. Coveralls, safety boots, and sweat; those are still what I'm most comfortable with.

#FrisoGoldMY #FrisoGoldMalaysia #LocNutri #preservesnutrients #easydigestionforstrongerinside

Week 4 of the Friso Yes Experiment!

I must admit, when my shiny new little boys were brought into this world, I certainly had my reservations about allowing their soft and innocent bodies be exposed to anything that could have germs. Hence for Week 4 of the Friso Gold Yes Experiment, I was encouraged to let go of my fear of germs.

In Week 3, Aiden asked for a cat. If you haven’t read that post, here’s the link. Initially, I was quite resistant to the idea. Growing up with a cat (that slept on my head!) through my teens, I know that pets are a great carrier for germs; unless with regular grooming, proper litterboxes… the whole works!

However, a mounting body of research suggests that exposing kids to germs may help their bodies prepare their defenses that offer them greater protection from illnesses later on in life. This is, of course, within reason. We simply need to use our common sense, as not all germs are bad, after all!

In order to start small, we babysat our neighbor’s pet for the day. It was an adorable rabbit with floppy ears. It was extremely tame – it allowed Aiden to carry it out of the cage and Aiden simply couldn’t resist giving it a cuddle too.

But having a pet isn’t just about giving it love, cuddles and playtime. I wanted Aiden to understand that having a pet means having to take responsibility for it too. Caring for an animal can take a lot of time and energy. So for starters, I decided to let Aiden try cleaning the rabbit cage. Of course, certain precautionary measures would have to be taken. My common sense tells me that in this case, hygiene cannot be compromised, hence I told Aiden that he needed to don gloves and face mask before he is allowed to clean the cage.

Gloves and mask on, Aiden started cleaning the cage by clearing the bedding and throwing it into a bin for disposal. Next, I helped him remove the cage tray and showed him how to scrub it using a stiff brush and some soap. He enthusiastically mimicked my moves and soon the tray was sparkling clean! He even cleverly commented that if cage is not throughly cleaned, it might pose a health risk to the rabbit.

Next, I showed him how to disinfect the cage. Using a mixture of vinegar and water, he sprayed the cage down and wiped it dry. Finally, we reassembled the cage, placed fresh bedding and let the rabbit back in the cage. It was wonderful to see how involved Aiden was in the whole activity, and how it increased his understanding of responsibility. Of course, the time I spent with him during this pet care session was a great bonding experience and an opportunity for me to offer positive affirmations and motivation. Hence, having Aiden do chores like these, can help build his self-confidence and reinforces independence.

Isn’t it amazing how “Saying Yes” to a simple activity like this can be so beneficial for my child?

Of course, Ian wanted to be part of the experiment too. But I have never allowed Ian to touch any animals, what more an outdoor pet. It is simply my way of protecting him from diseases, bites and such. After mulling over it for a while and seeing that the rabbit was so tame, I decided to let Ian touch his first rabbit. Lounging on the patio sofa, I cradled the rabbit in my arms and gingerly extended it towards Ian. Guess what he did? He pulled the rabbit’s ears!!! The poor rabbit squirmed, but it was the look on Ian’s face that enthralled me. It was a look of pure joy and excitement. I thought to myself, “Oh my, Ian’s touching his first rabbit!”

I then took his hand and showed him how to stroke the rabbit. After a few tries, he understood the concept and started stroking the rabbit too. My heart melted… it was such a special moment for me, and a major milestone for Ian!

Check out the Week 4 experiment at the Friso Gold Yes Experiment microsite, to watch those beautiful moments I shared with my kids.

Wrapping up my 4 weeks with the Friso Gold Yes Experiment, I realize now that my parenting style is largely influenced by how I was raised. Being an only child raised by a single mother, I was my mum’s world. Her love was boundless and her energy unmatched. Growing up, my mum was my rock – she was with me through my good and bad times. She protected and cared for me. She always wanted the best for me, and I am what I am now, because of her. And I want to be the same mother for my kids.  

And I can be the same mother for my kids. By “Saying Yes”, there are so many things that I can discover about my children just from letting go and allowing them to take reasonable risks. I now regret overprotecting my kids and assuming that Aiden is not big enough to handle responsibilities. He’s become a big brother, who is able to look out for his little brother.

