Parenting Tips Archives » Page 4 of 18

05Mar 2017

Dearest new Mom, it’s okay to cry.

It’s okay to burst into tears – crying is your body’s way of releasing stress. There, there, new Mom, it’s okay to cry.

Congratulations on your bundle of joy, New Mom! You’re in for a ride of late nights and milky burps, poop explosions and numerous nappy changes. It’s not all stress though. You’ll find the simplest joy in an infant’s grip on your finger, tiny baby yawns and milky breaths. It’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster New Mom. I’m already giving you a heads up that there will be times when you’d want to give in to tears. In case you are wondering, it’s okay to cry.

let the tears fall

New Mommy Tears

When my son was only a few weeks old, there were nights when he wouldn’t stop crying. I did all I thought would pacify him. I nursed him. I carried him, rocked him and sang him lullabies till I ran out of songs to sing. (I even ended up singing my high school’s Alma Mater song). He still wouldn’t go to sleep and kept crying.

“Am I doing something wrong?,” I thought. I was angry with myself for not knowing what to do. I was irritated with myself for feeling so helpless. Add to this the many conflicting instructions I’d get from elders. “Huwag mong buhatin! Baka masanay!,” one party would advise. “All babies need hugs! Huwag mong istress!,” said the other. I was open to learning but when contrasting pieces of advice would pop up, I would stress out. Confused, there were many times I’d burst into tears. Baby in my arms, I would sob my heart out.

Eventually the baby would calm down. I recall the reasons to some of the crying bouts – he was wet, he was hungry, and there are other crying bouts I simply cannot recall the reasons for. All I remember is the frustration with myself and the eventual relief when my newborn dozed off to sleep.

There were moments when I’d handle it well. I’d wake up to cries in the middle of the night. Then as if I’ve been doing it all my life, I’d change the baby’s diaper while I was half-asleep, nurse him, sing him a lullaby and go back to bed. It wasn’t all that bad, but still I was very tired. Sometimes I wanted to cry from tiredness.

A familiar scene from my youth takes on a different meaning.

Breaking Dawn: Newborn edition

There was one night I remember so well that I feel it just happened yesterday. I was rocking my crying baby to sleep and he just wouldn’t stop. Midnight turned to three a.m. Three a.m. turned to dawn. My son didn’t seem to want to stop nursing. I was looking out the window and I wondered, “Why is this scene so familiar?” I realized that the last time I had seen the sun rise was in my early twenties, when I’d get home early in the morning from a night out with friends. Then I felt the tiredness weigh down on me even more. I couldn’t help but smile at the contrast though. Life really was changing for me.

You’ll be fine, New Mom.

There, There, New Mom, It’s Okay to Cry

Dearest New Mom, I write to you because I want you to know that crying during those first few weeks is normal. It’s okay to feel helpless during these starter weeks. It’s okay to be confused, to be a little paranoid about each sound the baby’s making. It’s okay to burst into tears – crying is your body’s way of releasing stress. There, there, new Mom, it’s okay to cry.

A friend of mine gave me a heads up on this crying game during my baby shower. She said there would be moments like this. I was crossing my fingers it wouldn’t happen to me but I’m glad I listened to her and remembered her advice when I was trying to hold in the tears. I didn’t feel so alone knowing other Moms felt this too.

A strong support system helped ease my tears. There were times that when I’d feel the waterworks coming, I’d turn to my husband and say, “I’m going to cry, okay? Just let me be. I don’t need any solutions or advice. I don’t need you to do or fix anything. I just need to cry.” I’ve observed that men have this knee-jerk reaction to solve things when presented with a problem. The first times I would cry, my husband gave me tons of pep talk. There were times when it would work, there were times when it didn’t. Over time we both realized that it was also just fine if I cried it out and he simply sat beside me and held me. Having him by my side was enough to help me feel better.

