Can you still count on your hands the number of times that your kid has come home with a stain on their shirt or a rip in their favorite jeans? The answer probably is “No”. It can sometimes be frustrating. You might recall a Rappler article on a popular detergent brand that said stains can symbolize something good. It’s an essential part of growing up! What us moms need to do is to be prepared for those moments by investing in clothes that can keep up with our kids. Here are a few reasons why it’s important to buy clothes that are built to last:

COMFORT IS KEY



Clothes that are built to last are often made from quality fabrics. The better the fabric, the easier it will be for the little and not-so-little ones to move around in and less chance of rips and tears. After all, having a happy kid is what we all aim for. Life Hacker believes that you should spend money on, where they spend the most time in - it’s called the “Comfort Principle”. Keep your kids comfy and yourself happy!

YOU SPEND LESS TIME DOING LAUNDRY AND IRONING



There are 3 magic words when it comes to children’s clothes. You have to find clothing that is wrinkle-free, stretchable and light-weight. Fabrics that fall into these categories are the easiest to maintain. It means you spend less time staring at the pile of clothes near your ironing board and more time enjoying your kids’ company. Here are a few tips from So Sew Easy on choosing the right fabrics for your kids’ clothes. If you’re curious about the specific types of fabrics, Sew Guide gives you 13 fabric options to watch out for.

SHOPPING IS SIMPLER



Since you know what types of clothes and fabrics to look out for, shopping becomes easier. You don’t have to go through all the items in the store anymore. The next step is to find a favorite shop that can carry it all for you. You can see from the array of clothes on the BNY Jeans shop that they are made from high quality materials that are resistant to wear and tear. Your young kids and teens will definitely spend a lot of time in their clothes – so it is worth choosing wisely. Which just goes to reaffirm why you should always look to buy clothes made from quality materials otherwise you could end up buying some more quicker than you wanted.

YOU END UP SAVING BY BUYING LESS FREQUENTLY



Ever heard of the phrase “Cheap is expensive”? Sounds a bit ironic, right? It’s because you get what you pay for. When you buy cheap products, you might only be spending a little money now but chances are, that piece will only see a few washes before you need to head out and buy something new again (as mentioned in the previous section). Between travel costs, the cost of the clothes and the time that you spend – they can all add up pretty quickly. Be smart in investing in clothes.

If you’re interested to find out more about Parenting tips, you can see some more interesting posts here on Mommy’s Mag Life.

Dr. Michele Borba, world-renowned parenting and character formation expert with over 22 books on the field including Parents Do Make a Difference: How to Raise Kids with Solid Character; Strong Minds and Caring Hearts; Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues that Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing; The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries; and UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in our All-About-Me World, reminds Filipino parents of the importance of these essential years in child-rearing.
The country’s number one fast-food brand, Jollibee, is presenting a series of talks led by Dr. Borba titled “Unselfie: Developing character among today’s all-about-me generations” at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier for parents and educators on December 2, 2017.

Dr. Borba has gained renown and popularity among parents all over the world for her practical, research-based advice for strengthening character, fostering compassion and developing emotional intelligence in children of all ages.
One of her key teachings is to “develop a close, mutually respectful relationship” with children, which should be established during these formative years. The first seven years of a child’s life is crucial to developing his or her character and values, which is why parents should continuously nurture them during those years for them to grow up into well-rounded adults.
“Studies find that kids are most influenced by those persons toward whom they feel the strongest attachment and deepest respect,” Dr. Borba said. “They are also more likely to copy these individual’s moral beliefs… Just make sure the relationship is mutually respectful: you treat your child with love and respect, and he treats you the same way in return.”

She emphasizes that this ideal relationship is one that takes time building and one that parents should put effort in establishing. Dr. Borba recommends that parents should dedicate “one-to-one personal, uninterrupted time” with the child regularly to build this mutually respectful and loving relationship.

‘Warm family memories’

Parenting may differ culturally, but there is one universal factor that everyone can cherish all the way into adulthood: warm family memories.

“The values my parents modeled—perseverance, compassion, acceptance, and believing in myself—are the same ones that guide my life today,” said Dr. Borba. “You don’t need research to prove your influence: just one moment of catching your child imitating your behavior or repeating your words or emulating your values should confirm that you do make a difference.”

As the go-to fun and dining destination for Filipino children for generations, Jollibee prides itself for encouraging the creation of warm family memories across its restaurants all over the Philippines and the world.

