I'm a full-time mummy

I have been cutting down on doing product reviews towards the last quarter of year 2016 to prepare for our coming 4th kiddo who was born in early November 2016 and I am now slowly resuming doing product reviews but prioritizing those that can fit into our family dynamics (especially books on parenting or homeschooling stuff, family products, something along those genre) When I received an email asking whether I would be interested to review a range of babies and children toothpaste from Europe, I had initially declined to prepare for coming baby but the client is very patient and willing to wait until things have settled down on our side, so here goes my review: 

About the company & products:

"SensiTeeth is a babies and children toothpaste from Europe and is distributed by AJ Research and Pharma in Malaysia.

The foundation of healthy permanent teeth in children is laid during the childhood period. Henceforth, it is essential to establish a proper and right oral hygiene product as a routine early in life to help ensure the development of strong and healthy teeth. Parents should be the key model to cultivate in their kids a good dental routine from young with clinically proven product- SensiTeeth Kids Oral Care.

There are 5 products in the range which are:

1. SensiTeeth First Tooth Paste - First teething 6+months

2. SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - Fluoride 500ppm and Calcium 3+ years old

3. SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - 1000ppm fluoride, and calcium 6+ years

4. SensiTeeth Epismalto Tooth Paste-1450ppm Fluoride and Calcium 6+ years

5. SensiTeeth Kids Mouthwash-100ppm Fluoride and Calcium 3 + years"

We received the following 5 products for our review. One thing that touched on my OCD side is the color of the toothpaste - as a mum of 4 kiddos, I would prefer if there are different colors for easier identification. I had to read and re-read the labels to make sure I'm giving the correct toothpaste to our kiddos, I do not notice the different tooth mascot pictures on the toothpaste until much later, maybe it is just me, but yeah, I would really appreciate different color scheme for different products hahahaha...

Firstly, I like that the toothpaste came sealed with a thin foil for hygienic and safety purpose. It assures me that the toothpaste has not been tampered with and produced with utmost safety in mind.

Moving on, I explained to our kiddos especially our older 2 (girl 5 years old and boy 7.5 years old) that mummy need them to try out a new toothpaste and to provide their honest feedback on how they feel after using it.

We started off with the SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - Fluoride 500ppm and Calcium which I let our 2 girls try out (they are 3 years old and 5 years old) By 3 years old, children should be able to spit out the toothpaste after brushing. It is now that we as parents should introduce them the toothpaste with calcium-fluoride formulation, as fluoride helps to prevent and control tooth decay while calcium can help to grow stronger teeth.

SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - Fluoride 500ppm and Calcium provides the appropriate amount of fluoride of only 500ppm for kids at 3 years old and above. It is specially designed for the youngest of mouths to get them used to the taste of toothpaste as well as coming in a baby-friendly blueberry flavor.

Our 5-year-old girl was the first guinea pig for the night hahahaha... well only because she is straight-up honest and is very very picky and super sensitive to what goes into her mouth. She squeals when she realized the foam forming in her mouth as her current toothpaste does not do that at all, so this is a new experience for her. I asked her whether the toothpaste is sweet and she said no and continued brushing her teeth. She gargled and rinsed off and proceeded to tell me the toothpaste is okay for her and that she likes it.

Next guinea piggy in line is our 3-year-old girl who was the second picky person in our family. I dabbed on half a pea size of the same toothpaste that her elder sister just used. Up until today, she is still using one brand of toothpaste meant for 3 months to 2 years old because she just does not like the rest of the toothpaste I got for her. So, I took a deep breath and proceeded to brush our 3-year-old's teeth (she can brush her own teeth but it is not thorough so we prefer to do it for her at the moment)

She did not wail out like what she did with another toothpaste I purposely bought for her but stood still letting me brush on. Phewww... with a heavy sigh of relief, I continued brushing her teeth and she gargled and happily trotted off to join her sister in bed. For this girl of ours, her actions are louder than her words. The very fact that she did not flat out reject the toothpaste says a lotttttttttt already!

Final guinea pig on toothpaste products for the night is our 7.5-year-old boy. I let him used the SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - 1000ppm Fluoride and Calcium which is meant for children age 6+ years. This toothpaste is especially catering for the tooth transition phase which is when their milk tooth will have loosened and eventually fall off and replaced with permanent tooth.

