Archives for July 2013

Music Therapy for the Troubled Teen

July 16, 2013 by

It is a sad fact that more and more teens suffer from depression nowadays. Unlike adults though, they may not always be too keen on traditional forms of counselling. Most of the time, adolescents who suffer from depression are withdrawn and have a hard time expressing themselves, when all they need is someone to say that they can get sort out getting them depression help. Sometimes if they can’t do it alone, having that little bit of extra guidance from another person really helpful. However, sometimes they don’t want to listen or even talk to another person. This makes traditional therapy sessions ineffective for them.

Music Therapy, although still lacking in conclusive researches, can be a more effective method of easing depression in teens. Studies have indicated that music therapy does improve mood and has low dropout rates. Teens suffering from depression may not be comfortable sitting on a chair and pouring their hearts out to a counselor but they may be able to express themselves through a song. Some people have suggested that maybe enjoying some cannabis similar to godzilla strain can improve the ability to deal with depression challenging symptoms with music. Noting, there is a benefit in the use of both. With this being said, if you are new to trying alternative methods like cannabis, it is important to know that you will probably never overdose on weed. This could help put your mind at ease when it comes to hopefully being able to manage your symptoms a lot better than before. And you don’t know if you don’t try.

Parents of troubled teens could buy m-audio keyboards at musicians friend to encourage their teens to play music. In one form of music therapy, the therapist is actually a skilled musician who improvises music with his patient. By playing a music instrument, a teen can express how he feels – he can vent out anger that’s boiling inside him or cry out his melancholy. In another form, the therapist and patient listen to music together then talk about the emotions the music evokes.

Although there have not been enough studies done to prove the benefits of music therapy, there is no denying that music does affect emotions and can uplift ones spirits.

Filed Under: Mommy Talk, Products We Love

Helperless Not Helpless

July 16, 2013 by

This month marks the anniversary of my complete domesticity.  Oh yes! We’ve been without househelp for a year already and have survived – not with flying colors but still survived.  This may be no big deal to many but do understand that we live in a city where fully automatic washing machines and dishwashers are rendered useless by unreliable water supply and where dusts settle a minute after you’ve finished wiping all surfaces.  Also, there are no state-run day care centers where we can leave little children while we do our errands. So, yes, being without househelp in this city of ours is not an easy task.  Now I have nothing but admiration for mothers who have raised their children while running the household without any help.

As much as I wish I were one of those mothers who run the house like clockwork, I admittedly am still struggling to keep our home clean and orderly. Our hamper seems to have a life of its own and sprouts dirty clothes incessantly.  Ask me when I last saw its bottom and I won’t even remember when.  Although I try to cook as much as I can, not a week passes by without a delivery guy knocking at our door to hand us our lunch.  The house may not be as spic and span as when we had helpers with us but this whole year has been a great learning experience for all of us.

For one, the kids have learned to do some chores.  At age 4 and 5, they can now get dressed by themselves, pack away their toys, and fix their beds.  They’re able to get their drinks and snacks by themselves as well.  They also “help” Papa and Mama when we’re doing chores.  I myself have learned to appreciate househelp more.  Not a day goes by when my back doesn’t hurt and when my shoulders aren’t sore.  At the end of the day, all I want to do is just to lie down and sleep.

We may have no househelp but I definitely am not “helpless”.  Aside from the kids helping me clean the house (uhm… after they mess it up real bad, that is), I also get plenty of help from my Husband. Since I’m not good at ironing clothes, he has taken charge of this weekly task.  I also don’t like cleaning the dirty kitchen so this task has gone to him as well.  Add to that the occasional babysitting when I badly need some me-time and helping with the dishes and the kids when he gets home from work.  Though he still would rather that we get a househelp again, he manages to do help around the house without complaint.

I know there are plenty of you who have chosen to be stay-at-home-moms and to be helper-less.  Perhaps, you could share some tips on how you are able to manage everything.  I sure could use a trick or two! 🙂

Filed Under: Handy Tips, House Matters, Mommy Talk

The Upsides and Downsides of International Schools

July 14, 2013 by

International schools are right now one of them most popular choices in terms of enrolling students or children.  It is popular among expatriate parents and local resident parents as well for several reasons.  An English school in Tianjin and the Ascot International School in Thailand as well as many other international schools around the rest of the world are receiving several queries from parents who are interested to enrol their children at these schools.  As parents, you also have to remember that there are advantages and disadvantages for you to consider so that you won’t be short changed in the future.

