Category Archives: audiobooks and videos

The Rules of Parenting: Rule 2. No one is perfect

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“Parenting” and “Perfection” are completely two unrelative words. I had my fair share of “mommy fails” and after reading this chapter, it is much clearer now, I will continue to raise my children in my own unique way. I sometimes do enjoy being an actual mother with flaws than a mother trying to be perfect for her children-which is certainly frustrating. What I now wanted my children to learn from me is that committing mistakes are normal; and that we have to move on and be a better version of ourselves the next day.

 

“A personal code for bringing up happy, confident children.”

The Rules of Parenting: Rule 1. Relax

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I came across a book entitled, “Rules of Parenting” by Richard Templar. I thought for a second, “do I need this?” The truth is… I do.

I agree with the realities the author is telling me. This book puts everything in perspective, you in control, and your children on the path to becoming a successful, independent adults. Allow me to read to you The Rules of Parenting: Rule 1. Relax

 

“A personal code for bringing up happy, confident children.”

What is your “Parenting Goal”?

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Here is my New Year’s resolution in spite of being 13 days late. I converted it as my “Parenting Goal”. Isa lang naman ang goal ko para madaling gawin 🙂

Please listen to my musings and maybe, share and comment? Thanks!

Tagalog 101: A Brief History of the Philippines

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Here in Singapore, we have a celebration called the National Friendship week which allows the students from different countries to share some knowledge about their motherland.

Here is a 1 minuter video that the kids prepared for tomorrow’s presentation: the Philippine’s Early Civilization.

Enjoy!

 

 

A brief history of the Philippine’s early civilization until the American Regime

This is for you, Ethan, Sofie and Zack. Know your history 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMAGE CREDITS:

WIKIPEDIA FOR LUZON MAP, VISAYAS MAP, AND MINDANAO MAP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzon#/…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visayas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindana…

http://previews.123rf.com/images/tsho…

3/5572076-Vektorkarte-und-Flagge-der-Philippinen-Lizenzfreie-Bilder.jpg

http://www.mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploa…

map.jpg

MAP WITH COLORFUL LUZON VISAYAS MINDANAO)
https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=th…

+philippines&espv=2&biw=1511&bih=692&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahU

KEwjtgcy9zfTLAhUNGI4KHSWkBekQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9#imgdii=f3sK8N7ZqHUCJM%3A

%3Bf3sK8N7ZqHUCJM%3A%3BIJmdxT07VZ3U-M%3A&imgrc=f3sK8N7ZqHUCJM%3A (PHIL
AETAS
https://5a348cf02e-custmedia.vresp.co…

MALAY
http://anythingmindanao.weebly.com/up…

INDONES
https://filipinopride.files.wordpress…

FIRST CIVILIZATION
http://www.filipiknow.net/wp-content/…
Philippine-Civilization.jpg
BARTER
http://www.kamustamagazine.ph/wp-

content/uploads/2015/03/LocalTourists_EanDacay_02.jpg
MALAY CIVILIZATION
http://www.filipiknow.net/wp-content/…
DIORAMA
http://www.freedomwall.net/files/2015…

SPANIARDS
http://i0.wp.com/historicphilippines….

content/uploads/2014/10/legzariv1.jpg

http://www.expatch.org/wp-

content/uploads/2014/04/First_Baptism_inthe_Phils.jpg

MAGELLAN 1
http://ourphilippinehistory.blogspot….

expedition-to.html
http://cx.aos.ask.com/question/aq/140…

american-war_67452b5922ef5a00.jpg

helen taft
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/531/18…
american teacher
http://schoolingtheworld.org/wp-

content/uploads/2012/01/philippines1.jpg

us troops in action
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedsta…

sino-japanese war
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/m…

_349746k.jpg

mc arthur osmenia
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/U…
leyte l;anding
http://ww2.wwarii.com/var/albums/Even…

