All About Kids Bazaar

This August 9, Working Mom magazine is bringing moms and kids a fun and magical shopping experience like no other as it launches the All About Kids bazaar at the Rockwell Tent.

All About Kids bazaar will offer that perfect dose of family fun, with big, big discounts to boot. Apart from games and demos for all kids to enjoy with their families, parents can dig into all their favorite kiddie brands as they go on sale.

Apart from all these, the All About Kids bazaar, which will be hosted by Jackie Lou Blanco, will have an arts and crafts booth, magic shows, bubble tricks, balloon twisters, and other amazing performances. Even a mom and kid pampering booth will be set up to give moms on the go that perfect chance to slow down with their loved ones. Apart from all these, kids will get the unique chance of meeting two of their favorite cartoon characters, SpongebobSquarepants and Patrick Star!

This year’s All About Kids bazaar will also be where Working Mom will hold an online photo promo. To join, simply visit and like Working Mom’s official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/workingmom.magazine), take a photo during the event, and tag Working Mom with the hashtags #workingmommag and #allaboutkids. Special gifts will be given to selected photos.

All this and more will be happening on August 9 at the Rockwell Tent from 11:00am to 7:00pm. To enter, each family must simply present a copy of Working Mom’s latest August issue, which is available at leading bookstores and magazine stands nationwide.

Ogalala Workshop

Neo and I are one of the lucky parent and child tandem who were invited to attend Ogalala’s Workshop last Saturday at SM Megamall.  We were quite a bit late, but nonetheless, I learned a lot of things and Neo enjoyed every bit of the workshop.

What is Ogalala?

Derived from the native American Indian term for an underwater irrigation system, Ogalala brings forth life for kids in the form of play, fashion, and exploration. It is a portfolio of global play and fashion brands.

It is a brand, therefore, that lets kids be kids, while assuring parents that they are “investing” in a brand that lets their children become warm, light-hearted, curious, and global.

The Ogalala System in Play

The Rationale – Children learn through play - that’s a fact. They also have different ways of learning. While there are general ways that kids learn, one method may not always apply to another child. And as O. Ivar Lovaas, a child development expert, said: “If they can’t learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn.”

This branded system groups together insights, activities, and tools appropriate for each child’s growth stage. IGM recognizes that there are 4 important development areas in a child’s growth: physical, intellectual, language, and social & emotional. While our children naturally develop, and with the help of schooling when they reach a certain age, each of them is still unique. Kids advance per growth stage in their own phase, and our job as parents is to make sure they grow up happy and fulfilled.

What are the brands under Ogalala?

Crayola

Melissa and Doug

Baby Einstein

Artec

COG

Emco

Canal

Animal Planet and Discovery Kids

Now, back to the workshop.  Teacher Maia, the facilitator, told us that learning while playing can help develop our kids develop their intellect and fine motor skills.  Whats more, it also develop our kids social intelligence by playing and learning with other kids.

Neo, with the other kids, learning through playing using Ogalala’s products.  He enjoyed it so much.

There were a lot of activities that the kids (Neo with them) did using Ogalala’s products.  They did stacks, puzzles, colors and a lot more.

The participants.

Thank you, Ogalala for that fun learning activity that Neo had.  J

My Funny Transformation

This is what I look like on normal days.

This is what I look like last Tuesday for DZRH’s 75^th Anniversary Celebration.

My colleagues didn’t recognize me.

The office guards didn’t recognize me.

My brother, GB, took a photo of me and showed it to our mom, Lola Net, 5 days after the event. 

GB: Ma, kilala mo kung sino ito?

Lola Net: hindi. (then she look at me and asked silently) sino yun?

Okay, everyone.  I’m not offended that my colleagues and the office guards didn’t recognize me.  Nanay ko nga hindi ako nakilala e. :D

My Airbnb Travel WishList

Has anyone of you tried Airbnb?  I haven’t.  But I have been eyeing Airbnb since we booked a flight out of the country. 

I am a very practical mom.  I have traveled a lot this year here in the Philippines due to work.  I slept at hotels since the company paid for it.  I didn’t stay much at the hotel.  I only use it to sleep and bath. 

That is the reason why during my search, I discovered Airbnb.  We will be travelling as a family and we will be out most of the time touring the place we will go.  The practical-me doesn’t want to spend thousands of pesos for a small room we will use for sleeping and bathing alone.

