Everyday Adventures: March 2019

Travel Tipid Tips

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 29, 2019

No one can put a price tag on experience.

One of the things that I enjoy doing with my son is traveling. Since he was four years old, I made it to a point that every year, there is a new place that we would visit and explore. We already had been to several places in the Philippines and two years ago, we started our international travels. I thank the Lord for giving us an opportunity to go to places and learn about the culture and history of that place.

Believe it or not, when we travel, we don't spend so much. I try to explore cheap and affordable ways to save during travels without sacrificing having fun. Some of the adventures that Kib and I had were paid for by another person or it's because of blogging opportunities.

A lot were asking me how I did it. Now, I'm sharing with you my tried and tested travel tips which you can also follow:

1. Go on vacation during the off-peak season. The beauty of homeschooling gives us an opportunity to travel any time of the year. Most of the time we schedule our holidays in July because it's our birthday month. July is an off-peak season as it is the start of the wet season in the Philippines. We already tried going on a vacation during peak season and it was a nightmare! So much traffic, flight delays, and overcrowded tourist spots.

The best time to book a vacation is between July to November, both local and international.

2. Bring a tumbler. Water can be an expensive commodity in other countries, so better to bring your own water tumbler. It also lessens the purchase of single-use water bottles. Let's help save our environment!

3. Plan your itinerary. Planning your itinerary very well can save you a lot! Reading travel blogs can give you an idea about the place and also give you suggestions on where to go. Blogs give you an authentic and honest experience of the place. There are places that you have to pay entrance fees; travel blogs can give you suggestions on where to go for free.

Booking a holiday via a travel agency is also a good idea if you do not want to worry so much about transportation going to different places. However, try to check the itinerary carefully; there is a tendency that you will be brought to a not-so-interesting place. However, you can also request a customized itinerary but it will be costlier than the regular tour packages. Doing a DIY itinerary is only for those people who love exploring and are not afraid to get lost. It can also eat your pre-departure time as you need to do a lot of online research to come up with a perfect one suited for you and your family.

4. Bring food with you. Food can be a bit expensive in the place where you will go, so better to bring snacks with you so that you won't buy food often if you get hungry. Candies, crackers, or cookies are very handy.

5. Eat where the locals eat. Ask for suggestions on where to eat from the locals! The hotel receptionist will be very glad to give you an idea of where to go and eat.

6. Look for tourist spots that you can visit for free. Just like what I mentioned in #3, travel blogs can give you details on the places that you can go for free. Asking locals too is another good idea to know which places to go.

7. Try to navigate the streets using regular public transportation. Download maps.me app on your mobile phone so that you will have an offline map of the place. After downloading the app, download the map of the place where you're going. You can also get free paper maps at the airport and hotel too.

Another travel-related app that you can download is Rome2Rio. It can give you different options on how to go to a particular place.

8. Have a set budget for shopping. One of the best things to do when on a holiday is to go shopping! It's really tempting to buy items from another place for pasalubong or for yourself. However, be disciplined on spending too. You might be going back with a huge debt because of too much expenditure. Make sure that you also have enough space on your luggage, or else you may be paying for extra at the airport.

9. Bring an extra shopping bag. Bringing a foldable shopping bag is also a nice idea so that you won't be lugging different shopping bags when you shop. In Hong Kong, you have to pay extra for shopping bags, so better to have an extra shopping bag with you. There are foldable shopping bags that you can easily slip inside your bag.

10. Pack light. For those who are flying via low-cost carriers (LCC) such as Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, etc., you have to pay extra for the checked baggage. Make sure that you observe the weight limit and size of the hand-carry luggage (15 kilos).

However, it is also okay to travel via regular airline companies because you want to be more comfortable while sitting for long hours on the airplane. In addition to that, you don't need to pay extra for food and checked luggage because it is already included in the airfare. Planning your vacation for months can really save you a huge amount on airfare. Airfares can get more and more expensive as the day of your departure comes near.

There you go! These are all the travel hacks that I have been doing for all our adventures. I do hope that this blog will help you plan for your next travel with your family.

Enjoy!

