Archives for March 2012

Great Toys for Developing Motor Skills

March 16, 2012 by

Some parents would rather that their children sit still and be absolutely well-behaved at all times.  They seem to dislike seeing sweat on their children and would rather that their children stay all sweet-smelling and neat the entire day.   Clean and spiffy looking children definitely are a wonderful sight to look at but IT IS important for young children to sweat out a little.  Physical activities are essential for developing their motor skills.   Gross motor skills entail the use of large muscles in the legs, arms and trunk and are mostly developed through active play.  Kids can’t develop them just by sitting still watching television or playing a video game.

Develop your child’s motor skills by making sure that they do get some active play, preferably with the entire family for some great bonding.   You can go to the nearest playground, head off to the beach for some swimming, or jog around the park.  If you want to stay at home, you can play tag in the yard, create an obstacle course in the living room, or play with toys that help develop motor skills.

Here are some toys that are great for developing gross motor skills:

  • Ride-on toys.  Scooters, tricycles or bicyles are not only fun but develop gross motor skills and coordination.  My little ones share a two-seater trike and they love pretending to go to the mall while on it.  They are also quite adept at pedalling the trike that we’re considering getting them bikes to develop their balance as well.
  • Push/Pull toys.  Toy wagons, shopping carts, doll strollers and anything they can push or pull (and haul their toys at the same time).
  • Yo-yos, including the diabolo or the Chinese yo-yo.  These toys are also great for teaching discipline as the child must be very focused on the task to be able to perform loops, flips, catches, and other tricks.  The diabolo may actually be easier for young children to use.  You can start them off by teaching them how to move the two sticks up and down alternately so the yo-yo can move along the string.
  • Balls!  What better way to develop those muscles than by playing catch in the yard.  Balls are great because you can throw them, roll them, catch them …well, basically anything that’ll get your little ones moving.

There are so many fun ways to develop a child’s motor skills.  They will be sweaty and all but they’ll be active healthy children.  And happy one too!

 


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Filed Under: Miscellaneous

VARICOSE VEINS: Reading Between The Lines

March 14, 2012 by
Have you noticed more of those spider veins creeping all over your legs? Have you been having cramps, aching and heavy feet that worsen at night or after exercising? Have your ankles started to swell at night? You may just have been crediting these symptoms to fatigue but you had better be on the lookout for varicose veins. Saying this though, if it is the pain that you want to manage initially, you may want to check out sites like Favorece.net to hopefully find a way of relieving the pain effectively, as well as improving the appearance. This might be something you haven’t considered, but it could be worth a try.

Though most common in women, varicose veins can also be found in men especially those who are obese, have had leg injuries, or require prolonged standing at work. In women, pregnancy and menopause can worsen varicose veins.

Aside from being aesthetically displeasing, varicose veins can cause pain and can even lead to more serious ailments such as eczema, atrophie blanche, and ulceration. If the condition is serious then you should go and get something like these thread vein treatments to help stop the pain.

However, before your condition worsens, better take steps in alleviating symptoms caused by those unsightly veins.

  1. Use compression socks. Compression stockings are made of stronger elastics that exert significant pressure on the feet, ankles, and legs but are less constrictive from the knees to the thighs. By increasing arterial pressure, they prevent blood from pooling in the feet and thus lessening varicose veins.
  2. Elevate your feet. Doing so lessens the build up of blood in your feet and gives you temporary relief from symptoms caused by varicose veins.

You may also opt for non-surgical procedures such as sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation which shrink veins without having to go under the knife. If your condition has been causing you extreme pain though, better consult your doctor for more specific treatment and therapy.



Filed Under: Handy Tips, House Matters, Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk Tagged With: ,

Five Tools For A Successful Homeschooling

March 14, 2012 by




Last Saturday,  HAPI (Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands) shared the wonderful benefits of homeschooling with parents who were at the Expo Kid 4 at Rockwell Tent.   Emphasizing the need to lay a strong foundation for our children,  they shared with us the five TOOLS needed for a successful do-it-yourself education.

  1. The RULER represents the learning context.  Homeschoolers can choose the homeschool provider that best fits their family or can opt to be independent of one.  Whatever they choose, there should be Dep Ed supervision.
  2. The HAMMER represents the learning content or the curriculum.  This can be customized as there is a wide range of curricula and textbooks to choose from.
  3. The SANDPAPER represents enrichment activities that hone the talent and skills of the homeschooler.  Homeschoolers can enrol their children in music, arts, or sports programs to best utilize their God-given talents.
  4. The SHARPENING STEEL represents the support group where like-minded and helpful parents share parenting ideas and homeschool help.  The H.O.M.E. Library is one such group that provides encouragement to those who are homeschooling.
  5. The PLUMB LINE represents the purpose which shall guide the family throughout their homeschooling journey. This is the most important tool for all and you, as a parent, must define a clear purpose before you embark on the homeschooling journey.

The PRODUCTS of successful homeschooling also shared their experiences and why they choose to homeschool their children as well.  Louise Mabulo, a finalist in the first Junior Masterchef, shared how difficult it was for her to adjust to the local culture when her family moved to Camarines Sur.  The language barrier left her isolated from her classmates and caused her grades to drop.  Things changed for the better when they started homeschooling through TMA.  Homeschooling has enabled her to pursue her dream of becoming a young chef and has allowed her to meet respected politicians and statesmen.

