All is well

When you get a message like this from your BOSS, my kids are my real boss, you feel a level of accomplishment that no amount of statistics can measure.

I am crying right now. 😂

I am so proud of me, and more so of my little ones. Perhaps it was the Wonder woman costume I helped her make, or the favor we gave her allowing her to visit her best friend. Perhaps even the Pokémon Go level up we helped her get. I dare not ask her why. Words may ruin the moment. It just feels so much like heaven.

To Label or Not to Label Reflection Paper on Totoy Guro’s Special Education Labels in the Philippines

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Totoy Guro is a blog written by a Filipino teacher. It is a personal space on the Internet where he shares his insights, notes and personal experiences as an educator in the Philippines. The article listing Totoy Guro’s reasons for espousing the use of “labels” for children with special needs (CSN) is a good insight from a teacher’s perspective. Totoy Guro enumerated that using labels for CSN strengthens the teachers’ roles because labels identify the exceptional students’ needs in the classrooms. He also opposed the use of euphemisms for exceptionalities as this prevents people from truly understanding what needs understanding. He said euphemisms promote gossips and unfair labels among children, parents and even teachers. Instead, he recommended public and classroom discussions to educate everyone about exceptionalities.

Reading about students’ exceptionalities and special education (SPED) has opened my mind about the topic. The most experience and knowledge I have about it was a special classroom in my high school where the lone SPED teacher conducted lessons to students with disabilities. These students joined their class the same way regular students would, but gathered daily in the SPED room long after the regular students have gone home. Inside that room was a mystery unknown and uninteresting to me until now. 

Totoy Guro’s piece on using labels gave me an overview of what regular students, CSN, parents and teachers stand about exceptionalities. SPED and exceptionalities are facts of life everyone should accept, deal and live with respectfully of one another. As a parent and future educator, I know that having correct diagnosis of students’ learning disabilities is beneficial for the concerned student, parent and family of the student and most especially, the teacher. It is the start of addressing the necessary accommodations, therapy and changes in order to make the CSN succeed at school.

Totoy Guro has freely used the term label to mean this diagnosis. However, I understand also the possible negative reaction of those who oppose the use of labels for the stigma and wrong connotations they give. The same way that our society today has opted for politically correct phrases and terminologies in order to appease people groups coming from diverse backgrounds and concerns. Adopting politically correct phrases though is synonymous to watering down the issue, if not totally evading it. The problems with using labels then is miscommunication and lack of respect for those who are different from us. Job 6:25 KJV says, “How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?” Right words set us towards the correct path. Arguments divide people, familites and societies. We need and deserve truth all the time, but we need to serve it with love, respect, understanding and encouragement all the time too.

Reference/s

T. G. (2011, September 3). MY LIST WHY “LABELS” FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ARE GOOD [Web log post]. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from https://totoyguro.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/my-list-why-labels-for-children-with-special-needs-are-good/#comments

Life Direction and Puberty

When life is gray, where do you turn?

High School Challenges

Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines awardee and Ateneo de Manila University’s first visually-impaired Filipina summa cum laude Roselle Ambubuyog summarized her life story in colors. Green for her childhood days, red when she became blind, white for that time when she has accepted her disability, yellow for those years that despite her blindness there are supportive people around her who helped her accomplish her dreams, and so on. For me, my high school years were gray. Gray because I have never been as unsure of my life as I was then.

I was clueless as to what to do with my life. I didn’t know what course to take because I didn’t know what career I would enjoy best. While my friends and classmates were sure as to the steps they want to take after high school, I was drifting along. I was copying whatever sounded great. I guess I was most hesitant to make the first mature decision of my life: to choose a college degree.

I was also most disinterested about life when I was in high school. Perhaps it was due to hormonal changes, but I was most sluggish then. Nothing appeared interesting to me. My days would be the same day in and day out. School was fun and I have numerous fun friends, but life was monotonous. Everything was boring, everything was gray.

Lastly, I remember that back in high school, during my third year, my father died. It was one of the saddest days of my life. My father, whom I love and respect very much got sick of emphysema and was in pain for quite some months. Several weeks before Christmas, my brother fetched us from the province with the bad news that our dad passed away. I was crying all throught our trip home.

It was amazing that high school life consisted only of four years, but led to more colorful and difficult yet rewarding life ahead. I am most thankful of God’s mercies on my life because looking back, it is clear to me that by His loving kindness I came out fine and triumphant after high school.

“People plan their path, but the Lord secures their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Childhood Unforgettable Experiences

Decades after, my wacky family!

From a small, rural town to the big city

My earliest childhood recollection was being with my mom who worked very hard, helping my farmer father provide the best future for me and my siblings.

I come from a big family, with five older brothers and four older sisters. My parents believe that education is the optimum ticket to better our lives. With all 10 of us attending school, my parents worked hard together to make ends meet. Both my father and mother had little formal schooling, but they were active in our community, with my father being a baranggay capitan for about 19 years.

I remember that aside from tilling the lands, my father drove a public utility jeepney for a living; while my mother organized housewives and gave them jobs as needlewomen. She would get contracting jobs from various businessmen, some of whom were foreigners, and she would sometimes bring me along to her meetings with them. There was one very vivid childhood memory I have of those trips when I got offered my favorite native delicacy of kutsinta. No matter how much I wanted to taste it, I was overcame with shyness. I regretted that and I told I myself that I should not be timid especially when I know what I liked.

At school, I enjoyed studying. It became my parents’ pride that I would be chosen as our school’s representative in declamation contests and win. I remembered my mother drafted her own poems for me to recite during family reunions and community programs.