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anti-bullying tips

How NOT to Raise a Bully

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 15, 2019

Bullying is a very hot issue these days. A lot of people get pretty emotional whenever they hear stories about bullying. We immediately get mad at the bully and show sympathy to the bullied.

We always think of being a victim to a bully and we always tell our children on what to do should a bully tries to provoke them. We have never thought of the opposite: WHAT IF MY CHILD IS THE BULLY?

We always teach our kids to fight back the bully, but it never crosses our minds on how not to raise a bully.

Of course, we don't want our child to be labelled as the bully.

However, there are things that we forget to teach and emulate to our children that makes them the bully. Parents who easily give in when the child misbehaves can be one of the signs that we are raising a bully unconsciously. In addition to that, parents who are too busy with their respective careers and has little or no time to focus on the child's needs is also one of the possible reasons for raising a bully.

Parenting is really a hard job to do. It's really hard to raise a child with good values. We thought that by giving everything to the child will make him/her a fine individual but sometimes it is not the case. When kids make mistakes, they should know that they would be held accountable for their actions and parents should not cover up for them.  If we do not let our children realize the consequences of their actions, we are raising a problem child. When parents cover up for the mistakes of their children, they think that it is OKAY for them to do something that is unacceptable because his/her parents will do something about it.

It's high time that we should do something about it! We don't want to raise a generation who are liars, irresponsible, ill-mannered, and disrespectful. Let us raise a generation who are loving, forgiving, respectful, hardworking, and kind!

Here are some ways on raising a well-mannered child and not a bully:

1. Teach your kid self-control. When our child sees us getting pissed off at trivial things, we are showing them that it is okay to easily get mad. Teach our kids to control their emotions and not just burst out when they didn't get what they want. In order to do that, let us also not easily give in to their tantrums and whinings. We must also learn how to delay gratification. For example, when you put away gadgets because it's dinner time and all of a sudden the kid whines and doesn't want to eat anymore, make the child realize that if he/she doesn't eat, the more that the child won't get his/her gadget back. In addition to that, we must not also be seen checking out our own mobile phones during meal times.

Teaching self-control also teaches the child that they cannot have anything they want in an instant. They have to learn to be patient and that they also have to work on some things before they get what they wanted.

2. Teach your kid respect for others. Saying "please", "thank you" and "sorry" GENUINELY is hardly heard from young children these days. In addition to that, as Filipinos, we must also teach our children to say "po" and "opo" when talking to old people and even strangers. We must teach our children to show respect to ALL PEOPLE regardless of their rank, position, and social status. For example, when our children see us saying derogatory remarks to a salesclerk, traffic enforcer, or even their teachers in school, it shows that parents are more powerful than those people. We are all created equally by God so we mustn't show that we are more superior than others.

3. Teach your kid to only use kind words to others. Labelling, teasing, and saying curse words to others is a no-no. Teach our children not to point out on the weaknesses of other people and when they feel angry, tell them not to say curse words to the person. Get mad at the wrong deed done and not against the individual who did it. Just like what Jesus did, hate the sin and not the sinner.

4. Teach your kid NOT TO fight back. It is contrary to what most parents will say when they are faced with bullies. Teach self-defense, not retaliation; they are two different things. As much as possible, teach your kid to keep his/her cool when faced with provoking situations. Remind your child to tell people in authority if he/she is in a compromising situation. Remind your child not to hide anything from you especially if the concern affects him/her emotionally, physically, and socially. Once you get the details of the incident, confront the situation objectively and do not let your emotions rule over you. If you think you cannot handle confronting the situation, have someone with you who can speak on your behalf.

5. Teach your kid to be humble. This is the most important value among all the things mentioned above in raising a well-mannered child. A child who commits mistakes should be humble enough to admit it and not reason out why such action was done. A wrongdoing should NEVER be justified in all circumstances. Apologize sincerely and accept whatever consequences of his/her actions may have. Parents must not condone irrational behaviors too. It doesn't mean that we do not love our children if we let them suffer the consequences. It's what you call tough love.

Just like you, I am not a perfect parent. I am not an expert in parenting. I am still struggling on being a good model to my child. Parenting is a work in progress. All of the things mentioned above also requires modelling. Let us be good examples to our children. When they commit mistakes, let us make them accountable for their mistakes and not cover up for them.

