Brushing is never complete without mouthwash, agree? Well with 4 kids (who all wants to do what mommy does), I really have to be choosy on my mouthwash, it has to be alcohol free. That’s why I love Swish Mouthwash, it’s perfect for me and my kids can use it too.

Swish Mouthwash also keeps my boys with fresh breathe… since they started using it (specially my two older boys), I noticed a big change on their breathe, specially on the morning

It has different flavors (more than 3 I think) but we’re loyal with Arctic Chill

Very timely, Unilab set us a package with our favorite mouthwash (kita mo naman sa above pic, mauubos na sya!) and we also got the try the newest offering from our favorite m outhwash, SWISH.

 Swish Breathe Spray, just like Swish Mouthwash is alcohol free. It is available in two variants: Arctic Chill and Peppermint Fresh

I tried the Arctic Chill variant last week. The fresh feeling inside my mouth lasted for at least 30 minutes. And because the spray is really small, it’s very convenient to use (I used it while I was covering a fashion show). The suggested retail price for Swish Breath Spray is P105.. I still have to see how long the bottle will last to say if it is worth the price or not.

Oh Noes!

TANTRUMS!

Don’t we all have that moment of embarrassment? toddlers are so hard to handle no?

I do too.. but in a way I am lucky that with my four kids, I only had one moment of toddler’s tantrums in public. Thanks to my princess for letting mommy experience it. We were having dinner at Mann Hann in Megamall when she screamed because she wants to eat on her own, though she did not threw a fit (like roll on the floor with matching kicking), she clearly made it known what she wants. If I am not mistaken, I just divert her attention to something else, which made her stop. Can it be considered as tantrums?

Thinking about it, why my kids never had tantrums in public, I guess my parenting method with them is effective. As early as they can understand a thing, I made it known to them that crying is not the way to get what they want. They need to reason out and work for it. They need to convince me why I should give in to their wants. So my kids learned how to bargain. Another thing, whenever we go out, we always have a run down of what we’re going to do and what we are going to buy as well as what they are not allowed to buy.

It’s not the case for every child right? Tantrums is not something that we can easily control, specially that tantrums is a surge of emotions that comes from frustration. Tantrums is also not easy for the toddler as it also terrifies them, the sudden emotion is not that easy to handle.

In handling tantrums, it is best to avoid it from happening. Know your kid’s limit and how they react on things. If you must force a rule or stop them from doing things they love, do it tactfully. As I always say to my younger sister, in handling kids, you should know how to dance with them. Say for example, your kid would want to eat on her own but you know that would not be possible, because she’s not yet ready to eat by herself. You can try giving her, her own plates and set of utensils and food but you will be the one to put the food on the spoon and play train or air plane to put it on her mouth. You will make it appear that she’s eating by herself but in reality, you’re still the one feeding her.

Saying No to your kids is a NO NO. Again, if you must, do it tactfully. Tactics. that would be your best ally. Take for example when they ask you something, and you will only allow them after a few hours, don not say NO, simply said YES and add later.

Pay attention to your kid’s need. I learned that in a hard way. Though my kids never threw tantrums in public, they still do inside our house. And I learned that as soon as I give what they want or what they ask for, the less they throw a fit. We, moms, have to tendency to brush off them specially when we are busy. Like when they would ask us to get something they can’t reach, we tend not to do it ASAP and it becomes a frustration to them, which ends with a tantrum.

When in public place, here are some effective strategy to avoid tantrums:

Give them the power to choose. Say, you are going out for a grocery trip, let them have the power to choose what they want, like what shirt would they wear today, is it the blue one or the green one? It will make them feel that you are not forcing anything to them, thus makes them feel relaxed.

Give them something to do. Grocery time is very tantrums prone, as it is one of most tedious thing parent would do with their kids. If you are inside a grocery, give them a task, like bringing the bread to the basket or the cereals.

Don’t starve your kid! Make sure that before you go out, your kid is full or that you have something that e can munch on. As an adult, you should know better, and even you can attest that getting hungry is like getting angry.

