Thursday, November 12, 2009

One weekend at The Manila Ocean Park

My kids unlike other children does not enjoy going to the mall. They prefer going to the park, museums or to the beach. So one weekend, we decided to go to the Manila Ocean Park. The Manila Ocean Park is an oceanariumin in Manila behind Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park.

The oceanarium was divided into different sections:

Agos (Flow) - freshwater fishes can be found

Bahura (The Reef) - features the very colorful Philippine underwater rainforest

Laot (Fishing ground) - big fish and Eagle-spotted rays can be found

Buhay n Karagatan (Living Ocean) - is a 25-meter long walkway tunnel with 220-degree curved acrylic walls. It is where we see how marine animals interact with each other in their natural habitat.

Pagi and Pating (Stingray and Shark) - variety of rays and several species of sharks

We all enjoyed because this is the first state-of-the-art oceanarium in the Philippines. It's really educational, kids were able to see different kinds of sea creatures in different aquarium. Each aquarium has a label of its english and tagalog name. We were amazed of the sharks and stingrays, before we only see them in movies. We also enjoyed the Mermaid show, mermaids dance while stingrays and sharks swim in the water.

The kids also had fun with there Fish Spa where spectacular species of fish commonly known as Doctor Fish, named for the wonders they have been known to do for people with skin related diseases, nibble away only affected and dead areas of the skin leaving your healthy skin to grow.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

What is Pterygium?

Many things happened to me this past few weeks, I never had a chance to blog. Had a problem with my work, health, and with my Nanny. But everything is back to normal now and I just hope that it will continue to be ok.

Last month, a redddish pimple-like grew in my left eye. I thought it's because of stress so I made sure I had enough rest.I also appplied an eye drop to lessen the rednness but one week after I noticed that the size increased. I went to the ophthalmologist and had my eyes checked. The doctor said it's because of stress he gave me a sterile ophthalmic drops,he also checked my eye pressure and it's within the normal range. I was impatient because I've been using the drops for two weeks but I haven't seen any improvement. I went back to him and he just said not to worry then just finish the bottle. Since he is the expert I followed what he said. After a week the reddish pimple-like grew bigger and it's already near my iris. I was impatient again so I visited another ophthalmologist and I was advised that it's called pterygium.

Pterygium is a raised, wedge-shaped growth of the conjunctiva. It is most common among those who live in tropical climates or spend a lot of time in the sun. Symptoms may include irritation, redness, and tearing. Pterygiums are nourished by tiny capillaries that supply blood to the tissue.

The second ophthalmologist advised me to stop the eye drops I'm using since it didn't help, I used it for four weeks. He said to wait for another week if it's still red then I have to undergo surgery because it may affect my vision since it's already near the iris. He also advised to avoid too much exposure to the sunlight and use shades with uv protection.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Thursday isn't my day!

I work as QA Analyst/Sales Verifier in one of the call centers here in Manila. I started as QA Analyst in a technical account but after 6 months I was transferred to a financial account. We handle one of the credit cards in the US and our agents are also based in the US. The agents offer different programs of the banks to the card holder. All the calls are recorded and we listen to all of them to avoid cases of fraud. Fraud done by the agents they also call it slamming. There are certain guidelines from the client that have to be followed. If the agent did not follow it strictly it will be kicked back and will be considered to be invalid sale. Basically we audit the calls of the agents and there is also a spotchecker who audits the QA Analysts verified calls.

One of the calls I verified yesterday was a good sale. During the presentation of the program there was no negative reaction from the customer. Even during the enrollment question and billing question (BQ) the customer answered an affirmative yes. Due to high call volume when the customer answered yes after the billing question I disposed the call. I did not wait for the agent to finish his closing spiel.

Unfortunately when the call was about to end after the agent finished the closing spiel the customer changed his mind. He refused to the offer but the agent still processed it as good sale. It was the time that I no longer have the call. Our spotchecker got it and report it to the manager. Poor me, for that case I will be suspended for 5 days. I was really confident that it was a good sale knowing that the customer immediately agreed to enroll. The lesson we learned in our team was to listen to the entire call.

To work in a financial account is really risky. Especially that from previous years United States had so many cases of fraud and identity theft. Identity theft is stealing someone's identity like personal data, social security number, bank accounts or credit card number to personally profit at his expense. It takes years and big amount of money to restore a reputation in the community and erroneous information.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Benefits of Whole Grains in our Kid's Health

Some parents are having problems with their children's eating habit. We can seldom encounter kids that enjoy eating fruits and vegetable. Kids now love to go to their favorite fast food chain or can easily buy junk foods from any convenience store. TV ads influences us so much.

I've read that whole grains have been found to be nutritionally superior in giving health benefits than refined grain. Cereals, bread, pasta contain all the healthy parts of the grain. There are also snacks that are made of whole grains which can easily be found in our favorite supermarket.

Whole grains contain all three important parts of a grain: Bran - which is rich in fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc,copper and phytonutrients. Germ - which is rich in vitamin E, B vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fats. Endosperm - which offers carbohydrates, protein and small amounts of B vitamins.

Whole grains provide energy to support kid's growth and activities, promotes healthy digestive functions. Fiber helps clean the digestive tract to prevent constipation, promotes regular bowel movement and keep digestive tract in tiptop shape. Whole grains also encourage healthy dietary habits, by incorporating whole grains into our kid's diet at an early age we establish good lifelong dietary habits in our child.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Online Recruitment..Online Screening

Today most of us has Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace account. Normally when we sign up we fill out personal information, educational background, employment history etc. We also upload pictures like family, special occasions, officemates and company outings where our friends can leave comments. There's also an option to post shoutouts about what we feel for the day if we are sad, happy or mad at something.

