Tip 1:  Unplug your appliances.  Did you know that phone chargers left plugged into the socket use up to 90% more energy?  The same goes for our televisions, DVDs and stereos that have stand-by facilities.  Whilst stand-by is convenient, it is eating away at your savings – so turn off and unplug your appliances at the wall.  

Tip 2:  Buy in bulk.  The Philippines has nailed the micro-market, with most things available in small plastic packages.  Whilst this is convenient, it is also detrimental to the environment.  Try buying all of your needs in bigger packages – for example 2kg bags of laundry powder, 425g cans of sardines.  Whilst the initial outlay might be more expensive, over the course of your pay period you will have more disposable income left in your bank account.  The transition will require some budgeting, to adjust to our “just top up” behaviour – but the effort will save the environment and save you money.   (This also applies to children’s school meriendas and lunches – buy snacks in bulk and transfer to small, airtight containers.)

Tip 3:  Put a brick in your water closet.  If your toilet doesn’t have a water-saving function that allows half-flush, try putting a brick in the water closet (toilet console) to reduce unnecessary water usage.  This will preserve a rare commodity and save you money on your water bill. 

Tip 4:  Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, soaping your body and washing your hair.  Sure, we’ve all heard of turning off the tap whilst brushing our teeth, but why not turn off the taps whilst soaping up in the shower and washing your hair.  Start this early with your children, so it becomes a life-long habit.  Again, this will help preserve our precious water and will save you money on your water bill.  

Tip 5:  Open your windows.  Instead of closing your windows and operating an air-conditioner, try opening windows in each room of your house and let nature take care of your cooling requirements through natural air flow.  Supplement with strategically placed fans. It works remarkably well and saves you considerably on your energy bill.

Tip 6:  Use non-toxic cleaners.  Many of the typical cleaning products found in grocery stores contain toxic chemicals which we breathe in and make us sick, not to mention pollutes our waterways.  However, local Filipino brands, such as Mt Mayon Laundry Powder is non-toxic and environmentally friendly.  Don’t be discouraged by the term ‘laundry powder’ as it works wonders on floors and in bathrooms too.  Otherwise, for a very simple, inexpensive and effective natural cleaner, mix one part vinegar, with one part water and a spoonful of bicarb of soda.  Cleans, deodorises and kills germs with ease.

Tip 7:  Reuse your paper.  Forget buying notebooks for your children to draw in, or for your own note-taking, shopping-lists, doodling and phone messages; instead dedicate a cupboard/tin/container for storing old bills, letters, flyers and other paper that accumulates in your house.  Use these instead for your kids’ artwork and your home-organising.  This will save our forests and won’t cost you a peso.

Tip 8:  Use toilet paper made from recycled paper.  This is a very good way to save our forests.  For the same price as buying toilet paper made from virgin forests (a.k.a the gorgeous and historic Sierra Madres mountain range), you can buy toilet paper made from post-consumer waste content.  It is comparable in softness too!  Look out for the toilet paper sold in all major supermarkets that is in green and clear packaging bearing Japanese text.  It is actually made in the Philippines out of recycled paper.  The mighty Philippine Eagles need their home in virgin forests more than our bottom needs it.

Tip 9:  Make your own gift tags.  Ever go to a networking meeting and come home with a stack of business cards you don’t need but accepted out of politeness?   Well, here’s a good use for them.  Find two cards of the same size and glue them together.  Once dry, fold in half and punch a hole in the corner.  Ask your child to draw something sweet on the front, and you have a personalised gift tag.  It didn’t cost you a penny and helped save a tree.

Tip 10:  Grow herbs and medicinal plants.  Plants in the house have remarkable effects on the atmosphere, as they are naturally cleansing.  They withdraw the toxins in the air and convert to oxygen – purifying the house.  Why not grow edible plants?  It will save money on buying packets of herbs and other medicinal plant matter.  You don’t even need to buy containers for them, just keep some tin cans from juice and vegetables, making a few holes in the base for drainage – and plant away.  This is also a great way to introduce gardening with your children. 

