The Mommy Journey

Mommy Talks – Michelle Padrelanan

chris — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:58:47 +0000

Mommy Talks is featuring different homeschooling parents. Our guest for today is one of the first homeschooling moms I have ever contacted when I was still researching and thinking about homeschooling my daughter 2 years ago. I am thrilled that she agreed to be featured over my blog today! Without further ado, let me introduce our guest for today, Ms. Michelle Padrelanan.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

I am 39 years old, married for 17 years, with 4 children and another one on the way. I’m a WAHM – I blog, write articles for pay, and I review homeschool products, books and family-friendly movies on DVD. My husband, Dale, works in one of the major hotels in the country and is very much devoted to us. Our eldest is Bethany, she is turning 17 this year. She loves to play the guitar, read, and is a very helpful Ate to all her siblings. Our second, Naomi, 13, is the actress of the family. She loves to sing, does funny character imitations, and is her Ate’s assistant in caring for their younger siblings. Gabby is our 3rd daughter. She is 7 years old and is already a very young fashionista who takes after her Ate Naomi. She loves to sing and dance as well. Our current youngest and only boy is Joshua. He is turning 5 years very soon! At a young age, he is very personable and a very active boy. I say he is the current youngest and only boy, because I am due to give birth to our 5th child, another baby boy, this June. All of us are looking forward to this precious addition to our family.

HOW DID YOUR HOMESCHOOLING JOURNEY BEGAN? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO HOMESCHOOL?

Our homeschooling journey began when I was about to enroll Bethany in Grade 1 in 2002. I sent her to school when she was 5 years old where she finished two years of schooling. When she was still in school, she would go to class for three hours everyday and come home with assignments. I noticed that when I did not tutor her at home, she will not pass her tests in school. I was still working then and there was a period of time when I was unable to teach her at home. This resulted in a poor report card grade for her. Her teacher spoke to me and basically blamed me for her poor grade. Well, this got me thinking. I thought to myself, “I’m paying the school to teach my child, but she will not learn anything if I don’t tutor her at home. What am I paying them for? I’d better just teach her myself. I know I’d do a better job at it.” At that time, she also had a teacher with poor English diction from whom she has learned words like “i-snake” and “i-school”. I mean, that teacher is a dear, but I really just cannot accept that my daughter was already speaking like her. When I corrected her, she said that’s how their teacher taught them. Even before she graduated, with honors, from that school, I began taking action.

I had already heard of homeschooling from other Christian families and started making inquiries. The first homeschool primer I attended was the one that Marlyn del Rosario and other moms like Irma Chua, Angeli Panganiban and Dodette Manguerra hosted. I was so inspired hearing them talk about their homeschool! They spoke of kids loving the Lord will all their heart, the children’s freedom to learn what they wanted to learn at their own pace, the daily freedom from commuting to and from the school, the freedom from bullies and peer pressure. Looking at those families that day, I knew that’s what I wanted.

Our family’s journey to homeschooling began. I describe it as a journey because it really is. Homeschooling is a major part of our life. When we describe our family, we always say we are homeschoolers. It has not been easy. I wear many, many hats – wife, mother, household manager, homeschool teacher, daughter, sister, friend. The homeschooling lifestyle is very different. It’s not like I can set aside all the other things in our lives so that I can blissfully homeschool them. I always have to choose what I will have to do first. If any of us are sick, we stop for a few days and concentrate on getting better. If I have to help my husband with our business, I have to leave assignments for my children to accomplish on their own. We don’t always get things done. In fact, my children are a little bit late academically. But we have continued on with this lifestyle because of its many benefits.

The benefits are being free to teach our children about God and His love for them; a very close family bond; and well-adjusted and obedient children. Though academics are important and we expect them to excel, we place a higher value on character development and attitudes. After all, what good are good grades in school, if they don’t know how to manage their lives well in the future?

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO STOP HOMESCHOOLING?

Have I ever thought of stopping? All the time! It’s really the easiest thing to do – to hand over the reins of their education to a school. It will mean a lot of freedom for me. But when I think of how far we’ve come, how much we enjoy being together, how blessed I am to see them learning, how blessed I am that my children are obedient to us – I forget all the hardships.

DO YOU HAVE SOME TIPS YOU CAN SHARE WITH THOSE WHO ARE CONSIDERING TO HOMESCHOOL THEIR KIDS?

