As a mother of 3, it is important to know of what's currently available for my kids to access to on the digital era that is deemed valuable for their future. And recently, I have been teaching my kids on saving right for their future. I actually prepared the good ol' traditional piggy bank in a shape of a huge blue hippo that they can open the cover easily to access to their money.

And that's the downside of it. I have to place it high up on top the cupboard so that they don't simply play with it or access it to buy unnecessary items when it's meant for them in the future when they really need it. So then I ask, I wonder, is there any app out there that can facilitate such saving features that is kid-friendly where I can educate my child interactively at the same time?

And I found it. Hong Leong Bank launches its HLB Pocket Connect app that allows children to do banking on the digital side, so it teaches them the basics of banking, to earn, save and spend via a device. And their account is linked to a parent to help them make smarter choices.

I love how the app interactive features is really seamless between Parent-Child as it gives us as much control over their finances until they are ready to take accountability of their own finance situation. It's definitely the first and only app now in Malaysia with Hong Leong bank that will be beneficial for many families with kids.

Education on finances should begin young, not when we are about to head out into the big big world to work. It should start from the day we start to count! 

That way, we can empower our kids to make wiser choices and allow them the spending power with every ounce of accountability or responsibility being weight in. That way, kids know that, not everything is an entitlement. 

Just because they want it, doesn't mean they can have it, they have to learn that money don't grow on trees, they have to do something in return for it and when they have it, only then it should be much appreciated and saved up for much more important things than to spend everything unnecessarily. The app has this feature where they have tasks to complete that parents can give them tasks in return for extra pocket money. That way it is trackable and manageable for both party. Kind of like gaming where you accomplish tasks to level up. I'm sure most kids these days on the device plays games, hence it is something they can relate to, just that this will be in real life. So we teach them that money comes with hard work and real effort.

Once they start earning and saving up in their balance. Then it will come to the next stage, and that is to track their spending. So parents can be an eagle-hawk-eye all they want in this approach, but the purpose of this feature actually teaches a child how to spend wisely, how to plan for their future expenses without breaking the bank or burning a hole in their wallet - like literally! And what to spend on wisely and not just some randomly toy they see and buys it without purpose only to have it being thrown away in just a couple of hours. This is something parents must be involve in educating a child of such. With the HLB Pocket Connect App, your child will be able to keep track of their pocket money and spending, while having the freedom to go cashless with their very own HLB Junior Debit Card. Your child is safer with a reloadable debit card than cash.

As a parent myself, with 3 growing kids and a super-fast speed evolving technology era. I am a happy parent when I knew of this app by Hong Leong Bank. I truly love the effort behind it and I believe it will be a useful tool for me to educate my child about managing their finances well, something I failed to learn last time due to the lack of such information. I only learned it the hard way when I started working for others, but I never learned the value of saving up until today 30yrs later. So in order for me to not allow history to repeat itself on my kids. They have to start right from me now.

How has MCO been for you? It's been kinda havoc for me but it's good because it's the noise and fights and tantrums and cries my kids make everyday without fail. Such wonderful moments that I know I will miss it one day, so I learnt to enjoy it entirely.


However, I am one that refuses to allow my kids to play tablet or watch TV or see YouTube all day long. Playing toys kinda get them bored overtime. I was also asking my son's kindy teacher on what I can do to help my son from home to really continue his K2 lessons without having too long of a break in between. But they only sent some YouTube links to refer to and a short video from their class teacher. Until I couldn't take it and suggested to the principal to setup a Zoom call instead parent-guided and collect workbook to and fro the kindergarten since most of us will not send our kids to school anytime soon. Because it has been unproductive!


But thankfully during the MCO it wasn't all unproductive for me, in fact my son has been picking up on his English that he can now explain and give me pretty good excuses for me to think about.


I would say investing in the Grolier Amazing English new launch series and the Grolier Pen was the best thing ever because not only my 6 year old love it and follows it, but his younger brother, my 4 year old loves it too!

I love how it does not just speaks out that singular word, but it can even read a whole sentence in full. Even the Amazing Words book covers a huge range of vocabularies that covers alot of general words we use in our everyday life in the world today. It also plays out the sound of the objects or animals on the book. You can even customize the sound by recording your voice over the words instead of the default voice pre-installed.


With over 5,000 words and 1,400 images, it is just worth it and enough to keep my kids occupied for an hour or so.

It was an evening of new exposure to new education that is already available in Malaysia the past 6 years since 2012. Tonight was a night of celebration and award ceremony where, Teachers and participating school across Malaysia and in the world, receives their well-deserve recognition from tonight's Gala dinner event.

You will be wondering what award ceremony is that about, especially with Teachers involved; Have you heard of FrogAsia? It's a system that enables our schools to implement into their classroom to inhibit interactive learning amongst Teachers and Students. Brought to you by YTL Foundation with FrogAsia, their concept is truly an eye-opening concept that can change the ways and methods of schools in Malaysia today.



Over 250 schools/classes were LevelUp! with FrogAsia system and layout over the past 6 years and they are aiming to have more schools and more classrooms maximizing the system.






What I really love about this system is that, it is like a classroom with NO books, NO worries of missing out on subjects (when teacher is away or when you are away from school etc), interactive learning through sights and sound, quick response from the Teachers and also feedback and discussions amongst students in forums can easily take place with FrogAsia technology.


Have you heard of the education in Finland? They also use such technology in their teaching methods. In fact, some schools across the globe like in UK already has such interactive technology in place.




In Malaysia, any school can apply for this sponsorship from YTL Foundation and FrogAsia after meeting the basic criteria to be on board of this exciting new technology that, in my honest opinion, should be rolled out across the nation!



However, the criteria to be on board is to ensure internet connectivity is available, to crowd-fund a minimum amount for the FrogAsia system to be implemented and once the school has collected enough funds for this initiative, they can apply and once it's approved, YTL Foundation will sponsor the revamping of 1 classroom for FrogAsia class to take place.


It's learning methods can consists of many things because it is a technology that does not limit your creativity. Hence, teachers use it to keep their students updated on upcoming lessons, lessons are taught using the application software pre-installed in the laptops and tablets in the classroom, back at home, parents can access the app the check their child's performances and results, students can even play quizzes that are created by the Teachers that can be shared across nationwide or globally.


And it can even be a fun learning method to answer quizzes as they learn the correct answers while score the highest to win awards and such.


Like today, there were awards for the Teachers, the schools and even a World Championship quiz competition where representative from a school in UK were present to receive their award. However, the most outstanding was the 1st Runner Up, an SMK in Malaysia won it and the World Champion was SRJK (C) in Malaysia.


With such technology and with these schools having classes like these for the students, it actually makes learning alot more fun! I wish they had it in my school back then, then I wouldn't skip class or schools that often.

Congratulations to all the Teachers and School Winners!