I love it, I know it’s mine but I am really proud of it and I hope your kids and you enjoy it.

If you also don’t like it, please feel free to say so and why, constructive criticism is always a good thing.

Have I ever told the tale of a girl so brave?

She was one of Seven, all boys named Dave.

She was only small, but her brain was big.

She could tell you how to kill dragons and where the fairies did live.

She even knew how to make troll egg stew,

but you wouldn’t eat it, because, well, POOH WOO!

Her brothers never gave her any time,

thought she should play with dolls, not fight and climb.

They wouldn’t take her out on their battle trips,

nor to slay dragons or catch an evil old witch.

They just patted her head, say “later Dave Seven,

we won’t be back, till nearly eleven”.

Off they would go, swinging their clubs,

leaving Dave Seven to the hum drum stuff.

Now one sunny day, this was all to change.

When Dave Seven woke, her brothers beds were still made.

They hadn’t been slept in, not even a rumple,

the sheets tightly wrapped, not a messy crumple.

She called round the house shouting each one by name,

but Dave One to Six, never even came.

Dave Seven was confused and all of a wobble,

where were her brothers? Were they in trouble?

She waited all day and waited all night.

It didn’t seem they were coming back from this fight.

So Dave Seven decided to be brave,

in the morning she’d find out to whenst they became.

Daylight broke out the following day

and Dave Seven left home, her club it did sway.

First she would go to the dragons den

and look for her brothers those scary men.

Perhaps I should tell you, a bit what they’re like,

describe all those Dave’s and all of their might.

Dave One was as strong as an Ox,

an oversized head, shaped like a box.

A big yellow beard, that hung down to his tummy

Bright red hair that stuck out all funny.

Dave Two was short and as round as a ball,

a piggy nose and completely bald.

Dave Three was the tallest of all men,

all skin and bones at six foot ten.

Dave Four was quiet, a cuddly sort

long white hair and really REALLY, SHORT!

Dave Five was hairy, like a wilder beast,

hair on his palms and the soles of his feet.

Dave Six was the best looking by far,

with longing flowing locks like a famous rock star.

Now there are all the brothers, strong but dim

she never understood how the battles they did win.

Now Dave Seven was climbing to the top of the hill,

looking down to the stream where the dragons did mill.

The dragons were huge, as big as a tree,

All red and green scales, and huge pointy teeth.

Dave Seven knees trembled and quivered with fright.

But she had to be brave to win this fight.

Creeping down, her club in her hand,

she got ready to fight and take a stand.

“ARRGGHH!!!!!” ,she screamed out to the beasts,

“Where are my brothers? or you’ll become a feast!”.

The biggest dragon looked at Dave Seven,

pulled back his teeth, dripping with venom.

When all of a sudden, he bent down his head,

winked at Dave Seven and quite clearly said.

“WHY HELLO YOUNG THING, WHO DO WE HAVE HERE?

PLEASE PUT DOWN YOUR CLUB, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR”.

Now Dave Seven was stunned, what was happening here?

This dragon was friendly and full of cheer.

“Excuse me Mr Dragon, but you aren’t what I thought,

my six big brothers said I’d be eaten if caught.”

The dragon lifted his head, laughed loud and clear,

“THAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING I’VE HEARD ALL YEAR!”

“YOU SEE, ME AND MY FRIENDS DON’T EAT HUMAN MEAT,

WE FIND YOU RATHER CHEWY AND FAR TOO SWEET.”

Dave Seven stood back and looked at the dragon.

Pulled out her hand to shake his talon.

“I’m sorry Mr Dragon, I hope I didn’t offend,

my name is Dave Seven, perhaps we can be friends?”

“WHY OF COURSE MY DEAR GIRL, NOTHING I’D LIKE MORE,

NOW COME SIT DOWN, YOUR FEET MUST BE SORE.”

“I’m sorry Mr Dragon, I haven’t got time,

you see I have to find those six brothers of mine.”

“BROTHERS YOU SAY?”, “SIX OF THEM TOO?”,

“I KNOW THEM WELL AS ALL DRAGONS DO,”

“THEY COME BY THIS WAY, EARLY EACH MORN,

BUT DO NOT STOP, OVER THE STREAM THEY ARE BORNE”.

“Thank you Mr Dragon, now I really must go,

they need my help, I’m the brains don’t you know”.

“OKAY, TOODLE PIP, GOODBYE, TA TA,

IF YOU NEED ME, BLOW THIS WHISTLE, I WON’T BE FAR.”

A little braver than before she began,

Dave Seven continued with a whole new plan.

Over the stream to the witch house she went,

lived an ugly old witch all double and bent.

Her brothers had told her she was a mean old hag,

all wrinkled and worn like an old leather bag.

That if you were caught and couldn’t pay the price,

You’d be turned into a frog or a mouse in a trice.

The witch’s house stood not far from the stream,

all grey stone walls, all ugly and mean.

Someone was bent double, a cloak on their back,

Dave Seven got ready to launch an attack.

“ARRRGGGHHH!!!”, she screamed out,

“Where are my brothers you fishy old trout?”

The bent over figure, turned and stood tall,

she wasn’t a hag, no, no, not at all.