The newest online video for one of its core offerings—the Jolly Spaghetti—mirrors Dr. Borba’s belief in dedicating one-to-one quality time with children and creating lasting memories for both child and parent. In this video, parents are reminded that the values they teach during their children’s formative years truly make a difference: a child who was raised on an abundance of love, smiles, hugs, respect, sharing, and sweet-saya family memories will be a loving, cheerful, confident, courteous, and generous adult later in life.

“It can be very challenging to raise kids in this day and age,” said Cathleen Capati, Jollibee Marketing Director for Flagship Category. “But if there’s anything that Filipino parents should not forget, it’s the lasting importance of actually spending time with their children to teach them the values that we hold dear to our hearts, such as compassion, generosity, confidence, and love for the family. As Dr. Borba said, one-to-one, uninterrupted bonding time will make a huge difference in how children grow up. Of course, Jolly Spaghetti—the Pinoy kid’s favorite spaghetti—is always there to make bonding time more sweet-saya!” “Good parenting is about how to help our children live their lives to the best of their abilities—and that in itself is an immensely powerful role,” Dr. Borba concluded. Head over to the nearest Jollibee branch today and treasure those simple moments with family over Jolly Spaghetti, ang ‘Sweet Saya na Di Malilimutan’. Available for dine-in, take-out, delivery and drive-thru transactions, Jolly Spaghetti is priced at P50.00*. For more information on your classic Jolly favorites, like Jollibee Philippines on Facebook (facebook.com/JollibeePhilippines) and follow @Jollibee on Twitter and Instagram. *Prices may vary across different locations.

Future and present moms need to know these facts about MultiSensory Stimulation and thankfully Johnson’s is advocating this with their campaign #SoMuchMore with its local campaign “Di Lang Ligo ang Ligo”. Making bath time not just a simple task that moms do with their kids but an extra special bonding moment. I really love this because it gives us more time together and connects even more. It is really more than just a bath .
SO MUCH MORE is a global campaign that is about enhancing rituals, most specially bath time, to stimulate baby’s senses and provide parents an opportunity to nurture baby’s ability to learn, think, love and grow. According to the Global Bath Time Report which was conducted by JOHNSON’S in seven key countries to better understand how parents view bath time and its role in the development of babies shows that 96% of parents in the Philippines believe that bath time is so much more than just getting their child clean, 45% do not see that it is extremely important for cognitive development. And based on the report as well shows that Philippines has the shortest bath time duration for babies which is 15 minute compared to the global average of 23 minutes. But we think that one more reason about this is that Filipino moms, especially the traditional ones, still believe in old day’s belief.
If you’ll read deep with the result of the research it has shown that bath time is actually a great opportunity to stimulate baby’s senses because it is a time when babies’ senses are very much alive. Further studies prove that multisensory stimulation can strongly aid in promoting happy and healthy baby development. With this in mind, JOHNSON’S paves the way for a brighter future for Filipino babies by educating parents on the role of sensorial stimulation during the bath time ritual, which can lead to happy, healthy baby development.
During the event which was held in R Space there are some of the doctors who shared their insights and expertise with regards to MultiSensory Stimulation that helps in the develop of our babies. Dr. Salvador Valenzuela Castaneda, Asia Pacific Medical & Clinical Affairs Director shared that “Bath time can be so much more than getting clean. Multisensory stimulation rituals can aid in promoting happy and healthy baby development leading to specific benefits such as increased weight gain and bone mass, reduced stress, crying and better quality and quantity of sleep.”
Another doctor, Dr. Theresa Hilario-Jimenez, President of the Perinatal Association of the Philippines, shared how important touch in the growth and development and she states that “Dramatic growth in a child’s physical, motor, cognitive and social-emotional development is very much dependent on the stimulation a parent provides in the first several years of a child’s life. Touch is a powerful tool to maintain alert state in babies, to calm them or as an attention-getting stimulus. Touch is also a good reinforce for positive infant behavior and learning.”
A doctor about olfactory shared his thoughts and knowledge when it comes to fragrances. Dr. Arun Viswanath, Asia Pacific, Science and Technology head at Givaudan Fragrances, stated that “Apart from massage, other ways the senses can be activated especially during bath time include the playing of music and games, and the use of fragranced products. Pleasant smells, particularly, when paired with the loving interactions of a parent, can create positive and lasting memories that children will remember for a lifetime. Fragranced products are known to increase infant engagement, helping mothers bond with their babies, and helping babies stay calm and relaxed for a more prolonged period of time.”
As host of the event, Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio also shared her experiences with her baby and she even demonstrated how to swaddle a baby.
“As the world gradually expands for a baby, the role of parents in supporting early positive experiences and growth through stimulation is of utmost importance. A complete and healthy baby care ritual firstly involves optimally-formulated products to enhance a baby’s skin barrier, while maximizing these moments to promote positive physical and cognitive growth. This is made possible through our TRIPLE BABY PROTECTION present in every JOHNSON’S product, which is our commitment to providing care that combines safety, mildness and effectiveness to support babies’ healthy skin development,” shares Mrs. Trina Tanlapco, JOHNSON’S Franchise Marketing Manager. She even added that “ Through the SO MUCH MORE campaign we also hope to inspire parents nationwide to make bath time mean so much more and spend more quality time during bath time, not only to provide a delightful experience for her child, but to optimize these precious moments for their healthy development.”

