Is Your Kid Ready for Homeschool?

I have to admit something to you fellow mommies and daddies.

For the past years that Kyle started school, we don't have a "serious" study place because I personally don't want my son to take his studies seriously.

SHOCKING RIGHT?  

What kind of parent would want their kid not to take their schooling seriously?

Well, ME!

Kyle is a natural studious boy!  He picks books instead of toys even at the age of 2 or 3 years old.  "You should be grateful mommy!"  That's what I hear from every single parent I chanced upon whenever they see Kyle read books EVEN AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES!

It is okay to hone his serious attitude when it comes to studies, but one thing I noticed about him is how he cannot accept mistakes!  It was a long process for me to teach him to accept failure and "x" marks from school papers.  I even requested his teacher to be firm in telling him IT IS OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES.

Kyle is way better today at the age of 7.  Still a work in progress on some areas but a huge change from his younger years!  

So the point of my LONG intro is that, I never took a "study" session as seriously as today!  Well latter part of his Grade 1, I was really serious in teaching him Chinese and Filipino but I let him be for other subjects.  But since COVID-19 happened and most schooling are to be done at home, I had to create a comfortable space for him to sit and study for 4-6 hours a day!

Our study nook - also a work in progress - came to life during lockdown and I am so grateful for ONLINE shopping!

Kyle have a LOT of art materials that I knew I had to do something about it!  Inspired by the white cart I got from my sister in law, I bought buckets from Lazada and fixed everything for him to see ALL his art materials!  It is also a wake up call for me not to purchase more!  There were a LOT dubplicates!  

Aside from fixing his art area, I also removed and kept most of the toys he does not play with!  There were loads so I've decided to donate most of them and keep the rest in a nice storage box so he can always go back to it for play time.

I pulled out my own table and got a super comfortable chair.  For kids who are studying at home, I highly recommend to invest on comfortable chair - if you plan on buying one or use an existing chair that is VERY comfortable for them to sit on!

I got Kyle a Kid2Youth DUO Ergo Chair  which I think is a great investment since this chair works for kids and adults alike.  That said, the chair will grow together with  my son!

I picked a Blue chair and you may purchase a separate cover to save up on cleaning!  The chair has a great back support which keep correct posture for my son which is super important!  Aside from that, I like the customized foot rest which helps in keeping my son "on the chair"!  

For Philippine readers, you may contact Kid2YouthPhilippines on Instagram and DM them directly on how to order.

Table accessories are also important for me to keep things organized.  An organized table will make it easier for them to focus on their studies as opposed to messy ones.

How To Care For Our Kid's Eyes

It is a worldwide pandemic.

COVID19 is really changing a lot of our usual and normal activities into something life-changing!  

As for me, I find it really hard especially for my son to adjust to a "stay-at-home-only" lifestyle.  We are always out and about especially during weekends!  We visit my parents on Saturday and go out to have fun in the mall on Sundays with my husband's parents.  

After a week or 2 of "doing nothing".  I finally came back to my senses and realized, I have to do something about this!  I came up with a very simple schedule or set of activities for my son to look forward to!  

One activity he enjoys is his "screen time" which includes him watching any of his favorite videos on Youtube (with my supervision) for 30 minutes to 1 hour max!  But before that, we study lessons he needed more attention with - Chinese Mandarin and Tagalog!  I also insert Bible Stories on Sundays!

And since I use several apps to aid my teachings, I am really concern on the eyes of my son so I've decided to share this useful information I learned from Vision Express.  

Please watch this video and see how you can protect your son's eyes from Blue Light.

What are the new tips you learned from this video?
Do you have other tips you want to share?

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

 

Kyle Had Dengue!

I was M.I.A. for so many days because Kyle got really sick on Chinese New Year's eve!  

As I picked him up from school, after watching Dragon Dance performance, his palms were extremely warm so I thought it was for the fact that he was scared of the huge dragons that made his body extra warm.

