parenting

Mommy Duty + Driver Duty

June 8, 2012 / Filed Under: mommy thing, parenting

I have a new job…

As if being a mommy/ nurse/ janitor/ repairman/playmate/ toy/ ride isn’t enough. I managed to squirm myself in yet another exciting job in the family. In a month or so, I’ll be the designated family driver.

Yup, I’m currently learning how to drive. I enrolled myself in Smart Driving School last week, which I’ll be reviewing and then posting the review here after I’m done.

I hope I don’t sound like I’m boasting {I’m just really proud and happy}, just in case you’re wondering ~~what~~ who I’ll be driving, let me introduce to you the latest addition to the Adarne Family……………..

..meet ianne A. {He’s the silver Innova at the back, maybe you’re expecting someone in hip hop clothing?}. This is our latest family picture taken the last week of May when we celebrated our wedding anniversary at The Lake Hotel in Tagaytay.

Honestly speaking, driving is a whole new thing for me and it kind of scares me a little bit but I know I can do it and I am excited to learn this new thing. I’m just gonna need a lot of practice.

Ins and Outs of Child Rearing Issues

April 22, 2012 / Filed Under: health, parenting

Becoming a mother is an exciting time in any woman’s life; however, it does come with a variety of decisions that need to be made before the baby is actually born. Understanding the ins and outs of the key issues relating to motherhood will help smooth the decision making process so that women are able to make an educated choice. A few key issues that every mother should consider include:

Storing Birthing Remains:

Thanks to the advances in modern medicine, mothers now have the possibility of public cord blood donation or saving the baby’s cord blood in a family blood bank. The umbilical cord blood is full of stem cells that have not yet taken a shape of specific cells in the body. As a result, it often falls into a similar category as other stem cell research despite the fact that the baby is born and healthy.

The benefit of cord blood is that it has many medical possibilities. While research is still underway of all the potential applications, it has been known to help cases of certain cancers and injuries that have otherwise been considered impossible to heal, such as damage to the brain from injuries. However, choosing to bank the blood can be expensive, so it is best to research and decide on whether or not its storage is right for you and your family prior to your child’s birth.

When and Where Feeding is Appropriate:

Nearly all mothers understand the health benefits to breastfeeding their child; however, many struggle with knowing when, where, and how to breastfeed in public. In recent years, there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding public breastfeeding as many mothers are now fighting back for their right to do so without harassment.

While breast pumps are available so that mothers can use a bottle while out in public or for when others are watching the baby, it isn’t always easy. Some babies will not take to a bottle or will have trouble drinking from a bottle. Ultimately, mothers must decide their belief and make a choice based on their ideas about what is appropriate and what is best for their child.

Opting for a Hospital Room or Bedroom:

As more women reject the idea of an epidural or a Cesarean section, many are leaning towards the idea of having a home birth. Women who opt for a home birth might feel more comfortable than going to a hospital, and often feel like they are more likely to bond with their child. However, others like the feeling of having a doctor close at hand, even though home births require the close attention of a skilled midwife.

Understanding the choices women have when it comes to giving birth and the decisions of raising a child is important to making a decision. Mothers should always decide based on factual information and their personal beliefs.

Reading Books

April 10, 2012 / Filed Under: bonding activity, books, parenting

One of our daily activities includes reading children’s books. Yesterday, I was able to find this old book I used to read to Ykaie when she was still about the age of 1 or 2. It was a large book with little books inside called Animal Farm. Each small book is about a specific animal like Henrietta the Hen, Pip the Pig or Shona the Sheep… and each book comes with a finger puppet.

We didn’t only had fun reading the books, we also had so much fun playing with the finger puppets.

With an activity like this, Ykaie has grown a fondness for books. Right now she loves The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Pegasus and Jack and the Beanstalk. She wants me to read these stories over and over again.

But aside from fairy tales, I also buy her books from Adarna House, books where she can learn a lot of moral lessons.