Thank you Friso Gold, for allowing us to be part of the Friso Gold Yes Experiment. It was truly an insightful journey which has certainly taught me much about my children, and allowed me to reflect on my parenting style. 

Week 3 of the Friso Yes Experiment!

In Week 2 of the Friso Yes Experiment, I enlisted Aiden’s help in assisting Ian learn how to climb appropriately. Of course, he asked for a reward in return… and it turned out to be a sandbox. 

A sandbox?????

Ants, snails, sand fleas, centipedes, millipedes… I can name you a million and one creepy crawlies that would just loveeeeeeee to make our sandbox a place they can call home. The thought of my kids playing in the sandbox and touching these creatures, is enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up! And if that’s not enough… what if Ian decides that some sand would be yummy enough to have for lunch?

But backing out on my word would not be good for my relationship with Aiden. He needs to know that he can depend on me to keep my promise, even if it means that I have to study and learn on how to make the sandbox play, a safe and hygienic activity for my kids.

So, to tackle the issue of the creepy crawlies, I decided to get a sandbox with a cover! A sandbox cover would ensure that nothing foreign crawls inside during the night, and also keeps the sand clean.

The next day, I told Aiden that his reward was waiting for him in our lawn. Aiden’s face lighted up as soon as he saw the sandbox in the garden, while Ian started tugging on his brother’s shirt to help him open the cover. 

As soon as the cover was off, I explained to Aiden that he needed to take some precautionary measures before he could start his activity. First, he needs to promise that the cover will be on at all times whenever not in use. Second, he has to scoop through the sand with his sandbox tools, to check and ensure that the sand was clean for play. You know, just in case! Last but not least, he and Ian will have to wash up after they finish. He solemnly gave me his promise and dutifully followed my instructions. After confirming that there were no foreign objects in the sand, the two excited brothers immediately jumped in!

They had the time of their lives that day! There was also a moulded waterway surrounding the sandbox, so the kids could float their boats in the small stream. They also scooped sand into buckets and made sandcastles. By the time the kids were done, their hands and hair were covered with sand while their shirts were covered with a wild splatter of sand and water. Hence, it was time to clean up! 

  

True to his word, Aiden reminded me to put the cover back on, and then he walked up to the sink to wash his hands. He made a big show about scrubbing his hands clean; between his fingers and under his nails. He even reached out to help me soap Ian’s hands. I was pleasantly surprised! Aiden has proved to me that he is big enough to be responsible for the sandbox, and can clean up properly after play. If I hadn’t taken this leap of faith and participated in the Friso Yes Experiment, I would never have realized how independent Aiden can be.

Check out the Week 3 experiment at the Friso Gold Yes Experiment microsite, to watch how much fun Aiden and Ian had in the sandbox.

Reflecting on my success with the sandbox experiment and seeing the excitement in my children’s eyes, I decided that I needed to encourage Aiden to try out new things that Ian can participate too. I asked Aiden for his opinion… and he answered “I want a cat!”

Yes… Aiden has been asking me for a cat for the longest time. Heh, maybe I shouldn’t have asked him for his opinion. Having a pet is very different from the sandbox as I cannot control where they go, what they do and even what they contract. Also, Ian is too young to be handling animals. I am soooo drawing the line here! 

Week 2 of the Friso Yes Experiment!

When I am at work, I always wonder what my kids are up to. Is Aiden cycling outside alone? Is Ian going through the chinaware cabinet? Did my maid forget to latch the staircase gate yet again and is Ian climbing up the stairs unsupervised? How I get any work done with all that worrying, is frankly, quite questionable. 

For Week 2 of the Friso Gold Yes Experiment, I decided to change my overprotective approach in small steps. Recognizing that Ian loves to copy whatever Aiden does, I decided to get Aiden to assist and help Ian learn how to climb appropriately. By getting Aiden in the picture, at least I am assured that Aiden can watch out for his brother when I am at work.

And Ian absolutely loved the experiment! The minute he saw the slide, he was running up to it to explore it. Aiden was such a champ, every time Ian climbed up; he was already waiting at the bottom of the slide with open arms. How he protects his brother is a sure sign that he is growing up to be a responsible big brother.

Next, I opened the gated stairs for the first time. Ian immediately grasped the gate and swung it open wide. With a cheeky grin, he crossed over the gate and “walked” up the stairs (with my help, of course). Aiden, being the very supportive big brother, jumped up and down in excitement the minute Ian stepped foot on the landing.

