The Curious Mom

It’s a pleasure to be part of @makukuph First Intimate PR & Bloggers Event held last November 29 at Seda Residences, Makati City with friends from media, blogger influencers, and VIP Moms. The event aims to educate the market on the unique features of MAKUKU diapers, as well as learn about stress-free parenting tips from clinical Psychologist, Alodia Cueno-Mercado, and exciting surprises for guests.

A healthy diet and plenty of exercises are essential for a child's growth and development, but did you know that there are other things you can do to help your kids be healthier? The following blog post will discuss tips on ensuring your children are as healthy as possible. Follow these tips, and you can be sure that your kids will be happier and healthier!

                   Image - Pixabay CC0 License

Playing music is a talent that can enrich a person’s life for many years to come. Moreover, there have been plenty of studies to show links between musically gifted kids and academic performance. As a loving parent, then, actively supporting your child’s love of music is highly advised.

However, knowing how to do this in style may not come naturally, especially if you are not a musically gifted person yourself. The following tips should point your family in the right direction.

First and foremost, kids need instruments to play music. Whether it’s a half-sized guitar or an electronic drum kit doesn’t matter, they should be of a good quality. It doesn’t have to be professional quality equipment, but it should be reliable. As kids get older, they may also increase their skills with loop pedals and other advanced tech. Check out the Aeros loop studio as a great example. Kids naturally embrace tech with ease and will quickly find ways to make it enhance their music.

Most musically gifted kids will play several instruments. Having cheap keyboards, recorders, and tambourines can all aid the cause.

Music is all around us, and it can easily be incorporated into a variety of activities. When looking for fun online games, a focus on music can be key. Meanwhile, you can go back into the archives of Rock Band titles to take this to the next level. It’s not the same as playing an instrument but still helps with timing and keeping to the beat. It’s also a great way to enjoy social activities as a family and expand your child’s music tastes with classic songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s.

Singing can brighten up a host of daily chores and even support academic progress as tunes make it easy to teach valuable lessons.

Kids can develop their skills simply by picking up an instrument. However, a lack of guidance may lead to frustration. If you’re not a skilled musician yourself, finding a tutor can be highly rewarding. While some schools are naturally blessed with great music departments, many are not. Either way, the one-on-one sessions can facilitate far faster progress. It also encourages the development of key skills. These can translate to increased academic learning and human interactions.

Online tutors and video guides are available too. For the best results, though, a face-to-face tutor is the answer.

A deeper understanding of music, including their own efforts, will make a huge difference. Recording their music and listening back to it will help them identify their strengths and weaknesses. Meanwhile, attending gigs will inspire them while also encouraging them to think more about how to improve their own music. Buying noise reduction headphones with help from Headphonesty will protect their young ears. So, it will be possible to interact with music as frequently as wanted.

Of course, you mustn’t let the analytical side of things stop them from having fun. As with most aspects of life, finding balance is the key. You’ve got this.

If there’s one thing that our #SuperMoms love about Mother’s Day, it’s spending quality time with the whole family. This Sunday, make the day extra special when you celebrate at SM Supermalls!

Got no idea what to do this weekend? Don’t worry because SM Supermalls’ got your back! Get awesome discounts on food, shopping, and pampering for your #SuperMoms at SM!

Treat mom to a scrumptious meal in the mall or at home because SM Supermalls has all the perfect deals for you. From May 1-8, there are a lot of SuperMoms Deals from the participating tenants to choose from! Just check out SM Deals for the full list of exciting deals and promo bundles.

Short on gift ideas for the #SuperMoms on your list? The SuperMoms Fair has all the hearty treats that #SuperMoms will really love. SM tenants will be selling different cakes and flowers so you can indulge your moms, grandmas, titas, sisters, and all other momma figures out there this Mother’s day!

Moms love looking at pictures and seeing family members with all their happy faces. Take her to the coolest photo spots at SM so she’ll have something to look at while remembering all the good memories you’ve made with her this Mother’s Day.

