The iPad effect

It's been more than a year since hubby bought an iPad. Our iPad is mostly used by Lyle and Lance for entertainment, reading/listening to books, and of course playing games =)

We are now seeing the iPad effect in our sons. Last Saturday we went to Bottle Tree park and we saw  a greenhouse and there are different plants grown inside. Then Lyle said "Mommy, look so many plants just like Plants vs Zombies". The other day while waiting for a taxi and we had been waiting for quite a long time. I said "ang tagal naman ng taxi" then Lyle commented "Mommy, still loading. We just wait". Hubby and I can't help but laugh because of those funny comments by Lyle. But we both realized that we need to take the kids out more often and limit their iPad time. We wouldn't want the time to come that they become so engrossed with it that they think it's their reality. Balance is the keyword =) We still allow them to use the iPad for 30mins to 1hour and make sure that either hubby or me is there guiding and playing with them.

Happy 4th Birthday Lyle!

Today is Lyle's birthday! He's been waiting for this day and really excited for his birthday. The gifts he requested are Tow Mater, Finn and Holley from Cars 2 movie. It feels different this year because he knows and understands that it's his birthday that he turns 4 years old today =)

I am very happy and so proud of you Kuya Lyle =) I love you and you will always be mommy's baby!

The Power of Ambition by Jim Rohn

Here is something I found in Youtube and got hooked when I played and listened to it. A very kind person have uploaded the whole audio seminar of Jim Rohn about The Power of Ambition. I heard about Jim Rohn in one of Bo Sanchez's books. He became one of my favorite sources of quotes =)


"Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present."

"Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention."

While listening to Jomar Hilario's VA seminar, he mentioned Jim Rohn and some of his motivational quotes. He gave a very helpful tip to search for podcasts or videos in Youtube of our favorite speakers or authors. I was very lucky to found these audio seminar series of Jim Rohn. I would like to share these videos and hope that it would also be of great help to your personal development. As of this writing, I just finished the whole series and can't helped but be awed and amazed from the wisdom that Mr. Rohn had shared. This is very empowering and motivating. To keep on working on myself, to do good and be better each and everyday.

Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 1)



Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 2)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 3) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 4) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 5) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 6) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 7) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 8) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 9)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 10) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 11) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 12) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 13)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 14)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 15) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 16)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 17) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 18) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 19) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 20) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 21) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 22) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 23) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 24) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 25) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 26) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 27) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 28)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 29) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 30)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 31) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 32) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 33) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 34) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 35)
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 36) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 37) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 38) 
Jim Rohn - The Power Of Ambition (Part 39) 

Puzzled

I loved it when my kids are playing together and they are both happy with what their doing (and it last for more than 30mins.. hehe). Lance was solving the jigsaw puzzles and Lyle decided to join him. I had some of my peace and quiet time while their busy solving these puzzles. This has given me an idea, next time I'll buy them the 10 - 20 pieces puzzles ;-)

What is Churp Churp?

I learned about Churp Churp thru a friend. Helping someone earn a dollar just by signing up and it didn't cost me anything. Churp Churp is an opportunity to earn some money online. No worries they wouldn't sell you anything. You just have to sign-up to be a member and you'll earn by sharing messages on the latest updates, campaigns and events to your friends. Interested? Click on this link to sign-up. I'll be earning SGD1.00 for every successful sign-up =)

To learn more about Churp Churp here's the link to their FAQ page ->> http://www.churpchurp.com/faq-churper/

Below is my Churp Churp Dashboard. There you can see the amount I already earned (SGD 0.51). Yeah, I know it isn't something to brag about but as you can see I just completed two tasks and haven't been a very active Churper. I'm sharing this with you and if you know that this is  something that you can benefit from then why not try it. We spent a lot of time using Facebook and Twitter and this could help us earn some extra money.

Once you signed up and become a churper, you can start spreading the word and invite your friends to join and start earning the rewards.
Sign-up now ->> http://www.churpchurp.com/lanilei12/share/churpinvite-sg

For my friends in the Philippines, you can also be a churper. Click on this link ->> http://ph.churpchurp.com/

PlayDoh time

It's a holiday today! It's Singapore's 46th National day. Majulah Singapura!

