Confessions of an 8-yr old
By JMJ FamilyI was presented with the update of JJ’s hospital billing a few minutes ago and it almost gave me a heart attack. The nurse said it was just an update for yesterday’s confinement and did not include doctor’s fees yet and the additional fees for the day. I secretly hoped that JJ would be discharged today so no more fees will accumulate, but unfortunately, the doctor didn’t give the go signal because JJ still had low oxygen count and high WBC count, which meant continued testing, monitoring and drugging. (Grrrr!)
After reading Kevin Trudeau’s Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About, my husband and I vowed to make our life hospital-free. (Since we came back to the Philippines in 2008, our kids have been going in and out of the hospital for various illnesses – asthma, flu, rashes, diarrhea, etc., that drained our bank accounts [health care’s free in Canada]).
So, when JJ had his asthma attack, I was viciously attacking the internet for immediate natural cures for asthma. We didn’t have most of what’s needed. We only had the apple-cider vinegar so I gave him that, which just made him puke. But when he was already crying, which meant that this was not just an ordinary attack, and since we ran out of nebuls, the only immediate option left was to rush him to the Emergency. Much as we hated it, we had to, lest he suffers more serious effects from non-oxygen.
Kevin Trudeau talked about doctors prescribing drugs that deal with the symptoms and not the root causes of the disease. JJ was constantly being given drugs that included steroids and I was hating the fact that, knowing what I now knew from reading Kevin Trudeau’s book, at the moment there was really nothing I could do but allow. I voiced out my concerns to JJ’s doctor that perhaps the drugs being administered didn’t work, otherwise, we would have the desired results by now. I wanted to bring JJ home and start him with our all-natural diet, cures and lifestyle. But she said that she couldn’t just let JJ leave without seeing improvement, even at least on his oxygen level.
I wanted to get to the root cause of this major asthma attack. I decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with him, and we discussed all the possible causes, but mainly focused the emotional stress. I urged him to talk about all his pent-up negative feelings that he normally doesn’t let out. It was a dramatic moment for us, both of us trying really hard not to cry too much, but I knew this was absolutely necessary. These were all the negative emotions that we rid of from our talk:
a. Misery – He was miserable and sad when we left him for months to go to US for vacation. He said he missed us so much.
b. Anger and Jealousy – He was a bit angry that we had to leave him, and jealous that we had to bring JM (his sister) with us.
c. Frustration – He was frustrated and angry with his classmates the day they teased him about something.
d. Other Petty Issues
Following the Law of Attraction, I explained to him that those negative emotions he felt were all in the past and should no longer affect him. I told him that since he was keeping all these trapped inside him, his body is reacting accordingly.
There was a lengthy discussion on all the hows and whys, but he understood and accepted everything. We wrote down some action plans that we think would work, and hopefully, we follow through.
Together Again
By JMJ Family
After months of being away from our boys, we needed to bring back the bond. We could tell they have missed us so, as much as we’ve missed them. After all, there was really never a time that we were all apart longer than a day or two. We raised them ourselves for 6 years in Canada, doing only mostly night part-time jobs and home businesses, so we could be with them during the daytime. Yes, we are proud to say we are both hands-on parents.
So, we set up our 30-day goals that include weekly family date and monthly date with each of them for some real bonding time.
Two days after we came back, we followed through our promise by taking them all out to SM. We let them run around for a good few hours and when we thought they were all good to settle down for a meal, we headed out to eat. They all screamed for pizza so it was Pizza Hut then, which was the nearest to where we were at that time.
Bad choice (not the food, but the waiting time).
Note to all parents who have starving kids in tow, NEVER bring them to restaurants with order waiting time of more than 2 minutes.
Obviously getting bored ...
Our impatient, hungrier than starving kids were playing with everything that was set on the table – forks and knives, table napkins, the pasta decors and even the plates.
Kids getting impatient ...
I ordered pasta for myself which was the first to be served and it was gone in a few seconds without me tasting just one strand of the Fettuccine. I have forgotten that we were already in the Philippines and that 1 serving literally means for 1 person only (actually, one person who’s on a diet).
So, I had to order another pasta plus some other appetizers fast before the kids could stage a coup d'etat.
Our date was a riot but it was surely exciting. It was fun to bring back the old times.
Perfect Date
By JMJ Family
For my first
exclusive date with our kids, I chose our 3rd child,
Jaq.
Jaq was quite excited when I told him to prepare for our ‘date’. He was feeling so proud and was bragging about it to his younger brother saying, “J8k, it’s just gonna be Mommy and Jaq only”.
I braced myself for uncontrollable tantrums because among our kids, it’s Jaq who goes berserk at the slightest trigger. My husband and I have ‘informally’ diagnosed him with a mild case of SPD.
But I was taken by surprise. Jaq behaved extremely well, it was really a shocker.