Have fun exploring ways to reduce your ecological footprint whilst saving money – these were only 10 tips, yet the opportunities are endless.

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Cherie McCosker is passionate about green and ethical living, striving towards a world that is founded in sustainable development.  As such, Cherie is a steadfast advocate of wholefoods and slowfood, responsible travel, fair trade and environmental sustainability.  Cherie can be contacted at barefootprintoutdoors@gmail.com or at http://barefootprint.multiply.com

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There is a growing debate surrounding this question.  Today, mass media makes it hard to control what influences your child imbibes.  In addition, technology provides the world countless ways of reaching your child.  Beyond telephones and snail mail, now they have cellphones, email, instant messaging and the internet!   We parents can’t help but be concerned about just what our children are up to.

Now, reconcile this with your preteen.  If you have a child between the ages of nine and twelve, you must be feeling the challenges of preteen parenting.  Suddenly, your child doesn’t want to be treated like her younger siblings.  She wants more independence, and is beginning to ask for more privacy.  She is greatly influenced by her peers, and would like to spend as much time with them as possible.  If she’s in middle school, then almost half of her waking time is spent outside your home.  She’s also building friendships with other kids that you didn’t know from before.

All those years before, you carefully molded and prepared your child for engaging the world on her own.  Now, the preteen years are here for a test run.  The question is, are you ready to trust your child?

Most parents say, “I trust my child, but I don’t trust the world”.  That’s valid.  Your first concern is always for her safety.  However, recognize too that your child is also blossoming into her own person.  Her request for privacy is not necessarily a step away from you.  Rather, it is a step toward her own growth.  As her parent, you want that for her too, right?

So, how much privacy does your preteen deserve?  Here’s the win-win answer.  She should have just enough privacy to feel secure, and just enough for you to keep her safe.

Set the non-negotiables.  Sit down with your child and talk about the balance between her privacy and her protection.  Together, list down details which you both agree are always important for you to know.  This includes knowing who her friends are, where they live and what their telephone numbers are (especially if she spends time in their house).  You’ll also need to know everyday details like where she’s going and who she’ll be with.  Clearly establish what is not allowed from the outset.  This can vary from one family to another, depending on personal values and the environment.

Give her space.  However ironic, realize that your preteen still needs some privacy even if she does live in your house.  If it’s not a non-negotiable, respect her space.  Better to give her room for self-expression there, rather than having her go and do it somewhere else away from you.   At least there, you’re kept aware even from a distance.  More often than not anyway, your child has nothing to hide.  But if she feels you constantly looking over her shoulder (literally and figuratively), she just might start leaving her journal at school, or begin going to a friend’s house for the internet.  Don’t give her a reason to keep things from you deliberately.

Talk about trust.  Discuss with your child the important role of mutual trust in the preteen stage.  Point out that privacy is protected by trust.  Remind her too that trust is hard earned.  Once it’s broken, it’s even harder to regain.  Lastly, remember that the point of this discussion is mutual trust.  It’s a two-way street. 

If you sneak around reading your child’s email, think about the message that sends to her on how trust should be valued.

Be open.  Most importantly, let your child know that she can talk to you about anything.  Make her feel secure to approach you with any problem or concern.  Create an open atmosphere where she can be honest with you without fear of being judged.  When she does talk, listen neutrally and sincerely.  If at other times she keeps her emotions to herself, respect that choice too.

Jen looks back fondly on a happy childhood, and wanted to be a MOM when she 'grew up'.  Now she basks in the glow of motherhood, with a first-grader and a teenager making her proud.  Her husband happens to be The One she was absolutely meant for.  That's why to her, everything else is gravy.