Airbnb offers so many options for me and my family. 

1)   I don’t have to pay so much.  I can save my money for shopping J *wink wink.

2)   Since I am opting for an entire apartment, I am so glad that hosts at Aibnb offer their appliances for you to use.  You can cook because the hosts offer their cooking wares.  You can wash small things because hosts offer their washing areas – and being with a toddler, this is a must.  You can wash dishes because an entire apartment has, of course, a sink.  You can feel at home.

3)  Wide variety of choices.  Since Airbnb operates in 192 countries and 34,000 cities, it’s a no brainer that you would have a lot of choices.

4)   Feedbacks are encouraged.  Unlike hotels, where feedbacks are general, for Airbnb, you can read through feedback given by people who previously stayed at the place.  No need to be caught off guard and confused by different comments and feedbacks.

Now, given those things I listed above, I want to share to you my Airbnb Bucket List. #MyAirbnbBucketList

Hongkong

Long before I even had a child, I promised myself that I will bring my child (or children) to Disneyland.  Hongkong Disneyland is the best place we can travel to because it is close to the Philippines and no Visa required J

Tokyo

I am an anime fan when I was young and Tokyo (Japan) is where I want to travel.  I want to experience this fast-paced country and see how the anime-maker got their awesome ideas.

Paris

When I met Leo, I became a hopeless romantic.  And Paris is the place to be.  I want to be able to see Eiffel Tower.  And of course, being a Dan Brown fanatic, I’d added the Louvre Museum to the list J

Now, tell me about your Airbnb Travel Bucket List.  Because Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 192 countries.

Ooops, don’t forget to sign up and try creating a Bucket List for yourself.  Just click the link: sign up!

Photos from Google and Airbnb.

DFA Passport Application

Our passports are expiring this year.  We decided to apply for renewal as well as apply for a new one for Neo before school started.  What are the steps we followed?

1.   Online Application – we applied through http://passport.com.ph/set-appointment.  We choose our branch and our appointment time.  An email was sent to us for confirmation and was asked to be there 30mins before our schedule.

2.   Preparation of Requirements – we printed the list of requirements.  New passport holders need more requirements than renewing passport holders.

3.   Appointment Verification – we chose DFA Aseana (near SM Mall of Asia) as our branch.  We arrived an hour before our schedule.  We were asked to go to gate 5 and our appointment was verified.

4.   The Wait – our appointment was 2pm.  We were called for processing at past 3pm.  It was a long wait but good thing they have seats to offer.  The only challenge is to keep Neo still (thanks to the tablet at hand J). 

5.   Processing – checking of requirements were done at Processing area.  Make sure you have all your requirements with you.  The DFA staffs are not soft-hearted (good thing because they can’t be fooled).   The person in front of me had her birth certificate ready but the DFA staff can’t read it properly and won’t accept her application.  She noted that if your NSO certified birth certificate is not readable, you have to bring your Local Registrar birth certificate.

6.   Payment – Expressing processing cost Php1200 with 7 working days wait.  Regular processing cost Php950 with 15 working days processing wait.  Additional cost of Php120 for delivery.

7.   Data Gathering – your details and picture will be gathered after payment.  They have a lot of cubicle so waiting is not long.  We are glad that the one assigned to us was very efficient.  He was able to get Neo’s picture without so much drama from the little boy.

8.   Releasing – after waiting for 15 working days for normal processing and 7 working days for express processing, you can now get your passport.  Releasing is quite tricky for individuals who don’t own the passport for release.  You would need an authorization letter and a valid ID of the passport owner.  Also, kid’s passport are released on the 3^rd floor – ASSEC area. 

He can now tour out of the country.

The Grieving Family

We laid my Tito Bebot to rest last Saturday.  It was a very sad day.  Moments before the actual internment, my lola, Neo’s Mamita was rushed to the hospital due to high blood pressure.  Saturday was a very difficult day for us all.  I wouldn’t wish anyone to experience the thing we experienced that day. 

This is the first time a direct relative died.  The last one was my Angkong which happened 18years ago (I wasn’t even 10yrs old pa) so I didn’t exactly comprehend whatever happened those times.

There are a lot of eye openers for me.  Things you wouldn’t know until it happened to you.  