A young woman smiled and said “ do not shout”.

“I don’t smell fishy nor look like a trout”.

She was beautiful as anything Dave Seven had seen,

not a bit like a hag, more like a Queen.

“I’m sorry Miss”, Dave Seven whispered,

“My brothers said you were ugly and blistered”.

“They told me you’d turn me into a frog or a bat,

so I thought I’d scare you and knock you out flat”.

“I don’t suppose you’ve seen them go by?”

“They didn’t come home and I don’t know why”.

The young witch smiled and said “don’t worry dear,

I may be a witch but there’s nothing to fear.”

“i know those men, they come past everyday,

never say hi, just run and hide off that way.”

Dave Seven looked past to where the witch was pointing,

and felt a bit scared, it was really quite daunting.

For Dave Seven would have to travel the fairy wood,

where fairies were NOT kind and really NOT good.

Her brothers had said they would cut off her hair,

chop off her toes, if the forest she would dare.

But this was not the time to show fear and fright,

Her brothers could not be left another night.

Deep breath in and Deep breath out,

“I’m sorry for calling you a fishy old trout”.

The witch smiled and said, “it’s okay”,

“it’s nice that someone doesn’t run away”.

“now remember, if you need help,

just shout in this shell, give a yelp”.

Dave Seven turned and headed on,

With a shell and whistle, to see where the Daves’ had gone.

Standing at the edge of the wood,

Dave Seven peered in, it did not look good.

She went creeping in till she came to a clearing,

And saw within the fairies she’d really been fearing.

Bright bolts of light, fluttering around,

Their colourful wings making a beating sound.

Dave Seven knew their beauty was deceiving,

For really they were cruel and mean without feeling.

Plucking up all the courage she could muster,

Swinging her club into the clearing she did bluster.

“AAARRRGGGHHH!!!” Dave Seven squealed,

“Come fight me, or fairy cakes are my next meal”.

The fairies stopped in mid flutter,

Looked calmly and said, “Don’t be a nutter”.

Dave Seven stopped, not knowing what to do,

These fairies weren’t evil, just a little rude.

“I’m sorry fairies, for coming out so,

But my six older brothers said you were foe”.

“They said you would cut off my hair,

If into this forest I did dare”.

“You silly bean, that’s just not right,

Your hairs to red, it gives us a fright”.

“Six men you say have passed through here,

I know the ones, they’re a little queer.”

“They hide behind trees, dart in and out,

They think we don’t see, but they’re so big and stout!”.

“Over that way to the fields of Moore,

Is where your brothers go, near the Caves of Boar.”

“I’m sorry I came out all shouting and tough,

I just thought I could scare you with my club and stuff.”

“I’m quite confused and muddled you see,

I think Dave One to Six have been lying to me”.

“The dragons aren’t scary and won’t eat me for dinner,

The witch in the house is definitely no minger,

And you fairies, though quite clearly rude,

Aren’t scary and mean, just the opposite to.”

“I really can’t fathom, no how hard I try,

Why my brothers did this, why my brothers did lie”.

“I’m sorry my dear, but you’re really quite dim,

If you don’t know why they’ve said all those things.”

“But I suppose all humans are,

So I’ll help by saying you’re the bravest by far.”

“Just go out to the fields of Moore,

You’ll see where they go, what secrets they store.”

So Dave Seven made her way out of the wood,

Wondering why her brothers had been up to no good.

Why all the lies of fearsome foe,

Dragons and witches and fairy folk.

But Dave Seven was weary, a bit in a mess,

Mud splattered face and rips in her dress.

Branches stuck out of her curly mop,

Some dragon venom had burned though her top.

She looked quite scary and a little bit wild,

When she thought of a plan and started to smile.

Her brothers had said they did go out and fight

But it seemed that wasn’t quite right,

For really they were afraid of such stuff,

So would go and play ball, not all tough and rough.

So she would scare Dave One to Six,

Looking around she gathered up sticks.

She stuck them all within her hair,

Rolled in the mud so no skin was bare.

She lifted her club, high over her head,

Prepared a scream that would fill them with dread.

Running out of the woods, like a wild beast she flew,

Screaming and shouting, “ARRGGHH, WOO HOO!”

Her brothers were playing in the field of Moore,

When they stopped and ran from the beast they saw.

They didn’t know what this scary thing was,

But it headed their way, it was not giving up.

Dave One crumpled in a ball on the floor,

Dave Two cried, “I can take no more!”

Dave Three ran like a headless chicken,

Dave Four put his fingers in his ears and said “I’m not listenin”.

Dave Five ran and hid, up a big tree,

Dave Six just cried “I want my mummy!”.

Dave Seven stopped, gave out one last roar,

Then burst out laughing and rolled on the floor.

“Ha, Ha, it’s me, you silly big loons,

Dave Seven here I had you all fooled”.

Dave One to Six all stopped to look,

This was their sister, not a monster they mistook.

Dave One stepped forward and spoke out loud,

He was very angry and so not proud,

“What an earth is the meaning of this?”

“You scared us half to death, little sis”.

Dave Seven stood up and looked around,

“You’ve been gone a long while, you had to be found!”.