Bring something that will make your kids busy, a toy or a book. This will very helpful, specially if you’ll be spending long hours on public places.

Attend to their needs. If  they ask something, answer it the first time they ask. If they want something, and it’s now allowed, talk to them nicely, Give them attention as ignoring them will lead to frustration.

And when the kid is already throwing a fit, here are some effective strategy to deal with tantrums:

Do not give in to your child’s demand. Always remember that your kid is wiser than you think. If you give in to what they are asking, it will give them the idea that they can get away with tantrums.

Keep calm and do no react. As frustrating it is or embarrassing, just do not react. We parents should be in control of our emotions.   And though it’s very tempting to scream or tell them to stop, just don’t. Kids threw tantrums to get parents’ attention and when you don’t give them that, they will stop when they realized crying is not effective.

If tantrums persist and you think you it’s getting hard to manage it, take your kid away from people, go to your car or outside the store. It will help them clam down if there’s not much people watching and it will help you too to calm down.

Smile during the episode and laugh after. Tantrums is normal, just like us adults who gets angry from time to time, the only difference is, the kids cannot control their emotion, so there is no reason to get mad, just laugh it off.

Hugh you kid after the episode. Tantrum is very scary for the kid too as they do not have control of their emotion. Give them support by hugging them.

—

Tantrums is a phase that your kid will get over, even sooner than you think, we parents should be the first one to understand our kids. And if you think, you kid is a tantrum magnet, do no take it personally, not just because your kid threw a tantrum, it makes you a bad parent. Learn about your kids and learn to know why.

Mr. Patxi Elizalde, owner and president of BAMBU Ventures, Inc., BAMBU Store atB-3 Bonifacio High Street,TaguigCityofficially opened spearheaded the opening of Bambu BHS.

Kapamilya hunk Enchong Dee, PMAP President, Phoemela Baranda and Model Ornussa Cadness graced the first day operation of Bambu BHS. Prominent businessmen and their families were also spotted shopping later that day.

Looking inside, we found great selections of Ipanema flip flops, Ryder and Grendha (and Grendha kids!):

(yes my little fashionista, we will buy the violet pair)

And to celebrate the opening of the Bambu High Street, Ipanema brings you Spoil You, Spoil You Some More..

Ipanema transformed Bonifacio High Street to a mystical jungle where the Ipanema’s newest collection was paraded. The fashion show was patterned in a story telling manner and each mystical animal danced and made an impact to the audience.

A jamboree of mystical animals which included the playful and graceful dolphin; the sleek and agile “Jacob” of the land: the wolf. Also making his regal presence felt was the king of the jungle, lion with its powerful and intimidating stance. Completing the fashion soiree was the vibrant and sophisticated peacock; the soaring eagle with its potent sexual energy; the meek and mild gazelle that represents those with laid back taste; the sexy and imperial snake; the eye-catching ostrich; the zebra which dons its uniqueness in every possible way; and the funny and quirky caterpillar, which transformed into a glamorous butterfly as its fellow animals strutted their way into the urban jungle, a place where there is boundless freedom to express one’s definitive flair and need for comfort. Indeed, it was a runway spectacle like no other.

Spotted during the event were popular celebrities and top models: Enchong Dee, Phoemela Baranda, Ornussa Cadness, Mia Ayesa, Peter Norrdell. Mommy Bloggers were also present!

Bambu Highstreet  also opened that day:

The Urban Jungle Fashion Show is IPANEMA’s way of celebrating unique individuals who take on everyday determined to conquer the world and stand out. It’s a toast to go-getters who own their unique style and never compromise on getting what they truly desire.

For more information, visit the IPANEMA Philippines official Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/IpanemaPhilippines).

