Michi Photostory

One more day and my son will have his school break. Yey! I don’t have to set my alarm clock for one week. I have more time to do the household chores and finish my backlogs because we have no homework and quizzes. Last review later because tomorrow is the last day of his second periodical test. We need to review for Christian Living, Health and Computer.

Anyway, do you have any plans for sembreak? Are you looking for sembreak activities where you can take your kids while they are on vacation. I know that I posted before some zoos that you can visit under Zoomanity but I’ll be sharing to you more zoos that we have visited here in Philippines.

Let me start with Manila Zoo. I’ve visited this zoo twice, one when I was 7 years old and the second time was when I went with my own family. Yes, after two decades. The elephant was still there and I saw that they offer a boat ride too. I heard that there is Kinder Zoo beside the Manila Zoo which I haven’t visited yet. 

Read: Manila Zoo



Next is Ark Avilon Zoo, we celebrated our son’s 3rd birthday in this zoo because at that time the weather is unpredictable so we chose an indoor interactive zoo. The zoo is not that big, in fact you can enjoy the place for one hour. The good thing about this zoo is, it is located in Tiendisitas so you can shop or play at the Fun Ranch if you have more time. 


Read: Ark Avilon Zoo



We also visited Avilon Zoo, the sister company of Ark Avilon Zoo. This zoo is much bigger and located in Rizal and it took us more than two hours just to tour the zoo. 

Read: Avilon Zoo



Paradizoo is the first zoo that my son visited which is located in Mendez, Cavite. 

Read: Paradizoo



The place is not that big so if you still have time try to visit Residence Inn Zoo which is located in Tagaytay. You won’t miss this zoo because it is along the highway. There are more activities and in addition, you can watch animal shows. 

Read: Residence Inn Zoo



Zoobic Safari, we have just visited this zoo this year and so far this is the memorable one because we enjoy the tram ride, the lion safari and tiger safari. I heard that they also offer Zoobic Night Safari and I’m not sure if it is the same with the Night Safari that we’ve experienced in Singapore. 

Read: Zoobic Safari

Lastly, we also visited Baluarte during our Laoag and Vigan Trip. The good thing about this zoo is there is no entrance fee so don’t forget to include this in your itinerary. 

Read: Baluarte
Manila Zoo 
Quirino Ave., Adriatico St., 
Malate Manila Luzon Philippines 
7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily 
Telephone numbers: (632) 400-1884 (Manila Zoo)
(632) 522-6179 (Kinder Zoo)

Ark Avilon Zoo 
Frontera Verde Ortigas Avenue corner C-5
Pasig City, Philippines 
Telephone No. 706-2992 
Fax No. 706-2993 
Email Address: arkavilonzoo@gmail.com 

Avilon Zoo 
Bo. San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal 
Tel. Nos.: (632) 941-8393 * (632) 948-9866 (63917) 899-5126 
Fax: (632) 941-8530 * 
Email: info@avilonzoo.com.ph 

Paradizoo 
Km. 63 Panungyan Road, 
Mendez, Cavite, Philippines 

Baluarte 
Vigan, Ilocos Sur 
7 AM to 6 PM - 7 days a week 

Residence Inn Zoo 
Km. 65 Barrio Neogan, 
Tagaytay-Nasugbu Hwy,
City of Tagaytay 4120 
Phone:(046) 413 1376 

Zoobic Safari 
Group I Ilanin Forest 
Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines

I was clearing my photo albums in my phone when I saw this grilled cheese sandwich. I can’t believe that I haven’t posted it yet in my blog because I always cook this at home. It is so easy to make and you can eat it on breakfast or snacks. 



You only need butter, mozzarella cheese, slices of bread. 

1. Heat the grilling pan or any flat pan. 
2. You can put butter directly on the pan or spread it on your bread. 
3. I put cheese on one slice of the bread and cover it with another bread. 
4. Grill both sides until lightly brown and cheese melts. 
5. Slice diagonally and serve. 

If I’m lazy, I put the sandwich in the oven toaster. Hehehe! My husband puts cracked pepper on his cheese sandwich. 

