Love.
Love was overwhelming at the RDSS (Rare Disorders Society Singapore) "Christmas is Christmas" party last Saturday. As I sat at my table, soaking in the scene of radiant-looking Mommies catching up with one another, excited kids, flying balloons that escaped from the children's hands, and Santa with his big bag of snacks, I caught the smiles of sweet Vera who looked very happy that afternoon, and baby Yujia who got excited over my balloon hovering above her.
It didn't matter if our children have hearing or speech problems, with physical or intellectual disabilities. Love transcends all boundaries.
It is love that brought each special needs child into the world.
And it is love that motivated the amazing Mommies to form a committee to organise the Christmas party for RDSS's beneficiaries and their families.
The party was the best I've seen. Each child was given a goodie bag. That was not all. Each goodie bag was CUSTOMISED to suit the child's needs. To top it off, every family was given a fully-packed goodie bag with a load of useful items and a door-gift with NTUC vouchers and ZooMoov free ride! The Mommies spent hours packing all the bags of love, and a lot of effort to find sponsors for the things we enjoyed. There was so much careful thought put in to make every family feel the love during this festive season. Thank you ladies!
The party had no lack of inspiring moments. Peishan played on the keyboard, making beautiful music note by note, and proving to the audience that she is able despite her limited finger movements. May Tham (mother of Vera) serenaded us with her melodious voice. The two songs she composed were very meaningful stories of her love for Vera, and reminded us of the love for our own, despite all the challenges we have to face with them.
The world may look at our special needs children as incomplete or imperfect, but to the parents and our Maker, they are every bit as complete and perfect as He has made them. And most definitely, He loves each child.
It is a universal language - and often, it's a language that does not require words to be expressed.
Love was overwhelming at the RDSS (Rare Disorders Society Singapore) "Christmas is Christmas" party last Saturday. As I sat at my table, soaking in the scene of radiant-looking Mommies catching up with one another, excited kids, flying balloons that escaped from the children's hands, and Santa with his big bag of snacks, I caught the smiles of sweet Vera who looked very happy that afternoon, and baby Yujia who got excited over my balloon hovering above her.
It didn't matter if our children have hearing or speech problems, with physical or intellectual disabilities. Love transcends all boundaries.
It is love that brought each special needs child into the world.
It is love that gives every parent the strength to carry on living, and doing his best for the special needs one and all the other children in the family.
It is love that opens up a world of friendship and support, bonding the Mommies through our daily chats on Whatsapp.
And it is love that motivated the amazing Mommies to form a committee to organise the Christmas party for RDSS's beneficiaries and their families.
The party was the best I've seen. Each child was given a goodie bag. That was not all. Each goodie bag was CUSTOMISED to suit the child's needs. To top it off, every family was given a fully-packed goodie bag with a load of useful items and a door-gift with NTUC vouchers and ZooMoov free ride! The Mommies spent hours packing all the bags of love, and a lot of effort to find sponsors for the things we enjoyed. There was so much careful thought put in to make every family feel the love during this festive season. Thank you ladies!
The party had no lack of inspiring moments. Peishan played on the keyboard, making beautiful music note by note, and proving to the audience that she is able despite her limited finger movements. May Tham (mother of Vera) serenaded us with her melodious voice. The two songs she composed were very meaningful stories of her love for Vera, and reminded us of the love for our own, despite all the challenges we have to face with them.
The world may look at our special needs children as incomplete or imperfect, but to the parents and our Maker, they are every bit as complete and perfect as He has made them. And most definitely, He loves each child.
Just like what May sang in the song she wrote for RDSS, "My love is not rare, it is everywhere.".
 |
| May Tham singing "Love is not Rare", with the company of Vera who has Trisomy 18, a rare disorder |
Have your kids ever entered this phase where they simply hate bathing even though they used to love the water-splashing fun? It's almost Iike they just wake up one day and decide that enough is enough with bathing, and they start battling each bath with screams and cries. It's every Mommy's nightmare to deal with such resistance to bathing.
I was fortunate enough to escape extreme resistances with my kids but I definitely have my fair share of bath refusals, and have to catch them to the bathroom from time to time.
Sud-Z-buddy to the rescue!
