Month: September 2016

Categories
books mum reads

Revisiting The World of Harry Potter With The Cursed Child

The world of Harry Potter is suddenly abuzz with the recent release of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. I caught wind of National Bookstore’s pre-reservation promo and immediately told my brother Ken about it, which is a wise move as a lot of eager readers had trouble securing their copies on the release day. We got our hardbound copy a few days after the worldwide release and I was poring over its pages several days after.

I read a number of mixed and dismal reviews about the latest installment on the story of our favorite wizard, but I did not allow that to dampen my excitement. It wasn’t your usual Harry Potter book as only a small portion of it was written  by JK Rowling and if you were expecting the same experience as with the previous 7 books, then you are in for more disappointment. On a lighter note, this particular book is a very easy read, divided into 2 parts, one can easily finish this in 4-5 hours. Veering away from the narrative, descriptive style that we’ve come to love from the previous Harry Potter books, this one is actually a special rehearsal edition script of the play with the same name that premiered at the Palace Theatre in London on 30 July, 2016.

Here’s a short summary of the book from goodreads.com:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Personally, I thought the book did not live up to the hype. Neither did it live up to the legacy its 7 predecessors left, but putting all that aside, it is still a good experience to actually hold a new Harry Potter book in my hands after so many years. Even though I believe they could’ve given Harry a better father-son relationship with his son, Albus, a small consolation after he willingly volunteered his life to save wizard-kind from Voldemort, and they sure could’ve given the adult Ron a better character, reminiscent of his heroic exploits in the last few chapters of the 7th book, I am still delighted to have read this book and revisited Harry Potter’s world. It brought me back to those nights many moons ago when I was younger and was just discovering the wonders of Hogwarts through these books. For allowing me to relive that beautiful experience, I give this book  :yes: :yes: :yes:, and, yes, I am in the process of re-reading this book. I am done with the first part and would read the second one as soon as my busy mum schedule allows me or when I am done reading about MF’s tube stack.

Categories
events Mum Doodles

Mommy Bloggers Watercolour Workshop With The Crafters Marketplace

Since last year, I have been meaning to join an art workshop {I’ve been seeing loads of calligraphy and watercolour works on my Instagram feed, I was dying to learn how to do them!} but most are held in far-off places or are priced too steep for this cheapskate mum! So when Mommy Bloggers Philippines invited mums for their Mommy Bloggers Watercolour Workshop with The Crafters Marketplace a few months back, I excitedly signed up!

workshops, arts and crafts, Mum Doodles, events

The workshop was held at The Crafters Marketplace at Shangri-la Mall’s Rustan’s Supermarket. It is conducted by teacher/visual artist/graphic designer Ian De Jesus. You can check out samples of his beautiful work on his Facebook Page, facebook.com/artofianravenfox13. You can also follow @ravenfox13 on IG.

workshops, arts and crafts, Mum Doodles, events

Ian started our session with a brief background about art and introducing his tools of the trade to us. He has numerous kinds of brush, ranging from the most affordable to the most expensive in different sizes for specific usage, as well as a number paints. According to him, the more expensive the paints were the more pigments they have. As expected these expensive paints with more pigments yield more beautiful and colorful results. He also suggested the watercolor brand Simbalion for those who are just starting to explore the beautiful craft of watercolour. He also told us a short history of how difficult it was to acquire colors in the olden age and how some painters and artists actually fell sick and eventually died due to exposure to harmful chemicals and ingredients present in the paints. He enthused that we are luckier nowadays that we can easily acquire these art materials in bookstores and arts and craft shops.

workshops, arts and crafts, Mum Doodles, events

Ian also introduced us to the color wheel, but unlike the basic ones we were familiar with in grade school, this color wheel is more complex, with lots of other colors. Knowledge of the color wheel, according to Ian, will come handy especially to those who are just starting since it will serve as our guide to which colors complement each other and which colors do not go well together. He said that most companies use the color wheel as their guide in creating brand logos, as well as in displaying their products in supermarket isles.

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Categories
Children parenting 101 tips and tricks

How To Raise Digital Natives: Advice On Age-Appropriate Technology

parenting 101, tips and tricks, children, technology, children health, children issues
Kelly Sikkema

Raising children in this digital age can be rather tricky and can also take its toll on us parents. Children are easily drawn to them, and as parents, who almost always want to keep our children happy, we tend to give in more often than we intend to. Read on for a few tips and tricks on how we can get these devices and technology to work to our advantage and to benefit our children more.

Digital devices have become major tools that we utilize in everyday life. You and your family likely have many devices within your home that are reflective of our current tech boom. As you raise your digital natives, you must be prepared to introduce and orient them with various forms of technology. It’s important that you guide and monitor your child’s interaction with devices like the television, computers, tablets and smartphones. Each device is classified with varying degrees of age-appropriateness, educational benefits and potential negative effects. Here is a list of digital devices your kids will encounter and an exploration of their pros and cons:

Television

Television is commonly thought of as an entertainment device that merely provides an escape. However, there are many benefits of television, as it can engage the viewer and transmit information quickly. Educational videos are wonderful resources for kids ages 3-17 years old. However, pediatricians say that television shouldn’t be watched before age two. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found, from a study in 2011, that children under 2 years old can’t cognitively comprehend what’s being projected on the screen and retain that information. Recently though, the AAP has begun to change its tune on knowledge retention from television use. They acknowledge that kids can learn and benefit from television if it requires interaction ~ which many new generations allow for. Interactive responses transmitted through touch or speech response can induce learning and create solid connections in your baby or toddler’s brain.

Computer

A computer is one of our best resources for exploration of information. Your child will be required in many educational settings to use a computer and the internet. Create solid boundaries and rules around computer use so the device doesn’t become harmful or used for the wrong reasons. Make sure your kids are old enough, around the age of five or so, to understand that food and beverages can’t be around the computers. Have special security settings on the internet, so they have limited access to the world wide web. There is unlimited content on the internet, a good portion of which is explicit and inappropriate for kids. To help, PCMag has compiled a list of the best parental control software which monitor and filter internet content.

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Children mum's thoughts products and brands tips and tricks

Give Your Children The Extra Protection With Ceelin Plus

Each time the ‘ber months arrive it tags along an assortment of diseases and illnesses, like flu, fever, coughs and cold, and the likes. The little one is suffering from a mild allergic rhinitis, so I expect our mornings and nights to be filled with sniffles, nose wiping, and the constant requests for his “pantanggal sipon” {an all-natural soothing balm made from peppermint, eucalyptus, and bergamot essential oils which I always keep handy at home}. The fact that it is a tad difficult to get Jared to take his meds and vitamins also complicates things! And if you add the news about the threats of Zika Virus and dengue to the mix, it will be enough to make this mum lose her mind worrying about her child!

This is why I thought the new Ceelin Plus TV ad is very timely and relevant. It sums up all the worries and concerns that mums have today while reminding us that it  really is a must that we make it our goal to keep our children healthy with strong immune system to fight off these season-related illnesses. Apart from making sure they eat healthy and drink enough water, as well as get enough rest during the day and sufficient sleep at night to help their little bodies recover from the demands of the day, it is also a must that we provide them with a supplement that will not only help them keep the sickness at bay, but also makes their bodies stronger.

Since the beginning I have only trusted Ceelin, and later on Ceelin Plus, for my son’s additional protection. It has the best combination of Vitamin C and Zinc through ZincPlus Technology, that provides superior protection from sickness thereby lessening occurrence of sickness and reducing the severity and shortening the bout of sickness in case your child is sick. And did you know that the Vitamin C and Zinc content in 1 teaspoon of Ceelin Plus is equivalent to 10 glasses of milk or 59 pieces of biscuits?! Check out their new TV ad for more information. This is good news for me since the little one simply refuse to drink milk from a glass and he, for some unknown reasons, is not too fond of eating biscuits.

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Categories
announcement Children parenting 101

Where To Get The Best Baby Products Online?

As parents, we only want what is best for our children. We painstakingly make sure that they grow up in a healthy loving environment and ensure that everything we buy for them, yes including the cute stuffed bear, the books, and the innumerable tiny clothes, all contribute to their growth and over-all well-being.

Shopping for baby products is not only tricky, it can also be hard on the pocket. Babies tend to grow too fast and before you know it, they’ve already outgrown half of the items in their closet. That is why mums and dads need to be resourceful, creative, as well as practical when buying items for their little ones.

One of the most convenient ways to shop for baby stuff is buying babies wear online. Not only is it convenient and easy, it also allows mums to browse through different baby items while comfortably working at home or looking after the baby.

I have been doing online shopping for a good number of years now and as always, I am excited to discover new and reliable online stores. Recently, I stumbled upon Highqualitybuy.com, This shop carries affordable and high-quality products not only for babies but for adults, too. Most of the items are up for free shipping and they also have patient and reliable customer service.

Here are a couple of my cute finds from this store:

children, clothes for children, online shopping, parenting 101

1. Tulle Ruffles Bow Bodysuit Romper Mini Dress for baby girls, $10.04. This is quite reasonable-priced for a high-quality item for children. This looks very comfy to wear and is even made from good-quality cotton.

Baby clothes these days have gone from being useful and basic to being very cute and stylish, and I am sure parents have no complaints as these fashionable baby wears make their babies and children look even better. And, of course, it is also up to us parents to help our kids develop a good taste in their choice of clothes, right? 

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Categories
blogging Home tips and tricks

Preparing Pool For Winter

home, tips and tricks, homemaking, safety at home, cleaning at home

If we can afford it, I am sure we’d have a pool constructed in our backyard for the little one who is so enamored with water that he can spend the entire day dipping and swimming in the pool. I am sure it will be well worth it and Jared will see to it that he maximizes every cent spent on building it.

Pools are really fun but at the same time they require a lot of maintenance.

Most people forget about their pool once the season is over. But, if you do not prepare it for winter, there will be a lot of issues to deal with once the spring comes around.

So, why is it so important to prepare the pool for winter season?

If you took care of it in time, water within the pool will remain clean and pure until the next seasons and you won’t have to replace it.

In most cases, pool will have to remain fully or at least partially filled with water. This is especially important for concrete pool with ceramic and mosaics.

In case of polyester pools as well as the pools with PVC foil, there should be approximately half of water remaining as a way to avoid damage from underground water.

Besides that, in case of PVC, water keeps the foil always stretched so you are able to avoid wrinkles which appear in case of empty pool.

Anyway, if you already decided not to leave it full, at least leave the minimal level suggested by your pool expert!

This is how much certain pools require:

  • Polyester pool – from 1/3 to 2/3 water
  • Pools with vinyl – from 1/2 to 2/3 water
  • Concrete pools – full

Bear in mind that concrete pools can sometimes stay empty. The main condition is to make sure that there won’t be any underground water bellow it and also, by making sure that it remains covered during the whole seasons keeping it dry.

We also recommend to keep the pool covered during winter (regardless of the type which you have) so that the leaves and other dirt wouldn’t fall in it.

Besides that, you are able to protect certain materials such as polyester by using these covers. Bellow the cover, water will remain warm for a longer period of time without freezing.

Naturally, before covering the pool, make sure that it is clean and algae free.

In case of the pools that are completely filled with water even during the winter, make sure to install a special system which allows water circulation. This will prevent water from falling below 2, 3 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, if you wish so, your pool can be completely functional during the winter season.

How does the procedure differ based on the pool and equipment?

First and foremost, the entire procedure depends on pool type, how much water will be inside of it, whether the filters will work during the winter etc.

Regardless of the covers, it is best if you add antifreeze to it. The product will protect it from ice pressure preventing any damage to it.

What are the things to keep in mind as I prepare my pool for winter season?

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