My husband ate at Shrimp Bucket and he was telling me that he ate a shrimp dish with salted egg and he said it was delicious. He was suggesting me to cook this at home and I told him, di ko pa nga natikman e. He said, parang buttered shrimp din tapos may salted egg lang. #saltedeggrecipe

Read: Shrimp Bucket

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I love shrimp and I always cook buttered garlic shrimp. It is one easy dish that I can prepare when I’m busy or I’m lazy to cook. Lol. I love salted egg too so I always buy salted egg duck in Tindahan ng Itlog ni Kuya at Victoria, Laguna. 

Anyway, I check google for the recipe, some fried the shrimp first, some just use egg yolk and some use milk for the sauce. But I always want an easy dish and few ingredients so I decided to follow my recipe for buttered garlic shrimp and I just add the salted egg. 


1/2 kilo of Shrimp 
2 salted egg (mashed) 
2tbsp of butter 
4 cloves of garlic, minced 
Salt and pepper to taste 

1. Remove the shell of the shrimp. Deveined it if you want. 
2. Season it with salt and pepper. 
3. In a pan, melt the butter and stir in the garlic until fragrant. 
4. Add the mashed salted egg and mix. 
5. Toss in the shrimp and stir. Cook it until it changes color for about 4-6 minutes.
6. Serve. 

I tasted it and I was so happy with the result and I even texted my husband na baka di na umabot sa dinner. Hahaha! The salted egg gives more flavor to the buttered garlic sauce and I love it. I will try this with crabs.

You’ve got a ton of jewelry-making paraphernalia laying around, don’t you? Admit it. The beads, the wiring, the yard, the string, the baubles. They’re taking up space on your table. You need a way to neatly organize them without making them disappear completely. Here’s how to do that. 


Use Tupperware

Tupperware is your friend, when it comes to sorting and organizing. Figure out a few basic things like how many “categories” of stuff you have. So, for example, if you have 10 different colors of beads, you would need 10 different tupperware containers. If you have cabochon, briolettes, or focals that you don’t want stuffed into a container, go to the local crafts store and pick up some padding to protect them.

You can still use tupperware, or some other kind of plastic container-like material. You just need something that’s a bit more protective inside them is all.

Get A Label Maker

Get yourself a label-maker, like the Dymo Label writer 450 turbo. It will be a lifesaver. Making labels for everything, of course, saves you the frustration of digging through questionably translucent containers for that one special clip or pin that you need to complete your project. 

Making labels also lets you organize and sort everything on a shelf so that you can find the container you need quickly. When choosing a label-maker, there are a few things to look for. First, how much does the label roll cost? 

If you have a lot of containers, and you plan on updating the contents, and you think you might need refills or additional rolls, you don’t want to get hit in the wallet with overpriced labels. At the same time, you want to look for a decent-quality label-maker that will give you strong prints and a good adhesive so that labels don’t fall off after a month. 

Destroy Some Coat Hangers 

This is where the fun begins. If you have a lot of jewelry already made up, if you keep a lot of wiring, string, fiber, cloth, or anything that doesn’t belong in a box, here’s how you organize that stuff: destroy some wire coat hangers.

You can bend those things into amazing shapes, cut and reshape them, and customize them in endless ways so that they will hold all of your goodies. 

The best thing about this little hack is that coat hangers are cheap, they look good, and they’re easy to sort. You can either put them in an open closet, hang them on nails on the wall, hang them on pegs on a pegboard, or hang them over a door. 

You can even buy one of those over-the-door kitchen organizers and use it as a makeshift organizer for your repurposed coat hangers. 

They don’t take labels well, but, you probably don’t need to label them anyway since you have a visual cue there about what’s on them. Just make sure you file down any rough edges that you cut or you’ll be in for a nasty surprise. 

Selina Aumiller is a busy mom and small business owner. When she gets the time, she likes to share what works for her with others who could use some tips. Look for her helpful articles on many business websites today.