No work for mommy today! Yey =) We didn't go anywhere and just stayed at home. Bonding moment with my boys. I introduced them to PlayDoh. It was given as a gift to Lyle some time ago which we haven't opened yet. I actually delayed opening it because I'm not a fan of playing with clay. Today is the day that my view of clay had changed =) Both Lyle and Lance enjoyed playing and molding the clay into different things they could imagine. We didn't notice the time we had been busy and when I checked the time almost 2 hours had already passed. We all had a good time and its a good way for my boys to learn and be creative.

Mommy's little helper

Lyle is starting to get interested in the kitchen. He's asking me what's the thing I'm holding or the vegetable I'm chopping and he tries to imitate what I'm doing.  It made me happy and proud when he said "Mommy, can I help you?" Of course this would mean that the kitchen will be messier if I let him but I dont want to put off the helpful spirit  he has on that moment. I assigned him the task of chopping the stalks of spinach. We search for the toy surgical knife from his play doctor set and that's what he used for chopping. He started his task and was so serious at it and at the same time having fun =) Here's a photo of Lyle while helping me in the kitchen.

This is just a start of Lyle's adventure in the kitchen. As for now, I'll just follow his interest and encourage him. I'll try my best not to worry so much about the mess (fellow moms, I know you unnderstand what I mean.. hehe). And of course, I'll schedule our cooking session when I'm not in a hurry and I have all the patience I can muster.

Here are some tips from a Babycenter guest blogger on how to have fun in the kitchen with your kids:

1. Do all your preparations before hand ~ unless you like getting them to help you find the ingredients needed. This just speeds up the process.

2. Find safe ways to involve them ~ I wouldn’t recommend they chop up the vegetables with the butcher knife, but they can do a lot more than you probably think.

3. Choose simple recipes ~ especially when first starting out. You don’t want to go big at first becuase you may end up frustrated and never want to cook with them again.

4. Allow taste testing ~ I know you stick your finger in to give it a taste so let them too! My favorite part of baking with my mom was licking the spoon, or the entire bowl for that matter.

5. Ask questions ~ “What do you think goes in next?” Kids can have a short attention span at the best of times and this will keep them interested.

6. Teach them a good chef always cleans up ~ There’s something very satisfactory when you’re done and it’s all cleaned up. Clutter/mess is just added stress you don’t need.

7. Take lots of pictures! ~ I don’t know about your kids, but my kids love to be the center of attention and with today’s digital generation, they love seeing themselves “on film”.

Here's the link to the the article - 7 tips for cooking with your kids

I'm back!

It's been a long time since the last time I posted anything here. I've been into a blogging hiatus and it took much effort to try to be back again. So much had happened and so many moments had passed that I wasn't able to share in this blog. My mind is wandering and been staring in the monitor for quite some time and couldn't think of anything. I really don't know where to start. I have to pick up the pieces and start with baby steps again. I don't have to pressure and overwhelm myself. I'll just post and write as comfortably as I can. I want this blog to be active again and would like to be back for good. I need to make time for this and not wait for the time to be able to write.  

Happy Mother's Day!

If anyone ever told 

a woman pondering motherhood

how many dishes she would wash,

how many diapers she would change,

or how many spelling words 

she would need to relearn,

she'd probably think twice

before having a child.

If anyone were to mention that the

terrible two's aren't half as

demanding at the turbulent teens,

that school and sports activities

require a mother's lifetime commitment,

and that friends, phones, and malls

are the essence of a young one's desires,

she might have a second thought 

or two.

But the funny thing about motherhood

is that once you are a mother,

you can never imagine your life

without the love and joy of your child.

Because with each and every obligation

and the endless amount of responsibility,

there is a wonderful feeling of happiness

that enters your heart

and stays with you wherever you go.

It is the feeling of LOVE...

the most beautiful emotion in life

- Deanna Beisser

Happy Mother's day to all mothers out there and most especially to my Mama! 

Thank you for everything. You and Papa had raised us well and continue to support and shower us with your love. I love you!

How to tell if your child is ready for preschool

Another good article from my favorite Parenting and Child development website - Babycenter.com. In this article are list of questions that will help parents to assess their children's readiness for preschool.

Here are the questions taken from the article:

• Is your child fairly independent?
• Has he spent time away from you?
• Can he work on projects on his own?
• Is he ready to participate in group activities?
• Is he used to keeping a regular schedule?
• Does he have the physical stamina for preschool?
• Why do you want to send him to preschool?

