The Power to Choose your own Credit Card Terms

In these trying times, we want banks to offer us choices to help us stretch our ringgit and I believe that Alliance Bank has thoughtfully done so with its innovative You:nique Credit Card.

It is Malaysia's first personalised picture credit card that not only allows you to personalise the image and design on your card, it actually allows you to customise your credit card terms! Now, that is truly Banking Made Personal.

Here's what you get to choose. You can choose between Rebates, Rates,or Rewards and you even get to choose the Image you want on your card. That is what I call Personalisation!

Some individuals may prefer to cut their interest cost in these financially challenging times. The You:nique card allows you to cut your interest cost by half from the industry standard of 18% to 9% per annum.

Alternatively, you may choose to get rebates every time you shop! Now, isn't it wonderful to have a card that puts the whole world on sale? You can select this option if discounts is what you prefer.

There are others who prefer to get rewards instead. Here is one card that actually doubles your reward every time you shop anywhere in the world, not only during promotional periods but throughout the tenure of your card. Isn't that amazing?

Alliance Bank has done it again. This innovative credit card puts the power to choose in your hands. This power will certainly help you in your financial planning.

Not, only that, each time you use your card, you get to put your favourite image on your card making your card truly yours. Why not apply for one today. Currently the Alliance Bank You:nique Credit Card is running a "Sweet Family Moments" contest. Just put your favourite family snapshot or show off your baby's face on your Alliance Bank Credit Card and stand a chance to win exciting prizes. Contest ends on 31st July 2009. You can log on to www.alliancebank.com.my/younique for more details about the contest.

Can you guess who the above baby is? He is cute isn't he? Wouldn't you like to have the face of your adorable baby on your own personalised Credit Card too and win a prize at the same time?

Check out the You:nique Picture Card Fan Page at Facebook

His very first concert

Recently the boy performed in his very first concert. He was in a dance. He was so excited about it, having seen his sister practising for her concert last year.

When he got onto the stage, I could see his eyes scanning the entire auditorium for us. *Scan scan scan. Scan scan scan*....... and then.... he saw us .... and he broke into the biggest smile ever! Then he waved at us. Hahaha. Fortunately he still remembered his dance steps after that.

For his participation, he received a balloon and a small gift pack (of food). He was sooooo happy.

This month my calander is marked full with dates for exams, school parties, concerts, Teacher's Day, collect report card Day, school trip etc. When you're a parent with school going kids, thats what your calander is going to look like. It seems as though almost every week there is something going on. If I don't mark my calander I will forget to get the kids cards to give to their teachers, make food for their parties and collect their report card etc.

Dora Vs Barbie Vs Hello Kitty

There are a few female cartoon characters or dolls for little girls. Dora, Barbie and Hello Kitty are just three of the many. I would say that out of these 3, Hello Kitty wins my girl's heart the most.
Oh, she likes Dora and her adventures. She even has a Dora tumbler and a few Dora storybooks and DVDs but thats it.

As for Barbie, well, she doesn't feel much affection for Barbie. I tried to get her a Barbie doll once (hoping that I could play with it along with her) but she doesn't like the doll. And whenever we are at the toy store she does not get attracted to any of the Barbie's with their pretty clothing waiting to be picked by little girls like her. "What can a doll do?" she says and runs off to look at some other toys. She doesn't like any Barbie merchandise either. No Barbie stationaries, cutlery or bags for her. She just doesn't like them. Poor Barbie.




My girl's all time favourite is Hello Kitty. She absolutely adores Hello Kitty stuff. I guess thats a good thing. You will outgrow Dora and Barbie but Hello Kitty is timeless and ageless. Hahaha. You can even collect them as a collectors item in adulthood.

So for her birthday this year, she is getting a cake with a Hello Kitty cream picture on top and she's getting a few Hello Kitty merchandise. Notebooks, Pens, Mechanical Pencil etc. We brought her to pick them out the other day and she was overjoyed. "Can I really have this? And this? And this?"

They're just small stuff like pencils etc but she loves them. Usually when she wants to get these stuff I usually put them back and the answer is usually "No, its too expensive. No, you break all your mechanical pencils. No, you've got enough notebooks." so she was delighted when she heard "Yes." After picking up a few items she said she has had enough when we told her to sop. "I better stop here before mummy and daddy change their minds and ask me to put some of them back." lol. She was so worried that we would tell her "No" or we would change our minds.

Her only complaint? "I know what I'm going to get for my birthday. Its not going to be a surprise." I told her that its better than getting something that she doesn't like and she agreed. For this girl of mine, a Hello Kitty notebook is anytime preferable to a Barbie doll.

Describe your child in one word

If I had to describe my child in one word, it would be "inquisitive" for the girl and "affectionate" for the boy.

The girl seems to thirst for knowledge and asks questions non-stop. She would ask questions of anything and everything non-stop till she thinks she finally understands what it is that she wants to know. It can be rather tiring but it also means that she is a joy to teach. She loves to learn and is a fast learner, absorbing knowledge and information like a sponge. She has an almost photographic memory and remembers little details of pictures she sees long after she has seen it. It is quite amazing. She doesn't like dolls because she says "but you can't do anything with that". She likes things or toys that challenges her. She likes to read, write and draw.

As for the boy, he is very affectionate and loving. When I have a headache, he would come to rub my head. When my stomach feels upset, he would rub my tummy, look at me with concern and say "Its okay, mummy. Its okay." When I thank him for looking after me so well, he'd say "We take care of each other, mummy." He is generous with his kisses, hugs and "I love you"s. If he continues like this into adulthood, all the girls will swoon. Its no wonder that all his friends in kindy are mostly girls because he is such a little gentleman. lol. He loves cars. Especially small hand held ones that he can put in a row like in a traffic jam.

If there is only one word that you can use to describe your child, what word would that be?

Revising for the first school term examinations

I found the right button to push to help my girl revise for her upcoming first term exams.

If I tell her "Its time to do some revision" she would pull a long face and say she hates revision etc etc.

However, if I tell her to "Get your dictionary out. We'll have a challenge to see who finds the meaning of the words first", she'll go "Yippee!"


So thats what I do, to get her to revise her school work. Only,...... its....... painfully..... slow. Its extremely hard to help your child to revise their school work when you don't understand the language and you'll have to learn it yourself in order to help.

Its also extremely hard to explain to a young child, the concept of tests, studying for tests etc. When I first asked her to revise her school work, she'd ask me "Mummy, what is revision?" "Why do we have to revise?" "What is a test?"


It is also hard for me to know how well she is doing at school because although she comes home with mostly Bs and mostly correct answers in her school work, sometimes, when I ask her, she doesn't know. She says she got it correct because "Teacher gave the answers." This is especially so for her Bahasa Malaysia lessons. She seems ok in her written chinese though she can't understand what the teacher says some of the time, probably because the teacher speaks rather fast. At least thats a relief since every subject is in Chinese.

Apart from languages, she has to learn Science now as well. At least Science is more interesting since she can learn facts about the human body like in the image above.

So, hows your revision coming along, for those whose kids will be sitting for their first term examinations in May? Do you have any tips to share? How do you teach a young child how to study for a test?