As I took my teaching leave this year to focus on my freelance work so as to give more time for my family, I find myself alone with the househelp on school days. Ralph is now in Grade 3 and his typical school day starts the moment I wake him up at 5:15 a.m., give him a bath (yes, I still have to assist my sleepy child) and to feed him breakfast. The school service picks him up before 6 a.m. so they can make it to school by 7 a.m. School starts at 7:20 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. He's back home before 5 p.m., just in time for the merienda I prepare for him

I often compare how my school days were in the past to what my son is having now. School was much easier then, don't you think? Now, they have more complex lessons and they have longer school hours. Children are under so much stress compared to children in the past. This is one of the major reasons why I chose to work at home.

Part of my Terrible Two experience with my son was my battle with his constant saying of "No!". Whether it be for food, milk, vitamins, taking a nap or going someplace else, the answer was still a stern "No!". Have you also had this problem with your toddler?


Image courtesy of stock.xchng
Having a limited vocabulary doesn't help at all. Toddlers cannot fully verbalize what they feel and, often, their answers will just either be Yes or No. Aside from saying "no", they may also show their independence by doing the opposite of what they are being told, running away, or throwing tantrums to get what they want.

There are three fathers who are close to my heart: my husband, my dad, and my brother. To them I dedicate this Father's Day post of mine. These fathers are not perfect and they have their flaws. But each of them are special in their own ways and I love them for being so.


Dadijun and Rap.


My dad with Rap.


My brother and nephew.
I seldom call my husband by his first name. All of us in the family refer to him as Dadijun. He became Dadijun years before he even had Rap as it was his oldest niece who started to call him Daddy. Being the only man in their family, he serves as the string that binds the flowers. He has the ability to lead and to be followed. He directs without ever sounding too dominant. To Rap and his niece and nephews, he is an idol. To me, he's the most responsible and loving Daddy ever. He knows how to strike a balance in being a friend and a father. I am so proud and thankful that my son has the best dad in the whole wide world!

My dad has always been misunderstood by many. Yes, he has made mistakes in the past. He has made me feel furious and disappointed in some instances. Yet, I have taught myself to let go of the ill feelings and let them be overshadowed by good memories. It is better and healthier this way. He was the one who had the time to tell us stories and helped us memorize the multiplicaton table back in the days when my mom would work 12 hours a day. He was the one who taught me how to wash the clothes and to cook rice. Now I understand why it was like that for our family. Just like how my mom took over his task of providing for the family, he took over my mom's task of caring for the children. It's not bad at all.

My brother, Lloyd, is the most patient father I know. In his three years of being a father to Clyde, he has already learned more complex lessons in parenting that I'm sure my husband and dad has never had. Through him, I learned that being a father doesn't necessarily mean sharing the same DNA but giving the love and care that a father should give his child.

To these dads, I give my salute!

Ralph with Mr. C after their recital last May.
My son had a very good experience joining the 14K Program of the The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab last summer. He enjoyed his summer music lessons so much that he finally accepted our offer of enrolling him in individual music lessons.

TMSRC is offereing individual music lessons in Voice, Piano, Violin, Guitar (acoustic and electric), and Drums. As of this writing, the tuition fee is at Php 5,200 for 10 lessons. Each lesson is only at a 30-minute duration and meetings are done once a week.

If you are also interested in enrolling your child in any of the courses above, you may visit them at the Lower Level of the Park Avenue in Robinson's Galleria. You may also call 637-9840 for more details.

This is my first entry for Mommy Moments.


When we were still living in Laguna Bel Air, having an aoutdoor activity with our son was never a problem. Oftentimes, I just spread a mat on the front lawn of our home and have a mini-picnic. On weekends, we would go up to Tagaytay to have breakfast and buy fresh fruits.

Now that we're living in Cainta where malls and the notorius Ortigas Avenue are just a stone's throw away, our life has become fast paced that make us so tired to enjoy even our outdoor garden on a busy day. The closest home outdoor fun that we get to have is in the veranda that is between our room and our son's room. I placed potted plants all over the place and a small fountain on one corner. My son plays computer games or reads a book while lying on the hammock that is set up in the other corner.


On free days, we go on impromptu road trips. In the beginning of this year, we discovered the Sierra Madre Country Club in Tanay, Rizal. The cool breezes of Sierra Madre brought back memories of our trips to Tagaytay.


Are you a mommy who loves spending fun times with your family outdoors? Share about it on Mommy Moments.

A (H1N1) Influenza Booklet
I am sharing this pamphlet to fellow mommies. We can't help feeling worried after receiving news that more and more schools are confirming cases of students with the virus. Feel free to share it to family and friends.

Thanks to Noemi Lardizabal-Dado for sharing this.

Who says a diabetic like me cannot enjoy Goldilocks? It is a fact that Goldilocks Bakeshop, the Philippines' well-loved bakeshop for more than 40 years, have a wide array of sweet treats. I know that I can't have those BUT my loved ones definitely can.

My father has suffered a stroke late December of last year. This was not his first but his fourth actually. His latest attack left him paralyzed and bedridden for a month. Now, he's walking on his own again but his left arm is still paralyzed. His stroke did not only affect him physically but also mentally. The rest of the family felt devastated that my father has become senile. He's already acting like a kid again with tantrums and all. Sometimes, he goes into a crying fit without any reason at all.


Me and Ralph with my parents. This was taken last March during Ralph's Recognition Day celebration.
We have a small tutorial center in my parents' property. Me and my siblings are the tutors. I teach during the weekdays so I get to visit my parents regularly. Before the stroke, it's my dad's usual lambing to ask me to bring bread for his merienda. When time and finances permit me to, I pass by the Goldilock's branch in Rustan's Pasig to buy him his pasalubong. I usually buy him his favorite Fluffy Mamon or Butter Slice. When I have a bigger budget, I try to buy even a small Crema de Fruta which is my Mom's favorite, by the way.

At his present state, he frequently forgets the things. He even got lost once inside the village because he cannot remember his way home after walking one afternoon. It breaks my heart to see that his health has deteriorated. I don't blame him anymore for what he's going through. He's my father after all.

Naturally, when the summer vacation started and I had no summer classes to attend to, I also started not going to my parents' place as frequent as I used to. My mom sometimes calls me up just to tell me that my dad's sitting by the driveway waiting for his mamon. He may have forgotten important things like names and places but he will never forget his mamon. At least I know that, even when the time comes that he has forgotten even the names of the members of our family, he won't forget me and the Goldilocks treats I brought him.


The Goldilocks Butter Slice and Fluffy Mamon that my Dad loves.
Images courtesy of Goldilocks.
You're the 1 Goldilocks, because you have been a part of this special connection between me and my ailing father.

We Filipinos have a saying that says "Kapag kulot, salot." (Curly hair is bad luck.) I personally think that the primary reason why this saying has spread throughout generations is because of the rhyme the words create. But then again, our culture also dictates us seeing curly haired people as ones who are irritable and less patient. Can hair really tell something about one's personality? The widget above is a dNeero conversation about this.