The queens of our household really deserve VIP treatment. Give her convenient and safe ways to get her celebration essentials at SM. There are dedicated exclusive sales, vouchers, and promotions, as well as discounts for advance reservations or online orders just for them!

There are different types of moms and this includes furmoms, too! Indulge furmoms and their furbabies in a bonding treat like no other! Pawsome activities await them like the PAW Pageant where they can wear twinning outfits as well as paw-friendly games that both of them can join.

Motherhood is not only physically demanding; it can be spiritually demanding, too! So to celebrate this special day, SM Supermalls will be hosting a Mother’s Day Mass at the malls’ event centers or chapels which will also be live-streamed via Facebook. Moms pray for our wellbeing all year round, so this Sunday, make it your time to say a prayer for thank you for our #SuperMoms.

“This day, we honor our wonderful SuperMoms who have been there for us all throughout our lives. Their unconditional love and hard work for the family are truly remarkable and incomparable. And as they look forward to celebrating this day with us, it’s our goal to make it even more special as we help you create more memories together here at SM in a safe and fun way,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

No think to overthink this. Plan the best, most convenient, and safest Mother’s Day celebration for your SuperMoms this Sunday at your nearest SM Supermall!

Find out more about the Mother’s Day celebration at SM and visit https://www.smsupermalls.com/super-moms-day-at-sm/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SuperMomsDayatSM. For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com.

Have you sat with your kids way past mealtime just to make sure they eat their veggies on the plate? How about resorting to bargaining more gadget time for just one more bite of that carrots? Well, you’re definitely not the only momma doing that. Even celebrities like Camille Prats have to do a bit of negotiating just to get her kids to eat their veggies.

Luckily, she shares some handy hacks with Spot.ph to do the trick without the crying, the bargaining, and the unnecessary drama that fills mealtime.

1. Oh My Gulay! May Gulay! – Instead of only serving your kids veggies, partner your kids’ meals with Tang Fruit & Veg. It comes in two flavors: Orange Carrot, which has the Vitamin C from oranges and Vitamin A from carrots, and Dalandan Malunggay, which has the Vitamin C from dalandan and the Iron of malunggay. Tang Fruit & Veg has the delicious taste of fruits AND the nutrition from veggies in a drink that kids love! Camille can vouch for this – her kids love its taste so much, that they actually ask her for it themselves! Yummy na, masustansya pa!

3. Appearance is key – Kids are very visual so it’s really all about making their plate look fun! Focus on making veggies look appetizing by using creative shapes and brightly colored bowls to increase their appetite. You can even add in their favorite animal or cartoon character for that extra wow factor! You can go as simple as making trees out of broccoli or more complex as making pirates from cucumbers-- the idea stays the same: make it fun!

Oh My Gulay! Shop the NEW Tang Fruit & Veg now to get the yummy taste of fruits with the nutrition benefits of veggies!: http://bit.ly/TangFruitNVeg.

Babies are fussy eaters, but that should never bother doting mothers and keep them away from the biggest joys in your life. When looking to provide your baby with the best of everything, ensure that they grow up well and focus on their food. Your regular food is not enough for your baby because they need to grow into healthy and happy toddlers.

When considering the best baby food organic is the way to go. Many dietary experts and pediatricians support organic baby food for many good reasons.

If you are looking to go organic, here are five reasons.

Genetically modified food has been controversial for quite some time. While the long-term side effects have not been revealed, many people are already on the fence about it. When you want to ensure that your baby is getting good nourishment and energy from their food, it is good to stay away from GMOs until research can tell you more.

Organic food comes in handy in this aspect as the fruits and vegetables are guaranteed to be non-GMO. For families who believe their child has been affected, legal support is available to address the harm caused by toxic baby food, helping those impacted seek justice and compensation. It can be ideal to ensure your baby gets the best food possible.

Chemicals are detrimental, whether for an adult or a baby. Your baby is most vulnerable when young, and you have to ensure that nothing can disrupt their growing up.

When you want to ensure that your baby’s hormones are not affected by chemicals in their food, it is best to go organic. Organic baby food contains fewer herbicides and pesticides, so your baby’s health is not compromised.