Let us raise a generation of full of love to others!

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Hapee Kiddie Toothpaste

What's in Your Kid's School Bag? Here are Some Suggestions

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 11, 2019

My friends would always laugh at me for carrying a heavy bag. When I was younger, I can manage to bring a small bag, but when I became a mother, there's no way for me to lessen the stuff that I carry on a regular basis.

When Kib is growing, I already ask him to carry his own bag and bring whatever he wants to bring, like toys, books, and drawing pad. Letting him carry his own bag also gives him a responsibility to take care of his things.

Hapee Kiddie, the leading toothpaste brand for children in the Philippines, has interviewed mothers, preschool teachers, child-rearing experts, and celebrity mom Franchesca Kramer to find out what they think should be included in a child's daily school bag.

1. The bag should be easy to carry. Let your kid bring a stroller bag instead of a backpack. This would help keep their posture straight and back-painfree from all the heavy books and school materials they have to bring on a daily basis. Ms. Celine Dy Buenaventura, former preschool teacher and a mother of five said that moms should get a bag with her child's favorite character so that they would be encouraged to go to school and study hard. She added that an upright stroller bag should be preferred over a horizontal one for easy maneuvering. During dismissal time, a horizontal stroller bag is difficult to pull when all other kids and fetchers meet all at the same time at the gate.

2. Snacks and water. It's healthier and cheaper if you let your kid bring food in school instead of buying at the cafeteria. Bringing along snacks and water is also ideal so that there is something to bring out when a child gets hungry and there is no food available outside. Mompreneur Christine Li of Wandermom.ph said that keeping a child hydrated is very important, just bring along a spill-proof jug.

3. First aid. There's no need to bring the whole first aid kit, just the basics like band-aid for scratches, wet wipes for easy cleaning of the affected area, and bite ointment. It is also very important that your child's bag should have a tag with parents' contact details for emergency purposes.

In my case, I always have a small bottle of alcohol and tissue for quick sanitation.

4. Playtime kit. Kids can get sweaty and dirty when they go and play outside, so it is very important that there should be an extra towel and clothes so that you can wipe off the dirt and sweat and put on clean shirt. Sometimes, kids can't also control their bladder so it is also ideal to bring extra underwear and shorts. Putting on baby powder and cologne after cleaning can also freshen up the child.

5. Oral care kit. Bringing along a toothbrush and toothpaste everywhere a child goes is a good practice of teaching your child how to take care of his/her teeth. Franchesca Kramer, oral healthcare advocate for Hapee Kiddie, shares that she makes sure her three kids (Scarlett, Kendra, and Gavin) have their oral care kits in their bags wherever they go.

What's good about Hapee Kiddie toothpaste is that it only contains kid-safe levels of flouride which can help fight off dental cavities. It also comes in fruity flavors that kids will surely love.

Now mommies, what's in your child's bag? Let's talk about it!

To get more mommy hacks and oral care tips, visit www.facebook.com/HapeeKiddie.

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Beko Philippines

Eat Healthy This 2019!

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 09, 2019

Every year, we always make a New Year resolution that we will be a better version of ourselves. We usually write down things that we either avoid or do more, like avoiding doing bad habits and improving our health.

Honestly, it's really hard to turn into a brand new person in a short period of time, but with intense desire and determination, for sure, you will be able to achieve whatever you desires in your life.

One of the most common New Year resolutions that we usually do is to start a healthy living, and yes, it is one of the hardest things to follow. First quarter of 2019 is not yet over, don't worry! You can still jumpstart your promise of starting a healthy lifestyle.

If you don't know where to start on living a healthy lifestyle, here are the most basic things that you can follow:

1. Drink enough water

We all know that drinking water is essential for the body. However, what most of us don’t realize is that proper hydration plays a key role in our health. When we lack water, we feel dehydrated; and if we feel dehydrated, we feel hungry, causing us to eat more.

Water helps the human body function well and it also helps in maintaining a healthy weight and eliminating toxins. So, start drinking water as a habit by drinking at least eight to 10 glasses every day.

2. Avoid fast food

Fast foods like French fries, burgers, pizzas, doughnuts, among many others, are high in sodium, fat, and sugar. Eating too much of it over a long period of time increases your risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.