JOHNSON’S encourage moms and dads to spend more quality time with their babies, especially during bath time. Make bath time mean so much more. To know more about Johnson’s and how you can enhance your baby’s bath time experience, visit www. johnsonsbaby.com/somuchmore.

Here's another Teleserye that will definitely get the televiewers hooked.  It tackles about family and the story is about the mother and son tandem of Agnes and Binoy Henyo.  Binoy Henyo's storyline teaches parents to raise their kids to be the best they can be while highlighting the importance of maintaining a strong parental involvement in every child's learning and development. Hence the program believes that an encouraging parent is every child's greatest asset.

According to Sheena Halili who plays the role of Agnes, playing a role of a mother is the biggest challenge for her.  She also shared that she was really blessed because she have a mom who guides her all along.  Her portrayal as Agnes enlighten her about the sacrifices of mothers just for their children.


While Rich Asuncion is really happy as a teacher in the teleserye. She is still a student, so most of her teachers are her inspiration in portraying her role in Binoy Henyo. According to Rich,  David Remo (Binoy) is very charming and smart little boy, he can delivers his line very well.


Lucho Ayala who portray as the younger brother of Luis Alandi. He is comfortable with the other cast of Binoy Henyo, according to him all the cast are really kind "walang ng didiva sa amin" Lucho said.


David, on the other hand, enjoyed his role as Binoy as this is his first starring role.  At 6 years old, David showed great potential to be a good child actor that not all children his age can offer.

David is like my eldest son, he needs to stay in the venue for a while just to familiarize the venue and the people around him and then presto, they are now ready to mingle and you will notice that they are already hyper.

David is just like playing in the set, like during the interview he used to tease Len Len (Angel Satsumi), that makes Len Len look sad for instance.  And most of the time they will whisper to each other as if they didn't want us to hear or know what they are trying to say with each other.  Both of the are really cute to look at.

Completing the all-stat cast are Gwen Zamora who plays a vital role as Emily; Frencheska Farr as Sandy, Emily's scheming cousin.

For more information and updates, check out www.gmanetwork.com/artistcenter and follow them on Instagram and Twitter - @ArtistCenter and like their page https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGMAArtistCenter

Believe it or not there are things that only Dads can do and my husband is one of those Dads who gets his means to do things around.  But of course there are also things that only Moms can do.  With both Moms and Dads brings the Best Starts.

Last year, Mead Johnson Nutrition (MJN) Philippines, the company that brought top brands in the market like Lactum 3+ & 6+ and Enfakid A+, celebrated their 50 years of nourishing Filipino children for the best start in life with their 50 Best Starts Project.  It is a series of programs and initiatives created for the marketplace and the community.  Mead Johnson also embarked on a number of trailblazing initiative in the digital space.


With the success of the Lactum Facebook Page with 325 fans, MJN Philippines launched its first ever Corporate Campaign on Facebook entitled "The Book of Best Starts".  This is a page where moms and dads alike shared their children's photos of Best Starts.  The campaign on Best Starts last year was a success and made an appeal to Filipino parents who were too happy to share their children's photos with the rest of the world.  Not sure if I was able to join here.  The Facebook Community made a large following shortly after its launch, generating around 55k fans in just 6 weeks.  It received over 1,000 entries submitted by parents all over the country.   The #BestStarts became a trending topic and drove conversation and buzz in different social medias.


The success of the campaign showed MJN's ability to effectively reach out to moms and dads in digital world.  It only proves that Filipino parents are now well engaged in social media, thus clamoring for a re-run of the campaign.

