Is Child Education Important for you?

One of the best gifts that a parent can give to her child is education. I believe that being able to provide for a proper education to my children is one way of building a legacy for the next generation. With a spiraling cost of school fees these days, we need to save enough to provide for the education of our children.

While the high cost of going to school poses increasing problems, some parents prepare for it by acquiring educational plans others opt for bank savings to help defray tuition and related educational fees. Whatever our ways are, as long as we Moms are ready and be able to sustain our child's educational needs be it financial, emotional or social-- nothing could go wrong.

Innocence

Once in my life that I've met someone... He came like thunder and lightning that suddenly stroked my heart leaping with joy and happiness. No matter how innocent I was then, good memories with him will linger forever....

I was innocent until you came;

I love nobody until you came;

I knew nothing about love;

I knew not how to care.

I was thoughtless when you came;

I knew not where to go, i was living yet without a goal;

I kept on waiting for nothing every morning and you came and helped me change my being.

You taught me how to miss you;

You taught me how to long for you, you made myself entirely new.

You are not at all perfect yet I thought you were an angel.

You are a fraction evil yet i know I vow to love you forever.

Could you blame me? ...you came and taught me everything

Some ways to protect your child

Almost everyday we can hear in the news on TV and radio and can read in the newspapers that a child was kidnapped and abductors were asking ransom money before they will release the child and threatened parents to kill the child if they can’t raised the money. The worst scenario is what if the parents of the child have no money to release? What also if these kidnappers mistakenly have abducted your child? With this happening in our society, parents should be more cautious and should start to educate their children to be careful in talking to a stranger because they would not know if this stranger is a friend or foe.

I know that it is very difficult to talk and warn your child for he or she can’t still distinguish who are dangerous people and who are not. Whenever my child and I will go to public places I see to it that my attention is more focus in him. My child is so friendly to people that he can see and would even smiled and say Hello! or Hi!. One incident that had happened is when a teen-ager boy has approached us in our sit while eating in the mall. The boy sits with us and was showing me a paper to read. I read the paper and he was just informing that he’s a student and has no money to pay for his school. Although I did not believe him I still gave just a small amount of money so that he will just leave us. I stand up for awhile and get water to drink. When I got back to our sit the teen-ager boy is still around and was talking already to my kid and they were both laughing out loud and was so very friendly to my kid and so I immediately called my kid’s attention and explained to him that being friendly to other people is not bad but you should know that not all people are the so-called “friends”.

Here are some ways to protect your child

1.Teach your child to say “NO” if a stranger will approach and will invite to go with him. Immediately Go and Tell to a trusted adults.

2. When in school emphasize to your child never to get into someone’s car and wait until you arrive. It is better stay and wait inside the classroom.

3. Don’t leave your child unattended especially on public places e.g.. malls, parks, etc. Always accompany your child even in public toilets.

4. Have always a plan in case she or he gets lost. (e.g) when you’re in the mall or in any public places stay where you last saw your child. Have also a secret word that only the two of you know.

5. If your child is big enough, teach to ring the emergency number to ask help.

6. Put in your child’s wallet your card with your name, address and phone # on it. If he or she is still small sew it into his or her jacket.

First Aid #1

My worries reach heavens when my child is sick. I want to rush her to the pedia even if its a simple colds. They said this is not a wise decision and a waste of time and money especially if there's a first aid for it unless otherwise if our child is in great danger, healthcare provider should be there. Reading and talking it over with fellow moms really helps.

One unfortunate day my child had diarrhea. Diarrhea among children is a condition that should be taken seriously. This is because it can lead to dehydration or the loss of water and electrolytes from the child's body. And when the dehydration is not controlled, it may lead to more serious complications of the heart and kidneys.

It has been my practice and in fact to many mothers also- to give children plain water or rice water ("am") when they have diarrhea. But what many parents do not know is these cannot replenish the lost of electrolytes and therefore are not enough to fight dehydration.