But I've just read today from the newspaper that nearly half of US employers search online profiles of jobseekers using social networks. I realized that it is really possible that employers pre-screen job applicants by utilizing those sites.

Let us all be mindful of the information that we post online. I suggest never upload any scandalous pictures, never post shoutouts that will be taken against you like badmouthing someone or any discriminatory comments. Instead post information that will boost your personality especially if you are a jobseeker.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

The Best Buy Online

It's a back to school season and I'm looking for best buys and this includes my younger daughter's eyeglasses. I normally spend $100 for her eyeglasess and it doesn't last, it's either she broke it or had scratches on the lens. Then I saw Zenni Optical on TV!!!

I went online to check their site and I was amazed they have $ 8 Rx eyeglasses. Designs are really fashionable at an affordable prices. This is really beneficial to us because normally our ophthalmologist would just give us the prescription then it's up to us where to order the eyeglasses. My husband would storehop to find the best that would fit on our budget. Now that I know of Zenni Optical we can just go ahead and order online.

I've heard others recommending Zenni for being high in quality and in reasonable price. Their shipping and handling costs only $4.95, what more can I ask for. High Five to Zenni Optical!

Vasovagal Syndrome

Last Saturday I went to the gym then after, I went to the hospital to visit my Aunt who's in the ICU. We just started the conversation and immediately I feel dizzy so I went out and I found a chair in the Nurse's station. In less than 5 minutes I collapsed, when I woke up I saw the doctor getting my blood pressure. My blood pressure really went down, 100/50, it's the first time that happened to me. Also a week before this I played badminton with my officemates, it was a 2 hour play. When I went home, I feel pain from my chest through my back as if I'm going to faint.

This thursday I went to Medical City for a check up, the physician advised to have a blood test and an
ECG . After an hour of waiting, I got the results. The blood test result was normal but I was reffered to the cardiologist. I discussed everything to the cardiologist and also my previous experiences. I can't stay longer in a "dawn mass" because of the crowd. There was a time that I fainted at the middle of the mass.

The cardiologist said that I may have a "vasovagal syndrome". To confirm he gave me option to have a "tilt table test ". It's funny because he said on the evaluation they will give the patient physical exercises with a certain amount of time, if he faints then it's confirmed that he has "vasovagal syndrome ". I guess no need for me to perform the evaluation. He discussed the precautionary measures which I've been doing eversince.


Normally when we are tired our heart rate would go fast and blood pressure should go up. But what's happening to me is my blood pressure goes down the result is less oxygen going to my brain then I start to feel dizzy. I cannot take the drug to let the blood pressure up because of family history for hypertension. To avoid symptoms that may trigger to fainting I was advised to have a high salt diet and stay well hydrated, avoid long exposures to sun. So far my condition is not that really scary, the doctor said that I can continue my daily activities especially going to the gym and playing badminton. We are going to continue to observe my condition and if it happens again I may have to undergo several heart examinations.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

President Cory Aquino, The Best Mother


The Philippines find it really hard to say goodbye to President Cory Aquino. August 5, 2009 Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people attended the funeral of the former president despite the heavy rain.

President Cory Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and was the Philippines and Asia's first female president. She is a world renowned advocate for democracy, peace, women's empowerment and religious piety.

But above all I was inspired of her being a mother. She played the role of a father and a mother at the same time to her five children when Ninoy was held in prison for his political convictions. She became widowed in 1983 when Ninoy was assassinated. Despite of all the hardships she remained strong and raised her children to be a better and responsible citizen. Her motherhood was not exclusive only for her children but for everybody, she helped a lot of people.

On the day she died the first thing that came into my mind was who will take place of her role in our society. Jaime Cardinal Sin is no longer here now President Cory as well.

As a mother President Cory will be my role model. I promised to her that I will work hard and do everything for my children, my nephews and nieces to provide them education, guide and teach them values so they'll grow up better and responsible Filipino citizens.

Monday, August 3, 2009

Take Care of Our House Items

We treasure our possessions to last. We invest money to all the things around the house to get high quality. But the price is not the only thing that matters, we should also know how to take care of those. I found simple tips that will help items around the house last for long.

Shoes - place them in an area with good ventilation. Air out your "special-occasions-only" shoes every six months. Walk in them for just a few steps. A local shoe wax and a good horsehair brush would to make shoes looking new.

Rubber shoes - don't leave your rubber shoes inside your gym bag, always put out to dry after use. To clean (1) soak in a basin of water with laundry soap for 5 minutes never use bleach (2) use an old toothbrush to remove dirt but be gentle (3) rinse thoroughly with clean water (4) Never dry them under the sun because UV rays can destroy shoe materials. Wrap the shoes with a dry towel and pop them into the dryer for a cycle then put them infront of an electric fan to dry completely.

Jeans - don't wash them after as often as you wear them unless they get extremely visibly dirty. Denims can be good 3 or 4 wears before hitting the wash. Use mild and bleach free detergent and just cold water.

Electric Fans - give your electric fan a break . If you're using the fan for a whole day, you need to give at least 30 minutes rest to give the motor a chance to cool down to prevent motor damage.

Airconditioner - cgeck the owner's manual for proper cleaning methods. Cleaning the filter ensures that air enters the machine and allergens that can cause respiratory problemsstay out. Position the unit away from the sun. Plants block vents and reduce the units ability to exhaust air.

Washing machines - empty pockets before loading clothes into the machine. Split your file into smaller loads but be sure to use enough water. The water level should not be less than half. Don't overload your washing machine it does consume more power.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

GlassesShop Online Optical store

Just last week my daughter Nicole asked if she can have a new pair of eyeglasses since it was 2 years ago since we changed it. Her eyeglasses are now small for her face. Nicole is now a preteen and she asked if she can have an eyeglasses that has a latest design. In my family I'm the only one that doesn't have eyeglasses, the last time I had my eye check up they said I still have 20/20 vision. My husband and my 2 kids started wearing eyeglasses when they were still young.

