De Ja Vu While Granting a Wish

Every now and then we find ourselves in a situation that is so familiar or one that feels like we've experienced before. De ja vu, as what they say.

This is exactly what I felt when I accompanied my tween daughter to the Davao concert of JaDine at SMX Convention Center last October 14. I was fangirling while granting her wish to see her favorite love team perform live.

My tween girl, Charlotte and myself are big fans of James Reid and Nadine Lustre. There's a different kind of magic between these two that have gained my deep admiration for them. They are just so natural and easygoing plus the fact that they are so multi-talented and family-oriented. Not to forget that the two are also good-looking and they do dress well.

JaDine in Love Concert SMX, Davao City

James & Nadine in Korea 2016

My daughter and I had a blast during the concert. I couldn't help but sing along with their popular songs and dance a bit during their upbeat production numbers. Never mind that we were not very near the stage and didn't get to have a photo op with them. Being there and feeling their presence was enough for us.

I've never admired a young love team since the 80's during the popularity of Martin (Nievera) and Pops (Fernandez). Back in my high school days, I and some of my classmates were such huge fans of the two. I remember vividly all the things I did as a fan of their love team and what my Nanay did to fulfill my wish of seeing them in person.

When Martin & Pops had a concert in Iloilo, I remember Nanay accompanied my classmates and I to the hotel where the love team was staying (which was just a short walking distance from our school). There, we met Pops and her mom, Dulce Lukban and some other staff. Then during the concert, I was fortunate to have gone to the backstage, thanks to a family friend who was in charge of the dancers there.

I could not forget the part where Martin went down the stage and went up to the lower box section where Nanay, my younger sister and I were seated. I was so ecstatic that time while the concert king was serenading me. I wanted to kiss him right away when he came up but he held my hand so tight first and sang to me before he let me kiss him. That was a dream come true for a fan like me!

I know my Nanay did all she can to fulfill my wish that time and now that I'm a mother myself, I didn't let the JaDine concert pass to grant my daughter's wish to see her fave love team.

Why Siblings Are Special

Not everyone is blessed with a sibling and I'm so thankful that I have three (Tim, Ted and Tina). Life would not be fun, interesting and challenging without them. Growing up was a lot more fun with my two brothers and sister despite the fights and misunderstandings. I would not want it any other way.

And so as we mark National Sibling Day (April 10 of each year), I'd like to share here some interesting facts about sibling relationships. The information below is courtesy of ibtimes.com.

1. Siblings spend a lot of time together: By the age of 11, children devote one-third of their free time to their brothers and sisters, a 1996 Penn State University cited in TIME showed. That amount of time is even more than they give to their friends, teachers and parents -- and themselves.

2. Siblings teach us social skills: Fighting with your brother or sister as a child was actually a good thing. According to at least one study on kindergartners, those with siblings got along better with classmates than those without.

3. Birth order matters: Firstborns are supposedly the most successful and the most driven to succeed, according to Jeffrey Kluger, author of The Sibling Effect.

4. The sex of your siblings matters: Boys who grow up with sisters have better listening skills and are more sensitive, Kluger said in an interview with Salon, while girls that grew up with brothers were less serious. Having a sibling of the opposite sex can also help you in romantic relationships with people of the opposite sex.

5. Relationships with our siblings are often the longest ones of our lives: For the most part, relationships with siblings often start and end with life itself, outlasting even our relationships with our parents, as the Siblings Day Foundation points out.

On a final note, here's a quote I like from Erica Goode - "Sibling relationships outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty and distrust."

Getting to Know Your Kids Inside and Out

Being a parent brings a lot of responsibilities. But together with these responsibilities are opportunities to see a miracle - your kid growing up from being a baby to toddlers to graders, tweens and teens.

Most moms would agree that if only given a chance, they would stop their kids from growing up and just let them be their cute and adorable little selves.

For a mother who loves her kid so much, it's a great, or even the best, feeling to be able to shower them with hugs and kisses whenever possible. On the other hand, it's quite a challenge to see them maturing (growing tall and gaining more knowledge through the years).

So what we can do then is really find time to get to know them and guide them in the right path as they're growing up. Communication is key so they can open up without hesitation to you any time they feel like it.

Becoming their best friend is a good step. In this way, you build trust and a deeper relationship that can go on for the rest of your lives.

Never let a day go by without talking to your kids. It's an effective way of knowing them better inside and out.

