Notepad Corner

As any parent knows, children  get bored easily, which means that on weekends, they need to be kept occupied. Obviously, you can’t keep your little ones busy 24 hours a day, but you can plan fun activities for the weekends that will tire them out. When it comes to planning things to do with the kids, it can often be hard to know what to do. This is partly because of the cost of activities, and also because of the weather - it can be hard to know what to expect. To help make keeping the kids occupied on the weekends a little easier, here are a few ideas to take note of: Have a baking session Children love to bake, so if you are stuck for ideas for keeping them occupied, why not have a baking day? While it might not seem like a tiring activity, baking is actually an excellent way to tire the kids out. This is especially true if you get them baking more than one thing, perhaps they could cook something savoury and something sweet? Don’t decide what your ch...

Parents with small children often find themselves with stains and messes to clean up. Right when a new outfit goes on the baby, stains are sure to appear shortly. Many parents can resonate with this concept, since children are not the tidiest of people. The following tips are sure to make a parent’s life easier, since they help treat every day stains that are common to children. Wet Wipes Keeping wet wipes around is very important when you have small children. A mess is bound to be made, and a moistened wipe often works better than a dry one. Picking up any excess residue with a wet wipe and immediately blotting the area lightly is a good step to take. This can be especially helpful during a trip outside the house, where washing in the laundry is not possible. Immediate Stain Treatment Immediately treating the stain produces the best results. Food stains can be sprayed with water with a paper towel behind the stain. Rinsing a fresh stain with cold water normally removes...

Most of the kids these days are lured to play video games and online games. Most often, some are even willing to skip meals just to eliminate that monstrous creature or get that precious weapon to clear the level. Parents might not be able to understand their language and most of the time they end up raising their hands and say “whatever!”  every time they convince their kiddos to stop and get some sleep. Being able to raise a computer savvy kid is something to be proud of, but when it becomes addicting thereby compromising their health and their education, then it’s another story. Your kid can no longer improve his potential to other things if right at the very beginning he cannot discern the difference between real and virtual happenings. Convincing them to go to bed early is one of the most challenging quests, especially during the holidays or during weekends. They would immediately reason out that they don’t have any school homework and sleeping late is just alright. ...

photo from the net “People will make judgments before you even speak based on the way you look. Most definitely your physical appearance matters. The way you dress, your hygiene - it all matters”. – This is one of the best quotes from Jonathan Adler that I best agree. Being the light of the house, we mothers are the ones responsible in honing our children to good manners and right conduct. Coaching our little ones of the proper behavior is very much important to develop a pleasing personality, likewise training them with the right and proper hygiene counts a lot in their growth.   When is the right time to start teaching our kids their personal hygiene? Well, in my opinion and through experience, the earlier the better.  At age 1, I already began informing my two sons the significance of washing their hands before eating and brushing their teeth. As my children grow older I continuously instill the knowledge and polish them of the effects brought by maintaini...

Many mums and dads lack a good night’s sleep. Not because they aren’t exhausted but because their children are having a difficult time sleeping. It’s at these times that parents begin looking for solutions. Children sleep better when they have an established routine and consistent schedule. Following these tips will help not only children, but parents, sleep better at night. Blackout Curtains When rooms have an excessive amount of light, be it from a street lamp, headlights, late evening or early morning sun, it can be difficult for children to sleep. Hanging   blackout curtains will stop light from coming through the window and help children sleep more soundly. Daytime Preparation When children have a full day of homework, sports, playing or tagging along with mum and dad on the high street, they have a more difficult time falling asleep. The calmer a child’s day, the more likely they are to sleep well at night. Children who are incredibly busy during the day sh...

Bringing children to parks and playgrounds is a good form of exercise to let them stretch their muscles and at the same time have fun running and playing.  Playing outdoors holds many surprises for our young explorers.  Unfortunately, there are times that due to strong winds and dust, a foreign matter gets into our little one’s eyes. When this happens do not panic, instead tend to your kid at once so he will not rub his eyes which may cause a serious eye injury. When going outdoors with your kids, make sure to bring with you their extra clothes, clean towel, water to drink, food and most especially an alcohol or a hand sanitizer. What to do if a foreign matter gets into your kids eye? Wash your hands thoroughly or put on alcohol on your hands before attempting to examine your child’s eye. Tell your kid not to rub his eyes, it is much better if he cries so the irritant will be washed away by tears. Do not touch or blow into the eye to dislodge the irritant, doing so will ris...