After a few months, the sobbing sessions eased out.I was feeling more connected with motherhood as the weeks and months progressed, and I learned how to trust my instinct more. I became more in tune with my baby’s cries, knowing immediately what he needed. My confidence grew, and tears came by less frequently. Less tears from the baby, less tears from me.

So dearest new Mom, it’s okay to cry. However, if you don’t feel any better after a bout of crying or are having ill thoughts about the baby and those around you, seek medical attention. Having the baby blues is different from postpartum depression. Crying out is normal but only to a certain degree.

Remember that crying doesn’t make you less of a Mom. Let the tears fall. Let the stress out. Then take a deep breath. You’ll feel so much better!

by Toni Tiu, as originally posted on “It’s okay to cry (A letter to a new mom)” Philippine Online Chronicles.

Photo Credit: Vickilgh’s Pictures via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: higlu via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Your Alter Ego (Angelica Lasala) via Compfight cc

08Feb 2017

Dissecting depression

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I get many emails from readers after reading my Suicide Prevention page, saying they are depressed or feel hopeless. Sometimes I also get tweet mentions calling for help.

One should remember there is a difference between depression and sadness. Watch this video:

Depression in young kids may go unnoticed especially if one is hyperactive or acting out. Clinical depression is seen as deep sadness, loss of interest, trouble sleeping and eating — that gets worse. It pays to visit a psychiatrist who can detect to confirm that your teen is really suffering from clinical depression.

Here are some Signs and symptoms of depression in teens

Sadness or hopelessness
Irritability, anger, or hostility
Tearfulness or frequent crying
Withdrawal from friends and family
Loss of interest in activities
Changes in eating and sleeping habits
Restlessness and agitation
Feelings of worthlessness and guilt
Lack of enthusiasm and motivation
Fatigue or lack of energy
Difficulty concentrating
Thoughts of death or suicide

You can also call 24/7 HOPELINE of The Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing depression to light through the use of educational lectures, confidential crisis lines and referrals to partner psychologists.

Information and Crisis Intervention Center

(02) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917-558-HOPE (4673) or (632) 211-4550
0917-852-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-6876
0917-842-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-4084

In Touch Crisis Lines:

0917-572-HOPE or (632) 211-1305
(02) 893-7606 (24/7)
(02) 893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314
Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

Check the infographic below for more information on depression.

Via: Canada Drug Center

13Nov 2016

Good reads for mommies and moms-to-be

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Books open a whole new world of knowledge, stories, ideas, and advices that can enlighten you, make you laugh, give you a moral boost, inspire you, or introduce you to a different outlook. Here are some recommended books for moms and moms-to-be.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch – The Canadian picture book Love You Forever started as a song according to the author. It was published in 1986.

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.”

Munsch made up the short song after he and his wife had stillborn babies. The song was meant as a tribute to their babies who died at birth. The song lingered in his head but it was too painful to sing. For a long time, it was just a song but one fateful day, while Munsch was sharing stories at a big theater at the University of Guelph, he was inspired to create a story around the song. The thought later materialized into the book Love You Forever. Kids were the initial target audience of the book but to the surprise of the author, it became a hit among adults as well.

The heartfelt story is a chronicle of the experiences of a mother and her young son. It describes the little boy’s annoying behavior in his youth. Despite her son’s troublesome behavior, the mother never fails to visit the boy in his bedroom to cradle him in her arms and sing him a short lullaby. The nightly display of affection is constant a reminder of how much the mom loves her son.

The boy eventually reaches adulthood and leaves home to start a life of his own. Sometimes, the mother would sneak into her son’s old room to sing the same lullaby as she longed for his presence.

As time passes, the mother grows old and weak. When the son visits his sick mother for the last time, he sings his own version of the lullaby as a tribute the unconditional love that his mom gave him all through his life. He promises to love her forever.

When the son goes home, he takes his newborn daughter in his arms and sings to her the same lullaby that his mother used to sing to him. The legacy of love goes on.