“And whilst I’m at it, I have to say,

You aren’t big and scary, I frightened you away.”

“There aren’t nasty dragons that’ll have you for tea,

Or ugly old witches, you’ve been lying to me.”

“ There aren’t nasty fairies, they’re just a bit rude,

I know you come to play, now what will you do?”.

All six brothers bowed their heads in shame,

They’d been caught not fighting, but playing a game.

“You see sis, we couldn’t let you know,

If you found out, you’d laugh at us so.”

“We may be quite big, and look quite gruff,

But each of us really isn’t that tough.”

“We go out each day, so you’ll be proud,

Think we’re fighting monsters, but really we’re cowards”.

“I couldn’t care less, if you aren’t always strong,

But lying to me was very wrong”.

At this the brothers looked very sorry,

Hung their heads lower, “We didn’t mean you to worry”.

“It’s just we got carried away,

Before we knew it, we had to stay.”

“It really is very scary out there,

With fairies and witches and the dragon’s lair.”

“So we hid in the cave till the sun came out,

Waited till it was safe all round about”.

“But I told you beans, they’re not really scary,

You’re scared about nothing, don’t be so wary.”

Dave Seven then blew on the whistle and yelped in the shell,

gave the fairies a mighty big yell.

When out of the sky came a thunderous noise,

You should’ve seen the faces on those six big boys.

For out of the sky, Mr Dragon flew,

All talons and teeth and fire too.

From over the stream, a hunched figure approached,

All bent and double hiding under their cloak.

The fairies fluttered out the depths of the wood,

And the boys stood shaking as only they could.

“WHY HELLO THERE DAVE SEVEN”, Mr Dragon roared,

“I’M GLAD YOU WHISTLED, I WAS REALLY QUITE BORED!”

The witch came forward and through off her cloak,

“You’re so gorgeous!” all the Dave’s choked.

The fairies fluttered forward and said so sweet,

“You may look tough, but there’s no courage underneath”.

“Your sister has shown she’s far braver than you,

You always run, before you find out the truth”.

“She faces her fears, and is brave and strong,

When you lied to her, it was very wrong”.

Dave One came forward, then to say,

“I’m sorry we lied, we won’t do it again”.

“We should have been brave, got to know you first,

Not listen to all the rumours we’d heard”.

“If it’s OKAY, we’d like to start again,

Maybe even try for us to be friends?”

The fairies, Dragon and witch all smiled,

Decided the boys were worth their while.

So because of a small girl who was brave,

Because she thought her brothers should be saved,

Because she made friends on the way,

Found things weren’t what her brothers did say.

Six big brothers and a girl named Dave,

Made new friends and adventures along the way.

Everyone is invited to come support the young musicians. Children in grades K through 12 are invited to play the library’s baby grand or bring your own instrument! Can’t wait!

We’ve pulled out the jumpers because the temperature is dropping. Here are some other woolly things around here:

Woolly Slippers: we call these the “warm shoes”.

Woolly Knits: I wonder how long I’ll get away with dressing my kids in hand knitted jumpers before they rebel?

Woolly Blankets: I’m stockpiling in fear of cold nights.

Woolly Pom Poms: still just hanging around.

Woolly Hats: I made them!

Woolly Socks: to help combat iceblock toes. Have I mentioned that I hate being cold?

Allow me to explain, she is able to take things that in concept would look stupid, and somehow just make it work, for example dying all her hair fluorescent red.

Recently she has her hair dyed so the front half is blonde and the back half is black, and as always its amazing, now the other day as i glimpsed that hair and let its sheer creativity reaffirm my faith in man kind,  i thought of a joke.

Walking past her in a corridor is like seeing vegeta turning super-saiyan, first her hair is black and then blonde, ha ha ha

*dejected sigh*

God, that was alot of exposition for just one joke…

So now that that obvious link/possible reason for a restraining order, is over with, let me get on with my usual thing.

Dragon ball z is unequivocally one of the most popular shows in all of  the dark twisted realm called anime, a show that everyone, fans or stupid people, has heard of at some point… wait that reflects bad on me…i mean non-fans or smart people.

If you have never heard of DBZ the you clearly have lived under a rock for the past nine thousand and ten (OVER 9000) years.

Also at this point i’d like to introduce a drinking game, take a drink every time i make THAT joke.

Japanese promotional poster of Dragon Ball Kai (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The plot of DBZ is a simple thing, goku is an alien and he uses martial arts and 20 minutes of screaming per episode to protect the earth from different aliens, the dragon balls in the title reffer to 7 magic balls that when gatherd grant a single wish.

The show is split in to 4 sagas each with around over 9000 (take a drink)  episodes a piece, the saiyan saga, the freza saga, the cell saga and the buu saga.

The show knows what it is, a fighting show and allows its self a laugh every now and then, and dosent burden the plot with needless complicated twists, oh hi batman, or with stupidly incomprehensible philosophies, oh hi inception.

The art design is simple but also elegant, using changing textures and distinctive characters outfits, and its always nice to look at the first episode of dragon ball then watch dragon ball kai and see how much the quality has changed over time.

The charactors are relatable, if over the top,and when i say “over the top” i mean they are so far over the top they are over 9000 (take a drink) light years in to the outer-atmosphere.