I have discovered that the first aid for Diarrhea is Hydrite (Oral Rehydration Salts). It has been the right combination of water and electrolytes. It is also recommended by the World Health Organization go help prevent dehydration especially for Children.

Lets save our children from the dangers of dehydration. We Moms should have a stock of Hydrite in our medicine cabinet.

Respectful Children

My husband and I wanted to have respectful children and we were not only interested in externally respectful behaviour. We didn't want our child to perform. We expected more than just kissing all of the grown-ups in the room. We wanted her to be respectful because it resided in her heart. To help children adopt this way of being takes commitment and much training.

I am just old enough to remember the days when children were respectful out of fear. When Mom gave that look you'd better shape up or else... I remember when it was unthinkable to be sassy or a smart alec.

Unfortunately, times have changed and discipline styles have been relaxed in order to allow our children freedom to express themselves. Those who have adopted these more relaxed parenting styles should not be surprised that their children do not naturally display respect. In fact, some parents actually think it's cute for their toddler to answer back and behave in a saucy manner. Should those parents be surprised when their middle schoolers behave appallingly? A sassy three-year old is an embarrassing seven-year-old. Left to their own devices, our children will be as selfish and disrespectful as we will allow.

Going back to basics is still the best.

Experts said that attitudes don't happen automatically. They take root when parents teach their children fundamental politeness - and we parents practice it ourselves! The bottom line is to create an atmosphere of mutual respect. If we can establish this to our kids' earliest years, they'll be less likely to rebel when they're older -and we will be much better prepared to handle the uprisings that inevitably come along.

One way to foster respectfulness in your child is to teach her to be sensitive to other people's feelings. Teasing is not allowed in our home. We try to be careful that our words won't hurt another's feelings. The old mantra sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me is nonsense. Words are powerful. Words can inspire and encourage or shame and destroy.

Most employees will stay at a lower paying job where they feel valued and respected over a higher paying one when they are treated poorly. If we add value to people, they add value to us. Teaching our children to respect others and themselves, we parents will not only be proud to bring them anywhere but we will be providing our needy world with great leaders. That is the kind of investment that yields the greatest returns.

First Date at the Disco

Were you in your teens at the mid- 80’s? If yes, am pretty much sure that you have experienced going at the Disco with your friends. How about going at Disco with a Date?

I remember my First Date was at the Disco. It was unforgettable, most embarrassing but humorous one.

I was so nervous then but so excited on what to wear. Dancing to the 80’s tune made me really crazy. Disco dancing were my friends favorite past time. My friends advised me to just be on my casual chic that time. I wore jeans, a tank top, flat shoes and spear myself a mild perfume. My date then wore jeans also, white t-shirt with collar match with a pair of black shoes. How can I forget?!

When me and my date were on the dance floor I saw many friends, I simply can’t control myself to socialize and gone wild dancing with my friends, that I almost forgot that I have a date dancing with me. We occupied too much room on the dance floor and just having the time of our life dancing. The crowd’s favorite disc jockey plays most of our favorite Dance tunes. I was sweating and catching my breath when my date asked me for a break. I still felt dizzy, from dancing and from the lights also, as we were heading back to our table. I didn’t notice that there was still one step down on our way--- I fell! Yes I fell! I was on my knees and my face was practically on the floor! Really, what a shame! It was really embarrasing that I wanted to run home already or hoping the floor will open and eat me alive!

Luckily, the floor was carpeted and my face was just mildly hurt hehehe… I stood up and gathered my composure with the help of my date but have not heard any single word from him, he just smiled at me. (Hehehe) You know that feeling? Can’t even look at his face, I was soooooo…. ashamed!. Unfortunately we didn’t end up together and maybe he said to himself what a girl! (he-he-he..)