Parenting With Love and Logic by Foster W. Cline, Jim Fay, Eugene H. Peterson -This parenting book helps parents prepare their children for the real world by shaping them into self-confident and motivated individuals.

The authors enlighten parents about the importance of teaching their children a sense of responsibility to help them have a good chance of a bright future. The book stresses the significance of instilling good values through easy and positive steps. Parenting With Love and Logic explains that it is possible to bring up and nurture children without the need for “anger, threats, nagging, or power struggles.”

Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary by Jill Smokler – This New York Times bestselling collection features original essays that reveal positive and negative thoughts and deeds of parenting. The book offers the readers a glimpse of the reality of parenting, both good and bad sides. It shares stories and confessions that most mothers would find very difficult to admit.

“If I can’t survive my daughter as a toddler, how the hell am I going to get through the teenage years?”

“I end up doing my son’s wrong, but so much easier.”

“I clock out of motherhood at 8 P.M. and hide in the basement with my laptop and a beer.”

“I pretend to be happy but I cry every night in the shower.”

The Girlfriends’ Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood by Vicki Iovine – New moms step into the world of motherhood with a mountain of questions, worries and fears. The author deals with the common mommy queries and doubts. Iovine gives a hilarious twist to parenting. She offers straight to the point advice and funny observations.

“Baby euphoria”: Is it a mind-altering drug?

“Husband? What Husband?”: Taking care of the big baby, as well as the little baby

“I Want My Old Body Back!”: What you can fix and what you can’t

“The Droning Phenomenon”: The inability to discuss anything but your baby for more than thirty seconds

“Do I Have to Become Carol Brady?”: Conquering your fear of being a less-than-perfect mother

“Competitive Mothering”: Coping with know-it-alls, finger-pointers, and others who try to “Out-Mom” you

Calm Mama, Happy Baby: The Simple, Intuitive Way to Tame Tears, Improve Sleep, and Help Your Family Thrive by Derek O’Neill, Jennifer Waldburger – It is normal for every parent of a newborn to feel overwhelmed by the reality of taking care and nurturing a baby. Parents especially moms may feel nervous about fulfilling the responsibilities of parenthood. It’s quite challenging to get into a schedule with your baby. The daily challenges of feedings, sleeping schedules and diaper changes can be exhausting. It’s not a surprise that many parents feel stressed with all these duties.

The book opens the eyes of parents to the “cause and effect between parents’ mental and emotional states and their baby’s mood and behavior.” According to the authors, the parents’ emotional state may directly affect their baby. For instance, parents who are calm and centered are likely to have calm children.

Clutterfree with Kids by Joshua Becker – Having children is a big blessing in life. They bring love, joy, laughter, energy, and meaning to every home. Despite all these positive things, you can’t deny that children also add clutter. Don’t worry, this little parenting downside has simple solutions. Clutterfree with Kids focuses on how parents can set a balance in their lives and manage clutter by sharing fresh insights.

The book shares both inspirational stories and practical solutions. It encourages parents to reflect on their lives, try new habits and techniques, and eventually embrace positive changes to make their home clutter-free.

The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman, Ross Campbell – Communication between parents and children has a big impact on kids’ attitude and behavior development.

Children have different ways of expressing themselves.Sometimes children may desperately seek attention while other times they act as if you are not there. There are moments when kids display affection but there are times when they don’t seem to care.

A child’s behavior is greatly influenced by their relationship with their parents.
The authors believe that there are five different communication styles and children may use any of the style to express themselves. The book helps parents build fulfilling relationships with their children by “teaching them to speak each others’ love language.”

Photo collage by author.
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by Ma. Rachel Yapchiongco, as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

Rachel Yapchiongco, also known as Rach to her friends, is a Psychology and Marketing Management graduate of De La Salle University. She took up MBA at the same university. Rachel is a full-time mom to a charming young boy and married to an entrepreneur with a passion for cooking. She shares parenting experiences and slices of everyday life on her personal blog called Heart of Rachel.