Smart Mom, Mother’s Day GiveawayMechanics

• Like Smarts Steps and Make or Break on Facebook:

Make or Break

Smart Steps

• Email me(peh_cats@yahoo.com) a photo of you and your kid (s) with SMART STEPS products and I will post it on Make or Break’s wall
• Put a caption (description) finishing the sentence: “I am a SMART MOM because…”
• Encourage your friends to share your photo with this phrase: @Smart Steps & @Make or Break, This is a certified SMART MOM! http://tinyurl.com/Smart-Mommy  (DO NOT FORGET TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO TAG the FB pages, sharing can be done daily, and yes you can also share your own photo)
• One entry per mommy.
• Winners will be judged according to:

Photo 50%
Answer 40%
Number of shares 10%

• There will be 3 winners:

First Prize: P3000 worth of Smart Steps products
Second Prize: P2000 worth of Smart Steps products
Third Prize: P1000 worth of Smart Steps products

• This giveaway will run from April 30, 2012 until May 21, 2012 and winners will be announced on May 25, 2012 EXTENDED!!!
• This open to anyone mom in the Philippines and prizes will be delivered at your door step if you will win!

Please PM me your mailing address so I can send yuor Nescafe Decaf ASAP and you can use it to join NESCAFÉ Decaf Summer Picks Promo:

This summer, NESCAFÉ Decaf gives you the chance to enjoy more relaxing moments. With the NESCAFÉ Decaf Summer Picks Promo, you may be one of the lucky winners of a relaxation package to Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Brief Mechanics:

1. Buy special NESCAFE Decaf Summer Picks promo packs. Scratch off the promo code under the strip.
2. Go to the NESCAFE Decaf Summer Picks app, register and type the promo.
3. Pick the relaxing travel package you want to win – a trip for four (4) to Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia!
4. Attach your face onto the picture of your desired prize. Use the app webcam or upload from your computer.
5.  There will be bi-weekly winners of Sodexho GCs worth P2,500 and Grand Winners for 3 exciting trips: HONGKONG, SINGAPORE and MALAYSIA
6. Promo Duration: March 1 to May 31, 2012

Thank you Nanay, dahil inalagaan at pinuno mo ako ng pagmamahal noong ako ay bata, at dahil doon, ako ay lumaking mapagmahal at may pagpapahalaga sa pamilya..

Thank you Nanay dahil nagtiwala ka sa aking kakayahan noong ako ay bata pa, at dahil doon hindi ako natakot sumubok ng mga bagay bagay at Thank you Nanay dahil lagi mo akong inaalayan kapag ako ay nadadapa, at dahil doon, hindi ako tumigil sumubok ng mga bagay bagay kahit ilang beses ako bumagsak..

Thank you nanay dahil sa pagbibigay sa akin ng liwanag sa panahon naging napakadilim ng paligid at dahil doon natuto akong umasa, mas maging malakas at nakayanang harapin ang mga sumunod pang kadiliman..

Thank you nanay dahil ikaw ay nanatiling nasa likod ko at dahil doon kahit kailan hindi ako umatras sa ano mang laban, sa pagsulong ko, ikaw ay laging nakaalalay..

Thank you Nanay sa pagtangap sa akin sa kabila ng aking mga pagkakamali, sa kabila ng aking pagkukulang, at dahil doon natuto akong magpatawad..

Thank you Nanay sa walang sawang pagmamahal kahit ako ay nanay na rin….

Higit sa lahat, Thank you Nanay sa pagiging mabuting ina sa amin, sa pagbibigay  ehemplo sa isang maarugang ina, at dahil doon, kami ay lumaking mga nanay na hindi mo man kasing bait at kasing galing ay hindi humihintong sumubok na mapantayan ang iyong pagiging uliran ina..

at dahil doon, ang aming mga anak ay lubos din nagpapasalamat sa iyo… thank you Nanay!

Napakaswerte namin na magkaroon ng isang Nanay na gaya mo. Noong isang araw habang tinitingnan ko ang mga litrato ng aking mga anak, napansin ko na sa oras ng sila ay isilang, yakap mo ang una nila natitikman. Naiisip ko, siguro, kaya naging madali para sa aking ang pagsilang sa kanila, na ang hirap at sakit ay dagling napawi, dahil alam ko, andiyan ka para umaalay sa akin. Alam ko, iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit naging madali sa akin para maging isang ina, dahil andyan ka. Maswerte din ang aming mga anak at ang mga asawa dahil hanggang sa kanila ay umabot ang iyong pag aaruga at pagmamahal..