Lessons learned on that incident was to watch our manners when in public places. If you can't handle it- avoid marathon dancing or dancing too much to the point of losing oneself. Keep your steps simple and if you’re a dance expert, don’t be too eager to show-off. If you have a Date with you, spend more time with him. You should also know when to have a break and have a “Kit-Kat” (chocolate) he-he-he.

Stress Test

A stress therapist provided this test, saying that the more symptoms you show, the greater the cause for concern. Just tick off the items that describe you:

• Do you have dramatic mood swings?
• Do you feel constantly guilty?
• Do you find yourself unable to concentrate?
• Do you suffer from obsessive thoughts or actions, such as repeated hand-washing or constantly checking whether you have left the gas on?
• Do you get aches in your back and shoulders?
• Do you often feel apprehensive or frightened?
• Do you suffer from diminished libido?
• Do you feel angry or irritable much of the time?
• Do you experience feelings of paranoia?
• Do you have feelings of self-loathing or lack of self-worth?
• Do you have suicidal thoughts?
• Do you suffer from insomnia, nightmares or simply wake up still feeling tired?
• Do you suffer from breathlessness?
• Do you suffer from frequent indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea?
• Do you experience muscle twitches?
• Do you feel constantly tired?
• Do you suffer from palpitations or a "lump" in the throat or stomach?

If you scored...

5-8 - Your stress level is relatively low but there might be a danger in the future if you do not recognize the stressors in your life. Identify the person or problem making you fell anxious and think of ways to react differently -whether to avoid them, confront them, or negotiate.

9-13 - Your stress level is quite high and could be affecting your mental and physical health. Try to relax. You may need a holiday. Re-evaluate your career and personal life. Make a list of your priorities so you're not trying to do everything at once.

14-17 - Watch out! Your stress level is reaching overload. It's high time you step back and detoxify. Get a new hobby and set aside more time for yourself. It may also be time to seek professional help. You need to change your life - fast - and therapy or counseling may help. Psychological burnout is a real danger.

Meddling In-Laws

I spend 6 hours yesterday as a confidante to a friend. Problem with her in laws. Len, a working mom, leaves her kids with her mother-in-law when she goes to work every day. While this arrangement eases her worries while she's at the office, the downside is -when she gets home her mother-in-law bosses her around as if she has no say in raising her own kids.

With extended families, there's one obvious advantage: more human resource available to ease the pressures and responsibilities of everyday living. Economic and psychological interdependence within the kin network is possible. Expenses can be shared and divided among the working members. Children can be looked after by other adults -reassured of their kids socialization, safety and protection. The disadvantage, however, would be more people to deal with. And when interactions do not work well, conflicts are bound to emerge.

I ask Len, Is there a reason for your mother in law to be so? If there is, is she really the cause of the problem? Instead of looking at it negatively, be tolerant and accepting towards them. If our well-intended gesture or comment is taken negatively, take it in stride to avoid conflict. If she is an overbearing and manipulative mother-in-law, who is usually overbearing to all and not just to the daughter-in-laws then I ask Len to tell her MIL how she feels. Using "I" statements and try not to blame or accuse. The basic idea here is to communicate what Len feels even if to give her MIL the recognition her MIL needs. Lack of communication exacerbate the in-law problems. One thing goes wrong and everybody gets on the defensive, making assumptions about each other. I ask her to let her husband abroad know whats going on and tell him how she feels. Sometimes in-laws motives and actions most probably come from deep-seated beliefs and behavior patterns than from something said or done. In short, don't take it personally.

Each family is unique because of the people that compose it. As such, there can really be no prescribed way of solving family rational problems. We have to find what works best for us. I am lucky with my in-laws, our communication is always open. They call us weekly just to check how we are doing and we do the same.

I guess the best solution here is to move on and find own's new place. After we have done our part and the disagreements still exist and are impairing our functioning, then its time to change tactics. Its not only preserving self-esteem, we also teach our family -independence and self-identity. If all else fails, perhaps on our own might be for the better.

