Archive for the ‘Kids’ Category

As I was doing some research for a post about free span buildings, I came across posts and ads about “Mother’s Day” contests. It’s on the 13th yet I don’t have the courage to join any of them because of so many personal reasons.

Then, I asked myself this, “how are you as a mom?”. It took me a while to answer the question I made for myself.

Am I mean?, do I spend much time with my kids?, do I provide everything that they need without sacrificing the time that should have spent with them?

You see, like every mom I know, I am not perfect. I get tired, irritated and I cannot give them everything that they WANT. Running a bake house and doing all kinds of online tasks can be draining and nerve wracking. It’s like that every day and it is never easy. BUT, I make it a point to spend quality time with my kids.

When I left the corporate world 4 years ago, I vowed to work from home so I can spend more time with my then only child, Yona, so I can see her grow up. And I guess I am successful in that area.

Perfection is not attainable in every aspect but it doesn’t hurt to try, to at least become the mom that your kids need. What makes me so proud is the fact that I see them every freaking minute, from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until they close it at night. I seldom go out and when I do, for sure they will go with me.

This morning, I asked my eldest daughter this: “Am I a good mom?” and she replied “No, you’re the best.”

Wow. I guess, I am  doing my job well.

That’s us watching The Walking Dead Season 2

How could I forget April of 2012?

I was profusely bleeding yet I was taking everything lightly. My work was my priority and I couldn’t give it up. That until my ob-gyne told me that I have to be confined soon if I don’t want to lose the baby.

My sister accompanied me to Medical Center Imus armed with nothing but prayers that the baby will be safe. Thank God the facilities and staff of MCI were awesome. Everything was clean, from medication carts to beds. The staff were also very nice and I have a super reliable ob-gyne, Dra. Lucia Kalaw-Garcia.

Turned out I had placental infarction. I listed to my OB and really rested until she allowed me to leave home again. The following month I was already shopping and the month after I was in Cebu and Leyte already, painting the cities red. LOL

Hola mommies! How do you spend serious family time at home?

I know, for a fact that we have different schedules. Not all of us work on a 9-5 M-F schedule. My family, for one, has a crazy schedule Since hubby and I are focused on the bakehouse, our weekend is Monday – Wednesday. From Thursday to Sunday, we are either busy on bakehouse errands, supplier meetings or in the kitchen, busy baking.

So during our “weekend”, we make it a point to spend time with our kids. It’s either we watch movies at home (we rarely go out nowadays) or cook something that all of us likes.

Unfortunately, my eldest is getting tired of this routine. Any ideas, mommies? I need something that doesn’t involve shelling out a lot of money.

Thanks in advance!

How was your Easter Sunday mommies? Ours was so fun albeit spent at home. Holy week was tough for us as we were preparing popsicakes, cakes and cupcakes for Easter so Sunday was spent lounging in the couch, watching The Walking Dead and eat. It was a special for us because we celebrated the hubby’s 38th birthday, Lana’s 7th month, my cousin’s 14th birthday and Tatay Noy’s 3rd month (since he joined our Creator).

The hubby must have known that the budget was tight because he never asked for anything, though I know that he’s not going to ask me gifts like camacho triple maduro cigars (LOL!) I still bought him his favorite strawberry shower wash from The Body Shop.

Sharing with you a photo of Lana, just as she turned 7 months. She’s wearing her sister’s 1st birthday gown

Seriously mommies, how do you stay focused on your goals?

I am a work at home mom and just like the case of any freelancer, everything is so uncertain. One might be earning lots of $$$ now but everything ends leaving you no choice but to look for another job. I am on it, I accepted this challenge 4 years ago so I am not quitting, but then again, nakakapagod din no? My motivation would always be “it is better this way than seeing myself in a cubicle bossed around by stupid, stupid managers”.

Working at home is a dream job of any mom who wants nothing but spend time with her kids but it requires TIME MANAGEMENT and LOADS of DISCIPLINE. Sabi pa ng husband ko, it’s not a walk in the park. It is hard, much harder than I imagined it to be. At home there are a lot of distractions, an awful lot especially if you have kids and there’s the internet!!! Like right now, I am supposed to be writing pet articles, but here I am blogging like crazy hahaha

Right now we have a goal (see it here) and I really, really need to reach it otherwise all plans will be ruined. We are saving for business expansion, my daughter’s tuition fees and whole lot more. Though I must say that the plan to buy a decent wedding ring has to go back seat first, it doesn’t stop me from visiting online shops for titanium accessories hihi

So mommies, how do you keep your focus?

After being exposed to moms and teachers who all believed in homeschooling, I opened my heart and eyes to this learning option. It was in 2007 when I had the chance to be with them and up until now, deep in my heart I fervently believed that my kids deserve no less than the best education and no other person could give it to them but us, their family. I’ve had my share of traditional school drama, read it  HERE. On that post I have expressed my disappointments in my child’s teachers and the entire traditional school system.