I searched online and I found Glassesshop an online optical store. This is a perfect online store for my family since they have different designs for Men, Women, and Kids and their prices are very competitive. They have new designs like Personalized Copywood Eyeglasses and Portable Clip Ons. It's nice to know that additional UV protection for your eyeglasses is free. We all know that exposure to bright sunlight may increase the risk to develop cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, including cancer.

I was amazed with their virtual try on glasses they have models with different face shape where you can try your selected glasses. Fashion wise, it's great because before you place an order you are sure that the design is appropriate to your face shape.

Best of all, they have Thank You Points. It's a reward, you earn points everytime you purchase on their website. You get points 10% of the amount purchased, every 1 point is equivalent to $1 and can be used on the next purchase. They ship to international customers and on selected countries they offer free shipping for every order that is more than $100. I don't have to go anywhere I can just order the eyeglasses for my husband and my 2 kids at Glassesshop, really convenient to me. I would also recommend the store to my relatives and friends.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Congenital Cataract (part 6)

Last thursday we went back to AEI for the follow up check up of Andy to her ophthalmologist. They had Andy read letters using the eye test chart. At AEI evrytime you visit for checkup, they'll have you check by their optometrist first before the ophthalmologist checks your eyes.

Few days before our visit to AEI, Andy complained that sometimes her eyes are itchy. I asked Dra. Pik Sha about it, she advised to have it cold compressed to relieve itchiness. She also prescribed an eye drop. The itchiness could be caused by the dust. Also I noticed that on her left eye the pupil is not round in shape, it's like a triangular shape. Dra. Pik Sha explained that since before the surgery the pupil was not located at the center of her eye, it was somewhere on the upper part of the eye, it will be hard to have a round shape pupil.

So far Andy's eye has completely healed, Dra. Pik Sha has not seen any problem inside her eyes. We are going back after 3 months so they can check if we have to change Andy's eyeglasses.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Which is better, soap or sanitizer?

During the AH1N1 outbreak, we would always see on TV ads health professionals advising people to frequently wash our hands at the same time doing a demo the right way of hand washing to prevent the spread of germs.

Which works better, is it soap or sanitizer? While alcohol based gels removes more germs, plain soap and water are fine for everyday washing according to our health experts. But neither works unless we do it right. With soap it takes 15 seconds of lathering to reduce bacterial count by 90%, 30 seconds to get 99.9%. Also health experts advised to dry our hands for at least 20 seconds with a towel. With our wet hands germs are more likely to spread compared to dry ones. With sanitizers, studies shown that most people don't use enough. We need to cover all surfaces of our hands - the tops, between fingers and the palms.

Gel sanitizers will evaporate into the skin and kill bacteria, but soap and water washes away more germs according to one of our health experts.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Family Day!


Since last week the kids we're asking to watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but I was sick so they don't have a choice but to just stay at home last weekends. Until last night after my work, we (hubby, me, and the kids) went out to have dinner then watched Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen at SM San Lazaro. The kids enjoyed the movie, that's how simple we celebrate Family Day. What's important is the kids had fun.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Are there right ways to multitask?

They say women are better multi-tasker than men. Women can put make-up, talk on the phone and watch TV all at the same time. Especially Moms, they work full time in the office when going home a lot household chores to finish and still have to take care of the family. I guess it is women's nature to do many things at the same time, some said multitasking gives them a sense of challenge.

But multitasking can also become bad. It can affect our health, at times we forget to take care of ourselves. We sacrifice quality time for our family. Here are simple tips to be a better multitasker.

1. Pray - everything is under control with God

2. Focus and relax - never panic it will get you to nowhere

3. Be organized - create a to-do list starting with the most important going down to the least priority

4. Maximize your gadget - cell phone, computer, internet can help to finish the task quickly

5. Keep it simple - focus on what you need to do, how you need to do in the simple way you can think of

6. Allow yourself for a little indulgence - for some they always have a bar of chocolate at hand for a little breaks

For Moms, make sure to do a little check and balance whenever you find yourself working too hard.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

My Child, My Self

As parents we always have set of rules inside the house for our children. We want them to follow it accordingly. Now that I am a parent I somehow follow the style where I grew up. My Mom and Dad separated when I was 6. My Mom left me and my brother to my Aunt because she went abroad. My Aunt was really conservative when it comes to parenting style. Like when wearing skirt the length should be below the knee, we are not allowed to be friends with a group of guys, whenever we commit mistake we cannot answer back to defend ourselves etc. During my younger years I may have been rebellious but as I mature I was able to understand why, and maybe because they were brought up the same way.

During my quiet time I try to ask myself, am I on the right track. I do self-assessment, I try to identify what parenting style that's still applicable in today's generation and what's not. I want my children to grow up with love, discipline and right values.

There are times that we get disappointed with our child because we want them to be like this..but they want the other way. My eldest daughter is already a pre-teener and when it comes to little things I let her decide on her own. Sometimes we expect our kids to be an extension of ourselves but we never realize that at some point he becomes a unique person with a separate view of the world.

I always wish that my children will grow up smarter than me. At times I try to evaluate them and identify their strength and weaknesses. We sat down and talk how they can improve themselves. I know not all of what I taught to them will retain in their minds but at least half. I shared to them my failures so they can use it as a guide.

Being a parent is really a challenging job. The foundation of a person's character starts with their upbringing at home. That is why some say "children are the reflection of their parents".

Friday, June 19, 2009

Happy Father's Day!!



Send this eCard !