Yeepey! It's Durian Fever in the City of "Land of Promise"

Who have ever been in the City of “Land of Promise”? Davao City is a-must-see and visit city if you want to tour in the Philippines.

Davao City has a great abundance of flowers and fruits. Month of August is it's “Kadayawan Festival” and this festivity has so much to offer not only to Dabawenyos but as well to foreigners and tourists who are now here and touring the city.

The King of all Fruits “ Durian” is in every fruit stand and you can see people in all walks of life buying and eating this very unique and delicious fruit.

As I walk down the city everyday, the odoriferous riot is everywhere. The smell? Yes, it smells like hell as they say..but wait… the fruit taste like heaven. Yes my dear it’s heaven’s taste hahaha..…don’t ask me why, -know what I mean. The first time I got to smell the fruit It made me dizzy, So Yucky! can’t stand it! However, as I am used to the smell, and tried eating it, -have found the most ever yummy fruit I have eaten so far.

FYI....“Durian is widely known in Southeast Asia as the “King of Fruits” because of its distinctive size, odor and husk. Some said it's an aphrodisiac. Durian was named to mean “ thorny fruit”. It's thorny and devilish outside but sweet, heavenly white meaty in the inside.

For promotion purposes, Durian planters and sellers will surely love and appreciate this (ha-ha-ha)… To foreigners and tourists down in the city, please don’t leave Davao without having to taste Durian. It will surely be a great food trip experience of having to eat an exotic fruit like Durian.

Even Grown-ups need their shots

In one of my posts here I have shared the six deadly childhood diseases that parents should take action and bring their children for their shots. Don’t you know that adults or grown-ups need their shots too?

Here are some key vaccinations that grown-ups should take action.

1. Chicken Pox – If you didn’t have chicken pox as a child, you should be vaccinated. The virus causes more severe symptoms in adults than in kids. For pregnant woman, If you catch this during pregnancy, there is a great possibility that your baby could have birth defects.

2. Tetanus and Diphtheria- These bacterial infections can damage your nervous system and even kill you. But most people don’t think about getting a shot until they step on a rusty nail. Truth is, you should have tetanus and diphtheria booster (the vaccines are usually combined) every 10 years.

3. Flu- don’t miss this shot if you are over 50, are in your second or third trimester of pregnancy, or have a chronic disease or weak immune system. The shot attacks a different strain of influenza each year, so revaccinate every 12 months.

4. Pneumonia- If you’re 65 or older or have chronic disease or weak immune system, you should line up for a dose of pneumococcal vaccine. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs and cause death.

Too much of good things

Cellphone has now become so vital to modern life giving us instant info and constant access to our family and friends. Infact, we have even given our kids their own to use. Scientists, however, are raising a cautionary hand on the excessive use of this technology, especially by children. We parents should ensure that our children do not overuse mobile phones because of their potential health risk, as counseled in a new study. Despite the hard proof, it would be wise to take precautionary approach to cellphone use, until all the health related doubts are removed.

There are reports suggest that mobile use can affect brain function and that radiation from the phones can cause DNA damage, though long term studies have yet to be done. If there are risks and we think there may be risk then the people who are going to be most affected are children, and the younger the child the greater the danger.

Children might be more vulnerable with their immature nervous system, greater absorption of energy and a longer lifetime exposure than adults. But understandably giving a cellphone to our children is a necessary security measure. So to minimize possible radiation hazards, study recommends that children under age nine should not use mobiles at all. Children nine and older should keep calls short, if possible, text instead of call. And, use a phone with a low emission rate, the manufacturer knows about this.

Seems like too much of good things can sometimes really be bad.

The Big " C"

The Big “C” (Cancer) strikes my friend. She was then a co-employee where I’m still connected now and was one of our Top Sales Achiever in our Department. Her name is Elma J.Tabamo from the City of Friendship in Cagayan De Oro, Northern part of Mindanao in the Philippines. She had breast cancer in 2005. But despite of her illness she has shown extraordinary courage. Her strength, optimism and determination have never wavered even when faced with discouraging options.

