What's in 30 minutes? #betterme #hp

One rare Wednesday morning, I got to spend a few hours with these fabulous ladies, and got myself a brand new Hewlett Packard printer - all because we (especially Coach Pia and HP who dedicated their careers to this) are all in the pursuit of a "better me."

In this session, Coach Pia talks about building our children's self esteem... but one thing really struck me from the session, and that realization actually won me a printer!

My own HP3545! Spot my winning piece.

 

Coach Pia says spend 30 minutes each day with your child, doing what they love. This came at a very opportune time. I had just been asked recently, "how much time in a day do you need to spend with your kids to say it's enough?"

I try to spend time with my kids every day doing some kind of activity they enjoy. I've always felt obliged to do that given the 10-12 hours each day that I spend away from them. The activities, although they are meant for them, are usually enjoyable for me too. I look forward to these times... perhaps as much as my kids do. I know they also enjoy it too because the last things they would tell me in the morning, before I leave for work are instructions on what we will do later "tonight."

Coloring is always a favorite activity.

Any kind of art activity is actually welcome for my girls....

Who didn't grow up playing "bahay-bahayan?"

When I am particularly tired, we opt for reading.

It seems like such a simple instruction, but I bet you, a lot of mommies out there are guilty of NOT doing this. Especially for working moms like me. For me it boils down to just 1 hour a day but still so difficult to fulfill. I cheat a lot... How? Here's some of the things I try to do. If you can help it, don't copy me! But if you're like me - who has a hundred and ten things running through your mind all the time, these may help!

1. Split up the time. I spend a little time with my kids in the morning before I leave for work. The most complicated activity we could do, though, is to read a book. Most of the time, it would just be random talking. In the evenings, I spend a longer time with them with more planned activities.

2. If they really love an activity, maybe you can multitask. My daughters love playing inside my closet. They pretend it's their house or it's their spaceship. It really helps to "spend time" with them while I get ready for work. They shout out to me while playing but are usually too preoccupied by the entire thing to even mind me. Most people would say, though, when it comes to your kids, DO NOT multitask. I warned you!

3. Sometimes, they just want to watch you. When my eldest daughter wakes up and sees I am all dressed up for work, she would feel sad. She likes watching me get ready, and considers it part of her morning routine. When I am around, my daughters like to be around me. I guess just sharing and breathing the same air is considered time together too.

4. Combine the time. If you have multiple kids, 30 minutes each day can be a challenge. Most people today have between 1 to 3, I think that's manageable. But what about those who have 4? I know someone who has 10! Yep, it's a full time job. My kids don't always want to do the same thing. That means, I have to split up. Just as long as their activities do not require me to be in two places at the same time, I usually manage. It helps (a little) that at this stage, my little one is still a little copycat. She wants to do everything that her sister does. As they get older, this could become a challenge. So... I try to enjoy it while it lasts.

5. Use gadgets and technology. And I don't mean your smartphone or tablet. I'm sure moms all over the world cheered the invention of the rice cooker, the slow cooker, the microwave oven, the vacuum cleaner... Anything that would make doing chores easier. I remember when I had to do reports using Wordstar and print using a dot matrix printer. Everything took so much time! That need not be the case today.

The last point above is one of the many reasons why HP had teamed up with Coach Pia, to talk about a "better me." It's also what motivates them to market the printer for the home, and to moms. Yes, to moms. You don't know it yet but the printer will become one of your best gadget allies when your kids become school aged. If you don't believe me, check out this video. 

Although it's a dad who is on the video... it could very well be you or me. I even see myself in the shoes of the child. I remember long nights... Waiting for the dot matrix to print. And it always managed to conk out when the report is due the next day.

With HP printers, this need not be the case! The printer I won, the HP3545, is the most basic of the printers in "printable capable" line. But basic does not mean basic in HP's terms... Their basic is actually pretty awesome compared to most other printers. Some of the features that I am most impressed about are:

1. HP Wireless Printing. Just the other day, I had to print two vouchers from Deal Grocer. Since only my husband's computer is set up to access the printer, I had to send the vouchers from my tablet to my husband's email. Once he received it, he had to connect the cable to the printer, before he could actually print. (This is why I told him we should get rid of his printer and start using mine.)

2. HP ePrint. Print on your home computer from virtually anywhere. For authorization letters, emergency homework (and you had to do overtime)... Need I say more?

3. HP Printables. This. This I am most excited about. You can print even without accessing a device. Print straight from the printer. Yes, the printer itself is connected to internet. Cool, right? Even before I won the printer, I was already devicing ways in my mind to convince hubby to get rid of his printer and change to HP. (Ssshh.) 

I can definitely sense that my new HP3545 will be of great help. I'm already imagining how I can send practice worksheets to print before I get home so I save 30mins of making woksheets manually.

Check out the features of the HP3545 and other HP printers here.