Gabi- gabi ako’y lubos na nagpapasalamat dahil sa mayroon akong Nanay na gaya mo.. at hindi ko man nasasaasabi sayo araw araw ang aking pasasalamat, sinusubukan ko at susubukan kong maiparamdam sayo kung gaano kita kamahal..

Thank you nanay, mahal na mahal na kita!

==========

I know all of you, have a secret message to your mom, a thank you letter that’s to overwhelming to share. I know how it is to write a thank you letter while trying not to wet your keyboard or paper (with tears)…reading a letter a wrote a a few years back made me cry…

I thank you for  all the things that I have in my life. For all the strength, for all the ups and highs. We have been through a lot, and all those years, you remained to be our pillar, our source of hope, strength, love and everything. If not for you, nanay, we would  not be complete, we would not be whole. You made us. You molded us, you loved and cared for us. You are the only person that could see some light when we are in darkness. We had our tragedies and you turned it into something special. You made our downiest moment, a time to bond and hold on to each other. You alone can calm our storms and I salute you for all the courage that you had to go through for us.

Say Thank You Nanay and share with us through Thank You Mom Facebook Page, create a simple thank you note or make a heartwarming video (like the one I did) or like Tito Boy’s Salamat Nanay video:

Ang tatay ang haligi ng tahanan at ang Ina ang ilaw ng tahanan.

is not actually true…

dahil sa akin, at sa aking mga kapatid.. ang aming Nanay ang tahanan.. 

So it’s about time that we spoil her sole too!

After the Max’s Restaurant and Body Shop Pay Tribute to Filipino Moms  With a Pampering “Sarap-To-the-Bones” Treat press launch, we went to Trinoma to fetch the GC’s for The 30 Giveaway Ipanema Kids GC winners as well as get something to spoil Sati’s sole…

Ipanema Kids line are perfect for kids of all ages. You can find a pair for your baby or for your toddler, for pre school and for your 7 year olds.

When Sati saw these slippers, it reminds her of her brothers and wants to buy the 3 designs for his Kuya, Diko and his Sangko.

As expected my little girl had a hard time choosing, she’s torn between pink and violet! (her favorite color) In the end, she got a violet Ipanema Kids GB.

Ipanema Kids are available at any Bambu branch.

The Villar Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization, it aims to support projects geared toward helping our less fortunate countrymen break free from the clutches of poverty.

-Villar Foundation website

Villar Foundation started in 2001 and one of their pioneer project was Sagip Ilog program. This is a program that aims to rehabilitate Las Piñas-Zapote River. According to Engr Dexter Gonzales, it was during the rehabilitation program that they noticed, that some of the garbage that was seen floating in the river was coconut husk.

Coconut husk disposal is a problem but Congw Cynthia Villar started a project that not only solves the coconut husk disposal problem but as well as improve the lives of the people, the Coconet Weaving Livelihood project 

Coconet Weaving Livelihood project is now on its 7th year. The project produces coconut net from coconut husk with the use of decorticating machine. It is a machine developed by Dr. Arboleda, a dean from Bicol University. The machine separates the fibers from the husk and what is left are dust. The machine, as Engr Gonzales told us, is at 585 thousand PhP. It can decorticate 10,000 coconut husk a day.

Coconut Vendors willingly bring their coconut husk waste to the Coconet weaving factory located at Brgy E. Aldana (the factory that we visit). The husk, then will be put at the machine for decorticating (which produces two by products: fibers and dust). After the fibers are separated, a family member will dust it. After dusting, a pair will twine it to make coconut rope. After that another pair will weave it to make a coconet. Coconet making is a family matter as we were told. Each family will work hand in hand to make a coconet. According to Atty Reggie, each week, a family can produce 3 rolls of net on the average (a roll is 1 meter by 50 meters net). The foundation will buy the nets produced for the week, for 1000 PhP per roll of net and sells it for 2000 PhP. The profit that the foundation make from coconet weaving was used to pay for the blankets from the Las Piñas Handloom Weaving Center (which we also visited).