21Aug 2016

Remember the 5 simple lessons in life to be happy

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

I am resurrecting this blog post because I failed to apply it recently . I continue to remind myself.

This post is short and sweet so the words speak for itself.

Everyday, we face a gamut of emotions but just remember three simple tips

1. Don’t promise when you’re happy
2. Don’t reply when you’re angry, and
3. Don’t decide when you’re sad

Finally remember the five simple lessons in life to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

You have two choices… smile and close this page, or pass this along to someone else to share the lesson

29Jul 2016

Life is short. Make art and let it be seen.

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

Time And health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. – Denis Waitley

Riding a train on our way to Abbottsford five years ago, I pondered over my vacation to Melbourne. All I could think of at first was how expensive this vacation is. Everything cost more than back home and that is partly because I am staying in a hotel in the central business district. Once I started converting Australian dollars to pesos, I feel like I am splurging when that is not really the case. The standard of living is just high here. But see, life is short fretting on material things that it is actually the time spent with my daughter that is most precious. There is a tendency for human beings to have this infinite capacity for taking things for granted. I don’t want to make that mistake.

I loved spending time with my daughter. She is like me in so many ways. We enjoy the arts, having lazy brunches and just chilling and enjoying the scenery. My daughter wanted to show me graffiti art in Hosier Lane where graffiti is not considered vandalism. Graffiti has long been a part of human history, but it wasn’t until the emergence of hip hop culture that graf began gaining recognition as an art form around the globe.

I like how supportive the City of Melbourne is towards their artists. The artwork decorating the walls near number 1 Hosier Lane and near Misty Place at number 3-5 Hosier Lane have been approved as registered street artwork. There is symbolisms out there for every artwork.

I get into the mind of Banksy , a prolific graffiti artist from Bristol, UK, whose artwork has appeared throughout Bristol, London and other locations around the world to understand graffiti art.

Is graffiti art or vandalism? That word has a lot of negative connotations and it alienates people, so no, I don’t like to use the word ‘art’ at all.

“Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish. But that’s only if it’s done properly.”

” I never use sketchbooks in the way you imagine a “real” artist does – perched in a terrace cafe with a pencil capturing the essence of their muse. I tried that once when I was on holiday with a girl, but her nose came out so big in the drawing that she never let me touch her again.”

“Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums. Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren’t listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make somebody smile while they’re having a piss.”

“A lot of people never use their initiative because nobody told them to”.

“Art is not like other culture because its success is not made by its audience. The public fill concert halls and cinemas every day, we read novels by the millions, and buy records by the billions. ‘We the people’ affect the making and quality of most of our culture, but not our art.”

“I like to think I have the guts to stand up anonymously in a western democracy and call for things no-one else believes in – like peace and justice and freedom.”

“Writing graffiti is about the most honest way you can be an artist. It takes no money to do it, you don’t need an education to understand it and there’s no admission fee.”

“A lot of people think that scuttling around stencilling images onto buildings in the middle of the night is the action of a sad, frustrated individual who can’t get attention or recognition any other way. They might be right, but I’ve done gallery shows and, if you’ve been hitting on people with all sorts of images in all sorts of places, they’re a real step backwards, painting the streets means becoming an actual part of the city. It’s not a spectator sport.”

“Remember crime against property is not real crime. People look at an oil painting and admire the use of brushstrokes to convey meaning. People look at a graffiti painting and admire the use of a drainpipe to gain access.”

“T.V. has made going to the theatre seem pointless, photography has pretty much killed painting but graffiti has remained gloriously unspoilt by progress.”

I can discern the political nature behind the art. These artists definitely think outside the box. I know I have limitations in my visual literacy but I allowed an open mind to appreciate their work. I believe that to truly appreciate a work of art, we must bring with us nothing from life, no knowledge of its affairs and ideas, no familiarity with its emotions.

