Archives for February 2012

Unilab Run United 1 2012: Run with your family

I was advised to jog or do jumping jack after my shock wave treatment. We went at Pasig Rain Forest to do just that. My first born and my nephew joined me in jogging and I realized how fun it is to run/jog side by side with a family member. No wonder, Family Runs are hit nowadays.

And very timely, because the much awaited family running event is on! Unilab Run United 1, slated for March 4, will officially open RunRio Trilogy this year. This will be followed by Run United 2 on June 17 and Run United 3 on September 16.

So what runners can expect this year from Run United?

new race routes
better hydration stations
improved security
more safety marshals
freebies and more!

There will be 5 race categories:

Ceelin 500-meter dash for kids aged 5 to 12 years old
3 km
Dolfenal 5km
Enervon 10km
Enervon HP 21km

This run’s pre-race giveaway is a race belt or bib holder. Those who will run 21km will not only get a unique collectible finishers medal, they will also enjoy a new race route starting at Bonifacio Global City in BGC and finishing off at Mall of Asia. Shuttle service will be provided from Mall of Asia as pick-up point for 21K runners. Details will be announced.

I know my kids will enjoy this race because they can have their own singlet. Kids joining the Ceelin 500-meter dash will also get their own singlet.

You can register at the following stores for Run United 1:

Riovana at Bonifacio Global City and Katipunan, Quezon City
Toby’s at SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
The Athlete’s Foot at Robinson’s Galleria, Ortigas

You can also register online, just visit www.runrio.com. Registration is until February 26.

Run United is for the benefit of Gawad Kalusugan (the health program of Gawad Kalinga) and Hero Foundation. It is part of Unilab’s advocacy through Unilab Active Health to promote an active lifestyle among Filipino families.

check out www.unilabactivehealth.com and www.facebook.com/unilabactivehealth for inquires and more details.

DIY Loot Bags For Birthday Parties

As you all know, I stay away from plastic as much as possible, not the person plastic OK.. plastic as in plastic bags and the likes. So when it comes to birthday parties, I always use brown paper bag for the loot bags instead of plastic bags.

Last January 20 was my nephew’s birthday but her mom forgot to buy brown paper bag (for the freebies) the day before his birthday. We were left with PR materials and some creativity to make paper bags for the birthday party. This is what we got after an hour of paper crafting:

Here’s a step by step guide on making Paper bags perfect for Birthday Party Loots

Materials:

scratch paper (other side must be clean)
transparent tape
scissor
crayons

Take two papers and tape it on the cleaner side.
Tape the other end of the paper together.
Fold about an inch on the other end.
Open the fold and press it until the two sides forms a triangle. Fold the paper end about half an inch, do it again on the other paper end.
That’s how it should look.
Tape the part where the two paper ends meet. Start doodling using your crayons and create crazy patterns then put your hands inside the opening to form a paper bag like the one below:

And voila, you got an artsy craftsy paper bag perfect for your birthday party loot bag. You can go crazy on the patterns. You can also put a tag on the paper bag with a Thank You note from the birthday celebrant.

Fun Morning Routine Ideas Sluggish Kids Will Love

I have no problems with my boys getting up early..when I say, wake up, 2 or 3 minutes they’re up and going. When it comes to my nephew, the story is different. We literally have to drag him out of bed. And if your kid is the same as my nephew, here’s an article from Anne Mercado of Green Eggs & Moms:

Did you wake your children in the morning only to be greeted by half awake zombies?

Kids are adorable in their groggy state but when you’re trying to get everything done during the morning, it can be frustrating.

Need help? Let me show you how to wake those zombies by adding FUN in your daily morning routine.

First things first, this is a must: organize your mornings to make them less stressful. Done with that? Now we can proceed!

7 Fun Morning Routine Ideas Sluggish Kids Will Love

1. Bathroom baton. If your children share one bathroom, have them pass around a baton or large key (you can make your own props) to the next kid in line.

2. Morning wakey. Instead of using your booming voice to jolt ’em kids up, why not smother them in kisses or hum a made-up tune gently in their ear?

3. Early bird, early worm. Tomorrow’s worm that is! Have your children race to get out of bed. The prize? The winner gets to choose tomorrow’s breakfast. (Can you think of other prizes?)

4. Mad dash wake-up race. Continuing on the previous item, you’ll need alarm clocks that will go off simultaneously. Stand outside your children’s rooms and wait. The first one who touches Mommy wins.

The short sprint can kick away drowsiness from your kiddos.

For an added incentive, have the last person to rise do a chore. But don’t do this often since they might see chores as a form of punishment.

Note 1: Change the game mechanics if you have a mix of toddlers and school age kids. Bigger kids are usually faster so it may be unfair for the younger ones.

5. Morning checklist. The idea is from an article by About.com titled Top 10 Morning Madness Tips for Getting Kids up and Ready.

Create a checklist that details morning activities. Instead of using a pen to mark completed items, use laminated check marks, thumbs-up or whatever nifty idea you can think of.

The visuals helps give your children a sense of accomplishment.

6. Wordless Nagging. If your children find the previous item tedious, you can use printable morning routine cards instead. Put is somewhere they can see so you can give your vocal chords a rest.

7. Sticker Rewards. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book but far too important to exclude. Issue a sticker for every completed task. At the end of the week, give a prize for a job well done.

Note 2: No need to do all these everyday since kids will tire of them. Also, not everything on the list will work on your children. Find something they like, then use and build on it.

All moms know that with a bit of creativity and a lot of patience, a morning routine can be pleasant and enjoyable. Whenever fun is involved, there’s a better chance for your kiddos to get through their mornings smoother.

Agree?

Anne Mercado is the quirky author behind Green Eggs & Moms, which offers clever tips and news to keep moms with young kids sane. When she’s not hunched over the computer working, you can find her either counting down to ten to get her kiddo to move faster, or reading a horror book. She also loves vampires and zombies.