Should Parents Help Children with Their Assignments? - Raising Achievers

Today my daughter announced that she will be awarded with the 2nd Academic Honors in her school. Not to brag, but this award means she has bested more than 95% of the whole freshman level of about 300 students and it is her 3rd time to receive such a recognition this school year. Naturally, I feel delighted. But more importantly, I got to reflect whether what I am doing for her is right. So far so good.

Since she started in her science high school, I have been helping her out with her assignments. At first, my friends kept commenting about why I do so. Now, they ask me how they should do it. hahaha, I guess having your kid high up in the Honor roll makes for a great convincing power.

She's still in her teenage years. 13 to be exact. Even as she looks so grown up with her built, she is still technically a kid. And we know that all kids need guidance. They don't know how to act, how to do things, how to treat others... what's so confusing to the teenage is the fact that they have just barely adjusted to childhood, now they are being "forced" into maturing - to act and behave like adults. But not for me. I'd like my kid to be a kid while she still can. But I'm not saying that she should not change. I just want her to learn because I have guided her well.

Studying is a skill and as with all other skills, it has techniques that one should learn. why let the children go through the rough time when the method is already there up for grabs?

Changing Homes - Plans for the Future

Don't get me wrong. I'm not going anywhere yet. But, someone asked me about my plans for the future. "Well, for one," I said,"I'd be going to the US sometime soon." I'm a nursing graduate from the Philippines and have recently taken the Nursing Licensure Exam in December 2008. Of course the ultimate goal is to go to the US to join my family.

But then, when I come to remember how hard it is for me to relocate, I tend to overreact. I've experienced when I got married. Transferring from Cebu to Manila was not an easy task. What's more, that time I didn't have so many stuff to bring or dispose of. Looking for a place to stay was not so much of a problem though because we had bought our condo unit 6 months before my transfer.

I figure that in the US I'd have the same problems. In fact, it might just be worse if I don't plan ahead. After searching the internet (where else? that's where i do most research I do these days) I found that since I'm not sure of where in the US I will finally land, the links to finding homes in Las Vegas, Houston, and Georgia that I've recently found in the National Relocation , website will prove invaluable. They have information on mortgages, homes for sale, what's there in the neighborhood, schools nearby and other things that I'd want to know about before I even consider relocating.

Las Vegas might be a viable area for me. I like it there. Cost of apartments is cheap, food is cheap and it's very near my parents' place. Plus, there are more filipinos in the city. Well, I don't know why but for some reason I like staying where there are other Filipinos around. The one thing I really must have first is... well... my NCLEX result!

Christmas Dinner at Half the Price - Celebrating the Spirit of Christmas Need Not Be Expensive

Christmas eve has been a time for us to celebrate with my maid's family and some friends who we know will not be able to return the favor to us. Each year I manage to spend a larger amount than I have budgeted for the dinner that we serve our guests while we end up having more food in the ref than we originally started what with the mounds of chow that come from other friends and family members. This year I thought I would have to be wiser - make other people happy but without spending and wasting so much.
The secret really is to share your blessings. I mean literally share it. My menu consisted of Ham, fried chicken, pork in garlic and olive oil, spaghetti, fruit salad, bread and some pastries. Boyet brought home a basket of goodies for making spaghetti and fruit salad. We had some pastries given to us by different people which I served in a platter to make and decorated it with a small christmas figurine. Some of the fruits which we got too were mixed with the fruit salad. The ham was from Boyet's office too which I sliced and served with bread and some syrup. I had to buy the bread, chicken and pork and the coke drinks but that's all.
For the gifts, I recycled some of those given to us the previous year. Some were from the box that my mom sent us from the US. I didn't have to run out of gifts to give even when the crisp money from the bank did. Not bad. We had a really good time and everyone, both children and adults, had something to take home. At least now we did have everything that we wanted.

Yo! Yogurt

I've just recently discovered (or rediscovered) how wonderful home-made yogurt could be. Not just me, but both my husband and daughter love its rich, creamy flavor specially with fruits. It's a good substitute for cream for salads and has recently become one of the staple in our breakfast table. I remember how my mom used to prepare it for us and how I (naturally!) despised it then because it really takes some getting used to. These days, kids are exposed to a so many flavors that it doesn't take so much for them to acquire new tastes as the case with my daughter.

Not only does yogurt taste good, it is in fact healthy. It has helpful bacteria known as probiotic that your digestive system can benefit from. It actually encourages the growth of normal flora in your gut. Wikipedia has a long list of its benefits that you may want to

Here's how to prepare it:

slightly heat by constantly stirring 1 liter of milk (whole, low fat or skimmed) to slightly above room temp.
add 1/2 cup natural plain yogurt and mix until yogurt has been dissolved.
cover and keep in a warm spot (such as an oven)for about 8 hours. serve cold.

We love adding fresh fruit to it. The family's favorite is pineapple.