Baon for kids: week 11

Hi everyone, risen from the brunt of chores! Here’s Achie’s baon recap last week — in the hopes of helping newbie school mommies plan their little’s baon for the whole week.

Again, please be mindful of the portions for possible choking hazards, allergies, and school baon guidelines. For those with little one’s enrolled in schools with stricter school baon policies, hope you can check out our Pasado sa Dep Ed Baon Album over at our Facebook Page.

Baon for kids

Without further ado, here’s a recap of Achie’s baon last week:

MONDAY: Gigantic pichipichi with shredded coconut (storebought), half a fuji apple, and gigantic plain saba banana chips.

First time to see gigantic banana chips in the weekend market. Just got the plain ones, but they have flavored ones too like sour cream, cheese and barbecue.

TUESDAY: Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Sandwiches, Nori Cracker Rolls and Milk Chocolate Drink.

PB and J addicts all three of my kids so this is an easy baon decision for us. Haha.

WEDNESDAY: Plain rice cake with latik topping, ripe mango cubes, and buco juice.

Glad that Achie loves rice cake based meryendas. Mabubuhay ang batang ito sa countryside.

THURSDAY: Potato empanada, wheat crackers, corn kernels on half of a fresh avocado.

I bought several empanadas but Achie’s fave turned out to be the potato-raisin empanadas. Okay lang, mas mura pa nga!

FRIDAY: (extended school day) Korean chicken barbecue, rice, diced hopia, mango chips, and cashew nuts.

Fave nya talaga ang Korean chicken barbecue that is why I always have a marinade ready in the freezer para sa madaliang requests.

For more baon ideas hope you can check out our baon ideas section here in the website happypinaymommy.com, or browse our Facebook preschool baon, lunch baon and pasado sa dep ed baon ideas albums, or follow our Pinterest board. Hope you can also follow our weekly baonserye recaps through our Instagram account.

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post Baon Recap: Week 11 of baon for kids appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

7 Practical Tips on How to Get Your Child Organized for School

Leading a well-organized life is not something a person perfects in one day; it is something that has to be learned and imbibed over the course of one’s lifetime. Every human being has their formative years, and the type of upbringing they’re exposed to largely influences the kind of adult they’ll become.

Now, you have your child, and you’d like to see him or her organized without being told all the time, especially when it comes to school-related tasks. It could be getting his/her homework done, or having all school items appropriately stored.

It’s laudable if your child does all these tasks on their own, but in truth, these tasks require having a good memory and focus. Among children without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), remembering and organizing their daily school life is hard enough, how much more kids with ADHD; it can be challenging.

Getting Organized for School

A parent or guardian can tackle such a challenge by ensuring that there is a system in place which helps them be in control and stay on top of organizing their activities. The following tips will help get your child organized all the time for school.

1. Make sure your child’s room is orderly

Keep finished projects and ongoing projects separately. Keep school supplies and art materials in specially labeled bins, cabinets, folders or in a box. Keep books on a shelf and place a bulletin board where you can pin reminders. The idea is to have everything that your child needs for school in specific places meant for them so that they can be found with ease when required. Label each folder, bin or cabinet compartment with the name of the content in them. Doing this will help your child find things easily since a tag or label identifies what’s kept where. For custom designed tags and labels, check Wunderlabel.com

2.   Use reminders

Teach your child to have a schedule for upcoming events and get hard copy organizers to help them remember. A pad of sticky notes should suffice. He or she can post these notes in areas where he frequently goes such as the mirror or the bathroom door.

3.   Gift your child a daily planner

A daily planner is a great way to monitor deadlines, upcoming events, and appointments. By keeping a standard to-do list, he/she can prioritize on what tasks to get done immediately and which one can be done later.

4.   Always have him prepared for the next day.

Never in the morning of the D-day, but the night before. Pack his/her books every evening before the next school day; keep the homework in the right folder and every other thing he/she may need – the clarinet for the school band, sneakers, snacks – make sure these are available for the next day. During weekends, check the backpack to ensure everything he/she needs for the coming week is available.

5.   Get your child school gear that helps them get organized

Some backpacks have multiple compartments; there’s a compartment for big books, for smaller books, pencils, and other stationery; for a water bottle, etc. School gears as such will help your child remain organized and conscious of what’s missing from the items he/she ought to take to school.

6.   Have structured weekends

If your child has ADHD, most Sunday evenings will leave him or her panicking because there are some things that he/she should have done over the weekend, but didn’t. Create a weekend routine in which you go over the week’s work to make sure nothing’s left out, and your child can go to school on Monday without any worries. You’d be surprised at how much kids worry about not getting their homework done.

7.   Offer support and praise

If you see your child adhering to instructions about being organized and putting in the effort, let him/her know that you see the efforts and that you are proud of what he/she is doing.

Even as adults, being organized takes a lot of effort and it’s only natural to do if you are already used to it. So, to shape your children into adults who will take organization very seriously, you need to start from a young age.Thanks for reading and till next post!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

This week’s baon: Healthy Baon Ideas

The post 7 Practical Tips on How to Get Your Child Organized for School appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Striving hard to come up with healthy baon ideas. Could really be difficult sometimes because it requires advanced planning.

Time flies by sooo fast, next thing we know it will be sembreak already. Recapping Achie’s baon this week to help newbie school mamas plan out their little one’s healthy baon ideas this school week.

Healthy School Baon Ideas

At the risk of sounding like a broken record please mind the portions/slices of the snack items and make it suitable/safe for super young kids. Apart from possible choking hazards, please keep in mind as well possible allergens your child may have as well as the baon guidelines implemented in your child’s school.

Week #10 of school baon ideas for kids

Without further ado, here’s a recap of Achie’s school baon last week:

MONDAY — Eggy bread, matcha green tea bread sticks, and fresh milk.

Just glad that achie shares my love for sunny side up eggs and green tea / matcha flavored stuff!

TUESDAY — Cassava cake, fruity buco juice, and filled biscuits.

This store-bought cassava cake is so yummmy! It is not too sweet, it is soft but it is not soggy.

WEDNESDAY — Mini tuna and cheese sandwiches, Greek yogurt, and sung song peanuts.

Achie tells me that her Tuna sandwich tastes better when ever it has cheese, so yes my little prinsesita, i will always remember to put cheese on your tuna sandwich.

THURSDAY — Sweet corn on the cob and Fresh milk.

Two words: By Request. My kids love sweet corn and so it is a no-brainer to pack it for her in school. I decided to use reusable chopsticks as her handle instead of the usual barbecue stick.

FRIDAY: No baon day because classes have been suspended.

Simple baked marble potatoes for the three kulits’ snack that rainy afternoon.

So there you have it, hope I am able to help you plan out your child’s school baon this week. Healthy school baon ideas may require extra time and planning but it is definitely worth it. Hope you can check out more baon suggestions from the baon section of our website, check out our Instagram account, follow our Pinterest board, or check our Facebook baon ideas album with close to 200 school baon ideas for your little one. See you there!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post This week’s baon: Healthy Baon Ideas appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

I challenged myself the past week to come up with healthy baon ideas.

Did not have time to post this earlier today, but I am hoping the healthy baon ideas in this post are not too late to help you with your baon planning. Here is achie’s baon recap for the past week to help newbie school mamas plan their little one’s baon for the new week.

Healthy Baon Ideas for The Week

This week, I challenged myself to come up with healthy baon ideas for Achie. Not that the past baon snacks i have prepared are unhealthy but more because I wanted to reduce the presence of processed food in my family’s diet. REDUCE being the operative word because I know in my heart that it will be really hard to totally eliminate it (but im sure it is doable as some families have done it) given the many factors that push moms like me to choose to serve processed food from time to time. No judgements whatsoever, i do not know what challenges you have, I am imperfect as well, but I just tried to make cleaner baons the past weeks and see if my kid will be happy with it too. Glad that she is happy with the baons as most of them I have already introduced to her way way back.

Anyway, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, please be mindful of the portions/slices of the baon to prevent choking for younger school kids. Also, caution on the food allergies as well as whatever baon guidelines implemented on your little one’s school. So let’s get started.

School Baon Ideas Recap:

MONDAY — Parmesan chicken wings, Avocado-Cheese Mini Sandwiches, and garlic peanuts.

Glad that my daughter likes avocadoes a lot and since they are in season, i decided to pack it for her school snack.

TUESDAY — Suman (she insisted that I pack it with its original dahon packaging since she already learned how to unwrap it at home), plus some sungsong peanuts — she likes cracking the peanut shells. Tip if you want to pack suman for baon, freeze the suman the day you bought it; then on the day you want to pack it for baon just steam to reheat — or the easiest way is to steam it alongside your sinaing.

My daughter insisted on bringing a suman na may balat in school since according to her, she already knows how to peel it.

WEDNESDAY — Hard-boiled egg, muron (rice cake or kakanin flavored with chocolates and peanuts), cashew nuts. Like the suman, you can freeze the muron and just reheat it through steaming on the day you want to pack it in her baonbox.

Ever since she got to taste Muron, my daughter keeps on prodding me to buy some. It was llve at first bite for her!

THURSDAY — Banana bread, raisins and cashew nuts.

Banana bread will always be in our baon rotation because my daughter absolutely loves it!

FRIDAY (extended school day) — Smoked boneless bangus, rice, banana chips, strawberry yogurt, and fancy mixed nuts.

The bangus monster in her was so happy with this lunch baon idea.

So there you have it, hope I was able to help you with your baon planning this week. For more school baon ideas please check out the baon section of our website, happypinaymommy.com or browse our Facebook album of close to 200 school baon suggestions to pack for your preschooler. Hope you can also follow our Pinterest Baon board. See you there!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

The post This week’s baon: Healthy baon ideas (Week 9) appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Skin Care techniques for busy moms

Maintaining a healthy diet

Sleep

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with a video on a good skin care regimen for busy moms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aTbPMdvCAo

Happypinaymommy raves: Lovin the Katinko Spray!