A few major things:

1. Be one with your spouse in your desire to homeschool. It’s hard to make a go of it if your spouse is not supportive. The tendency is that the non-supportive spouse will listen to every opinion there is about homeschooling and will try to discourage you from doing it.

2. Get to know your children better. Reach their hearts first and you will not have a problem teaching them. With hearts already open to you, the teaching comes very easy.

3. Get God into the loop. It’s easy to begin homeschooling. What’s difficult is to sustain it. If the only reason you homeschool is to maybe avoid the high tuition fees, then this is not enough to see you through. Like many of us, we homeschool because we believe that it is our God-given duty to do so. We do it because we know there is a higher standard of parenting and that the God of the Bible is holding us up to. I gather my strength from the Lord. Without Him, I really won’t be able to do it at all.

Michelle has already given birth to their baby boy last April 22, 2012. Her son is premature at only 30 weeks gestation. As of this time, he is already three weeks in the NICU and is recovering well. All is well, by the grace of our loving God! You can follow Michelle at her blog Beyond the Silver and the Gold. Know more about a Filipino family’s homeschool journey.

Mommy Moments – Bedtime Routine

chris — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:13:52 +0000

Mommy Moments is a weekly meme and you can join us by sharing any “mommy moment” that happened recently in your life. Create a post and add this badge to your post ( or choosing any other design from here). Then just enter your name and the URL address of your post below on the Mr. Linky, so we can all visit one another and see what you have shared with us this week!

Do you have a bedtime routine with your kids? Well, ever since my kids were still babies, we always followed a bedtime routine. After dinner, we take a bath, play around the room or color together for an hour or two, then we read a book together. When they were babies, I always read Bible stories to them and bedtime stories. Now that they are older, the kids choose a book from their bookshelf. I always look forward to these moments together. After reading, we close the lights and lie down, then we talk about what we read or how the day went. We end with a prayer together.

My daughter with a book we read before bedtime.

These are moments that I will forever treasure in my heart!

Share your recent mommy moments with us!

Why I Love Being a Mom

chris — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:37:44 +0000

Why I Love Being A Mom

Looking at your eyes,
Seeing all you can be.
Cuddling you at night,
Keeping you safe with me.

That first smile,
That first step,
That first word,
Are memories I will never forget.

I didn’t know that being a mom
Can make me love someone unconditionally
I’ve learned to sacrifice
And become the best me – I can ever be.

-by Chris Amador -

Happy mother’s day to all moms who reads and follows my blog.
I pray that may motherhood bring blessings and wonderful memories to you as well.

Mommy Talks – Joy T. Mendoza

chris — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:00:37 +0000

Mommy Talks is back for its second season! This year, we are starting off by featuring different homeschooling parents. Our guest for today is someone who I look up to. I am thrilled that she agreed to be featured over my blog! Without further ado, let me introduce our guest for today, Ms. Joy T. Mendoza.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

I am a wife, mother, homeschool parent, newbie blogger, and consultant to a homeschool program called, The Master’s Academy. Edric and I are blessed with four children – three sons and a daughter. After giving birth to my fourth child, Edric and I decided that it was best for me to be at home with the children and to focus on homeschooling full-time. (Prior to this, I was helping out part-time with TMA Homeschool’s preschool department.)

Motivated by the desire to help young families with their homeschooling, and with the extra time I had on my hands as a homemaker, I decided to start a blog last year called “Teach with Joy.” It offers a 360 degree perspective on homeschooling. As a once-upon-a-time homeschooled kid, a home school program consultant, a homeschool parent, and someone who also went to a conventional school, I have seen homeschooling from all sides. But one thing I don’t claim to be is an expert at parenting or homeschooling. My journey as a parent is in its early stages, and I invite people to learn from my mistakes, failures, comical moments, and triumphs. At the end of the day, I want people to discover the joys of parenting and homeschooling with me. Most of all, I want to bring glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HOMESCHOOLING?

I started homeschooling our eldest son, Elijah, when he was just a baby. Coming from a family who homeschooled taught me a couple of things about education. For one thing, homeschooling is a lifestyle. Based on that definition, I have been teaching for the past nine years.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO HOMESCHOOL?