Here is where a fun soap may help with such tricky situations. We have often seen children's soap moulded into cute shapes to attract young children to use them. But Sud-Z-buddy is MORE THAN THAT!
Sud-Z-buddy is a clear glycerin soap which comes in various animal shapes (currently only Ophelia Octopus and Clancey Clownfish are available in Singapore) with a light-up plastic toy inside. The soap lights up with water and glows with different colours as long as it is contact with water.
A toy,
A mild soap, safe for children's tender skin,
Lights up during bath!
Sud-Z-buddy is a clear glycerin soap which comes in various animal shapes (currently only Ophelia Octopus and Clancey Clownfish are available in Singapore) with a light-up plastic toy inside. The soap lights up with water and glows with different colours as long as it is contact with water.
What's the soap made of?
Sud-Z-buddy is formulated with as little chemicals as possible - parabens, sulfates, fragrances and other ingredients which may sometimes cause sensitivity to children's tender skin are all eliminated.
How does the soap light up?
Simple! When Sud-Z-buddy is removed from the packaging, touch the bottom of the soap. It will light up.
To continue to keep it flashing, lather it up with tap water.
To stop it from flashing, rinse the soap off the soap, especially the bottom which has the metal contacts. Place the soap upside down on a flat dry surface. It will stop flashing after a few seconds (less than 10 seconds for mine) . If it doesn't, repeat the rinsing.
The battery life of the toy is supposed to last for over a year if it is used properly and sparingly.
What I like about the soap
I feel safe that the soap is fragrance and preservatives free, and will not cause any skin rashes - L and K have rather sensitive skins.
The colour change offer therapeutic benefits to children especially those who have sensory processing issues. I found the slow changing of colours very relaxing and calming - almost hypnotizing me at some moments. But I didn't fancy the faster colour changes and found them too stimulating.
It comes in a good size for the small hands, and the irregular shapes make it easier to grip onto the slippery soap. It's quite funny to watch K as she would chuckle loudly whenever the soap slips out of her palm.
The plastic toy can continue to light up and last for over a year if used properly and sparingly.
The generous sponsors at Smart Toon has kindly sponsored 6 sets of Sud-Z-buddy soap to our readers! Each winner will receive one Sud-Z-buddy. Do indicate which Sud-Z-buddy you want to win - Ophelia Octopus or Clancey Clownfish (there are 3 sets of Ophelia, and 3 sets of Clancey to be won. Please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget).
How to enter the giveaway:
I will be doing a random draw for 6 winners using the Rafflecopter widget.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway Terms and ConditionsDisclosure: No monetary compensation was given for this review and all opinions are ours. We were given Sud-Z-buddy soap for the purpose of this review.
The ingredients stated on the packaging are: decyl glucoside, sorbitol, propylene glycol, stearic acid, vegetable oil, water, behenic acid, sodium hydroxide (saponifying agent), coconut oil, glycerine.
How does the soap light up?
Simple! When Sud-Z-buddy is removed from the packaging, touch the bottom of the soap. It will light up.
To continue to keep it flashing, lather it up with tap water.
To stop it from flashing, rinse the soap off the soap, especially the bottom which has the metal contacts. Place the soap upside down on a flat dry surface. It will stop flashing after a few seconds (less than 10 seconds for mine) . If it doesn't, repeat the rinsing.
The battery life of the toy is supposed to last for over a year if it is used properly and sparingly.
What I like about the soap
I feel safe that the soap is fragrance and preservatives free, and will not cause any skin rashes - L and K have rather sensitive skins.
The colour change offer therapeutic benefits to children especially those who have sensory processing issues. I found the slow changing of colours very relaxing and calming - almost hypnotizing me at some moments. But I didn't fancy the faster colour changes and found them too stimulating.
It comes in a good size for the small hands, and the irregular shapes make it easier to grip onto the slippery soap. It's quite funny to watch K as she would chuckle loudly whenever the soap slips out of her palm.
The plastic toy can continue to light up and last for over a year if used properly and sparingly.
 |
| Photo credit |
It would be even better if...
- ... the soap can last longer. L and K shared the soap and used it daily for 20 days. This is what is left:
- ... it is priced lower. Retail price of Sud-Z-buddy is $8.90 (IMO, pricey for a bath soap!).