We first went to
National Bookstore where I read him a story and bought some
school supplies. Then, we went to SM Department Store
where we browsed and shop for some stuff. Then, I bought
him some tokens for some kiddie car rides. When I thought
he had enough fun, I gave him a treat at Max’s where I let him
order whatever he liked (which was just ice cream, not
surprisingly …. lol).
We strolled. We shopped. We talked. We laughed. We bonded.
And not a single episode. (whew!)
But the greatest memory Jaq gave me that day was during our ride home when he kissed me and said, “Thank you, Mommy. I love you.”
(sniff, sniff)
The Miracle of Life
By JMJ Family
Do You Make your Mama Proud?
By Kristine JavierI was never really close to my pops. Even when he passed away when I was already 15, we never established that level of closeness as compared to his relationship with my older siblings. Last July 2009 marked his 10th year death anniversary. Looking back, everything was "easier" to handle because momsy (as we fondly call our mom for the last 10 years) was there. She handles everything with ease and grace. Her words may say that resources are scarce, that we need to save and that money doesn't grow on trees, but her actions say otherwise. *wink* She provided the best for us and when she says that I am kuripot, it bears a certain degree of truth compared to her generosity of time and material things. Everyone close to me knows that all my actions before come from the context that I want to please momsy. My mentors know that she is my weakness. I just can't say no to her - shopping trips with me as her alalay, staying in my job to appease her, saving up to give her jewelry for Christmas, driving for her during market days, name it.
Until I finally took a stand.
More than staying in the sidelines, I chose to be in the court to win the money game and be financially free for the family. I started investing my time to grow my business and that meant going home late which caused her to worry (we sleep on the same bed :>), I resigned from BPI (where she knows that I comfortably get quarterly bonuses) to transfer to Meralco for a lower pay (because I desperately wanted an 8am-5pm sched). I left the house to practice my independence after I treated her to a trip to Malaysia for a business convention and after a few months, had a boyfriend and chose to settle down the following year. Shortly after the wedding, 2 months to be exact, I filed for resignation to do business full-time and she only found out about it when I had to say the truth because I'm still at home and it's already 9am. In short, I did what was not expected because this time, I know what I am committed to.
This is the power of clarity at work. The life that I wanted became clear to me and the path to get to that life was unveiled to me as I allowed myself to grow in the process of becoming a full-fledged entrepreneur. The younger ones who aspire to be in the Core Team may feel that they are going against the grain by dreaming but hey, ask yourself on what you are committed to. If what you are doing now is just for compliance to your parents archaic view of success, it may be too late. Declaring to retire young and to retire rich is not selfish. It is a selfless move for your loved ones. Can you imagine what you can actually do for your parents if you are financially free at a younger age? I encourage you to assess your current situation and draft a medium-term plan for the next 5 years. If your parents are still around, good for you. If not, be a stand for the empowerment of others, children and parents alike that they create a sense of urgency for the fulfillment of their goals for each other and be partners - partners who will be proud of each other at the end of the day.
To answer the question if I make my momsy proud, well I believe she's been proud of me ever since. She may think that I'm going nuts for leaving job security but it gives me peace of mind to know that I'm doing this for her and the family that my husband and I are starting. She may not say it now, but I know that the support that she is giving is a resounding YES.
To close, allow me to share a song by Taylor Hicks that moves and empowers me to take a stand. Its title is "Do I Make you Proud?"
The Miracle of Life
By JMJ Family
A beautiful video I came across with while trying to explain to my 5-yr old daughter where babies come from.
Where Do Babies Come From?
By JMJ Family
Me and Hubby: What???? No!!!
This next video generated a lot of follow up questions (both serious and silly) from my daughter:
Oh, why did I ever show that video? LOL
Letting Go
By JMJ FamilyI've a lot to learn from JM, my 5-yr old daughter.
We both ice-skated for the first time and yet she now skates like a pro, while I ... well ... I look like a combination of a 1-yr old baby walking for the first time and a baby duck trying to fly but couldn't.
Yup, that's how I look like on the rink each time. I take careful, little steps with arms flailing like a wild duck, trying to maintain my balance, and always fearing for the worst ... fall down on my butt.
Last weekend, the 3 of us (hubby, daughter and me) went ice-skating again at The Pond in Bryant Park (in time for the park's annual tree lighting) and I couldn't help but be green with envy as my hubby and daughter glide gleefully on ice. It wasn't fair! We all started at the same time and I was logging behind. What the heck's going on?
1. Energy - She's 5 and I'm 36. Meaning, I'm old. I don't have the energy of a 5-yr old. I couldn't bring myself to just skate to the max like she does.
2. Guts - Kids are fearless. They don't think about the dangers that's why they have so much fun doing stuffs. For them, everything is play. Me, I've got a lot of hangups. I might stumble, I might fall, I might fall on my face, I might fall on my butt, I might lose control, I might knock my head over, blah, blah, blah.