Invasion/Leyte%20Landing,%20Fires%20started%20by%20pre-invasion

%20bombardment%20of%20Leyte,%2020%20October%201944.jpg?m=1354899588

phil independence
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi…
kids with flag
http://www.expatch.org/wp-content/upl…

Tagalog 101 : My Kids and Their Philippine Experience

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Our family tried immersing our kids into the Filipino culture and so far, they have enjoyed it. They were amused by their lolo and lola’s videoke, introduced them to pan de sal and taho, once again reunited with bahay-kubo, and have experienced talking to local friends, who don’t speak the English language. It was funny to see my kids exchanging laughter with them though I knew they don’t fully understand what the kids were trying to say.

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My boys enjoying their stay in the “Bahay-Kubo” (Nipa Hut)

 

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Sofie singing in the videoke, you can also see her lolo’s rattan chair at the back

 

One time, Sofie approached me and she excitedly told me about her new found friend. “Mommy, I met a new friend and her name is Gave. She said that they have this group and the name of their group is ‘Pabebe Girls’.” I burst into laughter and she followed laughing too, only that, she don’t know why. If you knew the Pabebe Girls’ viral video, you would also laugh the way I did. That was unexpected.

Some other time, Ethan excitedly went to our room and with a jubilant face and shirt folded up, he asked me if I can guess what’s inside his shirt- “no idea anak,” I said.  When he unfolded his shirt, bubble gums rolled over the bed! “Tita Maneth gave us a lot.” I asked him, “did you take one?” “Yes,” he said. “Don’t forget to spit it out. Don’t swallow it okay.” His face grew red. “Mom, I swallowed the gum, do you think I’m gonna die?” I found myself laughing again. He gave me a few moments to forget that I’m unwell at that time and until now, I can picture his reaction after knowing that the gum got lost somewhere in his stomach.

Zack was legendary. Ooh… I have a lot to tell about him. But I will just write one for now.  We were invited for a dinner in a restaurant which turned out to be a very nice reunion dinner with relatives; the music stopped playing, Tita Myrna, the host called out the name of our relative to sing. I think she was shy. So Tita Nins (our dear aunt) asked Zack instead, “Zack, do you think you can sing in front of so many people?” “Yes, sure!” And without hesitation, Zack walked confidently and introduced himself to the crowd. “Hi I’m Zack… and I’m gonna sing ‘Lemon Tree’.” It was an acapella with a little of “tunog-tao” in some parts of the song (sorry but was not able to capture in video) and a milestone for him! If you could watch below, you can see that he entertained a big number of audience. Good job Zack!

 

 

video credit: Rolan Nicolas aka dadudz

 

The Secret: Law of Attraction

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The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes

The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes

Motivational Monday

5th of October 2015

No matter how hard we think our life is, what’s important is how we always try to pick ourselves up, without having to think of surrendering. This is for you my love.

One of my favorite quotes was that by ― Shannon Alder he said that  “When you are joyful, when you say yes to life and have fun and project positivity all around you, you become a sun in the center of every constellation, and people want to be near you.”  And I’m sure, these people are not negative people but people who are also full of positivity.

Let’s start the week with positive vibes.

Here are some lessons from Rhonda Byrne’s book “The Secret”.

 

Thank you for listening, ’til Monday!

Handy helpers!

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“Giving children household chores at an early age helps to build a lasting sense of mastery, responsibility and self-reliance .”

-Marty Rossmann, professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota

 

At home, we tend to do all the chores and shoo our children away to their rooms. We are more focus on finishing our housework rather than asking for their help. They are becoming less empathetic as they grow, and not responsive to others’ needs. They are lacking self-reliance and not acting responsibly with the task that they should be doing at their age.

They are missing something.

Housework.

Let them have it and let them learn from it.

We have come up with a “feel-good” training/motivational video for your soon-to-be handy helpers 🙂

Please watch and share, thank you.