One major change that your preschooler has to adapt to in big school is a larger class size.  A normal class in nursery or preschool has 8-10 students per class.  By kindergarten and primary grade, the class size can double to at least 20 students or more.  Another big adjustment for your child will be having just one teacher in class, whereas in preschool she probably had two.  With more kids and less adults in a class, your child will need to learn about being more independent.  She’ll also have to show more initiative during the learning process itself.

You can help your child prepare for a secure transition into big school with some fun and practical activities at home.  These activities simulate things he’ll need to do by himself in big school, which his preschool teacher may have usually helped him with before.  The goal is to make your preschooler become less dependent on the teacher and more capable on his own. 

1)      Have a pretend school lunch time at home.  Pack a lunch for your child as you intend to do for him in big school.  Pack one for yourself too, if you have extra kits.  During lunch time, see if your child can easily open and close his water bottle and any other containers.  Make sure he finishes his food. Run through packing away completely.  Show him how to check that his water bottle is closed all the way to avoid any spills.  Check that he disposes of his trash properly.

2)      Go through the more ‘challenging’ articles of clothing your preschooler’s closet.    Train him to dress and undress himself, especially in preparation for going to the bathroom in big school on his own.    See that he’s able to fasten and unfasten the different kinds of buttons, zippers and snaps.  Train him to always wash his hands well before leaving the bathroom.

3)      Practice your child on getting himself into and out of weather outfits like raincoats, snowsuits and boots.  See if he can manage zippers, drawstrings and other clasps on his own.  If you have a coat-hanger adjusted to your child’s height, show him the proper way to hang his weather gear so that he’ll know how to do it himself at the coat-room in school.

4)      Teach your child how to tie his shoelaces by himself.  Start by using two laces of different colors, so that when you make the first knot then the ‘bunny ears’, he can see which one goes over and which one goes under.  If all the shoelaces at home are one color, you can also use yarn.  Have him practice on his own laces.

You’ll also want to have age-appropriate practice sessions on  the “3 Rs”; Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic.  Big school will begin to put more emphasis on the formal teaching of these skills, as against the play-school approach that was used on them before.  The following exercises are still in line with making your preschooler more comfortable about, and better prepared for the coming move to his new school.

For reading practice, take a walk or a ride with your child around the neighborhood on route to his new school.  Have him read the street signs you pass in order to familiarize himself with the area.  Read signs of landmarks together, like convenience stores and restaurants. If it’s possible to take a walk within the grounds of his new school, take him around to read the signs there.  Find the rooms labeled “Kindergarten”,  “Clinic”, “Restroom”, “Cafeteria” and “Fire exit”.

To practice his writing, have him write down his full name and birth date.  Also have him copy your full name, your address, your telephone number on pad paper.  Aside from brushing up on his writing skills for both letters and numbers, you’re also helping him memorize vital information he needs when he’s away from home.

For some basic math refreshers, orient your child to coins and small bills.  Teach him how to count money and to add up or take away cents.  If you plan to send your preschooler some milk money in big school, train him to keep track of how much he has and how much he spends.

Jen looks back fondly on a happy childhood, and wanted to be a MOM when she 'grew up'.  Now she basks in the glow of motherhood, with a first-grader and a teenager making her proud.  Her husband happens to be The One she was absolutely meant for.  That's why to her, everything else is gravy.

Yes, your child is now a preteen!  He’s in that wonderful yet sometimes confusing phase between being a child and being a full-fledged teenager.  During this stage, your child won’t be the only one going through transitions.  You too as a parent will need to revolutionize your parenting skills as well. 

With your preteen, be ready to shift your role from teacher to coach.  Your child already knows the ‘WHATs’ and ‘HOWs’ of the right thing to do.  You’ve pretty much nailed that down in the first eight years.  What he needs from you now is guidance on the WHYs of it being right, so that he can understand the principles behind correct actions and decisions.  Help him to grasp the values, beliefs and principles upon which your lessons on proper behavior are grounded.   Once absorbed, he’ll learn to apply them consistently later on, even when you’re not around.

