Sports Bring Filipino Families Closer

        From “Musical Chairs”, "Sack Race", “Pulvoron Eating Contest, PBA and NBA championships and to the recent ring exploits of “The People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao, the love for sports has always been a binding factor of every Filipino family. Sports events are considered not only a time to espouse health and fitness among friends and family but also an opportunity to gather together and share moments to catch-up with the latest family or “barkada” gossip and to just simply hang-outand relax.

         I was inspired to share my family sports story by Fanatics.com, an online sports apparel retailer whose website has tons of great deals on anything you need, check them out if you’re looking for a new baseball hat, or a jersey to cheer on your NBA team!

          Sports activities also become perfect moments to pass on family values and legacies which are usually done by the head of the family. Values such as sportsmanship, determination, aspiration and tenacity are passed on from onegeneration to another through the enjoyment of sports. “Sports” a word that harbors meaning and magic to the Filipino nation, has always been one of the core activities that has brought together our nation and our families.

         “Competition among family members is a must to liven the party” (Valdez, A. Jr., personal correspondence, 2010),  as my father-in-law used to quote every time we were tasked to plan for a family party. True enough, it would seem that the mere inclusion of “parlor games” which would give them access to win “goodies” was enough to fire things up. 

My sisters-in-law and I planned to make our nieces and nephews' Halloween 2012 memorable and fun by organizing a sort of an "Amazing Race" game, not just an ordinary Trick or Treat.

Each team looked for clues to find all the hidden candies.

The first team who finished the tasks got more candies!

          As simple as an egg relay game can break barriers among family members who at some point may have had a misunderstanding or an argument or two, are disarmed and made to reconcile.
 

Every Christmas Day, we celebrate together as a family at my husband's side. Everybody is present.

The occasion is being started by a feast and followed by lots of singing, dancing, parlor games, and sports activities. Kids and adults join the fun! Everyone has a fair share of prizes, win or lose.

  
            The encompassing effect of sports to the Filipino psyche is somehow a testament to its pure intention of bringing harmony and peace through the appreciation of our very humanity. What makes us celebrate sports may not be due to our race, or team affiliation, it may simply be because sports let us remember the power and beauty of the human race through the appreciation of our gifts and talents.

Read More

Working Mom Magazine's All About Kids Bazaar 2014 Happening on August 9!

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, Spongebob Squarepants 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 #workingmommagand #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.

Read More

Fun Personality Test: What Door Would You Walk Through?

Got this post from Gardengrl's Gate. Just want to share this. It's fun!

I chose #4. How about you? Let me know if the one that you pick fits your personality.

Here's what you're going to do:

Pick the door that looks the most appealing to you. This might reveal a few things about your personality.  

 

1 - You are a fun individual that likes to keep things light and airy. You are all about nurturing others and appreciating the simple luxuries in life; such as your fine dishware, favorite candle or eating artisan bread from the local bakery. You most likely have a love for traveling and other cultures. You truly want the best for everyone and love creating a welcoming atmosphere. It is important to remember that if you ever feel that you need help or support, it is OK to just ask someone.

2 - You are clean and simple and don’t like any frills. You might strive to have a clean and perfect existence; but is it totally worth it? Don’t you feel that there is something missing? You are all about your personal achievements and you take pride in your work or career. Although you might be on track with your career path or have a few diplomas/ certificates on your wall, you need to spend more time on developing yourself as a person. Remember... the real you. Life is all about creating balance, surrounding yourself with color and creating memorable adventures. If you are finding that you have been taking the safe road lately, try veering off the beaten path. You might surprise yourself!

3 – It is obvious you are a quirky individual and very interesting to the people that you let into your life. You are good at many things... a “Jack or Jill of all trades”. You are an artistic individual that expresses yourself in many ways. You can make something out of anything and are not a stranger to your local thrift shop. You can basically make vintage “new” again. It is easy to get stuck inside the house or inside your urban bubble; but remember that you have to get out and connect with nature. It is time to come down out of the clouds and get grounded!

