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The Rasa Sayang: Sing and Record Fun Book is a fun collection of seven Malay folksongs including very familiar tunes like Chan Mali Chan (hey hey!), Rasa Sayang and Bengawan Solo. These familiar folk songs have been sung many times, but I have no idea what the songs mean and I can only sing the chorus and hum the rest of the tune. I also have to admit that I haven't heard the other songs before I received this book. Elise won't be the only one learning from this book for sure.
7 push buttons with icons that correspond to the folk songs. The construction of the book is solid and it also includes an interesting feature -
a record and playback function! If your little ones are old enough to sing, this feature allows their voices to be recorded in the book. If they aren't, you can show off your singing skills by recording your voice while singing.
Control panel with 3 modes - music, record and playback. There are also volume control buttons and an inbuilt microphone.
Elise can't yet fully enjoy the features of this book but as she is Singaporean, I feel that it is necessary for her to learn about the many cultures that make up our country and that of our neighbouring countries, Malaysia and Indonesia.
What I like about the book is that it is very well constructed and it is one-of-a-kind. It is the first book of its kind for children to be produced in the region and the songs are a unifying factor for all 3 countries. As such, the production of the book also involved talents from these 3 countries. Lee Jiun is Malaysian, the production company is from Singapore and the voice behind the songs belongs to an Indonesian lady.
Produced by Peyron Singapore | Translated by Lok Lee Jiun & Serene Ding | Illustrations by Aditya Pratama | Songs performed by Kezia Evana Jaya
It all started when Ms. Lok Lee Jiun, a lawyer and a mom to a little boy named Hugo, realised that while there was plenty of songbooks in English, Japanese and Chinese, there was a lack of material in Bahasa. Instead of letting it slide, she set off creating her own book.
Plenty of hard work went into the making of this book, from start to end. She translated the songs into English which is useful for non-Malays to gain a deeper understanding behind these popular folk songs and sing the English version.
She engaged illustrator Aditya Pratama to add his vivid artwork to attract the young readers. Kezia's voice brings the songs to life and makes the whole book a pleasant multi-sensory experience.
The baba baa mascot looks like a monster but is actually a baby goat called "baba", designed by Italian designer Tobias Bernard. It is mischievous, curious, smart and funny. As a treat, baba is hidden in every page of the book for observant young ones to spot, much like how our PETS coursebook used to have cute characters hiding everywhere.
Rasa Sayang translates to Feel the love in English. Indeed, a lot of love and effort has been put into the creation of this unique book. The website itself is entertaining and there are free colouring & drawing activity sheets which you can print out for your young ones.
The Rasa Sayang: Sing and Record Fun Book is available for sale at S$27 while the gift set with a plush toy retails for S$33 (+S$10 shipping fee for those living in Singapore and Hong Kong).
GIVEAWAY:The baba baa team is giving away a brand new Rasa Sayang: Sing and Record Fun Book to 1 lucky reader!
This giveaway is open until 11:59pm, 13 November 2016 and is only open to readers residing in Singapore, Malaysia & Hong Kong.
To join the giveaway, here's what you have to do:
1. Like baba baa on Facebook
2. Like Bibimbubs on Facebook
3. Share the post on your wall (set to public) and tag at least 3 friends. While sharing the post, state a song you like from the book and why you would like to win it.
** I received a book for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received.
Another mother of a 2 year old boy was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and has to wean so she can receive treatment and asked for advice on how to end the nursing relationship without tears.
Most mothers expect to be there for their child until they become independent. To have doctors put an expiry date on you jolts you and forces you to adjust your expectations. When that happens, the value of each day increases exponentially. You start to think of the future of your child without your existence.
I won't be able to celebrate their first birthday together.
What if my baby wakes up at night looking for Mama, but I can't be there to comfort her...?
Will she be alright on her first day of school?
What if she gets bullied?
Who will calm her when she gets her first period?
My mother left the world when I was 11. She was stern but warm. Her specialty dishes were cabbage rice and Teochew steamed pomfret. She also made us double-boiled black chicken soup. We would attend church every Sunday. We bickered; she labelled me as "rebellious". In the first few years without her presence, my dad and I had it rather rough. The floor was often so dusty our feet turned black from walking around. We never cleared our kitchen pantry or cooked. There was one night where my father was ill and I boiled some rice grains in water to make porridge only to find that there were worm husks. It was miserable.
People I met assumed I had a mother until I corrected them and they went "Oh I'm so sorry I didn't know!" and I'd just wave them off - it was such a long time ago. If you ask me what the difference is living without a mother, I can't really answer because we just lived like that. We adjusted to living without her and there were many days where she was conveniently forgotten about. I can only make assumptions of what would have happened if my mother were still around based on my memories of her. I would likely have attended a girls' school then JC and a local university. Curfew? Very likely. If she could meet Elise now, would she be proud? Her framed photo is still on a desk and my father still keeps her photograph in his wallet.
I've only had one dream of her. In the dream, it was dark all around except for a spotlight. She was dressed in a white dress and she gave me a tight embrace. No words were exchanged. Then she disappeared. I woke up in tears. I've not dreamed of her since. I take that dream to mean that she's in peace. She was a staunch Christian, so I guess it's safe to say she went to Heaven?
We often say that the years are short, but the days are long. It's easy to get lost in the routine of each day, feel stressed and snap at our loved ones. I'm guilty of this - taking people for granted.
All of us have expiry dates but none of us know when our last day on Earth will be - it could be 50 years later after all our peers have passed on, 10 years, two years or one. Some people wake up expecting a normal day but never make it home.
It sounds gloomy and depressing and it's not something we actively think about. I've had a near death experience where I almost drowned in Boracay whilst diving but it was before I had Elise. I thought I was definitely going to die when water flooded my regulator and my Octopus was missing (lesson well learnt). I swam over and grabbed my friend's regulator and we made an emergency ascent from 18 metres deep.
There are so many trivial things we rant about daily - our spouses, our tantrum-throwing kids, annoying in-laws (not me!), work, that person in the lift who pressed the "Door Close" button when he saw you approaching, train breakdowns.
One day, none of these will matter.
Hug your loved ones close and find meaning in each day, however difficult because one day, our bodies will disintegrate and the only thing left will be memories of us.