When Edric and I decided to homeschool, it was in response to our God-given responsibility that we must teach them to love, know, serve, obey, and worship God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) and to train up our children in the way that they should go (Proverbs 22:6). First and foremost, it was an act of obedience. Everything else was secondary – time, effort, ability, materials, sacrifices, etc. God supplied the answers to our secondary concerns. But to be honest, I was sold on homeschooling even before I became a mom. Since I had grown up in a homeschooling family, it was the same lifestyle I hoped to have for my own children. I praise God that Edric was all for it.

HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO STOP HOMESCHOOLING? WHY OR WHY NOT?

Not yet. We take it one year at a time. As our family grows closer to one another and our children grow in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52), homeschooling remains our lifestyle of choice. Since God told us to homeschool, he will also tell us when it is time to stop.

COMING FROM A FAMILY WHO HOMESCHOOLED, WHAT DID YOU LIKE THE MOST? AND WHAT DIDN’T YOU LIKE?

I liked the family bonding, quality time together and quantity time, the closeness and security of family, and most of all, being taught to love Jesus and live for him. I didn’t have anything I disliked about homeschooling.

DID YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOU “MISSED” OUT SINCE OTHER KIDS ARE GOING TO A CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL?

I didn’t feel like I missed out on being in a conventional school. When I did go into a conventional school, I was surprised at the values of people and the things they talked about. A lot of focus on boys, talking about others, “fun”, and how the cool people were the slackers and rebellious kids. I wish I could have been homeschooled longer. I don’t think I was spiritually ready for the peer pressure.

SHARE SOME TIPS ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING YOUR KIDS

Tip # 1: Begin with a goal for your children and then align what you do as a homeschool parent with that goal. Head in that direction.

Tip # 2: Don’t focus on what you cannot give or do not have. Parents sometimes tell me, “I’m not patient enough. I don’t know if I can do that. I still have to work…” If God calls you to homeschool, he will supply the grace, ability, wisdom, creativity, and provision for you to do so. He will sustain you.

Tip # 3: Get connected to other homeschoolers. Community is important to homeschooling families. A support group helps you go the distance. Sharing your experiences, challenges, and best practices with other homeschool moms or dads gives you weekly encouragement.

Tip # 4: Have an out-of-the-box perspective on education. Homeschooling is a way of life, it’s not sitting a child at a desk for four hours every day and taking the conventional school system into your home. There are many homeschooling methods that work for each type of child and family, and many different learning styles that need to be accommodated. Once you let go of the “conventional school mindset,” homeschooling becomes fun and enjoyable for both you and your child.

Tip # 5: Focus on character first before academics. The academics part is easier when children are attentive, obedient, responsible, trustworthy, diligent, etc.

Tip # 6: Be a Christ-centered parent. Issues like impatience, anger, frustration, lack of motivation, stress and the like are manifestations of me-centered parenting. The key is to walk intimately with God.

Tip # 7: Pray for your children. Ask God to give them a teachable and responsive heart to your instruction and training.

You can follow Joy at her blog Teach With Joy. Discover the joys of homeschooling and parenting!

Traveling with Kids

chris — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:00:55 +0000

Traveling with kids who are under 7 years of age can be challenging for any parent. But it is not impossible. Recently, we traveled with our 2 kids ages 8 and 5. It was our first family trip outside of Luzon so we were all very excited. Of course, we had to prepare for the trip to make sure everyone would enjoy it!

As we were preparing our bags, I involved my kids in packing. I asked them to pack their stuff in a backpack like those osprey packs which we will use as hand carry luggage. They put in stuff like books, toys, pencil and paper. I asked them to put all that they want to do while waiting.

We discussed with the kids that there will be a lot of waiting, so they knew that they had to wait a lot during our flight.

We researched the place we were visiting so we had an idea what the food will be and what the schedule will be like. We shared this with the kids so that they knew what to expect.

Do you have any traveling tips you would like to share?

Mommy Moments – Balancing Work and Family

chris — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:17:40 +0000

Every Friday, We have Mommy Moments. Mommy Moments is a weekly meme and you can join us by sharing any “mommy moment” that happened recently in your life. Create a post and add this badge to your post ( or choosing any other design from here). Then just enter your name and the URL address of your post below on the Mr. Linky, so we can all visit one another and see what you have shared with us this week!

