Gaston Luga Backpack!

[Review]

I am pretty much a simple person, and the majority of the bags that I carry are often bought by my wife. She knows me best, my style, my pattern and my stinginess. In fact, most of my bags are used till they break apart and there was even a period of time when I carry plastic bags to work! So as you can see, I am pretty experienced when it comes to cheap bags, which I have no qualms using. I have gotten bags from the night markets in Taiwan and weekend markets in Bangkok and they generally cost me less than SGD$50. They may look pretty fashionable on the surface, but they have one thing in common, they do not last. I had even been cut by the sharp edges of badly moulded plastic buckles too and my last cheap bag tore when I carried a load of coins in it.

My first cool fashionable black backpack from Gaston Luga!

So I jumped at the chance to review a new bag when it came along, a new backpack from Swedish brand Gaston Luga. The first impression of the bag when I opened it from the parcel (which arrived pretty fast after ordering it online) was how expensive it felt. It even has its own dust bag ok? Sorry lah, I am too used to cheap bags! And when I held it in my hands and felt the thick canvas material, I knew that this sturdy bag is meant to last for a LONG time.

The red velvety inner lining makes it feel like a luxurious bag indeed. Big interior means lots of space to put your stuff!

However all my previous bags came with normal zippers, thus this new Black Pråper backpack took me quite a while to get used to as it came with a drawstring for the main compartment! There are certainly pros and cons for anything. With a drawstring, I can have a LOT of stuff in the bag and still be able to close it. It was almost like a 八宝袋 BUT that also meant I have a big mess inside when I just dump my stuff in! It can hold my laptop with no issues and still have sufficient space for stuff like umbrellas, wallets, files and what nots! So just take note that you better be an organized person lest you like taking time to look for stuff!

Free shipping + Rebate + Discount Code + Free Luggage Tag = Good Lobang!

Oh the pretty bag also comes with faux leather made from plant fibers, so you ain't killing no animals for the pretty bag. And now, the big question is HOW MUCH? It would have cost SGD$249 for the bag alone BUT free delivery is included, with a 20% off as a tax rebate and you also get a free luggage tag (worth $50). But that's not all, use my code "perfectfather15" for an additional 15% off after the rebate which means you only pay SGD$169.32 nett. Hop over to their official website to browse their collection and make your purchase.

My verdict of the bag? Well it definitely looked more fashionable that the bags I had been carrying, and made of far superior materials as compared to my cheap bags. In my humble opinion, it is well worth the $169.32 price tag and would make the perfect gift for your loved ones, BUT you need to remember to use the discount code (I do not make anything from it). Thank you for sending me the heavy duty backpack Gaston Luga! I am sure it will be my companion for a long time!

Active Daddying

One of the things I hear rather often hear from friend and colleagues, is that I seem to spend a lot of time with the children. In all honesty, I really feel that what I had been doing, is really quite normal and not out of the ordinary. I have the impression that most dads would have done the same too. However, after hearing from other moms, it seems that some dads are still indeed clueless, or may have a totally different mind-set when it comes to parenting. Anyway, I have to explicitly state that I do not have the authority to say what is “RIGHT”, but am merely writing about my own personal experiences.
 

I can imagine that as a working dad, one may wish to go home to a good meal after work, and then either rest or just play with the kiddos for a while. But in this modern day and time, the wife often have to work too, and will appreciate any extra help from her partner when it comes to parenting. Whilst the following may seem mundane, troublesome or may even seem more suitable for the wife to do, they are really great bonding time with the kiddos for dads too -

• Bathing the kiddos – I do bathe the kiddos from babies till now and it just felt like the right thing to do. In fact, I even bathe TOGETHER with the kiddos at times and it is also an opportunity for me to educate the kiddos on our body anatomy. But of course depending on your comfort level, you can just choose to bathe them only and help your wife out a little.
  
  
• Walking them to school – I know some parents who drives, feel that the travelling time in the car is a good time to catch up with the children. For me, because I do not have a car, I walk them to the school and I do feel that it is also a good time to bond with them as well. Again, this allowed the wife to have a little more sleep in the morning.
  
  

Sometimes, I would love to just sleep in and do nothing.