I saw the reminder yesterday in my son’s notebook that we should bring candies on Friday for the costume parade. It made me confused at baka trick or treat ito and need ko ng pumpkin basket so I asked my friend about it. For the last two years, I brought goodie bags for my son’s classmates so I want to make sure kung gagawa ba ko or hindi. But my friend told me that the kids will roam around the campus giving candies to students, baka umabot pa ng college building so make sure at least 3/4 full ang padala ko na candies. 

This is one thing that I dislike in my son’s new school, late notification. As in two days or day before the event ang notification. Like sa mga monthly offering, buti na lang may stock ako sa bahay ng pinadadala but what if wala di ba. Anyway, I texted my husband to buy candies before he goes home. 



My son’s pumpkin basket is too big so half full lang basket namin. Hehehe! 



Sharing with you the DIY Halloween Goodie Bag that I’ve prepared before. Click the image to check the DIY. 

Nursery



 Pre-Kinder

Two weeks ago my husband told me that he ate at Pepper Lunch and sobrang sarap and lambot daw ng steak and he promised me that we will eat there. He knew that I love steak. The day after our field trip in Subic we went to Alabang Town Center to eat at Pepper Lunch. I always see this every time we eat at Yabu and Vanilla Cupcake Bakery but wasn’t interested to try it. 



Upon seated, the staff gave us the menu but you have to go to the counter to order and pay for your meal. Since it was my first time, I let my husband chose my meal and my son only ordered dessert which is Goma Soft P55.



Pepper Lunch is a DIY Teppan restaurant originated in Japan that gives you fresh culinary experience because you have to cook your own food. I did not know that I will cook my own steak, my husband told me na manood ko ng TV kasi ako daw magluluto. But it was too late because our ordered came already. I was so amazed so I took picture and video and my husband reminded me na lutuin ko na kaya food ko, mawawala na yung init. Hahaha!
  
The food is assembled in the Iron plate which was uniquely designed and patented in Japan. In 70 seconds the iron plate will heat up to 260C and remain hot for more than 20 minutes at 80C. My husband ordered Beef Pepper Rice P198 and Big Ribeye Steak P635. 





My steak includes corn, long beans, rice and mashed potato. I was so happy with my steak, it was tender, juicy and true enough ito na pinakamalambot na steak na natikman ko. It almost melts in your mouth, ganito ba pag premium steak? 

It was worth the splurge, I shared my food with my son but he only likes rice and corn so I finished the steak and mashed potato all by myself. Next time I will add more salt and pepper since I’m not fond of putting sauces in my steak. 



I love the idea of “Sizzling it your way” because I can cook my own food according to my preference. And because I loved the experience and I enjoyed my food, I know that this is not my last time eating at Pepper Lunch.

The staff failed to ask if it was our first time or siguro kasi matagal na yung Pepper Lunch so feeling niya alam na namin. Lol So if ever you will dine in Pepper Lunch don’t forget to watch the video while waiting for your order.

Update: March 2015

We went back again and I noticed the limited butter on top compared to our last visit. 



Pepper Lunch 
2nd Flr, Corte de Las Palmas 
Alabang, Muntinlupa City

Read: Pepper Lunch Solenad
Pepper Lunch Southwoods Mall
Pepper Lunch Shangri la

A week before the field trip day, I received a reminder about the field trip itinerary and I was so sad because the field trip is Ocean Adventure. Waah! We have just visited Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure last February and sobrang fresh pa sa memories ko. Lol 

So I was thinking if we will join the field trip or not because 

1. Field trip day is also my son’s birthday. 
2. We have just visited the place last February. 
3. I wasn’t feeling well due to cold and cough. 
4. This is our first trip without Daddy because only 1 chaperone is allowed. I can imagine the stress already. 

But I also have to consider these things 

1. I already paid this field trip because it is included in the tuition. 
2. This is the first field trip of my son in his new school and sabi nga ni hubby, bonding niya with his classmates. 
3. This is also the last field trip that I can accompany my son because next year no more chaperone allowed. 

So ending, I went to school to pay for chaperone fee. We celebrated my son’s birthday in advance. Check our Mario Birthday Theme here. 

