How to Start Your Day Right as a Breastfeeding Mom

No two mornings are ever alike for a breastfeeding mom. On some mornings, you get a longer alone time; on some, you’ll barely have enough time to wash your face properly.

On both kinds of days and the in-betweens, it’s safe to say you must know how to start your day right. After all, whatever your day is going to look like, your little one will depend on you for nutrition and comfort.

Start your day with a strong morning routine, Mom. Here’s what we know works best:

How to Start Your Day Right as a Breastfeeding Mom

Continue reading “How to Start Your Day Right as a Breastfeeding Mom”

We Sent Our Daughter to Playschool, Then Forgot How to Function

As a teacher, I understand that parents, even first-timers, are not allowed inside the classrooms.

So as we sent our two-year-old for the first time to a playschool trial class, my husband and I watched the classroom door close in silence, until he broke it with a question that echoed our shared anxiety: “Hindi natin s’ya makikita sa loob?”

My husband is a teacher too, and it felt weird for both of us to be in the parents’ shoes this time. I convinced him as much as I was convincing myself: “We have to trust her teachers the way parents trust us.”

As we were walking away, we didn’t realize we didn’t have an actual agenda for our one hour of freedom. It could have been a productive time for us with no toddler in tow, but guess what? Her absence made us forget how to make use of our time wisely. Here’s what happened. 

We Sent Our Daughter to Playschool, Then Forgot How to Function

Continue reading “We Sent Our Daughter to Playschool, Then Forgot How to Function”

The Hidden Cost of Toddlerhood No One Told Me About

Back in my pregnancy days, I shared with a mommy friend how I was beginning to get overwhelmed with the growing expenses. With my monthly check ups, boxes of milk I consumed, and vitamins and supplements, our monthly expenses were skyrocketing. Guess what she said: “Naku, not to scare you, but once you give birth, the expenses are just going to balloon even more.”

Of course that got me scared.

Now that I have a toddler, I understand that what she said was true. Money goes out of our pockets like water from a faucet! Of course there are expected expenses that come with toddlerhood such as daily essentials and school, but there are the hidden costs no one ever told me about!

Here are a few of them:

The Hidden Cost of Toddlerhood No One Told Me About

Continue reading “The Hidden Cost of Toddlerhood No One Told Me About”

How to Talk to Kids About War and Conflict

“But, why?”

I hear this question dozens of times from my curious toddler and my adolescent students. Whether it’s about mundane rules or moral conflicts, kids often turn to us for clarity. Now, as the world feels scary with ongoing conflict, how do I answer their questions when I myself cannot fully understand the distressing news I read on my phone everyday?

Talking to children about war and conflict is never easy. As parents, our first instinct is to protect our kids from fear and pain. But in today’s world where news travels fast and even young children hear about violence and unrest almost daily, it’s more important than ever that we have honest conversations with them.

How exactly do we do that? We talked to two child development and communication experts on how we can navigate difficult conversations with  kids about war. Here’s what they want us parents to know:

How to Talk to Kids About War and Conflict

Continue reading “How to Talk to Kids About War and Conflict”