Most of the photos attributed to my daughter M, using a Nikon D7000. Some are from my iPhone

19Jun 2016

It takes a special person to be a dad

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 1 Comment

There are two special dads in my life.

My dad who I often call, daddy ole boy and my husband, the dad of my three children.

There is this quote about questions we ask our dads in various stages of our life. I only had my dad till I was 45 years old.

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lotÃ¢â‚¬Â¦a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad’s idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

It’s true. I often wonder what my dad would have thought of my work today. He never knew me as a blogger because he passed away in 2003 just three years before I started blogging. Much of who I am today is because of dad . Even the way I smile is from his “wide-smile genes”.

Daddy didn’t tell me how to live life. He lived and let me watch him do it. He tried to be a mother to us when mom died during my teens. I adored my dad so much that I thought husbands were made like my dad. I was so wrong. A lot of my early marital problems was because I compared my husband to dad. Hehe, I think my husband also compared me to his sweet mom. Eventually, I learned to treat these two dads as separate individuals.

In honor of my dad, I started signing as Noemi Lardizabal-Dado in 2006. I feel the presence of my dad in the wide smiles of my two lovely girls and in my work. I can just imagine my dad smiling at me as I do service to others.

There is the dad of my three beautiful children who sometimes acts more like a mother at times. How he nurtures them especially when they are sick and spoils them by driving the girls around. I wonder what my girls think of their dad. Do they think he is too old-fashioned? or just being a dad? I hope they know he is just being a dad.

These days, it is an empty nest but the father of my three children took time to bet with my two girls here in Singapore. Being together no matter how short the stay , is enough to make us happy.

Today is that special day to honor the two special dads in my life and to all the active committed fathers who make a lasting difference in the life of a child.

18May 2016

The household help : A homemaker’s experience in the last 31 years

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 22 Comments

Updated

I can truly understand the Household help blues faced by moms in the Philippines. Let me make it clear. I don’t claim to be the authority on yayas, or the household help.

Before moving to our new home in 2007, I called up Marilyn, the girls’ Yaya who stayed with us for 14 years. She left after a misunderstanding with one of my in-laws. I asked her if she knew of helpers who might want to work with me. I told her I was afraid that my household staff would leave me as they are used to an exclusive Makati village. (Luijoe’s yaya went into maternity leave) I heard that household help in Makati can be picky with the village they work in. Marilyn assured me the helpers won’t leave me because I am a “good employer”.

I am?

Then she began to thank me profusely that if it were not for my training, she wouldn’t have started her own small food stall business. I am impressed. She is financially independent with a steady source of income. I noticed that her menu consisted of the snack favorites of my kids such as french fries, cheese sticks , burger sandwiches and more.

So I took note of her advice. True enough, the household help stuck it out with me. In fact, I brought four along with me in my new home. Two were permanent staff while the other two were temporary since I needed them to help me pack up and organize my new home.

I have been blessed with reliable household help in all my 28 years as a homemaker. A few of them were disasters but I learned along the way. So maybe I have something to say. Maybe not. These are my experiences:

1. Never treat your maid like a sister or close friend. Maintain a distance. But treat her fairly with an occasional friendly chat. Filipino culture is that way. It’s a paternalistic society where maids look up to their amo as a parent or authority figure.

2. Teach them. Train them to be better. If you can , teach them a special dish or a craft. They will be happy they learned something new.

I learned this from my mother. We used to have a bakeshop. Mom hired high school student graduates and trained them to bake, or ice cakes. Mom used to tell me that young girls are trainable. Today these household help have a business of their own . In the same light, I train my maids to cook, bake and do crafts. They love learning something new. I always tell them that their training with me can bring them financial independence one day.

3. Yayas that stay years with you like mine tend to be abusive or superior to the more junior help.

Marilyn stayed with us for 14 years. Over the years, she developed an attitude. She had this tendency to lord it over the other staff. Since she loved the kids to death, I was willing to compromise. What does one do in this situation?