We all celebrate Father's Day every third Sunday of June. This year it will be this coming Sunday June 21st. We all used to Daddy's role inside the house like changing our flourescent light, take out the trash, wash the car etc. This Father's Day let's all take the opportunity to make this day extra special and unforgettable.

Me and my kids plan to treat my husband out for lunch to his favorite restaurant. Each one of us has a card for him and a gift. My husband is not into material things, just a kiss and hug from the children would be enough. It makes him emotional, lol.

To all Dads out there, Hapy Father's Day!!

credits:123Greetings

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Online Community

While bloghopping I found the site Little Four Eyes, it's a community of parents and friends of young children who wear glasses. The site is very informative so I joined. Each parent shared their experiences with their children who wear glasses. I learned that there so many children all over the world that has vision problem. You can also find tips and tricks how to deal with children if they don't want to wear their eyeglasses.

They have a
Facebook account. It's nice to know that there are communities like them online. The site inspired me to continue to hope that we can find ways to improve my daughter's vision.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Congenital Cataract (part 5)

Last June 2nd we went back to Asian Eye Institute for the removal of suture of my daughter's eye surgery last April 21st. Our ophthalmologist explained that there are two types of thread absorbable and nonabsorbable. For the eyes she had to use a very tiny thread and it's nonabsorbable so she had to manually remove it. Our ophthalmologist let me go inside the operating room during sedation then ask me to wait outside when my daughter fall asleep. The procedure was fast, it took less than 5 minutes.

There's an improvement on my daughter's vision before her eye grade was 1800 now it's down to 1600. Her pupil is now bigger. Whenever I look on her eyes I can see myself as a reflection unlike before we only saw a dot at the center of her eyes. This showed us hope that there's more we can do to improve her vision.

We still have regular checkup with our ophthalmologist and it's great to hear that the wound has healed completely. There was no infection or inflammation. My daughter now goes to school and she said that she can see better now. But she's light sensitive, she would wear shaded eyeglasses everytime we go out. Our ophthalmologist said since she lived with her miotic pupil for 5 years her eyes are still adjusting. There more light entering into her eyes since her pupil is now bigger. Also I wondered because before the surgery she can watch TV without her eyeglasess but now she can't, it's blurry. The ophthalmologist said it's called pinhole effect. In my own words, it means when we look at the pinhole it gives a nice focus image.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

What to do when your husband is cheating?

My friend called me asking me how would she know if her husband is cheating. I was speechless for a minute I didn't know how to respond. She said that her husband used to go home early but now he always come home late and use his work as an excuse. His cellular phone is always in his pocket and the inbox is always empty and he is cold.

These couple are both my friends in college and it will really hurt me if I hear that bad things happened to their marriage. They have 2 kids and are still very young. I don't know what to advice her I am not an expert. What I know is that it's a human nature that we get attracted to other people anytime in our lives.

Cheaters always lie but they say woman's intuition is very strong however we cannot just confront our husband without any proof or validation. As a friend I told her to talk to her husband first about it. In my opinion it would be best to make a plan then choose the right time and place where you will have privacy so you can discuss things out.

I told her to be ready in case the husband admits. If he admit then this is really painful but she should decide if she can forgive and keep her husband. I guess if she can keep this just between the two of them the better, we don't know how the family would react especially the in-laws if they know it.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I got approved in PPP

I'm a newbie in blogging but while reading online I learned about PayPerPost. Way back in April 2009 my blog was already 90 days old. I applied in PayPerPost after few days I got a message that I didn't meet the requirements but I can reapply.

I continued reading online to learn more and ask help from my friend Mitch of Mitchiescorner. Last week I reapplied to PayPerPost and just yesterday I got a message that my blog has been approved. I am very happy since this is a new opportunity for a Mom like me who wants to have have extra income.

PayPerPost is a website which helps bloggers find advertisers who are willing to sponsor specific content. PayPerPost is one way to earn money online, it pays blogger for their opinion on different topics from your 'favorite perfume to 'car insurance'. One of the requirements is you need to have at least 20 posts in 90 days, there should be a date on every post. Post should be at least 5 sentences and also you need to create a Paypal account. Joining is easy, just visit the site and follow the steps. If you meet the requirements go ahead and submit your blog.


Friday, May 22, 2009

With P10 a day I was saved!

School days are coming in and every parents are busy taking care of all the school needs. From the enrollment fee, books, school uniform up to the school supplies (notebook, pencil, art needs etc). I have one kid in kindergarten and one in gradeschool. I am one of those parents who are stressed out thinking how to stretch the budget for this school year since most of the private schools increased their tuition fees.

Good thing that I had a coin bank, every day I put 2 P5 coin. I started June 2008, it was the time when I was really problematic where to get an additional budget. Now I was able to save P3,300, it's not really a big amount but it can take care of my children's school supplies.

Most of us aside from our wallet normally we still have a purse where we put all our coins. Sometimes we ignore those especially P1 and P5. With just P10 a day of savings in time it can turn into a big amount. But of course we should still have a different savings that will be taken out from our salary. My children was amazed to the amount I have saved. So now they started saving and they have their own coin bank.


Saturday, May 16, 2009

My baby is now a young lady

My eldest daughter Nicole who is now 11 had her first menstruation yesterday. I can never forget her text message "Mom come home, I have my period". I smiled and said to myself, "Wow, my baby is now a young lady".

Few days before her period she said she experienced stomach cramps, headache and she was moody. As a Mom I wanted to be involved, so we had bathroom conversation. I taught her how to use sanitary pad, when to change, and how she should dispose it. I told her to always have few pads inside her school bag since cycle can be very unpredictable. I gave her tips how to maintain clean and fresh. I actually gave her a personal hygiene kit.

