Homeschool Kid

  Kids are amazingly adept at living in the moment. They keep their eyes open for organic opportunities to stop...so they can see and take it all in and of course, be curious and appreciate the wonder. They see situations unfold. They engage in activities and formulate judgments in real time. They're filled with experiences rich with happiness and fun. They manifest what adults now consider as buzzword - "mindfulness". Kids do have that. "Buti pa sila... kaya marami nagsasabi talaga na masaya ang maging bata." Back then, mindfulness was also our way of life... right now, we already got conditioned to moving through life at an increasingly rapid pace kaya minsan nakakalimutan na talaga mag suklay. Uhhhmmm... puro tayo zoom meetings... works come in and form unidentifiable shapes because they're all what we have...from home to work and even from doing work from home. How we, adults wish... we could have extended walks with our inner child everyday and always ...

  "When in doubt, choose the kids. There will be plenty of time later to choose work." - Anna Quindlen This struck my heart a hundred times and made me ponder on my schedules and commitments... how long do I get time spent with my only child? These I realized... If you are a parent, your kids will help you determine your life goals. They will help you decide what work to do. They will help you determine time for other specifics and of course because you love your kids, you give them your all...they are your priority. *my personal viewpoint *I'm not a seasoned parent...'still young in this but I understand how much it means for kids to have their parents' undivided times, to be spent with them...because while I was becoming an adult, personally, time mattered most to me than any tangible gift. *I am so much into this, because this moves me... "if we want a better society, we ought to make our parenting better" ...as parents, we can't have teachers re...

  Home... the type of school that best suits every child's needs. We don't want our children to fall through the cracks, instead provide them a supportive learning environment at home; engage them in expanded curriculum where together we can bond and make time for creativity, play, outdoor time, project learning, etc., and accommodate their special needs such as the need to strengthen faith in the Almighty, build Godly- character and form Filipino values and habits that represent our very own culture. I confess, teaching our own child is twice the challenge compared with teaching other kids but taking and doing the choice which I personally told myself I'm about to do since JD's infancy, I'd no regrets for giving-up one thing I had for almost 11 years... homeschooling isn't only ideal because we have this Covid-19 pandemic... it's ideal because it's ten-times more fulfilling to watch him fare with his childhood challenges and learn lessons from there,...

  Exploring with stones, dirt and grass...plus the spare paint, he was able to build his mini garden well. One of my fears for raising a kid in the digital era is seeing this li'l boy in front of electronics for several hours and little by little adapting with what is common now among kids... swapping active outdoor play for a more sedentary lifestyle. Undeniably there's a decline in active kids...and I have this sort of thought... "back in our time then..." Sighs! Parents hope we can fully trust what's going on outside wouldn't harm our kids... the pandemic has added negative impact on our kids' well-being... of course parents understand the importance of encouraging kids to spend more time doing physical activities and active play, and away from technology. Outdoor play's benefits for kids' development are extensive...and parents can only hope we all find our kids having ample opportunities to play outside... This afternoon while doing paper ta...

  No parent is always conscious and gentle, positive and peaceful...at all times. ...and I understand it takes practice to be conscious and gentle, positive and peaceful at all times. Under all the conditioning, whether trauma or shame, social standard or other people's expectations, You are the parent you aspire to be. Never doubt yourself. Only accept the role and be grateful for being chosen to be part of your child's inward-out molding. No matter what the world says, claim your sovereignty as a parent. You are not alone in this journey. Don't get drained. Gods grace holds you. Whether you parent with a spouse or alone, God's grace holds you. #sidedishesofaparenting #positiveparenting #intentionalparenting   

  I believe that it doesn't need a certain age level or a huge bank account for any individual to do simple acts that could mean a lot. Last year, of the same day today, JD asked me if we would allow him buy some knick - knacks for other kids in the neighborhood. Immediately after hearing our "Yes!", he called up his Lola Mommy in Maryland and solicited an amount for his kids' pantry. Without a second thought, his Lola Mommy deposited an amount, funding the li'l boy's initiative. It quickly knitted on my heart joy that until now I keep. Every time I see this photo when I happen to do some unintentional browsing, I call JD to thank him for the gift of being his mom... His heart for other people heals some void in my childhood...it wasn't that I wasn't loved and cared for...that's totally a wrong notion...the void was more of wanting to help other kids in the best way I can but I had no means...I didn't know how I must come - up to that... right ...

  That great BECAUSE refers to... raising a kid and running a household simultaneously with working from home. Working parents can still make a difference...parenting is a priority and shouldn't be considered an interference to career advancement. Working full time and feeling rushed is an almost constant reality...working from home actually feels like taking twice the amount of energy... however despite all these, one can still work productively... and it means maintaining a steady average speed on few things and consistently getting the most important things done... For working parents... it could mean ensuring the child's basic needs are met and giving the child a sense of being specially valued. ~ Side Dishes of Parenting #cuddlybear #sidedishesofparenting