prayer time at home, together? how?

It is really hard to start or to decide a daily devotion of having a family prayer like doing it together because of the busy schedule and different priorities as well. But it is important to start a routine. How?

• Make your prayer short and simple.
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• Use some ready-made devotional prayer. Those are materials that you can buy or copy from the church or some religious group.
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• Find some resources that are prepared specifically for children.
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• Prayer can take place anywhere, anytime but it is important to establish one set place to use each time. This will develop a sense of routine for the children.
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• Choose a place that is free from distractions.
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• Do not choose a time that will disrupt the regular activities of your children because it could lead to resentment and later on will defeat the purpose of devotion time.
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• Family come together during mealtime. It is the ideal time to start a short prayer.
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• Another good time is in the evening of Wednesday where everyone can pray the holy rosary. This will create a prayerful atmosphere.
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Sometimes as a parent, we should find a way that a family could stay together. There is a beautiful quote ' A family that prays together, stays together'.

ways to have wonderful vacation

Everyone needs vacation and it could be somehow expensive. To enjoy the kids vacation and have a wonderful one then try to prepare the following tips:

• Budget - at least Euro 50 per month in a certain account. Be sure not to withdraw any amount in case there will be some emergency needs. Always follow the rule of self-discipline and try to cut some extra curricular activities that would need a few bucks like watching movie, dining out or even buying things which are not your basic needs.
• Plan - a certain vacation that will be reasonable and enjoyable for everyone. Prioritize kids suggestions. Do not forget to ask their ideas about the future vacation. Be sure that the kids will enjoy and do not be selfish as a parents.
• Look - for someone to take care your home, garden and even small details like taking care your dog if you have one. One reason why some families could not have at least 2 weeks vacation is the problem of who and how the home will be taken care.
• Compare - the prize of a certain vacation that has been planned. Do not book unless you had been comparing other prizes from several agencies. Sometimes there is a chance to get a lesser prize on a group tour. Encourage your friends to join if there will be a promo about group tour to get special discount.
• Safety - of each family member has to be considered also. Do not go to some places that could be dangerous to your kids health. Do not visit a certain place that could be zero knowledge to you and to your wife also. Avoid places that needs a lot of vaccination because it will add also to your budget. Never consider a low prize vacation but in mind there are some doubts of unsafeness.

Enjoying family vacation does not mean to be expensive. Being with each other and having a great time could be fun also!

The essence of being a MOM

One of the best bonding that I can say at home is watching a nice video. Last time, we had the chance to see a drama-comedy film that focus on family ties and the importance of adoption. I thought that the film is just an ordinary one until I realized that every one (B, J, & M) including myself, cried in some scene of the film. How come it really touched our heart including a 5 year old kid? (** picture courtesy of Flickr)

1. Witnessing some kids sleeping in the street.

2. Watching the struggle of a mother to her 7 kids (6 adopted).

3. Trials that ruined the relationship of the whole family such as business bankruptcy, jealousy of the real daughter, death of the grandmother and the painful one is the abandonment of the father to his family because of some financial legalities.

4. Separation of almost the whole family except the eldest daughter to their mom because of personal conflict.

5. Humbleness of the mother to say SORRY just to bring back all her 5 daughter & 1 son.

6. The ending which really astounded us is the unity of the whole family realizing that their mom is the most important person in the world.


The best part of the film is the mother's strength that has been shown through PRAYERS and lighting a candle everytime that a family member leave her.

Let us go to church tonight!

I still remember J's face(really happy) when he had his first Vans shoes last time. That was saturday afternoon when we had shopping and he was wearing a brown fatigue and light brown shirt that day. He had chosen dark brown shoes and to his surprise it looks super cool to what he had worn that day.

J : Dad, can I use my new Vans now. (after paying it)
Me : (just look so amaze and can not believe what J said)
J : Please Dad, look at me, I am wearing something brown today and it is really cool to use it today.
Me : Do you know that when somebody has a new one like shoes, shirt, pants then it should be worn for the first time to attend a mass.
J : Why? Why should it be going to church first?(smiling but somehow impatient he he he)
Me : Coz He will bless first your new shoes. (ha ha ha ha)
J : Ok, fine! Let us go to church tonight? (Saturday???ha ha ha)
My wife : Can we attend a Saturday mass tonight?
J : Yehey! I can use my shoes tonight! (Grab his shoes at the back of the car and immediately put it!!! ha ha ha)

I just smile and can not believe it!

Who is SELFISH?

If parents have extra sense when there are some problems with their kids then beware, your kids could also sense some bad character of a person. Would you believe that a 5 year old kid could analyze a certain problem and you will be surprised to some comment.

J : Dad, where are we going this weekend?
Me : Ahmm...your mom like to shop something in Parndorf (designer outlet in Austria).
J : Wow!!! Can I join? I like to have new shoes! Vans please!
M : Me too please!
My wife : Ok, but you have to sleep early on Friday night coz we will be leaving early.