I remember her as being so calm and brave after knowing that her Breast Cancer is Malignant and is on Stage 3-B. Despite of it, she managed to take care of her family and would go to her radiation therapy every day. She never faltered in her determination to keep going and survive this battle.

It was after a year when her fight for this battle has ended. God’s time has come and Elma had to leave her husband and two adorable kids and is being with our Father in Heaven.

When I’ve heard about this sad news that she passed away, I was in the office then and checking my emails. To my surprised, I’ve got an email from her with a subject “ Good day” and when I opened the mail it has actually no message and found out it is only a spammed message. It was my first time to receive a spammed message coming from her. I told myself then maybe she’s around and requesting me not about sales matters but a simple prayer for her soul. And so I did. I was in silence for about 5 minutes and bowed my head and prayed for her soul to rest in peace. We truly missed this lady who have once touches our hearts.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that may invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. The disease occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get it, too. For more information about Cancer and Support please visit American Cancer Society site.

Slow but sure way to be Rich

I have read a very interesting book about secrets of the rich. That it is through wise management of our personal finances, anybody even payday-to-payday survivors like us-- can grow her wealth. The author of that book who is also an entrepreneur, management consultant and also a financial advisor believes that we can retire from work well off without resorting to high ventures or illegal gambits. He shared the following in achieving financial independence...

• Pay yourself first. The only way to start growing your money is to save some 20% of your salary immediately. To make it easier, think of yourself as a company and compensate yourself first before doing anything else.
• Keep it liquid. Instead of real estate of other hard-to-unload properties consider investing initially in safer money instruments such as government treasury bills and bonds. Here your money stays liquid and earns more than if locked away in a savings account.
• Consider the risks. But if you want to invest big time, know that the bigger the returns, the higher the risk. Playing with stocks is a very dicey move, and franchising and small businesses have a high failure rate. Best option is to spread the risks and find a mentor to guide you.
• Steer clear of dubious pyramid, networking and other get-rich schemes that will only fleece you dry.
• Do not equate wealth wealth with tons of money. The goal is to become wealthy, but in the sense that present financial resources can support your lifestyle over a long period of time, even if you no longer work.

Whatever the case may be, the only way to start growing our money is through prudent saving and investing.

Easy way to teach ABC's

The easy and fun way of teaching ABC's to your toddler is to try to post Big Letter "A" on the wall of his room for 2 to 3 days and read this out loud until he or she can recognize the letter A. After 3 days post the next letter that is Letter "B" and so on until the last letter "Z". Do the same in numbers by starting from one to ten.

During the nursery years of my kid I found out that it's so easy of him to recognize all the letters in the alphabet and so with the numbers one to ten.

So, to all moms out there, let's start this very simple but a resourceful way to teach ABC's to our kids.

Where The Money Should Go

It really upsets me how we would budget for house renovations or save up for something only to have him come home with a brand new portable entertainment system! His justification was he bought it on 0% interest. He couldn't understand that what annoys me most is that he made such a big purchase without discussing it with me. There are other things that we could have bought with that money -things that the whole family would have enjoyed and not just him!

Often the source of conflict in marriage is when handling the family finances. Money and how to spend it is always a sensitive topic. Past generations saw the man of the house as the sole breadwinner and thus, the main decision maker. With dual-income households now the trend, more and more women believe that deciding how to spend the couple's earnings should be a shared responsibility. Problem is there are always have opposing ideas about where the money should go.

The way that a person values money may be attributed to his or her upbringing. If brought up thinking that saving for a rainy day is important, this person will probably be conscious about putting away money at regular intervals. It could be because of mismatched priorities. Different personalities have different priorities. The priorities are defined by one's own personality and taste rather than an objective assessment of the family's needs. A husband and a wife are still two unique individuals with different perspectives and would see things differently including how to spend the household budget.