Last quarter, while I was reading my youngest son's notes and lessons to prepare him for his review in his first quarter examinations, I was hooked-up on this passages in his Language book.  I find it very worthy and informative to share especially when it comes to rearing up our children.  Here are some pointers to ponder that could serve as a guide and reminder for us. If a child lives with: Criticism , he learns to condemn.  He would always find others also wrong and would always look for other’s fault. Hostility , he learns to hit back or fight back. Ridicule , he learns to be shy and timid, always has the tendency to avoid mingling with other people. Tolerance , he learns to be patient.  He would be able to endure and bear circumstances calmly. Encouragement , he learns confidence. He will develop belief in himself and his ability. Praise , he learns to appreciate. He will know how to value and recognize the good in others....

Parenting is not an easy task, we just cannot rely on what we know and experienced.  There are times that we also need to ask other opinions and do some researches too.  Do not set aside the fact that we also can learn something from our children.  In case you have two or more children, you will observe and discover that they possess different personalities as they grow older.  In my case of having two sons, my disciplinary actions for my elder child do not apply with my youngest child.  Both of them are stubborn but as my youngest son is having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), he needs a different and special approach in terms of disciplining.  Our kids born under the combination of two genes (parents) may have common traits and physical appearance but we can also notice their differences in some ways.  They may look very much like you, but they are not exactly like you. We cannot ignore the fact that we sometimes compare our chil...

Children loves to play and it is beneficial to them if they will play on educational toys at an early age for they will learn as they play. We as parents need to know that functional and constructive playing takes a vital part in developing a healthy mind and body.   Informational  toys will enhance a natural child’s curiosity, creativeness, and cognitive and logical thinking that will lead him to explore possibilities and learn to test each one. In these simple playing activities, the child is learning basic problem solving skills while discovering and exploring the colors, numbers, letters, sizes and shapes.   Repetition of playing with these educational toys, the child gains confidence in his abilities which will encourage him to do new things. Aside that playing is fun, it will also keep him busy while you can finish some of your house chores as well. Here are suggestions of less- expensive educational toys that you may buy. Toddler kids Color, number and letter ...

Kids, especially toddlers are full of queries.  The stage of getting to know and curious about the things around them.  This is the phase where the  foundation of  knowledge and wisdom begins. The most frequent questions they ask always starts with “Why” in Filipino “Eh Bakit?”  We, mothers are their first teacher so as much as possible we try to answer them truthfully and straight in a way that their little innocent minds will comprehend. Never show them that you are annoyed of their unending questions.  If you are too tired to think for a good or best answer to his/her question, explain why you cannot answer him/her for the meantime. You may tell your child that would be your assignment and you will discuss it with him or her again later, while you divert his/her attention to play or do some writing. My youngest son is already 11 years old, but still he never run out of questions.  It’s a good thing Mr. Google is always to the rescu...

I believe that there is no stubborn child by nature.  Some of my friends keep on asking me why my sons JM and Yahmir are not bullheaded.  They told me theirs were so hardheaded, tough and naughty that no matter how much they cajole and threaten them, they just won't budge. I always answer them that my sons were no exception especially my youngest son who’s having an ADHD syndrome.  We, their parents also had passed the stage of being stubborn when we were still young.  We only have to teach them that despite of stubbornness they should learn how to obey.  I learned from my Mom that we parents has to handle and deal with it the sooner-the-better,or the younger the kids-the-better.  My Mom always reminds us “putulin ang sungay habang bata pa, wag hayaang mag-sanga at tubuan ng buntot” (cut the horn, never allow it to put forth branches and do not let a tail grow while still young) Here are some Tips on how to handle and deal with stubborn kids. Start them ...