Days are so fast that my baby is already growing into a young lady. It only means that my maturity as Mom should step up.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Mother's Day Card



This is the card my kids gave me for Mother's Day, they were the one who made it. It was one of my happiest moment as Mom, at their age they were able to appreciate all the things I've done for them. They are very sweet. I promised them I will never be tired of loving and taking care of them.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!!

I'm excited for this special day because for sure my kids will have something for me. I remember last year they gave me flowers and a greeting card. They were the one who made the card. They were very creative with their designs, its amazing.

To my Mom, Happy Mother's day! I love you!

credits to:123 Greetings

Monday, May 4, 2009

I'm a strict Mom!

I received an email from my friend, who is also a Mom. It's a link for an online quiz which says "What type of Mom are you..or Will you be? I went ahead and tried then it said "Your survey answers indicate you are a Strict Mom ".

Strict Mom - You believe that one of the most loving things we can do for our children is set firm rules and boundaries for them. If they learn how to behave properly early on in life, it can only benefit them later on, when you are not there every day to remind them. Just remember that as important as it is to teach your children how to behave, it is just as important to give them a lot of affection and praise, as well as some freedom to make (and learn from) their mistakes.

Laid Back Mom - You tend to be a relaxed person who believes that the world we live in these days is far too stressful. By the same token, you like to do everything in your power to shield your children from excessive stress. To you, childhood is a time for free play and free time, and you are not big on scheduling lots of formal activities for your children. Just remember, they might enjoy a few scheduled activities mixed in with all that "free play" time.

Affectionate Mom - In your view, a Mother's number one job is to show her children a lot of love, affection, and encouragement. You believe in praising your children as much as humanly possible, and you are not terribly fond of setting a lot of rules and boundaries, because this strikes you as a more punitive style of parenting. Just remember, hugging and praising is one way to show kids love, and teaching them right from wrong is another, equally valid way.

Super-Mom - You believe strongly that a happy, effective Mom is one who is content not only in her family/home life, but also in her professional life. You have worked hard to achieve your current position, and just because you have children now, you have no desire to leave the world of work behind. Just remember that parenthood requires flexibility, so don't totally rule out alternative possibilities, such as working part-time until your kids are school-age.

Here's the link, go ahead and try it.
http://www.sixwise.com/Survey/WhatTypeofMomAreYouOrWillYouBe/WhatTypeofMomAreYouOrWillYouBe.aspx

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Watermelon is the summer's no. 1 fruit!

We always hear "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". But when I went to the market's fruit section apple is not the fruit most people buy. People say because of the hot and humid weather here in Philippines, nothing can beat a cold , sweet and juicy slice of watermelon . It's healthy and refreshing!

Recent studies showed the wonderful health benefits of the watermelon, they are:

1. Natural energy drink - watermelon is a rich source of B vitamins, electrolytes and potassium. The B vitamins are needed for energy production and potassium is essential for heart and muscle contraction.

2. Good for the eyes - watermelon has vitamin A and C that are beneficial for our eyes. Yellow Watermelon is good source of lutein which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration.

3. May help prevent cancer and slow down aging - red water melon contains the pigment lycopene which may help prevent prostate cancer.

4. Prevents heat stroke and heat exhaustion - watermelon's cooling effect comes from it's component citrilline which is converted to arginine in the body. Arginine can help remove ammonia from the body ( bad stuff in the uring).

5. Treatment for heat rash and burns - watermelon pulp can be used to treat heat rash and burns. Place a piece of watermelon rind in the refrigerator and after a few hours apply the inner part of the rind on the affected areas on body. The cooling effect of watermelon rind relieves the heat rash.

6. Good for the kidneys, bladder, and those with gout - watermelon is effective for cleansing the kidneys and bladder. Watermelon does not contain uric acid and can help people with gout by reducing the amount of uric acid in the body.


Saturday, April 25, 2009

Congenital Cataract (part 4)

Thank you for all your prayers, my daughter had a successful eye surgery. April 21, 2009 at 8:30 am Andy had 'pupillotomy and anterior vitrectomy' at Asian Eye Institute Rockwell with Dra. Pik Sha Chan-Uy. The surgery took almost an hour then we waited another hour at the recovery room. After taking care of the bill we went home, it was fast!

I was amazed with my daughter she never felt nervous before and after the surgery. She kept telling me she's ready and that she prayed to Jesus to take care of her especially during the surgery. I remember when we had a Sunday Mass she said that she prayed to Jesus to help all children that have a vision problem. I'm glad that at her age she can talk to Jesus that way.

The next day we removed the eye goggles, it served as her eye protection, my daughter noticed the brightness of our television and she said she can now see clearly.

We are also thankful to our ophthalmologist who's been so kind to us.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Excited for summer..Ready to be exposed

Here in Philippines summer starts during the month of March up to May. As a family we always plan ahead our summer outings, we love swimming and enjoy the beach.

Sun, sand, sea these are the elements that makes a fun-filled summer but they can also lead to sunburn. Applying sunblock is important, it should be applied 30 min going out under the sun and must be reapplied regularly.

When you start to feel really hot and your skin is hot to touch chances are you've already got sunborn. Burning continues even after you've gotten out of the sun. There are things in our pantry that we can grab for a quick sunborn relief.

Cucumber - known for its cooling and soothing properties. Slices of cucumber can help alleviate discomfort from extra hot skin or anything cold for thart matter will serve the same purpose like a slice of watermelon.

Guava leaves - they've been used as cure-all. Boil some in water and let the tea cool, apply on the sunburned area using a compress.
Oatmeal - is extremely soothing as long as its mixed in with bath water, not rubbed or scrubbed on the skin. It is recommended even for babies. Cornstarch or baking soda can work too.