In the end, there are no hard or fast rules to budgeting. It will vary from couple to couple, as everyone has their own set of values and priorities. The most important thing is to openly communicate so that decisions are made and goals are reached through a loving compromise.

Take Action: Children's Vaccinations

Is your child safe from the six diseases or the so-called Childhood Killers?

In my case, I must say that my kid is safe from these Life-Threatening Diseases for I followed his Pediatrician advised of bringing him for his shots in the scheduled vaccines.

Many parents should be vigilant and have their kids be vaccinated and not wait that something will happen and will regret the delayed actions of not preventing these deadly diseases.

Immunization for children should be given as early as possible to give them protection during the vulnerable early months of their lives.

Remember our former Senator in the Philippines- Ernesto Herrera. Polio crippled him in 1946 when he was only four-year old. Since then, Herrera has faced a daily struggle, not only with the crutches he uses to help him walk but also with a society that stigmatizes people with disabilities.

Here are the six diseases that every parent should take action and bring your child to your local health center or to his/her pediatrician for Immunization.

DIPHTERIA -a respiratory disease caused by bacteria.
Symptoms : Gradual onset of sore throat and low grade fever.
Transmission : Coughing and Sneezing.
Complications: Heart and Kidney failure, Death.
Vaccine - DPT

MEASLES – An acute bacterial respiratory infection.
Symptoms : Fever, runny nose, cough, a rash and red, watery eyes.

Complications: Lung Infections, deafness, brain damage.

Vaccine- Measles vaccine. MMR

POLIO - a virus that invades the nervous system.
Symptoms : Fever, Headache, nausea and vomiting.
Transmission : Direct contact with infected children
Complications : One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually in Legs.
Vaccine -Oral Polio Vaccine

TUBERCULOSIS - a bacteria that infects the lungs, back of the throat or skin
Symptoms : Chronic cough, mild fever in the afternoon and sweating at night.Chest and Back pain, and gradual weight loss
Transmission : Inhaling, ingesting or direct inoculation of TB bacteria.
Complications : Meningitis, Death
Vaccine- BCG

TETANUS a bacterial disease that affects the nervous system also known as lockjaw.
Symptoms : Muscular stiffness in the jaw, followed by stiffness of the neck,difficulty swallowing, rigidity of abdominal muscles , spasms.
Transmission : Through a wound, which becomes contaminated with the organism.
Complications : Death
Vaccine DPT

WHOOPING COUGH – An acute bacterial infection of the respiratory tract.
Symptoms : Initially runny nose, sneezing, dry cough, fever and loss of appetite.
Transmission : Coughing and Sneezing

Complications : Pneumonia, brain damage
Vaccine- DPT

To all parents, I strongly advise you to have your children be vaccinated because these vaccinations can save lives.

Sharing Bed with Children

In our country, it is a common practice for parents to sleep in the same bed with their children. It is also the norm in many other cultures, and not just because of limited space. It is common in Japan, for example, where they emphasize the nurturing aspects of family life.

Children sleeping with parents is a universal practice, but it is more common in cultures where children are given a special place in the family. In most underdeveloped countries, it is logical to assume that it is their custom to do so because of the limited space in their homes. It is an emotionally healthy experience for both parents and children. Especially for today's busy families, the family bed may be the only place I can settle down for quiet bonding times with my child. For working parents it gives us a chance to bond a little with our children and to retrieve some time to be close and cuddle with our child. Physical contact is very beneficial to both parents and kids.

On the other hand, children sleeping with parents has its own share of drawbacks, especially in couple's relationship. No spontaneous sex. I'm worried that our lovemaking will wake our child. Its kind of natural form of family planning method, but seriously, it deprives couples privacy and bonding time. In some cases, parents use the family bed to avoid serious marital problems. As long as the child sleeps between them, it tends to mask the serious pitfalls and gives a false sense of security in a marriage.

