ROAD TO DEPED

Applying for TESDA Trainers Methodology Course

1/24/2017 04:47:00 PM

A Trainer Methodology Course (TMC) is an additional requirement for teachers who wishes to become a Senior High School TVL teacher.

Are you planning to enroll a TESDA Trainers Methodology Course?

I tried. In hope that I'll be able to finish it before the submission of application for Senior High School requirements. Yes, it's one of the requirements if you want to teach a TVL course/subject. Before doing so, there are 2 important things that you need to do:
  1. Make sure you have completed any NC II course and
  2. Your NC II certificate is not expired. 

Unfortunately, my NC II certificate has expired some years ago. The sad part, TESDA is no longer offering that course. I am planning to enroll myself to a TESDA course but my schedule is not allowing me. But by summer, it will be a goal to finish one course so I can take TMC.



PARENTING

Toilet Training: Episode 1

1/05/2017 09:21:00 AM

A potty I bought for Sophie has been a white elephant for a year. Most of the time, dust is usually on its surface and sometimes I caught myself sighing it's a waste of money. I should have bought a baby toilet seat instead.

We're now in the season of bladder control training (if that's what it's called). Yes, toilet training.

It's really true that there is no hard and fast rule on toilet training. The key is patience and the right timing. Babies' ability to control their bladder varies from one to another. Some babies would just give up on their diapers and will require minimal to no toilet training.  Knowing that would save you from the stress and frustration. I'm not saying that we'll just let our children wear diapers until their 13. NO. That's not what I meant. 



Sophie is now 2 years and 4 months and I am so happy that she is now on her way to the freedom from diapers. Mommy and Me potty is finally serving its a purpose.

Be aware of their readiness cues. How will you know that your baby is ready for toilet training.

  1. Babies' ability to tell that s/he needs to poo and pee is a sign.  Two months earlier, her pants are already wet when she says "wiwi". That cues me that I need to change her pants. But now, wiwi means we need to go to the toilet. Also I noticed
  2. Baby pees at the same place. I placed her potty at the same spot so she knows where to go when its time.
Our usual day, toilet-training-wise goes like this:

7:00 am Sophie wakes up for her morning breastmilk and usually asks me to take off her diapers before returning to sleep. We use Mamu Poko Insta Suot Pants. On my part, I do diaper check at around 6am because we sometimes experience leaks specially when she drinks coco water the day before. Usual diaper capacity in the morning is I think 1-2 pees.

8:30 am First morning pee. She would tug my pants and lead me to the toilet. One thing that makes me smile, she puts her used diaper on the trash when she sees it. :) When she pees in the toilet, I make sure she is with someone. Locking toilet doors and slippery toilet floors exists.

10:00 am Play time pee. When she alarms me for a toilet visit, I now motion her to her potty. This is the time where teach her how to pull her pants down and clean herself after pee-ing. We count 1-10 before pulling her pants up. We usually have 2-3 pees during play time. I encourage her to drink water after pee. Oh yes, she also pees before taking a bath.

2:30 pm After nap pee. We no longer put diapers on her during afternoon nap. Hooray! And yes, 2-5 pee again before bedtime.


What is our part in the toilet training?

  1. BE PATIENT. Accidents still happens. But most of the time, about 80%, she can hold her pee long enough to reach the toilet. Do we still wear diapers? Yes, during the night time and if the travel takes more than 30 minutes. I don't dare for a no-nappies-night-time-sleep yet. I'll give her time. 
  2. BE CONSISTENT. 
Toilet training is also the juncture to teach about proper hygiene.  

How about you? How was the first episode of your toilet training?