Where can you get it?
You can get them at all Kiddy Palace outlets (except Bedok, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Clementi) and mummytoon.com . With all the festive seasons coming soon, Sud-Z-buddy is a great gift for any child! [update: I just got news that Kiddy Palace and Mummytoon are having a discount for this soap!]
Get more info about Sud-Z-buddy soap here.
Get more info about Sud-Z-buddy soap here.
SPECIAL GIVEAWAY! (23 - 30 Dec)
The generous sponsors at Smart Toon has kindly sponsored 6 sets of Sud-Z-buddy soap to our readers! Each winner will receive one Sud-Z-buddy. Do indicate which Sud-Z-buddy you want to win - Ophelia Octopus or Clancey Clownfish (there are 3 sets of Ophelia, and 3 sets of Clancey to be won. Please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget).
How to enter the giveaway:
I will be doing a random draw for 6 winners using the Rafflecopter widget.
In order to qualify for the giveaway, please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below. The first 3 steps of the instructions are compulsory.
This giveaway will end on Wednesday 30 Dec, 2359 hrs. Results of the draw will be announced here.
Giveaway Terms and Conditions
- The winner will be contacted using the particulars provided when entering the draw, and has 48 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be drawn.
- All incomplete entries will be disqualified. All entries will be verified before the winners are announced. To be fair to our sponsors, please note that all fake Facebook accounts (e.g. accounts set up purely to take part in contests with no or very few real friends) will also be ineligible to win.
- This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
[2 Jan 2016]
CONGRATULATIONS to:
Ms Katherine H., Ms Jasmine L., and Mr Andrew L.
for winning one Clancey Clownfish,
and
Ms Jingxian L., Ms Vanessa T., and Ms Theresa T.
for winning one Ophelia Octopus!
I will be getting in touch with you soon!
Please check your email for details to collect your prize!
Please check your email for details to collect your prize!
To everyone who has participated in
this giveaway, THANK YOU for supporting
Simply Lambchops!
Do continue to visit the blog for more updates!
The 10th National Piano and Violin Competition - Prize Winners' Concert 2015
media invite Sunday, December 13, 2015
[Media Invite]
It was curiosity that prompted me to attend the 10th National Piano and Violin Competition Prize Winners' Concert & Prize Presentation Ceremony at the Victoria Concert Hall on Sunday. I am no expert listener, and can't tell the difference between great works of Beethoven or Mozart, but I was curious about the performing standards of the prize winners and I was itching for some good classical music that weekend. It has been a long time since I attended a concert too.
My other (secret) agenda was to expose Ch and L to more classical music and hopefully, be able to appreciate why they learn to play the piano and gain some inspiration to be more diligent in their own music-making journey.
A biennial event, the National Piano and Violin Competition is jointly organised by the National Arts Council (NAC) and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). It serves as a talent development platform to discover and nurture young musicians to artistic excellence, and provide opportunities to perform before renowned international adjudicators like Mr Charles Castleman (violin adjudicator) and Ms Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn (piano adjudicator). A total of 25 winners emerged from among 159 participants, and I saw two familiar faces among the group of proud parents that evening.
This year's edition saw a special commission by local composer and 2003 Young Artist Award recipient Dr Zechariah Goh Toh Chai. His pieces - Quinquagenerian celebration and Quinquagenerian Jubilation for piano, Ondeh Ondeh variations and Two Sketches for violin - were used as competition pieces and performed at the Prize Winners' Concert.
Ronan Lim Ziming, 1st Prize Winner of the Violin Senior Category, also bagged the final edition of the Goh Soon Tioe Outstanding Performer Award of $10,000 for his outstanding performing qualities in Ondeh Ondeh and Lutoslawki's Subito (1992).
As anticipated, the concert was indeed a spectacular showcase of the top prize winners of all categories who displayed the highest standards of classical music. The concert opened with performances by winners of the Piano and Violin Artist categories, accompanied by the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra conducted by Maestro Chan Tze Law. The two winners played well, but I wasn't particularly impressed for some reasons.
We were very much more impressed with the younger ones. From their performances, the dedication and passion towards excellence in the classical music scene exude strongly from each prize winner. I was most impressed and captivated by Jordan Alexandra JunYi Hadrill's vivacious performance of Wieniawski's Variations on an Original Theme Op. 15.
