I don’t get it.
When people talk about kids sometimes, it’s as if they are burdensome joy, you know what I mean? Sure, they bring laughter and a profound happiness to one’s life, but at the same time, they derail you from your career, stops you from grabbing life by the horns, cuts down your jet-setting lifestyle (and we aren’t even talking about money, heck, we can’t even get past the logistics of getting a squirmy toddler on an eight hour flight), confines you to home and basically are designed to disrupt your life and turn it topsy-turvy.
I mean, I totally get the disrupt your life part. When your eyes are shut, and you’re lovingly embracing your bolster under the warm snuggles of your blanket at 6.30 in the morning, a hyper, bouncing ball of energy announcing loudly that” it’s morning time! Wake up!” cannot be seen as anything but a disruption and a destroyer of peace.
But the part that I don’t get? Why must we stop all activities we love just because we have kids? Why oh why?
We just need to be abit braver (ok, scratch that, a lot braver. Anything involving kids requires a lion’s heart) and smarter about it. Well, I remember the time when bubs was 11 months old and we hit Taiwan, then US again when he was 14 months old, it was pure hell on the road (road trips for both). Bubs was so squirmy and absolutely hated being strapped in. Urgh, those were the days…
Ben Bat’s Travel Friends On the Go to the rescue
So it was great that we got to review this great product, Ben Bat’s Travel Friends On the Go. The animals from this line of products are bright, colorful and certain to be of some animals that your kids have come across in books. Bubs has been reading this book called “Ladybug Girl” so we chose this Ladybug headrest for him.
Loving his new ladybug headrest!
It snuggles his head perfectly and bubs is very happy to have this new ladybug companion. Though it doesn’t dramatically enhance our travel journeys, it steps up when counted upon, and that is when bubs falls asleep in the car! The way this product is designed is such that it provides total head support for bubs, like your travel pillow, and we all know how important and comforting that can be!
With his little ladybug, bubs’ head doesn’t roll about anymore, especially when the car does turns that are a little sharper than usual, and dare I say this – it seems like he sleeps for longer stretches in the car , and more comfortably at that. Prior to this, I’d either be trying to shift his head because he looks extremely uncomfortable, and risk waking him up in the process (horrors!!!) or decide to take the cowardly route and let him sleep in what seems to be the world’s most uncomfortable position with the head at a strange angle. Usually it’s the latter though.
Comfortable for all ages
Other than for car rides, this product would be perfect for traveling on planes and long train journeys overseas, where I typically have to grapple with the unhappy fact that there is no proper pillow for bubs and my poor arms end up as the pathetic substitute. Man I wish I had this earlier!!! My life could have been much better with such a simple product!
If I had a gripe about this though, it would be that there are these fiber threads or the likes of it coming out from the headrest.
Can you spot the transparent fiber threads?
Pips tried it around his own neck and thought it was a little itchy, although bubs had no complaints about it. Just a point to note, but I would really consider bringing this too the next time we travel!
Just look at bubs all comfortably splayed out on our couch with his ladybug headrest
Speaking of traveling, I don’t think Pips and I can ever truly quit our travel addiction. We travelled when I was pregnant, when bubs was an infant and when he was a toddler. We travelled short distances (KL road trip!) and far distances (UK! US!). In his short 2.5 years of life, bubs has been to Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Scotland, London, France and USA. So naturally, it becomes important that bubs is happy during our travels, so that we are happy too. Happy bubs = happy wife = happy life. That’s PapaPips’ philosophy in life.
So when we were asked to review Trunki, we were quite happy because we were already thinking of buying one! Yay to saving money!
Trunki – the innovative travel gear for travelling
Upon receiving this blue Trunki, we hid it and hoped to surprise bubs with it during the weekend, and boy was he ecstatic when he finally got his hands on it! He was showing off his new luggage to anyone who would listen, announcing proudly with all of his 2.5years wisdom that it’s HIS. Look at his excitement here!
Just look at bubs all comfortably splayed out on our couch with his ladybug headrest
After pulling his Trunki around for awhile like a little pet, Ray discovered that he could ride on it, and the moment he made this groundbreaking find, he was gone! Boys will be boys.
He also made his dad drag him around with the very convenient strap, and urged Pips to go further. Of course, with the Trunki, its primary use is that of a luggage, not a motor vehicle, so Pips was naturally hesitant about pulling Ray too fast, lest he fall due to the inertia.
Still, we love the Trunki for several reasons:
First of all, if your kid is as stubborn and assertive as mine, he would feel very proud of the fact that he owns this luggage, just like his parents. It’s a very BIG BOY thing to have you know (at this age marked by curiosity, they love imitating adults).
Secondly, it doubles up as the perfect carry-on luggage containing all the toddler stuff you need to keep him actively engaged on the flight (and layover), such as food, storybooks, diapers etc, so it’s wonderfully functional, you know what I mean? I’m a very practical person, so the fact that beautiful things make sense and are functional is extremely important to someone like me!
Voila, lotsa space for bubs carry-on!
Thirdly, the Trunki triples up as a giant toy car, which is a godsend when your kid is bored! You can make up a story about the Trunki with your kid (better yet if you get the bus or animal Trunki that your kid likes) and have your kid be in charge of taking the Trunki on a trip around the world. He will be busy and proud of his big kid role, and you? Probably just relieved that’s he’s fully engaged and occupied for now.
Conclusion
That ends my little article admitting my wanderlust, and review on two products – Ben Bat’s Travel Friends On the Go and Trunki, both are available at Takashimaya and leading nursery stores! Do check out Takashimaya’s current promotion below: