Category Archives: parenting

No TV From Today

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16
i just want to put into record that our TV has been put away. Dimple brought home her report card today and when I saw 88 there, I can’t breath. I was so hurt. I wanted to hit her but controlled myself but my mouth and volume of voice was not. I almost to cry but her cousins were around so I just talk and talk. I let her chose between two: stopping school beginning tomorrow and then I would not be worried if she won’t study her lessons anymore and she can watch tv as long as she want to. She can also play as long as she want. I am sure that I would feel better if she would really stop tomorrow. I told her that she can go back to school years later when she is already ready and responsible enough to really study and make good grades. And the other one is she still goes back to school tomorrow, be serious in her studies but as punishment, NO TV until the summer days. She chose the latter and she studied her english book until 9:30.

Her grades were discouraging. 2 important subjects gone down 5 points. The others 1 or 2 pts and the worst was that 88. I can’t accept those grades from someone like her. She has brains but she did not use it to the max and she does not have anything to do at home. My mom also was sad. She said she did everything for these girls (D and 2 other grandkids) by waking up early morning to cook for them and yet they are still late in school — coz dimple slept so late at night. She won’t sleep until Marimar is done. So now, goodbye Marimar! Goodbye all TV shows.

Maybe she didnt take me seriously of what i said previously. Incentives seems not to work well with her anymore. This is too much now so the TV has really to go away. Sorry to mom but she too understood.
Honestly, I want her to stop so she still can play as much as she want to. I know it would not be too bad. She is still very young. But she does not want to. She just want to be in school, study a abit, play a lot, ask from me allowances, school fees, projects. So the result: low grades.

Hmmm am I being too hard on her?

Unforgetable Walk

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2
I am blogging about this just for the record because it is the first time that happened after a long long time.

My mom, me, and my daughter went out to the city to windowshop. We don’t have money but we just want to stretch our legs after being just at home for the past days. We tried to avoid the crowd so we walk passed the small streets and we walk very very slow — for the sake of my mom. We walked single file — me ahead, mom next, then dimple at the end. Dimple would like to walk ahead of me or beside me but i told her to walk behind my mom incase my mom would feel dizzy and will fall. We were so good in avoiding the crowd til we reach the market area. We enjoyed checking the relief goods thinking that we would come back one day to buy some for ourselves. Stuff from Japan and Korea were still good especially the tshirts and blouses. Ohhh I really want to pick something for myself but I told myself, maybe this is not yet the right time. Hopefully January will be better.
Mom walks so slow. Seeing her walking that speed aches my heart. It made me realize how her sickness made her so weak. We met some friends along the way and she was so happy to see one that is 78 years old. I met some aunties and some friends, too and it is a joy to exchange real smiles with them.
Ohhhh how i wish life is just so simply uncomplicated, but it is not like that for now.
Anyway, i really hope for a better year ahead!

Detouring

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8
My daughter is an active one. When we walk out together, she is always on the run. If a reprimand her, she tends to walk ahead. If i walk fast, she’s faster. Two hours back, on our way to their christmas party, she walked ahead of me and for some 5 minutes she was nowhere to be found. I was angry. I could feel hot smoke coming out of my ears. I am sure I have shouted her name if I was in a quiet or remote place, but am not — I was in the middle of the school. When she came near me, I really can’t help but grabbed her to the side and pinchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh her hard on her sides. I guess she saw burning coals in my eyes when I grabbed her because she did not flinch a bit inspite of the pain I gave her. i was so mad. I didn’t understand where she went and for what she did. She likes detouring. And with this, if i don’t have to curve this now, I am sure she will be having a hard time in school activities in the future.

About Me in All About Her

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As posted at ALL About Her site.

Am an all-in-one mom (mom & dad) to this lovely girl whom I gave birth in September 1997. It is not a perfect family picture but I am trying to give her all the love she needs and wanted. Am trying to give her all the mama’s love that a mom could give to her child.

I am also a mom-on-the-go and I missed her toddler years where a mom and child could build a strong parental bond. In spite the fact that I was always away from her, I feel she has still grown into a normal child.

Life has really been hard for me since the time she was born but it was a BEARABLE hardship! She brings color to my world!

What’s In Your Lunch Box?

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3
These past days, at the end of the day I end up getting worried on what will the kids eat for lunch the next day. I mean eat rice with – a viand. My family is like a goat. We are vegetable eaters. I grew up eating vegetables, but kids nowadays have less love for vegetables :( that is why I always worry what to cook the next day for the lunchbox. I am talking here of kids because my mom is not preparing food only for my girl but for 3 other kids as well (my bro’s kids) as they all go to the same school.

Now, these kids never carry vegetable recipes to school. My girl does not have any problems with whatever recipes as long as it is not vegetables or if it is — at least it is a recipe cooked with eggs or some meat or fish. But the other kids, ohhh my I have a headache because they never carry to school anything that has vege. So mostly paired with their freshly cooked rice is a variation of fried fish (cut of full small sized fish), scrambled egg, fried egg, chicken sausage, eggplant omelette, baby fish omelette. That’s all! They never carry vegetables.

Compared to my time, me and my siblings only have fried eggs or fish once in a blue moon but almost daily, we have plain boiled malunggay, camote tops salad, stir fried camote tops, or anything stir fried composed of vegetables. The worst thing with the boiled malunggay is that I (as the eldest) have to carry that measuring pitcher as the container and when walking it sometimes tip to either left or right and dripped the sabaw (water). LOL! One of my classmates even commented, do you really eat that? Another said, why do you always have to eat vegetable like that, does it taste nice? Can I taste? (she tasted the sabaw) :D

If i have to think of it now, I guess they are really lucky because I think they have nice (what most kids today think is nice) food. But you know, I guess we had more healthier foods than they do.

The Princess and Lady Jasmine :)

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2
I saw her from afar with 2 of her friends. I was guessing that they were on their way to the mid=week prayer meeting. And then here I am instead of making my way there, am making my way home. Bad example, huh! But anyway, when we meet face to face this is what transpired:

Jasmine: Mom, nagdala ka ug plastic? (Mom, did you bring some plastic?)

Princess: Unsa nga plastic? (What plastic?)

Jasmine: Para sa akong project. (For my project)

Princess: Ahhhh nganong wala man ka nagsulti daan or nihapit ka ganiha after school or nanawag ka sa phone pag-abut nimo sa balay. (Ohhhhh why didn’t you tell me ahead of time. You could have drop by the office after school, or you called me on the phone from home)

Jasmine: No. Karon gain ko moadto nimo. (No. That’s why am on my way to your office now to tell you and see you.)

Princess: Ay..gabie na. Mo pauli nako. (No way. It’s already late and am going home now.

Jasmine: ok. Mag church nalang ko. (ok. Will just attend mid-week prayer meeting then.)

Princess: Ok…go ahead and please don’t come home late. There are kidnappers lurking around so better be careful.


Jasmine: Yes, I will be home soon it’s over.

The latter sentence was sort of a joke but I want her to think that am serious about it. Who knows.

Now, she’s out there in churcn and am home, blogging. I don’t need a sermon or reminder why am not in church and maybe you think I should. Not just for now. And oppss after this post, will decorate then the christmas tree.

We’re On TV!

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1
Because of the flood here in our city, yesterday was declared as No class day so I was stuck at home waiting for the water to die down and when the rain starts to pour again, I can’t helpt but watch the water goes up and up so fast. Anyway, because of that — We were on TV. Oh not me and my family – but my City — ILigan City.

We watched it on ABS-CBN news last night and I laugh so hard when my girl, gleefully clapped her hands and jumped up and down saying, “oh, we are on Tv. heheheehe” I was tickled by the sound of her so happy and I just can’t help but to happy with her. It sounds like she was so proud our city was on TV. hehehe

Yes, we were on TV as it was stated that Iligan City was declared as on a “State of Calamity” because of the big flood that was brought by low pressure. There were many who were evacuated to school possibly one of the reason why until today, there’s still a shut down of classes and work.

Related Post: Never Ending Rain = Flood

Legacy of Education

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Sending your kid/kids to school is not a light responsibility. Thinking about how epensive it is = it is never easy. How much more if you have 3 college students in school? Our Academic Dean called it – “trimming.” It is the time of trimming with you are sending at least 2 college to school at the same time. Trimming in the sense that you have to eat only baby fish instead of big fish, eating vegetables instead of Meat. Eating cheap vegetables (seasonal) instead of the rare ones which are usually expensive.

While listening to him telling us remarkable stories in relation to the Legacy of Education, it brought me back to the time when me and my siblings were still in school (from primary to college). The primary school time for maybe was the worst for my mom because she did it alone — no one to help her. But I never heard her complain but I have seen how she trimmed down whatever money comes to her so just we can have a “good education.” The simple foods on the table, her 3 pairs of uniform for 1 year and 1 pair of shoes not changed unless the sole will be real tattered. I can’t forget that her white shoes. she goes towork in white, goes out onerrands in her white shoes and even to church in white shoes, because it was just what she have. Then one day, our dog playfully bit on her shoes and it was torn, and yet Mom still use it to work. I think I have one picture of her wearing that shoes later with the torn front. It always remind me of my mom’s sacrifices in the name of education.

Thingking about it now, it pains my heart, especially when I have extra money myself, I find myself buying a pair of shoes almost every month if not every other month (that is my way of treating myself especially when I had difficult weeks/months). My mom has never experience splurging whatever money she has on anything she wants for herself – just so we her children can have school uniform, books in school, and shoes to wear.

Anyway, me and my sister was done with college and our younger brother — still schooling until the moment and he has been to many schools and yet my mom never get weary in sending him to school as long as he can have at least he can finish 1 professional degree. Lucky for him now because he has my sister to help him. But even then — I am sure my mom will try her best, even to the max of sweating blood for her child to finish school.

My point is == No matter how hard life is, no matter how meager our income is, we should not get weary in encouraging or pushing our kids in school. We still won’t be rich in the end (possibly) but our children will be rich in the name education, a property or something that can never be taken away from them by anyone.