Happy Halloween!

M's costume this year: Jack Jack of the Incredibles!

The December Daily Project

Today, December 1, allow me to revisit my 101 Things to Do in 1001 Days post.
Why??? Because it's time to decide on what to do with Artsty Fartsy
# 11- Make a 2010 Christmas Journal (inspired by Ali Edwards and Molly Irwin).

A few weeks ago, I was chewing on the idea of making a 2010 December
Daily. However, I knew I had to stay true to myself aka magpa-totoo ka!
I knew that there was no way that I could finish this beautiful project without
"inflicting self-hurt". So much to do, so little time! Thus, I have decided on a
"cheat" --- I will just do a December Daily Photo project! Let's see how that goes.


Photo Credit

shimelle

A Peek at Singapore Math

Recently, I dropped by my High School Alma Mater to get some papers.
I casually asked when the school would start teaching Singapore Math.
The Competitors have already started teaching it! Take note, Singapore
Math is something that can be taught in school or at home. hmm hmm
hmm.

Singapore Math is one thing I hope to teach M one day. What has caught
me off guard is the fact that "one day" is fast approaching. I really have
to be more disciplined about setting aside time for M's learning program!!!

He's now 8 months old

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gozalewis

We've been BUSY!

I would have wanted to do a monthly progress report for M. But there is
this thing called LIFE.

A few days before M turned 5 months, life got exciting for all of us. Tatay
flew off for further studies. And that left me with all these things that
had to be managed. Thankfully, I found a work-at-home job! It does
get tiring, but I can't complain. We did ask for this!

So what's new with M? At 6 months, he started eating solids. At 7 months,
he was clapping his hands. Now at 8 months, he's a very happy crawler!
Sadly, the hustle and bustle is slowly zapping out his cute baby folds.

At 8 months, we have begun our homeschooling of sorts... We've gone
back to listening to classical music in the morning (just 30 minutes)...
We've started a simple baby signing program... We've started his reading
playcards... In the works is a foreign language "program"...

This is just regular baby stuff for him... How did that happen? Well....
Rule #1 - NO TV!!!!!! You'd be surprised at the numerous and varied
activities that can be done when TV is out of the picture.

More "kwentos" soon...

What's so important about today?

Search this:
From and including: Wednesday, 22 September 2010
To, but not including : Friday, 31 December 2010

And you'll get this:
- It is 100 days from the start date to the end date
- Or 3 months, 9 days
- Alternative time units:
8,640,000 seconds
144,000 minutes
2400 hours
14 weeks (rounded down)

~ courtesy of http://www.timeanddate.com

Countdown to 100 days

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjsorg

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had such an impressive first 100 days in
office that all heads of states are now graded for the first 100 days of their
term.

The first 100 days counts in other things as well: first 100 days in a new job,
the first 100 days of school, the first 100 days of a project, etc etc etc…

Well, tomorrow is a 100 days of sorts… Depending on how you see it…
September 22 is the start of the last 100 days of the year… OR September 22
is the first 100 days leading to 2011… Wow! Where did the time go?!?

Self-assessment time!

How has 2010 been for you?
What else do you intend to do?
And yes, what does 2011 have in store for you?

Let me know your thoughts… I'm giving away a Php500 Sodexho Pass
for the most interesting comment… I'll announce the "winner" on October 15.

Yellow Thinking Hat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam

"Students were deciding on issues they'd like to take action on. We used
the Yellow Thinking Hat to think about positive aspects of their life that
they could expand upon..."

This is something I should do more often...

Focus on the positive:
in me,
in others,
in my life,
in my surroundings,
in my experiences,
in my country,
in the world.

Choose, Act, Reflect

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam

"...Choose, Act and Reflect. As the students go through this unit, they
are keeping a record of their choices, actions and reflections by writing
on index cards and sticking them up. This is to get them use to thinking
about everything as part of the cycle, and to track their work."

3 Powerful words: Choose Act Reflect

More TV Equals School Trouble Later

http://www.flickr.com/photos/treehouse1977

"Toddlers who watch too much TV may struggle in school later,
with measurably lower scores in math, and they may get bullied
more than other children, Canadian and U.S. researchers reported
on Monday.

Less surprisingly, children who watched more TV at age 2 weighed
more by the time they were 10 and ate more snacks and soft drinks,
the researchers reported in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine.

They said children who spend more time watching TV and less time
playing with other kids may lose valuable chances to learn social
skills.

Every additional weekly hour of television at 29 months corresponded
to a 7 percent drop in classroom attention and a 6 percent drop in
math skills, the researchers found.

"Despite clear, age-specific recommendations from the American
Academy of Pediatrics that discourage any screen media exposure
during infancy and less than two hours per day beyond 2 years of
age..." the researchers wrote." - Yahoo Health


Here's some interesting news. What's more interesting is that this
concept probably applies to other "high tech" kiddie gadgets that
were not yet available at the time that this research was made.

So what's the alternative? Good old-fashioned activities: tummy
time, singing songs, reading books and playing with toys are
just some examples.

Yes, you read that right. As parents, we have to relearn the lost
art of using one's creativity to come up with fun -- and educational
-- activities for our kids.

* This post first appeared here.

Refund for Baby Einstein Products

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicejamieson

I've long heard that children under the age of 2 should not be
allowed to watch t.v. Of course, each parent has their own
opinion on this.

I for one do not agree that a baby should be allowed to watch
t.v. (educational or otherwise)... I'm currently a fan of the
Glenn Doman books. The "Teach Your Baby..." activities
encourage a lot of interaction between the parents and the baby.
No time for t.v. watching here... But let me give the final verdict
on this AFTER the baby has arrived hehehe...

Then there are those who think highly of the Baby Einstein
series. For those who like the products, you may want to
read this bit of news I got from The New York Times
regarding the refund Walt Disney Co. is offering
for Baby Einstein videos...

As they say, there are no instruction manuals for parenting.
There are no shortcuts to it either. And if it seems too good
to be true, it usually is.

* This post first appeared here.