posted by Jennie on Nov 30
We have tried to stay clear of political issues when it comes to things we tackle in this site. But with the election coming up in a few months, there really is no way we could totally keep mum and not give a piece of our minds. I admit to veering away from watching the news for the longest time but lately, we have found ourselves following through each news that comes up. We are choosing not to remain hopeless amidst our frustration over our government. We may only be but two votes, but we do plan to use them wisely, as the Lord would lead us to vote for particular candidates. With this said, we cannot just stand in the sidelines with apathy.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 29
MarriageandBeyond.com is turning 2 this December with a blog contest and we are raffling off Dr. James Dobson’s Best Seller, The New Dare to Discipline book and P500 worth of Starbucks GCs to one of our dear readers. This contest is open to all Philippine residents. With the consideration that at least 55.9% of our readers are from the United States, and if you happen to live in another country and you have a local address I could send the book to, in case you win, then you’re in!
In celebration of our 8th wedding anniversary, we added the P500 worth of Starbucks GCs that you guys could use to treat your loved ones on a date or even help you grab a hold of that must have planner. We figured what was best to go well with a book and it’s GCs from Starbucks, no less. The hubby and I love to spend time reading our own sets of books over Fraps of our choice. 
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posted by Jennie on Nov 26
The country celebrates the National Week for the Gifted and Talented on November 22 to 28. The annual event, held every fourth week of November, was declared through Presidential Proclamation No. 199 by then President Joseph Estrada in 1999, to promote opportunities for talented children and to help parents and teachers foster an environment for children to nurture their potentials and utilize their skills at home, school and the community. This is also the time to recognize the exemplary performance of gifted and talented Filipino children all over in the country.
In celebration of the National Week for the Gifted and Talented, the Philippine Association for the Gifted (PAG) is holding its 12th Annual Convention-Workshop. Entitled “Nurturing Giftedness: New Directions” and slated on November 25 to 26 at the Mandarin Oriental Suites, Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City, the event will serve as a venue to learn new methods in nurturing children’s talents and potentials. Hundreds of parents, teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors and professors are expected to attend the workshop.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 24
BiblicalParenting.org has once again tackled another controversial topic. They rightly entitled it, “Be Careful with Triangles” and it explains why it is important for the husband and the wife to be a team when it comes to disciplining their child and the dynamics behind the different personalities in one’s family and how to go about them to promote healing, when hurt takes place.
Be Careful with Triangles
Triangles in relationships happen often in family life. Conflict between two people can become an invitation for another person to join in. If parents aren’t careful, and create triangles inappropriately, people get hurt. But if triangles are used properly, they become great opportunities for healing and learning. Here are some examples to watch out for:
• A child who is unhappy with Dad’s discipline may go to Mom and try to get her to overrule a decision.
• A dad may criticize the way Mom is handling a situation.
• A child may go to Dad with a proposal to get around Mom’s instructions.
• A teen may get angry with Mom for the way she’s treating his brother.
• One child may tattle on another.
Each of these situations represents an opportunity. Some advice suggests that triangles are always wrong and warn not to get involved. We don’t believe that’s the answer. Rather we suggest you triangle in as a counselor or coach instead of a critic.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 24
I had the most interesting time with fellow mommies last Saturday, November 21, 2009, during the Johnson & Johnson’s Bedtime Discoveries event in Manila Peninsula. It zeroes in on the importance of sleep in a baby’s routine. Right from the moment my husband and I learned that we were pregnant, we were set on doing things right from the beginning. As a newbie parents-to-be, we investigated on different parenting techniques and were sold out to the routine principles of Babywise. We can totally vouch for it even as this little guy we have who is now 4 years old has been sleeping through the night since he turned two months old and more than just that he has been one happy baby since.
the very pregnant and lively Ms. Christine Bersola-Babao hosted the event
The Bedtime Discoveries event affirmed the way we raised our son, even as Dr. Luis Rivera, Vice President of Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine further explained how essential sleep is in a baby’s daily routine. Although we strongly believe in getting a baby into a routine, we also made sure as well that we do not have a rigid one, this is when it comes to feeding and every other baby’s activity during the day. But when it comes to our baby’s sleep routine, a schedule one was essential. This allowed for him to condition himself and anticipate what’s next, over time. We first wash him up before we get him ready for bed, baby massage and then we will read his baby picture Bible. He’s had it since he was a few months old. This routine worked wonders for him.
Dr. Luis Rivera, Vice-President of the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine
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posted by Jennie on Nov 24
MarriageandBeyond.com is to turn two in a few weeks time. With this in mind, I was reminded to once again back up all my files, not that I expect the same nightmare happening with our current web host. It is just something that we have got to get used to doing on a regular basis.
As we turn two years old, we hope to be more wise as we hope to have this site progress by existing for its purpose. I am slowly getting a hold of some technicalities, but still not much. A more interesting discovery is that this site has generated sitelinks via Google. I first did not know what that meant and I haven’t fully figured it out yet. But one thing for sure is that we’re doing something good and Marriage and Beyond’s articles are of value.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 21
My homeschool blog, ChristianHomeschooler.info is now live! I have been asking Jeff for a good one month, to find me good combining words for a homeschool blog. I went to check with AdWords and believe me, I still can’t seem to figure out how they work. It wasn’t until I sat the hubby down and worked on his laptop last Tuesday night, did he get to focus to finally get me a the perfect name for a homeschool blog.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 20
We counted three years into our marriage before our son came. One thing my husband and I were set on right from the time we learned we were pregnant was to start right as we parent our child. This is why I have tried to be at my best health ever even from gestation. I made sure there were no missed appointments and we completed our preparation for childbirth classes for Lamaze/Bradley. We even enrolled ourselves in child care classes. There was no way we were leaving parenting to chance. Needless to say, we were really thrilled to welcome our son when he arrived in May 2005.