But I was a bothered because Kyle was off that whole week, teachers are telling me he wasn't in good condition and seems to be whining a lot in class.  

My Tiny Secret as a Multi-Tasking Mom!

NO, not a messy table!  *laughs*

I hope this overview shows you how much work I do on a daily basis.  Come, join my world!

After sending my son to school and workout, I go back home and answer emails!  Loads of them!  

I also schedule meetings and events in between creating curriculum for my makeup and skincare training jobs, send out proposals for clients and a whole lot of PR work.

And of course, I also do a lot of online shopping in this particular workplace because ... too busy to go out for shopping!  So if you wonder how I manage to do a lot of things, this is one tiny secret I'm sharing! There's no way I could get everything done without sites like Amazon!

Kyle's Pambaon

I plan Kyle's snacks and lunch every weekend.  I have a full sheet to cover Mondays to Fridays and I can't believe I have a grade schooler!  

I know, I'm still on lala-land thinking I still have a baby but I seriously have a 6-year old Grade 1 student who goes to school at 7:20am and leaves the class at 3:00pm.  The first few weeks was the hardest #SepanxHits but as days and weeks go by, I find myself coming into terms.  I just have to make it visible for Kyle that I still think about him through the "baon" I prepare for him!

Thankful with the new O-Gurt from Oishi!  Kyle comes home telling me how much he enjoys his morning snack time with his favorite Bread Pan cookies!

I tasted them all, it has to pass my taste before I pass it down to my son!  Thankful that all of these 4 variants tastes great!  Kyle's favorite is Strawberry while I always reach out for Original Flavor!

Yes, school is difficult as it is, let's make the rest of his day fun and exciting!
This is definitely part of the "rotation-baon" planned out for Kyle.

What's yours?

 Oishi O-Gurt Yoghurt drinks are available in leading supermarket nationwide.
For more information, visit https://www.oishi.com.ph

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

 

AMW Family experienced Lily's Wonderland

Almost everybody I knew grew up with Lily's Peanut Butter.
In my case, I grew up with Lily's and I still have Lily's with me until my adult years!

I love our neighborhood fresh pandesal and I love it with a good 2-3 layers of Lily's Peanut Butter.

So when me and my family were invited to be part of the Lily's Wonderland, I had to clear up my schedule and be there!

What is Lily's Wonderland?

The company Newborn Food Products Inc. conducted a "Mom and Kids Health Ambassador" contest late 2018 and early 2019.  The kids who came were among the winners per school and won cash, products and a chance to visit the Production Plant of Lily's Peanut Butter.

Gentlest Range of Baby Products from Johnson's ?

When I received this huge crate of products and unboxed them, this moment brought me back to so many good memories!  Most of us probably (in one point of our lives) used this brand, I even went back to this brand when I gave birth to Kyle! 

Then several brands came in and it was the battle of the "gentlest skin and hair care products for our babies".  

Thankfully, our loved brand Johnson's did not stop on this race, they came back with the gentlest ever range with the addition of new range --- JOHNSON'S Cotton Touch.  This range I immediately spotted is the best hypoallergenic care for newborn sensitive skin because these are free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates and dyes and designed for ZERO irritation.

Why, thank you JOHNSON'S!!!

If you want to know the changes done, I've done a bullet-point for busy moms out there for our peace of mind --- (Note: These information was taken from JOHNSON'S and I am definitely testing these new range out!)

• Purposeful ingredient choice: JOHNSON'S carefully considered every single ingredient in the range rejecting over 400 ingredients during reformulation.  All the ingredients lists have been cut in half and replaced some ingredients in the process to make this new range totally free from parabens, phthalates and is now entirely free from sulfates and dyes.
• Fragrances designed with mom and baby in mind: JOHNSON'S retained the iconic scents for their classic products and for the rest of the range with fragrance - these are formulated to be free of allergens.
• Parent and environmental friendly packaging: these new bottles are equipped with pumps designed for easier and one-handed use for parents and have also been developed using a patented system that allows products to be biodegradable, nontoxic and will not bioaccumulate in the environment.
•  Products specially designed for every age and stage in a baby's life: I am grateful with their ACTIVE line which is perfect for Kyle!  These products does not only cleanse and moisturize but there are some in other ranges that address special skin needs of babies.  (4 stages: Original Category, Newborns straight from Birth, Active Babies on the Move and Independent Toddlers) 

Thank You Aveeno for Coming into Our Lives!

