Mommy Pehpot, Author at Mommy Pehpot

Handling Their Christmas Wish List

As part of the Filipino Christmas Tradition (or even other nation’s tradition) it is a must that we give gifts to our kids. My kids, knowing this is the time of the year where they can ask almost anything, asked for a climber and a slide. They also asked for bike. The thing is, it is beyond our budget. We saw a climber and a slide in a toy sale and it cost $300+ (16K in PhP). I can’t imagine spending that much for a toy. Good thing that my kids can understand the word NO and a little explaining can do the trick.

We told them that it is not practical to buy that toy since we have little space here. And the bikes they were asking for is not advisable for them since it would just gather rust just like the bikes we bought last year. They got my point and settled for Mega Blocks which we already bought last week.

Kids can be picky when you asked them what kind of gifts they want. They would ask for gifts that won’t even last a day or gifts that is worth your whole month salary. How do you say no to their whims? Especially if you think the toy is not practical or that is not within your budget?

NO is a very strong word for kids so as much as possible do not use it. Use logic when you think you have to use. If they want something and you don’t think it is good for them, explain it to them and give them alternative. Like for example they are asking you to buy them a toy car which you think will not last an hour o two. Tell them about the quality of the toy, explain to them that they would enjoy it as much because it is of low quality. And give them alternative divert their attention to a toy that is a better choice.

It always works for me, that’s why they got more than a thousand of building blocks. Aside from my obsessions with Mega Blocks, this is so worth it. They never got tired of playing it. Everyday is a new day to play and build creatures or robots or house or even castles!

Check out my article my TOY BUYING GUIDE and try it if it will work with you and your kids. Happy Shopping!

Mommy Moments: First Time Mommy

The theme for this is week is YOUR mommy moments. So does it mean that today is our day? We set the kids aside and just talk about us? Hmm.. but I just can’t make a post about me.. me is equal to my four kids, when you say mommy, it always comes with the word kid.

So I cheat. I ask Mommy Chris what can I have for this week’s meme and she said I cna have any moment that I never posted before. She even suggested making a post about Sati. Here is my Mommy Moments for this week: First Time Mommy to a baby girl.

That is our first photo together, my first picture with my baby girl, Sati. Don’t mind my messy hair, I am too excited to have a photoshoot with her.

My Happiest Christmas

Talking about Christmas tradition made me reminisce my happiest Christmas (that is before having a family of my own). It was in 1998. As I have said we were used celebrating Christmas in large crowd, my father’s family and my cousins and all. That year, we celebrated it in another place, in Ilocos Norte, without my father’s family,just us.. me, my mother and my siblings (and my mom’s friends). It was the happiest and the most memorable for us.

Why it was the happiest though we celebrate it in another place?

That year, I was already a freshman in UP Los Banos. On our semestral break, I went home of course. During that break, my father, who already has two kids on his mistress, went home. He brought with him his two kids and asked my aunt to take care of the kids.My mother was really hurt by that and I was furious.. I cursed them for accepting my father’s illegitimate kids (although I have nothing against the kids) and not respecting my mom as the wife. Actually I wouldn’t have acted that way if I had not seen my mother crying..(I can never stand the sight of my mother crying) And up to this day, some of them still cannot understand why I cursed them (but I already forgive them.. life is too short for hatred..my family are now happy and contented and it is not my fault that they don’t have the capacity to understand things). M mother knew how much stressed it brought to us and as a treat we went out of town and we spend Christmas in Ilocos Norte.

I remember how we laugh out loud as we roll over down the sand dunes. I can still hear our laughter up to now. We went to Pagudpud (even before you guys discovered that place, it already made memories in our little minds) and collect shells and corals. We were ale to taste the famous Ilocos empanada. We went to different kinds of sea shore, from calm seas to the wildest I can imagine. We enjoyed the long drive from our place to Ilocos Norte. We laugh all the way and enjoyed the scenery. That trip took all our worries away.. Little that we know, that it was just the start of our journey and that we still have to face some battles when we go back home..

And though we spend months of crying and cursing after that, I knew that we made it through because of that trip.. and that’s the reason why it is the happiest Christmas for me. I wish i can show you some photos of that trip but we don’t have any. I guess it really is true that best memories can never be captured in films, paper or in sd.. it is imprinted in the mind and heart of a person.

those were the days…