Precious to Me: Tequila Joe's *blast from the past*

Do you remember Tequila Joe's? No, not the one in Glorietta 4... the one on the corner of Kalayaan and Makati Avenue? I do. I've only ever had dinner there once... but it will always bring back good memories.  It was the first restaurant DH and I ate at... on a first "date" (if you can call it that!). It was Thanksgiving Day, in 1998. I had squid ink pasta; I was more concerned about having a great meal, than impressing my date! Look where we are now though... I cannot believe it's been 13 years. Definitely something to be thankful about.

K's Point of View: It's hot

Part 2 of the transportation series:

While reading a Dora book with a hot air balloon...

Me: K, would you like to ride a hot air balloon?
K: No.
Me: Why?
K: Because it's hot (eh).

Giving Feedback... to your Child

I just attended a two-day management training on managing staff at work - and one of the topics was on giving feedback to your team members. I learned the SBI technique of giving feedback - especially for those times when the team member has done something that's more negative than positive. The SBI technique is using the following steps to frame and analyze the situation:

1. S - Describe the Situation
2. B - Identify the Behavior
3. I - Explain the Impact

This got me thinking about other ways to use the technique. One can use it in the work place, in a social environment, or even at home. It then hit me that I have been using the SBI technique to talk to K whenever she exhibits naughty (I prefer to use the word "naughty" over "bad") behavior. Although K is only 2 1/2, I believe she understand a lot more than she lets on - and so I've been treating her more like a bigger kid than the toddler that she is.

Recently, she took her cousin's bubble toy and did not want to return it, claiming it was hers. As it was starting to become a heated argument between a 2 year old and a 3 year old --- an argument that is sure to end in the meltdown of at least 1 child --- I stepped in, pulled out K, and started talking to her.

1. S - I explained to K that the toy was her cousin's and that she had her own bubble toy.
2. B - I told her that she took the toy from her cousin, and did not want to share.
3. I - I then told her that her cousin now feels sad, because she had no toy. She will also probably not want to play with K anymore if K does not share the toy with her.

I had to repeat this several times, while K kept insisting the toy was hers, very close to tears. This took all of ten minutes, until she calmed down. When I saw she had calmed down, I asked her again to return the toy to her cousin. She slowly returned the toy to her cousin. I thanked her for returning the toy to her cousin. I was happy that I somehow got through to her - and I hope that the through constant repetition of this type of "feedback" - we will avoid harsher punishments/reprimands.

How do you talk to your child about naughty behavior?

Precious to Me: Fast Asleep

They say never spoil a newborn with too much hugging and carrying. How can you resist though? They grow up so fast - and they are this small only once. This picture is of baby S sleeping on my chest, barely one month old.

K's Point of View: High up there

K has been learning about different kinds of transportation in toddler class. Hence, I've been pointing out cars, trains, buses, motorcycles, etc. to her. On a recent car trip out - the MRT passed in front of us so I pointed it out to her.

Me: Look K, it's a train!

K: Wow.

Me: Would you like to ride the train?

K: No.

Me: Why? It's nice and fast...

K: (Looking up at the rails) It's high up there eh! I can't go up.

Mommy forgot to show her the stairs.