Milk - cool off with a cold glass of milk. Soak a facecloth in equal parts cold milk and cool water, then gently press it on the affected area.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Congenital Cataract (part 3)


This is Andy my daughter who had congenital cataract, she's now 5 years old and just finish nursery. We went to another pediatric - opthalmologist in Asian Eye Institute for a second opinion. The doctor discussed to us my daughter's case and they have the same diagnosis with our first doctor. She has a miotic pupil, we tried to dilate her pupil. She was under medication for two weeks using Atropine and Mydfrin but pupil didn't dilate into a descent size. It wasn't enough for them to get her exact eye grade. They both recommend surgery but this time the doctor wants surgery for the pupil, it's called "pupillatomy anterior vitrectomy", and have lens implant when she turns 7. The doctor wants a conservative way in dealing my daughter's case because of the risks and there was a history of inflammation during her cataract surgery. One thing that I got afraid of was the 2 doctors have different way of putting a lens implant on the eyes. Our first opthalmologist said that lens will be placed infront of the iris. The risk is when the pressure on the eye went high there's a possibility of retina detachment or even loss of vision. The second opthalomologist said that he will put the lens behind the iris because putting infront might damage the cornea. I didn't know where to go so I searched online to educate myself more. Then I found Medhelp an online health community. I posted a question and glad that they responded so quickly.

Me and my husband decided to go with the second opthalmologist because we agree to him. We don't have to be agressive in dealing the case because she's still young. There was a history of inflammation that made the pupil not fully developed. We all do not know how fast is she going to recover.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Medhelp: Online Health Community

Medhelp is an online health community where anyone can ask questions about their health problem. I discovered Medhelp when I was searching online about the case of my daughter who had congenital cataract and has to undergo lens implant. Their ophthalmologist team was a big help to me they answered all my questions. I read everyday their eye care forum and I learned a lot. The team are really generous in sharing their knowledge and experiences about eye diseases.

I am confident with our ophthalmologist here in the Philippines but I'm glad that I was able to hear opinions from doctors in USA with no cost. Joining them is so easy, sign up for free then you can start to post your health questions.

More power to you Medhelp!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Can an Hour makes a difference?


March 28, 2009, at exactly 8:30 pm most parts of the country switched off electricity power to observe Earth Hour, a social activity to raise awareness of climate change and global warming.Reports said that Philippines had the most cities went dark for Earth Hour. I am proud to say that I am one those who participated. According to DENR, it saved 560 megawatts of electricity which is equivalent to cutting down roughly 330 tons of carbon dioxide emmission. An hour does make a difference.

Earth Hour was launched in Australia in 2007 as a global event involving the voluntary shut off of electricity in homes, offices, public places, and commercial establishmentsfor one hour from 8:30 to 9:30 pm to express support for environmental issues. .

Earth Hour is really a symbolic act. We should be practicing energy conservation and environmental consciousness every day and in any way we can. In our own simple way, each of us can contribute to being more conscious about our impact on the environment.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Plan the best gift for Mom

I know Mother's Day is still far but it would be best to start thinking what's the best gift to give. Especially that I have so many friends who are Mom already, different Moms have different personalities

I tried reading online and different magazines about the best gift to give. Here are some suggestions:





Corporate Mom: Slim leather briefcase, planner, coffee tumbler







Mom on the go: Big bag where she can bring to any affair, water bottle, handy notebook, wallet where she can put some of hercards







Mrs. Senti: A very nice pen and a journal, mug with colorful designs, since she is the keeper of the family photos and letters a keepsake chest is best







Practical Mom: Give her something she can use everyday and for a long time. Dinner plate set, soup and dessert plate set or luncheon plates




We can now start planning where the best store to buy or we can shop online. It doesn't matter if our gifts are expensive or not as long as we give with love and sincerity. It's always the thought that counts.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

What to do when your child is injured

As soon as our child learn to walk, he is prone to accident. We start seeing cuts, scratches, and bruises either in his arms or legs. It would be best to be prepared and have a first aid kit within our reach.

The most common wounds to kids when playing are:

Abrasion - this normally happens when child love the slide at the playground. An abrasion is where the upper layer of the skin is rubbed as a result of friction. What to do: Wash injured area with soap and water. Put antiseptic ointment on the abrasion. To protect the wound from exposure to dirt which may lead to infection, cover it with a sterile fressing or bandage.

Burns - it is cused by heat. What to do: Let cool water run on burned area or apply cold compress. If it has redness, pain, minor swelling but without blisters it's only first degree burn and first aid is allowable. Never apply toothpaste which most Filipino usually do, it can cause infection.

Cuts and laceration - cut is an opening or breakage of the skin while laceration is an irregular cut. What to do: Before we inspect our child's cut make sure that hands are clean. Wash the area with soap and warm water. For cut wounds that are bleeding hold the injured part up higer that the heart. You may also apply pressure on the cut by using a clean cloth.

It is important to have a first aid kit inside the house or car. Here are the most basic that can be found inside the first aid kit.

-sterilize gauze
-adhesive tape
-antiseptic wipes
-bar of soap
-antibiotic cream
-hydrogen peroxide
-tweezers
-sharp scissors
-safety pins
-calamine lotion
-thermometer
-alcohol
-disposable instant cold packs
-adhesive and elastic bandage in different sizes

Monday, March 16, 2009

How much do we care about our health?

Wealth doesn't only mean how many house and lot a person has or how many luxury cars he has. We all grew up on a saying 'Health is Wealth'.

As parents being financially stable does not assure that we can give a brighter future to our children. Aside from teaching them good values, staying healthy is the most important. Children doesnt only need good education they also need someone who will guide them. Not only until they finish their studies but until they have their own family and that's us.