If you’ve been reading this blog for quite some time now, you will notice that I don’t really splurge on birthday party because I love intimate celebration. A simple and inexpensive celebration is what I always wanted. Every year we celebrated our birthdays in different ways, it depends on our time and budget. 

Last Saturday, my son turned six years old and few months before his birthday, I was thinking about how we are going to celebrate his birthday.  

1. No birthday parties allowed in his new school.  
2. His birthday falls on a weekend.  
3. Three months before his birthday, I received the school calendar and surprise! educational field trip namin sa birthday niya.  



But still I asked him what is his birthday theme, my son wanted Mario Birthday Theme so I was searching for ideas since August. I was planning to have a simple birthday celebration at home. I’m still hoping and praying na baka mabago pa yung schedule ng field trip.  



Unfortunately, it didn’t happen so we celebrated his special day, the day before his birthday. My husband just called my in-laws few hours before the party. We only have cake and pizza for the food. I bought the paper plates and table cover at Celebrations Party Central. 



Sharing with you, my DIY Mario Birthday Theme.  

Printables: Banner and Clip Art, Bottled Water, Mustache, Invitation and many more 










Giveaway - KitKat chocolate + Wrapper and Mario Coloring Book.  



Cake - Chocolate Ganache from Karen’s Kitchen.  



A month before my son’s birthday, I asked my husband if I will order a Mario Cake just like last year when I ordered a Mickey Mouse Cake but he said, we will just buy a cake then put Mario decoration. We’re not fond of fondant cake kasi. I told him na siya na bahala sa cake, basta I want a plain white cake.  

The day before my son’s birthday, my husband checked two bakeshops in Makati and he was informing me about the cake, price, and looks. But my son wanted chocolate cake so we ordered one of the bestsellers of Karen’s Kitchen which is Chocolate Ganache, P825 for 8” round.  



We’re having a hard time looking for Mario decoration toy, we’ve been checking different malls but my husband only found small Mario stuff. Good thing my friend read my FB status and she messaged me that she has Mario toy from Happy Meal. Yay, that was two hours before the party.  

We were really excited to taste the cake because I’ve read so many good reviews. Some of the blogs even considered this as one of the best chocolate cake. We love the chocolate cake because it is not sweet, the cake is moist and you can really see the layer of icing, frosting, and cake. Maybe, our expectation is so high so when we tasted it, ok lang naman. Considering the price of P825, I find it too expensive because the cake is not that big compared to Purple Oven cakes.  

Sources of my Printables

Printable Mario Coloring Pages
Mario Birthday Invitation
Mario Mustache
Super Mario Clip Art Printables
Happy Birthday Mario 

Before we get into the detail of the article, I really want to thank the team here for letting me post here with them. It means a lot to be able to get something published for my Michael May Money Blog at a great site like this.


When I was 16, I chose to stay at school for A levels, something definitely optional at the end of the Seventies. As all of my siblings had left school at 16 and found jobs, my parents agreed to support me, provided I bought my own uniform and paid my bus fares to school, which seemed fair enough and comfortably doable with money from my weekend job. At 18, I celebrated the end of school by running off to France for six months with my two best friends, where we hitchhiked, slept on beaches, sold doughnuts in our bikinis and kept in touch by sending monthly postcards home saying: “Working as an au pair with a strict family, and hardly allowed out at all.” Our parents were fine with that. 

By the time I was 19, I had moved out of my parents’ house and would never live there again. I went from hall of residence to shared rented flat; and though I’d visit regularly, I never stayed overnight and it wouldn’t have occurred to me to rock up with a bag of washing. Nor did I ever take money or advice from my parents again. Thanks to a full grant, summer temp jobs and an uncrushable confidence in my own superior judgment, I was financially and emotionally independent from then on. My parents were fine with that too. 

