It's more fun when papa is around :)

Ben loves spending time with Bry.  There are Saturdays when we'd go to the office just so the boys can spend more time together.  Whether it's a busy or a laid back day, it is always better when papa is here.  Bry doesn't just play with Ben but would help out with Ben's bath and his naps.  Plus, it's always better to have a tag team partner when you have an active and inquisitive little boy.  Last week, we were lucky that Bry got to swim with Ben and also took him to school for his trick or treat..  We (Ben and I) now have the Monday blues but will surely look forward to spending time with Bry during the holidays by the end of this week.  We don't have anything special planned, just some good old quality time together.

How about you guys? Any plans for the long weekend?

Goodbye Little Gym?

This semester is Ben's last one as a Little Gym superbeast, and after thinking about it, Bry and I are leaning towards not enrolling Ben for the next term.  The main reason being the schedule.  The classes for Ben's age next year are in conflict with our family lunches and his nap time.  I feel sad because I know he enjoys it there, and it will finally be a student-teacher class instead of a parent-child one, but I guess it would be good for us for get some rest during the weekends.

We've been happy with Little Gym and will surely miss it once we move on.  I love seeing Ben do his forward roll and hang on the bars swinging all by himself.  We still have until December (yehey)  if we will push through with our plan.

I wonder what will be our next adventure... :)  Any suggestions? :)

On Sensory Integration: Raising focused kids

About two weeks ago, Bry and I were fortunate enough to attend another parenting seminar by Ben's school. The topic was about Sensory Integration particularly for young children. Our speaker was Lady Suarez, an occupational therapist who tackled how children have different ways in processing sensory stimuli. The goal is for the child to be able to identify which ones are relevant and react accordingly.

Without getting too serious about it, the main point of the talk was to be conscious of the kind of sensory stimulation that you expose your child to and be aware of his / her tolerance level. It is best that children do not become overstimulated so that they can focus on a specific experience. For example, it's hard to read a book while the television is on, etc. Also, the speaker stressed the importance of outdoor play and movement. Most children can actually sit still if you just let them move around and attend to their need for exercise first. Another thing that was discussed was giving children opportunities to practice their imagination and problem solving skills. It is beneficial for them to have activities that challenge them and as much as we can, we should let them figure things out by themselves.

In line with the topic, Bry and I decided to wean Ben from the television while eating. This was hard for us and yaya but we're giving it a shot. We also try not to help him right away when he's frustrated about something. We hope this little steps will help him become more conscious and sensitive of this surroundings and be attentive when given a task.

Any thoughts on how to help your child stay focused? Do share ... :)

Congrats to our Medela giveaway winner !!!!

Hi mommy Friends!

Sorry for the delayed post.  Lets bring some cheer into this rainy day by announcing the winner of our Medela Quick Clean Microwave Bags giveaway. :) The lucky mommy is ... 

Congratulations Mommy Mon! I'll be sending your bags to you soon.  Hope you can keep give us your thoughts on the product once you get to use it.  Thanks again to super moms Maricel and Beng for sponsoring our giveaway!  and my thanks also to those who joined.