Bible Stories – 3 The First Man and Woman

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After creating the heaven and the earth, and all the wonderful things that dwell in it, God decided to create a very special being.

He called him Adam.

 

image source: viz.dwrl.utexas.edu - adam with parrot

image source: viz.dwrl.utexas.edu

 

God assigned Adam to take care of all the animals he created. But God thought that Adam needed someone special that can help him with everything that was entrusted to him.

 

image source: www.free-for-kids.com

image source: www.free-for-kids.com

Please listen and share with your children the story of the first man and woman.

This story was retold by Anne de Graaf, from “The Children’s Bible Story Book.”

 

 

Tagalog Tuesday: Tula (Poetry in Tagalog)

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“Tula” or “panulaan” is how you call it in Tagalog.

 

This poem is from www.tagalog-tula-pilipinas.blogspot.com

The title of this poem is “Pag-ibig ang siyang sasagip sa mundo.”

 (Love will rescue the world)

LIGAW 
Aking tinawid ang labing-isang dagat,
Itong mga bundok ay aking inakyat,
Upang itong OO – makitang sumikat,
Sa irog kong ibig na mapasapalad.

II
AKO’Y IYO
Gawin mong alipin itong aking puso,
Sa kadiliman nga ay gawin mong sulo,
Sa sibat ng unos dito ka magtago
Pagkat ang dibdib ko at ako ay iyo!

III
NGITI MO
Ang ngiti mo’y ilaw sa dilim kong sadlak
Sa aking umaga ay siglang pantulak
Sa tanghali’t hapon ay aking kayakap,
Upang ang kalsada, pumatag ang lubak!

IV
LUHA
Sugatan man ako sa pakikipaglaban,
Sa imbing daigdig nitong kapalaran,
Ako’y babangon pa sa kinasadlakan
Upang ang luha mo ay aking pahiran!

V
IKAW
Ikaw nga ang aking ngiti at halakhak,
Sa lungkot ay aking ligaya at galak,
Sa sakit na dulot nitong mga hirap,
Ikaw ang sigla sa buhay kong salat!

 

Watch out for my next post, we will translate this poem in English 🙂

Tagalog Tuesday : How to tell time

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untitled

Narito po muli ang Tagalog Tuesday!
We’ve made 13 essential topics for you to review before you visit the Philippines.
On our previous post, we’ve talked about:
– The history of Tagalog
– Ang alpabetong Filipino
– The modern tagalog versions of how are you, thank you, how to say you’re sorry
– Some survival phrases that you need to know when you visit the Philippines
– How to count and how to shop in the Philippines.

Please go and check out the Tagalog 101 folder in the sidebar of our blog if you want to learn more about it.

Ngayon, pag aaralan natin kung paano sabihin ang oras sa Tagalog.
Now, we will learn how to tell time in Tagalog.

First lesson: how do you ask, “What time is it?”
Here’s how you say it in Tagalog:

Anong oras na?

Here’s a sample answer in Tagalog:

Limang minuto bago sumapit ang ika-dalawa ng tanghali

Meaning: It’s five minutes before 2 in the afternoon
Or simply put: 1.55pm
Let’s dissect the phrase:
Lima is five
Minuto is minute
Bago is before
Sumapit is reach
Ika-dalawa ng tanghali is 2 in the afternoon or 2 o’clock pm

Limang minuto bago sumapit ang ika dalawa ng tanghali
5 minutes before it reach 2 in the afternoon

But here is the easier way for me: the version that we had during the Spanish era.
You just add the prefix “Ala or Alas” before the numbers
Alas is our version of the suffix o’clock

one o’clock Ala-una

two o’clock Alas-dos

three o’clock Alas-tres

four o’clock Alas-kwatro

five o’clock Alas-singko

six o’clock Alas-sais

seven o’clock Alas-siyete

eight o’clock Alas-otso

nine o’clock Alas-nuwebe

ten o’clock Alas-diyes

eleven o’clock Alas-onse

twelve o’clock Alas-dose

It is half past one Ala-una y medya

It is half past two Alas-dos y medya

It is quarter past four Alas-kwatro kinse

It is quarter past eleven Alas-onse kinse

We have so many versions in telling time in our country but for me, the quickest way is to say it in English. 1.55 pm!