• Rest days – I do not send my kiddos to any enrichment classes, and preferred that my weekends are free time. But my wife and myself do work on weekends at times, and would have to leave the brood home with only one partner. At times like these, it would be tempting for me to just rest in and pass the kiddos their tablets or phones. BUT these weekends are great for a swim at the public pool or even grocery shopping. Dads can also bring the kiddos out for fun or some exercise and create great memories on your own too!

But off days are great to spend with the kiddos too!

There are so much more to being a dad, other than just providing for the family. I may not be as accomplished compared to many my peers in terms of career, but I am proud to say that I am always there for my kiddos and family, as much as possible. And I probably would not have this many kiddos if I had not helped out with their caregiving! Happy wife = Happy Kiddos = Happy Family. Dads do not have to be no-nonsense man of the house and can loosen up by -

• Playing pretend with them – Be the superhero or even the evil villain, and join them in their imaginary world. Sure they can play with their siblings but it is extra special with the man they look up to playing along
  
  
• Being the clown – I play the fool, dance weird grooves and crack stupid jokes at times. It gets everyone laughing and releases endorphins! And guess what? It even takes all the stress off you too!

We brought the kiddos into this world, it is only right that we do the best we can to equip them with the right tools for their lives, for them to grow into mentally strong and emotionally healthy adults. And the best thing we can do while they are young, is to give them our time. We need active daddying, because fathering is not enough.

Note: This blog post is in collaboration with Friso. Kids learn from experiences whether big or small, good or bad. That’s why Friso provides the right nutrition for your child to be strong inside to take on challenges. For more information on Friso, follow them on their Website, Facebook or Instagram.

MoonRock Bags Rocks!

[Giveaway]

With the blink of an eye, Christmas was already over and we welcomed 2018! My wife just sent Stacci to primary school today and guess what? Even though Santa may be a little late, but Stacci and Leroy did receive a brand new school bag each, in time for school re-opening!

Truth is, I am happy that 3/4 of the kiddos are going primary school already, because that meant some savings from having less childcare fees to pay. But when I think about picking them from school, I get a little "sianz" because their bags are freaking heavy! It doesn't help when I have to carry 3 bags altogether or risk them saying I am bias! A good ergonomic bag that they can carry on their own, would be a good investment for the growing kiddos (and for my old body).

To be honest, I never knew about the MoonRock bags till the kiddos received their bags. The fabric used was strong but yet still relatively light at less than 900g, and I can feel it as I held the bag to see for myself how their books and stuff can fit into its many spacious compartments. Because I know the weight the kiddos need to carry once the term REALLY starts, it is reassuring to know that the school bag is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, and the first in the world too! The thick padding at the bag allowed good air-flow and there are reflective strips all around for safety while crossing the road under low-light situations. Nowadays, one also need to be safe even on the walkway because of irresponsible e-scooters riders.

Ask any kiddos to choose their own school bag, and they would almost certainly request for one based solely on the looks (usually it would be some cartoon characters, be it licensed or knock-offs). But if you ask me to choose, I would definitely opt for some simple designs (which MoonRock offered), instead of some cheesy cartoon characters, and it is even better now, knowing that it would be good for their backs and keep the kiddos safe from any harmful materials too! Check out the following color combinations available!

Well even if you have gotten a school bag for your child by now, we are still happy to give you the opportunity to replace it with an even better one through our giveaway, courtesy of MoonRock Bags Singapore! All you need to do to win the blue one that Leroy is holding, is to follow the steps below -

Giveaway Instructions

Ensure that you complete ALL the following before the end of Sun, 14 Jan 2018 -

1) Like and Follow The "Perfect" Father Facebook page;

2) Like and Follow MoonRock Bags Singapore Facebook page;

3) Like and Follow MoonRock Bags Singapore Instagram page;

4) Like and Share this Facebook post publicly and;

5) Comment in the Facebook post and tag friends you know who would need one of these and share this great news with them!

Meanwhile for you readers out there, do take note of the special promo code MR2017BTS (which is valid only till 31 Jan 2018) for 10% off online bag purchases at http://www.moonrocksg.com!