The post Interesting Skin Care Techniques You Probably Haven’t Heard Before appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

How to make basic overnight oats

You can choose whatever oatmeal you prefer. Rolled oats are at P92.00/600 grams. This supermarket brand of Oatmeal meanwhile is at P52.00 for 500 grams. Steel cut oats can be purchased at Healthy Options and some Rustan’s Supermarkets.

For the milk, you can choose whatever you have at home — fresh milk, soy milk, almond milk, even rice milk if that is what you prefer.

You can also make a skinny version by using low fat or non fat milk. It is up to you really.

You can make a skinny version too using low fat or non fat milk but do not expect it to be creamy.

My eldest daughter likes the chocolatey version of overnight oats. I just add cocoa powder, choco chips, and a tablespoon of nutella.

Make your overnight oats even more special and nutritious! Add chia seeds, greek yogurt, walnuts, nut butters or drizzle with cinnamon or vanilla extract.

You can also drizzle cinnamon or add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract.

SO WHY BASIC OVERNIGHT OATS?

Overnight oats is both a nutritious and convenient breakfast or snack choice.

Here are the benefits of eating half a cup of oatmeal a day

Babies also tend to benefit a lot from having oatmeal in their regular diet.

How to make basic overnight oats

Here are the basic ingredientz for your basic overnight oats recipe. Of course you get to choose what add ons you like depending on your preference and the availability.

Basic Overnight Oats Recipe

Overnight oats is easy to make, nutritious, and convenient to eat.

You can actually eat it after four hours, but it is best refrigerated overnight.

Basic overnight oats.

The post How to Make Basic Overnight Oats appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Here are some of the things that you may have to consider when working from home full time. (Image from Pixabay)

For those of you who have been reading the blog for a while, you would know about my journey from being an 8-5 (or way beyond 5pm) corporate working mom to becoming a work-from-home mom (although very part time nowadays). This experience led me to advocate working from home, as a good way of sort of striking a balance (in my opinion there will never be a perfect solution for us ordinary moms) between being there for the husband and the children when they need you, and for helping with the family’s finances.

Today’s guest post is about things to consider before finally taking the work-from-home plunge. Whether you will be jumping from the corporate ladder, or transforming from being a full-time stay at home mom, the five things Powerpinoys Author Louren Jovito specified in the article below are indeed something to ponder on. Special emphasis ladies on the word full time, meaning this will entail work of about seven to eight hours five to six days per week.

So here goes:

5 Things Moms Need to Consider Before Getting a Fulltime Online Job

By Louren Jovito, Power Pinoys

Guest Post: What to consider before working from home on a full-time basis. (Image from PowerPinoy’s Photo Stock)

Working from home is now becoming a trend. More and more online job opportunities are being offered, and worked on because of the flexibility that this type of work provides. Most of the opportunities allow you to work at your own pace meaning waking up early is not needed, and you can work anywhere you want.

It is now possible for parents to work while being with their children. Moms with little kids in fact can now work and earn at the very comfort of their home.

If you’re also the kind of family who loves to travel, this work set-up will be perfect for you. For as long as you have a good source of reliable internet connection and a decent laptop, you can now work anywhere you want.

There are a lot of home based jobs you can apply for. Whether full time or part-time, it’s totally up to you. You just first need to know and assess what service you can offer. After that, build your online profile and market yourself in that field.

There are a lot of positive things online jobs can give to an individual: More time for family, no traffic, flexible schedule, and etc. However, despite all these good stuff, there are important things moms and dads still need to consider before getting a full time home based job.

1. Solitary life ahead

Many people find that home based jobs can be really lonely. Some people can handle the long hours or days of being alone while others cannot. There are type of people who really are in need of social interaction because that’s what makes them feel charged and energized.

You should at least be aware of your personality type. Introverts are used to being alone most of the time and this will sound easy for them. But for extroverts, this can be a decision-making factor to say no to home based works.

Check yourself if you will have hard time dealing regarding this matter. Because if that is the case, you need to find ways how to compensate for your need for social interaction.

2. You need to maintain self-discipline

If you’re working at home, you are your own supervisor. No one will constantly remind you what to do. You need to exert extra self-control not to do unnecessary things such as browsing social networks or other distracting things.

Learn how to declutter your mind. Remove unnecessary tabs on your browser when working. Have in front of you a piece of paper with your to-do list to prepare yourself for the next tasks.

Having a home based job is not as easy as office job where there are supervisors who remind their subordinates about the tasks to be done. It’s a lot harder to concentrate and focus on your job when you’re in a place where no one is watching.

Just observe good working habits until it becomes a routine. There should be no excuses.

3. There will be a lot of distractions

There will be a lot of distractions and interruptions when you’re at home. Be ready mommies, you’ll encounter a ton of problems with your kids especially if they’re still in their infant to toddler stage. You need to prepare for this.

Apart from the children (and the husband), other common distractions include clucking chicken, sounds of the vehicles passing by, barking dogs, blowing horns, and etc. It’s more fun in the Philippines!

One way to reduce distractions and interruptions is to have a dedicated room where you can work in silence. You can also request from your children and other household members to refrain from speaking to you or toying with your work computer while you are working.

4. You either work more or work less

With home based jobs, you either work more or work less. It depends on your mindset and how you really are into your job.

Typically, most people who work from home usually work less hours compared to those who work in the office. On the other hand, if you’re the type of mom who is a workaholic, you might end up working more than what’s required of you.

Here’s an advice. If you are a workaholic, please get a life. You are working to live and not living to work.

One good thing you can practice is to always have a well-defined working schedule. You can use time tracking and project management softwares to make sure that you are working just enough. When you’re done, it’s time for other life activities.

5. Process documents by yourself

If you’re serious about this, be ready. You’ll be the one responsible for all document processing such as SSS, Health Insurance, Pag-ibig, Philhealth, BIR, and etc.

With typical office job, the HR department will process these things for you. If you’re going to work from home, this can be a big headache especially during the start.

Once you get used in processing these documents, it can actually be very helpful. You’ll definitely learn a lot of things which you cannot simply learn if you’re working in an office based job. You’ll be able to find customized programs that exactly fit your needs.

That’s it! These are some of the major things you need to consider if you’re planning to work at home. Things are hard when you’re just starting out but don’t worry, you’ll eventually get hang of it. Everything soon will be worth the patience and effort.

I know somebody from BPO jumped from call center job to home based job. Today, he is earning six-digits every month! This is how lucrative home based jobs can be. If you know friends or relatives that are interested in these kind of opportunities, please share this with them!

About the author:
Louren is the founder and the publisher of PowerPinoys where he writes about business, finance, blogging, self-help, and other related topics. He is an e-commerce and real estate web developer turned full-time blogger.

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So there you have it, I hope you got some ideas from the write-up that Louren shared.

To my dear readers, let me know if you would like to contribute an article, a poem, or even a song you composed, so that we can share it with our fellow parents – this goes whether you have or you do not have your own website. You may get in touch with me by dropping by my Facebook page. Hope you can also hit the like button while you are there so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed. You may also follow us on our Instagram and Pinterest Accounts!

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Here’s a video on working from home full time:

Six ways to make learning more enjoyable for kids

The post GUEST POST: 5 Things Moms Need to Consider Before Getting a Fulltime Online Job appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Six ways to make learning more enjoyable for kids

I have always thought that learning and study time will always equate to fun time for my children — until one of my kids became of school age. I realized that I have to make learning more enjoyable, and that I have to think of fun ways to reinforce what she learns in school.

And although I am fine with my children not getting a perfect mark in all of their quizzes and exams, I would like them of course to be an above average student or at the very least have good grades. More importantly, I want them to have good study habits that will guide them through the rest of their school years.

Instilling Joy in Studying

In the parenting books and resources that I have read, senior preschool years, and early elementary is the best time to foster good study habits. I think having a positive attitude about learning can be likened to great eating habits, as well as other habitual healthy routines that we as parents would like to establish on our children. Once they get used to reviewing for quizzes, prioritizing assignments and projects, and loving reading in general, studying will come as second nature to them even without us having to nag them all the time.

Does your child enjoy home study time? Or are you having problems encouraging him because he is either too tired or too bored already?

But how do we make learning more enjoyable for kids? When our homes are filled with distraction like TV shows, games and gadgets and traditional toys, it will be hard to compete for your child’s attention. Add to that the stress that some children experience for having to wake up really early to beat the heavy traffic on the way to school, and then back again to our homes. Establishing a fun learning environment can indeed be a challenge, hence I have always kept on reading books and articles written by renowned child education experts that will help in this aspect.

Allow me to share with you some of the learnings I have gained and provide tips for you, my fellow moms, on how to make studying more enjoyable for children.

One of the guide questions that helped me come up with the tips below is “if I were in my kids’ shoes, how would I like my mom to help me out with my studies?” Try asking yourself the same question as well because most likely this will clue you in as to how your kid will find learning at home more enjoyable.

Tips to make learning more enjoyable for kids:

1. Do not be too rigid. Elementary aged children are taught in a formal classroom setting, hence providing a variation at home can be more exciting for your child. For instance, you can use other learning methods that will be fun for your children. Visual aids, and other materials that can help them grasp their lessons well can help get and retain their attention.

