How To Deal: iPads

Technology is something that we all can't seem to get enough of nowadays. We see tons of people - if not all - engrossed with what's displayed on their mobile phones, tablets, laptops, what-have-yous everywhere we go. Not that it's a bad thing - at least for me - but sometimes it looks...wrong, especially if you see kids stare at the games they're playing on their iPads instead of running around with other kids.

My daughter is not much of a people-person, which is totally fine for me since I, myself, isn't one. Given that, she always ALWAYS have her (my) iPad with her. She can't even eat without it. I don't really have a problem with it; it's just that there are times when I feel kind of 'shy' having people see her like that when we're in restaurants so my question is this:

How do you deal with your children and their gadgets, in general?

Like, do you reprimand them for spending 70% of the time with their tablets or do you just let them do their own thing? I know a lot of parents have this problem and most, probably, have the same dilemma I have. We all need solutions for this, people!

How To Deal: Tinkling on the Bed

Brianna is at that age when she doesn't have to wear diapers anymore. I am one proud mom, hearing her say that she needs to peepee or do number 2 and go to the toilet instead of just doing it anywhere right when she feels it coming. But alongside this milestone is a problem...tinkling on the bed. So here's my question for the week:

How do you deal with kids tinkling on the bed in the middle of the night?

Not that Brianna does this every night but she does every once in a while even though I make her go before she sleeps. I want to end it altogether so I don't get all weepy over newly-changed sheets in the middle of the night.

So, do you have any tips for me, mommies?

How To Deal: Afternoon Naps

Laro tayo ng tulug-tulugan!

Christmas break is upon us which only means one thing for Brianna and I: Afternoon naps. This is one of the few things Brianna and I disagree on at this point of our lives. I don't know how to make her sleep when all she wants to do is play with our neighbors. I usually lose my cool when we've been lying on the bed for an hour and she still hasn't slept a wink.

My question for today is this:

How do you deal with afternoon naps with your kids?

There are some parents who don't make their children take a nap in their afternoon while some goes through a very stressful ritual every afternoon with their kids. What's you take on this topic? Do you have some tips on how to do it or some advise to 'strict' parents who enforces this to their kids like some kind of law in their homes?

For me, I ask her to take an afternoon nap as often as possible but whenever we're out, I just let her sleep earlier during nighttime. But, as I've mentioned, once a month, I lose my cool if she takes too long to sleep (PMS y'all). On a normal day, though, I'm pretty cool. :p

How To Deal: Kids that throw tantrums

I admit, I have a lot to learn about motherhood and parenting. I've gone a long, long way from that 22-year-old young mom who can't even carry a small baby without wincing before she settles into breastfeeding position but I am so so sooooooooo far from being a perfect mom. There's always a lot to learn, especially when you're trying to raise a child so I am opening an avenue for moms to share their thoughts, tips, and tricks on some parenting issues that we all have.

I want to kick this section of the blog off by asking this question:

How do you deal with your kids when they throw tantrums?

I see a lot of kids throwing tantrums in public, most especially in toy stores. Even my precious Brianna has her moments. It usually gets annoyed stares from everyone else but a part of me thinks that these people don't know how hard it is to pacify a kid who seems to be on a crying spree.

My approach to this is to talk to Brianna beforehand. Let's say we're going to the toy store. A conversation like this usually takes place while I give her a bath.

Me: Honey, we're going to Toy Kingdom later ah pero we're not buying any toys.
Brianna: Okay Mommy. Pwede play?
Me: Play lang pwede.

When we get to the mall, I remind her constantly - like, every 10 minutes. If my mom did that to me, I would've lost my mind - that we're not there to buy toys and usually that does it for her.

Now, if that doesn't work, I give her a timeout. When we're at home, it's usually in a corner. When we're out, I carry her and whisper things to her like how it's not something she should be crying about, etc.

I'm pretty lucky that's all it takes for her to calm down - well, that, and the tiger look which I swear, scares the beejesus out of her - but I would want to know how other parents do it so maybe I can tweak my approach a bit for it to be more effective...or so that I can prevent it to happen altogether.