Our 7.5-year-old boy has used a couple of different toothpaste brands so far and he said the one he is trying out now smells good but does not taste sweet. He dabbed on some onto his electrical toothbrush and quickly brushed his teeth. He said the toothpaste is okay, not minty like the one he likes (which is sweet - yes, I tasted that too LOL)

Now I must confess, boys being boys, they are like men with a few words. Hard to wriggle out more words from them at times, so as a concerned mum and this being a product review, I decided to try out the SensiTeeth Kids Tooth Paste - 1000ppm Fluoride and Calcium toothpaste. I dabbed on a big pea-sized toothpaste onto my toothbrush and noticed the strong strawberry smell. I brushed slowly, even tasted some to check whether the toothpaste is sweet or not - nope, they are NOT! To be frank, I am not used to this toothpaste as the one I'm using is minty and taste a bit sweet hahahaha... but okay, I guess no complaints from our kiddos means all is good!

Our last product to review is the SensiTeeth Kids Mouthwash-100ppm Fluoride and Calcium. Do you know that brushing alone only reaches 25% of your mouth? Hence, mouthwash that contains fluoride will provide an extra dose of cavity protection as well as reducing germs and plaque left behind after brushing.

This mouthwash is meant for children 3 years old and above so I let our older 2 kiddos try out the mouthwash after they brushed their teeth. Just want to note that our kiddos have not been exposed to any mouthwash products prior to this review so this is a new experience for them. Picture shown below is our 5-year-old girl slowly gargling her mouth with the mouthwash. She giggled and was happy when I told her that her mouth smells good after she gargled with the mouthwash. She left the bathroom mouth wide open and I can hear her asking her little sister to smell her mouth LOL.

As for our 7.5-year-old boy, he initially does not like the idea of gargling with the mouthwash until I told him that the mouthwash helps to reduce germs and plaque left behind after brushing. He promptly gargled and I heard a soft whine from him after he was done though I can see him running off to his sisters and asking them to smell his mouth hahahaha... I think this need more practice for them to get used to. I too gave the mouthwash a try after I brushed my teeth. It smells good and tasted sweet, making me gargled furiously after that. It left a lingering berry scent in my mouth after gargling. Not bad apart from the taste.

I would like to point out that we did not get to review 2 products at the moment of writing this review:

- The SensiTeeth Epismalto Tooth Paste-1450ppm Fluoride and Calcium which I will let our 7.5-year-old boy try out later as this toothpaste has higher fluoride content which can be used to prevent tooth decay as cavities is a popular disease among the children at 6 years of age and above as they start to drink or consume foods containing sugars.

- The SensiTeeth First Tooth Paste which I will let our 4th kiddo (currently 2 months old toothless hahahaha) try out when he starts teething. I am happy to know that this toothpaste is safe to swallow as it is not easy to look for one with this feature in the market and the one we currently use is a tad sweet (yes, I tasted them hahahaha)

Overall, an alternative to good oral care products for your kiddos and I love that there are different levels of fluoride and calcium to suit different age groups!

The products are now available exclusively in Guardian and selected independent pharmacies.

Do note that I received no monetary compensation for this review, I was provided with the products in order to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Please do your own research when purchasing products, as your opinions may differ from mine.

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost every day) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.

The other day our 7.5-year-old boy said he was bored. So hubby asked him what he would like to play. Our boy said puzzle games. Hubby then went to grab this book of word search puzzles and smilingly told our boy that he was very good in puzzle games like that and if mummy was to play it, will surely lose. Hah! I was laughing inside my head. Nevermind, like any humble superhero, I ain't showing my skills yet unless absolutely needed to.

After about 2 rounds of games (which our boy lost to hubby), hubby then challenged ME to the game. I accepted the challenge, still smiling while I let my hubby gloat on. We started with an easy puzzle as our 4th kiddo slept peacefully on the bed and our girls were on the floor playing with their princess toys. I won of course. Then hubby started shifting uneasily. I'm just warming up yo!

I won the next few rounds and that's when my hubby said that I won because it is harder for him to tilt his head to read the words. So I told him, "Fine, you can position the book wherever you want" and I ended up looking at the puzzle book like this. Exactly this position. No biggie. I can handle it no problem.