2. Think out of the box.  Learning and studying after school should not just be confined in your living room, dining table, or your child’s room. You can always get out of your home to teach them the concepts that they find hard to understand. For instance, types of plants are better seen in real life than just being read on photos. A practical way of teaching children addition with decimal points, or other math concepts is in the supermarket where they can see price tags, add up the costs, and more. For younger children, a lot of practice counting can be done in groceries too! Same with identification of fruits and vegetables (and even sea animals!). Make that field trip during the weekend, or if you live with one close by, take a short trip today!

Feeding fish is a good way to teach kids about fishes, you can also count the fish, review the different parts of the fish, how they breathe, eat, sleep, talk about their colors etc.

3. Media is not your arch enemy. Media has always been vilified when it comes to learning, but hey, remember during our school years there are days when we would go to the AV Room to watch a movie or a documentary to help us grasp the concept the teacher is teaching us. As parents we should use the television and the internet to our advantage. A perfect example was when I was teaching my eldest to ready the clock. She gets bored when I teach it to her the way a teacher would. So what I did was to buy her a toy clock, and let her watch a Youtube clip of learning how to read the clock. Set a timer and let her watch. She will enjoy it. Same goes with Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo People, and Animal Planet. They get to learn a lot about the world, the animals, and nature. I am glad that my daughter likes the show Monster Fish, Animals Gone Wild, Places We Go, Living Free and even cooking shows like Sugar and Chocolate Covered. I also make her watch snippets of TV news (both local and foreign) when there are weather disturbances, or important current events that take place.

4. Make study time fun and relaxing. Make the area conducive for studying, and at the same time serve them their favorite snack or treat. My eldest daughter Achiebelles loves Oishi Pillows and I indulge her with this to make her look forward to assignment time. Same goes with Bread Pan that she loves to munch on during our reviews. And since both have a variety of flavors to choose from, we do not experience the “sawa” factor because I get to rotate the flavors and the snacks for every study time.

Give your child her favorite snack while she is studying or doing her homework. Snacking can make reviewing lessons or doing homework less rigid because they get to have mini breaks while munching.

5. Never stop learning. As parents we should also not put a stop in learning. I may have three kids and a parenting website, but I have NEVER claimed to be an expert on parenting. That is why I emphasize in most of my articles that I read a lot, and talk to older and more experienced parents because they have survived the parenting trenches that I am treading right now so that I could learn more and impart these learnings to my readers. We should find the time to research ways about how to better connect with our children, make their environment more conducive for learning, and help make studying time for fruitful for them.

6. Reward the children for their good study habits. Doing great in an exam or quiz, or getting high grades in school should earn children some sort of reward from their parents. It does not have to be expensive. Simple rewards like a movie time with the family with them choosing the film to watch, a favorite treat from their favorite restaurant, later bed time during weekends, and even a simple toy. In our household we have this rewards chart to track the good behavior of our children, using stickers and rewards.

Here’s a photo of our rewards chart. We have a new one for each month. The kids can “claim” their rewards every weekend in case they already have earned enough stickers for the rewards that they are aiming for.

If you wish you can make your family chart more specific towards study habits. Give badges for every quizzes your child passed, or each assignment that she worked on without much assistance from you.

Like us adults, children get tired and stressed out. Their bodies are not built for waking up too early to battle heavy traffic on the way to school. They may get too tired from battery of examinations and quizzes. Extra-curricular activities can also tire them out.

Allow your child to recharge in a fun way. Let them rest first before prodding them to work on their assignment. When we get home from school, I usually allow my child to rest for a bit, give her a snack like Oishi Pillows plus a drink of water or milk, and then relax for a while.Lately, she is also into eating Bread Pan. She likes the different flavors especially the butter and the toasted garlic.

Serve after-school snacks to your children so that they have enough energy to review and do their assignments. The above photo is a sample of what I serve Achiebelles as her after school snack — Veggie Pasta with Bacon and Creme, Watermelon Cubes, Cashew, and Oishi Bread Pan.

After finishing her after-school merienda, she can play with her siblings, or play with her toys. We then settle down to do our assignment and review for examinations. After that we fix her things for the following day, and prepare other things she may need for school.

So there you have it, hope you have learned from this post, and would give the above suggestions a try as we all journey into establishing good study habits for our children. For comments and suggestion please drop by our Facebook Page, and follow us on Pinterest and Instagram for more local parenting information.

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

*This is a sponsored post.

The post Six ways to make learning more enjoyable for kids appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Image Credits

Hi fellow Happypinaymommies! For those of you who are interested in Teaching English Online for Stay-at-Home Moms and earn a part-time or full-time income from it, I’m sharing with you this very informative guest post from our guest writer and resource person, Mr. Luigi Reparado. 

In his Guest post below, he shares to us vital information about becoming an online English teacher, and how to thrive as one while caring for your family full time. Read on:

How to start Teaching English Online for Stay-at-Home Moms

Teaching English Online for Stay-at-Home Moms (Image Credits c/o Luigi Reparado)

Being a mom is a full-time job on its own. There are moms who decide to quit their jobs, stop working and focus on taking care of their families. Some mothers look for ways of earning money by working at home. Is it possible for a mom to still have a career and be a full-time mom? This sounds like a fairy tale, but the answer is yes.

There are different options on how you can earn while being a full-time mom. One of them is working as a home-based online English teacher. This will not just give you an opportunity to earn, but it will also give you the venue to grow and have a sense of fulfillment.

TIME FLEXIBILITY

Having a regular office job does not always give you the ideal quality time that you want to spend with your family. The flexible schedule that online English teaching offers will give you the liberty to choose when you want to conduct classes. Imagine life where you can attend to your children’s needs and earn money at the same time. Isn’t that great? Take advantage of high technology and benefit from it. Take the privilege of working without sacrificing your parental role – after all, not everybody has this kind of opportunity.

CONVENIENCE

We all know that teaching requires time and effort. You need time to prepare for a lesson plan and some activities. Who has time for that if you’re a working mom? If you are seriously considering to be an online English teacher, find a company who can already provide lesson materials.

Don’t get intimidated though. You don’t need any exceptional skills and talents to perform well. We are fortunate that in our early age, we have been taught how to speak in English. A little polishing of your English skills, a laptop and an internet connection is all you need to start a wonderful teaching journey.

Teaching English online is not as complicated as it seems. Moms can work-from-home and pursue a carrer as an Online English Teacher at the same time. (Image Credits c/o Luigi Reparado)

REWARDING

We heard this a lot of times, make your passion your job, and you will ever feel like working. Work is easier if you enjoy what you do. Learning doesn’t stop at any age. Working as an online English teacher is also a venue for you to learn from your students while you teach them. Since you teach students from different countries, you will learn and appreciate their culture. Being a home-based online English teacher is just like travelling virtually.

Income is also an important thing to consider. Every class is paid, and the amount you earn will depend on how often you open classes. You can be in-charge of your income.

This job is easy, fun and convenient that you can’t help but fall in love with it. Everything is simple and easy to understand. Work-life balance can be challenging – but possible. It will require you to take that leap of faith, make that decision and try something new that will benefit you and your family.

Ready to start your first step to the right direction? Follow this link to start as an online English teacher:

The author, Luigi Reparado, is an experienced Marketing Communications Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Market Research, Content Management, Digital Marketing, and Leadership. Strong marketing professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Marketing Management from De La Salle University.

He is currently working for Bibo Global Opportunity. A leader in providing online tutorial services in Japan. Bibo Global Opportunity caters to thousands of subscribers through DMM Eikawa. In 2015, through Engoo, they also expanded their business to Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil, Russia and Spain, among others.

Bibo teachers teach and earn at the comforts of their own homes and have a flexible schedule which allows them to enjoy the perfect work-life balance. These benefits have attracted over 6,000 teachers in 75 different countries, setting the company apart from other online tutorial services all over the world.

URL: Bibo.com.ph

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BiboGlobalOpportunity/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bibo_go/

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So there you have it, I hope you got some ideas from the write-up that Luigi shared.

To my dear readers, let me know if you would like to contribute an article, a poem, or even a song you composed, so that we can share it with our fellow parents – this goes whether you have or you do not have your own website. You may get in touch with me by dropping by my Facebook page. Hope you can also hit the like button while you are there so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed. You may also follow us on our Instagram and Pinterest Accounts!

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

14 Bible Verses for Overwhelmed Moms

The post Teaching English Online for Stay-at-Home Moms appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Financial solutions for work from home mothers

Happypinaymommy.com has always been supportive of mothers who choose to work from home, either full time or part time to help support the family. We in fact have a dedicated section here – which gives ideas on where to find work from home opportunities, what side business endeavors we can do to augment the family income, and to celebrate the successes of our work at home moms through feature stories.

And this is why when Mari approached me about sharing her ideas here for mommy freelancers, I said yes, because I know this can help all of us who try to make a living while caring for our little ones 24/7.

So without further ado, here’s our guest post on:

Moms can work from home in the Philippines

Necessity the Mother of Invention: Financial Solutions for Stay-at-Home Freelancer Moms

By: Mari Bunal

Breastfeeding in public, staying up all night to become a soothing machine, giving daily baths when your infant looks too fragile to even lightly touch — these are only few challenges that mothers of today face. Raising a child (or children) is a significant learning curve for all women. Mastering soiled diapers is one thing, but dealing with the emotional impediments that come with motherhood is a more complicated matter.

Count yourself lucky if these are the only stumbling blocks of consequence you can find on your path. Some mothers out there have to struggle between being the sole breadwinner and primary caregiver. By then, going back to an eight-to-five job is no longer an option. If you find yourself in the same situation, freelancing may be solution for you. Working from home can save you money on childcare and give you the freedom to become a full time mother. Excited to say goodbye to your regular job and enjoy the benefits of freelancing? Check out the following financial solutions to start:

Save up at least half a year’s worth of salary.