You’ll also need to redefine disciplining your child.  Instead of aiming for him to simply obey your instructions, develop his responsibility to do what’s right without needing to be told.  Furthermore, underline the value that you want to ingrain. You can do this with self-reinforcing contracts that incorporate a reward or withhold a privilege, depending on how your preteen upholds his end of the deal.  Joe’s story is a concrete example.

When Joe began middle school, his parents asked him if he felt ready to receive a weekly allowance.   Joe excitedly agreed, because it was a real step up from the milk-money they gave him everyday in grade school.   He received his first real allowance on Monday morning and he was told that this was his money for the entire week.  By Wednesday afternoon however, Joe found that he’d spent it all!  Since it was the first week they were trying this, Joe’s parents decided to be lenient.  They still gave him milk money for both Thursday and Friday.  They also thought up a contract that would help Joe manage his weekly allowance better. 

This was the deal.  Joe had to make his allowance last the whole week.  If he ran out of money before then, he would not be given any more until his next allowance on the following Monday.  However, if he was able to save some of his allowance by the end of the week, not only he could keep the saved money in his piggy bank, but his parents would also match the amount he had saved and give him that money for deposit into his savings account at the bank.

With this contract, Joe learned to become more responsible in handling his allowance.  After going through one penniless Friday, he learned how to budget his spending.  He had enough money for each day, and he was even able to save some in his piggy bank for whatever else he may need or really want later on.  Furthermore, Joe’s parents modeled for him the value of saving.  Now Joe knows that because he’s using his allowance wisely, he’s also saving money in the bank for his important needs in the future.

Re-engineered parenting during the preteen years, not only shifts accountability to your child, it also allows you to finally rest from having to make constant reminders just to get things done.   That should come as a relief to you.  For some parents however, they worry about easing up on their control.  True, parenting a preteen entails some stepping back on your part, some letting go.  Sometimes, you may even have to watch him make mistakes.  That’s hard for any parent, but trust that you’ve trained your child well in the earlier years.  Now it’s time for the run-throughs to see how he’ll keep going on his own.  Your child’s preteen years are a great opportunity for this carefully guided simulation of managing himself wisely when he’s a teenager. 

One thing you have in your preteen is a child who’s old enough to understand, but who’s young enough to be pliable.  This is the time to let him explore his growing independence, yet still gently reel him in once in a while to make adjustments and realign his behavior as needed.   Think of it as parental ‘product testing’.  That means lots of trial and error blanketed in love, before you proudly and confidently release your masterpiece into the world market!

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Jen looks back fondly on a happy childhood, and wanted to be a MOM when she 'grew up'.  Now she basks in the glow of motherhood, with a first-grader and a teenager making her proud.  Her husband happens to be The One she was absolutely meant for.  That's why to her, everything else is gravy.

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These ‘rainy’ days can become quite challenging if you have a preschooler.  Sooner or later, your child will want to do something different from his daily routine, after being inside for so long.   Here are some productive ideas that can be feel-good alternatives to the usual indoor play.  To children, novelty is a perfect remedy to whatever gloomy setting rainy days bring.

1)  Play Treasure Hunt

Ask your preschooler to choose one treasured item (like a small stuffed toy), or maybe several small toys of the same kind (like 10 tin soldiers or a dozen plastic eggs).  Have your child close his eyes or wait in his room while you hide the treasure(s) in crafty places within a specific area of the house.  Call your child, when you’re ready for the hunt.  Before he begins, give your child specific area limits, like ‘only in this or that room’.  If your child is an older preschooler, you may want to give a time limit just to make it more exciting.  Use the clues “you’re getting warm” or “you’re getting cold” to keep things interesting.  Once your preschooler has found the treasure(s), switch roles and be the treasure hunter next time.  Limit your preschooler’s hiding places to a room where he can’t endanger himself or knock things over.  Encourage him to use the warm and cold clues as you go through the hunt.  In case you have an idea of where to look already, still ‘hunt’ for enough time to make it fun for both of you, before you finally find the treasure(s).