BIG TRUTH - Moms don't always have the luxury of time even when it comes to self-care.

I started going back to salon, having massages, etc... recently, and mind you, it takes the whole Barangay to help make that happen!  Well, I only need Mr. AMW and he was super nice to always give me "me time" especially on weekends!  Because we need that!  After 6 years of being a hands on mom, I come to a point of, "Hey, what's happening to me?  Let's do something about it!"

Fellow mommies, you don't need to go out for self-care, with just the right brand/products, you can do self-care at the comfort of your home!  My special me time is after dinner when I take a shower and do my skincare regimen before my son goes back to the room!  That said, I want to make sure to apply something really safe not only for me but for kids because we do all sorts of "Octopus hugs" before he goes to sleep!  

Thankfully, (good news for all mommies!)  The Aveeno Body Skin Relief Range is finally here!  This range consists of body wash and lotion formulated with Prebiotic Oats.  The Triple Oat Complex is enriched with Colloidal Oat that locks in moisture for 24 hours, I can attest to that as I wake up with super soft and hydrated skin!

Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash is priced Php520.00 for 354ml, Php695.00 for 532ml
Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion is priced Php740.00 for 354ml
Aveeno Baby Cleansing Therapy Moisturizing Wash is priced at Php525.00 for 236ml
Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture cream is priced Php660.00 for 227g

Aside from that, they also have the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief range.  To be honest, the Pediatrican was telling us how Kyle suffers from really dry skin but we can't seem to put anything on him since his skin is very sensitive.  So I am looking forward to use Soothing Relief Moisture Cream on his arms and legs and bum!  After constant research, I've read that these are soap-free, hypo-allergenic, paraben-free, phthalate -free and fragrance-free so mommies, we can breathe and relax!  And hey, I used this when I was still breastfeeding Kyle!

The brand is backed up with 65 years of skin expertise so mommies, do your research too and give this brand a try!

Have you tried Aveeno and Aveeno Baby?

What are your thoughts mommies and non-mommies?

For more information, visit aveeno.com.ph and follow AveenoPH on Facebook.

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

 

I Will Have A Gradeschooler Soon!

I don't know about you, this may not look like a Big Deal to some of you but this is a HUGE milestone for the AMW household!

Yes, I have a Grade 1 student by next schoolyear and I can't help but feel dramatic about it, I seriously do not have a baby anymore :(

My friend teased me: "You still have around 15 years to go!", there will come a time we'll look back at these digital photos with Kyle himself and just talk about it like it was yesterday.

So I am definitely seizing EVERY SINGLE MOMENT like it was "Oh!  Seems like yesterday!".  Because I want to look back and say: "I never regret every single moment I spent time with you Kyle!" 

How To Have #ZeroWorries Life

Is that even possible?

As a human, there can't be ZERO WORRIES lalo na as a mom! 

"Will my son be okay in school?"
"Will someone change his towel when he perspires?"
"Will he fight with his classmates today?"
"Will he gets cranky?"
"I hope he won't get hungry!"

Fellow mommies, I'm sure the list goes on!  As much as we try to control everything in our hands, we knew by heart that the challenges we face on day to day basis is actually (what they call) the joys of motherhood.  (Kaloka no?)

As to what Ms. Universe 2018 Catriona Gray would say: "There is a silver-lining the challenges we face!"  And that "silver lining" I see in motherhood is that, there are certain things WE CAN control.  Here are just some of the tips I learned along the way that works for me and I hope you'll share yours too by commenting below!