Paul Tan-Chi, the captain of the Ateneo Blue Eagles before graduating Cum Laude, is also an exceptional example of how successful homeschoolers turn out to be.  He credits his success to the values his parents inculcated in him at a very young age. He remembers being told to “Do your best in everything you do for God’s glory” and to this day, he always asks himself before making decisions, “What will bring glory and honor to God?”

We parents, as BUILDERS of a strong family foundation, must lay the values system of our children.  Undoubtedly, this is not an easy task and we need all the support we can get.   God has given us such wonderful gifts, our children, to nurture and to raise.  With God as the architect, the Master Planner, of our D.I.Y. Homeschooling, let us help our children achieve their full potential for His glory.

Filed Under: PLAYhouse preSCHOOL, Resources Tagged With: , ,

Summer Garden Weddings and Romantic Dinners

March 14, 2012 by

Three weeks from now, my husband and I will be celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary. Among the many things I am thankful for is that I was able to have my dream wedding come true. My husband made sure that every detail was perfect and everything I wanted was there. The garden was filled with flowers, there were butterflies during the ceremony, and even the cake was adorned with fresh flowers.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to relive those precious moments as often as we could? Perhaps we should get one of those Pergola Kits and have one set up in our roof deck to create that dreamy garden setting where we can have romantic dinners anytime we want. To start getting that dreamy garden, we could always consider asking a company similar to https://www.lawncare.net/service-areas/new-york/ to come and start that process. By getting the garden looking well maintained, that’s one step closer to creating a perfect landscape for a date night or even just for more family time outside in the garden. That way, we won’t have to worry about the kids and would be able to have a semblance of the dates we used to have without having to leave home. With two little toddlers in the house and no one else to look after them, going out for a fancy dinner date for two is an impossibility. Date nights are always for four and though it’s fun being with the children, we’ve had to say goodbye to romance. I really should talk to hubby about getting that pergola, don’t you think?

Filed Under: Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk

Teach Your Kids About Money Early

March 13, 2012 by

Most parents today take many different steps to ensure the financial future of their kids is well taken care of, and if you do it right you can avoid the fact that many first time buyers get help from their parents. They may compare life assurance and purchase life policies to provide for their kids if something were to happen to them. They may open and fund college savings account for the kids. Some even set up trust funds, open stock accounts, and more for their kids to give them a financial head start in life. Many don’t realize the benefits of teaching their children how to buy amc stock at a young age.

So, one of the most important things you can do to provide for your children’s financial future is to teach them about money early on, just like teaching them about healthy food with things like vegetables songs.

Why Financial Education Matters

It may be difficult to imagine now, but at some point just a few years from now, your children will be grown and leaving home to start a life of their own. They will have their own checking account, credit cards, and more. Without financial education, it is very easy for a young adult to over-spend, budget poorly, and wind up burdened by troublesome debt that takes many long years of their adult life to pay off. Even if you teach them about managing finances at an early age and then they decide to look into getting some more advice from a wealth management jacksonville fl company for example, this at least shows that they are focusing on saving and managing their money the right way. Any steps you take now to provide for their financial future will be wasted if they cannot manage their money properly and make sound spending and investing decisions on their own.

What You Can Do

A child’s financial education is not a one-day process. Financial habits pertaining to spending, saving, and investing are just that – habits. These are learned behaviors, and many of those behaviors are learned from their parents over their childhood years. So what can you do to start teaching kids about money? Here are some tips:

  • Be a Great Role Model: Children will mimic their behavior and attitude about money by watching you over the years. Consider how your kids see you spending and saving. Do you cave in when they ask you for a candy bar in the check out aisle or a new toy? Do you splurge with impulse purchases yourself, or do you limit your own purchases and save for major items?
  • Be a Vocal Saver: Teaching kids to save is a major part of a solid financial education. Talk regularly about saving for major purchases rather than rushing out to buy a major item on a credit card. Talk about how much of your paycheck goes to a savings or retirement account. Talk about how many months you will save for a family vacation. It may take some time for this process to sink into a child’s mind, but eventually, they will learn that saving is important and that impulse spending is not the best option.
  • Discuss Needs Vs Wants Regularly: Children want so many things in life, and the fact is that while some people do live a completely frugal life others do indulge from time to time in the occasional luxury item. Kids should learn about the difference between needs and wants. They should understand that all of your needs are provided for before you indulge in want and that even savings and planning for the future has been satisfied before you spend money on a luxury item. This is learned behavior as well, and children will learn how and when to spend money by watching you over the years.
  • Teach the Value of Money: Kids often ask for various toys, sweet treats, video games, new sneakers, and more. It is important for kids to learn the value of money at an early age. Anything that is requested by a child that is not a need can be used as a life lesson about the value of money. Needs should be provided for by parents, but items requested beyond those needs should be earned. This may be based on any type of reward system you establish. For instance, it is common to offer a reasonable allowance for kids doing chores around the house. Let kids work for their money, and then decide how they want to spend their money. Parents should encourage some of this money to be saved, too.

Teaching kids about money is not a one-day event, but instead it is a process that can begin very early in their lives and extend until the time they leave the house and embark on their own life as an adult.

Filed Under: Business Savvy Moms, Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk Tagged With:
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