Parenting Archive

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

Schooling The Generation Z

Generation Z is the term used for people who were born from early to mid 90’s to the present. This is the generation that practically grew up using the internet. With the technology being very accessible to this generation, it is not surprising that they think and act differently from the other past generations. And for us parents, it really is difficult dealing with the generation gap and the challenge of schooling this very advance generation.

A very intimate discussion/lunch gave us a glimpse on how Reedley International School deals with the generation Z. And one of their school policy is No Bully Policy. Their goal is to the school to have a zero bully incident…

Here are the other moms who attended the mini gathering..

Photo courtesy of My Mom Friday

Reedley Background
Reedly International School was founded by Mrs. Nellie Aquino-Ong in 1999. It started as a review center for students who want to get into the country’s top universities. In 2000, Reedley opened as an Upper School with 80 students, but they now have Lower School (Grades 1 to 4) and Middle School (Grades 5 to 7). They currently have 500 students from 19 different nationalities.

Know more about Reedey International by visiting their website.

Helping Your Kids Develop Good Habits

Not all habits are bad and no matter what age your kids are there are a few universally regarded ways to keep them healthy, responsible and in line for a great future. As a parent, you want to steer them in the right direction without being a dictator. If your kids see you as a dictator, they will do the opposite of what you say. Therefore you should encourage healthy, fun habits that will stick with them as they become young adults:

Be careful with credit cards. From the time they are old enough to want to buy something you should be teaching your kids responsible spending behaviors. Get them one of the best cash reward credit cards and let them experiment with finances. At the end of the month if they can’t pay off their bills (which, of course, should be extremely low–$50 max) with chore money their spending luxuries are cut off. This will teach them valuable lessons for the real world.

Reading is cool. I don’t just mean the Chase Sapphire preferred review (although I guess if you’re teaching them about credit cards, it would be useful). Get your kids hooked (remember, not all habits are bad) on reading literature. Young adult (YA) fiction is bigger than ever with the Twilight series and the Hunger Games following closely in the footsteps of Harry Potter, and new high quality work appears every year. Studies have shown that kids who develop a love of reading early are more likely to be happy and succeed in life.

Be aware of Internet privacy. Most kids are smarter with social media than their parents but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily safe. The Internet can be used for good and it can be used for bad and your kids should know that they have to be careful with what they post about themselves and who they interact with online. This will be important for the rest of their lives, as the Internet won’t be going away anytime soon. In addition to restricting what sites they visit you may have to set ground rules about what information (for example, where they live) they can share.

Raising kids in today’s society is not easy. With so much irresponsible spending and Internet sites, many dangers lurk about and bad influences come from all directions. But there are ways to steer your kids in the right direction without cramping their love of fun and being known as Mommy the Dictator.

This is a guest article

Never Underestimate Your Kid’s Capacity To Manipulate You

When I first learned about my pregnancy for my first born, I was really happy.. but of course, a very big part of me was worried.. I am not sure how it is to be a parent. I read books, lot of books and in the end I learned that parenting is a never ending learning process. Parenting differs from one parent to another and though I already have four kids I know I still have a lot more to learn. I will share with you some of thine things that I learned along the way:

For first time parents, getting advice from your parents will be your best ally but in the end, what your child needs should still be your guide. You have to remember that every child is different, every technique is different.. Do not be influence with what people says. Take their advice, learn from it but don’t live for it.

Having another child can be difficult at times, you will be dealing with jealousy and siblings rivalry. You cannot prevent petty quarrels but you prevent jealousy. Start right by educating your first born about the incoming baby and from there work it out for them to love each other.

Having a lot of kids (more than 2) is a lot harder.. there is too much that needs your attention and admit it or not, it is really hard to manage time, and spending the same number of hours with each kid.. the best advise I got is to date my kids, spend a time for each, take them out and make them special.

Lastly, parenting involves your partner too.. both of you should practice or agree on the same technique, the kids will know if you do not agree and will use it to their advantage 🙂

Never underestimate your kid’s capacity to manipulate you, they’re very good on that and of course never forget to let your kids know how much you love.. I believe that’s the most effective parenting style 🙂