Exert a little patience. Compromise. Since Marilyn stayed that long, I learned to thresh things out without emotional outburst. All it needed was a firm and friendly talk. Sometimes, I give space when I am angry at her then we sit down again when things have cooled down.

4 . Lectures are meaningless if there is no employer-employee relationship at the start. Helpers tend to get spoiled when they are treated like friends.

5. Don’t rely on their stock knowledge.

Sometimes I prefer to hire 18 year old girls because they are not stubborn in their ways. They do not have bad habits. In fact they are more trainable than the thirty year olds. For child care, I explain my philosophy of child care . I teach them the proper way of handling a child’s fear. Not that I will call the police if you misbehave type of discipline.

6. Compensate them well.

I usually pay a little higher than the going rate in the neighborhood. In my current residence , the starting salary is 3,000 pesos. I usually give 4,000 pesos for the first month then give an increase the next month and so on. The salary of the Yayas is a lot more. I often gave a higher salary so that they are not pirated by neighbors. After all that training, I am not about to benefit another person.

I also gave paid vacation leaves, thirteen month pay and Christmas bonus even before the Kasambahay bill was passed. With the latest Kasambahay law, we have given them PhilHealth, Pag-ibig and SSS benefits on top of their salary , six months ahead.

7. Never give old things away .

The tendency of some helpers is that it “might” be okay to get this item since it’s old anyway . Or it’s not been used. I felt really betrayed whenever I catch my things taken away without my permission. It was as if “stealing is okay” since “they don’t use it anymore” or “they won’t notice it’s taken”. I often tell them to ask me if they want an item and I will sell it at a giveaway price. Whenever I have a garage sale, I give them the first pick and a 10% of the sale proceeds.

8. Tell your spouse that you are the mistress of the household.

Butch was a law student when Lauren was born. When Lauren was 4 months old, I got a job offer from my old boss. One day, I arrived home and found out that our cook was dismissed . Butch said that he told her to leave because she overcooked a dish. I was mortified . Fortunately , Lauren’s yaya refused to leave even if Butch told her to quit. What was my husband thinking? From that day on, I told Butch that if he had household help problems , he needed to course it through me.

That’s all I can think of. Any ideas you might want to share?

15Mar 2016

Once upon a time, an Easter egg detective hunt

by webs ⋅ Leave a Comment

Photo via Flickr by Abigail Batchelder. Some rights reserved.

Candies are a no-no in the house except on Valentine’s day, Easter Holidays and Christmas Season. I only display them on the table because they are pretty and colorful. I know I shouldn’t tempt the kids with these goodies but that’s not a problem because they are conscious of the amount of food they eat. They also know that they are at high risk of diabetes. The hubby is quite lucky as he doesn’t have this genetic problem and can tolerate high carbo diets. The strange thing is he can’t take in high amounts of protein due to gouty arthritis.

so anyway….

I remember the last time I organized an Easter Egg hunt was 20 years ago. Since our house didn’t have a big garden that time, I thought of placing the eggs inside the house. I added a twist. To find the eggs, they were given clues which led to another clue and so on and so forth. I can’t remember the clues now but I wrote it in riddles. I dubbed it an Easter Egg detective hunt. Two of the eggs were strategically placed inside their dad’s shirt while he was napping. I caught the hunt in video. The look on one of my daughter’s face as she found the eggs was priceless. Laughing and laughing! I know, I know… I can get “crazy”.

13Dec 2015

Grateful for the recognition at the SINAG 2015 Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I am truly grateful for the recognition once again. Last year, I also won First runner-up, #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards . The SINAG 2015 Financial Literacy Journalism Awards seeks to encourage Filipinos to become more financially prepared through well-written stories.