3. "Deadma" attitude - "Deadma" means no reaction. It's a local term we use for "I don't care", "so what?", "Who cares?". My daughter falls down a million times on her butt but she just keeps going like nothing happened. She just simply doesn't care. I think she even enjoys falling. Maybe. Another hangup for me is I care a lot -- on how I'd get hurt, on how I look on the ice, or how embarrassing it would be to fall (esp. when there are spectators who just come to entertain themselves watching new ice-skaters. lol)
I knew I had to do something about it. I couldn't just rely on my hubby to hold me each time I go skating, or hold onto the rails for dear life (it gets crowded on the side as more new skaters join in on the adventure). I needed to let go of my fears and worries. And I needed to have a deadma attitude. How else could I learn and enjoy, right?
So, I searched the mighty web for tips and video tutorials. I tapped (EFT) away my worries and I talked to the ice like it was my best friend in the whole wide world. (Hey, you're not the only one who thinks I might have gone crazy. I think that myself, too.) lol.
But it works, you know?
The other day, JM and I skated by ourselves and the whole time I was telling the ice "I love you" and "You and I are one" ... and I just let go. I was imagining the ice like clouds in the sky, soft as cotton candy, ready to fluff me when I fall. I didn't care if I looked unsophisticated with my arms all over the place, looking like a running penguin. I actually was making fun of myself telling people I was the student and JM was my teacher. People loved seeing the 2 of us together ... with me shouting "JM, wait for Mommy!" most of the time.
I just let go. And I never fell. Not even once. Yahoo!
So, I'm doing it again ... and again ... and again. Thanks to my teacher, JM! This is another check off my Bucket List.
My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad!
By Roy JalecoIn this show, bravery is measured by how scorpion-brave is dad and strength by how accurate he can swinging his child, hanging on a rope, to a target of maximum points.
Here, "better" is measured by knowing what is your child's favorite video game, or what he wished during his last birthday and a reward of $10,000 for each correct guess.
But entertaining it may be for her, it is a dilemma allowing Carmella to watch this type of shows mainly because they wrongly label a person.
It does not genuinely define “best” according to one's inner goodness but rather through means that are totally trivial.
Entertaining, perhaps but it also presupposes that superficiality can be a standard of judgment. And this can lead to intolerance.
Indeed, I can never be the better Dad for I do not know the struggles of other dads nor their definition of victory.
I do not know how much they give up for their children or the noble steps they take to make life better for them. I do not know their journey.
I do not know the pain they carry every time their child is sick or distressed.
I do not know how they have fun with their families. I do not know their prayers.
No, I can not be the better Dad.
I can, at the very least, try to be as great.
Lifted from http://roy-jaleco.blogspot.com
Never Too Late
By JMJ FamilyAt 36, and with 4 young kids, I'm learning a new skill ... ice skating.
Really. Took me that long.
Well, I couldn't have learned it in the Philippines as a young adult coz it was costly. I couldn't have learned it in Canada as a wife coz I was busy having babies one after another. And I couldn't have learned it here in US as a visitor coz it's not within the budget.
But then again, when you're into the LOA (Law of Attraction), there's really no excuse for not doing the things you would like to do and try even for the first time. There is really no excuse for not dreaming anymore.
Try reading "The Secret to Attracting Money" by Dr. Joe Vitale, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" by Dr. Wayne Dyer or "The Power of Now" by Echart Tolle, or reading "Ask And It Is Given" by Abraham-Esther Hicks, or watching "The Secret", "The Shift", "You Can Heal Your Life" or "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem", and see if they will not compel you to get out of your comfort zone and try something new.
So, I decided that our budget won't hinder me from checking off this item on my Bucket List. I scouted for Black Friday deals on Ice Skates. I figured it would be best to just buy our own skates rather than rent everytime we wanna practice. Bryant Park has "The Pond" and it offers free admission but the rental is $12, multiply that by 3 (well, I couldn't leave out my hubby and daughter while I go fulfilling my dream, could I? I mean, they haven't tried Ice skating, too, you know)
And let me tell you, once you make your decision, the Universe will just take over.
First, it led me to Timeoutkids NY where I read that City Ice Pavillion was gonna have its Grand Opening on Nov. 21. There was gonna be a party with FREE skating, rentals and refreshments. FREE? How cool is that?
Then, on the day itself, while we were looking for the venue, guess what we found?
A Goodwill Outlet! You betcha, I rushed to the skates section immediately. And as if by some miracle, all our sizes were available. No kidding. I got mine brand new, by the way, but heck if I care if it was overly-used? I'm just saying, I got lucky it was brand new. Take a look (this was taken after I've used it a couple of times):
I'd say it's pretty chic for $2 bucks, don't you think? What can I say? The universe can be so grand.