Ever since the summer break started, the kids have been having loads of fun playing most of the day, doing a bit of writing and arts and I have been busy with all sorts of writing over my computer. My son told me yesterday that I haven’t been playing with them and I have been really busy with my work over the computer. This really made me realize that even if I am a stay at home mom, I need to be conscious of the way I use my time, especially when my kids are around. I need to attend to them and spend time with them – otherwise, I have lost the very reason why I wanted to stay at home in the first place.

It is a conscious decision and it is hard to balance work and family, especially when you are home. It takes discipline and organization skills to make it work. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 8 years now, but I have never perfected the balance. It has been a daily battle. I need to choose to prioritize what really matters.

Here are some tips that I would like to share with you moms who find it hard to balance work and family, especially when you are staying at home:

- Know your priorities. List them down if needed so that you would be reminded of them daily.

- Schedule your day. If possible, use planners or schedule maker to make sure that no activities are overlapping.

- Don’t spread yourself too thin. Be wary of multi-tasking. Often multi-tasking produces work with less quality.

- Focus on what you are doing. If it is time to play with the kids or do arts with them, leave all your gadgets and turn off your computer. Give them your complete attention.

- Plan. But if your plan fails, don’t give up. Often times, our mistakes will teach us what we need to learn so we can be better at what we do.

- Pray. Commit your day to the Lord.

It is never an easy choice but if we really want to be there for our kids, we need to be intentional with our actions and choose the road less traveled.

Do you have other tips that you’d like to share?

Life Lessons from The Lion King

chris — Wed, 02 May 2012 06:47:43 +0000

While checking out jewelry online, my attention was caught when I heard Mufasa’s voice from our television saying “Remember” to Simba. Now, if you have kids like me, I am sure you know who Mufasa and Simba are. They are the main characters from The Lion King. The Lion King is a Disney movie which came out in 1994. I have loved it when I first saw in the movie theaters and now, almost 20 years later, I am still watching it, this time with my kids.

After watching the movie, my kids and I talked about what happened in the movie and what we learned. I realized that there are many life lessons we can learn from this movie.

Face challenges. When challenges come, how do you face them? Do you turn your back on the world or face your responsibilities?

Remember your identity. Stand for what you believe in, no matter what the circumstances and people around you tell you otherwise.

Change is good. But it is never easy.

The past failures may hurt – but you always have a choice, either to learn from it or run from it.

Truly, this movie is one of the Disney movies that I recommend you watch with your little ones.

D-nee Baby Care Products Review and Giveaway

chris — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:19:24 +0000

As a mom, I always want to make sure that my kids get the best protection and as much as possible, we use products that are safe for them. When I heard about this new product from D-nee, I was excited to give it a try and see if it delivers!

D-nee is a complete line of infant and toddler care products specially made for your little ones. D-nee is a leading brand in Thailand and has been the brand of choice for moms in over 10 years. It is manufactured by Bio Consumer Co. Ltd., and the brand is currently being exported to other ASEAN countries as well.

The products’ formulation and fragrance have been tested by certified laboratories to guarantee that they are safe and irritation-free especially for babies’ sensitive skin.

D-nee Baby Liquid Detergent is PH-neutral so it’s gentle on baby’s clothes and prolongs its life from washing. D-nee contains sufractant which is biodegradable. It has no dyes, no optical brighteners, no fabric softener, and no bleach. The detergent is also ideal for washing intimate wear and clothes with delicate materials.

After washing my kids clothes using the D-nee Baby Liquid Detergent, I can’t help but notice the sweet smell and softness of the clothes. We use the washing machine to wash our clothes and using the gentlest liquid detergent should help prolong the life of the clothes from excessive washing. I also noticed that the kids are comfortable with the new detergent and their skins didn’t have any adverse reaction to it.

D-nee Mild Bottle & Nipple Liquid Cleanser contains natural ingredients like biodegradable cleaning agent Lauryl Polyglucose – synthesized from wheat, corn, potato, cucumber, and coconut oil. D-nee is safe to use in washing baby bottles and nipples, and helps revove stain and grease, leaving no residue.

Having a very sensitive skin, I can not use chemical cleansers very much. So I tried to use the D-nee Mild Bottle and Nipple Liquid Cleaner to clean the cups and the plates of my kids and I was surprised at how efficient it was. I didn’t need to use too much and it was able to remove the stain and grease. I also like that it uses natural ingredients so it is safe for my kids! And best of all, it is safe for my sensitive skin too!

