Since turning a year older last November, a word that God impressed in my heart was "fortitude." It didn't make sense at first. Or maybe its because I'm in my 40's. By definition, it's about having courage in pain and adversity. I realized that it's a quality we all...
I know this is a happy moment for me and my boys. But this picture doesn't do justice to the reality of parenting: it's tough! Because behind the scenes are spilled food, a messy room, some defiance, taunting and teasing and hurting between brothers, bad attitudes and...
“Hirap magpalaki ng magulang,” we often hear this common expression that says how difficult it is for children to raise parents. While young parents often complain about the challenges of raising their young brood, middle-aged parents may also complain from time to...
Have you ever experienced saying an absolute “no” to something but suddenly be open about it? I had this attitude towards homeschooling. I have quite a number of homeschooling teacher moms. Some were homeschooled when they were young so they continue the practice onto...
Parenting is not a walk in the park. It comes with many challenges and struggles. We lose our patience and sometimes we embitter our children in the process. Yet they are our most valuable possession and our greatest asset. Unfortunately, how we parent is most likely...
Just because you’re talking to your spouse (and kids) doesn’t necessarily mean that you are communicating. Active listening is also needed for true dialogue to happen. Active listening is more than the ear capturing sound waves from the speaker's mouth. It is to...
Have you ever prayed to be more joyful, patient and understanding or bond better with your child but received it in a situation called sickness? This happened to me two weeks ago, during Holy Week, before Gummy and I set out for our first, just-us-two vacation Though...
The adage goes that familiarity breeds contempt. When the husband finds the wife as comfortable as an old shoe, chances are that’s how he will treat her: like an old shoe! Why? I suspect husbands (being one myself) subconsciously think this way, “Well, I have her....
Who's more euphoric when a child does something exceptional? His parents? Or his grandparents? Yes, this sense of jumping for joy and shouting alleluia, plus the urge to show these feats off. This lola is guilty as charged. Believe me, it takes a lot of self-control...
We all want to be successful in life, don’t we? In order to do so, we must set goals to achieve that—goals that determine the means to realize our definition of success. However, people have varied definitions and measurements of success. And we want to pursue the...