Despite the impossibaly over the top charactors, most are some what relatable, each has a different motavation, although most of those are “i’m evil so suck it”.

Unlike other shows with fanbases that number over 9000 (take a drink) that are aimed at kids, the charectors develop and in different ways, for example gohan has to be forced in to change by the situation, where as Vegetas change is slow and sutle, going from a self loving arrogant proud planet bursting worrier, to a self loving arrogant proud planet saving worrier.

The fight scenes are superb and incredable, esspecialy when you consider the time they were made, a time where animating a blob falling of a taller blob was conssidered the most brilliant thing in the universe, or to back track to the start, a world where rebeccas beautiful hair didn’t exist. The fights are cinematic and well choreographed, with movments that are rarely matched let alone surpassed to day.

Its odd how nower-days “an anime with great fights” just means “almost as good as DBZ“, oh hi Naruto Bleach and One Piece.

The sound track could be a little dissapointing at times but that has mostly been fixed with the kai dub and remastering.

The only major problem with the show is the (prepare to take a drink) over 9000 episodes of filler. But even then the filler episodes each have their own fun personality to them, and the long fight episodes are forgivable because of just how good the fight scenes and animation are.

I can forgive the plot its gripes because of some of the better moments of the show like when Nappa says “vegeta what did you say his power level is?” to which Vegeta responds with “ITS OVER 9000″

…

take a drink.

Waiting for parties to start is VERY tiresome!

But it soon starts a-happenin’!

Big Brother Deacon enjoying the donut-eating contest …

…which ended satisfyingly!

Big Brother # 2, Marlon with lollipop # 2 (and counting…)

Hmmm, not sure about this one…

…here, you have it!

A lady never gets ice cream on her party dress…

Brothers are ok sometimes…

The party was fabulous darling!

Hurry up and cut the cake!

Thanks for reading!  :)

At a fundraiser for a school
that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the
students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

 ‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Let my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot
understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

 The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.’

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re losing by
six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team
and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son
being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field.

Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.  Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.  At this juncture, do they let
Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

 Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

  The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch
came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all team mates.

  Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to first! Run to first!’ Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.  Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’ Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

  He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.  All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay’

 Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted: 

‘Run to third! Shay, run to third!’

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming: ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’ 

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, ‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world’. 

Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the
hero and making me so happy. And coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day! 

 Story and photo source : http://powerofthought.org

So,,,I have decided that I would take my mother-in-law with me. Now due to Diabetes my mother-in-law lost both of her legs, so she can’t help me drive but I do have her to help me with my kids, and I am very appreciative of that. Also she is in a wheelchair so I can’t take my own car I have to take her van, which is going to be an experience.

This is Mark’s first big trip and only being 7 months I know that he won’t remember but the family that we are going to see will. Ella has made the trip but normally it would include a plane and only one day of traveling. Hopefully when I return in a week I won’t be completely crazy.

If you read this blog specifically for update on Mark and his progress you know that he was supposed to have a sleep study this week. Well I had to cancel that on account  of this trip. Which in a way makes me happy because I can postpone him being hooked up and straped with tons of wires. I will have to reschedule of course but as of right now he doesn’t have any more appointment until the end of June.

As for my Grandpa, I will miss you (even though i didn’t know you all that well). I will miss playing the piano for you, and hearing your stories. Rest in Peace Grandpa.

Now parties in Angola are special…seeking out themed decor, favours and ingredients for favourite snacks takes a lot of work. As does making your own invitations, piniata and birthday cake. However the supermom in me took over!!!! All week I shopped, borrowed and stayed up late packing party bags and planning a great party for my favourite boy in the whole world. We were having a spiderman theme so everything had dear old spidey’s web all over it. 

Making the cake at a friend’s house was fun until the electricity went out and my driver disappeared into thin air. No worries, all part of the fun. Friday night was decorating the cake with blue icing, a birthday message, an iced web and spidey cutouts. It was beautiful if I do say so myself! I made a list of all that needed to be done and realised I forgot to buy bread for the very important tuna sandwiches…add one more thing to do in the morning. 

The morning of the party dawned beautifully and I was ready. My menu: crostinis with homegrown basil, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella; tuna sandwiches (of course); cornbread (which I am now well known for in expat circles); fruit skewers, veggies with my own hummus dip (tahini-less but still yum); poulorie and tamarind sauce (trini food); and lots of junk for the kids that the parents could thank me for later on

We got everything done and guests started arriving. Many people passed by on the way to the other two parties and I swear they stared in longing to join our party We had silly running and  hopping games, tin pan alley with old baby milk tins (improv continues), cricket for the dads and older boys, a communal football game with kids from the other parties and of course my lovely piniata. Lots to occupy the kids and great company and grown up food for the parents.

We had a lovely time, especially my boy and even after the darkness came and we escaped from the ever present malaria threat, the party continued indoors until 9 with some of our closest friends. Getting the kids to bed after a fun and exhausting day was a task as was cleaning up but we all agreed the party went well, the kids had fun and all of my efforts across the week were well worth it.

Task for the next day: open presents! Does the fun ever end?