Once again this year, Mead Johnson launches a bigger and better campaign that pays tribute to all fathers which is just in time for Father’s Day.  Making all fathers feel more that they are essential in a child's best start.

So calling all parents, moms and dads alike!  Join the Best Starts with Dad on www.facebook.com/bookofbeststarts.  All you have to do is share your best father and child photo at Best Starts with Dad can get a chance to win an Apple Gadgets.  This is a perfect gift for Dads if they win.

There was also a Best Starts with Dad Event last May 18 to 19, 2013 at the Grand Atrium, Shangri-La Plaza where Mead Johnson gave a free photo shoot by professional photographers with free souvenir photo magnet print out, too bad we weren't able to go there.

Anyway what was the greatest lesson your dad ever taught you?  Find out what the Dads from Mead Johnson Nutrition Philippines have to say.


Celebrate your #BestStartsWithDad today!

Microscopic Image of Rotavirus vaccinenewsdaily.com

It is a learning experience being in an event that advocates for the safety and well of children.  And being a Mom, we really need to learn a lot of things for our kids.  That's what we learned when we attended an event held in Mango Tree Bistro in Trinoma Mall.  It was days before the celebration of the Chinese New Year and most of the people in the health industry are for also celebrating that the Department of Health has announced the media that they'll be including the Rotavirus Vaccination as part of the Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) 2012.  The Philippines will be the very first Asian Country to implement Rotavirus Vaccination in the EPI.

This is not a bacteria that can fight back or a virus in a computer that can be cleaned through an antivirus but it's something that children should not have during their first 2 years of life.  It's a rotavirus that is the leading cause of diarrhea or pagtatae. According to information, diarrhea is the second leading killer of children aged less than 5 years old.  Everyday, 1,500 children around the globe die because of rotavirus-related diarrhea.  Parents should be alarmed and educated about this.
To educate us more about ROTAVIRUS, here are some more information about the indirect and direct effect of the virus.

Image form mydochub.com

• Diarrhea leads to serious long term effects to a child's development in terms of height, energy levels and cognitive abilities.
• Diarrhea affects nutrient absorption.
• Growth shortfalls of up to 8.2 cm by age 7 years.
• Hospitalization due to acute gastroenteritis/diarrhea.
• Quality of life as well as their livelihood due to an income loss.

This disease is highly preventable through vaccination and with this there would be a better reduction of infant mortality rate.  ROTAVIRUS Vaccine is best given to babies from 6 weeks up to 8 months of age.  It is administered orally 2 to 3 doses depending on the brand of the vaccine.

Image from baby.families.com

Though Rotavirus vaccine have already been around for quite sometime there is still lack of proper campaign and education with regards to this vaccine.  Hopefully, the Rotavirus vaccine would be available soon on health centers and as part of the immunization programs.

New parents these days are lucky to have so many support groups to depend on whenever they encounter hitches in rearing their child. WeLuvMoms, a unique community and an inspired source of information for the modern Mom’s frenetic lifestyle, will be her indispensible ally in raising the baby to his—or her—healthiest potential. From the best feeding systems to the perfect baby’s accessory, We Luv Moms have the best products from the best brands that the working modern Mom of today will truly love.

Newly Moms, Moms to be, and already Moms are still learning with the experience with the kids.  Others do want some ideas and tips that they can inject in their normal routine with the kids.  It is always good to learn new things from different point of view.

That's why there's a new place for Moms to learn and to share ideas and experiences.  It is called the Top Moms, your new online partner in mommy matters.

Here's what Moms can find at Top Moms:

Top Mom Bloggers portion are Top Mom blogs packed with useful advice, not only about raising kids or taking care of the family, but also about enriching one's life both as a woman and a mom.  Dr. Anna Vasquez is a psychiatrist who is as passionate about raising her kids as she is about her chosen profession, while Dr. Empress Villapando is a pediatrician and an all-around mom who shares her expertise in child rearing as a hos on ABC 5's Alagang Kapatid and as a resource speaker for Moms Today magazine.  In Addition to writing weekly blog posts, Dr. Anna Vasquez and Dr. Empress Villapando also answer questions from Top Moms community members.

What Kind of Top Mom Are You? quiz is an online quiz part of the Top Moms website for Moms to know the parenting style and to find out as well how well we are Moms.

Photo of the Week - Moms can share photos together with the kids, and see adorable snapshots posted by other Top Moms based on a fun weekly theme.

These are just some of the things that Moms, like me, can check out from the website. Visit the Top Moms!