We continued on after I won again and again. If you have not seen how the look of despair is like, here you go...

Hubby finally realized that I meant it when I said I'm really good with word search puzzles! He surrendered after I won the last puzzle which is shown below. German names? No big deal, bring it on!

I remembered back when I was 12 years old, it was during the end of school term when the year-end exams were over and we were all waiting for the results to be out and we were allowed to bring any educational games or books to school to pass the time. One time, a classmate of mine brought this really giant book of puzzles. It was like 2 inches thick and that was my first time seeing word search puzzles. I was hovering at the back observing how the game was played as she played with our class teacher. Then I started getting the idea and slowly pointing to either my classmate or to our teacher where should the word be and as I got more and more excited (or annoying hahaha), my classmate offered me a chance to play in the next round and I was hooked. I think I solved almost all the pages in her puzzle book! It was really fun and exhilarating at the same time knowing I could do that!

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity. 

Nothing feels better than planning for a trip to a new place that promises all sorts of fun and experiences. However, in this haze, it is easy to overlook some crucial factors in your planning. Moreover, without a clue about where to visit, where to stay and the best means to get there, your trip can turn chaotic even before its commencement.

We are pretty much familiar with the offerings from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur that are the cities that are deemed more exciting but little did we know Johor Bahru is basically a hidden gem that one should not miss. This lovely city brings together a touch of both modern and traditional urban jungles. That said, often when you travel to Singapore, you should take some moment and explore Johor Bahru that will guarantee you a memorable memory with your loved ones.

First stop: Legoland

You can start your journey with the direct express bus from Singapore to Legoland where you can easily book your ticket from http://www.easybook.com/en-sg/bus/booking/singapore-to-legoland/. The first of its kind in Asia, the theme park has more than 70 hands-on rides, slides, shows and attractions.

It has a wonderful kids water theme park specially designed to allow kids have unlimited and unforgettable fun. It’s also home to the famous LEGO City and LEGO Kingdom. Besides that, the other attractions include Miniland, Land of Adventure, Joker Soaker, LEGO wave pool and many more.

Second stop: Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple

Probably the oldest temple in Johor Bahru, this old Chinese temple dates back to the 19th century and was established as a way of honoring 5 deities that held much significance to Chinese society. Its peculiarity is unmistakable with its characteristic red and white colors.

There are 3 beautifully designed prayer halls in the temple and on top of that, you will find a small museum in the temple premises. On display are idols of various gods, photos of the temple and many temple antiques.

Third stop: Jalan Wong Ah Fook

Named after one of the founder of Johor Bahru, this is one of the busiest main streets in Johor Bahru. Your food-hunting quest will never get better when there are plentiful of shops, cafes, restaurants and food stalls lining along the street. One must visit Hiap Joo Bakery and Biscuit factory to try on their banana cakes.

The short walk from the City Square will expose you to amazing delicacies, desserts and local recipes all at a pocket-friendly price. Don’t get hungry on your expedition, pass through Jalan Wong Ah Fook and have a food moment to remember.

Fourth stop: Istana Besar

Istana Besar aka Grand Palace is the royal residence of the King of Johor. The palace is a fine amalgamation of Anglo-Malay architecture with a dome roof colored blue and overlooking the skyline. The palace also houses the Royal Abu Bakar Museum. On display are royal heirloom, rare artefacts and records of the history of the state's royal family.

Fifth stop: Angry Birds Theme Park

As the name suggests, Angry Birds Theme Park has a lot of interesting games and zones designed around the popular game Angry Birds. The park has taken into consideration that not every person may be amused by the theme and as such has put in place other activities and attractions around the park such as restaurants and bars.

Sixth stop: City Square and JBCC Mall

Johor Bahru is expanding rapidly and what comes with the expansion are the numerous shopping areas for all types of products. City Square and the new JBCC Mall have always been the shopping heaven for Singaporean shoppers with the search of bargains and great food. Walking in to City Square from the Johor Custom, you can find the best nyonya kuih stall. The variety of the kuih will get you hyped and excited with the abundance of delicious food you are getting in the trip.

A 2-day visit to Johor Bahru can feel like a few minutes, which is why it is proper to have a good idea of exactly where to travel and how to get there. With these guidelines, you can be sure to have a smooth and wonderful 2-day trip experience.