Magic Kingdom Time

Summer 2018 with my family.

At the HAPPIEST place on earth before CoVid-19 hit.
MAGIC KINGDOM ORLANDO

What did you do last summer? I am so excited because in less than a week I’ll be off school. I wish we could go see my grandparents in the Philippines this summer. 😘😍 Anyway, looking at this photo made me reminisce great times. This was taken during the summer of 2018 when our family went to see great grandma in Naples, FL. We then took her with us to Orlando to spend time with her.

We had our Disneyworld and Universal days. It is always fun to be on vacation with family. It reminds me of how important it is to have uninterrupted quality time with my parents and my little annoying sister. 😆 Whenever we are on vacation, I have no school tasks nor tests to think about which means that I am 100% with my family.

Mommy and Daddy always try to give me and my sister time at home but when we are on vacation nothing else distracts them. They are with us 100%. With zero work to think about, they are both focused on us and they are both all for the fun!! 💘

#leaveyourworriesbehind #summer #fun #vacation #disney #universal #excited #love #beautiful #happy #happiness #youngfiercefocused https://www.instagram.com/p/ByCl-A2nwR5/?igshid=ou735elb2x35

Niagara Falls Experience

You don’t have to fit.
You just have to be you.
You are born to be unique.

I am just a tween, but I know how to make meaningful memories with my family. Thanks to my Mom and Dad for raising me well. Thanks to my Lolo and Lola too for being my Mom’s support and for playing a significant role in my early childhood. 💞❤ ❤💞

Okay, I didn’t mean to sound a little bit emotional. I just want to remind you all that #life is short! You better #enjoy and have #fun while you can. When I mention about having fun, I mean it could be anything that makes you forget about your worries. You don’t have to go on vacation or to travel far for fun. It can be a simple thing that reminds you of your happy childhood days. 💞❤ ❤💞

Practice #mindfulness. Make an effort to check your thoughts daily. Try to engrave in your mind the word FUN!!! It should be built within your system that follows you wherever you go. Meditate and tell yourself to be happy and have fun each day no matter what happens. Pray the serenity prayer. 💞❤ ❤💞

#youngfiercefocused #middleschoolers  #middleschoollife  #teens  #tweens #motivation #tween  #teenlife #tweenmodel  #tweenlife #guitar  #music  #countrylife  #suburbanlife  #countrygirl #youngfiercefocused @missteenphilippinesofficial @missteenphilippinesofficial

Teen Life

Travel and experience life with your family.

Throwback photo on a #friday! Yes, I’m doing it. ☺ Yay, I just remembered how it was for our #family last #summer because I’m currently on #vacationmode and having much #fun!!!

Anyway, #travel while you can! #live #life to the fullest! Don’t waste your money and time on material things. #trends come and go. Once a thing is out of trend, it is just going to be hidden in your closet and become useless.

Unless you are a billionaire who can afford to always catch up with what is trending please don’t waste your money on material things that can only provide temporary pleasure.

Parents, #invest on #experiences that will help your #children see how the #world evolve. #immerse them and make them see how our #society function.

It is true that traveling is not affordable, but it is something that will provide lifetime experiences that help shape individuals. People become who they are because of their experiences. Make your children experience #real life connections with real people in the real world.

By doing so, you are teaching them to be #sensitive of the #needs of our society. It will make them #realize how #blessed they are. It will help their hearts nurture #compassion towards those in need.

Each Day is Worth Celebrating

It was one hot summer day in August of 2018. My family and I were at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT. We were standing still staring at the dark sky expecting the most awaited spectacular to start. As the crowd swell by the lake, expectations also rise. The waiting builds excitement.

Alas! The IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth started. Truly a dazzling nightly show at EPCOT. A reminder to all that life is indeed worth celebrating not only on special occasions but everyday! No matter where we stand in life, there is a reason to be grateful each day. The moment that our eyes open as we wake up in the morning to witness the sun rise in the east, we know that we have another day to enjoy and be thankful for.

As parents, Santi and I try to keep a positive attitude even during our lowest point. We want our girls to learn the value of life beyond challenges and struggles. We want them to live a life filled with gratitude. Watching the Reflections of Earth show for the first time triggered flashes of happy childhood memories in my mind. The music, the lasers, the pyrotechnics and the facial expressions of the people especially the children made me reminisce the times when my siblings and I, along with our parents and some relatives waited for midnight to welcome new year.

As the clock hits 12, boom! Boom! Boom! Varied intense sounds from all over the place start. Beautiful firework displays fill the dark skies. Vehicles honking. Children jumping in happiness. Adults screaming happy new year! Tables filled with delicious food. Everyone is celebrating. Families exchange greetings, hugs, kisses and presents. Always a festive day! Never a dull moment especially for the little ones. This is how we should feel everyday. We need to live each day as if it is our last! We need to celebrate each day because each sunrise that we witness is God’s gift!

Taming Tumbling Tots

Taming toddlers while instilling godly values of respect, politeness, and kindness is a crucial foundation for their moral development.