REGRET.  Whenever someone dies there are a lot of people who will always say, I regret I didn’t spend more time with him/her.  Something we should always ensure to do.  Spend quality time with the people you love.  Life is too short so spend it with what and who matters most to you.

PREPARATIONS.  This is something I would like for everyone to know. The grieving family wouldn’t experience grieving as much as they could because reality sinks in.  Dying is not cheap.  There are a lot of things the family needs to spend on.  Instead of grieving properly, you have to pay for a lot of things, from the casket, to the burial lot, to the food you serve those who pay last respects, to everything.  If you can buy your own burial lot and life plan now, you will save your family a lot of worries when your time comes to an end.

RELATIONSHIPS.  During time of grief is one the time you will know who are the people who really cared.  Some people who are miles away from you, people you don’t even talk to for years, may come and offer their shoulders for you to cry on.  Some people, who you thought are friends, wouldn’t even bat an eyelash.  Hard times such as this will serve as an eye opener on who really cared and who doesn’t.

MOVING ON.  Moving on after a death of a loved one can be so hard.  Knowing you won’t see or hear that person is a pain no one wants to experience.  But life must go on.  Grieve as much as you can but never stop moving forward. 

GREAT PLANS.  The Lord will always have great plans on why something as sad as a death of a loved one happens.  We just need to trust Him and pray for guidance and comfort.  The Lord will never give you more than you can handle – 1Corinthians 10:13.

Please pray for my family.

It’s Hard to Say Goodbye

It was a long Friday and a long week ahead. 

One of the most generous people I know, Neo’s Angkong, my Tito passed away due to cardiac arrest last Friday morning. 

Hard as it is, we have to say goodbye.  Have a safe journey back to Papa Jesus, Tito Bebot.  We love you greatly and we will miss you so much.

Pros and Cons of Barangay Day Care

I started to go to school at the age of 2 and a half.  I was just “saling cat-cat”.  The teacher doesn’t mind what I do for the day.  I just go to school to listen and play.  No pressure.

As early as 2 and a half, Leo and I decided that Neo should go to school.  We wanted him to be exposed to learning at an early stage.  Nothing beats early intervention.  We decided to enroll him at the Barangay Day Care close to our home.

I listed down some pros and cons in enrolling your child in a Barangay Day Care Center

PROS:

Proximity – Barangay Day Care centers are situated inside the barangay and thus are very close to the residents.  Preschoolers will just stay 2 hours in the school – why let them travel 30mins one-way and another 30mins going back?  Instead of excitement, they will just feel tired.

Practicality – young kids who just started school tend to feel halfhearted in going to school.  Yes, at start they are excited, but during the course of the school year,   parents would have a hard time forcing their kids to go to school.  I don’t want to force Neo in coming to school.  I want it to be a daily excitement.  If he doesn’t want to go, he won’t go.  He is still young, by the way.

Laid Back Curriculum – during the orientation, the teacher told the parents not to expect our kids to excel in academics.  At the day care, they will only be taught simple academics and a lot of play time.  I agree with this set-up because learning should be laid back.  No pressure.

CONS:

Poor Facility Status – as with all Philippine government establishments, Barangay Day Care Centers has poor facility status.  From peeling off paints, to small spaces, to hot classroom.  Parents are already talking of donating some ventilation so our kids won’t have issues with the heat.

Can you see the state of Neo’s table?

Teacher-Student Ratio – Neo’s class consists of 20-something students.  Needless to say, the teacher won’t be able to concentrate in giving each one of her students enough time during the 2-hour session.  Mommies or guardians should be there to assist their wards.

Diverse Students – letting your child study in Barangay Day Care will cost a lot cheaper than in private schools and thus, there are various types of students you encounter in the day care.  Students from different socio-economic classes.  Some of the kids your child will encounter have colds and cough.  Some of the kids will curse.  Some of the kids will physically hurt your kid.  You have to ensure your child is protected from diseases by giving them vitamins.  You have to ensure you give your child undivided attention, so he won’t get hit by other kids and won’t mimic cursing.  You will encounter different kinds of kids and guardians in Barangay Day Care.

Having listed all the pros and cons I encountered when I enrolled Neo at the Barangay Day Care, I would still recommend that for the first time your kid goes to school, let him go to a Barangay Day Care.  Just allow him a year of exposure – with no pressure (as parents, when we pay a lot, we force our kids to study hard because every penny counts).  Then later on, enroll them in good schools offering excellent education.