So, on the bed my little one sits
Being as quiet as a little boy mouse
As any mother of boys would know
That would wake up any house

“Pew! Pew! Pew!” goes the Munchkin
Bouncing delightedly with glee
Playing a game, oblivious to the world
SSSHHHH! Just let me be

Dribble kisses touch my cheek
Sighing, I think, now what?
Boys, come on, seriously?
Who got Monkey out of the cot?

Quickly I shut my eyes
Hoping I didn’t get caught
Little fingers open my lids
Evidence of wakefulness being sought

Little hands grab the blankets
Trying to pull them off me
Monkey’s gurgles sound in my ear
Buzzing in my head like a bee

Whiney choruses of Mummy start
“Come on, get out of bed.”
Meanwhile Daddy sleeps on
Just like the living dead

Oh how, I wish for a sleepy morning
But alas, that is never to be
Because my life has sound effects
Before my morning coffee

<a

Hope you’re able to get out and about this week and enjoy some of what your friendly city has to offer! Check out this week’s happynings, right here. :)

See you around!

When administering medicine to your child, try mixing it with a sweet food. You can hide it in the child’s favorite juice, or just stir some sugar directly into the medicine. If your child needs eye drops, have them close their eyes, then put the drop on their eyelid. Then, when the eye is opened, the eye drops will be right there and fall straight in.

It is important that your child is constantly exposed to new things that will enhance their senses while they grow. Allowing him or her to smell spices while you bake, squish around in the mud, or listen to tinkling wind chimes can help your child learn all about the world and interacting with it. Sensory development encompasses touch, sight, smell and taste, so look for items that will interest their curiosity.

Using a hand gesture as a signal when your child acts up can be very effective. This signal can serve as a warning. When he is misbehaving and you use the signal, the child will know that he must change his behavior or you will hand out real punishment.

Children are very diverse, and no two are alike. Just because one parenting style is effective with a child does not mean it will be as effective with another. Rewards and punishments will need to be examined. Even so, keep track of what methods have worked well for you.

Try to establish and adhere to a routine each night when it is time to get your child ready for bed. A regular bedtime routine will help transition your child’s mindset from playtime to bedtime. He or she will associate the nightly routine of bathing, pajamas and story-time with an impending bedtime. There will be less resistance at bedtime if your child is aware of what to expect.

Remember that not every child has a gregarious personality. There are many children who are much more introverted, which is perfectly acceptable. However, you may want to take note if your child appears to be unnaturally withdrawn. This may be the time to take your child to the doctor to see if there are any psychological issues that can be corrected.

Children enjoy playing. They need playtime. Effective parenting also includes setting aside some of your own time to play with them.

As easy as it might be to say “yes” every time a young child asks for things, resist falling into that habit. It is okay to give in sometimes, but make sure it is on your terms. Otherwise, your child may believe that he or she is in total control and that you can be easily persuaded to change your mind.

After reading this article, hopefully you see that you can take more initiative in parenting than just dealing with new issues intuitively. Use the information here to improve those areas where you may be deficient. Planning A Birthday Party For Young Children?

Stick with your child’s established eating and sleeping schedule as best you can when you are traveling with him or her. Traveling can be scary and stressful for young children. Maintaining the same schedule and rituals as you do at home will allow your child to settle in his or her new environment, ideally letting everyone get plenty of sleep.

If your child has ADHD or a similar condition, it is important that you keep him or her busy. These children have tons of energy and they can misbehave if they are not kept busy. Bring your child to the park or have him ride a bike to burn off excess energy.

When you are trying to teach your young child to do a new thing, use a chart to document each time he accomplishes it. A good example is keeping a chart and adding a sticker to it every time the new task is done correctly. The child will get a reward when the chart has been completed. Young minds need reinforcement for good behavior and will work toward a goal if it is a concrete one that can be clearly seen and understood.

If you adopted your child, your child is probably going to find out at some point and start asking questions. Adopted children are going to have questions and will look to you for the answers. They will resent you if you do not tell them the truth about where they came from.

Once your toddler grows to be 36 inches tall or can get out of the crib without help, it is probably the right time to transition to a bed for toddlers. Because making this change may be frightening, help make it less threatening. Perhaps it would be helpful to buy a new set of sheets that features a favorite character.

As a parent, one of the best things you can do for your child is simply to listen. Let them speak to you and figure out what it is that they’re wanting. If you develop an open relationship with your children, they’ll be able to talk to you as they get older about important events in their lives.

A great way to achieve your goal is to establish a savings goal for the year and then to actually stick to it. Above all, you must resist the urge to use money from the college fund for other expenses.

If you’re pregnant with your second or third child, be aware that sometimes you must make choices. The neediest child is the one that has to be taken care of first, while the other child must learn that he or she is still loved and has to be patient for his or her turn. Now that you understand why, disregarding the other child should not cause you to feel guilty.

Remember that not every child has a gregarious personality. There are many children who are much more introverted, which is perfectly acceptable. All Your Parenting Questions Answered Here, Tricks To Help You With Parenting Now And In The Future

If you’re like me, I am constantly challenged to keep my little miss busy and entertained.  Having been a pre-school teacher in my past life, I think I put extra pressure on myself to expose A to activities and experiences where she will learn new things and new skills.