(To make the story short, we had a great time looking for nice shoes for the two kids. After paying the shoes, I decided to bring first all of it to our car. At the parking lot , I saw a great scene, Mercedes Benz vs. Audi)

Wife of Audi owner : (Running and immediately stand at one slot of the parking lot) No! No! I saw it first. It is occupied already.
Owner of MB : Are you crazy?! Your car was parked already at the opposite side. (a matter of minutes)

(I really saw the Audi parked at the opposite side but not really the best park space for the long car)

Wife of Audi owner : No! No! (really maintaining her cool posture he he he)
Owner of MB : You are really crazy. I will not drive away here(even blocking other car waiting) and let us see how long you are going to stay there standing?
Owner of Audi : (rushing, going to his wife at the opposite side) No! No! I will park my car here.
Owner of MB : Then you will stand there until the whole day!

(Until I saw some people who really hate the scene and giving so much headache for other park finder. I decided to go back to my family and told them why it took me so long to go back)

Me : I saw some great scene at the parking lot blah blah blah(told the whole story)
M (youngest son) : I think Dad, the Audi is selfish! Let us have lunch! I am hungry now!

We laughed and had a great time during our lunch.

It only shows that a kid can sense a bad character. Do not be selfish coz it will not be a good example for our kids. Smile!

Tips for Adjusting to a New School( my own experience)

J had difficulty accepting his new school last year. But it was just for a couple of months, here are my tips:

Accompany your kid

Even if it is just a walking distance or your kid has a school bus, try sometimes to accompany your kid coz it will increase the eagerness to go to school. As a Dad, that's also a time to ask J about his assignment (coz B checked it already) or if he has some difficulty or problem. In just a matter of 5 minutes, that could relax J and smile a little while dropping him at the school.

Let him enjoy his new friend

Do not be afraid if your kid asks your permission if he can have a little time with his new friend. Trying to be over protective and thinking negatively will only make the situation of your kid bad. Do not forget to set some limitation like how long he has to stay with his new friends. One way of boosting your son's confidence is allowing him to attend a party. J has difficulty learning the german correctly coz he was from a bilingual school, one of the idea that I suggested was 'be with the best and ask help(assignment) if he needs'.

Do not set rules for high grades

Parents always dream of having genious kids, we also, but do not say something like 'If you can not have 90 % above or 1.0 then you will get a serious punishment'. As a Dad, I said it before and had only negative result. Avoid it and do not give so much burden to your kids. Just make it clear that if he has low grades, it might be difficult for him to be qualified in a certain university in case he plans to have a higher degree.

Lastly, do not forget to ask the new teacher of your kid if there are any problem, as early as possible and correct it as soon as you have encounter some.

We as parents should be there to guide and correct our kids. There is a saying 'the best teacher is always the parents'!

It is not the gift but your presence 'COUNT'.

One time J asked me if he can attend the birthday party of his classmate. I 've asked the normal things like who are invited, where is the celebration and so forth. Everytime he will attend a party it is a common thing that B or myself would give him a certain amount of money. J is the one looking for a gift and would decide which one is good and appropriate for the celebrant.

Me : How much is the budget?
J : Can I have Euro 20?
Me : Is it ok if only Euro 10? I don't have enough money (kunwari).
J : (Smiled) Ok, it is not the gift but my presence counts Dad.
Me : Wow! You are that important to him?
J : Yes! And I should be proud coz I am the only 'black hair'.(meaning di puti)
Me : And how come your are important to that party?
J : I don't know, maybe maingay ako, magulo, palatawa. (loud, crazy, jolly person)
Me : You are right. (smiled)


It is really true 'it is not the gift that counts but the presence'.

How does a 5 yr. old kid pray? Funny. But sometimes it could hurt...

Praying is sometimes boring, tiring & sometimes it needs a lot of patience specially when we as parents would like to pray together with our kids. There is no pattern which day is the right day to pray. Actually my wife like it to be on a Wednesday coz she loves Mama 'M'(Mother Mary) and I admire her coz she has time to pray the rosary even if I could not join her. Since 2 yrs ago, we decided to pray as a family coz there is a saying 'a family that prays together, stays atogether'(naks). Being with kids(J & M) while having the rosary is definitely a comedy. And would you believe drama also.

Comedy:

Mom: Hail Mary full of grace ......(M will start to pick his nose) and his Mom will remove his finger from his nose while saying the sacred prayer. And M will just smile and will say something in his own words 'haiy mary full of greys blah blah' coz he & my wife are partners while myself & J answer them.


Drama:

It is a common way for us to end up the rosary with a short thanksgiving and lifting up something. And the most unforgettable experience was the time that M (youngest kid) pray and he said 'tenk you Lord...ahmmmm....'sana di malimutan ni kuya maglinis ng zimmer (room) nya....' (I hope my brother doesn't forget to clean his room). It was a simple prayer but we did not expect that kuya J felt bad about that. Kuya J voiced out (in a high tone) his suggestion to M. 'Why are you praying for other person?! Iam aware of it! You don't have to say it!' And as we realized, J did not even finish the closing prayer coz he ran to his room and he shouted and cried as if M did him something bad. How come it really hurt him? Until we uncovered something that he has been feeling all along...(to be continued on my next post he he he)