In recent study, people who had healthy habits lived an average of 14 years longer than people who didn't. With these simple steps we can add up years to our lives.

1. Eat fruits and vegetables - they provide fiber and minerals that help lower down blood pressure. Help lower LDL cholesterol by replacing food high in saturated fat. Soluble fiber may also block absorption of cholesterol from other food.

2. Exercise regularly - lowers blood pressure by 10 points in as little as three to four weeks, raises HDL and lowers LDL, and stimulates bone growth.

3. Don't smoke - prevents exposure to damaging health effects of smoking such as: temporarily increased blood pressure, narrowing of blood vessels which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, and diminished bone mineral density.

4. Lose extra pounds - lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of developing hypertension. It can reverse prediabetes, in some cases with as little as 5 percent loss of body weight. It also increases HDL while reducing LDL and total cholesterol.

By adding years to our lives we will not only be seeing our children's success but also our grandchildren.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Reward technique for our kids


Does giving rewards motivate our childrento behave and do their best all the time? Some parents use reward system as their way to discipline their children. It can help develop good habits.

Personally, I give rewards to my kids whenever they earn achievement from school. Like if they belong to the top 10 of the class, they can ask anything as long as it's within the budget. We can still reward our children without spending money. For good behavior, I give rewards like hugs and kisses, encouraging words, or extending their hours for playtime.

Whether rewards are effective or not to our children, it's important that we explain why they have to behave so they'll understand the reasons why they have to follow the rules. As parents, we have to be careful that our reward system will not result into bribery. It is a challenge!



Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Marriage: A work in progress

I enjoy reading magazines about family and marriage, one of the articles said "Marriage: A work in progress". I continue reading it and I realized that there is something in common with my marriage and the article.

My husband and I started as a friend. We've been hanging out with common group of friends before we started dating, up to now we remained the best of friends. We can talk about anything and everything to each other.

As a couple we support each other and face life together but I believe that it's important to have an individuality. Our society is used to see women staying at home performing domestic responsibilities. As modern woman, I continue to grow and pursue what I want. I agree that we have to love ourselves first so we can love others.

Marriage should be constantly evolving with both parties adjusting to one another. Both should work hard to appreciate and understand each other deeper. We must continue to know each other and learn to deal with our differences. Just imagine how nice to share a life with someone.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Shopping for a Preschool

Children of today are really advanced when it comes to learning. As young as 3 years old children can recite english alphabet, can count 1 to 10, can identify color and shape, some can even do addition and subtraction. Aside from those what else do we look into a learning center for our little ones.

I enrolled my four year old daughter in a learning center near us. It is not an expensive school nor they have a state of the art facility. Before she was a little bratty, but when I enrolled her she learned to get along with other kids and be creative, learned values such as sharing and cooperation. She can now tie her shoelace, she always say 'please and thank you', and has become more confident.

During the formative years, it's important that children is taught of values which will be building blocks of their character such as respect, self-confidence, creativity, and resourcefulness. As parents, we want our children to have an opportunity to explore their potentials.
Today's baby steps are tomorrow's leap of success.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

How do you measure love?

Most of us when we love we expect that we will be loved the way we want to. I heard from a local actor that "we cannot quantify love" and I agree. Each of us has our own standard, our best may not be enough to others. What is important , we were loved the best possible way he could.

Making a relationship work takes a serious effort. Let's learn to accept the person for who he is, not who you want him to be.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Are you in...to social networking?

Today's generation are really fortunate because internet was created. It does a lot of things in our daily lives like communication, e-commerce, education etc. With Internet, social networking started like Friendster, Multiply, Facebook. We can search people like old friends, classmates during high school and college. Users can join networks, add friends, send messages, and update personal profile to notify friends about themselves.

On my previous posts, I was able to share my experiences with my youngest daughter, Andy, who had congenital cataract. Her previous opthalmologist Dr. Froilan, who took care of her eyes when she was still a baby, migrated to USA. Andy will have surgery again this summer and her current opthalmologist is requesting for the medical records with Dr. Froilan.

I tried researching online and I found him in Whitepages, his contact number and mailing address are available. But had a second thought to call him on phone because he might not that open to receive a call from someone he is not familiar with, we were just one of his many patients here in Manila. One of the members on his household was listed in Whitepages. With Facebook I was able to find the person and sent an email asking if she's related to the doctor.

Thank God! She replied and said that she forwarded my email to Dr. Froilan and just wait for the response. At least we are now one step forward to gathering the medical history. I am hoping that one of these days Dr. Froilan will respond to my email.

Thanks to Facebook!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Online Video Games


Yesterday afternoon, I watched "Sweet Life" a talkshow from QTV. One of their discussions was about video games that most kids enjoy nowadays.

I remember when I was still a kid with my cousins, we used to play patintero, hide and seek, chinese garter for the boys they played basketball, baseball. I grew up in the province and we played mostly outdoor games.

Children in today's generation has different interest, they are now into high tech gadgets, chatting and playing games online. As parents it's alarming because kids spent most of their time if not on TV on online video games. It may reduce opportunities for talking as well as interaction among family members. It may somehow change the child's behavior and affects studies.

For me it's still best to engage our children into outdoor games or sports. However we cannot deprive then on playing video games since it's part of their generation. Depriving them sometimes can be the reason for them to hide or lie.
It would be best to set rules and regulations so we can prevent our kids to becoming video games addict. We can set a time and day where it's ok to play. Especially during weekdays maybe they can play after school an hour and maximum of 2 hours but this is after homework. During weekends we may increase their hours for playing.

Playing video games can be made also as a reward whenever they do good things. It can be a punishment to not play if they fail to accomplish what has to be done.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Tuition fee hike...

