How to Prepare for a Newborn’s Needs

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Having a baby is a wonderful experience, but it also requires much preparation. Pregnant women have nine months to look forward to holding their little one, but the moment he arrives, there are many things to manage. It‘s worth taking the time to get ready for the first few weeks after delivery.

Getting Kids Involved with Household Chores

It's the end of another school year (whew!) and we all finally get a much-deserved break from having to wake up oh-so-very-early in the morning every single day, preparing baon, tutoring, and you know what else. Can we all just take a minute and give ourselves a pat in the back for a job well done? *applause*

Vacation time is a good time as any to start getting children involved with household chores. Yes, part of it is about keeping them out of your hair just long enough for you to be able to accomplish whatever needs to be done, especially if you are a working mom -- but teaching kids to be responsible at an early age by assigning them household chores benefits child and parent both.

How do you manage to get your kids to help out with household chores? Read on to find out how to get kids to take responsibility at home and see some suggestions on age-appropriate chores.

Sweeping floor. Do not disturb.
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7 Tips to Help You Through Your Kid's First Hospitalization

August 20, 2011 – Holly's first hospitalization.

I stood there, in the pediatrics section of the ER, waiting for the staff to prepare our room. Holly's fever is at 38° already and her cough just wouldn't stop.

As I stood by our station, holding the sick baby as she wouldn't stay in bed, I listened with sadness at the outbursts and screams of the sick children around me. Never did I expect this to be emotionally draining, stressful, and just downright depressing. I went into this battlefield unarmed, thinking that this won't be any different than a regular check-up. It was a good thing I took a quick shower.

Kids Health: Healthy Snack Ideas Your Kids Will Also Love

As a mother, I know that I must make sure that my child gets proper nutrition - what with the demands of school and my daughter being in that stage where growth is at its peak. (I realize that I sound like a formula milk commercial, but we moms very well know that these concerns are valid!) Kids need to be healthier to develop immunity against diseases, more so now that it is the rainy season. Here are some practical and helpful suggestions on serving healthy snacks for kids:

My Daughter's First Ever Visit to the Dentist

We thought we had everything ready for the new school year but some things just happen unexpectedly. It was the second day of school and my almost-seven-year-old daughter Nini had to skip attendance because she was complaining of a terrible toothache. So my husband and I took her to a small clinic at the Fairview Center Mall after office hours for her first ever dental checkup.

A Review of ProActive Parenting's Gentle No's for Toddlers

Being a first-time mom with no background experience in child discipline, I’m the perfect example of what you shouldn’t be doing to your kid. Whenever Holly shows signs of bad behavior in the house (spanking or biting), I’d scold her, call out her name, and look at her in the eye. I’d try to talk to her like how a mom would talk to a 7-year old, but if she didn’t stop her bad behavior, I’d punish her by slapping her hand and raising my voice.

What frustrates me is that this method of discipline wasn’t working at all. I couldn’t get her to stop slapping her nanny on the face, biting her aunt’s shoulder, or pulling my hair. She is a feisty 1-year old who didn’t seem to want to listen to anyone.

Life Is What Happens

I was going to post a series of comic strips based on humorous events around my house with two wild kiddos and their harried homebased writer/artist of a mom. Dad and college kid home-for-the-summer will be playing best supporting actors for a cast of five. I even asked the hubby to do the sketches for me. However, both our artistic mojos have all but been lost in the day-to-day of mother/fatherhood, so that he was able to do only one very lifelike cartoon character sketch of the youngest, and nothing else.

To save the day (or at least the blog post for my scheduled day of posting) I attempted, with my lesser drawing skills, to do ‘em sketches myself. I did make passable drawings there on the sketchpad, I am proud to say. Why are they not here then? Oh, it’s because I lost the drawings in the clutter of my household. I missed a week of posting because of this. Told ya I was harried.

A Special Moment with My Daughter

I've experienced one-of-a-kind moments and instances with my 11-month old daughter from time to time, which sometimes gives me an idea just what is in her heart and, hopefully, what type of personality she has as a person.

Today, I saw once again one of her most beautiful qualities that makes her lovable and special: her ability to lift my spirits and make me smile.

A Brave Little Girl

I was crying today because of a fight I had with my husband. I guess my yelling woke the little one up from her morning nap, because she was awake when I stepped out of the bathroom.

She didn't cry a single tear due to the sudden noise. She just lay on her back and looked intently at the moving figure that was sniffling and crying her eyes out on a blue towel. She then sat up and stared, wondering what was wrong with her mother.

A Reason to Celebrate

Our young family rejoiced upon hearing that our little Nini ranked third in her class for the first quarter of the school year. This week hasn't exactly been a good one – as my fellow Filipinos would certainly agree – and the news did a lot to boost our spirits.

It was quite unexpected for me, thinking that certain adjustments with how we run things around here might be taking its toll on my daughter. Also, I guess I was constantly worried that my daughter may not be adapting well in school after her episodes during the first weeks of classes.