What to Do with Kids During the School Break

flowers, meadow, sunlight-276014.jpg

Summer vacation is fast approaching. Thinking of what to do with your kids? School break means fun for most of our kids. They won’t be having homework, projects, and tests. For some of them, it means doing whatever they want. In this case, it will be less fun for the parents. Mine would surely hook himself up with his screens if he can.

If we only consider here and now, permitting your children to do whatever they want seems okay. Now and then, it’s a good practice to let your reigns loose and watch your little ones enjoy their hearts out with freedom. But because we love our children, don’t we care about the intrinsic and long-term happiness they can get if we give them tasks which can give them a sense of fulfillment and something valuable in the future?

Continue reading “What to Do with Kids During the School Break”

Mindfulness for Kids

boy, monk, river

With today’s technological hyper-advancements, our children are faced with overwhelming virtual hitches.  Selfies are obligatory in all the mundane events of their day.  They get sad when they don’t find their friends on Roblox.  Their existence also depends on how much likes and hearts they get on social media. Mindfulness for kids seems far-fetched but hear me out.

Continue reading “Mindfulness for Kids”

Why Do Art With Kids?

art, watercolors, arts and crafts

“Art is a universal language and through it each nation makes its own unique contribution to the culture of mankind.”  This is according to Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States of America.  Reading this quote gives us a clear motive why art is important in nation building and culture development, especially among all men.  So why do art with kids?

Other than developing culture, making history and nation building, art, in its many forms of expression, does a lot in a person, young or old.  In this article, I would like to show the countless benefits it gives our children when we incorporate art in their everyday activities, be it for school, play or hobby.

Continue reading “Why Do Art With Kids?”

Concept Building for Babies, Toddlers and Children

toddler, reading, kids fashion-3995508.jpg

I have previously written a piece about How Learning Happens.  Generally, I discussed how learning happens in a baby as he grows up.  I have also given tips on how to make the learning process fun for you and for your older child.  Read it now by clicking here.  Today, I want to zero in on how our babies, toddlers and children learn lessons – those that are taught in school and other supplemental classes we have sent them to (musical instruments, abacus, martial arts, painting, among others).  In OT, we usually refer to these as Concept Building.

Continue reading “Concept Building for Babies, Toddlers and Children”

Things I Wish I Knew in My Twenties: A Letter to My Son in 2031

I was actually thinking about being 50 in the next 10 years.  This made me think about the son who will be doubling his age by then.  So I made a list of what I want to tell him when he has or is around graduating college.  I hope that he (and other people in their twenties) finds, considers, and heeds bits of wisdom I can offer in this 2031 letter I am writing for him today at 2021.

Continue reading “Things I Wish I Knew in My Twenties: A Letter to My Son in 2031”

Learning Life Skills

kid, boy, field

What are Life Skills?  Simply put, these are living skills or the skills you need to live your life.  Skillsyouneed.com defines the term better as the skills you need to make the most out of life.  As parents, we certainly have a set of life skills we have been using through the years.  We take care of ourselves, our household, and our loved ones on a day-to-day basis.  All these we can do because we have been equipped with life skills in one way or another.  So, how do we pass these on to our kids?  How do we get them at learning life skills?

Continue reading “Learning Life Skills”

How Learning Happens

girl, soap bubbles, child

I became a homeschooling mom in the recently concluded school year.  It was amazing to see a lot of doors open for my son and myself.  I realized that with our flexible schedule and a more functional approach in meeting the topic outline for his level, we can do a whole lot more!  We targeted skills that were not embarking all upon the academic road.  Our map led us to the smooth sailing rivers of growth mindset, steep valleys of executive function and to the wonderful trails of life skills! It hasn’t all been easy but it was worth it. And it got me thinking about learning itself.  They say learning never stops and that it pays to aim for life-long learning.

Continue reading “How Learning Happens”

40-item Lenten Checklist for Kids

calvary, illustration, crosses

When we were in high school, the husband and I met in our community chapel.  He was an altar boy, I was a choir member and we were both Legionaries (Legion of Mary).  Because we were very active in church activities back then, we called ourselves taong simbahan (church people).  Probably because of this, we tried to be devout Catholics as individuals and as a family when we became one. 

Continue reading “40-item Lenten Checklist for Kids”

4 Parenting Styles: Which Parent Are You?

family, children, father

Every person in the universe is unique.  No two persons are the same, not even twins.  We have our own set of traits, how we deal with the world and how we go about carrying out our roles.  We are all different as a student, a friend or as an employee.   

One very important role, we take in our lifetime, is parenting.  And it is not just a gene-giving, budget-allotting job.  It is so much more than that.  Being a parent is all about the life of a child, the child you will raise, rear, bring up, look after, nurture, take care, love and call your own.

Continue reading “4 Parenting Styles: Which Parent Are You?”

How to Control Our Kids’ Screen Time

child, girl, young

I have a 9-year-old 4th grader at home who went through more than four months of “summer” break from school.  Yesterday was his first day back.  Well, home school that is.  We actually went through a broken 3 weeks of transitioning-back-to-school phase. He had to answer his previous books and pay attention to lessons. But we did not fade his screen time just yet.  During the vacation, he has 1-hour computer time and 2 hours of TV time. Although he conceded to going cold turkey on his screen time, he is currently having difficulty paying attention to details of lessons and instructions; and sustaining focus when answering worksheets.  Earlier today, it took him 25 minutes to finish a 15-item worksheet on proper and common nouns!

Continue reading “How to Control Our Kids’ Screen Time”