If you want to be more sustainable or eco-conscious, organic food is optimal. Because the processing time is significantly less, you do not have to worry about how much pollution is caused.

You will find that in most baby food, organic ones come in sustainable packaging that you can either recycle or use again. Organic baby food that comes in glass packaging is most convenient, as you can use the jars for other purposes later on. Many companies also offer discounts on your next purchase if you return the product packaging to them. It can help you save more money as you go.

When looking to give your baby delicious and nutritious food, organic is the right choice to make. Because of the absence of preservatives and artificial flavoring, your baby can taste the fruits and vegetables in the food.

If you want to make your baby love vegetables and fruits, choosing organic food might be the best option. Companies that focus on organic food know the best combinations and best ingredients that will make your baby excited every time mealtime comes around.

With organic food, once the product has been picked from the farm, it will hit the shelves within a few days. Because of no preservatives in the food, they do not have a long shelf life, which means you will have to use them within a few days of being opened.

When you look forward to your baby growing up healthy and being concerned for their well-being, you need to research organic farming. It is the best way to ensure their digestion and health are on track.

As a mother, I choose my kids to play indoor and sometimes online games because of the pandemic. Of course, I want them to be safe. But, honestly, staying at home and keeping the kids entertained is a very challenging job. Sometimes I am actually running out of options. Before you say what's on your mind, yes they have screen time. There's a limit when using gadgets; we do pretend to play too. Sometimes we listened to stories for our nighttime bonding before going to bed, and as for me, I do love playing games online. The other day, my friends and I were chatting in our group chat about how to find or identify what games pay real money so we can have fun in our spare time and make money at the same time. Because, as you know, we cannot waste time. Everyone is actually suggesting sites to visit and try.

When I have my me-time moment I also play games, yes for my mind to relax and enjoy too! I personally love to play the  Find Pair and Guess the Food games because it feels like my mind is in refresh mode. This is also good for the kids, the Find Pair help children develop pattern recognition skills. Surely my kids will be interested in these games too! 

What I love about kids' games at Culinary Schools Org is that it's ad-free even games are free to play, sites are not bombarded with ads and not necessarily pop-ups link ads that kids don't like when they are playing. Instructions to play are easy, and there are many classic games that kids and parents will enjoy. It's an educational game actually and I hope they release an app that all the games can be downloaded in one app. 

And if you are looking for online games for your kids I am recommending this site. Ending this post because I am currently playing now haha! let me know if you tried too and tell me your favorites! 

A change of scene is always welcome for your baby and you. If your little one has learned to walk, sourcing good walking shoes for baby is preferable. Your daughter or son will enjoy exploring the outside world on their two feet.

Equipping your baby bag with all the essentials ensures you have a memorable outing. Knowing you have all you need for your child at hand is reassuring and allows you to venture out with a peaceful state of mind.

Depending on how long you will be away from home with your baby dictates the extent of baby stuff you ought to carry. Investing in neutral pairs of good walking shoes for the baby will thrill your kid no end.

For a longish stay out, pack an extra pair of footwear for your little one. Enumerated below is a list of five items you must carry along when you step outdoors with a baby in tow.

Disposable diapers are such a boon, especially when your baby is not quite potty trained. Always cater for extras to cover unforeseen eventualities when outdoors.

Suppose you possess a foldable diaper changing station. In that case, cart it along, too, so you need not struggle with this exercise while on the move. Baby wipes make the cleaning process easy, and diaper rash cream keeps your baby out of discomfort when constantly wearing diapers.

When used diapers need disposing of, you can wrap them in disposable bags. Dirty baby clothes that are pending a wash also warrant a dedicated bag on you when out. You can then conveniently segregate these items instead of mixing them with the clean stuff.

Carrying pain relievers, ointments, and lotions is a necessity. Should your baby get hurt when out, rubbing the infected area with a soothing cream brings much relief to your kid? Equipping the first aid kit with general-purpose medicines for a common cold, fever, cough, and diarrhea prepares you to tackle the worst-case scenario.

Fresh sets of clothes for your baby are invariably needed as there is always a possibility of accidental leaks from the diaper. Babies also tend to dirty their clothes, especially when in a playful mood.