Upsides of International Schools or English Schools

Some parents are already in the know about some of the advantages; nonetheless, it is still important to share these with other parents as well.

  1. Excellent teachers – it is one of the vital requirements in order for an English school to be accredited as an international school.  It has to maintain highly qualified teachers and probably one of the best in their respective fields.  The benefit therefore is that your child will learn from the best teachers.
  2. International standards of learning – most international schools are after the international baccalaureate program and seal of approval.  It means that course programs, subjects, curriculum, and syllabus are geared towards global acceptability.  As such, your children are trained to be universally acceptable and aware of global current realities.
  3. State of the Art Facilities – because it charges high tuition and other school fees, naturally, international schools are equipped with the latest technologies and right infrastructures to help facilitate learning and acquiring of skills for your children.  Thus, learning becomes easy for them.  Some of the interesting features of international schools are: air-conditioned rooms, security surveillance gadgets, a conducive learning environment, transportation facilities, modern audio visual rooms and up to date libraries.
  4. Higher chances of getting into college – because of the above upsides, it is likely that your children will perform better or can compete with other children coming from excellent local schools as well.  Thus, the chances of your children being accepted in any colleges and universities around the world are higher.

Downsides of International Schools

It is a known fact that this type of school is really expensive; it is not the only downside though, there are other disadvantages of sending your children to international schools.

  1. Location – some of these schools are located in urban cities or in outskirts.  The danger of being located in cities is that it may lack the desired learning environment necessary for children and expose them to distractions such as noise, malls, and entertainment facilities.  However, if it is situated in far flung places, it might not be accessible to some parents and children.
  2. Local Acceptance – while it follows international baccalaureate programs, there is a tendency for some international schools to exclude local requirements; thus, when the child is transferred to a local school, there is a probability that he or she has to take up another set of subjects and courses in order for him or her to be accepted.

When you consider enrolling your children in an English school in Tianjin or in any international school in China, it is wise to weigh the upsides first before the downsides. As such, you treat downsides as challenges worthy of the effort to search for solutions.

 

About the Author

Maria Madrid wants to help families who are moving abroad by providing tips on how to ensure their children are enrolled at school properly.

Filed Under: for the KIDS, Mom's Corner, Mommy Talk, Resources

De-Stressing at the Nestle Acti-V Go Lounge

July 13, 2013 by

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A soothing back massage, feel-good short films over smoothies and truffle popcorn, a relaxing art activity and a sumptuous spread of gourmet food – Oooh…. just what a mom like me needed to end a week full of chores and mom duties!   As if these weren’t enough, we were also given a chance to meet THE Cherie Gil and to get to know her secrets to staying so fabulously beautiful.

NESTLE ACTI-V GO LOUNGE PAMPERING

Arriving early at the Romulo Café,  I was ushered right into the function room turned spa-for-a-day.  I was asked to choose among the spa treatments they were offering which included Head and Scalp Massage with Aroma Oil, Back Massage with Cold Pebbles, Hand Massage, Hand Paraffin, and Foot Massage with Hot Stone.  Since I have perennially sore shoulders and stiff neck, I opted for the back massage.  The cold pebbles were a first for me and I must say I was surprised that they were as relaxing as the hot packs I usually am massaged with.  The massage felt so good that I didn’t want to leave even after my masseuse told me that it was over.

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Next, I unleashed the artist in me (or at least tried to :P) and doodled away on a canvas chiller bag.  I didn’t read the instructions on the poster so I didn’t realize that I was supposed to design the bag with something that inspires me.  I had my husband in mind when I was given the bag so I used mostly blue shades.  We were also asked to choose designs to personalize our own Nestle Acti-V pillow.  Since hubby had to stay home that afternoon to take care of the kids, I chose to design the pillow for him.

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Watching movies is never fun when done all alone so I waited for my mommy blogger friends to finish their canvas bags and have their spa treatments. Before heading to the Kasiyahan Room upstairs, we each grabbed a bag of popcorn with truffle oil and a Nestle Acti-V smoothie.  The smoothie was a welcome treat as the temperature that afternoon was a bit stifling.  With their modern romantic themes, three of the short films left us in a very light mood.  I’ve seen the films before but they never fail to put a smile on my face.  Really great selections for a stress-free afternoon!