The first few weeks of opening a business will be the most costly. You need to buy materials that are necessary to start operating. You will pay up money to get to spread good words about your business. Advertising does not come cheap, not if you want to give your competitors a scare.

Create a feasible plan and set targets.

A good business plan will clarify what you intend to achieve within a certain period of time. It gives a vision of where you want to go, how you can adjust your products and services to adapt to changes in the market, and whether or not you have enough to go forward. A feasible one will help get the attention of administrators who fund small scale businesses, giving them the impression of whether or not your plan has potential.

 Know where to get your capital.

You may need to borrow money to finance your startup. One of your options is to apply for a personal loan. With flexible terms, you can enjoy low monthly interest rates while you get the cash you need in less than a week. You can also go for cash advance using your credit card. If you have good credit history, you will have easy access to money up to your maximum limit.

Establish a working space at home.

Your productivity and effectivity will be greatly influenced by how organized and work-conducive your working environment is. It will be especially difficult being around toddlers, so train your kids to be quiet when someone is on the phone with you. Make them understand that when you are in your space, they are not allowed to disturb you. Invest in a comfortable chair, good lighting and ergonomic storage systems.

Freelancing can replace your full-time job while allowing you to be with your kids, giving you the best of both worlds. It may scare you at first, giving up a regular income for something unpredictable. But the difficulties will only be there at the start up. Once you learn the ropes, you will not settle for anything less than calling yourself your own boss.

 Mari writes for Loansolutions to help educate people in making informed-decisions on taking out loans and becoming responsible borrowers. Being the COO, she feels it is her social responsibility to do so. Learn more from her as she shares tips, advises and stories on finance. Also, she’s fond of 9GAG, so you might read some random stuff over here.

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So there you have it, I hope you have learned a lot from Mari’s article.

To my dear readers, let me know if you would like to contribute an article, a poem, or even a song you composed, so that we can share it with our fellow moms – this goes whether you have or you do not have your own website. You may get in touch with me by dropping by my Facebook page. Hope you can also hit the like button while you are there so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this video on being a work-from-home-mom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DyxFxqYCWo

Happypinaymommy’s Filipino Weekly Menu Plan for Nov 21-28, 2016

The post Guest Post: Financial Solutions for Stay-at-Home Freelancer Moms appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Wondering where to buy where to buy nanny yaya uniforms? Check our list. (Photo Credits)

While most of the articles in my blog are intended to help yaya-less moms survive their journey, it also aims to provide support to full-time working moms who would need extra helping hands (and extra set/s of eyes) in rearing their children as they work outside the home to provide for them.

Yayas or nannies are a big help for most working moms since there are just a few US-Style Day Care Centers in the country that can help provide care for children of full-time working moms. For those of you who are planning to employ or have already employed one and would like to have them wear uniforms, then this write-up is for you.

Nanny uniforms have already evolved. I remember during my kabataan, most of the yayas in our village were not required to wear uniforms, and if ever they are, the uniform is just usually plain white.

Now, the modern yayas usually wear colorful scrub suits, or tailored uniforms of the same cut, and then sneakers or closed shoes.

And while this may entail some cost to parents (cheapest pair that i saw is at P250.00), it also has a lot of advantages. For instance, nannies would no longer have to invest on going out clothes if they are usually required to bring and pick-up the kids from school, and when they have to go with the family out of the home. Most of the schools have dress codes for the yayas who wait for their wards or those that bring them here and pick them up, the nanny uniform adheres to the dress code policy including the sneakers or closed shoes. The Nanny Uniform also helps in keeping a clean or neat look, especially when caring for newborns and babies. Besides, scrubs offer a comfortable wear.

So for moms out there who are wondering where to get those nanny uniforms here is a list of:

Where to buy Nanny Yaya Uniforms in the Philippines:

1. Department Stores – In the home section of your favorite department store, you can find nanny uniforms usually in the same section where cloth table napkins, table runners, and kitchen towels are. This is true for SM Makati and Landmark Makati, and I am sure this also applies in the department store nearest you.
2. Bambang – Bambang is not just the place to get affordable nebulizers, it is also the place where you can get the cheapest nanny uniforms! Just go to one of those scrub suit stores and choose from there. They have plain-colored, they have all-whites, and then they also have those with fun-looking prints. The slash is about P150.00 per pair versus mall prices, so if you live near the area, or will be buying for two or more yayas, then it will be worth the trip (and the traffic).

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You may also want to read:

• Maid, yaya, and driver agencies in the Philippines 
• What to do when yaya leaves: More permanent Solutions to #YayaProblems 
• Wala si yaya? Possible Solutions to #YayaProblems
• Where to buy nursing clothes and breastfeeding gowns in the Philippines
• Where to buy Maternity Gowns Pregnancy Office Clothes Dresses in the Philippines
• Happypinaymommy.com’s Reflections: How To Be You Po? by Mommy Aizh Geron Celis
• Baon Ideas for Your Preschooler
• Local Breastfeeding Resources: Where to buy efficient breastpumps, fabulous nursing bras, and chic pumping bags; Where to buy galactogogues like fenugreek, lactation cookies, teas and more.

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3. NeatNanny.ph – Is a one-stop shop for all the uniform needs you may have for your domestic staff. As of last check they offer free shipping for orders amounting to P1,000.00 and up. Most of the uniforms that they sell are in solid colors, or coordinated ternos. You can also buy polos for your drivers and male domestic staff, and even have made to order uniforms. Here is a link to their website.
4. Cash and Carry Grocery Store – Big Supermarkets like Cash and Carry in Makati also carry Nanny Uniforms. As of last visit, I saw it in the same aisle where kitchen towels and table cloths are displayed. They have plain scrubs, and then those colorful scrubs that have cartoon characters and baby-friendly drawings on it.
5. Lazada– If you would like to just shop from your home, then you can just buy the uniform/scrub suit off Lazada http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHHJSy. As of publication date, they only have one style which is solid colors. Buy it here. http://ho.lazada.com.ph/SHHJSy
6. Facebook Stores – There are several Facebook-Based online shops that sell Yaya’s Uniforms. You may want to check out the FB Shops of the following: Dolce and My Yaya, Unan Atbp., J&M’s Online Shop Catbalogan, Patrice Scrub Suits by JM Creations. These stores sell colorful printed scrub suits and uniforms in both V-Neck and Chinese Collared Uniforms.

So there you have it, hope this post has helped you find nanny uniforms for your child’s yaya. I Will be updating this post as soon as I discover more shops. If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this video on questions to ask when hiring a yaya:

How to Make Homemade Kid-Friendly Hand Sanitizer

The post Where to buy Nanny Yaya Uniforms appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Looking for maid yaya and driver agencies in the Philippines? Here’s a list. (Photo Credits)

One of the biggest concerns of working parents is hiring competent, trustworthy and reliable yaya and househelp. With all the horror stories that have gone viral, the quest for the ultimate Inday has become more and more elusive for most families.

And while most would say that the best househelp or nanny could be a distant relative or someone referred by a relative or a friend from the province, not all families have the means to tap such talent especially those who may not have relatives in the provinces.

I have written several posts on yayas leaving when they are needed most, as well as permanent solutions to Yaya problems, and one of the steps to move on from losing a reliable kasambahay (or letting go of an inefficient one) is hiring a new one.

The next best option or place to hire one is from an agency that HOPEFULLY screens the yayas, maids, and househelp that it provides to its clients. And while there are horror stories about agency-referred yayas and maid, it cannot be denied that there are families who have been fortunate enough to have found a great kasambahay from an agency.

So for those of who you are willing to try their luck on an agency, (and those who may have extra moolah for placement fee), here is a list of –

Maid yaya and driver agencies in the Philippines:

1. Maid Provider PH – This is on of the most modern way of hiring a kasambahay wherein after getting in touch with an agency, the agency will set up an interview – the method of which will depend on your availability. They offer phone interview, online interview, and even face-to-face interviews. Once you have chosen a househelp from the ones that they have lined up for you, you would have to settle the fees (which you can do over the internet as they accept credit cards) and they will deliver the yaya, maid or househelp right at your doorstep. To know more about their agency services, here is a link to their website.
2. Maid in the Philippines – Is yet another Maid and yaya agency that promises to provide competent services to your family. They can even provide you a cook which has an experience in local and international food, they can also provide for you a caregiver for your elders or loved ones with disabilities, as well as drivers and other domestic help needs. They boast of having a wide range of maids to choose from, one day hiring process, free replacement within a six month period, plus a refund guarantee. Their service is automated as well as the resume of the domestic help that you can choose from can be emailed to you so you can choose and review prior to conducting interviews. They also deliver the maid or yaya to your home upon settlement of fees. Here is a link to their website.

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• What to do when yaya leaves?
• Permanent Solutions to Yaya Problems
• Work-From-Home Opportunities for Pinay Mommies
• Business Ideas for Moms
• Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Income Opportunities for Mothers
• A Busy Mom’s Guide to Healthy Take-out Food in the Metro
• The Benefits of Meal Planning
• How to Get Your Kids to Sleep Early
• Baon Ideas for your Pre-Schooler

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3. Charmonde Cane Manpower – Is a maid and yaya agency provider based in Rizal. They claim that they provide certified and affordable househelp, yayas and caregivers, who are well-trained, have appropriate NBI clearances, and have undergone medical screening. Once you have specified your needs, they will present to you the househelp that you can interview, you will then choose from the roster of maids and househelp that they have and then they will bring the maid to your home soon after.They promise that they do not have hidden fees, and that the contracts that they have are all in accordance to the Kasambahay Law. Here is a link to their website.
4. Maid.Ph – Is yet another yaya agency that promises to provide reliable domestic help for your family. Apart from presenting to you an online bio data of prospective yaya and househelp, they also have in their file biometrics of the domestic helpers in their roster. They also claim that they conduct a background investigation on the maids that are part of their manpower pool and that they do a stringent checking of the legal documents that are being presented to therm. Head on to their website here.