What pushed me to post about it was the talk given last Saturday by HAPI or the Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands in Rockwell tent as part of the Expo Kid event.

The talk mainly focused on why home education is the prime education option, the five tools for a successful DIY homeschooling and why more and more families are considering homeschooling. Homeschooling moms and kids, media partners and interested parents gladly joined the discussion and threw in a lot of questions during the Q&A portion.

Exploring Homeschooling:  the D.I.Y. Education

 

Will Smith is known for being one of the big stars of  Hollywood, with blockbuster movies like Independence Day, Men in Black, and I Am Legend under his belt.  Will and his wife Jada try to remain grounded amidst success, and remain focused on what’s really important—love for family and character  — values they passionately impart to their children Jaden, Trey and Willow. Desiring to pass on these important values, they decided from the start to homeschool.

Based on the same goal of building a strong family foundation through this learning option, Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands (HAPI) makes it possible for parents to learn about home education. It assists parents by pointing them to the right providers, trainings and resources to be able to homeschool well.  The coming Philippine Homeschool Conference 2012 this May 19 is a big event that invites everybody interested in homeschooling to come, discover, learn and be enlightened.

 

Home education as a prime educational option

 Homeschooling brings a customized educational experience at home, one where the parents decide to fully take charge of teaching their children. This is D.I.Y education at its best. . Because inarguably who would know our children best? Who would be most loving and nurturing to them but their parents.  Perhaps that’s one of the major reasons why  homeschooled children become achievers.  We have homeschoolers like  Christopher Paolini, best-selling author of fantasy novel series Eragon; Tim Tebow, star NFL quarterback and the first college sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy at age 20; Serena Williams, tennis champion; Joey Logano, NASCAR champion racer; Jonas Brothers, an American boy band, and locally, Paul Tan-Chi of the Ateneo UAAP basketball fame and incumbent President of the 200-member strong Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA).  The list goes on of well-known homeschoolers from the past—George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, C.S. Lewis, Pearl S. Buck, Florence Nightingale to name a few.

Five tools for a successful D.I.Y. homeschooling

HAPI believes that a successful D.I.Y. education will have five tools to work with, namely: a ruler to represent the learning context, a hammer for the learning content or the curriculum; sandpaper for enrichment activities that bring out and hone the talents and skills of

 the homeschooler; sharpening steel for the support group with like-minded and helpful parents; and lastly, the plumb line which represents the standard (purpose) that will guide the homeschooling journey and “keep straight the path”.

 For learning context, homeschooling can be done through a homeschool provider, or independent of one, but both with varying degree of Dep Ed supervision. Learning content or curriculum can be customized, with a range of textbooks to choose from. For enrichment, there are a growing number of service providers for music, arts, PE and life skills programs. Support groups, like H.O.M.E. Library, are rising to the occasion as parents recognize the need to consult and get encouragement from others in the same journey. Grounding one’s reason for homeschooling on a clear purpose is understandably the most important tool for D.I.Y. education. For example, you must define what true success is for your child and let that guide you.

 

Homeschooling by choice

In the country, more and more Filipino parents are homeschooling by choice, and discovering its priceless benefits, The association has put their number conservatively at 3,000 families.   HAPI has made it its mission to be a catalyst in nation-building by advancing home education and unifying home educators in the country. . It is also affiliated with the largest homeschooling organization in the world, and envisions a movement of transformed families creating positive change in their communities and the nation as a whole.

“We believe that the teacher-student relationship is intrinsic to the parent-child relationship. Parents have a natural God-given influence that will work to make homeschooling fulfilling for both. Through the Philippine National Homeschool Conference 2012, we hope to inspire more parents about homeschooling’s real life benefits,” says HAPI President, Gerry Argosino.

The Philippine Homeschool  Conference is set to take place on May 19, 2012 in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong with the theme “Laying a Strong Foundation”.  International speaker Debra Bell a homeschooling authority in the U.S. and best-selling author, and our own inspirational speaker and author Bo Sanchez are slated as keynote speakers.   The event will be honored by the presence of  Dep Ed officials like Atty Tonisito Umali, Asst. Secretary for Legal & Legislative  Affairs.

To know more about the Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands (HAPI) or how to register for the Conference, visit www.hapihomeschooler.com and/or email hapihomeschooler@gmail.com.

What makes my daughter’s heart leap for joy? It’s art materials. She is the type who can sit for hours if given the right art materials. Like most parents, I am also proud of my daughter’s achievements and would take pride in witnessing her learning milestones.  Just imagine her surprise when I handed her art materials from Enfakid this morning, it was priceless

We always make it a point supply her with all the materials she needs to fuel her passion. She has this book which she uses to draw and paint whenever she likes it.