Recently, we found ourselves on a holiday with nothing planned to do.  Rather than spending a perfectly good day indoors at home or at the mall, we decided to take the little miss to Museo Pambata or the Children’s Museum in Manila.

What a wonderful place!!!

Not only is the building itself beautiful and historic, but I love that the displays were interesting, interactive and very educational.  It kept my little one busy for hours!!!

The last time I was there was even before I took my Masters in New York–that was over 10 years ago!!!  But the museum looked very well maintained, and there were many displays there that I didn’t remember seeing before .  So it was like seeing everything with fresh eyes .

The first room we went to was called Old Manila.

They had cool replicas of a Spanish galleon, the Binondo Church, and the Meralco tranvia .

They also had reproductions of the facade of La Puerto del Sol, one of the first department stores in Manila, an old Bahay na Bato balcony, and models of a jeepney and kalesa.

I really felt as if I was going back in time!  Hahaha.  It made me a bit wistful too, though.  If only the real Old Manila could be restored back to its former glory . Wouldn’t that be something?

Another themed room that A enjoyed was Kalikasan, a room where visitors are educated about the rainforest and marine life.

This slide kept A occupied for a good 20 minutes .  She just loved climbing up and going down by herself (she’s on a “I can do this by myself” stage–hahaha!)!

After that, she enjoyed doing some pretend play both at the rice fields and in the botika…

Isn’t this bahay kubo too cute?  All the vegetables on display in front are from the Bahay Kubo song .

The next room we visited was called The Global Village.  The current exhibit is on Singapore…

The little one was immediately attracted to the instruments, and to the display of international dolls and puppets…

There’s just something about banging and making loud noises that just draws toddlers in.  Hahahaha!

After The Global Village, we proceeded up the stairs to view the rest of the exhibits.  At the top of the stairs, this was the sight that greeted us…

It was a tunnel-slash-entrance to My Body Works, another themed room that helps children to understand how organs in the body function.  At first A was a bit creeped out by the size of the head, but when Dada held her hand and she discovered the maze, that’s it!  She zipped off and started to explore .

My personal favorite area in the entire museum was the Pamilihang Bayan or marketplace, a row of typical shops that one would find in a Filipino neighborhood.  There was a barber shop, a vegetable shop, a seafood shop, a pharmacy, and a carinderia.  Pretend play heaven!!!

Cute, right?  And fun, too!

The next room was a room on Career Options.  Currently, it is featuring a Writer’s and Illustrator’s Corner.  It was nice to see the work of some of my favorite Filipino illustrator’s on display .

I’ve actually always dreamed of publishing my own children’s book.  Still do.  So this room was particularly meaningful and inspiring for me .

My daughter loves children’s books too!  She has luckily inherited my pretty extensive collection .  Maybe one day we’ll be able to collaborate on one together .  Why not, right?

The last of the exhibits was on I Love My Planet Earth.  The interactive displays discussed climate change, and gave tips on how to save our planet.

Of all the items in the room, A immediately zeroed in on a big red truck!  Hahaha! What can I say, my daughter loves cars!

Look at how happy she is up there!

As you can tell, we had an amazing time at Museo Pambata!  Mission accomplished too!  Not only was my daughter thoroughly engaged, but I’m sure she learned a lot of new things too!

Even the hubby and I had a lot of fun!  It’s a bit cliche, but I really felt like a kid again  Hahaha!  Certainly, it was an afternoon well spent

So if you find yourself with some free time in the city and have nothing to do, try making your way to the Museo Pambata!  Certainly, it’s a place for good ol’ fashioned fun and learning for the entire family!

Admission : Php100

Hours of Operation :

8AM-5PM Tuesdays to Saturdays

1PM-5PM Sundays

http://www.museopambata.org

It is important to remember to bring items that bring your young children comfort when you are traveling. For adults, vacations are a way to get away from routine, but for children it can feel like a disruption. Keeping a favorite toy or blanket handy can help your little one adjust to a different location, with a minimum of fuss.

Star charts are a great way to motivate children to have good behavior. You can create a chart with squares for each day. They earn a sticker for the square, if they perform the task on that day. Your child has to fill every square to earn a prize of interest to him. Using this kind of chart can give the child a visual of how well he’s doing as well as motivating him to continue doing well. He can look forward to getting a reward soon.

When your child confides in you about a problem, you should make an honest effort to view the situation from his or her perspective. Something that seems like no big deal to you might be a huge problem for a child.

Listening to your children is one way to be an excellent parent. Give them the ability to talk to you and learn about things that interest them. If this is done, it will be easier for them to discuss serious issues with you.

If you make time for yourself, you will be a better parent. Take some time off for yourself, even if you have a lot of things to do. This will help you relax and feel better so that you can attend to your kids properly.

Things like washing your hands before eating must be taught. Good hygiene won’t keep your children from ever getting sick, but it will reduce the number of diseases they are exposed to.

Remember that not every child has a gregarious personality. There are many children who are much more introverted, which is perfectly acceptable. However, you may want to take note if your child appears to be unnaturally withdrawn. This may be the time to take your child to the doctor to see if there are any psychological issues that can be corrected.