4 – You are an old soul that can be slightly dramatic. You are a very artistic person that loves to express yourself through writing, music, art or some kind of expression. You are a dichotomy; for you can be very open and friendly, yet closed and deeply private. You often have your guard up, keeping your thoughts and troubles to yourself. Although you might think that nobody will truly understand you, if you allow yourself to open up and share your feelings, you will feel so much better. Deep down you are not aright with any imperfections and you feel the need to come across as “the rock” in any group situation. Know that people are willing to share their feelings with you and want you to share your feelings with them.

5 – It is very important for you to fit in and feel as though you are a major contributor in every situation. You always have things going on, for being productive is what makes you feel at ease. Your busy-ness can sometimes cause the need for you to become more aware of what is really going on around you. What does your body want you to be doing? It is alright to relax on a Monday and simply just BE. Feel free to take some time to figure out what you really love to do. Possibly try some new hobbies or activities that are out of your normal routine. Explore being you, even if that means relaxing. Life is not just about how many muffins you can make in a single batch or how many fit-it jobs you can do in one day.

6 – You are a confident person with an eye for detail. You can come across as someone who is all together and exciting; yet you are just YOU on the inside. You care about your appearance and how the world sees you, yet the inside your home or car is probably a total mess! Your personality can be self destructive, for you could turn against yourself when the going gets tough. The life of a person who is a living a total contradiction... has got to be a difficult one. Remember to breathe and just relax. Life is not just about pleasing others. Truth is, the world isn’t always watching... Take time to reflect on who you truly want to be? What is it that you truly want to do?

7 – You are a simple minimalist that always has important things to do. You care for others and find your time anything but your own. You surround yourself with meaningful things, for you are very sentimental. Family and friends are very important to you and you would do anything for them. Not putting yourself first has made your life a safe and complacent one. What is it that can enrich your life today? What will make your life more colorful and enjoyable? Even though life gives you labels such as a mother, father, wife, husband, teacher, manager, etc; remember that your life is still YOUR life. Take a moment to decide what you want your future to look like. It is perfectly acceptable to want wonderful things to happen to you. Carpe Diem.

8 – Your fun and playful personality keeps you young and youthful. Although you are easy going, you tend to have lower self-confidence and anxiety about specific things in your life. You are usually unorganized; yet don’t even know where to start to help yourself to fix the messy problem. You are a proud individual but you need to learn to love yourself more. You need to take the time to find yourself through self expression. How are you currently expressing yourself to the world? Remember that there are people around you that can help you, but you need to let them know you are willing to receive help. Life is easier when you let people in.

9 – You are a quirky person that is always making things work. You are an amazing problem solver that prides yourself on your thrifty living. You like to live an uncomplicated life and usually get by with the basics. Why would you need anything else? You are very easy to please and love doing things for others. Whether it be fixing your neighbors toilet, building a bird house for your mother out of reclaimed wood or helping your friend find a great living room set at the thrift shop; you are always there to lend a hand. Remember that life is special. It is OK to treat yourself to amazing things. You are special too!

10 – You are one who truly appreciates stability and wholeness. You are a reliable person that takes pride in their love of quality and detail. Some might say “cookie cutter”, but you say dependable! You always know what you are getting because you have checked the consumer reports. You love safety and security in all parts of your life. You prefer not to have anything frivolous or extra, if you can’t see the use for it. Chances are you have some sort of creative side that you have curbed in some way. You might love scrap-booking, music or art; yet would never try to make it your career. You feel your problems are your own and nobody needs to be burdened with them. Just keep in mind that exposing your true self to the world (or your neighbors) is not a crime. We are all human.


Feel free to share! 

Read More

REVIEW: K5 Learning

Mommy Kyong of Mom Chronicles was the one who gave the members of Mommy Bloggers Philippines the lead to K5 Learning. When I learned that bloggers had an open invitation to a  six (6) week trial program in exchange of an honest review, I didn't hesitate to apply.