Fast forward to now, when I have two grown-up kids of my own. I say grown-up mainly in the legal sense — Fred is 19 and Kat is 22 — because by all my own measures of adulthood they are still children, and their relationships with their parents couldn’t be more different than mine. At 16, Kat had never had a job, and neither she nor I expected her to get one. Her focus was to be her school work because of course, she’d be going to university. At 18, she celebrated the end of school by going on her first independent holiday with her two best friends, to Barcelona, for a week, paid for by us. She sent texts to let us know that she’d arrived safely, what the hotel was like, and at what time we could collect her when her return flight landed. When she went to university, we paid her fees and her rent so that she wouldn’t have to work during term time. 

Last year, she graduated and moved back home, just as her brother was leaving for university, and we started paying his fees and rent too. After stints of unpaid interning, she was lucky enough to land a job at a decent graduate salary. A “decent graduate salary” means enough — just — to afford rent in a shared flat, in at least some parts of London, but it also means that you will spend most of your nights at home and never be able to save a penny. Encouraged by us, she has decided that living at home is a better choice for now. We don’t charge rent so she can save hard for a deposit for a place of her own — though not so hard that she can’t have holidays or a social life. 

Reference: welshview.co.uk

All the things that we didn’t want for ourselves, even if our parents would have allowed them, which they wouldn’t, we encourage and enable in our own kids. She has her own room, decorated to her own design, paid for by us, and where we knock before we enter. We keep the fridge stocked with food she likes, paid for by us. If she wants to have friends over, we clear out of the kitchen so she can entertain them in peace. If she needs a lift and it’s late or bad weather, her dad still drives her. She cooks for the family once a week, if she’s in, and helps me work the remote control. A couple of nights a week she may stay at a friend’s or at her boyfriend’s, and all we ask is that she lets us know when she’ll be back. Is she a princess? Are we mugs? Is there something wrong with this picture? 

If we are mugs, we’re not alone. According to Mintel, the market research company, more than three million young adults aged 20-plus returned home last year. For many, it’s to clear debts or because rent is unaffordable. But for others, it’s a more complicated mix of finding life easier and nicer at home than in an overpriced shared flat. And this, says Sally Koslow, author of Slouching Toward Adulthood, is bad. She thinks we’ve wrapped our kids in cotton wool, failed to teach them life skills, and denied them the satisfaction of achieving independence. We’ve effectively forgotten what parenting means.

It’s a neat argument, but it’s the wrong argument because it belongs in a different world — the less complex world that boomer parents grew up in. In 1969, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18, and overnight 18 became the new age of legal adulthood, an arbitrary label that nonetheless shifted our perceptions of when independence and the markers of adult life began. In fact, sophisticated brain imaging shows that our brains — particularly in the areas related to forward planning and impulse control — aren’t fully developed until around the age of 24. But at least premature adulthood was less of a problem and more easily attainable in those days. I had my first Saturday job at 13, and in my gap year, I could walk out of one job on a Friday afternoon and into another one by Tuesday morning. Those jobs were mainly in retail, admin and customer service, the kind of job Kat couldn’t get, because when I was a teenager most of the mothers were still at home with their kids, not queuing up for the same jobs — 66 per cent of mothers now work, compared with 31 per cent in 1980, and that’s before we even consider the recession. After college, competition for graduate jobs was tame — there were just 68,000 graduates in the UK in 1980, compared with nearly 300,000 last year. Mortgages were about three times the average salary; they’re more than seven times now. 

Today, much more is expected from our kids and it’s harder to attain, with more years in education before they can afford independence, yet we still expect them to want the same things, and to achieve them when we did, even though it’s practically impossible. Terri Apter, the British psychologist and author of The Myth of Maturity, describes the period of the early twenties as “apprentice adulthood”, a phase in which our kids need reliable but gradually receding support, and says that we should not expect them to emerge fully formed as adults when they reach a particular birthday. “The myth of maturity at 18 is pervasive but damaging,” she says, and parents who think that “tough love” means kicking them out before they’re ready, are usually wrong. “Adolescents who make the transition most successfully and creatively to adulthood are those who still have the support of their parents. Not just financially, but in terms of ongoing engagement, understanding, and advice.” 