Going to fast food joints on a regular basis is an indication of unhealthy eating habits. As much as possible avoid going to fast food restaurants.

3. Choose the better option

Some of the food that we enjoy eating are often not good for us. It is essential to look for healthy alternatives. For example, you can replace your regular fries with sweet potato. This slightly sweeter option is high in fiber and vitamin A and low in calories than your usual potato. You can also replace the classic hotdogs and burgers with a sandwich made with natural ingredients.

By choosing the better option, you are ensuring the health of your family and the quality of the food you and your family consumes.

4. Pack a healthy lunch and snacks for work or school

Packing lunch and snack for you and your kids is not only a good way to save money but is also an effective way to eat healthier since you know what ingredients are into it.

When you prepare your own food, you are able to control the quality and the amount of food you eat. It also helps you to avoid unhealthy food choices from the cafeteria, restaurant or fast food.

Beko, one of the popular home appliance brand, is highly recommending that you cook instead of buying food outside. Beko is every mom's partner in making a family healthy by preparing healthy and delectable dishes. Beko is encouraging every family to start eating healthily and to have a more active lifestyle.

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freelancing

Misconceptions on Freelancing

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 05, 2019

I have been doing freelancing jobs for the past ten years, and I have written in the past why I need to stop working outside (see post here). I have no regrets about being a freelancer despite the yoyo income that I have been experiencing every now and then. I was able to see my son grow and support his passion. On the other hand, I was able to expand my network and discover and learn new skills. Working from home made me be a multi-skilled individual.

However, there are still a lot of people who don't seem to really understand the world of freelancing, particularly those who have a regular day job. They thought that freelancing jobs do not offer stability and more of a gig economy. I must admit that I agree with some of their arguments on working from home, but they still do not know a lot about this world. They would only learn about it once they also dared to take that plunge and join the bandwagon.

Recently, I worked part-time as a college instructor. When my co-faculty asked me about my background, I can see in their faces that they find me a bit 'weird'. I do a lot of things and they are amazed at how I was able to manage all of my commitments and not get tired (well, actually, I get tired.). I said jokingly, "Ganun talaga, mahirap ang buhay, need iba't ibang pagkakakitaan." (Well, that's life, you need to have different opportunities in order to survive.)

Kidding aside, one thing I learned in my freelancing career is that you have to have different income streams, both passive and active.

Here are some of the misconceptions of people regarding freelance jobs:

1. Freelance jobs are NOT professional jobs. I must say that it is both true and untrue. True in a sense some freelance jobs that you might have been far from your real profession. On the other hand, it is untrue because freelance jobs also require the same work ethics as those who are working in a corporate setting. Freelancing gives you an opportunity to widen your horizons and not just settle on the skill that you can learn in an office setting. Freelancing gives you a chance to discover new skills that you never imagined doing if you continue doing a job aligned in your profession.

2. Freelancers DO NOT pay taxes. Sadly, there are still a lot of freelancers out there who are trying to escape paying taxes. Nowadays, there is a strong campaign for freelancers to pay taxes accordingly. Just like what I've said in my previous blog (read about it here), paying taxes also has personal benefits, apart from helping the government fund the projects that will also help our country in the long term.

3. Freelancing DOES NOT pay well. If you were able to find a good job and employer, I can assure you that freelancing can give you a comfortable life. There are cases that you will have a hard time at first because you are still building your online reputation and network, but once you were able to prove your worth, you can start demanding for higher pay. You can hear success stories of some freelancers who were able to travel the world, buy their own house, and drive their own car because of their freelancing income. Again, for you to be able to achieve that kind of time and income freedom, you also need to sacrifice for the meantime.

4. Freelance jobs are only for those people who are lazy and do not have dreams in life. It's so funny that people who work from home are often regarded as lazy people. People never know that a freelancing job is also hard (and sometimes harder than a regular job). Freelancers spend longer hours because of multiple jobs, both online and offline. In addition to that, since a home is not really designed for office work, there are cases that a freelancer gets distracted by the mess inside the house, the noise of the kids, and the chores that you have to do in-between. The only difference between a freelancer and an office worker is that a freelancer has flexible hours to do work compared with an office worker that there is a specific work schedule. Freelancers are paid by the number of hours they rendered, which is why need to work doubly hard.