So there you have it, I am sure there are other Maid, yaya, and driver agencies in the Philippines that you can choose from. Again, please, please do your own diligent work in checking the agencies and the maids that you choose to care for your families. No one can ever guarantee that. On my part, I will be updating this blog post once I have learned about more maid agencies in the Philippines. If you have time, hope you can drop by my Facebook Page, to receive happypinaymommy.com updates straight on your newsfeed. Please hit the like button while you’re at it too!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this video on hiring a yaya:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPp8mXpmTnE

Where to buy Hybrid Fitted Diapers in the Philippines – Part Five

The post Maid yaya and driver agencies in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Want to buy Breast Milk Storage Containers in the Philippines? (photo credits)

If you are wondering where you can buy breast milk storage containers in the Philippines then this post is the answer to your question.

I have compiled a list of shops – online or otherwise — where you can buy breast milk storage containers.

Here is a list of shops where you can buy breast milk storage Containers in the Philippines:

 1. Department stores – since there are more and more mothers who are pumping for their babies, milk bottle manufacturers have also started offering breastmilk storage containers, and they are being retailed by most big department store chains and even supermarkets. SM Hypermart for instance has breastmilk storage containers which retails for around P220.00 for a set of four small bottles, and the bottles are BPA-Free already.

 2. Lazada –– if you wish to beat the traffic and you are the type of online shopper who would like to settle upon delivery then Lazada is your best bet. They have the Medela, Avent, and Unimom Brands, which you can buy here. Check out Lazada here.

(Post Continued Below)

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Related Posts:

• Shops that sell Breastmilk storage bags
• Where to buy efficient breast milk pumps
• Online shops that sell Nursing Bras
• Where to buy Hands-free Pumping Bra
• Shops that sell Fenugreek Supplement for Breastfeeding
• Where to order Lactation Cookies
• Filipino Soup Recipes for Breastfeeding Mommies
• Where to Buy a Nursing Pillow
• All About Cloth Diapering

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3. Babymamaph — they have various breast milk storage options such as the Ameda Bottles, BM Trays, Snappies, Unimom, and Kiinde Storage system. Check out their online store here.

 4. Liquid GoldPH — they have unimom bottles in various colors. You can see the products in their FB Shop here. 

5. Baobao Babies – They have unimom containers, and breast milk trays. Check out their FB Shop here.

6. Tina Click N Buy – She has the Snappies Breast Milk Storage Containers. Check it out in her FB store here.

7. OLX — They have some sellers that retail breast milk storage containers. Just exercise your usual caution in your online transactions as some of the OLX sellers do not have online shops where you can make follow ups.

 So there you have it hope you’d be able to order a good breast milk storage container for your precious BM stash. I will be updating this post as I discover more shops that sell Breast Milk Storage containers. Again, I included the links to the shops so that you could personally check on their prices and product availability.

If you are looking for a good book on pumping and breastfeeding, here is an e-book entitled: “Exclusively Pumping Breast Milk: A Guide to Providing Expressed Breast Milk for Your Baby Revised Edition,” By Stephanie Casemore. You can buy it here. For a little less than Php500.00 you will have a good pumping reference that you can access on your mobile device at your own convenience.

If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this video on storing breast milk:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/08/30/where-to-buy-washable-breast-pads-in-the-philippines/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for continuing to support happypinaymommy.com

The post Where to buy Breast Milk Storage Containers in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Wondering where to buy breast pump in the Philippines? (Photo Credits)

If you need to express breast milk for when you are away from your baby, and you need to purchase a breast pump, then this post is for you.

I have compiled a list of shops – both online and physical – where you can purchase breast pumps.

So here is the list of some shops where you can buy breast pump in the Philippines:

1. Department Stores/Drug Stores/Malls – I would not generally encourage serious pumping mommas to purchase their breast pump from malls/drugstores/department stores as most of the pumps available there are not really for long-term use. By serious pumping mommas I mean those that are away from the baby from 8-10 hours at a time and would need to pump milk. I pumped milk for more than a year, and the electric one that I bought for Php5,000.00 at that time did not do its job well. Really sorry to say but these are just good for engorgement, or occasional pumping but not for totally emptying your breast, much less provide milk for your child and maintain your supply while you are away from your little one. You are better off learning hand-expression techniques from breastfeeding experts actually. The EXCEPTION to this is if you found trusted Breast Pump Name Brands like Ameda, Medela, and Lansinoh in your department store shelves. Now those brands you can buy and rely on. If I am not mistaken, you can check in Rustan’s.

2. The Parenting Emporium – They are the official retailer of Medela Breastfeeding Pumps in our country and they have a physical shop, as well as a website. Check it out here.

(Post Continued Below)

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Related Posts:

• Where to buy Hospital-Grade Pumps
• Where to buy Pumping-Friendly Office Clothes, Nursing-friendly gowns and cocktail dresses, and Breastfeeding friendly casual dresses and tops
• Where to buy Fabulous Nursing Bras
• Where to buy lovely insulated BM Cooler bags for pumping
• Where to buy Hands-free Pumping Bra
• Online shops that sell breastmilk Storage Containers
• Where to buy Reusable Ice Packs to Transport Breast milk
• Where to Buy or Order Lactation Cookies Locally
• Filipino Soup Recipes for Breastfeeding Mommies
• Where to buy washable breast pads
• 15 Breastfeeding Tips for New Mommies
• Pregnancy and Preparing for Breastfeeding
• All about Cloth Diapering

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3. BabymamaPH – If you are looking for great quality and not so expensive pumps that work well, then Babymama is the legitimate online shop where you can purchase breast pumps. If you are an office mom who would like to pump breastmilk for your little one while you are away, but you cannot afford the US brands, then those that are retailed by Babymama, are your best bet. Believe me because I purchased one from them many, many years ago and it helped me exclusively breastfeed my eldest even while I was away at work. It maintained my supply too, that I was able to nurse Achi until she was 4 ½ years old. More importantly, Mi’ann, the mommy behind BabyMamaPH, is very, very helpful. One time something went wrong with my pump, and she helped me ASAP by sending a courier to pick up the unit from my office, and loaning me a pump while my own is being repaired. If you will be needing parts, they have some on hand too, and can deliver it in an instant. So that is one exceptional customer service for you! They also carry hospital-grade pumps, AMEDA Breast pumps, and other breastfeeding accessories. Check out their website here.

4. Lazada – If you are looking to buy a back-up breast pump (hello power outages!) or some manual pumps for engorgement or occasional use, then beat the heavy traffic crisis and just shop over at Lazada. In fact they even have the Medela Manual Pump — buy it here. Here is also another Manual Pump — Avent — which you may want to check out here. This First Years Mi Pump is a single electric pump that you can use as a back-up for your full time pump. My mom sent me one like this before and it is OK to use as a back-up pump — plus we used breastflow bottles then. Here is a link to the site.

5. BabyOutletPH – They also carry breast pumps, usually the ones that you also see in department stores. Check out their website here.

6. BaoBao Babies – This Facebook Shop sells Unimom and Spectra breastpumps, that as I have mentioned, are a good alternative to the more expensive breast pumps. Check out their FB Page here.

7. Liquid Gold PH — They carry Unimom’s Manual and Electric Breast Pumps. Go to their FB Store here.

8. UPDATED September 03, 2016: Cudsly.com: Sells various breast pumps like single electric, manual, and even double electric pumps in brands such as First Years, Tommee Tippee, Horigen, Fisher Price, Playtex, and various models of Unimom. Check out their shopping website here. 

9. 8. UPDATED September 03, 2016: Shopee.ph: Check out this new online shopping and selling platform that gives discounts as ell as free shipping promos! As of last check there is a Medela Pump, Philips Avent Pumps, as well as other pump brands being sold by the sellers there. Download their mobile app or shop from their website here.

I am sure there are other shops where you can purchase breast pumps. I promise to update this post, as I discover more. I purposely did not include reselling sites like OLX because most of the breast pumps being sold there are second hand, and I know for a fact that it is not advisable to buy used breast pumps because the pumps that they sell have an open-system, therefore not for sharing or reuse by another mom even if you change the horns, tubing or what not.

Again, for the online stores, I included their links so that you could personally check on their current pricing and product availability.

If you are looking for a good book that can guide you through your pumping career, I recommend “The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk: Foreword by Martha Sears, RN,“ which you may buy here. For a little less than Php600.00 you will have this ebook to read on your mobile device on your own convenience.

If you have the time, hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with this video on breast pumps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIHpLAVsH8g

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/09/14/where-to-buy-fenugreek-for-breastfeeding-in-the-philippines/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post Where to Buy Breast Pump in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mom of the Week#2 is Janice Buenavista

Work-at-Home-Moms have their own reasons for choosing their current work arrangement.

Our second Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mom of the Week said, it was a combination of heavy traffic, and losing time with her little boy that pushed her to consider a home-based job.

As I have said I our pilot WAHM of the WEEK feature last week, this series of posts is meant to honor work at home moms who try hard to strike a balance between working from home and taking care of their family’s needs. It is also meant to inspire those who a still on the fence if they’d give working at home a try, that yes, working from home is feasible, ad that others are tired, but fulfilled and happy with the choice they made.
Again the series is not meant to sideline stay at home moms or work out of the home mommies. This is all just meant to promote positive motherhood vibes 

Introducing Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mom of the Week, Janice Buenavista, who works from home as a Virtual Assistant.

Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mommy of the week

Here are the excerpts of Happypinaymommy.com’s interview with Mommy Janice:

Happypinaymommy: When did you decide to be a WAHM?