D-nee Baby products is currently available in the following outlets:
• Baby & Beyond San Juan
• Crossings Department Store Quezon City
• Gaisano Mall of Davao
• Kukuduckbill Market Market Taguig
• International Freeport Traders Subic
• Landmark Department Store Trinoma
• Landmark Department Store Makati
• Pioneer Centre Pasig

These D-nee products are also being sold online, through the D-nee Facebook Fan Page! Customers can simply view the product gallery and ordering guidelines, and then click the Order Form to complete their purchase. Delivery is free within Metro Manila!

D-nee is exclusively distributed by Transaxion Unlimited (TXN), the company behind the leading Tipco 100% brand. And they are excited to share their new baby care products with one reader of The Mommy Journey!

Prizes will be placed inside the beautiful D-nee bag:
· 1 x Dnee Bottle & Nipple Cleanser 960ml Jug
· 1 x Dnee Liquid Detergent 960ml Jug
· 1 x Dnee Shirt

The giveaway will start on May 2 and end on May 12! One winner will be chosen by random.org through the rafflecopter below! Giveaway is open to Metro Manila participants only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Expo Mom 2012: The Best of Modern Motherhood

chris — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:50:37 +0000

I am a hands-on mom. Since the children were born, I have been a mom who preferred to do everything for them. I love being with my kids, doing things for them and seeing them every day. I was blessed to have fulfilled this dream of mine and knowing that I am where God wants me to be.

How about you? Are you a Babywearing Mom, who holds her child close to her heart in the hopes of raising a secure and confident individual? Maybe you’re a Tech Mom, who uses all these cool gadgets to manage her daily schedule and stay connected with everyone else’s? Or perhaps you’re a Mompreneur, who juggles the many demands of building a business and raising her children? No matter how different we are, we all have the same heart – we love our kids.

Join Expo Mom 2012 : The Best of Modern Motherhood, happening on May 5 and 6 Saturday and Sunday at the Rockwell Tent! We will celebrate the many faces of modern motherhood—Fit Mom, Tech Mom, Babywearing Mom, Belly Blessed Mom, Breastfeeding Mom, Earth Loving Mom, and Mompreneur—by putting the spotlight on the latest products and services designed to provide solutions to their many concerns. Expo Mom 2012 is the only lifestyle event of its kind created especially for mothers.

Complementing the trademark mom bazaar of products and services is a barrage of interactive sessions addressing the concerns of the various modern mom personas. For the Fit Mom, there will be talks on the latest health trends like shifting to organic diets, raw food, or fitness programs like TRX and the like. Guest Mompreneurs will share their success secrets. Mommy Matters will also be launching its newest campaign, celebrating the beauty of real moms.

Expo Mom 2012 is co-presented by Shop Mommy Matters, Philippine Association of Childbirth Educators (PACE), GlaxoSmithKline, Anmum, Sweet Baby Diapers and Goldilocks. Sponsors include CordLife Philippines, Cycles Mild Detergent, Cradles, Samsung, Havaianas. Also supported by Crystal Clear, Tiny Buds, Lactacyd Baby Bath. Media Partners include Manila Bulletin, Sense & Style Magazine, Style Weekend, Working Mom Magazine, Lifestyle Network, Smart Parenting, Breakfast Magazine, Multiply.com, Crossover 105.1 FM, Urban Mom Magazine and Mommy Pages.

Mommy Moments – The Mind Museum

chris — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:42:06 +0000

Since The Mind Museum opened a few weeks ago, we have been really excited to visit the museum. Finally, we were able to visit the place last Saturday!

We arrived for the 12pm-3pm schedule. All visitors for this time were separated into batches so that we wouldn’t be too crowded as we visit the different places in the museum. Here are the highlights of our trip!

My sister went with us and all of us were pretty satisfied with the trip. At least it met the expectations of my kids, since they were really excited to go to the museum! We definitely learned new things. To enjoy the museum, you would need to do a lot of reading. So I am sure someday, we would be back. I wish by then that the museum will have a separate price if I want to visit only a particular area. Anyway, over all, it was a good scientific day for the family!

If you want to know more about The Mind Museum, check out their webpage.

Do you have any recent mommy moment you’d like to share?