Make sure you carry pairs of baby clothes based on the weather outside. Warm clothing will make your baby miserable when out in humid conditions while adequately layering your little one keeps them snug in the chill outdoors.

Your baby will invariably have a favorite stuffed animal or soft toy that they sleep with and carry everywhere. Before stepping out, make sure you carry a couple of your kid’s favorite leisure activities.

Whether your child enjoys reading, playing with a toy, or playing games, keeping them distracted and gainfully engaged will do you good. When in a different environment, you must make your baby feel comfortable, so they do not battle with adjustment issues.

Take your charger along, so you are always connected should you need to reach out for help when out.

Equip yourself with all the requisite baby accessories, including a car seat, so you can make the most of your trip outdoors.

The birth of a baby is a remarkable time for the whole family. And the day you bring the newborn to their home should be marked with a warm welcome celebration. Whether you're planning to have a grand party or just a small get-together, there are many ways to celebrate your joy. One of the ways to celebrate a baby's arrival is by displaying welcome home baby signs. If you have no clue how to start designing or choosing your custom yard sign for the occasion, here are some themes to take inspiration from.

If you're looking for a simple and heartfelt sign to congratulate the parents on the baby's homecoming, choosing cute and simple signs can be the most ideal. You could also choose to put a customized message on the sign instead of the usual 'Welcome Back' phrase.

Depending on whether the baby is a boy or a girl, you could also use appropriate color schemes to make the sign look personalized for the baby and parents. Ensure that it's surrounded by balloons to make it look super cute!

If extravagance and over-the-top designs are your styles, then go all the way out with the colors and fonts. When you can't contain your happiness and excitement about having a baby in the house, choose to celebrate it lavishly by getting numerous welcome home baby signs and displaying them everywhere. 

You could choose to make one giant yard sign so that even people at the far end of your neighborhood will be able to see it. To make it seem extravagant, consider adding as much bling and sparkle to it as you can.

Not everyone is a big fan of over-the-top designs that engulf their whole property. When you're looking for a modest but fun way of showing your excitement about having a baby in the house, choosing sophisticated signs is ideal.

When choosing a design for your sign, ensure that it doesn't have too many bright or neon colors. This will dismiss the elegance of the theme. It would be best to consider cursive or flowy letter fonts to make the whole sign look more classic and chic. Moreover, you should avoid sparkly letters or confetti around the sign to ensure that it remains minimalist but gets the message across.

If you're confused about what type of design or personalization would be appropriate for a baby's homecoming, choosing a theme is an easy way to prepare a sign, especially if you're short on time.

You could choose a theme based on the design of the baby's nursery or by using a kid's movie as a reference. Getting a 'Finding Nemo' or 'Lion King' inspired sign is a sure way to please everyone while conveying the message.

Sometimes, just getting a sign isn't enough. Consider getting additional decorations alongside your welcome home yard sign when you're looking to do more with less. These additional decorations could consist of:

If you’re from the Philippines and watch TV or use the internet, then you’ll most likely know who Anne Curtis is. She’s one of the country’s biggest stars and has maintained a successful career from her teens to adulthood. Yes, she’s beautiful, but she’s also funny, kind, and talented. It’s no wonder people can’t get enough of her even after more than a decade in the spotlight!

However, just like everyone else who had to adjust to working from home, a big celebrity like Anne Curtis also experienced being confined to the four corners of her house (whether in the Philippines or in the land down under). Check out 6 activities that fill her day that you can try, too.

Anyone who has a pet knows that hours can go by just by watching your little furry friends run around the house. With her adorable cat, Pixie, who Anne playfully refers to as the female version of Garfield, we can only imagine the hours that pass when they have their play time. You too can take a breather from work by hanging out with your own lovely pet.

Anne is such a proud mama when it comes to her cute daughter, Dahlia. Who can blame her? Anne shares how she bonds with her little one at home to the delight of Dahlia’s growing number of adoring fans. If you are a new mom, too, or if you have young nephews and nieces, savor their early years and spend time watching them learn about the world around them.