Happy 6th Birthday Kyle Nash!

It has been 6 years, the day I held a 2.2kg (4lbs) Kyle Nash in my arms.  I can still remember the rush of love, happiness, gratefulness that flowed through my veins.  It was indescribable.  I was left speechless and that says a lot for someone who can talk non-stop for hours and hours.

People tends to assume I don't want to have kids: "Ayaw mong sundan?" "Pwede na!  Sundan mo na!"

You know the best answer that I say nowadays that left them SPEECHLESS as well: "Kausapin niyo mattress ko." (Talk to my uterus!)

I hope the message is clear - the statement is indeed clear - I didn't have it easy with Kyle.  I knew a couple of moms who have gone through even worst but mine wasn't easy!  I remembered crying at night after taking all those hormonal pills thinking: "What have I done wrong?  Why can't I have a baby like my friends?  I'm a good person naman di ba?"  

So this, my friend, is indeed a full blessing from God.  I remembered praying earnestly every single night: "Kahit isa lang! Please, Kahit isa lang."  (Just give me one please, just one!)

So I don't want to be greedy, at this point of time, if it is God's gift and in God's time, if HE thinks I can have more HE is in charge.  As for now, I am enjoying every single moment of Motherhood.  

Kyle, I lack sleep and always wake up with painful body from your random kicks at wee hours of the night!  I get exhausted chasing you wherever we go and I felt embarrassed so many times in public whenever you threw tantrums! 

But Kyle, I am just human, so it is normal for me to have all sorts of feelings - the pains and joys of motherhood. If there's one thing I can assure you of is that  - given the chance to do this all over again - I'd say YES gazillion times. 

Because all the pain, sacrifices and efforts cannot surpass the extreme gratitude and happiness I felt every single day!  You give me more meaning to live, you made me strive to be the best version of myself because I know you look up to me (and your dad) as an inspiration.  You made me the best person that I can be.

Super8 Funfest 2019 + Inspiring Interview

Last April 11, I went to the SUPER 8 Grocery Warehouse Funfest at the World Trade Center Manila (still ongoing until today by the way from (9:00am to 7:00pm!)  and I find myself in a shopping wonderland as I see familiar and well-used brands available at prices that were discounted na, discounted pa!

So I had 1 shopping bag ready and realized.... 1 is not enough!

See?

What I see are brands that I really use in my own household sold by bulk at a very affordable price!  And that's not it!  I get to taste and sample a lot of the products during the event!  My hands were super full but I can't stop eating and drinking!

Join the Baby, Kids & Family Expo and Hear My Story!

I have heard this statement so many times: "Nikki is a Blogger, she's a mom, but she's blogging and talking more about Beauty than Motherhood."

TRUE.

Nothing wrong with that and it is just my personal preference not to talk too much about my motherhood experience because if you are a long time reader, you'll know that I'm the type who would talk about something if I already know ---

• What's really going on.
• What to expect with what I'm talking about.
• How to deal with the negative situation (if there's any).

And up until this very moment, you only see snippets of my "AskMeMom" life because I have to admit, I may look so organized and knowledgeable with what I'm doing on my social accounts but in reality, like what most moms would say: "You don't see the reality!"

Ben & Jerrys ice cream available in the Philippines na!

"Well, you seem to know what you're doing!"

The Launch of Asvel with Kris Aquino as their Newest Endorser #KrisLovesAsvel

I remember clearly when I was in first grade, almost everyone in school have a cool lunchbox that can keep the heat intact until lunch time.  I clearly recall bugging my mom to buy me one but since I'm the youngest in the family, my mom said "hindi sulit kasi wala nang susunod gagamit!" (can you relate friends? hahaha) 

So up until this very moment, I tease my mom about it and how I always wished to have a cool lunchbox which I never had - mind you, brown and black lang ang color back then. 

Fast forward to many years after, food storage and other cute containers tickle my bones - seeing them gives me the sense of happiness and great memories about childhood.

