Parenting Archive

My thoughts on parenthood, and what it's like to be a mom in the Philippines.

Throwback: Sleep Time With My Kids

Last week, I had the chance to organize my blog’s categories and tags..and I am not finished yet! more blog posts to categorize! ayayay! I need more time. And while doing so, I chanced upon some of my Mommy Moments entries. One entry is about sleep and thought of making a collage of their now and then sleeping photos:

These are my kids in 2009.. that’s Kuya, Diko, Chico and Pretty Princess Sati.. as I have said, this is one of my favorite activity, staring at them while they are sleeping.. ang babait tingnan no?

And here they are now:

Bigger but still looks the same, parang walang gagawing kakulitan ahaha

They look so peaceful no? but did you know that it is during this time that our kids is at their busiest moment.. the time where they process the things they learned during the day. They move, change position, laugh and even talk, these are called the Golden Sleep Moments.

Si kuya, yan ang madalas mag sleep talk.. he would sometimes talk about the things he did during the day. The little girl would smile and even laugh while sleeping.. while Mico and Chico would kick or stretch their arms. And cute nila tingnan when they do stuff like that.

At yan ang nakakamiss kila Kuya at Diko dahil sa kabilang room na sila natutulog 🙁

How about you mommies? How’s your kids when they are sleeping? Malikot ba? Nagsasalita? Naninipa? Share with us on the comment section 🙂

Our New Sleeping Arrangement

boys’ bedroom

My two older boys is now sleeping on their own room. Yes! After so many months (or even years) of contemplating and planning, they finally agreed to sleep on a different room. I am happy with this new arrangement but a part of me was sad.. in fact, the first few days that they are sleeping in their bedroom, I’d check on them 2-3x every night. Nakakalungkot din.. ang laki na nila.. akala ko the first few nights eh lilipat sa kwarto namin.. hindeee..ako pala ang hindi makakatulog hahaha

I told them they can sleep in our room during weekends (akala nila para sa kanila un, di nila alam that’s for me! haha). I miss looking at them sleeping peacefully. That’s my favorite part of my night..staring at them, teary eyed and thanking heavens I have them (opo madrama akong nanay). Pero aminin ninyo mommies, you love staring at your kids when they are asleep di ba? Parang it takes all the worries and stress you had during the day.

Speaking of sleeping peacefully, of all our kids, it was Sati who got my “sleeping pattern”. She’s the one who gets really cranky in the morning when she didn’t have a good night sleep. And hubby would tease me on that, sa lahat daw ng mamana sa akin eh iyon pa (wahaha). Eh totoo naman di ba? pag kulang ka sa tulog or hindi ka nakatulog ng maayos, nakakainis. But more than that, sleep is vital for babies and kids. According to Mother and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines President Alicia Estiller, Sleep deprivation is associated with stunted growth, weight problems, low attention span, delayed learning and behavioral problems.”

Dr Luci Wiggs, an infant sleep expert at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, commented, “Sleep is vital for the healthy cognitive, behavioural and physical development of your baby. External influences such as hunger, discomfort, noise and other disturbances can all affect a baby’s sleep and bring them into a heightened state arousal (disrupted sleep) even if they don’t fully wake up.”

Number one reason for Sati waking up at night or for her not having a good night sleep is discomfort. Kapag mainit, naku hirap na hirap matulog! Kapag malamig, masarap ang tulog niya but I have to make sure that she’s on diaper or else pagising gising din kase naiihi. Thank goodness for diapers talaga.. kahit si Chico, he still wears diaper at night.

Back to my older boys, with this new arrangement I got to bond with them more. Kase nga namimiss ko sila sa gabi, I always make sure to have a few moments with them before they sleep. And I know having their own bedroom will also teach them to be more responsible.

Holiday Fun on a Budget

Having a family is very expensive, but it can be quite disheartening to have to forgo life’s little luxuries because the cost of day to day living is just too high. It is nice to be able to afford a few little extras like the odd day out, a holiday every few years, meals out every now and again, or treats for your little ones. One of the biggest luxury expenses is the family holiday, and it is something that more and more people have to go without. There is no need to cut it out all-together though. De-stress with one of these budget friendly holiday ideas.

Holiday Park

For an all round family fun break why not head to one of the UK’s fantastic holiday parks. They have everything you need for a great family holiday all in one location. Kids will love trying out all the fun activities and watching all the great entertainment and adults can join in too, or simply relax while the children play. You can win a Butlins family holiday with special packs of Cushelle at the moment so try your luck and you might just save yourself a packet.

Staycation

There are several different definitions of the staycation. Most take it to mean a stay at home holiday. Instead of forking out on accommodation, take some time off work, stay at home with your family and plan day trips and adventures close to where you live. You get all the excitement of the activities during the day, but can return home to your own bed cutting out the bulk of the cost.

Camping

Family camping is so much fun and you do not need to be a boy scout to do it. Whether you rock up to a campsite and pitch your tent, or opt for camping in the garden, there is something very exciting to children about sleeping underneath a canopy. Campsites are very reasonable in price, and the average cost of a pitch per night is just ten pounds.

Whatever type of holiday you decide to have, plan your budget wisely and it won’t get in the way of you having a wonderful time with your family. The last thing you want is to spend the whole time worrying about whether you can or can’t afford it, so try a cheaper option this summer. Great fun, for less.