It’s not just economics that keeps our kids at home. When I was growing up, the world was divided into Adult World and Kid World, and the two rarely overlapped. So long as I obeyed my parents’ (many) rules, they weren’t particularly interested in my friends or what music I liked. We’ve been much more engaged with our children’s lives, and as interested in their emotional and personal development as in their grades at school. Yes, there are extremes of “child-centered” parenting that are both ridiculous and disturbing, but overall, family relationships are richer as a result, and we aren’t in as much of a hurry to change them. I don’t think of where we live as “my house”, as my parents did, but as “our home”. 

Now that Kat and Fred are older, knowing when to step back and when to step in is a whole new choreography, and I often get it wrong. Both kids are mess magnets, and I’ve had to get tough with them about chores. In turn, they could do without me making “mum” conversation with their friends, and though they appreciate their luck, both would prefer their own places. Fred, in particular, says it is “embarrassing” to admit to your friends that you live with your parents. We’re all compromising. 

I know that in another year or two they’ll be gone. Maybe they’ll bounce back again, as so many of my friends’ kids have done. Fine by me. I’d have made braver decisions if I’d felt able to do the same thing at their age. One friend with three big sons despairs of them living at home, but as she has made herself their slave — skivvying for them as if they were still ten — I think she only has herself to blame. Kat’s best friend is also at home with her family, who are from South America. She doesn’t understand why this is even an issue — families living with or near each other more or less forever is normal in her culture and everyone benefits. The cult of independence and individuality that my generation lived by has its dark side, in increasingly atomized, selfish and lonely lives. Do we really believe that we’re only responsible to and for ourselves? One of the hardest lessons for us to learn has been mutuality — the back and forth of support and shared resources of every kind, throughout a lifetime. If we’re lucky, isn’t that what families are meant to be for? 

This post was contributed by the Money Saving Blog who is a regular poster both here on their own blog. You can catch them on twitter, facebook or even their very popular youtube channel.

Someone has to protect our country during the holidays, and this job falls squarely on the military. It’s no fun being away from family, especially if you’re a woman. But you can make the holidays a little kinder, a little more gentle, by sending a thoughtful gift to a soldier that’s deployed in a strange, far away, country. Here’s what to send.

Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash

A Military Ring 

A military ring is a ring that features the military branch crest and gemstone. You can order them in either silver or gold, and it’s a symbol of the dedication and pride that every soldier feels for serving in the military. Military Rings for women tend to run a bit smaller than for men, and they’re more feminine. This doesn’t always mean they’re cheaper though. But, if you really want to “wow” someone, send them this. 

A Paracord Bracelet 

A paracord bracelet is a bracelet that’s made of parachute chord - yes, nylon. It’s the same chord that’s been used in the military since WWII for parachutes. It’s strong. It’s lightweight. It’s great for all kinds of survival situations. This is what soldiers love, even women. Say you’re out in the field, and you need something to help you catch some wild game, or you need something to climb up a tree, or maybe you just want to relax and do a little fishing on your day off - this is what you need. 

When not needed, it’s a bracelet. But, it “magically” unravels into a tactical cord that has at least as many uses as baking soda, except that the bracelet is more stylish. 

A Teddy Bear 

The female soldiers in the civil war would have loved this as a gift had they been able to get their hands on them. A teddy bear might seem a little childish, but most soldiers, even females, tend to feel a little homesick when they’re deployed. This is one of the best ways to make them feel like they have a home, and that someone is thinking about them. It can get pretty lonely over there. At night, it can also get a bit chilly. Having something to snuggle will make life a little bit easier. 

A Blanket 

While the military does provide blankets, they tend to be very utilitarian and not very “cozy.” Sending a homemade blanket, or even a nice store-bought one can really brighten someone’s day. It doesn’t have to be super-fancy, but try to send something that’s soft, comfortable, and homely. 

Remember, many female soldiers carry a stigma with them that brands them as unfeminine. The reality is that they’re like most females. They like feminine things, like soft blankets that make them feel like they’re home instead of being wrapped up in government synthetic materials. 