Mommy Janice: I decided to become a WAHM three years ago when the commute from Cavite to Eastwood became longer and longer and even more painful to the heart (and to the wallet) because I work at night and sometimes during the holidays. I think the turning point was when I realized one day that I have been missing so much on my son’s “firsts” and development. Then I had nanny problems.

HPM: What made you decide to be one?

Mommy Janice: I was able to survive the agonizing travel for a year then a realization bit me and broke my heart as a mom. I was missing so much on my son’s “firsts” and development. I felt so guilty because I know that I can do better as a mom. So I started contemplating on working at home (I guess I love working and earning; personally I cannot afford to not earn an income for myself and for my family).
My husband was of course very supportive but he’d rather that I leave work only when I am to start with the new one right away. He is not the one to stop me from doing what I do best and love. So I made all the arrangements, put my plan into action and ended up with a home-based job that not only pays quite handsomely but also affords me with a well struck balance between my work and personal life.

(Post continued below)
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You may also want to read:

• Happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the WEEK #1: Jaclyn Elma Chua
• Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Income Opportunities for Pinay Mommies
• Legitimate ways to earn income from home
• A Busy Mom’s Guide to Daily Meal Preparations
• EDSA is Robbing me of Family Time
• A Busy Pinay Mom’s Guide to Getting Healthier Take-out Meals for the Family
• Where to buy Adult Coloring Books

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HPM: What is the greatest challenge of being a WAHM?

Mommy Janice: The most challenging part of being a WAHM is that I have to multitask and smart plan even more because I don’t have a helper and we feel that it is not necessary to hire one. When I was single, doing all the cooking and other household chores seemed simple but doing it for other people also is just insane. I admit there are times when I get cranky but when I see my little one I realize in the end that I do what I do for him, so I can be with him everyday and every night, 24/7 even on holidays.

HPM: Who inspires you?

Mommy Janice: I sacrifice a lot everyday like sleep, alone time etc. But it is very rewarding. Being able to be the first one to know what your child is doing is priceless. Seeing your little one grow knowing that he feels secure because his mom is with him is immeasurable happiness. I guess it is a mother’s ultimate goal to become hands on when it comes to nurturing her child

Mommy Janice’s #EverydayWithDavin Moments.

HPM: How does your husband support you?

Mommy Janice: my husband shows his support by trying his best to help me with the dishes..does his best not to wake me when I am asleep and supports me with what will make me feel good about myself. Right now we are both working from home so my son is over the top happy and inspired.

HPM: What is the best part of working at home:

Mommy Janice: Working from home has s lot of perks actually. I was able to discover the inner chef in me that I didn’t realize was there. Looking back, I wonder why I didn’t take Culinary Arts. Had I known I’m into food and pastries I would have chosen a different path in college LOL! I am also able to grow my small herb garden, which was another discovery of myself that unfolded only when I became a SAHM/WAHM.

HPM: What is your advice for moms who want to give working from home a try?

Mommy Janice: Do I encourage other Mommies to be a SAHM/WAHM? Yes absolutely. The journey is not easy but what you unravel along the way is priceless. I lost some part of myself before becoming what I am now, in the end those were not essential when it comes to raising my son myself and personally tending for my family’s needs. I can say that I go to bed TIRED but definitely OVERJOYED.

For moms who are contemplating to work-from-home, we asked Mommy Janice to share with us her schedule:

“I sometimes work wearing my PJ’s” says Mommy Janice.

DAILY WORK: “I work at night so pretty much the action is during the day and during the weekends. Meal preparation is what takes so much time so on a weekend I try to prep as much as I can. I plan our meals for the week, prepare the grocery list from there plus our daily consumables and stocks like the toiletries, Davin’s baon for school, snack time munchies, etc. I usually do the groceries on a Sunday morning.

“Here’s how a typical week looks like for me:

Sunday Morning (6-9 am) Wash dishes from the night before Prepare a quick breakfast Market/Groceries be back before 9 am. Unpack the groceries and prep my meal ingredients according to recipe. Have breakfast. Prepare for church.

Church service is at 10AM to 1PM including lunch with church members.
1-2pm head home and rest
2pm-5pm start at least half of the laundry while prepping our meals for the week like marinating the meat, chopping veggies, etc. And prepare dinner
5 – 6:30pm check Davin’s homework, and bonding until dinner.
6:30 -7:30 pm Dinner, TV time
7:40pm: Usual bedtime for me and Davin (sometimes it’s just me already dozing off at this hour)
MONDAYS ONWARDS
7am prepare 2 meals for the day. Since there’s only 3 of us and it’s quite hard to cook for only three people, our breakfast meal is also our lunch or our lunch becomes dinner or our dinner become breakfast.
9am start with the remaining laundry. At this time Davin is being prepped by his Dad for school.
10.30am. Davin leaves for school and it’s Mom & Dad time or just Mom time as I will be either doing some gardening or baking or cleaning or sleeping again until 1pm
1pm -2.30 Wash the dishes from, finish off the laundry.
2.30pm Davin arrives from school/lunch
3pm Homework with Davin/ fold the laundry
3.30pm I go to sleep until it’s time for work at 11pm. Daddy takes care of dinner and making sure Davin is fed. When I wake up at 11pm Davin is already snoring.
11pm to 7.30am I work as a virtual asst.
I try to zip in a little cleaning like dusting off the shelves or wiping the tv clean. We don’t have a lot of stuff at home so pretty much it is only the bathroom and kitchen that needs to be cleaned at least once a week and the bedrooms at least twice per month.
In any day of the week we take a stroll in the mall or eat out.
****
So there you have it. Hope you have somehow been inspired on how Mommy Janice makes working from home work for her and her little family. Let us know if you have any questions. Feel free to head on over at my Facebook Page and leave me a message. Please hit the like button too so you could receive updates from Happypinaymomy.com directly on your newsfeed.

Thank you and if there is a work at home mom you’d like me to feature as WAHM of the WEEK, let me know by leaving a message in my FB Page.

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with a cute video on Working from Home:

Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Job Opportunities for Filipino Mothers

The post Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mom of the Week #2: Janice Buenavista appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Job Opportunities for Filipino Mothers. (Photo Credits)

The Digital Age has given moms a lot of options in helping augment the family budget. In fact some even provide full-time income from home-based online jobs.

For those of you ladies, who are wondering where you can get a Legitimate online gig that will help you earn extra money for savings, vacations, hobbies, buy additional handmade cloth diapers, or  a full-time income help put food in the table while having more time for the kids, and avoiding the huge family time suck that is EDSA then this post is for you. I earlier wrote a post on legitimate ways to earn money from home (read it here in case you missed it), but this post, is more focused on online-based jobs.

If you have a reliable internet connection at home plus a desktop or a laptop computer that is fairly new then yes you may want to consider online based jobs that will help you earn money from home. Just bear in mind that online and home-based jobs — like any other job opportunity in the world– require time and effort for you to gain income. Of course if you will not put in enough hours or turn-in quality work then you will not earn enough. As i have read before from one of the bloggers that I idolize, “you cannot expect a full-time income from a part-time effort.”

Anyway, here is a list of some Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Job Opportunities for Filipino Mothers

1. Essays.ph — if you have a penchant for writing then why not turn your writings into cash? This website will give you a lot of writing topics to choose from, and although there are deadlines most are not too tight that you can still do some home chores or take care of the kids in between. What is nice about this site is they can even deposit your earnings through your G-Cash account if in case you do not have a savings account. They can also remit your income via LBC if i am not mistaken. Check out their website here.

2. MyOutdesk.Com — If you have worked in the BPO industry before and have no trouble in doing the graveyard shift then you may just find a job here that could earn you substantial income to help out in your grocery bills plus some utility bills to boot. You can either be a virtual assistant or an appointment setter. If you go beyond six months of working for them, they will provide you with employee benefits such as company-paid HMO, and the like. Check out their website here.

(Post Continued Below)
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Related Posts:

• Legitimate ways to earn income from home
• EDSA is robbing me of Family Time
• What Pinay moms can do while stuck in EDSA traffic
• Club 501
• Where to buy adult coloring books
• Requirements for a single parent ID
• A busy mom’s guide in buying healthier take out food

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3. Upwork.com — this is Elance and Odesk combined. You will find a lot of online gigs here like writing, online tutorial, web design, virtual assistance etc from clients from arount the world. They have project based jobs, as well as hourly gigs. Upwork guarantees your online salary for hourly jobs so you will not be tricked into working for nothing. Check out their website here.

4. Fiverr — this site is best for logo designers, writers etc. Your portfolio will speak for you. check out their site here.

5. Sankeienglish.com — if you have the patience to be an English tutor (and the silent moments to boot) then this is the home based gig for you. You get to teach Japanese students via Skype. Check out their website here to know how to apply.

5. UPDATED JUNE 26, 2016: Onlinejobs.ph — I have met a lot of work from home moms who have found legitimate gigs through this website and most of them work fulltime! it is easy and safe because they offer protection both for job seekers and those looking for online workers. There are opportunities for webmasters, virtual assistants, graphic designers, programmers, writers, wordpress experts, and social media experts! Create your free account here.

6. UPDATED JUNE 26, 2016: 51 Talk — For those who have the patience and ability to teach English, this is the work from home platform for you! i have met real moms who rely on 51 Talk to help in their monthly financial requirements. They offer Full time opportunities for those wanting to be home-based online English teachers. Head on to their site here. 

So there you have it. I am sure there are other websites that provide legitimate home-based earning opportunities but these are the ones that have great feed backs from people i personally know.

If you do not have a laptop or desktop or stable internet connection that could comply to the requirements of these websites, then why not find other legitimate ways to earn money from home.