Limang minuto bago sumapit ang ika dalawa ng tanghali – the old Filipino way of telling time

Ala una singkwenta y singco –Spanish inspired way of telling time

5 minutes before it reach 2 in the afternoon- American way

Or 1.55 pm! The shortened American way.

If you have any suggestions about the topics you wish to learn, just email us, or send us a message at mommysaiddaddysaid facebook page 🙂
Salamat po at hanggang sa muli!

Motivational Monday – The Purpose of Your Life

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image source: meetville.com

image source: meetville.com

What I want to share with you is the most important reason why we live.  “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning” Mitch Albom, the author of Tuesdays with Morrie.

He was right. There are so many things in our lives that keep us pre-occupied so much so that we could easily have missed the affection that the other people are giving to us. The affection that we take for granted.

Take one step backward and look back, look at the people around you and reciprocate to their love and affection, and let them know that it meant a lot to you. Our purpose is to give meaning to everyone’s lives. Take your time reaching out. It’s more meaningful and enjoyable if you take your time.

Tagalog 101- Panghalip Pananong or Question Words in Filipino

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image source: eduardreformina.com

image source: eduardreformina.com

Question words, asking words or interrogative words in Tagalog or the Filipino language is called Panghalip Pananong.

*In English, we know that an interrogative word or question word is a function word used to ask a question, such as what, when,where, who, why and how. They are sometimes called wh-words, because in English most of them start with wh-. (source:wikipedia)

 

For today, we will translate this question words in Tagalog or Filipino.

What – Ano

Anong pangalan mo?

What is your name?

 

When – Kailan

Nowadays, the letter “e” replaces the letters “a” and “i” in the word kailan.  From kailan, it becomes kelan.

Kailan ka pinanganak? Or an easier way to say is  Kelan ang birthday mo?

 

Where- Saan

Saan ka nakatira?

Where do you live?

 

Who- SinoSino

Sino ang kasama mo?

Who is with you?

 

Why – Bakit

Bakit ka malungkot?

Why are you sad?

 

Bakit ka masaya?

Why are you happy?

 

How- Paano

Paano tayo pupunta sa Pilipinas?

How are we going to the Philippines?

 

Motivational Monday – Gratitude

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image source: themodernnomad.com

image source: themodernnomad.com

One magical word I learned today – Gratitude.

Listen to a beautiful passage from Rhonda Byrne’s third book, The Magic and some of my take (I know I am not an expert) basing on my experiences as an ordinary person.

I would be grateful if you pass it on 🙂

 

Tagalog 101: Learn with Sofie

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ANG GALING KO NG MANAGALOG

Welcome to Tagalog 101!

Glad that Sofie remembered our Tagalog exercise and reminded me to record my “supposedly” Tagalog Tuesday tutorial so she can listen and review. My daughter is becoming more inclined in learning Tagalog, our mother-tongue language and hopefully becomes proficient with it by the time we visit our homeland.

So ladies and gentlemen, let’s give it up for our new Tagalog 101 teacher… Sofie!

Here are the Tagalog words that she’s been using lately:

Tubig- water

Let’s use it in a sentence-

Mommy penge po ng tubig. – Mommy, Can I have some water please.

 

Tulog- sleep

Tulog pa si Daddy.
Daddy is still sleeping.

 

Hay Naku Pagod.

 

An expression telling that you’re tired.

 

If you want to learn more about Tagalog, please visit our blog every Tuesdays (ideally) and  Wednesdays (since it’s still Tuesday in some parts of the world.)

 

Thank you very much for listening!