So when I got an invite for the first Asvel store launch located at Podium mall, I had to be there and I actually brought with me Kyle just to bond after the event.

#KrisLovesAsvel

Kris Aquino is their endorser and it was a pleasure for me to interview her!  

Thanks Spark It family for making it possible.

*sigh* My heart!

Asvel offers an extensive lineup of food containers, water jugs, rice stockers and a whole lot more!

Askmemom: KinderCity Review

We love to go to Nuvali because Kyle likes to do some "fishing".  

When he talks about fishing, it literally means "feeding the orange fishes" at Solenad!  Have you been there and your family mommies?  I find that activity to be extremely relaxing and fun!  Even my dad-in-law was hooked!  I just don't know how many packs of fish food he bought just to make sure all the "slim fishes" gets their share of food!  *laughs*

It was raining so hard when we went to Nuvali so we had no choice but to feed fishes under an umbrella then keep ourselves dry at the nearby mall - Vista Mall.  

Vista mall is a kind of mall I love to stay in, I'm not much of a shopping girl, all I need in a mall is --- less crowd, ATMs availability, coffee shops, good restaurants and of course, kiddie play areas which the mall has a lot of!

One of the biggest kids play area located at the topmost floor is called KinderCity.  You won't miss it!  Kyle obviously didn't and pulled are hands and wanted to go in immediately.

NOTE: This was our 2nd time at KinderCity and I believe won't be the last.

You have to make sure to bring your own socks but you can always purchase from them.  You have to pay kids and adults separately and unlike Kidzoona and other kids play area - you cannot do shifting!  If you plan to go out and change "bantay", you have to pay this new adult's admission fee which I think isn't the best idea - I get them, most adults take selfies there but seriously, most adults can't play and are just sitting inside, I wish they would follow the rule as that of other kids play area -- just my humble opinion.

Now back to the review, KinderCity is refreshing, it's not the usual kids play area that you see, yes, they have the basics --- toys to play with, basketball court, ballpit etc...but what I love about KinderCity is how fairytale lovers would appreciate - someone like Kyle.

His imagination went wild when he played Captain in this huge boat!

Christmas Essentials Delivered Straight to Your Doorstep!

That's all I've been doing as I cannot handle the traffic and busy schedule nowadays.

Thanks to online shopping app like Honestbee who has been consistently partnering with my favorite supermarket and stores! 

This time, with Shopwise!

And truthfully, this happened to me so many times!  Though I do my groceries once or twice a week when my son is in school, I always ended up "missing an ingredient" whenever I start cooking!  I guess I get easily distracted whenever I go from aisle to aisle purchasing items I don't need instead of things I really need.

And the best part?  I do not need to carry these items from the supermarket down to the parking lot!  Seriously, ang bigat minsan ha!

So to help me get through the jam packed times, Honestbee, Asia's fastest growing food service has partnered with another leading hypermarket chain (one of my favorite!)  --- SHOPWISE.

And because of this app, I can now bring everything I need especially for Holiday Gifting essentials straight to my doorstep!  Brands such as Papa Alfredo, Sunharvest, SnapMax and Southdale Farm, and also quality affordable wines from French Cellar, Wine Makers Reserve, and Red Peak to complete you holiday dinners.

And what excites me the most?  The fact that Shopwise always gives to most competitive pricing and unique finds that I can't seem to find in other supermarket!

Check out my loot from Shopwise!

Have you tried honestbee app?  What's your favorite restaurant/supermarket/hypermarket chain?

Download the honestbee app for free on Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign up for
an account now. For more information, visit www.honestbee.ph.

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Tiny Buds Rice Baby Products Review

The first time I blogged about Tiny Buds products, I already knew about the brand as it was Kyle's FIRST toothpaste brand!  Little did I know that they have a wide range of products and so far, I've used them all up and I'm impressed.

Then, their product line expanded and I've tested their Rice Baby Powder and loved it so much I purchased more for my dad (who's bedridden from stroke) and every time I massage his back, I tease him that he's my baby too!

