Positive Empowered Parenting (PEP) Workshops from CEFAM

I received this invitation from one of my egroups. Please help spread the word about it to interested parents. Surely this won't put a dent on your savings account, so you also might want to participate in this event.

The Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) would like to invite all parents and caregivers to attend the following workshops:

A. PEP-KIDS WORKSHOP (September 6 & 13, 2008; 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM)
> for parents and caregivers of children 0 - 12 yrs. Old

B. PEP-TEENS WORKSHOP (October 4 & 11, 2008; 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM)
> for parents and caregivers of children 12 yrs. Old & above

Seminar/workshop Topics

• Building A Positive Relationship With Your Child/ Teen
• Communicating Effectively With Your Child/ Teen
• How To Improve Your Child's/Teen's Self-Esteem
• Positive Ways to Discipline Your Child/Teen

Venue
Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM)
Ateneo de Manila University Campus
Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Philippines

Seminar Fee: P 2,000.00 per person (includes handouts, lunch and snacks for both days)

For more details, please call (632) 426-4289 to 92.

About CEFAM
Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM), the official family ministry of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, promotes family well-being through an academic program in family ministry and counseling services.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2008

August 1 to 7 is World Breastfeeding Week (WBW). So let's join in the celebration! :)

World Breastfeeding Week 2008
Mother Support : Going for the Gold

In conjunction with the Olympics next August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.

As every country sends its best athletes to compete at these global games, it is important to remind ourselves that, in a similar fashion, a healthy young athlete can only emerge from a healthy start on life. There is no question that optimal infant and young child feeding is essential for optimal growth and development.

To also celebrate WBW in the Philippines, LATCH, The Medical City, Baby Magazine, and MomEx is holding an Essay writing contest. The contest shall start on July 27 (Sunday) to August 2 (Saturday). Six finalists will be announced on Mom Exchange on Monday, August 4, 2008. The six winning essays will be displayed at The Medical City lobby. Visitors and staff will cast their votes and the winning entry will be announced on Saturday, August 9. All finalists will receive a token. The winner will receive a prize, and the winning entry will be published in Baby Magazine. For more details, please visit Jen Tan's multiply site.

Travelling with a Toddler

Well, our vacation is almost up. We've got two more days left, to be exact, until we fly out and head back down under. Our little girl has grown so much that I think it will be a major adjustment for all of us when we're all settled in our quaint little home in the hills.

Preparing for that big trip can be quite stressful especially when you've got loads of stuff to pack into your not so huge luggage. Over two months, we have accumulated a significant amount of belongings, mostly for Erin as these are gifts from relatives here in Manila. We can't just leave them all behind, so it will be a challenge for the designated packer of the family (that's me, by the way!) to get all our stuff into those bags, without going over the baggage weight limit. Lord, help me! :)

One of the things I've learned when preparing to travel is to draw up a list of all the things that you would want to bring. This makes it more organised and therefore easier for you not to forget anything important. But, with a toddler in tow, the preparation is more so for the diaper bag. Her needs are numerous and we would have to make sure that we don't forget all of her stuff. Check out Babycenter's checklist so you are sure to bring all you need to keep your kiddo entertained and comfortable.

Basically, that's that. Also hope and pray that baby is well and not ill to help make the trip a little easier on you both. Other than that, try to enjoy the whole experience as much as you can and do take lots of pictures!

PPBC 6th Edition: What type of parent are you?

I've been absent in Joey's carnival for some time now as my schedule just won't permit me. Nevertheless, I would still like to spread the word about the current topic being undertaken on the next carnival.

The topic is: "What type of parent are you?" This month's host is Guardian Angel of Happy Family Matters. General guidelines include the following:

1. This is open to all English-only submissions.

2. No limit number of words, but I prefer valuable entries. I will disapprove entries that are obviously created to promote a product or a blog. No affiliate links allowed.

3. Mention that your post is an entry to Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival (PPBC) 6th edition and provide a link to this post.

4. Leave a comment to this post and include a link to your entry. Please make sure that the link is live.

5. Deadline of submission is on July 30 @ 12 midnight, SHARP!

For more details on the sixth edition, head over to GA's blog.

Why Kids Don't Like Vegetables

I am sure all of us, when we were little kids, remember the time when we'd have to endure the hard task of eating our veggies during meal time, with our parents watching to make sure we clean up our plate. I can clearly recall how much helpful a big glass of water was to help me swallow all those kangkong leaves and what-nots. LOL. I am sure you all had your own tactics too. Those were the days. :)

But I guess it is actually all a matter of getting used to. I remember feeding our little girl just veggies for solids, and she'd eat them with so much gusto. That was of course, when she knew so little and was just a cute infant then. Now, though, she has a mind of her own and asserts what she wants and what she doesn't. We're just glad we have the appetite stimulants and multivitamins to help us with any feeding problem.

However, I recently found out that there is a biological reason why kids naturally don't like eating their veggies, which made so much sense. Dr. Oz of the Oprah show explains why.

He says there's a very good biological reason why it's so hard to get kids to eat their vegetables. In fact, they are hardwired to not like them. Dr. Oz says when our prehistoric ancestors searched for food, their children were most susceptible to poisons, which often taste bitter. So instead of liking something bitter—like broccoli—children tend to crave sweet and bland foods like dairy or chicken nuggets.

Children also have a biological reason not to like certain foods. Flavorful fruits and veggies may actually taste differently to kids than they do to adults. "An older adult has 3,000 taste buds," Dr. Oz says. "A kid has 10,000."

Read more »

There you go. So next time you serve those greens and yellows on the dinner table, don't be too hard on your kid. Be a little more understanding. It's up to us parents to be more creative with the food that we serve our little ones so that they can get the most nutrients out of them.