5. Freelancing DOES NOT have career advancement. If you are thinking about climbing the corporate ladder, you may say that. However, the beauty of doing freelancing is that you can create your own success ladder! You can give a title to yourself without others assigning it to you. You can be the CEO of your company or Director of Operations of the virtual company you're working with. The title that you can give to yourself can also give a good impression to your clients, that you are good in your craft.

On the other hand, when a freelancer goes back to working in the corporate world, there are cases that his/her freelancing job won't be credited as work experience. We can say that life is cruel outside, but then again, let us remember that it's a different world too, so we must conform to their norms.

Freelancing is a risk, and that's a fact. Now that it is becoming popular, looking for an online job is becoming harder and harder these days. Be patient and wise in looking for a job, be nice to the people online, build good connections, and for sure you will be able to build a good freelancing career.

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7-Eleven Run 2019

We had Fun at 7-Eleven Run 2019

By Mommy Donna and Kib - March 01, 2019

7-Eleven, the most popular convenience store in the country, has been organizing an event promoting good health and wellness through fun runs for the past seven years.

The 7-Eleven Run 2019 last February 3, 2019 was simultaneously being held in different parts of the country (Filinvest City Alabang, Cebu Business Park, and SM Davao). This is the second time that 7-Eleven did this kind of simultaneous run all over the country. Last year, 25,000 participants joined all over the country in this fun and exciting event.

Since 2012, this event has given plenty of opportunities for seasoned runners to prove their worth in this sport. 7-Eleven Run has produced runners worthy to compete in international level and have been sending representatives to compete internationally in the previous years. This year, the overall top 3 winners of 7-Eleven Run 2019 (42K, 32K, and 21K categories) will participate at Phuket International Marathon in Thailand from June 7-10, 2019.

Kib and I joined this event under 3K category. I didn't plan to win; we joined just to have fun and spend a healthy activity together. We slept at my tito's house in Sucat on Saturday evening so that we won't be late for the event.

Yay! We're 3K finishers!

Here are the top 3 winners for 42K, 32K, and 21K categories:

42K CATEGORY WINNERS:

42K MALE	OFFICIAL TIME	42K FEMALE	OFFICIAL TIME
1^st: Bryan Quiamco (Davao)	2:39:43	1^st: Maricar Camacho (Manila)	3:20:05
2^nd: Anthony Nerza (Manila)	2:40:16	2^nd: April Rose Diaz (Davao)	3:31:43
3^rd: Richeel Languido (Davao)	2:43:08	3^rd:Cinderella Lorenzo (Manila)	3:41:08

32K CATEGORY WINNERS:

32K MALE	OFFICIAL TIME	32K FEMALE	OFFICIAL TIME
1^st: Azlan Pagay (Cebu)	1:56:53	1^st: Ruffa Sorongon (Cebu)	2:22:01
2^nd: Rafael Poliquit (Cebu)	1:57:56	2^nd: Raterta Luisa (Manila)	2:25:31
3^rd: Joerge Andrade (Manila)	1:59:11	3^rd: Jocelyn Elijeran (Manila)	2:32:08

21K CATEGORY WINNERS:

21K MALE	OFFICIAL TIME	21K FEMALE	OFFICIAL TIME
1^st: Prince Joey Lee (Cebu)	1:12:22	1^st: Mary Joy Tabal (Cebu)	1:24:39
2^nd: Richard Salano (Manila)	1:13:11	2^nd: Christine Hallasgo (Davao)	1:27:47
3^rd: Jerald Zabala (Davao)	1:14:32	3^rd: Christabel Martes (Manila)	1:28:48

To make this event exciting, a pot prize of Php500,000 will be awarded to those who will be able to break the current Philippine record for the 42K category (2:18:44 for men and 2:43:00 for women). Sadly, no one was able to break either of the records.

7-Eleven Run 2019 was truly a success! A lot of participants were able to bring a lot of goodies from its generous sponsors.

Till next year!

To know more about the happenings on 7-Eleven 2019, visit their website at https://run711.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/run711. Keep posted on next year's event too!