Jesus is the LIght of the World - Experience Day

In February 7th (this past Saturday), our son EJ,  attended  the Experience Day in preparation for their  first Reconciliation.  The activity aimed to  prepare the kids before they go on their  very first confession.  It aimed to  give the kids a full understanding through experiencing what's the importance of asking forgiveness to  sins.

 They did  different kinds of activities including  making   bread, reading of the Bible, and they did religious arts and crafts,

 There were Mom volunteers who helped facilitate the event.  They also served  snacks for the kids.

 This year's first communicants is  a small number compared to the previous years.

 It is sad to think that  there are so many kids these days but only few are active or involve with religious-related  activities like this.

 I admire  the second  grade teacher for her dedication in molding  and teaching the kids about this important   milestone of their lives.

 I love the poster that the kids made.  They each  made a paper candle and put it in a big poster.

"Jesus is the Light of the World".

3 Tips for Gifting Tech to Children

A huge question amongst parents is whether or not buying technology for kids and teenagers, especially mobile phones, is a smart move.

An iPod he got for Christmas

While the thought of being able to keep in touch with your kids at anytime is very appealing to most families, your child owning a personal smartphone can open doors to many issues on the parenting front.

If buying the latest iPhone for your kid is something you have considered doing, here are some important tips to keep in mind.

1) Open Lines of Communication

           

Smart devices, quite literally, put the world at your fingertips. This can prove tremendously beneficial for young curious children, but unrestrained access to the ‘world wide web’ can expose younger kids and teens to a darker side of the world that they aren’t quite ready for yet. Sit down and have a chat about inappropriate versus appropriate content, and the consequences of seeking out the former.

2) Be Aware of Cyber Bullying

With over half of teens reporting being the victim of cyber bullying, the chances that your child will encounter incidences of either being victimized by, or even perpetrating bullying online are quite high. Familiarize yourself with the signs of bullying before buying your child a phone, tablet or computer.

3)  Set Reasonable Limitations

Ownership of a personal phone, computer or tablet is a huge privilege, and should be treated as such. 24/7 access to messaging, applications and texting can be a recipe for disaster for kids and especially teens, who will often forego hours of sleep to chat with friends or play games. The AAP recommends no more than 2 hours a day of ‘screen time’ for kids and teens alike, so it’s important that you don’t permit excessive use. Use the application OurPact to set time limits on your childs iOS devices (iPhones, iPods, iPads). From your own personal device, you can easily schedule times that internet is available on your child or teens device, and block internet and applications at a touch. A simple, free and essential application for parents :).

Enjoying the games

What other tips do you have for parents to keep in mind when buying children and teens phones or technology as a gift? Share below!

Winter Blast on a SuperBowl Day

While other families were busy preparing for their superbowl party, my family were having a blast sled riding.  We went to the nearby college here in our area and let ourselves enjoy  what mother nature has  given us this winter.

 The three of us went first while my husband was shoveling snow out from our driveway and sidewalk.  I took pictures of  them first before I joined the fun, yes I did ride the sled too, lol.

I normally would say "NO" to playing outside but I figure, we needed some fresh winter air so we all went.  I just made sure that we were all bundle up so nobody get sick.  Our dog could have enjoyed it too but it's hard when we have them because they constantly runs so our attention is divided.  

We had  so much fun.  The snow was perfect for sled riding.  The kids  went fast going down.  IT was a great exercise for all of us.  Going down is fun and going  up the steep hill was our main exercise, that and the laughter we ripped through.

The Benefits Of Your Child's Interests On Their Development

Children have this amazing capacity to surprise us. They pick up sayings and skills that we never quite manage to trace the origin of. Some days they astound us with how smart they are, yet other days we can’t believe how daft they can be. When they reach the age of showing a great interest in a particular hobby or interest, their capacity to surprise us really takes off.

Most children will find an interest in things their parents have introduced them too. These interests may include trains, magic tricks, and music. As time goes by, their school friends will begin to influence greatly where their interests lie. They may start collecting figurines or trading cards. They may also take up more team sports and other extracurricular activities. Influences will come from every direction, but most kids also have a good sense of who they are as individuals. They will find their own passions and interests.

Your child may be quite into magic tricks or card tricks using Bicycle cards. You will probably be pleased to know these activities are all exercising the brain as well as taxing your patience. The interaction your children will have with their audience is also great for them to develop good social skills and better awareness of human behavior. Watching motorized trains go around and around a track can be quite hypnotic for everyone, but for children, it can be especially mesmerizing. A good sense of spacial awareness and timing will be developed from this traditional hobby.

Sports activities are great for building social skills and better understanding the importance of teamwork. There will be times when there may be a few spats between teammates, but these are important for developing advanced interpersonal skills. Gross motor skills can also be greatly improved, together with health and fitness. If your children are budding musicians, their minds are being stimulated and worked in multiple ways at once. Coordinating fine motor skills with notation on the page, then translating that into a musical emotion is very challenging. It requires a higher intelligence that can be developed by every child.

Your child may be a big reader and like nothing more than being sat in a corner with a favorite series of books. Eventually, they may turn away from fiction and prefer to read books on dinosaurs, space and other science interests. Reading is a wonderful pastime. It provides entertainment and stimulates emotions. Reading builds vocabulary, and develops a better understanding of the world.

Each of the hobbies or interests your children dabble with will undoubtedly lead to the next one. Try to mix them up a little, so all parts of their development are covered. Expose them to as many activities, and interests as you possibly can so they are widely informed about what is available to them. They will undoubtedly take these passions into their adult life, and maybe even pass them on to their own children in the future. While some may be more expensive than others, a well-rounded introduction to each is essential.

Minion Theme on EJ's 8th Birthday

 My baby turned 8 years old on the 15th of this month.  We had a small get together with close friends and family.  When my kids started going to school, I stopped  doing birthday parties. We usually go somewhere to celebrate their birthdays rather than having a party.  This year however,  Mr. Burrito wanted to have  party at home,  That's what  kept me busy last week, cleaning, organizing and cooking.

We only invited our  closest friends in the neighborhood and the Burritos  Aunt.

 Up and below photos with Lolo Don and LOla Ruth Fancher.

 With Ate Sarah, one of the Howells' ladies.

 We played   scrabble and  monopoly and we all had so much fun!

 We had an ice cream cake  that we bought at Dairy Queen.

 Here's the birthday boy enjoying his  presents.

 Daddy to the rescue with the not so kid-friendly packages hehehe.

 We all agreed to idea of doing this kind of gathering more often because it's fun and brings us all closer.

 The Howells, having a serious time  doing monopoly with the Burritos.

 It's fun watching them.  I played scrabble with Lizzy and Nanay Ruth, we had a blast!

I decorated  the house   on Wednesday after I cleaned then I  prepared the food early as well.  Yesterday, I only have to do three things  rather than doing it all together, it was  stress free.

  Great to have neighbors that really cares.   Hope we could  do this again soon.  Hopefully!

Special thanks to Wholesale Party Supplies for the birthday in a box sent to me for review.