How the Lord Created the Mother

I was so touched by a Mother's Day post on Paulo Coelho's Blog which a friend and former high school classmate shared on Facebook today. I'm sharing this in its entirety in the hope of touching more lives.

The post is entitled "Character of the week: The Mother."

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of “overtime” when an angel appeared and said: “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And the Lord said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

* She has to be completely washable, but not plastic;
* Have 180 movable parts… all replaceable;
* Run on black coffee and leftovers;
* Have a lap that disappears when she stands up;
* A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair;
* And six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands… no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” said the Lord. “It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel.

The Lord nodded.

“One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, ’What are you kids doing in there?’
“Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t but what she has to know.
“And of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, ’I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching His sleeve gently, “Go to bed. Tomorrow…”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself.

Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick
“…can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger
“… and can get a nine-year-old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.

“But she’s tough!” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure.”

“Can she think?”

“Not only can she think, but she can reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek.

“There’s a leak,” she said. “I told You were trying to push too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”

“What’s it for?”

“It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.”

And the Mother was created – a work of genius.

Happy Mother's Day to all amazing moms!

Bayanihan: The Power of We

Bayanihan is a well known trait among Filipinos. This is where the "we" concept is very much alive.

It has been an age old tradition for citizens in the Philippines to help each other in times of need. Typically, the bayanihan spirit is most famous in a situation in the barrios wherein a family moves to a new location and their townmates would gather together to help move their house made of bamboo and light materials by carrying it on their shoulders.

The 1986 EDSA Revolution is a major event in the Philippines that displayed the "we" trait among Filipinos and one which caught the attention of other countries. Tired of the dictatorship regime of former president Ferdinand Marcos, people of all ages and religion flocked in droves to the EDSA Shrine in February of that year to protest against the Marcoses and throw him out of his presidency. So successful was this mass movement that the Marcos family was forced to leave the country at that time eventually leading to the establishment of democracy.

In times of natural calamities such as floods and earthquakes, the Filipinos also unite to help the victims in any way they can. Immediate actions of help by food, clothing and monetary donations are taken by companies and private individuals as a way to alleviate the sufferings of those affected.

This is how the "Power of We" is put into action in the Philippines. Through this bayanihan spirit, Filipinos have proven that they can topple a dictatorship, move for the establishment of democracy, stop corruption and unite to help people badly affected by natural disasters.

Filipinos are always resilient citizens the reason why they are admired by people from other nations. Thanks to this bayanihan spirit, we always find a way to stand up and move on after a storm in our lives. Long live the Philippines and to the Filipinos, mabuhay tayo!

This post is in commemoration of Blog Action Day 2012 on October 15.

Mom Bloggers for Social Good

I recently joined this group called Mom Bloggers for Social Good and I'm happy to be a member. This group created by Jennifer James provides great inspiration to moms around the world who care about the work of NGOs and non-profit organizations.

This women's coalition supports causes close to the hearts of moms and through its members, helps spread the word about various issues that affect men, women, children and the environment through blogging and social media. From 400 members on its launching last January 2012, the group's membership now has reached 900.

Group founder Jennifer James also announced a few days ago the release of the Social Good Moms mug. The mug is being sold and proceeds will feed the children who are beneficiaries of the World Food Programme.

But you have a chance to win one by leaving a comment on the website until July 20 only. There's also an option there to share a tweet for an additional entry.

I'm inviting others mom bloggers out there to join the group. You can visit the official website of Mom Bloggers for Social Good or go to the Facebook page. On Twitter, you can follow @socialgoodmoms.

Don't Forget to Laugh!

In these times when people are preoccupied with work, there's one important thing that we should not forget to do. It's a very easy act but has great benefits to a person's emotional and physical health. I'm talking about LAUGHTER, what else.

I found this photo on Facebook being shared and thought of sharing it here as well. A friend of mine said if this was only available over the counter, she would really buy it. I second the motion.

Laughing makes me feel good. To enjoy this privilege, I look for ways so I can laugh on a daily basis. I watch TV shows that are funny, whether local or international. I'm a fan of Showtime, Gandang Gabi Vice, Loko Moko, Just for Laughs, Mr. Bean and of course, the comedy films.

Other things I do are play with our dog which is also therapeutic. Or I would recall memories of my childhood and teenage years and have a good laugh.

So go ahead take your daily dose of laughter. It's free, improves your mood and has definitely no side effects. And the best part is it gives you a different kind of high.