It was interesting to observe Ch and L throughout the concert - one sat through most parts with an intent gaze, seemingly appreciating the display of talents, while the other fidgeted in the seat and wished to be out of the concert hall. This certainly has to do with the amount of exposure to such concerts, and I hope there will be more of such family outings. It was also the littlest's first exposure to classical music in a formal setting, and she had to be whisked out of the concert hall after the first performance because she talked too much (apologies!).
When asked to name a performer who left the deepest impression that evening, the three kids replied:
Well, I do hope they have rubbed off some passion from these prize winners.
The next edition of the competition will be in December 2017. Watch out for it and I would recommend bringing your child along if he is learning either of the musical instruments.
Do hop over to Pianomania for his detailed review of the event if you want to find out more.
Disclaimer: All photos are provided by the National Arts Council, unless otherwise stated.
My other (secret) agenda was to expose Ch and L to more classical music and hopefully, be able to appreciate why they learn to play the piano and gain some inspiration to be more diligent in their own music-making journey.
A biennial event, the National Piano and Violin Competition is jointly organised by the National Arts Council (NAC) and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). It serves as a talent development platform to discover and nurture young musicians to artistic excellence, and provide opportunities to perform before renowned international adjudicators like Mr Charles Castleman (violin adjudicator) and Ms Anna Jastrzebska-Quinn (piano adjudicator). A total of 25 winners emerged from among 159 participants, and I saw two familiar faces among the group of proud parents that evening.
This year's edition saw a special commission by local composer and 2003 Young Artist Award recipient Dr Zechariah Goh Toh Chai. His pieces - Quinquagenerian celebration and Quinquagenerian Jubilation for piano, Ondeh Ondeh variations and Two Sketches for violin - were used as competition pieces and performed at the Prize Winners' Concert.
Ronan Lim Ziming, 1st Prize Winner of the Violin Senior Category, also bagged the final edition of the Goh Soon Tioe Outstanding Performer Award of $10,000 for his outstanding performing qualities in Ondeh Ondeh and Lutoslawki's Subito (1992).
 |
| Luiyi Retallick, 1st Prize Winner of Violin Artist Category |
As anticipated, the concert was indeed a spectacular showcase of the top prize winners of all categories who displayed the highest standards of classical music. The concert opened with performances by winners of the Piano and Violin Artist categories, accompanied by the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra conducted by Maestro Chan Tze Law. The two winners played well, but I wasn't particularly impressed for some reasons.
We were very much more impressed with the younger ones. From their performances, the dedication and passion towards excellence in the classical music scene exude strongly from each prize winner. I was most impressed and captivated by Jordan Alexandra JunYi Hadrill's vivacious performance of Wieniawski's Variations on an Original Theme Op. 15.
 |
| Jordan Alexandra JunYi Hadrill receiving her prize from Guest-of-Honour Mr Ng Chee Meng, Acting Minister for Education (Schools) |
When asked to name a performer who left the deepest impression that evening, the three kids replied:
"My favourite performer is Wang Huang Hao Jia because he plays the piano very smoothly and his posture when playing is good. He does not slouch like some players when they are playing softly." said Ch.
 |
| Wang Huang Hao Jia, 1st Prize Winner (Piano Intermediate Category) |
"The best performer in my eyes is Tricia Ng En Lin, [as] the song that she performed was very attractive and lively. She could move her fingers so quickly on the finger board." mentioned Eu, classmate of Ch.
 |
| Tricia Ng En Lin, 1st Prize Winner (Violin Junior Category) |
Said L, "... favourite performer is Ronan because Ronan got an award and his piece is well-played and nice."
 |
| Ronan Lim Ziming, 1st Prize Winner (Violin Senior Category) & Winner of Goh Soon Tioe Outstanding Performer Award |
Well, I do hope they have rubbed off some passion from these prize winners.
The next edition of the competition will be in December 2017. Watch out for it and I would recommend bringing your child along if he is learning either of the musical instruments.
Do hop over to Pianomania for his detailed review of the event if you want to find out more.
Disclaimer: All photos are provided by the National Arts Council, unless otherwise stated.