My eldest son, Ross, was the one who tried the program. He knew that he needed help in Math. He didn't refuse to give it a shot. I was nervous because he might not like it. To my surprise, he was the one who reminded me constantly to set up the laptop and internet so that he could learn new skills not just in Math but also in Reading and Spelling which he excelled and liked more. 

K5 Learning made Math easy for Ross. The program made him realize that studying Math was not bad at all. 

Now that the new school year starts, he is more confident to face his fear. He knows that K5 Learning has equipped him.

Let me give you a glimpse of  everything about the program. 

 
What is K5 Learning?

K5 Learning is an online after-school online study program for kids Kindergarten to Grade 5. It builds Math, Reading, and study skills that would last a lifetime. 

It is made up of  four (4) Reading and Math Programs:

 

K5 Reading  helps the kids become strong readers and develop the love for reading. This award-winning program covers phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.

K5 Spelling is an advanced vocabulary program which improves language skills one word at a time. Adaptive instruction, autimatic word generation, an optimized visual interface and 150,000+ word data base are featured.

K5 Math is an award-winning program that builds self-confidence and understanding of Math concepts. It covers numbers and operations, geometry, measurement (including time and money), algebraic thinking, and data analysis.

K5 Math Facts uses adaptive technology to help kids instant recall of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. Progress on each Math fact is monitored until mastery is obtained.

 

How K5  Learning Works?

The program is customized for each student. Eight (8) key skills are assessed online to benchmark the kids' Reading and Math skills. Lessons are based on the skills assessment, not on age. The program is available 24/7, 100% web based.  Parents can watch their kids excel by getting progress reports and the child learns to work independently.

What are the strengths of K5 Learning? 

Kids learn to...

- develop early study habits.
- focus and work independently.
- progress on his own pace.
- experience fun learning at its best unpressured, unrestrained, and progressively.

Parents benefit by...

- getting a 100% online ready-made program that organizes, instructs, and tests their kids.
- getting progress reports to know the strengths and weaknesses of their kids on a given subject matter or topic.
-  letting their kids learn independently without the worry of seeing ads, pop-ups, chat and external links.
- no downloading or installing.

Click THIS to see the SAMPLE LESSONS.

Award-winning content that is...

- research based and aligned with national standards with over 3,000+ tutorials, lessons, and activities.
- personalized according to the kid's skills and not on his age and grade level.
- full of instruction and lets the kid review the lessons that he has not studied before.
- interactive and not purely 'edutainment' or watching alone but the kid forms mastery of his Math, Reading, and Spelling skills.

Affordable because...

-there are four (4) unlimited use of programs at the price of one.

Pricing: 
Monthly Subscription: 
First Child- $25
Additional Child- $15

Annual Subscription: 
First Child- $199
Additional Child- $129



Generous because... 

There are lots of of FREEBIES even you don't sign-up!

- FREE PRINTABLE WORKSHEETS, FLASHCARDS, SAMPLE LESSONS  

- FREE eBOOK











- or you can sign up to avail the FREE 14 DAY TRIAL OFFER with no obligation, no credit card needed, free Math and Reading Assessments, 14 days of free lessons.

Click THIS to start the FREE TRIAL.

You may watch this video to know "How to Request an Assessment on K5 Learning".

Click THIS to start the FREE ASSESSMENT.

If you are a blogger, you can have the opportunity to avail the FREE SIX WEEK TRIAL FOR BLOGGERS like I did. Click THIS to view the open invitation to write an online learning review of the program.

For in depth details about K5 Learning ,you may watch K5 Learning Video Tour:


   

 In my opinion...

K5 Learning was true to its claims and exceeded my expectations. It changed my son's negative impression towards Math. It brought back his self-esteem and confidence that were lost after years of struggling.

No wonder that K5 Learning is an award-winning site. It's worth trying, promise!

The above-mentioned information and links would help you understand K5 Learning but I suggest that  you read more by visiting its website: www.k5learning.com or watch the instructional videos about K5 Learning  on YouTube.

You may like K5 Learning on Facebook and follow @K5Learning on Twitter for more updates.

Photo, Video, and Information Credits: www.k5learning.com

Read More