The theme this year was “How can financial literacy help people live life to the fullest?” Topics could range from savings and spending tips, to proper attitude towards finance. Basically, anything to get people thinking about how they manage their wealth. Here are the three articles I wrote about financial literacy this year:

Teaching your kids how to handle money

Retirement planning: do I want to happen in our financial future

Each of us today has a financial future

The main winner for the digital category are Lace Llanora while the other co-winner was Abraham Lee. In Lace’s blog, she writes about her experience learning about money saving tips so she can ensure a future for her boy. Abraham learned from the challenges his family encountered while growing up. There is a wealth of knowledge from their blogs.

Along with the trophy and the recognition was a cash prize and a starter fund which Lace and I immediately invested at Sun Life Financial. (Disclosure: I already invested in Sun Life Financial in 2011). If not Kendrick Chua, a good friend (center), I would have not known about the Prosperity Fund.

More than anything else, this recognition reminds me to write more about money management tips or financial literacy. If there is anything I can share, it is that preparing for a financially secure future requires taking action today:

1.Increase your cash flow;

2. Reduce or eliminate debt;

3. Take baby steps in savings and investing;

4. Review your finances periodically;

5. Communicate with your family.

18Nov 2015

IQube , the ultimate toy for learning needs your support

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

To bring IQube in the hands of as many children as possible, Tactiles has luanched in Indiegogo campaign where interested parents, individuals and education institutions can purchase the kits at early-bird rates. Click here.

Do you have a “mad scientist” in your household? I remember Oscar, my brother who was probably 10 years old that time. He dismantled the transistor radio and intercom system at home to see how each part worked. Unfortunately, he wasn’t successful in putting it back together. Mom had a fit. Well, she may not have known the impact of a child’s curiosity at that time. In 1980, Oscar dabbled with his TRS-80 computer and learned programming on his own, which resulted in a teaching job two years later. See , there were no schools that taught basic computer skills. One had to actually tinker with technology, learn from it then develop a teaching module.

Parents need not worry now with dismantled gadgets from curious kids. There are new toys that bring science and technology to life. Recently, I attended the launch of IQube, small magnetic cubes that provide a fun and simple way for children to learn advanced concepts in electronics. Tactiles is, the company that manufactures IQube, is one of the startups under the IdeaSpace Foundation. Joshua de la Luna, the CEO of Tactiles revealed that they are launching a crowdfunding drive for its first product in order to make teaching electronics to young kids easier, more fun and more interactive.

Divided into little electronic component squares, kids as young as eight years old can interconnect and rearrange blocks to form simple and complex circuitries, the same way they would create various objects using Lego blocks. IQube is amazing. I played with a few cubes.

The aim of IQube gives kids the grounding and foundation for electronics at a very young age so that they can be ready to tackle these concepts at as they move up in school and be prepared to enter a world where electronics and technology play an increasingly important role.

Crowdfunding campaign

This is where you can help. IQube is not yet available in commercial quantities. To bring IQube in the hands of as many children as possible, Tactiles launched an Indiegogo campaign where interested parents, individuals and education institutions can purchase the kits at early-bird rates.

Users can get the primary kit which includes 8 cubes an over 30 projects for $79; the junior kit with 14 cubes and over 50 projects for $99′ and the Senior kit with 20 cubes and over 100 projects for $129.

The IQube is composed of input cubes, output cubes, connector cubes and component cubes that perform different functions in every electronic circuit, allowing children to grasp complex concepts by breaking them down.

Unlike similar toys, the IQube has a companion IQube app that will be made available to most desktop and mobile devices. Kids can get instructions on how to create circuits for various purposes and learn how a fan works, how a switch controls lights or how a game show buzzer sound among countless other projects.

“Once they learn the fundamentals, they are only limited by what their imagination can conceive,” de la Llana says. The Tactiles team are passionate about bringing the fun and interactive technology to as much children here and around the world to help elevate the level of science and electronics education in many countries, including the Philippines.

Let’s start them young and develop their critical thinking and skills needed for the changing global landscape focused on electronics and technology. We want our kids to be prepared to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

Support IQube by participating in the Indiegogo campaign .