Children enjoy playing. They need playtime. Effective parenting also includes setting aside some of your own time to play with them.

As easy as it might be to say “yes” every time a young child asks for things, resist falling into that habit. It is okay to give in sometimes, but make sure it is on your terms. Otherwise, your child may believe that he or she is in total control and that you can be easily persuaded to change your mind.

Making use of this article’s advice is an excellent way to lay the groundwork that will make you into a loving, dependable parent. It is important to remember that everyone has their own parenting style. There is no one right way to do any activity involved in parenting. After reading these tips, find which ones work best, and try them out. Childhood is all too brief; enjoy the exciting time you have while your children are still looking to you for guidance.

What You Can Do To Plan A Birthday Party For Small Children, Some Ideas To Organizing A Birthday Party For Young Children

I got really excited when Mark contacted me to participate in this hop since I’d been a fan of his for years and well, I love a good challenge. My mind started racing just thinking about what to make. I formulated a plan, deciding to make something off The List, thinking I would use some of the new issue fabrics plus MBDs from my stash.

I emailed my fabric order to Mark telling him my plan. His response, “Sorry Elisa, I am making this very rigid in that I would like to use only 4 Mirror Ball Dot colors – all of which are current – and the 3 solid colors Michael Miller Fabrics Couture Cotton.” The idea here being we want to show a range of what can be done with a very limited palette.

For those of you who are good at math that is 7 fabrics. Seven. I don’t really count but I would say I typically use at least 20 fabrics in a quilt. Back to the drawing board.

I quickly came up with another plan and put in a request for MBDs in Clementine, Twilight, Starlight, and Celestial and Couture Cotton in Midnight (with the request: 1/2 yd if possible, but I can make do w/1/4), Royal, Peony, and Indigo (not necessary but would add depth, 1/8 is fine). And yes I requested and used more fabric than allowed. Challenge rules be damned. Stitch Outside the Ditch, indeed.

So my project–I’ve admired Amish quilts for years and have collected and read books on the subject for a while now. That being said, I have never made an Amish-style quilt, perhaps because I don’t have a huge solids stash, although I would like to change that.

There is a sub-category of Amish quilts that I find particularly interesting—kinder quilts—small quilts made especially for children. The proportions are smaller and their shapes can be more unique—quilts for a youth-sized bed for example. I’ve been particularly attracted to a One Patch quilt in Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: The Sara Millier Collection by Janneken Smucker, et al. The quilt below is full of the most common colors worn by Amish families were I lived in Indiana and served as my inspiration.  Well, all except for that striking red-orange!

Early on I decided I didn’t want the dots in the print to be randomly cut, or rather, cut off, and so I decided to fussy cut my squares. This led to a little problem as I went to piece the quilt as all my MBD squares weren’t the same size due to minute differences in the screen print. The first two rows weren’t a problem. But by the time I did the next two rows (I was piecing in 4-patch units, don’t ask me why) I new I was in trouble.

At this point I changed my piecing to a single row method and made the teeniest adjustments along the way so that all my seams were lining up.  I thought that I would ditch the top two rows, but they were important to the layout so after piecing the rest of the rows I went back and tweaked them so they would work.

I added my borders and incorporated the MBDs into the outer border in a random way, something I new I wanted to do from the beginning. This may be my favorite part. I quilted with black thread, typical of Amish quilts and used wool batting, again, traditional Amish.

Meet Breaking Amish—Amish country meets big city MBD pearlescence. It’s like an Amish disco party dance floor, if the Amish listened to disco.

Deets:

Size: 33.5” W X 38.5” L

Fabric: Mirror Ball Dots by Mark Hordysynski for Michael Miller Fabrics, Couture Cotton by MMF

Batting: Hobbs Wool Batting

So, your turn—where do you find your quilt inspiration? Do you look at books of old quilts, buy pattern books/patterns, find ideas online, or just make it all up (I love that approach)? Leave a comment and share your sources—I’m always on the lookout—and I’ll draw one lucky winner on Tuesday, May 28 (It’s blog hop week so of course I am on vacation ) who gets to pick a bundle of their favorite MBD colors PLUS a fantastic color card from Michael Miller Fabrics. I have to admit, that while I am not an orange girl I find the Clementine a bit  irresistible.

“Me time” is extremely beneficial to parents and these brief periods of time without the kids should occur at regular intervals. Get a friend or family member to take care of your kids, even if it’s only for a couple of hours. Parents become really stressed, which creates tension, if they don’t get a break away from their kids.

When addressing a child’s behavioral problems, focus on using positive reinforcement. If a child is dealing with some emotional baggage they might have difficulty expressing themselves properly. By setting an example and demonstrating the correct way to express oneself, a parent can help a child more effectively.

For children, playing is in their nature. More than that, they need time to play. A good parent will do more than provide unstructured playtime.

Avoid smoking in your house if children live there, also. You should even think about completely quitting smoking. You may not realize it, but secondhand smoke can be as bad, if not worse, than firsthand smoke. Second-hand smoke exposure can lead to asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems for children.

Pick your battles. Only fight over things that are critically important. While your child has to have boundaries, he or she also needs a certain amount of freedom.