Hope you could drop by my Facebook page and hit the like button so you could receive happypinaymommy.com updates straight from your newsfeed.

Thank you and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Leaving you with a video on tips on how to find a job in Upwork:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnmE0OH4UFE

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/09/08/a-busy-moms-guide-to-healthy-take-out-food-options-in-the-philippines/

The post Legitimate Websites that Provide Online Job Opportunities for Filipino Mothers appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Healthy Take-Out Food Options in The Philippines. (Photo Credits)

We have all been there. Not enough time to cook lunch or dinner because of errands that took longer than expected, overtime work or work commitments, heavy traffic.

We either resort to food delivery service or if we are out, grab take out. But we all know that fastfood is not the healthiest of options although most of our kids wouldn’t bat an eyelash if asked if they’d want pizza or chicken for dinner.

So what are our other options?

Here are some Healthy Take-out Food Options in the Philippines, that busy moms can choose from:

1. Pixie’s Sinugba — of course do not get the liempo! achi super super likes the inihaw na boneless bangus with tomatoes and onions. She can even finish half of the jumbo size in one sitting! You can get a big one for P220.00. They also have tilapia and squid that’s grilled. Check out their branches here. What is good about this is that you can just drive by the curb and hand signal your order to the store staff and they’d bring it to your car a la drive thru.Here’s where you can check out their branch locations.

2.  Arny and Dading’s — they are not just known for the yummy pichi pichi with cheese. They have to-die-for embutido and relleno. As in fiesta sa bahay ni hermana mayor levels. Their stalls are also usually by the curb so you wouldn’t have a hard time driving by. Check out their FB page to find out where their locations are.

(Post continued below)
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You may also want to read:

• A Busy Mom’s Guide to Daily Meal Preparation
• Happypinaymommy.com’s weekly meal plan
• EDSA is Robbing me of my Family Time
• Things a pinay mommy can do while stuck in traffic
• 10 meals in 20 minutes
• Cloth Diapering in the Philippines

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3. Chooks to Go — or any other clean and reputable lechon manok place. I was supposed to say rotisserie in groceries but you would have to g all the way inside the supermarket just to get one. I am ok with Andok’s too. The only downside to Chooks to Go is that they don’t give a lot of Lechon sauce and theirs is not as juicy as our mainstream lechon manok stalls. BUT I am recommending it here though because cleanliness-wise and service- wise i think they are better, and if it is gonnna be our kids who will be eating then we might as well put premium on that especially not that food poisoning is rampant (i wrote an entry on avoiding food poisoning here) Anyway, here’s a link to their FB Page.

4. Lola Idang’s Bahay Pancitan. Yes they do not just serve yummy pancit malabon, they have short order yummy lutong bahay-level ulams that you can just pick up. Call them for advance orders and let them know what time you’ll pick it up. They have yummy sinigang na salmon belly, kare kare, lumpia, tokwat baboy, all-day breakfast, dinuguan, and veggie ulams. Since this is a post on healthier food alternatives, I wont mention anymore that they have one of the best-tasting and cheapest crispy binagoongan Ive tasted. Super affordable promise. Here’s a link to their FB Page.

5. Amber’s — this one is a staple in office bday and promotion treats but you can stop by or call in advance for chopsuey, barbecue and fish fillet. They have great tasting pichi pichi as well. Check out their vast menu here.

So there you have it. Hope i gave you an idea on what to grab when you are pressed for time to cook. No need to feel guilty because these are clean, great tasting, and is not too bad for the health.

If you are looking for a book guide on eating out healthy, i reco you get this e-book “How to eat healthy take out.” For less that 3USD you get this guide to healthier eating. Get it here.

Thank you and hope you could stop by my FB page and hit the like button so you could get happypinaymommy.com updates straight from your newsfeed.

A happy homemaker is a happy pinay mommy!

Leaving you with this video on healthy eating out of the home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK2rFsshQ1s
https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/09/07/where-to-buy-adult-coloring-books-in-the-philippines/

*this post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post A Busy Mom’s guide to Healthy Take-out Food Options in the Philippines appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mommy of the Week #1 is Mommy Jaclyn Elma Chua of Myook Butts Cloth Diapers. (All photos have been published with the permission Mommy Jaclyn)

Being a mom is such a happy but hard work. If you combine trying to help in augmenting the family budget, then the mommying gets all the more challenging.

I have decided to write a series of posts to honor Work at Home Moms (WAHMs) who combine mothering and earning an income. This is also meant to inspire those that are still on the fence about working from home, that yes it can be done, and a lot of moms are successful in doing it. This is not exclusive for the WAHMs of the Cloth Diapering World, as we will also be featuring work-at-home-moms with various lines of work such as those who do virtual assistance, online tutorials, bake pastries, own shops whether online or brick and mortar, etc. This also not meant to sideline stay at home moms, or work-outside-the-home-moms. This is just spreading positive mothering vibes. We are all in one team remember?

Anyway, this will be a weekly thing, and for our pilot post, allow me to introduce you to our WAHM of the Week, Ms. Jaclyn Elma Chua, the mommy behind Myook Butts Cloth Diapers.

Let’s peek into Mommy Jaclyn’s WAHM life, through excerpts of our interview:

Happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the WEEK is Mommy Jaclyn Elma Chua. Photo Shows Mommy Jaclyn with her family.

Happy Pinay Mommy: When did you decide to be a WAHM?

Mommy Jaclyn: “I already started working at home while I was pregnant last 2013 because I had a complicated pregnancy that required me to be on bed rest. So, in a way, I became a WAHM as soon as I gave birth. Myook Butts started around April 2014 but I was selling (on and off) hand sewn crafts on Etsy as far back as 2008.”

HPM: What made you decide to Work at Home?

Mommy Jaclyn: “It was quite a natural decision for us, my husband and I never hired any help since we were married, so it was natural for me to stay at home to take care of the baby. Work is an outlet so I still feel productive and creative even if I’m staying at home. Starting my own business is somewhat another easy decision because it allowed me to control my timings and priorities as I deem necessary.”

(Post continued below)

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You may also want to read:

• EDSA is Robbing me of Family Time
• A Busy Mom’s Guide to Daily Meal Preparations
• Where to Buy Cloth Diaper Sewing Supplies in Manila
• Filipino Soup Recipes for Breastfeeding Mommies
• Four Household Products that you need in Your Hospital Bag
• How to make your own baby-safe insect repellent
• Cloth Diapering Tips for Condo Families

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HPM: What is the greatest challenge you have faced in relation to being a WAHM?

Mommy Jaclyn: “Greatest challenge would be addressing mistakes that I made along the way (wrong fabric types, materials, sewing style, etc), but I’m really lucky and thankful that my mommy customers have been very forgiving and accommodating to my mistakes. They were willing to listen to my explanation and were open to give me another chance to improve on my products. This is the reason I am still making nappies until now. I would have been disheartened if fate had handed me a different set of mommy customers.

Another great challenge that I think all artists/crafters encounter is being copied. I used to be really bothered whenever I see copies of my style being done. I personally do a lot of research and experiments to make my products unique, so it really hurt to see some of my original ideas and styles being copied without permission. Now I’ve learned to let go of the negativity and just focus on improving my own brand.”

One of Mommy Jaclyn’s latest doodle designs. Hunger Games-inspired Lovestruck Baker Boy.

HPM: What advice can you give to those who may want to become a WAHM?

Mommy Jaclyn: “Being a WAHM is not easy because you will need to push yourself (you’re your own boss), but being able to spend time a lot of time with your kid/s while still earning on the side is awesome. You need to be highly motivated; if you’re lazy, your income or non-income will reflect it.”

Myook Butts’ Doodle Harry HF. According to Mommy Jaclyn, this is her first time to get her doodles made into a nappy design. “I have a habit of doodling random things on my phone; this is an accidental design because I really wasn’t planning to have it made into a nappy.”

HPM: Who inspires you?

Mommy Jaclyn: “My husband and son inspires me to do better every day.”

HPM: How does your husband/partner support you?

Mommy Jaclyn: “My husband is very supportive; he’s my investor and number one fan. (He also helps me cut and snap sometimes!) He said that I should be doing what makes me happy and was also the one who encouraged me to quit my day job when I was complaining about work every day. He believes that people should be doing work that makes them feel happy and positive.”

When asked what was her favorite among all the nappies she made, she said this:

Mommy Jaclyn on her GCDC HF. “I made this for the GCDC 2015 event and got license from RDA to use their logo on the nappy. These are Myook Butts exclusive, individually numbered, limited edition nappies.”

We also interviewed some of Mommy Jaclyn’s Loyal Clients. Mommy Clarisse Kay is a self-confessed Myook Butts Fan who has no qualms in waiting in line for months and months just to get hold of a Myook Butts HF “I’m an avid fan of Myook because I love her original doodles, her craftsmanship and because the soakers last considerably longer than other HFs in our stash. Also, Mommy Jac is one of the nicest WAHMs I know. She is very accommodating, warm and generous (she gave us free soakers and cloth bags!)”

Mommy Clarisse on Myook Butts: “I stalked the Watawat stocking for over an hour on my phone over crappy internet while nursing my LO because I knew only one Watawat would be put up for sale” Photo #2: Little Carmelo wearing Baker Boy doodle nappy “Got this thru the wait-list din.” Mommy Clarisse’s Stash are LE’s of Myook Butts.

Another Myook Butts avid fan is Mommy Cheng Dajalos. She says: “I got our Batibot HF from their Stocking 3.0 in September 2014. It was love at first sight when I received it! And it fitted well on my then six-month old little man. B was–and still is–on the lean side and the few HFs we had looked really bulky on him. But not this one. The rest was history. I believe I got something from each of Myook Butts’ stockings since then. Stalker mode talaga.”