Even before I gave birth, I was keen on exclusively breastfeeding him and then later have him on a brown rice diet, aside from making sure we don’t miss immunization appointments. These were the least that we could do to make sure our son stays healthy.
with our days old son, Jed
When our son was ready for semi-solid foods, I made a mistake of introducing instant baby foods to him at first. The convenience is there, true. But I can only be grateful enough that we were able to shift to brown rice which I dutifully grind first before cooking until he was ready for solids. I bought a grinder especially for this purpose. Our son easily adjusted to the taste of naturally cooked brown rice, vegetables and fruits. No need for instant cereals or what nots.
Why brown rice, you might ask. Polished rice means that a major percentage of B vitamins are destroyed and that includes 80% of Vitamin B1, 67% of Vitamin B3, 90% of B6, 50% Manganese, 50% Phosphorus, 60% Iron, aside from the benefits of fiber that can only be found in unpolished rice. Although it was a tad more tedious to prepare than giving the regular instant baby cereal, there was no way I’m withholding my son the benefit of eating brown rice. Brown rice has to be soaked in the water it will be boiled in for at least 30 minutes. Nothing instant, I tell you.
cooked unpolished brown rice
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posted by Jennie on Nov 19
Our little guy is seriously working on his Christmas wishlist. But I have an inkling what’s going to top his list is something that he has had since he learned to say the word “car” when he was 9 months old. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Jennie on Nov 19
After so many weeks of putting it off, my homeschool blog is finally live! It’s barely a couple of days old and I’m not about to share the link just yet. Allow me to work on its content first. 
Ever since late June, I have toyed with the idea of putting up a Homeschool Blog. I figured, homeschooling is taking up a bulk of my weekday mornings, then might as well blog about the random activities we do as me and my son do our homeschool routine. But because I was yet to get the hang of it, a brand new blog will add to the stress. Less than five months down the homeschooling road, I am now so thrilled to have my brand new baby blog. We so love homeschooling that getting some few snippets of our everyday classes documented, seeing how my four year old is doing better and better each day, academically and otherwise affirms our stand to homeschool him. Despite the odds.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 18
Last week was an extremely busy day for me. The little guy had to sleep over at my folks thrice. That means I went home late at least three times last week. As much as the grannies love this little guy of ours, there is just something about him being with them that when he comes back home, it’s like he’s totally a different kid! Like seriously. It could also be that he is most likely to have his way with his grannies than otherwise. My folks see the effect and after a while they back off from spoiling him.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 15
Around the world, the number of children identified with ASD has nearly reached epidemic proportions. In United States, the rate is now one in every 91 children and still rising, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the Philippines, it is estimated that about 500,000 people in the country have autism, with only 5%of them diagnosed and only 2% of them given appropriate care.
Autism Hearts Philippines will lead global efforts in the prevention and treatment of autism early next year by hosting the first-ever International Autism Conference (IAC) in Pasay City.
Medical experts around the world, as well as foreign dignitaries and advocacy groups dedicated to helping families and children afflicted with ASD are all invited to participate in the meaningful event slated on February 3-5 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
“Concerned individuals including health practitioners and teachers from all over the world will find their participation greatly beneficial as the conference will also highlight the launching of Autism Institute of Asia, a locally based “one-stop-shop” for children with ASD and the New York-based autism advocacy group Autism Speaks’ Global Autism Public Health Initiative in the Philippines (GAPH), which is dedicated to service delivery and research collaboration on Autism,” said Christine Roa, executive director of Autism Hearts Philippines, Inc.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 15
When the husband and I first learned about MTV, Jeepney Music, and Department of Tourism collaboration last month, we became interested. I cannot be more proud of a fellow Pinoy, Apl.de.Ap, reaching out to his countrymen by working with our government to encourage people to come to the Philippines.
We’re one musical family, even our son could carry a tune before he even turned a year old and even play around with songs and give them different endings and the songs still wouldn’t sound off. We’re actually hoping to enroll him in a music class where he can nurture this talent. My husband has always had these bionic ears for music. He also plays the guitar, drums and keyboards, while I love to sing. Although he could be a perfectionist of sorts, a little pitch higher or lower and he’ll give me the eye.
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posted by Jeff on Nov 14
At the very beginning of the Bible, when God created the first couple, everything was perfect. If anybody should have had a perfect relationship it would have been Adam and Eve. No children. They’re alone in paradise. No in-laws to give advice. No bills to pay. No work to come home from. No interruptions. No clothes. The perfect environment for a perfect marriage relationship.
Yet, when sin entered the world it brought a new dimension to the relationship and that was fear. Fear came into the world. And how does fear damage our relationship? Three things:
*When we are afraid of our faults, we become defensive.
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posted by Jennie on Nov 13
For the past year, the Guadalupe MRT Station has been the site of the world’s largest air cleaning paint trial. The station was painted Boysen KNOxOUT, the world’s first air cleaning paint, and data from the trial indicates that the paint on the walls is cleaning the emissions of over 30,000 vehicles that pass by the area daily. As a result, the station has earned a most unlikely distinction.
“In effect, the Guadalupe MRT Station is now the biggest air filter in the world,” says Johnson Ongking, Vice President of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc. “The trial shows that KNOxOUT transforms an ordinary wall into an air purifier that helps protect people from the ill effects of air pollutants such as NOx.”
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