  1. Lead by Example Children learn by observing their parents. Demonstrating godly behavior, respect, and kindness in your own actions sets a powerful example for them to follow.
  2. Effective Communication Speak to your toddler with respect and consideration. Explain things in a simple, age-appropriate manner. Encourage them to express themselves and listen attentively to their thoughts and feelings.
  3. Consistent Discipline Establish clear and consistent boundaries. Discipline should be firm but fair, aiming to teach rather than punish. Emphasize the importance of consequences for actions.
  4. Encourage Empathy Teach your child to understand and share the feelings of others. Encourage acts of kindness, like sharing toys or comforting a friend who is upset.
  5. Foster a Loving Environment Create a home filled with love, compassion, and understanding. A secure and nurturing environment lays the foundation for godly values to flourish.
  6. Prayer and Spiritual Guidance Incorporate prayer and spiritual teachings into your daily routine. Share stories and lessons from your faith tradition, helping your child understand the importance of being kind and respectful.
  7. Practice Gratitude Encourage your toddler to express gratitude for the blessings in their life. This fosters a sense of appreciation for what they have and cultivates a humble and thankful attitude.
  8. Teach Politeness Instill basic manners like saying “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me.” These simple courtesies go a long way in showing respect for others.
  9. Exposure to Diversity Expose your child to different cultures, beliefs, and experiences. This helps them develop an understanding and appreciation for the richness of human diversity.
  10. Encourage Acts of Service Engage your child in acts of service and kindness, both within the family and in the broader community. This can include volunteering, helping neighbors, or participating in charitable activities.

Parents can adopt some of the following approaches:

Remember, raising a godly, respectful, polite, and kind child is an ongoing process that requires patience, consistency, and unwavering love. By incorporating these values into their upbringing, parents lay the groundwork for their children to grow into compassionate and morally grounded individuals.

Tween-kle Twinkle Sparkling Star

Have you heard your folks say, “You will never be ready to have kids until you actually have one?” Well, I heard that line a lot and I have personally proven it right.

When I was younger, I never thought of how I would be when I have my own kids. All I knew was, I wanted to be the best mother for my children. Little did I know that I would be one “tiger mom”.

I have a tiger mom, and I am very proud of her for being such. If she was not the way she was when my siblings and I were growing up, I probably won’t be the person that I am today. I am very fortunate that God blessed me with two exceptionally wonderful parents.

Even my children adore their Lolo (Filipino word for grandfather) and Lola (Filipino word for grandmother). Yzzabella, my tween daughter calls my Mom “tiger Lola”. Of course, that makes me her “tiger Mama”. She is still young, but she is already aware that she has to embrace both the American and Asian culture.

As she is getting older, she is becoming more aware of diversity and what it means especially for kids like her who are being raised by parents coming from different cultures. She is now learning all the different stereotypes that people attached to Asians. Yes, that’s also why she calls me her “tiger mom”.

Day after day, her interest in Asian culture especially the Filipino culture is continuously increasing. In the eyes of many, there seem to be nothing extraordinary about growing up in a household with an Asian Mom and an American Dad but the truth is, it could be tough for the kids. It could also be a source of unnecessary pressure on the kids.

We all want to belong, biracial kids are often prompted with an internal question of where do they want to belong. Some kids feel discriminated by others because they are “not Asian” enough or they are “not American” enough. Experiences like this can result to kids shying away from others or becoming anti-social.

Certainly, being an Asian American kid comes with advantages and disadvantages. The extent of the pros and cons vary depending mostly on the parents. Kids learn from their parents.

I love being a parent. I love being a Mom to my two wonderful girls Yzzabella (12 y.o.) and Esperanza (2 y.o.). I love being a wife to my husband Santiago. Like most parents, we both love our girls more than we love ourselves. Despite our hectic schedules we always make sure that the girls are our number one priority.

Santi and I are both working full-time and at the same time we are also studying full time. Currently, I am taking my prerequisite classes for Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant program. Santi is taking additional classes to become a professor in Humanities and a certified drug and alcohol counselor.

Between the hustle and bustle of parenting and schooling Santi and I decided to keep our full-time jobs not only because we need to but also because we want our girls to learn early in life that having a successful career is not a hindrance to parenting. We want to show them that children are never deterrent to attaining success. In fact, children are most parents’ motivation to become better and to attain progress.

I admit, parenting could be challenging especially when you are working towards some personal and family goals at the same time. But, it is achievable. Time management and knowing how to balance everything is the key! Also, as a couple you need to have each other’s back at all times.

Parenting is a learning process. While we are raising our children they are also teaching us to become the best parents for them. Ironic, isn’t it? Parenting is a continuous experience and a lifelong endeavor. Even when children start living on their own parents don’t cease to give guidance.

Each day comes with different challenges. Each child is different. There is no single mold that can fit all kids. We love our children at the same extent but in different ways. Different because the way we show our love is dictated by how each child is as an individual. Our actions and reactions depend on theirs.

Parents learn from each child. Most importantly, children learn from their parents. Always keep in mind that our kids mimic us. Therefore, it is imperative that as parents we show our children how we want them to be.
HAPPY PARENTING!