You may ask where or what is the use of the coconet? It is being used as slope protection. It was used to prevent soil erosion one of the problems faced during the rehabilitation of the river. The coconet is placed at 45 degree angle on the lands around the river. Plants (specially bamboo) where planted in between the nets. The coconet together with the plant’s root system holds the soil and absorbs water too. 

Las Piñas Handloom Weaving Center is located at Bernabe Compound. It is a livelihood project that answers the call of relief operations. Villar Foundation, instead of buying blankets, decided to create their own blanket. It employs 24 workers and as mentioned, profits from the Coconet Weaving project was used to pay for the workers.

The Eco Center at Barangay Pamplona Dos is another Villar Foundation that we visited. Brgy Captain Roberto Villalon shared with us how segregation and composting made a difference in their waste management.

Their waste was classified as wet and dry. Wet are mostly composed of biodegrable waste and kitchen waste. This waste they turn into an organic fertilizer through organic composition. The food and kitchen waste collected (collection done every morning) together with the dust from the coconet weaving factory and trichodema were placed in a composting machine for one week. After a week, the food waste becomes an organic fertilizer:

And since plastics is not biodegrable, Villar Foundation think of something to make use of the plastic, specially plastic bags and sachet. This was used to make hollow blocks where in 10kg of plastic was mixed with 1 sack of cement and 20 kg of sand.

Other projects in the ecocenter are:

• Biogas Project
• Backyard Aquaculture
• Production of Vermicompost

Las Piñas Arts and Crafts was our last stop. It’s a center where products  from water hyacinth was made. Of course, this s another livelihood project from Villar Foundation.

After the trip, we went to Villar’s residence and had a sumptuous lunch with Congresswoman Cynthia Villar.

 Congw Cynthia Villar, told us stories about Villar Foundation, how it started as well as their current projects. I am glad to hear that she also helps my city with its water hyacinth problem. I remember her saying:

How can you develop nationalism if you don’t even know what you have.

It was the old Las Piñas we were talking about and the importance of having an old part of the city preserved.

Though our time with her was limited, I believe all of us were inspired by her dedication and hard work in changing the lives of others through Villar Foundation.

I will be shopping for party supplies tomorrow, where else but Divisoria. Knowing the amount of people shopping at the bargain capital of the country, I am not a bit worried. Immuvit proves to be my best ally whenever I need a boost of energy. I know that even if I spend half the day shopping, I wouldn’t be that tired.

The week 3 routine includes 3  steps:  mountain climbers, half burpees and ski jumps. At first glance, it looks really hard but when I tried it, it’s not as hard as I though it is. The exercise, I think, targets the abdomen as I can feel the movement on my tummy. It also targets the legs as I noticed my leg strength was better after week 3.

I planned on doing the routine 3 times a day but was not able to do so. In fact I missed two days. Last week was my busiest week ever, and that I have to manage, on how I should make Metafit my priority in the morning. I spend 3 or 4 days working really late and just as expected, Immuvit knows what my body needs and I was sleepy most of the week.

This week, as we enter on our last week of the challenge, I will devote more time doing MetaFit. I have to do it 3x a day!

For those who’s with me for MetaFit, here’s a link of a video of week 3 routine. As mentioned, the week’s not so nice to me, didn’t had the chance to take a video..If time permits, I will edit this post and add a video

To those who haven’t tried it, I suggest you do. I cannot count the compliments I get for being younger and more active than before and that I look better now, I know it’s the growth hormones produced by doing MetaFit and the energy that I got from Immuvit. Let’s all fight aging, reverse somatopause!

To know more about Immuvit and it’s health benefits, do check Immuvit Facebook Page.