2)  Take out the old albums and videos. 

Some parents reserve the baby videos for their daughter’s Sweet 16 party.

You may be surprised however, at how much your youngster will enjoy seeing her baby-self on screen when you watch those old videos already.   She’ll be amazed at how tiny she once was and proud of ‘what a big girl’ she is now.  She’ll be thrilled at her own attempts to take a first step, and be laughing at the mess she made when she first tried to feed herself.  If you’re not the ‘videographer-parent’ type, baby albums (and those of her siblings) will have the same magical, entertaining effect.

3)  Make home-made salt-dough for clay-play.

Let your preschooler help you make her own play-dough at home.  In a bowl, mix together 4 cups flour, 1 cup refined salt, 1 ¾ cup hot water (handle anything hot for your child), 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and some drops of food coloring.  Knead everything together to come up with pliable dough.  If you’d like several colors, you can make more batches and drop a different color in each.  Also, you can divide the semi-kneaded dough into halves or thirds before adding the different colors your child wants.  Salt dough can be used in the same way as modeling clay, for hours or creative fun.  You can also bake your child’s formed creations, to create ornaments (not to be eaten).  Once the salt-dough ornaments have cooled and hardened from the oven, your preschooler will have fun painting her creations into finished works of art.  Her ornament(s) will serve as a souvenir of her fun rainy day.  Remember to store any left-over salt dough in an air-tight container for future use.

4) Show your child how to appreciate his blessings and how to share them with others.

Extreme weather sets the right kind of atmosphere to help your 4 -year-old or 5-year-old child to appreciate the good things in his life.  At the same time, in a manner appropriate to his age, explain that not all children are as privileged and as comfortable as he is now, especially on a rainy day.  Ask your child if he would like to share some things with those children who are not as lucky as he is.  Remember to keep things light, because you want to teach your preschooler about charity, not guilt.  If your child seems comfortable with the idea, help him go through his clothes, books and old toys.  Ask him to see if he has some things that may no longer be useful to him, but can still be appreciated by other children. Value whatever he comes up with, even if it’s just one book or a pair of socks.  Show him that the value of his gift is not in the amount of his contribution, but in the sincerity of his wanting to help.  This is one way to carefully sow the seeds of compassion in your young child.  In the future, you may see the initiative to share coming from him already.

Rainy days can teach your child to be creative, innovative, appreciative and fun-loving.  With your help, these enjoyable indoor activities can make your preschooler forget about the dour weather outside.

 

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Jen looks back fondly on a happy childhood, and wanted to be a MOM when she 'grew up'.  Now she basks in the glow of motherhood, with a first-grader and a teenager making her proud.  Her husband happens to be The One she was absolutely meant for.  That's why to her, everything else is gravy.

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Teach your children to follow rules no matter where they are.

Law abiding citizens start out as kids who follow the rules.  Explain to your child that rules are there to keep order, maintain safety and help people meet their goals.  Whether in the kitchen, at a library, out on the street or at the zoo, help your kids identify the rules each place or situation upholds.   When kids realize the importance of rules early on, they learn the value in following guidelines that are set at home, in school and in their community.

Teach your child not to litter.

“Do not litter.” is probably the most basic point to teach your child his vital role as a caretaker of the earth.  It is a good starting point to build up on the other tenets of ecological preservation as well.  Even a toddler can be taught the use of a garbage bin.  As your kids grow up, they realize that to avoid litter it helps to minimize waste in the first place.  It’s their springboard for learning ways to conserve the resources available by using them wisely.  You can also show your kids how to recycle things by saving soap boxes and toilet paper rolls, then using them in arts and crafts later on.

Introduce your kids to “the people in their neighborhood”.