So the brand is very close to my heart!  So when I saw their new line of Rice Baby products, I gave it a go right away!

Tiny Buds Rice Baby Bath (Php175.00) is a low foaming wash.  I love the mild baby scent and it is paraben free so my son's skin is soft and smooth after every wash.  

Tiny Buds Rice Baby Lotion (Php185.00) on the other hand is what I use, Kyle is not a lotion user but the mom is, so to make sure my son is safe, I use baby products on my skin so kissing and hugging is widely welcomed!

And of course, my review still stands on the Tiny Buds Rice Baby Powder, feel free to read full review HERE.

Have you tried Tiny Buds products?

What's your favorite?

For more product information, visit http://tinybudsbaby.com .

Follow and Like them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pg/tinybuds)

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Fern-C for the Family

How does your family stay healthy?
I make sure to cook healthy meals, take them out for weekly physical activities (Hello running around the park chasing balls, bubbles and frisbee!) and of course, give them vitamins!

Kyle gets sick easily at the age of 3-4, I remembered wondering how he could be such a strong baby and turned out to be a weak one when he grew older!  After a talk with his Pediatrician, I learned that Kyle needs specific vitamins to protect him - that includes ample amount of Vitamin C!


He started taking the year 2017 and so far, it worked for him, again, you have to check with your kid's Pediatrician.

And of course, this momma, who's with him in his every activity needed protection too!  I am currently taking Fern-C for adults too!

Have you tried Fern-C?



What's your vitamins and how about your kids?

For more information, visit https://web.facebook.com/fernckidz

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

Human Nature Kids + New Products

Human Nature is a local-brand that I really depend on and highly recommend when we talk about "safe" products.  We've read positive review after positive reviews and raves from the Beauty Community.

Thankfully, the brand expanded more products this time, with Human Nature KIDS! 



Housed in a super cute packaging, Kyle kept on mentioning "Human Natural Natural Shampoo and Body Wash please!" whenever we take a bath.  He loves the animal characters and even enjoyed reading the back label! 

Now let's talk about the product itself, I love the scent of both Tangerine and Apple I can't pick favorites for now.  I just alternate both variants and the product lather up pretty good, not the bubbly type but it's okay!  I love how soft and smooth my son's skin is after every bath and how it doesn't hurt his eyes.

I am saving up Jiggly Bath Jelly for our staycation this weekend because Kyle is into slime right now so this will be a perfect treat for him in a bigger bath tub from the hotel room we are staying over the weekend!

The Hand Sanitizer is another story.  With "cosmic" and a lot of stars and 2 kids in space, this is a perfect packaging for my Space-loving son!  The scent is somewhat like a "tutti-fruity" candy but it is actually "apple-scented" according to product description.

I love how it does not dry my hands - yes, I use it too! The only difference is, you have to shake this product well before use.

Digital Story App You May Want To Try with Your Kid!

Mommies!

Can't veer your kids away from electronic devices?  You want them to read stories and books?

Well, if you can't beat them...JOIN THEM!

As a kid who grew up in a very conservative and strict family, I still pass down the values I learned from my parents to my son and of course, I did a bit of twist.  I welcome electronic device because hey, we are in this world were kids really have to learn to use them, and yet, I make sure my son stick to my rules on using them in moderation - same as playtime and study time - everything has to be in moderation.

My son loves to read books, books are his happiness!  As much as a lot of you may want me to rejoice, well, there will always be a downside of something "too much".  Because he loves his books so much, he tends to be engrossed on them and sometimes, forget I"m right beside him!  I like it when he engage me in his "story world" but I sometimes think it's not enough and I want more "human time"!

I recently discovered an app from Star Margarine which I shared on my Instagram page which I enjoyed so much!  Yes, kasama ang I!  Why?  Because we had more conversation with this than his books!

All you have to do is check out this link --- https://starmargarine.com/

Upload your photo and your kid's photo and that's it!