This is the first time Mommy Cheng’s Little One wore his Batibot HF from Myook Butts

Mommy Cheng added “Performance-wise, I did not have any issues with it. We use HFs as nap time nappies, including our MB’s. That means nappies on baby’s bum between 2 and 4 hours. Never had leaks with them. And for the record, MB soakers are by far the longest among the HF brands that we have. (We have a few, all local WAHMs.) Another thing that I love about our Myook Butts HFs is that most of them are original prints created by mommy Jac herself: Batibot, Doodle Harry, Watawat, Peeta and Kumaw. I plan to collect them all and they will definitely be part of our permastash!”

Mommy Cheng’s Myook Butts stash. “Still waiting for our GCDC nappy and I have just ordered for the other 2 MB original prints (Peeta and Kumaw) to complete our collection”

Another hard-core Myook Butts Fan is Mommy Nickie Lemen-Dahingo. “I am a self-confessed potterhead. Super huge fan! My dream is to have a harry potter print nappy that is from an awesome WAHM. I viewed the (Myook Butts Cloth Diapers) albums of previous stockings and when I saw the famous DOODLE HARRY I fell head over heels with it. It was my unicorn! I told myself I really need to have my hands on that nappy! I patiently waited for the next stocking and when stocking 6.0 was announced I immediately checked on the prints. Sad to say Doodle Harry was not part of the stocking but the Mexican Woven Cotton Blanket (which incidentally fits) baby Gavin’s birthday’s theme. Sad to say though I wasn’t able to get the slot, but I sent a message to Mommy Jaclyn and told her about Gavin’s Birthday theme. She did not promise anything, but she did say that she will sew something for us – two weeks later she sent me a photo of the HF and the rest was history.”

Mommy Nickie’s Little Gavin at his pre-birthday photoshoot. With pride Mommy Nickie said that her baby Gavin is wearing “the first and one and only MB Mexican Woven Cotton Blanket On the bum.” Mommy Nickie said she also appreciates a lot, the handwritten notes of Mommy Jaclyn.

When asked what Mommy Nickie likes most about Myook Butts, this is what she had to say: “What I love about MB is the quality of the nappy and its UNIQUENESS. Honestly I compared MB to the other Hybrid Fitted nappies that we have that was made by other WAHMs and it is the only nappy that has a very fluffy and soft inner lining and insert. I am really amazed on how soft it is! The first time we got the nappy I literally buried my face inside the nappy! Its quality is at par to an expensive and well known nappy made also by a WAHM in the US. We tried to use it as an overnight nappy no leaks for 8 hours! Mommy Jac is one of the WAHMs that I truly love! Soooo generous, very humble and kind hearted! I really fell head over heels with MB and so I have heaps in line as pre ordered and on waitlist. My unicorn Doodle Harry Hybrid Fitted with matching Doodle Harry Tula Carrier hood and drool pads is currently being sewn by Mommy Jac and will come home on October!”

Mommy Nickie relates the story behind the matching HF and Dribble bib: “Gavin at 12months and 1 week wearing his favourite dribble bib given as a birthday gift by Mommy Jac.” Photos on the right side are taken during Gavin’s Pre-Birthday Photo Shoot.

So there you have it, that wraps up our pilot edition of happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the week. If you have a WAHM in mind that you wanna be featured, please drop by my Facebook page and leave me a message, and please hit the like button too.

Till Next Post!

Leaving you with this video on scheduling for Work at Home Moms:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/09/02/quick-and-easy-ways-to-clean-and-disinfect-toys/

The post Happypinaymommy.com’s Work-at-Home-Mommy of the Week #1 appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Happy Pinay Mommy Weekly Meal Plan August 31, 2015. (Photo Credits)

Hi ladies!!!

It is a Friday once again and as committed to all of you, i will be helping you with deciding your meals for the upcoming week through our weekly meal plan that i will endeavor to publish on a Friday in time for your weekend grocery shopping or market duties.

So here it is, the Happy Pinay Mommy Weekly Meal Plan for the week of August 31 to September 6.

Happy Pinay Mommy Weekly Meal Plan for August 31, 2015

I have included this week some of the recipes that i have discussed in the previous post specifically ones from the Seven Recipes UnderP100.00, Pasta dishes the kids will love, and Filipino Fish Dishes even your Meat-Loving kid will like.

(Post continued below)
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You may also want to read:

• Past Weekly Meal Plans
• Seven Filipino recipes under P100.00
• Fish Recipes even your meat loving kids will like
• Pasta Dishes the Kids will Enjoy
• Filipino Soup Recipes for Breastfeeding Mommies
• How to Avoid Food Poisoning at Home

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If you will notice, we continue on serving left-overs for dinner as well as easy breakfasts on crazy Monday mornings. This is again to save on time and money — MOMS ARE BUSY!!!

I have also made Sunday extra special with an Arroz Caldo with Egg breakfast. This is really not hard to cook especially on a Sunday. Beef Tacos is a happy family meal for me which brings back fun childhood memories. My mom makes mean tacos!!! Super yummy. An ice cream meryenda will not hurt too!!!

So print out the entire meal plan, or choose meals which your family will fancy and draft that grocery list! It is a payday long weekend so expect promos and sales in the supermarket and take advantage of those.

If you want to generate your own meal plans check out this Meal Plan Kit , that is very helpful.

Happy Long Weekend Mommies!

Leaving you with a video of one of my favorite chefs, Chef Boy Logro cooking my craving du jour! Crispy Pork Spare Ribs! So Sinful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghOw9SFxCnI

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/08/24/us-visa-requirements-for-babies-in-the-philippines/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting happypinaymommy.com

The post Happy Pinay Mommy Weekly Meal Plan for August 31, 2015 appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Stuck in EDSA Traffic? You can still be productive, mommy. (Photo Credits)

Being stuck in traffic is one of the worst timesucks ever, and we all know that. I remember this facebook post i read that the best solution to EDSA traffic is to have everyone go through this traffic monster of a highway using a Zip Line. Anyway, not to be whiny or nega, but in our country, either you are stuck in heavy traffic, or stuck in the MRT queue, unless of course you have given up and you are now just working from home.

Believe me, whether you belong to Club 501 or not, most working mothers believe EDSA is robbing families of quality time. Anyway, since the solution to this is out of our hand (unless we move to a new home within walking distance to our place of work), we just have to bite the bullet and wait the heavy traffic out.

So what’s a mom to do during those idle minutes (or hours) while stuck in EDSA Traffic? And when all you can do is to watch people, stare at your smartphone, or listen to music? As a Pinay Mommy be productive during these wait times?

Here are 12 things to do while stuck in EDSA traffic or any heavy traffic location for that matter:

1. Update you things to do. For it to be more manageable, group it into tasks that are urgent, needed soon, and those that can wait.

2. Map out your meal plan for the coming week. Use the wait time to think of the meals you would like to prepare for the week to come. You can just make the list on your smartphone’s notepad, use your app if you are into that, or better yet, check these past meal plans that I come up with on a weekly basis and edit as you deem fit. If you have a data plan, or internet connectivity then why not research on recipes you may want to try.

3. Running Grocery List. List down the things you may need to buy from the grocery so that you can easily incorporate it into the weekly ones that you use during your supermarket trips.

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You may also want to read:

• EDSA Is Robbing me of Family Time
• What to do when yaya permanently leaves?
• Chores your Pre-schooler can do
• How to earn legitimately from home
• How to save on grocery shopping

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4. Delete videos and photos to make more space on your phone. This is one of my happy problems, I find it hard to delete photos. But since I make it a point to back up all the time, I can now freely delete the videos of my little singing diva, as well as her you tube tutorials.

5. Send the text message you have been meaning to send. Are you supposed to send an SMS to someone but keep on forgetting about it? Now is the time to send that text message because at least you ware free to reply as soon as he or she responds.

6. Keep tabs with friends and family. Send a sweet message to a friend or family member you have been out of touch lately. Messages like these brighten up someone’s day, and in turn makes you feel reconnected.

7. Make photo collages that you can send to your significant other. If you are expecting sweetness from your partner, you should not hesitate to send some his way too! And this one, out of the blue.

8. Sell things you no longer need. Do you have excess stuff in the house you want to get rid of? Why not create an account over at OLX or any similar website, and post those items! T is like hitting three birds in one stone: you get to declutter, create space, and at the same time, make money.

9. Online shopping. Or even online ‘window’ shopping. A tip to those who may not want to make the purchases, most online shopping sites have wish lists – put them there! Of course no one prevents you as well from doing serious shopping – drugstore pre-orders, dry goods/electronics and what have yous at Lazada, OLX, and other sites. It is all there!

10. Pay your bills. If you are in the comfort of your own car, then do your banking errands while you are stuck in traffic. Pay those bills you need to pay, transfer the funds you need to transfer, and load those prepaid mobile accounts of family members that need reloading.

11. Send that customer service email you have been wanting to send. Do you have any CS concern? Email it now! Or better yet troop to the company’s FB page and send them a message about your concern. On a positive note, you may also want to give them recognition if they have been doing great to keep that positive vibes rolling.

12. Food Service. Running late to prep for dinner and lunch? Call for food delivery service 20-30 minutes or so before you arrive. As they say, ‘kapit sa patalim’ narin tayong mga mommies minsan when the traffic situations gets the best of us.

Let us not allow the traffic situation to stress us out further mommies

Let’ beat the stress by trying to be productive or enjoy what could just be idle time.

You may want to check out this funny mom and baby video to destress a little bit:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/08/05/ongoing-cloth-diaper-sales-and-promos-in-the-philippines-part-1/

The post What Can a Pinay Mommy do while stuck in EDSA traffic? appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.