And last but not least… letting Aiden help Ian climb the piano stool unassisted. Major experiment for me! I mulled over the idea for a while, but in the spirit of “Saying Yes”, I decided to let Aiden proceed with this daunting experiment and trust that he would look after his little brother. The whole thing was done in one take – watch the video to see how nervous I was about the whole scene. Of course, nothing bad happened. And in the end I realized that I should protect my kids against obvious threats, but leave the rest to nature. Kids are born to climb and explore!

At the end of the day, Aiden asked for a reward for being such a responsible and adoring big brother, assisting Ian in the experiments. I simply couldn’t say no. And of all the things that he could have asked for, he chose to ask for a sandbox. *sigh* If you have been reading my blog for a while, you would know how particular I am about hygiene. And a sandbox is not something I want in my garden! But that… is part of Week 3, so stay tuned!

Check out the Week 2 experiment at the Friso Gold Yes Experiment microsite, to see how Aiden “taught Ian to go up the stairs and up the piano”. Too adorable! *smiles*

The Yes Experiment!

Saying Yes to my two boys!

I always believe that a mother’s place is always with their kids.

However, I am a working mother. I wish I can spend more time with them – supervising Aiden with his homework, cuddling with Ian for his afternoon nap. But I have to juggle my responsibilities at work too. Such is a working mother’s dilemma.

Consequently, I compensate by spending quality time with them whenever I am home. When I am not at home, I trust my kids to my maid; but supervise them via CCTV. But since I am not physically home, I protect my kids further by implementing strict rules, such as not playing outside unsupervised. You can never be too careful nowadays!

Ian is quite the boisterous toddler - he's flitting around the house, climbing anything that looks even mildly adventurous and poking his fingers where it is not needed. (And it’s not even the Terrible Twos!) Persuading and rationalizing with an 18 month toddler to stop doing these mischievous things is akin to waiting for the moon to turn blue. Hence I resort to my favorite word, "No!" - Quick on the lips and oh so easy to utter. I even find myself saying "No" to Ian more often than I say "No" to Aiden.

So unfortunately, everything is a "No" for Ian nowadays, to a point that I feel it has become a knee-jerk impulsive response to almost anything audacious that Ian wants to attempt. Subconsciously, I know saying "No" this many times to a child must not be healthy. I am worried that the word "No" will lose its punch and Ian will become even more intrigued with the "no-nos".

Running after Ian who had his heart set on picking up the very attractive vase in his sight.

Aiden occasionally gets the big N-O when he asks to do things that I am not comfortable with. I can rattle off at least a dozen examples; from cycling around the neighbourhood on his own, to even wanting a pet. I have tried rationalizing my decisions with him, pointing out the risks and hazards associated with each request. However; sometimes I feel that he is too young to comprehend the rationale behind my choices.

Hence when Friso Gold approached me to participate in the "Say Yes" experiment, I accepted the campaign with open arms. It was certainly refreshing to try being neither a stern disciplinarian nor an overprotective mother in my household!

I ran the idea of the campaign through my darling husband. He was very supportive, especially as he had seen firsthand how attached I was to the simple one syllable word of "No". So for the next few weeks up until the day the experiment started, every time I said "No" to Ian (or Aiden), he would give me "the look"... His lips pursed shut trying to suppress a grin, while his eyes sparkled with laughter. Indeed it was quite an effective way to make me realize the number of times I was saying "No" and how tiresome it was. I realized then that I needed to adopt a different parenting style in raising my kids.

If you feel that you can relate to what I am going through, or probably going through the same at home, join me on my journey of "Saying Yes". Over the next 5 weeks, the Friso Gold Yes Experiment micro site will be releasing videos of the positive parenting experiences that I went through with my family.

Check out the video of Week 1, which chronicles my parenting style and how I eventually agreed to the experiment.

So fellow “No” mothers, click HERE to head to the Friso Gold Yes Experiment micro site, and together we can learn to embrace saying “Yes” to our children (to reasonable requests – of course). If you are unsure about whether you are a “Yes” or a “No” mother, there is even a quick test under the “Expert Advice” tab to help you decipher your preferred parenting style. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment after viewing the video! There are some really cute moments in that video that are definitely worth a chuckle or two. *smiles*