Using a hand gesture as a signal when your child acts up can be very effective. This signal can serve as a warning. When he is misbehaving and you use the signal, the child will know that he must change his behavior or you will hand out real punishment.

Instead of telling your children what not to do, put the emphasis on what they should do. Many times, when children are told what they can and cannot do, they feel as if their freedom has been stifled. Parents should focus on positives when talking to their children about rules and responsibilities.

As a parent, it is important to remember to take care of yourself also. Despite what crazy events occur throughout the day, always take some time alone to be by yourself and relax, step away from the world and its worries. The entire family will be much happier.

Telling your children not to talk to strangers is an extremely important concept for them to understand. These days, it is impossible to recognize criminals and predators, and this is especially true when it comes to children. Remind them that it is okay to firmly use the word “no” and immediately walk in the opposite direction.

Children enjoy playing. They need playtime. Effective parenting also includes setting aside some of your own time to play with them.

As easy as it might be to say “yes” every time a young child asks for things, resist falling into that habit. It is okay to give in sometimes, but make sure it is on your terms. Otherwise, your child may believe that he or she is in total control and that you can be easily persuaded to change your mind.

Now that you have been provided with these crucial tips, you know how to make parenting fun, rather than looking at it as a duty. There’s no shame in listening to others’ experiences and learning from them. So try applying the tips you have learned here to your own circumstances.

All Your Parenting Questions Answered Here, Parenting: Tips For Helping You Find The Rewards

I have a feeling this is going to be a biggish post, because I’m really excited about this.

For the past month or so, I’ve been helping out at a friend’s mother’s summer camp for kids. It was a bit intimidating at first because I have no idea how to deal with all those screaming, squirming, tiny people, but it’s been a great experience! Coming up with ideas that will excite the kids and also teach them something in the process, interacting with them and also meeting the other people who help out as well, has been a lot of fun.

A couple of days ago, we did this workshop at the TCS guesthouse for the kids whose the parents work there, and we had a ball! The kids learnt theater, music, dance, yoga and art (I just helped out with the art side of it). We were pretty amazed by how involved they got in every activity and by what they produced in the end, which was impressive even without taking into account how kutti they are. Here are a few pictures we managed to click:

Marbling

Marbling paper is always a great way to start things off, the kids get excited by all the big tubs of water (its all we can do to keep them from jumping in) and the pretty swirly colours, and we get to throw in a mini-science lesson on density. Every sheet is absolutely unique and the kids came up with inventive ideas as to what their sheets look like: galaxies, jellyfish, aliens!

Circles

Since everyone was already messy and paint-stained, we decided to let loose and give all the kids bottles of paint and brushes (trust me, it’s way more dangerous than it sounds). Everyone got their own sheet of paper, one specific colour, and one brush. We assembled them into a giant circle and wrote their names on the back of their sheet, and what they had to do was paint circles using their colour, and then pass the sheet on to the person on their right, who would then paint with their colour and pass it on to the right again. They did have a few roadblocks in the beginning, most of them didn’t realize that they could make concentric circles and vary the sizes as well, until we pointed it out but they did have a lot of fun. By the end of it, everybody’s original sheet had come back to them and every single person had a sheet that was painted by everyone! It was great, and we even had a couple of cuties running around, making sure all the others didn’t mess their sheets up. What I especially loved about this was that they got to paint and collaborate with everyone else at the same time. 

Origami Frogs

Next, we had planned to make origami leaping frogs, we had a simpler version for the younger ones and a slightly more complex version with arms and legs for the older ones. But as usual, we had under-estimated the little munchkins, everyone insisted on making both versions of the frogs and they succeeded. We had a lot of froggy fun, they named their frogs, personalized them and held races as well!

Tangram

Tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle game, where you take seven shapes and combine them in numerous ways to form a lot of other shapes and objects. We made our own tangram pieces from mountboard and divided them into groups and encouraged them to come up with some objects of their own. We were trying to show them how the same seven basic shapes could create so many possibilities  They really got creative, and one group even managed to make a Ninja Turtle (forgot to click a picture of that one, unfortunately). They created a mini-display of all the groups’ objects at the end.

Collage

Our last big activity was making collages. The kids split up into groups and used newspaper, magazines, leftover origami paper, leaves, coloured tissue paper and lots of glitter to come up with these masterpieces. What started off as an ordinary mouse, turned into a superhero (he has a special belt as well) and the other groups came up with innovations too, the ice cream group used the little stones from jewellery ads as fudge nuggets and nuts in their collage, and the rainbow and octopus groups used a lot of tissue to give their work a dream-like quality. 

Imprints

That was supposed to be all of it, but the kids wanted to make a card for their drama teacher, so we collected a few leaves and had them paint it and make impressions, the result looked fabulous!

By the end of the art session, we were left with sixty hyper-active paint-covered kids who were all pumped up and went off to prepare for their play that evening and five really tired instructors who wanted to prepare for bed. We enjoyed every minute of it, from finding out that Chota Bheem is the new in thing and that everyone wants a Perry the Platypus (okay, I knew that, come on, who wouldn’t want one?) to having a kid come up to me and ask why I had pipe cleaners on my head (we had a really cute head band with fuzzy things and stars, that we took turns wearing).

All in all, a really great day!