However, this arrangement has to end at some point in our child's life. When the child starts showing signs of independence with night-time routines, it is perhaps the right time weaning them. Interestingly enough, sometimes its us parents who delays the weaning, unwillingly to give them the eviction notice. Separation anxiety can go both ways. If we fail to wean our child it gives the impression that we lack confidence in our child's capacity to cope or fend for himself. Some moms chose a time they think is best to move, and others prefer to leave that decision to the child. If its parent-prompted, it may require plenty of patience and time.

Getting our kids out of the bed is a long goodbye-emotional, sometimes painful, and liberating at the same time. But moving out need not signal an end to the intimacy established through bed sharing. It simply means replacing it with other nurturing and bonding activities.

Unexpected Meeting With Endometriosis

I was 31 then and trying to get pregnant. My pregnancy work-up program started with a reproductive system ultrasound. The sonologist was not happy when she handed me the result and told me that my ob-gyne will explain it. I was already concerned with the word "cyst" written in the diagnosis.

The result said that I have this condition called endometriosis, a so-called chocolate cyst in my right ovary causing my infertility. My ob-gyne did not gave any options other than surgery or removal of the cyst since I am in a hurry for conception. Also added that the surgery is not a guarantee for pregnancy. Those last words made me think twice, if the removal of the cyst is still not a guarantee then why would I go under the knife?

Yes, I had episodes of pelvic pain and abdominal cramps but it could just be dysmenorrhea like almost all women are experiencing every onset of menstruation. The news of having Endometriosis or Ovarian Cyst is simply too much to bare.

Chocolate cyst or endometrioma are cysts that form when endometrial tissue (the type that lines the inside of the uterus) invades an ovary. It is responsive to monthly hormonal changes, which causes the cyst to fill with blood. It’s called a “chocolate cyst” because the blood is a dark, reddish-brown color. Multiple endometriomas are found in the condition called "endometriosis". Although often asymptomatic, chocolate cysts can be painful.

Medical treatment for Endometriosis are mostly symptomatic treatment means treating the symptoms of the disease rather than the disease itself. This means giving pain relief medicines or drugs that would stop the fluctuations in the woman's own hormone levels in an effort to remove the stimulation for growth of the endometriosis. Although medical treatment is usually successful in alleviating symptoms, relapses may occur after treatment has stopped. Surgical treatment is then often appropriate and can include keyhole surgery (laparoscopic surgery) to remove or destroy endometriosis or open surgery to remove ovarian cysts. A hysterectomy may be suggested if the main symptoms are heavy and very painful periods and the woman's family is complete. Medical practitioner believes Endometriosis is a condition that cannot always be cured although the symptoms can usually be sufficiently relieved to allow the woman to pursue a normal life. Symptoms will go away only at the time of the menopause.

However in my quest for cure of my condition I have found out that there are actually available natural and alternative therapy for endometriosis. In fact many women have achieved partial or complete healing of Endometriosis using alternative treatments. Alternative treatments includes but not limited to Acupuncture, Herbalism, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and Aromatherapy. In my case I have opt for Naturopathy treatment.

Naturopathy believe that the body’s natural state is one of equilibrium, which can be disturbed by an unhealthy lifestyle. They look for underlying causes of a problem rather that treating symptoms alone, combining diet and non-invasive therapies where possible to stimulate the healing process.

Natural treatments is not a quick fix. Treatment will take longer, but it will be gentler, safer, and more effective for long-term results. Lastly, and most importantly- I got pregnant after two months of therapy!

Lets Take Control of our Health

I was devastated when I first learned that I have an ovarian cyst which the doctor believes would only give me 5o% chance of conceiving unless otherwise I have the cyst removed immediately. Well that was 2 years ago. Thanks to natural and alternative medicines.

