Good Food

There's a stage in one's life especially toddlers that good food are not acceptable. It's hard being a parent because you know what's good for your child yet you don't want to have any battle and struggle between you and your child. One has to have tricks.

I have learned that exposing The Tatapilla to sports and superhero themed movies will encourage him to eat good food. He aspires to be all of them and the trick is to eat good food, have rest, exercise and sleep.

But here's a tip from bodyandsoul.com.au.

Stay calm

Toddlers will do almost anything to get a reaction out of people. Next time they fling food on the ceiling or straight out refuse it, walk away. Count to 10, take a deep breath and try again. Be consistent and calm in your nonchalant approach, and the drama, for the most part, will stop.
Sneaky tactics

Stashing vegetables in meals is a constant game of hide and seek for fussy kids who only eat finger food. Try adding grated carrot to meatballs, zucchini to frittatas, mushy peas to sandwiches, spinach to lasagne, avocado to wraps or roast some potato and pumpkin wedges.
Fussy phase

Most toddlers go through a stage of eating limited favourites. As long as they are not terribly unhealthy choices, you have nothing to worry about. It's only a phase; it will pass. To encourage an adventurous palate, try harmless peer pressure and invite other toddlers around for lunch.
Stick to one meal

When picky kids are offered a second meal because they hardly touched the first, they might get clever and try it every time. This is not only exhausting, but mostly unnecessary. Offer one meal you know they will like and when they have had enough, offer some fruit.

One sometimes resort to bribery but it doesn't have to be American silver eagles. Sometimes, I have to feed him and most of the time.. playing and having fun works too.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Early Bedtime

This is from bodyandsoul.com.au.

The proverb, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" seems to have some scientific merit for kids.

Studies into children and sleep are piling up and the latest suggests it's not only how much sleep they get that matters but also what time they go to bed.

It seems sleep is one of the most important parts of a child's general wellbeing.

The latest University of South Australia study on sleep times found children who go to bed earlier are less likely to be obese than those who stay up late

This indeed is true. I reckon the same go with adults. I am sure everyone noticed that when they didn't sleep good at night, they don't function as they do when a good night sleep occured.

Time is of the essence as well. As a parent, you are aware and have a fairly good idea when is your child tired and when that sleep is needed. But sometimes, they are not met due to circumstances - like putting up that teak wood patio furniture that everyone is excited about.

This is also a reminder for me although I am very much aware of it. The Tatapilla is active like an adult because he always evades sleep.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Big Brother Phase

The Tatapilla is in a big brother phase. It would really be interesting to see if he has a little sister or brother to practice on. But that's another story.

Anyway, he has lots of stuffed toys and there's one blue bear that he favours. I can't remember buying it, must be a hand-me-down. But he likes it so much that he carries it with him around the house. He plays the big brother like looking after it, changing the nappy - pretend of course and just being the protective big brother. Just this morning, I saw the bear at the kitchen on the floor so I threw it at him in the lounge and I was told off during breakfast that just because I saw it in the floor it doesn't mean that I can throw it at him. The bear could get hurt. I didn't have an excuse for my abominable behaviour, really.

On another note, I read this letter from a Dad asking for advise for getting his kids (teenager) to do work around the house and I am just horrified. I haven't lived here long enough to really know how the parents should treat their children but I am not concern of that anyway. I rear Jens how I was brought-up regardless. But, I reckon as parents we need to teach our children young because they will be as adults what we teach them when they are in their formative years. There are so many things to teach our kids, like being kind to nature (and maybe use composters), being empathetic to others and just being a nice individual.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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New School

Today, the Tatapilla started on a new school. Still kindy or should I say pre-prep but a little bit different from the previous. We don't have any complaints on the previous, as a matter of fact, we will recommend it to anybody. The reason for the move is because of our moving to the area permanently. This is the 3rd school that he has been on. Hopefully, this is the last until he gets to prep. One big plus on this shift is the distance from home. Imagine taking you kid to school for just 2 minutes from your home? We can walk if the weather is nice or the Tatapilla can ride his bike.

The big consideration for shifting kindy is the kind of school and how is it run. He's moved before but it was so short and not so sweet. We want the best for our kid in preparation for his future ( which could involve Obstetrician & Gynecologist Jobs - it doesn't really matter). Plus, we want him to be happy. At the end of the day, that's the biggest factor.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Sleep

Since we moved in our new house, the Tatapilla has been almost on top of the roll for sleeping in his own bed all on his own. It's a really big step in his independence. We've tried to get him to bed on his own in our old place but most of the times, it ended up in tears. What changed, you'd ask. It's the location of my room relative to his. You see, my roo is just across the hall. The light from my room shines to his and I don't turn off the light until he goes to sleep.

But it doesn't mean to say that he doesn't use tricks to sleep on our bed. He does, most of the nights and sometimes, I give in of course - I don't put eyelash growth serum for me not to be disturbed. But it's a move - one that we are all glad.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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The Shift

.. Again, to another kindy. The Tatapilla has another year in kindy before going to prep and we decided that it is best that he meet new friends locally and then when he goes to big school, he has friends there. He is a very friendly and social kid, but knowing somebody at a new school is another story.