How To Choose a Preschool

I found the article below very helpful and gives me a guide on what I should do and prepare in search for a preschool for my son.


How To Choose a Preschool


By Audrey Okaneko
 
Choosing a preschool for your child requires knowing what you want in a preschool and then asking questions to see if the schools in your town match what you are looking for.


There are many philosophies on working with toddlers. Some programs offer academic curriculums and some don't. Some offer a pre reading program and some don't. Some offer a lot of social opportunities and some don't.


So what questions can you ask to see if the program offered is a match for you?


Let's start with the hours of the school. Some schools open as early as 7:00 a.m. for before school care and some school open at 9:00 a.m. when the preschool day begins. If you need to be at work at 8:00 a.m. then you'll first need to narrow your choices to those schools that offer before school care.


It is my suggestion that you visit the school without your child. Speak to the director of the school and ask what the best time of day is to visit. You'll learn more by visiting during indoor time versus outdoor time.


Most schools have a rough time schedule of what the kids do while at school. Does this time table fit what you hoped to have for your child? My children went to two different schools. My older daughter needed more structure. At the school she went to, the kids moved from class to class. One class was manipulatives such as puzzles, while another room had dress up clothes and yet another room held art supplies. Finally, the last room was what I called the academic room. You could find letters and numbers and books in this room. This system worked wonderfully for her.


My other daughter went to a school where academics were non existent, but socialization was constant. This very much fit the child she was and met both her needs and my needs.


So, it's very possible to find a good school with a great program, but have it not be the right fit for your child.


I also suggest meeting with a kindergarten teacher when making your choice to find out what the kindergarten teacher at YOUR school hopes to see when your child enters the kindergarten classroom on day one.


Here are some questions you can ask when visiting:


1. Do you teach reading and writing at all? Please remember, there is not a right or wrong answer. You, as a parent need to know whether this is important to you. As I mentioned, for one of my daughters it was quite important and for the other child, it was not at all on my list of what was important.


2. What is the adult/child ratio the school tries to maintain? Every state dictates what the state requires, but all schools have their own set of guidelines within the state system. My older daughter was in a school that did not use teacher's aides. However they kept the classes small. My younger daughter was in a school that utilized teacher's aides and so the ratio was very small like 3:1, even though the state allowed a much higher ratio. With more children in the class, there is also more opportunity for playmates.


3. What is the sick child policy? Every school has a different sick child policy. As a mom, I did not want my kids around sick kids all the time. On the other hand, I knew if my child had a runny nose, I'd probably be called to come pick her up.


4. How often are new toys bought and how often are old toys thrown out? This was important to me, both because of safety but also the longer a toy is in circulation the more germs live on it. At some point, the dirt just doesn't wash off anymore. Also, times change and new toys come out on the market. In addition, when dealing with items like puzzles, pieces will disappear. I wanted my child to be able to complete the puzzle, not have one piece missing.


5. What is the communication system between the school and the parent? Some schools send home a monthly calendar of the upcoming month, while some schools send out a letter on Friday that sums up the week in review. Most schools have conferences. Moms like to hear how wonderful their preschooler is. If the school detects what they believe might be a problem such as hearing, speech, sight, or even a behavioral problem, what is their method of informing you?


6. How are the children separated? Is it by age? Are there multiage classrooms? Does the system this school uses for developing classes meet your needs and the needs of your child? Every child is different. My older daughter did best with kids her own age. My younger daughter did great with kids of many ages.


7. What are the food rules at this school? Do children bring their own lunch? Are snacks served? Is the school peanut free? Some preschools choose to be peanut free to accommodate children who have peanut allergies. Are hot lunches served? If so, ask for a month long menu to see what foods are offered.




Without your child, it's important for you to observe a class. Do the children interact with each other and with the adults? Do the children play both alone and with others? Are you seeing activities and toys that allow the child to be unique and creative? Or is every child told to make the same color flower? Children are children. If you see two kids argue, how does the teacher solve the problem? How large are the classrooms? Is there enough space for different children to be playing with different items? For example is there space for two girls to play dress up while two boys build a train track? Where are the bathrooms in relation to the classroom?


Plan to visit the school during drop off time. Are kids eagerly running to their classrooms or are most kids unhappy to be there?