Did you know that around 1.5 million people register for a baby shower each year in the United States?

Baby showers are a fun way to celebrate the baby before they are born and to help prepare the expecting parents.

If you have recently been invited to a baby shower and want to surprise the new parents, there are many gifts to consider.

Continue reading to discover the best baby shower gift for your friends and family that will actually get used!

 

This rainy season, our skin is extra vulnerable to triggers and irritations. Even babies are no exception to different skin conditions like Eczema. According to the Philippine Dermatological Society, Atopic Dermatitis is even more common among children as it usually starts before the child’s 5th birthday. Luckily, Aveeno Baby brings in exciting new products and new and improved formulations to help moms soothe and protect their baby’s sensitive skin!

                                 
First, for babies with normal to dry skin, moms can use the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture line. Formulated with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal, these products ensure to moisturize, protect, restore the pH skin balance, soothe, and cleanse baby’s sensitive skin. Under this product line are the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion that protects and moisturizes a baby’s sensitive skin for 24 hours, and the Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Wash & Shampoo that gently cleanses and nourishes baby’s hair and sensitive skin. The Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Wash & Shampoo has a new and improved formula that upgraded the fragrance to eliminate all known allergens and minimize potential skin sensitizations and allergic reactions. It also comes in smaller and bigger sizes – from 100ml to 532ml! Moms can have Aveeno Baby right by their side, no matter where they are.

Now for babies with very dry, itchy skin, Aveeno Baby offers the Soothing Relief Cream that provides rapid soothing relief for baby’s very dry, itchy skin from 1st use. With its Natural Colloidal Oatmeal + Portulaca Oleracea Extract formulation, it immediately helps soothe baby’s sensitive skin and enhances the skin’s moisture barrier to protect and hydrate the baby’s very dry skin for 24 hours. This also now comes in a smaller size of 140g, making it handy to bring anywhere you go to ensure that you always have Aveeno Baby to give your baby soothing comfort from a #skinmergency or very dry, itchy skin.

                                 

                           

It is that time of the year again: cough and colds season. With hot, humid spells alternating with cold, rainy days, you, your loved ones, and practically everyone are at risk of acquiring respiratory illnesses. The most common of these diseases are cough and the common cold, both of which afflict most Filipinos every year.

The increased risk of catching cough, the common cold, and other respiratory illnesses are a few of the reasons you need to take even greater care of your health, especially your nose, mouth, throat, lungs, and airways – or respiratory tract, in short. When this usual pair (Cough + Cold) strike, Ambroxyl, and Salinase, respectively, maybe your right remedies to ease the symptoms.

Ambroxyl (Ambroxol Hydrochloride) helps soften and reduce phlegm, thus, eases breathing by lessened coughing and unblocked airways.

Kids ages 3 to 6 are taking off from toddlerhood to a new stage of exploration and learning, which is pre-school. This is commonly a critical phase in their lives when they start going to school, making new friends, and discovering the most fundamental lessons in life. However, because of the pandemic, children have been compelled to find a safe learning environment in their homes, with their parents actively participating to make sure of their child’s physical and academic growth.

Naturally, parents would exert their best efforts to give their child the best quality of life. For them, this starts with ensuring their child’s all-around development. One way parents can do this is by understanding the transformation of their child in this stage of growth, so they can support them effectively.

Vitaminized Lactum 3+, a brand trusted by mothers for over 30 years now, champions All-Around Development in children with nutrition that helps support their Immunity, Brain, and Bones. To help parents understand their kids better, Lactum 3+ shares tips on how they can support their little ones’ growth milestones between ages 3 and 6.

Kids in this stage and age begin to have finer motor skills that manifest in them hopping, skipping, and jumping, as well as making sudden stops. Their balance is also starting to develop by being able to alternate steps when climbing the stairs. Cognitively, this is when they start stating their name and age, and analyze situations by doing pretend play. *

Parents can nurture this by encouraging learning through role-playing. With the help of families and playmates, kids can make sense of the world and the things they observe by immersing themselves in creative scenarios.

