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LIFE&FAMILY
November14
We discovered the
Loud Basttard
bamboo
and rattan speaker on a trip to the Philippines,
and we love the sound and simplicity of it. But
the true benefit can be seen on Cebu Island;
each product is hand-treated, hand-cut, hand-
dyed and hand-packaged by artisans there. The
factory is located close to employees’ homes,
making it easily accessible, and allowing the
women who weave the rattan to work at home.
Aside from being one of the fastest-growing
plants, bamboo has good sound conductivity
and rich tonal variation, while rattan is
lightweight and flexible. Available at TokoMu
Concept Store, 742 Bedok Reservoir Road,
#01-3119.
9105 6210 | loudbasstard.com
WHERE TO
RECYCLE E-WASTE
StarHub, e-waste recycler TES-AMM and courier DHL have
joined forces to offer 100 e-waste recycling bins where
consumers can dispose of
unwanted mobile phones,
laptops and other electronics
equipment. The National
Environment Agency estimates
that Singapore produces
60,000 tonnes of e-waste
annually, equivalent to the
weight of 172 MRT trains. Half
of this comes from consumers,
and half from industry. So
far, the collection figure from
the 30 existing bins this year
is 5,600 kilograms. Check
RENEW at starhub.com for
locations.
Environmentally
Friendly Sound
Even though the invitation specifically
expressed my regret at not being able to include
siblings, someone still turned up to my five-year-
old daughter’s party with their two-year-old in
tow. I quickly made up a fresh party bag and set
another place at the table. Lucky I wasn’t doing
pass-the-parcel, which would have left one child
out! I didn’t want to be rude, but secretly wanted
to say something.
Congratulations on being a great host and
accommodating the extra child. In this breach of
etiquette situation it would have been perfectly
acceptable to say, “Unfortunately, the party is for
Josie and her five-year-old friends; I’m afraid we don’t
have any activities planned that are suitable for Little
Emma. She is welcome to have some cake later.”
The little one may have been perfectly happy to be
in the festive atmosphere and watch. Do remember
the focus is on your daughter and her birthday
celebration.
What are the rules about disciplining someone
else’s child in front of their parent? How should
poor behaviour be handled, if their parent is not
responding to a situation?
A light touch is usually best in these situations. If the
child is at your home they should follow your rules.
You can say to the child, “Please come down from
there; we don’t allow hanging from the chandelier in
this home.” This is a subtle clue to the other parent
to monitor their child. If it’s in a public forum, the
easiest way to address this is to remind your own
children (in front of the other parent) what type of
behaviour you expect from them. We’ve all had
days where our children are not at their best, but if
the offending child continues to misbehave with no
punishment from the parent it may be time for a new
play-date.
Oh, Behave!
Mind your Ps and Qs, even when others
don’t. Kristen Graff, founder of Manners
in Mind, answers your sticky social
questions.
Manners in Mind provides modern-day advice and classes
for children and adults on cultural, social and corporate
etiquette. 8157 3365 | mannersinmind.com