When I turned nine, my parents decided to enroll us in Manila. My older brothers and sisters who were in college level were already studying in various universities in Recto and were staying in different apartments and dormitories. My parents were offered a tiny bit of land to build a small house in Sampaloc, and my parents decided that it would be best for all of us to live and study in Manila. They bought the land and built the tiniest house I have ever seen. A 26-square meter abode was to become my new home, far from the verdant rice fields and vast tree-lined playing grounds that I loved.

It was in Manila that I learned how to cross the busy, traffic-jammed streets, haggle in crowded public markets, and order fast food in Jollibee. My quiet, slow and steady life at the province was replaced with the congested city’s noise and quarrelsome, drug-dealing neighbors. So I turned to books, reading and learning. I enjoyed school more and was recognized for my efforts. When it was time for my elementary graduation practice, I had to rehearse with my teachers the speech that I was to deliver in front of our graduating class but I didn’t make it because I was feeling weak. During the actual graduation day, at the break of dawn, instead of wearing the white graduation dress, I was changing into a hospital gown. I was admitted for appendicitis and was operated on while my classmates were receiving their elementary diplomas.

Like a seedling removed from the plant nursery to grow in the open sun

Creative lunchboxes, Lois Billionaire, No toothbrush near the toilet, stressed parent equals stressed kids

My two kids are not great eaters. Our family is not. So it's really a gift for me that their school encourages healthy eating - fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I get reprimanded by my own daughter. "Ayayay, Mommy! This is not healthy food."


Lunchbox staples
So I normally pack cut fruits - apple, mangoes, melon, watermelon. Bananas and grapes are sure winners.


I also serve them raw cashew nuts/peanuts mixed with raisins and cereals. On some days, they get peanut butter sandwiches shaped in triangles, ovals, squares and hearts. They love it!

I want to be a billionaire

To encourage doing things on their own, I started posting chore charts for my two kids. The reward was money. Since they love APPS, they may use their money to buy. I was particularly targeting my little boy to do this.

However, my plan backfired. My son was not at all interested in his chores nor his prizes. Instead, it was his sister who religiously checked and asked for her rewards. She was able to get quite a few, almost halfway her piggy bank, until she told me one day: "Don't give me anymore coins. I'm already a billionaire!"

Secretly giggling to her declaration, I confirmed if she knows what a billionaire is. "My classmate Edward said a billionaire is someone who has lots of money."

Yes, my little girl! You are indeed a billionaire.

Restroom tip

I first heard about this while riding the metro train to a meeting.

Flushing the toilet can cause germs to fly anywhere from 6-10 feet. At the very least, keep your brush as far from the toilet as possible, and protect it in a plastic container or holder.

Since we don't have the luxury of space, I have instructed everyone to pull down the lid before hitting the flush button. Hope that helps?

Child stress

My kids copy me, especially my bad traits. I am working hard on it. Though I haven't gotten very far. Lately though, when I read about the top causes of stress for children, I got a solid punch. I should really pull myself together when the kids are watching.

Parent having problems.
Fight with a friend or a sibling.
Taking a test.
Wondering if someone thinks you're attractive (teens especially).
Not having enough privacy.
Birth of a brother or sister.
Moving to a new school.
Re/marriage of a parent.
Not having enough money.
A teacher who doesn't like you.

Source: Mind/Body Medical Institute

Paradox of the times

Today we have bigger houses but smaller families, more amenities but less time. We have a higher education level and more knowledge but less common sense and competence to judge.

Flawed and fabulous
I am far from being the best mom, my kids model my worst behavior, so I really have no excuse. Yesterday though, my daughter made me so proud. She insisted that she cannot play with the iPod because she disobeyed one of our rules. My, oh my! We are doing something right, after all.



Daughter's being more and more helpful around the house too. Guiding her baby brother wash his hands, play, take a bath. My sister in law once remarked that daughter's so mature she will not be surprised if Lois starts dispensing sensible pieces of advice.

Her teachers notice the consistent maturity and love for learning. They once told me that they were surprised that Lois got a joke that they taught only the two teachers would understand.

Allergic to Cherifer Forter?
Rushed our little boy to the hospital one night over mild fever and red rashes. It was dengue fever season and I have heard scary stories from other parents whose kids were diagnosed late. I even know of a mom who died because of dengue fever.

So when we noticed that Carlos had red rashes on his legs, arms and back, combined with mild fever, I trooped to the Emergency Room. I consulted with other family members too, and they said just to be safe, it may be good to see a doctor.

When Carlos and I got to the hospital, her pediatrician's clinic is closed already so I just brought him to the Emergency Room. Doctor on duty said it was just a viral allergy and not dengue. Asked me to give him allergy syrup and give him a bath to relieve the itching.

Personally, I felt the hesitation of the doctor. I don't know, there's a different confidence our family pediatrician has which soothes me, and I didn't find it that night. I gave Carlos his medicine, but I delved farther. I thought which new things he were exposed to that might trigger the allergy. Then I came towards the culprit: Cherifer Forte and Ped-Cee Ascorbic Acid.

My little boy was perfectly fine before I gave him those medicine. And when I stopped giving him those supplements again, the rashes disappeared. Coincidence? I think not! It's mom wisdom. Not to discredit pediatricians, but mothers know our babies best. Together, we have healthier kids.


Lois' photography
Iphone's ease of use proves magnificent again. Here are Lois' recent shots around the house, guaranteed Photoshop-free:

Moving electric fan - a bit cropped I'd say? Hahahha!

Flower light

Hello Kitty wall sticker

I like this one - Eartha, their fluffy friend sea turtle

A tribute to moms - or something to make the single ladies think twice :)

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom .
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom .

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby... somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "normal" is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first... somebody doesn't have two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery....somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten... or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married... somebo dy doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home... somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her... somebody isn't a mother.

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Anonymous