Natural medicine believes that our body not only has the power to heal itself but is also unable to work against itself. The key is to provide our body with the right tools to achieve this. These tools can be found in an unchallenged diet, fresh fruits and vegetables, water and techniques that support the body's own healing capacity. The process of healing is also one of learning and of growth.

Sadly, many of the treats fed today are full of junk and contribute very little to our over all well-being except obesity and long term health problems.

Lets take control of our health!

The road to regaining full health and vitality provides freedom of movement on all levels and is an exciting experience for all of us.

Discipline Thing

My husband already prepared a plastic ruler to use whenever our one year old needs to be disciplined. Is this part of spanking? Moms and Dads has different responses of what spanking is but all seems to agree that spanking is hitting whether using bare hands or a thing. Is it right to spank? This has long been an issue for parents and educators. There are those who assert that it is right to spank, even going as far as quoting a Bible message "To spare the rod is to spoil the child." And then there are those, mostly from the field of child development, who will say that spanking will have a negative effect on the child in the long run.

Is there a need to spank? If rules are clearly established, and parents and other adults consistently follow through with the implementation and the consequences, then our children will know that there is such a thing as discipline or management at home. This simply means that they have to abide.

What is the right age to start disciplining our children? Discipline should start when the child is born. Discipline is a life long process. Better to set up a routine for infants. Basically, routine is already a part of discipline.

We should sit down with our spouses and have a heart to heart talk as to the discipline techniques we want to establish with our children, so both is consistent in implementing them. This way, we don't send conflicting messages to our kids.

Does TV has a positive influence in our child?

Over the years, parents admitted that they use TV to baby-sit their kids. Filipino children aged one-and-a-half upwards watched an average of four to six hours of TV a day - that's about half their waking hours, an average of 12 hours a day. For these kids, TV has become an electronic babysitter. Family Life and Child Development specialist said that there are serious trade-offs in rearing children this way, as watching TV does little to stimulate their brain development. They recommend limiting their viewing time to no more than 15 to 30 minutes a day.

Most TV Programs including cartoons which are supposedly suitable for children, carry sexual, aggressive and violent content. TV is packed also with advertisements that promote consumerism and unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking and eating junk foods. If its learning we Moms after, why don't we let our toddler play instead. These has been proven to be the best way young children learn. Play stimulates all five senses, whereas watching TV stimulates only two- and not in an entirely good way at that. The fast cutting of images can be visually jarring, and the noise desensitizes children to the different sounds around them.

Another foundation for learning is the ability to concentrate - a habit of mind formed in early childhood. Study shows that children who watch too much TV have difficulty completing tasks in school, let alone focusing on the task at hand. TV gets in the way of habits of mind. Study also shows that excessive and inappropriate TV viewing excerbates the symptoms of learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. A child who is read to and conversed with has a definite language advantage over a child left to watch TV.

Toddlers need movement as their muscles and sensory-motor skills are developing at a very fast rate. Clearly, leaving them to lounge around in front of the TV does not support this development, and we might be unwittingly turning them into couch potatoes very early on. Another unhealthy habit toddlers might acquire from their parents and caregivers is eating while watching TV. Excessive TV viewing coupled with uncontrolled snacking has also been known to lead to weight problems in both adults and children. To prevent this from happening to our child, train them to eat and to watch TV separately.

Research further shows that in early brain development, toddlers have a critical need for direct human interactions. This allows them to develop appropriate social and emotional skills and lays the foundation for establishing relationships with people. When children spend lots of time interacting with TV characters, they might confuse the real world with the simulated world of TV. A telltale sign is when they talk mostly about TV characters instead of real people and events.

In the end, its our choice whether TV becomes a positive or a negative influence in a child's life. We are not saying that TV has no value. It can be a part of a learning environment, but it can never take the place of a parent. Watching our toddler's TV viewing habits and seeing to it that he develops healthy ones -will contribute greatly to his successful overall development. Finally, whenever we choose to let our child watch TV, be careful that the TV does not end up watching our child.