Ben at Explorations (year 2), What's new?

It has been a month since Ben started his second year at Explorations and I am happy to say that his transition was a smooth one. This is not a surprise since Ben was enrolled in the summer program. I was a bit concerned about how he will adjust to his new teachers and yaya but was pleasantly surprised that within a few days, he already knew their names. I even heard him calling them in his sleep, probably dreaming of what he did at class.

He's more social now but favors a classmate who has been with him since last year. He still took his time warming up to his new classmates and has to be reminded to use his gentle hands and gentle voice most especially since he's one of the oldest boys in class. I think we are making progress since their teachers shared with me that Ben comforted one of his classmates when he saw her crying.

The good news is he's very comfortable with the class routine. I find joy in listening to him sing songs he learned at class. He'd also tell me about what he did inside the classroom and who helped him with his tasks. I am also glad that the teachers are being firm with him to slowly prepare him for a more structured schedule and eventually big school.

Bry and I look forward to observing his progress as we go through the rest of the school year.  Thanks, teacher Karen for these lovely photos of our little master at work.

Things I've learned about Managing my Time as a Mommy

Just wanted to share .. ;)

Being a parent is like a time-management booth camp, and over dinner last night, one of the things Bry and I talked about was how the way we handled our schedule has changed ever since we had Ben.  Here are the things we've learned so far ..

Plan ahead

Our Friday dinner dates are also our "business meetings".  We talk about the schedule for the following week.  Bry is usually more accurate when it comes to estimating travel time so I run by him our usually busy weekend schedule to get his opinion if we can really get everything done.

Be realistic

Having Ben around means things take twice the time to get done.  I remember last Christmas when we attempted to go the parties of both our sides of the family.  I already had a feeling we can only choose one but still wanted to try it out only to get disappointed.  It was then that I realized that we really couldn't do party-hopping anymore with him around, besides, it is better to spend quality time on one event.

Home service saves time

I was fortunate enough to have my best friend refer me to a beautician who does home service, and Bry's mom found a good masseuse.  Having an option of doing these things at home is a real time saver and not necessary more expensive.

Power of multitasking

I have to thank breastfeeding for teaching me the value of multitasking.  I remember the days when Bry would feed me while I was nursing Ben, and one of my favorites, watching a 20 minute TV sit-com while pumping.

Naps are sacred

Ben's naptime = me time, for reading, planning the menu or taking a nap of my own :) 

Location, location, location

I am thankful that Ben's school is nearby.  We can manage to get ready even if he wakes up less than an hour before class.  I am grateful that we are happy with the mall, church, restaurants and grocery in our area.  With traffic nowadays, you cannot underestimate the advantages of being happy with what your neighborhood has to offer.  

5 minute showers and 10 minute lunches

Yup, that's me.  when  Ben was a newborn, that was the only time I have to do them so I had to do things super fast.

Delegate and do tag teams

Bry and I are a tag team with Ben.  When one needs a break, the other one takes over.  It's how we get around to keeping up with Ben's energy

Be respectful of other people's schedule

When you say, you'll make it to an event, be there.  Let the other person know as soon as you realize you'll be late (and really try to catch up).  Plan ahead to avoid disappointing people you agreed to spend time with and apologize if you really can't help it.

Life is too short to do the things you don't want to do, and only you are the best person to judge if you're time is well spent.


HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!

Make Your Money Grow seminar by Pesos and Sense

Last Saturday, June 30, Bry and I were fortunate enough to be invited by a good friend to attend the first series of the Pesos and Sense seminars conducted by investment advocate Mr. Aya Laraya.  With more than two decades worth of experience in the financial industry, he now shares his knowledge with fellow Filipinos as to how to start with investing their funds.  Their group started with a TV show at GMA news channel and is now expanding through social media, seminars and the like.   It took a lot of preparation for us to attend since I had to leave Ben behind and Bry had to take a day off from the office but it was time well spent.  We really learned a lot about handling our finances. Here are the highlights

photo with Mr. Aya Laraya: first impression, he's an advocate in the truest sense of the
word.  You can see how sincere he is in helping Filipinos become more knowledgeable about investing

Begin with the end in mind

What is your end goal? A good question would be when do you want to retire and how much should you be saving regularly so that you can enjoy your current lifestyle even when you're not working anymore.  Setting a specific goal helps you gauge properly if you are investing your money correctly.  If not, you'll always find yourself comparing with someone who earns higher or lower than you without really knowing why.

Take inflation into consideration

When thinking about where to place your funds, keep in mind that because of the inflation, your P1000 right now will not allow you to buy the same things a year from now.  So make sure your money is growing at a higher rate to fight inflation.

Research to find the best type of investment for you

There's no kind of investment that best fits everyone.  Some are riskier but can yield better returns.  Aya discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each type of investment and encourages us to do further research so we can decide for ourselves which best fits our lifestyle.

For more information about the series of seminars, please contact .  The next seminar will be on July 21 2-5pm at the Tektite Towers in Ortigas, Pasig.  It will surely be worth your while.  For more information please contact 4302237, email seminars@pesosandsense.com, or visit their Facebook fanpage here .