If you are a proud mother like me and has a daughter who’s fond of drawing, you have a chance to win a trip to Singapore, a collaboration between Enfakid A+ and National Geographic for Kids!

Calling all moms and dads who have kids ages 3-7 years old. Submit  submit their illustrations of anything fascinating they learned from the January-February issue of National Geographic Little Kids (included with Smart Parenting magazine), or from the website http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/littlekids/.

The entries themselves should be submitted on http://www.seewhattheylearn.com where they will be displayed for public voting on the site until March 30, 2012. After the votes are in, the top 10 entries from participants 3-4 years old, and from participants 5-7 years old, will be shorlisted. A panel of judges will then select the two (2) Grand Prize Winners from the top 10 of each age category.

Each winner will receive a trip for four (4) to the Singapore ArtScience Museum, inclusive of airfare, accommodations, museum entrance fees, and pocket money. The winners will also be featured in a future issue of National Geographic Little Kids.

You may also promote your child’s See What They Learn entries through Facebook, Twitter, and email to encourage support from your relatives and friends. Submit their drawings now, and you could soon be on your way to one of the best learning experiences.

For details, visit http://www.seewhattheylearn.com/index.php/mechanics.

I patiently waited until she turned 6 months before I let her eat her first solid food: mashed potato. Things were different with Yoe, my eldest because at 4 months, I already fed her Gerber banana, which caused her picky-ness these days. I am not so sure if it’s really Gerber that caused it but they often say that Gerber products are very tasty (and awful – at least for me!) that’s why babies who eat it becomes so picky when they grow older.

With Lana, I gave her plain mashed potato using an adult spoon. Why adult spoon? Because of superduperstitions. It is believed that babies who were fed first using a serving spoon are not food-picky when they grow up. I just used adult spoon because I don’t want her to get fat from too much eating :p

Why wait until she’s 6 months?

Waiting until six months to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet will help minimise the risk of her developing adverse reactions to foods and allergies. This is particularly important if you have a family history of allergies, as the incidence of adverse food reactions, allergies and celiac disease does decrease if you delay weaning until this time.

- Blessed Mom

Lemme! lemme!

Sooo eager to try solid food!

“What the hell was that?”

water, yey!

Boy, that was bad. Tsk!

Her feeding schedule are as follows:

Week 1: Mashed Potato – 9am & 2pm

Week 2: Mashed Carrots – 9am & 2pm

Week 3: Mashed Squash – 9am & 2pm

Week 4: Mashed green veggies such as green peas and beans - 9am & 2pm

After this I will try to introduce her to fruits like apples and bananas. I’ll feed her rice when she’s about 8 months.

My daughter Yona is no doubt an artist, she just needs to be nudged from time to time and remind her that she’s doing good. Her shyness is eating the best of her

A few days ago, we were invited to try the programs of Global Art, a world-class art school. My daughter was so excited that she didn’t think twice in attending it despite the distance. So from Cavite, we traveled all the way to Greenhills, San Juan to meet fellow moms and their kids. The visit was so worth it because I learned that she really has a strong inclination towards art and crafts.

Here are some of her artworks:

Yona at work!

Global Art courses are curriculum based and student-centered. Each school follows a syllabus designed to instill the skill to children and gradually introduce them from simple to complicated themes. The core program has several levels:

• Foundation Level for children 4-6
• Basic Level for ages 7-9
• Intermediate Level for ages 10-12
• Advanced Level for ages 13 and above

Aside from these Global Art also offers the following courses:

• Acrylic painting
• Cartoon and Comic lessons
• Handicrafts

See more photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150606208349495.394962.728494494&type=3

Global Art’s presence is felt worldwide as they are present in 18 countries worldwide including the USA, Australia, Canada, China and in all South East Asian countries.

In the Philippines, Global Art has 8 branches:

1. Greenhills, San Juan (726-0435)
2. Del Monte Ave., Quezon City (692-6632)
3. Katipunan Ave.,  Quezon City (383-6084)
4. Salcedo Village, Makati and Rockwell Power Plant Mall (392-6220)
5. Alabang Town Center (861-2061)
6. Serendra, Bonifacio Global City (404-4399)
7. Davao (082) 221-9980
8. Soon to Open: Fun Ranch, Tiendesitas (726-0435)

I am inviting fellow mommies to visit any of Global Art’s branches and try any of their courses. It’s really worth it

This question has been bugging me for months now. Though I know that my daughter could sing and has shown great interest on musical instruments, I still do not know if she indeed has musical talent. You know how moms could get so biased most of the time

How should I know if my child has musical talent?

You see his dad could sing, his uncle plays the guitar soooo well. Right now, Yona would always want to visit the guitar stores of malls on every visit.

So is she really musically inclined? I would want to enroll her in a music class, singing or guitar perhaps but I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to spend on something that she would get tired of after a few classes.

Help me please?