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STUFFING MYSELF FULL

The buffet spread they prepared for us that afternoon seemed more like lunch to me.  I’m usually a very light eater but the sumptuous food had me stuffing myself full.  I even went back for a second serving of the Cheese and Vigan Longganisa dumplings and the Pinoy Nachos(Kamote and taro chips with melted keso de bola, kesong puti, tomatoes and onions). Good thing they served us Nestle Acti-V Yogurt to help our bodies digest all the food we ate.

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UP CLOSE and PERSONAL with THE CHERIE GIL

Those who grew up in the 80s like me would cower at the sight of Cherie Gil.  Well, who wouldn’t feel intimidated by this primera contravida who portrays her roles with such depth that viewers have a hard time distinguishing reel from real?  Contrary to the contravida roles she plays, Cherie Gil is very gracious and genial.  Yes, she does look intimidating being the iconic actress that she is, but you do feel warmth in her voice and see a genuinely friendly glitter in her eyes.  (She’s also a human being who suffers from constipation like most of us so don’t be afraid to follow her on twitter @Macherieamour and on Facebook MissCherieGil).

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Asked what her secret to staying gorgeous is, Cherie Gil says she credits it to always having a ready smile for everyone, an attitude of gratitude, a good dose of water daily, and a regular sports activity or exercise.
Another one of her secrets to staying fit and fabulous is eating healthy food.    Healthy food isn’t always available though especially when she shoots out of town and has to eat whatever is prepared for everyone else on the set (oh yes, the life of a star is not always as glamorous as we perceive it to be).  This is why she always makes sure that she has Nestle Acti-V  with her.  She, and her best friends in the industry, really swears by the benefits of Acti-V.

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NESTLE ACTI-V: MORE THAN JUST A YOGURT

The active fibers in ACTI-V called ACTIFIBRAS sets it apart from other yogurt in the market.   ACTIFIBRAS is not only good for digestion but also regulates bowel movement. Eating even just a cup of NESTLE ACTI-V can help alleviate the discomforts of constipation and abdominal bloating.  Just one cup of this strawberry-flavored yogurt already contains 5 grams of fiber – the same amount you’d get in one bowlful of salad greens.

I’ve never outgrown being a picky eater so I seldom eat vegetables. I do absolutely love yogurt though so it’s great that I can have my fiber in a creamy bowl of delicious yogurt. NESTLÉ ACTI-V is naturally delicious (thanks to real strawberry pieces), filling (because of the fiber content), & convenient (no need to peel and slice!).   Oh, and my kids love it, too!

Want to know more about this great yogurt? Like NestleActiV on Facebook!

Filed Under: Events, Family Fun, for DAD & MOM, for the KIDS, Products We Love Tagged With: , ,

Kids Book Prize Pack Giveaway worth $123

July 12, 2013 by

When does one start instilling a love of learning and reading to their children? I say, as early as you can. I know of many mothers who start reading to their children while they are still in the womb.  Exposing your children to learning and reading early on definitely has so many advantages.  Now’s a great time to grow your children’s libraries by winning some great book selections from the Review Wire’s Kids Book Prize Giveaway.

Book'em Danno Prize Pack 1Book'em DannoPrize Pack 2

Kids Book Prize Pack Giveaway

THE TOTTERING MAMA has teamed up with The Review Wire to bring you this Kids Reading Adventure Giveaway! Each Prize Pack includes 8 different children’s titles with a retail value of $123!

Prize Pack 1 incudes: Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping, In The Tree House, And The Winner Is…Amazing Animal Athletes, Jasper John Dooley Left Behind, My Little Geek, The Beginner’s Guide to Running Away from Home and Bluebird.

Prize Pack 2 includes: Mo Willems Books: A Big Guy Took My Ball!, It’s A Bus Load of Pigeon Books!, THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE, Oops, VICKS THE POLAR BEAR CUB, BIG AND SMALL, Nat Geo Kids COOL ANIMALS STICKER ACTIVITY BOOK, Nat geo Kids CUTEST ANIMALS STICKER ACTIVITY BOOK, and Nat Geo Kids Little Kids FIRST BIG BOOK OF WHY.

2 Winner’s will each receive one Kids Book Prize Pack. Each prize pack includes 8 books with a retail value of $123 each! See form for Entry Details. Open to U.S. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. Ends 7.26.13

Disclaimer: An email address is required to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly through Giveaway Tools and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. One person entering per household please. U.S. only. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on July 26, 2013. I was not compensated for this giveaway, and I am not responsible for shipment of prize.

Companies and bloggers, if you would like to participate in group giveaway events like this one, sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by The Review Wire.

Filed Under: Contests & Giveaways
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