Take you children around the neighborhood and introduce them to the different

people who play a role in it.  Point out what each person does (i.e. street sweeper, policeman, doctor, carpenter etc.) and how each of those tasks help make your neighborhood a great place for everyone.  By being aware of the various ways that people help shape his community, your child can become interested in finding his own role at this age.  Encourage and support his efforts no matter how simple they may be.  Younger children may want to start with a role at home, like fixing their rooms regularly, or setting the table.  Older children may want to interact with the community more directly, such as setting up a juice stand on your front yard.

Take part in a community project as a family.

Participating in community projects is a perfect way to teach your child the value of working together to achieve goals.  Depending on the age of your child, activities such as tree-plantings, newspaper drives or rummage-sale fundraisers can be both fun family endeavors as well as educational experiences for all involved.  Explain to your child the purpose of the activity from the outset.  This way, once the project is completed your child can derive satisfaction at seeing those goals attained.  More importantly, he gains a sense of fulfillment knowing that he played an active role and cooperated with others, to make the activity a success.

First and last, BE A ROLE MODEL.

1.  Play the ‘I Spy Alphabet’ game.  This activity develops your child’s observation skills, improves his letter-sound recognition and entertains him all at once.  Have your child look out the window.  Describe something that begins with the letter A that you see and let your child guess what it is.   Example:  “I spy something that begins with the letter B, it’s big and yellow, many people can fit inside it and it takes them to where they want to go. What is it?”   (Answer: Bus).  Adjust the difficulty of your clues according to your child’s age and reasoning level.  Go through the entire alphabet, and take turns with your child on being the spy and the guesser.  Your child will enjoy spotting things and crafting alphabet clues on his own too. 

2.  Tell the Never Ending Story.  This is a nice game to play on the road, especially if there is more that one child in the car.  Ask your children to choose a story theme (princesses, school, outer space, etc), and begin a storyline for the chosen theme.  Lay out a basic plot with a character and maybe just one or two events, and then leave it hanging.  Have the next child continue the story in her own words, taking over from where you left off.  Let her develop the character and add maybe two more events before passing the story on to another member of the family.  Keep going at this, taking turns among everyone in the car and have fun with the wacky twists and turns in your never ending tale!

3.  Share Family Talk.  Kids in a moving car are a naturally ‘captive audience’.  Use this opportunity as bonding time to share the important and interesting stories of your family.  Tell your child about the day he was born.  Tell him about your wedding day, or how both of you (his parents) met.  Keep your tone interesting, as if you were reading to him from one of his books.  Encourage him to ask questions.  If there are older siblings present, encourage their participation by asking them what they remember from that particular day.  Oh and make sure to share the important stories of those siblings too.  It’s been our experience that children of the preschool and early grade school age love hearing about the day they were born over and over again.  Little girls also enjoy their parents’ wedding day story very much.

4.  Pop in some of your child’s music.  Bring along your preschooler’s cassette tapes or audio CDs.  This is the time to benefit most from that expansive Disney soundtrack collection, or enjoy a compilation of Nursery Songs.  Playing your preschooler’s tunes in the car is a good way to get some time for yourself too.  Whether you’d like to take a short nap or just need some uninterrupted minutes, having your child safely buckled up and enjoying his music is a good way to satisfy both your needs. 

5.  Set aside quite time for snoozing.  Though mentioned last, this tip is something you should set with your child in advance.  As you plan your trip, approximate a stretch of travel time when your child can take a nap.  Let your child know that it will be time for his nap by a certain hour, or after you pass a specified place.  As much as road trip activities are useful in keeping your preschooler occupied, he needs his rest just as much as he needs it when he’s home.  An over-stimulated child can turn into a very cranky one if he doesn’t get enough rest.

Jen looks back fondly on a happy childhood, and wanted to be a MOM when she 'grew up'.  Now she basks in the glow of motherhood, with a first-grader and a teenager making her proud.  Her husband happens to be The One she was absolutely meant for.  That's why to her, everything else is gravy.