I don't have an educational background on Economics but I guess everybody whether in America, Asia or Europe is affected by the global financial crisis. Two nights ago I heard from the news that there are private schools that will have a tuition fee increase this coming 2009-2010 school year.

As parents, we cannot sacrifice the quality of our children's education. There are parents who would give up and transfer children to public schools but some still prefer sending their kids to private schools. We always allot a budget for our children's education but sometime we have financial emergency that without any choice we use our savings.

I thought of an options that we can take just in case we don't have someone whom we can run to in this kind of situation.

1. Installment Basis

Most schools offer installment plans. I got two kids, normally we paid our children's tution fee quarterly. Just imagine how much financial stress we have, my husband and I works as a regular employee only.

2. Government Pension Fund

If you are a member of any government pension fund like
Social Security System (SSS) you can have a salary loan payable in two years.

To be able to borrow a loan equivalent to a month salary, you must have posted 36 monthly contributions prior to the month of filing for the loan. You can borrow 2 months salary if you've made 72 contributions. It would be best to contact
SSS to find out the maximum loan amount.

3. Bank Loans

Banks offer a non collateral personal loan which you can use for the children's tuition fee. My friend told me that
Chinatrust Bank offers personal loan with 12, 18, 24, 36 months flexible terms at a very competitive rates.

Personal loans can be much easier for families to manage since there is a specific repayment plan which can be incorporated in your budget.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

don't go to bed angry

Arguments and fights happen to any married couples. Some believed on the phrase, "don't go to bed angry". Yeah it is hard to sleep when you're angry but the phrase may work to other couples but not to everybody.

With my marriage, we normally sleep on it (lol). We resolve conflicts when we're both calmed down. Imagine two persons living together on one roof with different personality it takes a huge effort. It's best to give each other a personal space. But sometimes we go to the mall, treat each other, buy something for each other just to relieve stress.Then when we go home, that's the time we discuss the issue.

Listening is very important, each one should be given ample to time to talk and be heard. However, don't wait too long to discuss any unresolved issues. Each one should have an initiative to patch up things, it should always be a teamwork.

I agree to the saying "Go to sleep and look at the subject afresh in the positive light and mood of the day".

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Reasons to Make Love..

Modern moms don't just stay at home and take care of the family, we are also a career woman. Sometimes because of the hectic schedule, when we come home we just wanted to go to bed and take a rest. But, is good night kiss enough for us and to our man? Sometimes we would say "not tonight, honey"..oooppss..why don't we think again. Let's try to realize the benefits of lovemaking.

1. Sex is good for our health. Studies said that couple who have sex regularly have a higher level of diseases fighting anti-bodies than those who didn't.

2. Sex creates enegy. We work full time, attend to the needs of our children. At the end of the day we are so tired that we no longer have enough energy to bond with our husband. Making love creates a connection that soothes women when they're exhausted. We feel more closer and more relaxed to our partner afterwards. Instead of saying "I'm so tired I can't afford to have sex" we can say "I'm so tired, I need sex".


3. Making love regularly can help the overall cholesterol level. It positively changes the ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol.

4. Sex is bonding. It makes you feel connected to your partner and is important for a strong long-term relationship. Sex isn't just about sex it is about being intimately connected to each other. Sex is an importantt part of marriage as any other part. Sex is one way of creating time for each other.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Clash over in-laws?

During our younger years our parents thought us different beliefs in life, our parents wants us to be responsible and better persons. But how are we going to deal if your in-laws has totally different background and upbringing in life. Let us not forget that when we married our man we didn't just accept his whole personality but also his family (parents, brothers, sisters), it is a whole package.

Investing time to know our in-laws better at the start of marriage is important. Yes it's easy to say than doing it but we should make an effort.


While reading online I was able to come up with suggestions on how to settle and resolve conflicts with our in-laws.

1. Learn to listen - Allow both parties equal time, each one should be given enough time to express what they need from the other party. There is a time to talk and a time to listen.

2. Give and take - After hearing the other person's side and determine what you are willing to give and ask if that would be ok to the other party. If it is enough then a resolution is on the way. If not ask what would make it sufficient.

3. Be open - Identify what you need and want from the other person. Never assume that the other person knows what you are thinking. When you are angry cool down first before negotiating.

4. Compromise - Make expectations realistic and do not aim for an ideal situation. A compromise happens when both sides reach an amiable settlement.

We have differences in life, one may agree how we were brought up by our parents, some may contradict to what we believe. But if we give respect to each other's point of view we can live harmoniously. As adults, let's learn from our differences.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Congenital Cataract (Part 2)

We went to the Aphakic specialist and had my daughter checked. Me and my husband were a little bit nervous since it will be a very serious discussion. He said that it's about time to have lens implant since my daughter is already 4 years old and kid's eyes stops to develop at age 9. According to him my daughter has a complicated case, the diagnosis are miotic pupil, nystagmus and microcornea. There was an inflammation after the cataract surgery and that made the pupil did not develop properly.

The doctor discussed the benefits and risks of having surgery and it scared us. The surgery will be a gamble not just for his team but also for us parents. It may improve or may loss my daughter's vision and it really hurt us so much. The doctor advised to take time and carefully decide on this. He assured us that his team will do everything if in case we decided. If we are not going to have lens implant my daughter will be wearing very thick and heavy eyeglasses all her life. Also there's a possibility that she'll lost her vision anytime in her life because of miotic pupil.

As parents we want the best for our child but how are we going to react if one day she'll say "Mommy it's very dark, I can't see anything". I'm a positive person and has a strong faith in God but I believe that we have to think also other possibilities. I cannot forget the important word the doctor said "acceptance" we have to be ready to everything. We have to be ready whether the surgery will be successful or not.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009