If you feel the school matches what you want, ask if you can bring your child for one day. Most schools will allow a test day. If your child is happy, you've just found the right school to enroll your child in.




Article Source: http://www.blogger.com/Article%20Source:%20http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Okaneko

What's the right age for preschool?

According to Wikipedia "Preschool education or Infant education is the provision of education for children before the commencement of statutory and obligatory education, usually between the ages of zero and three or five, depending on the jurisdiction." 


Most of my colleagues and friends here in Singapore who have children enrol their kids in preschool at age 3. Lyle is now 3 years and 7 months old but I haven't enrolled him yet. I personally feel that it's still too early to enroll him in school. I would like him to enjoy childhood and have fun learning without the rules and structure of school (..yet). Hubby would like to enroll him so that he'll meet other kids and learn to socialize. It's the "socialization" factor that hubby pointed out that convinced me that we should try to enroll him at school. Lyle meets other kids every Saturday for his swimming lessons, when we go to gatherings or special occasions like birthdays and when we go to the nearby playground or parks. His little brother is his playmate and best buddy (no choice.. hehe). Hubby and I talked to Lyle and asked him if he wanted to go to school and he answered a resounding "YES". Then I ask him what he'll do when he go to school he said that he'll bring his toy cars and play with other bata (tagalog term for kids). For him a school is just another playground where he can play =) Children especially at Lyle's age learn most thru play. 


I've done some searching online and here are very helpful sites for parents who are planning to enroll their kids in preschool here in Singapore:

• Ministry of Education - Frequently Asked Questions on Kindergarten Admission 
• Ministry of Education - Find a Kindergarten  
• List of PEPS Schools & Service Providers
• PAP Community Foundation - Registration Information 

How about you? At what age do you think a child should start preschool?  

Free Shopping Web App - MyShoppingGenie

Updated August 14, 2011 - I'm no longer a distributor of MyShoppingGenie and the links to download the web app is no longer working.

I am now a registered distributor of the free MyShoppingGenie web app. Click download to get the free web app.

It was thru Ms. Joy Ongkiko, twin sister of my friend and former colleague that I learned about this free web app. She posted a link in her Facebook wall and it was very timely when I read her post because by that time I was re-thinking about earning passive income thru the internet. I downloaded and installed the application and then tried the MyShoppingGenie. Here's how it looks like:

You'll see a horizontal toolbar below containing different links - Amazon, Costco, Walmart, eBay and others. This is the classic genie 4.0 (international version). The genie app will search for the best price when you click the deals and  there's also a link for price comparison. This is a great tool that can help save time searching the internet for the best price of items you need to buy. It can also save you money once you get the cheapest possible price for the item you are looking for. MyShoppingGenie has been launched in these countries - United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and all over the United Kingdom. So, if you are currently in any of these countries you'll be able to use and maximize the full potential of this helpful free shopping tool. For someone like me who is living outside of these countries, I'm seeing the prices are in US dollars and the deals I found in the websites that are US based but despite of this I can still make use of the tool because it gives me an idea of much the lowest price can be for the item I wanted to buy. I'm looking forward for the day that MyNet Universe will launch MyShopping Genie here in Singapore.

This web app is for free. Just click on this link - http://myshoppinggenie.com/sassyshopper

it's been a while

I'm here staring blankly at my monitor, thinking of what to write. Actually there are lot's of things that had happened and there are so many things goin' thru my mind. It's just that these past months I didn't have the time to write or I must say it correctly, I didn't make time to write and update this blog. I feel that I lost the 'fire' or the excitement in blogging. I told myself, maybe I'm just going thru a 'phase' (which has been going on for so many months now). I really wanted to be back and make this blog come back to life again. Yeah, I know that task falls into my hands =)

Just some updates about some major recent happenings, we moved to a new house still at Yishun just a few blocks away from our old house. Lance is now more active and keeping up with his kuya's 'likot'. Lyle is getting more and more talkative and he can now narrate stories - some he made up and some about things that already happened. He had lost his front tooth the other day, which is a memorable day because I played the role of a dentist.. hehe. We hired a yaya, whom I'm thankful because my kids didn't have a hard time adjusting. Thanks to my friend Cel who recommended her to us. So far so good, we had a good start for this new year. Praying and hoping for the best for the rest of the year and coming years!

Family Picture taken last January 1, 2011