A Pillow 

This might sound strange, but nice pillows aren’t a common thing if you’re deployed. You get the standard-issue pillow, and that thing isn’t comfortable. It’s cheap. Sending a fluffy pillow, or something that feels like it’s from home will make just about any soldier’s day. Helen Moser loves to send things to our troops overseas, especially during the holidays. An avid writer, she likes to give people creative ideas for supporting the military. You can find her interesting posts on many blog sites today.

Teacher’s Day is just an ordinary day for me when I was a student, in fact, I can’t even remember if I ever gave a gift to my teachers. I just always think na baka sabihin sipsip ako so I don’t give anything. But when I became a mom and started tutoring my son, I realized how hard it is to be a teacher. 

I started giving small gifts to my son’s teacher when he was in Nursery to show our appreciation for teaching our son. I give chocolates or school supplies. Yesterday, I just put some school supplies and card in a box, wrapped them, and put a sticker. 



Happy Teacher's Day!

Source: 

For the gift tag, click here
For the card, click here 

The desire to become parents is coming to each couple throughout several years of their relations. They have already proved to each other that they are ready for making family and its’ time for the baby. As soon as a woman finds out that she will be mom her life is changing in an enormous way. 



First of all, there are a lot of different processes that are happening with her body when she is pregnant and gives the birth to a baby. Second important change is that it is a real challenge for a couple, you need to be ready for sleepless nights, frequent crying of the baby even if you don’t know exactly what is the reason of it, increasing of bills. However, the last and the most important change is that now you are responsible for this small creature and all your actions will inevitably influence him. 

How not to make mistakes, how to be a good mother, how to be not just mother, but also to remain personality, how to prevent problems with husband and many other questions will bother you each and every time. However, there are countless moms all over the world and some of them are becoming moms while you are reading this article. You are not alone and countless women in different parts of the world have the same questions as you have and are facing the same problems as you. But a lot of women have already grown up their children in descent grown-ups and they can be proud that they have done everything in right away. 

If you are experiencing any problems during pregnancy or with your baby, you need to know that there are countless sources where you can find a lot of useful tips on this topic. If you are looking for any type of advice for moms all you need to do is to check out on the internet. Experience of those women who have already faced the same problems as you is the best help in this situation. 

It’s normal that you are not perfect mom from the beginning, it’s normal that you have fears and concerns if it is your first baby. However, with the time you will become a real expert in this field and can even give pieces of advice for other moms who need help. Try not to panic in the begging nobody is the expert. However, with the help and support of your beloved people, you will definitely become a super mom and will feel all the pleasure of maternity. Ability to be parents is a great gift, mainly because there is no more pleasure in this life than to give birth to innocent baby from someone you love.

I’ve learned about Kumon three years ago when I enrolled my son in his first Summer Class. I always hear good reviews about Kumon because I have mommy friends who enrolled their kids in Kumon. After three years, I finally took advantage of the 2 weeks free trial. I’ve read it online so I told my husband about it. 

Last week of August we went to Kumon to register but my son was not interested. He doesn’t even want to enter the room so we were told to take the assessment next week during the Parent’s Orientation. The staff just asked me about my son’s age, grade level, and if my son can read already. 

I took the Math Free Trial and the starting point is 5A101. I was not happy with our starting point because I know that it is so easy for my son. My son can already spell numbers 1 to 100 and the worksheet is just “find the number and connect the dots. He learned this when he was in Nursery. 


I’m aware that we will start at a level lower than the school grade level because they want to start at a comfortable level wherein the kids would enjoy doing a lot of worksheets. But in my son’s case, he was so bored doing the worksheets and nilalaro lang niya. 


After answering one week of worksheets and attending two days class in the center. I decided not to continue the 2-week free trial, I just feel that Kumon is not what we need. For someone who has a very limited budget, I don’t want to waste P1800 every month for worksheets that are lower than my son’s grade level. (two years below) I don’t know how long will it take before we reach his level. Baka grade 1 na siya wala pa kami sa Division. Well, this is just my opinion. 


For your information, Kumon is not a tutorial center because they want kids to develop good study habits, and to be independent and self-learners. My son was doing his worksheets on his own. Kumon is not a quick fix, so it will take time before you see the improvement or benefits of it. It is not a short-term summer program that you can take every summer.