A parent can experience certain challenges as children now struggle to find their independence. Four-year-old kids start objecting to being treated like a baby and would have a higher interest in making their own friends. They take pride in their personal achievements and are now more aware of social approval and disapproval. At this stage, a CDI study reveals that a child would already know an average of 900 words. Physically, their bones are now much stronger, allowing them to start brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and washing their hands on their own. *

As their physical growth becomes the main consideration, kids can be supported by parents through proper nutrition, stimulate a healthy progression for them.

The motor skills of a five-year-old can now include whirling around and hanging on bars, as well as playing with larger toys and equipment. They also develop their dominant hand preference. Parents may often respond to the many “why” questions of their child at this stage. By using appropriate words and manner of speaking, their child can easily differentiate between right and wrong. At five, children exhibit increased attention span and concentration, leaving them to easily absorb occurrences from their surroundings. 

In this period of a child’s growth, the most important mode of learning is through play. Parents can engage with their children in various forms of fun activities to help them develop their oral communication skills, creativity, and physical health. Another way they can supplement their children’s growth is by giving them Vitaminized Lactum 3+ to help support their all-round development.

With Vitaminized Lactum 3+, parents can have peace of mind even amid these uncertain times as this milk is formulated with Vitamin C plus Prebiotic Inulin, Vitamins A and E, Zinc, and Selenium. These are essential vitamins to help support strong immunity. Kids can also learn better even with various methods of teaching — whether face-to-face, online, or through play — with the support of brain development nutrients like DHA, Iron, and Iodine working together in Vitaminized Lactum 3+. In addition, kids can maintain healthy bodies as Calcium and Vitamin D, the building blocks for strong bones, are key ingredients in Vitaminized Lactum 3+. With proper nutrition and stimulation, these key nutrients can help their children be the best they can be and support their all-round development, right at an early age.

Vitaminized Lactum 3+ is available in all leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide, and online at Shopee. Enjoy savings of up to P1629 + P400 voucher during Shopee’s 3.3 Sale! Click this link now: http://bit.ly/2ZuceGl

We are really quite lucky in the 21st century. The vast majority of us carry a cell phone around us in our pocket wherever we go. These incredible pieces of technology allow us to access information at any time of the day or the night as long as we have access to the internet. This means that we are rarely without the information that we need.

However, there are times when we simply do not have the time to type search requests into our smart cell phone and look through all the information that is given to us to find what we need. We need it right then and there. This is where having a few key phone numbers programmed into your speed dial is very useful.

Here, we look at some of the numbers that you should always have to hand.

Of course, in a true emergency, you would hit 911 and it would take longer to access your speed dial than the type that number in. However, what about if it is urgent but does not need 911 services. Maybe you need emergency dental treatment or opticians? These are numbers that you might want to access relatively quickly without spending time searching the internet.

If you have to make a phone call to your insurance provider, something less than ideal has happened. Hopefully, it is more of a gentle fender bender or your TV has smashed rather than a complete write-off of your car or your entire house has caved in. Either way, the last thing you want is to have to spend more time looking up the numbers. Having these pre-programmed into your phone means that you can just hit call and get on with starting the claim process sooner rather than later.

Many of us have been there. We have been sweeping up the yard and seen the telltale long-tail disappear around the corner, or we have been up in the attic digging out the Christmas decorations and seen the little ‘gifts’ left behind by pesky pests. If you have an invasion of creepy critters, you want them out of your house as soon as humanely possible, so doing hours of searching through for the best one is a no-no. Do your research into the best pest control service when you don’t have a problem on your hands and keep their number in your phone for when you do need them. Sites like https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/michigan/ are incredibly useful when doing your research, as they offer a network of pest control professionals and cover a wide range of areas too.

Uh-oh! It has happened to plenty of us. We have woken up or come in from work to an unexpected paddling pool or a brand-new waterfall. Sounds great - but when it has appeared in your house due to a burst boiler or a leaking radiator, it is not quite as fun. Keep an emergency plumber or at the very least, a handy person on speed dial for when this happens. No one wants to be searching the internet while they have wet feet!