**This is not a sponsored post.**

PARENTING

Our Favorite Nursery Rhyme Youtube Channels

1/04/2017 09:59:00 AM

Raise your hand if you agree with me. It's easier to remember song lyrics than math concepts. My daughter is now on her formative years and nursery rhymes have played a huge role on how she learn new things. It is through nursery rhymes where she learned about colors, shapes, body parts, animal names and their sounds. At age 2, she can recite numbers 1 to 12 and can sing 80 percent of the alphabet. She has seen most of the nursery rhymes she knows on Youtube. Believe me, it seems like I went back to nursery years. I had to re-learn these songs so I can sing with her (relate with her). So, I deleted my "grown-up" song playlist on my phone's memory to give way to these songs.


Our Favorite Youtube Channels: Nursery Rhymes Edition

  1. Dave and Ava - Children from the rural will surely relate with them. They are siblings dressed in a cat and dog overalls. They sing and dance with farm animals and do pretend plays. Try to catch objects which the playful mouse hides. To me, Dave and Ava are eye candies. Super cute 3d graphics and music that makes you want to dance like a toddler. :) Also available in Spanish.
    Songs we like: 12345, Once I Caught a Fish Alive, If Your're Happy and You Know It
  2. Baby Joy Joy - An imaginative baby who makes her toys alive by pressing the star badge on her chest. She can drive cars, sail a boat and fly a plane. We love her laugh and her cute singing voice. Never knew that Itsy Bitsy Spider is an inspirational song until I heard her version. I have a feeling the channels is ran by the same people behind Funtastic TV.
    Songs we like:  Itsy Bitsy Spider, Old Mcdonald Had a Farm.
  3. Mother Goes Club Playhouse - Adorable kids in costumes. We loved the simplicity of the concept. My daughter loves the singing kids.
    Songs we like:  Driving in my Car, Ring a Round of Rosy, Mr. Sun
  4. Simple Learning Song - This is the very first nursery rhyme channel we watched. Graphics are in 2D but are adorable. Also available in Japanese.
    Songs we like:  One Little Finger, Pinocchio, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
  5. Little Baby Bum - We love it for Super Pig, the dancing hippo and cow.
    Songs we like:  Happy Birthday to You, Wind Your Bobbin Up
  6. Chuchu TV - Nursery Rhymes meets Bollywood.
    Songs we like: 5 Little Ducks, Johnny Johnny Yes Papa
  7. Bounce Patrol Kids - A group of grown-ups singing nursery rhymes. More like Hi-5. They have a made a number of videos about Halloween. This is where my daughter learned that monsters could be adorable. We learned to count one to ten in 4 different languages by watching them.
    Songs we like:  Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Kids Life, Counting to Ten
  8. Badanamu - The channel features punk penguins, groovy cats and dancing stuffed toys. They have this K-Pop vibe. Try Po Pow Pay, This Little Piggy, Sing the Alphabet, Brush Brush Brush
  9. Pancake Manor - This is nursery rhymes gone punk.
    Songs we like: 5 Little Monkeys, Itsy Bitsy Spider
  10. Katie Cutie Kids TV - Adored by her facial expression Katie Cutie Kids TV made it on the list. Having a background on theater, Katie Cutie plays different roles in one video - she can turn to a mom, a dad and even to a dog.
    Song/s we like: The Fish Song
  11. Farmees - Those dancing pigs ala Bruno Mars are love. My daughter personally love (Chubby Cheeks) Teacher's Pet. 
The songs from these channels are usually compilations.

There's a lot more channels offering nursery rhymes but I am being careful about what my daughter sees. Sometime she requests to watch with headsets on but I insist not to. In that way, I can monitor what she's watching. There are channels with nursery rhymes music but shows violence and other stuff that are not suitable for her age, When these kinds of videos pops on the suggested videos, I click on the Not Interested option so Youtube will come up with new suggestions. I wish Youtube Kids is also available in the Philippines.

Before we go

Youtube is a helpful aid in the learning stage of our little one. But, but, but.. Always remember to keep things in moderation. Allow them to play outside - to feel the sun, for human interaction. Le there be a balance of things.


**This is not an sponsored post.**

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