And so, we enrolled him to one of the kindies just at the end of our stree. It's a 3 minute drive or less. A plus. No need to recharge my personal duracell procell aa to get him when I'm home and plan to walk. He was a bit hesitant about it at first but we have conditioned his mind and now, he's up to it.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Puss

Everyone is excited to see this movie - in Oz at least. It was showing in the Philippines when we left, and it was silly of me not to have thought to watch it. And you bet, we won't let it pass. If we'll have time, we'll see it on the first weekend.



It will be the first for the Tatapilla in 3D movie. How exciting, right?

Oh, Mackers are not having the toys for their happy meals yet. Why oh why. It's always late here - movies, fashion, I wonder if it's the same with motorhome insurance. Hope not.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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What for Pressies?

What do you give a boy who you think has everything that he needs? I'm sure if you ask him he has a very long list. But then, we don't want him to be so caught up with the commercialism of the Christmas here, which it has been downgraded to that in almos all over the world. (A sad thing).

I'm finished with my Christmas shopping. We're not spending much, just some bits and pieces that will cheer those little persons.

Has anyone thought of giving funny t shirts? I have and I'll get some if I can find holes in my budget.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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The Pretend Thing

As every mother knows, the hardest thing to do is to get your breastfeeding baby to take a bottle.

So, mimijumi has created the Very Hungry ($15) and Not So Hungry ($14) collection for those bottle picky tots.

Designed to mimic the shape and feel of a natural feeding, the BPA- and phthalates-free silicon nipple won’t express milk until the baby fully latches on.

Plus, the wide nylon container is easy to clean and easy to fill up.

To learn more about or to buy this cool bottle, go to mimijumi.com.

The Tatapilla would call it that. Though, he was not taken into bottle feeding. He was breast-fed and when he was 1, he just started drinking from sippy cups. But this is close to the real thing so babies will not have that withdrawal symptoms. So yeah, Mums can go back to their office name plates or any other jobs.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Switch

There are two kindy's close to our new home - one is following the curriculum of the Qld Education and has been recommended by our agent. We are planning to put the Tatapilla there. I've been prepping him up about it and at this point, I am getting negative feedback. He's best mate in his current kindy reduced his attendance to three days and they only get to see in two of those. That really upsets him so the plan to move is being affected. Hopefully a change of mind will happen soon as it is going to be beneficial for all parties involve as it is really very very close to home (much like the acceptance of black and milds). Crossing my fingers here until Christmas.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Games and Imagination

The Tatapilla has so many cousins to play with in the Philippines. Playmate wasn't a problem. He is used to have many friends and playmate in school but it is a different story at home. When we got back from our holidays, I thought, he'll have a shock with the transition of plenty of playmates to none. But I was wrong. There wasn't any transition at all. He was back to his old self. His imagination kicked in automatically to play by himself. He doesn't need toys to amuse himself. He can invent and pretend games and toys from something that he likes. Hopefully, he can use his skills in his adult like to pursue life changing careers like Nuclear Medicine Technologist Jobs.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Teaching them to Save

I personally believe that teaching kids to save or spend money at an early, has a big impact when they grow up. It is important to teach our kids the value that we want to them acquire regarding money at an early age.

We are not perfect parents but we do our part in teaching the Tatapilla to save money with some silver dollars and gold as well. We opened a bank account for him almost 2 years ago and we've been teaching him to fill his platybank. We go to the bank every month when we can to deposit the money. He is a spender with things that he likes but at the same time, get joys in putting his money aside.

Parents are the key

As with almost every other area of childhood development, parents are the most significant influencers of their offspring's future financial behaviour.

Research from the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Arizona has found that invariably kids inherit their financial sense from mum and dad. The study discovered parents who intentionally taught their children about financial management exerted a greater influence on a child's financial knowledge than lessons learned in school and the workplace combined. Davies agrees and says she would like to see parents flash cash rather than cards.

"Kids will learn more from actually seeing a cash transaction take place," she says. "Before going shopping, take out some cash and explain to the kids that this is as much as you will be spending. Then let them see you hand over the cash and receive your change.

"For older kids, at the start of school holidays, for example, let them earn some cash to pay for things they want to do and then let them be responsible for making choices on how they plan to spend their money. They will learn they can't do everything."

From bodyandsoul.com.au

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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Foodies and Sleep

The Tatapilla is at the age where sleep during the day has been out of the scheduled. Even when he is at school, he always tells me that he just watch telly during rest time. I have yet to talk to hi teacher about it. On weekends or holidays, he always doesn't sleep or even laydown to rest. The trick is just to go to sleep really early at night, which is good.

Also, these days feeding him has been a battle, at the dining table that is. But when he is hungry, he can feed himself all on his own. One afternoon when I got home, he was eating peanut paste out of a jar. I left him on his own and when I got back, he was putting honey on the sandwich that he made himself. As a result, he hasn't had much dinner and passed out after a few minutes.

He is really very independent these days that soon would be asking for titanium bracelets for men. We're taking it by stride - both happy and sad sometimes.

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It's All About What's In Down Under | Permanence in Change | I Am A Shoeaholic | A Juggling Act | Healthy Living | The Life of a Tatapilla | What's reel and real!

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