My Mommy is Famous: A Book That Made Me Cry

I was in a bookstore and looking for a certain book that I wanted to buy for my kids. While going through the display of books, I saw this book (My Mommy is Famous) and immediately picked it up. I leafed through the pages quickly to see what it is all about. As soon as I got the gist of the story, I decided not to let it go. Yes, I bought it that day even though it was not part of my plan. I still found and bought the book I really wanted to buy. But I added this gem that I found because the story resonated with me.

When I first read the book to my kids aged 8, 5 and 2, there were parts when I could no longer read well because I could not help but cry. I could very much identify with the mom in the story. The other day, I read it again to my kids before their nap time, along with other books. Still, I could not help but break into tears. Well, not as much as the first time, but my eyes welled up fast just the same.

The book My Mommy is Famous and a calendar with Mama Mary in the cover. Mama Mary is one of my role models on motherhood.

Let me tell you why.

The mom in the story is a hands-on mom to her daughter. She did not get a nanny or yaya for her because she wanted to personally take care of her. She attends to her needs. Towards the end of the story, it was revealed that she left her prestigious and high-paying job to focus on motherhood. Her child, at first, did not understand this. She was wondering why she didn't have a yaya and was even envying her classmates who had nannies. But in the end, she realized that she is one blessed child for her mom chose her over her own career.

That's where I always get emotional. When the mom explains to her child why she doesn't have a yaya and when the child finally understands why and appreciates her mom for all that she does for her.

If you have been following my blog, you would know by now that we have a similar story. I also resigned from my prestigious and high-paying job so I can focus on my family. I made this decision a few months after I got married. When I tendered my resignation, I didn't know that I was already pregnant. Actually, it was also the beginning of February when I did that. Weeks after that, we found out that I was pregnant with our first child. I really felt led to make that decision because I was put on bedrest as soon as my pregnancy was confirmed.

Since then, I did not work outside the home anymore as an employee. I only accepted freelance projects or gigs mainly because I wanted to ensure that majority of my time is spent building our growing family and investing in my relationship with my husband and children. I wanted to build a strong foundation for my family and since we were newly married then and our firstborn was on the way, I concluded that that's the best decision to make.

Fast forward to several years later, I'm still working from home and doing home-based business for the same reasons. My kids are still young and need much attention. I want to be present to them most of the time during their formative years. I want to be part of their childhood memories. I want to take an active role in their values and character formation. I want to be the primary influence in their young and tender lives. I want to give them the best care and education we can afford. That meant I would be the primary caregiver and teacher.

One of my latest photos with my 3 kids, all boys.

I liked how the book helps kids understand the lesson in the story and the love and devotion that the mom has for her child. I liked that it helped me communicate and share with my own kids my own reason for choosing to be a hands-on mom to them. The other day, I also emphasized the advantages of having their own mom take care of them as opposed to having a yaya. We've had our own experience of having helpers at home. Their main job is to do household chores. Then, when I get tired taking care of my kids and when I need to work on my laptop in my home office, I let them watch over the boys while I do my job. But these maids proved to be unreliable even for a short while. I would find them just talking to each other and not really engaged in play with my kids or ignoring the kids.

One time, I was surprised to see my kids already climbing our gate while the two maids were chatting with each other. Good thing that I got curious when my kids' voices got a bit loud. This prompted me to look outside the window of my home office and I saw my boys up on our gate. I rushed downstairs and out into our garage and hurriedly put my boys down. I reprimanded the maids for not keeping the boys safe. Their excuse, the boys would not listen when they told them not to climb. Hello! Those are kids! They do no grasp yet the danger of what they were doing. That is why they need to be supervised by adults. That is why I asked the maids to watch over them because I wanted their eyes on them while my eyes were on my work. Sigh.

After several occasions of these maids not really being responsible either with household chores or with occasional child care, I fired them. Actually, even when we had maids, I still do almost everything for the kids. I feed them, breastfeed them, put them to sleep, read books to them, bathe them, teach them, etc. The maids simply assist in cutting their food, cleaning their toys and in watching over the other kids when I am attending to another.

So, these days, when I need to work and the kids are awake, I simply make them play near me where I could easily glance at them and hear them while they are busy playing. At least now I know that they are truly safe.

I don't know if we will ever find a reliable maid in the future. But one thing I'm sure of is that I love being a hands-on mom to my kids and I think I'm going to stick to this lifestyle as long as God permits. It's not easy, but it's surely rewarding. I think that as my kids grow older, they are beginning to understand and realize the value of my devotion and the sacrifices that I do for them. Maids come and go but I will always be here for them as long as I'm alive. Most of all, nothing can be compared to a mother's love and devotion for her children. I think it's the best kind of love next to God's love for us. Do you agree?

I highly recommend this to moms who have a similar story. Although the mom in the story had great achievements and was famous, I think ordinary moms can relate to her reason for choosing to leave her job to prioritize being a hands-on mother to her child. I'm glad that I found this book by Lampara Books. It's part of the Kuwentong Nanay Series. I plan to check out the other titles in the series, too.

Do you have other recommendations of good books about motherhood that can help us parents teach kids to value what their mothers do for them? Feel free to share with me in the comments. I would love to discover more wonderful books. Reading is one of my favorite bonding activities with my kids who are also bookworms like me.

'Nay, magpapasukan na!

“Nay, masikip na ang palda ko.  Hindi na kasya sa baywang saka sagad na ang tahi sa laylayan.  Paano ‘yan?  Magpapatahi na ba tayo ng bago kong palda sa pasukan?”

“Pwede pa ‘yan.  Pagagawan natin ng paraan sa mananahi,” sagot ni Nanay.

Ha? Ano pa kayang paraan ang naiisip ni Nanay para magamit pa uli sa pasukan ang pinagkaliitan ko nang palda.  Nagsimula itong may malapad na tupi sa laylayan noong bagong tahi pa.  Taon-taon, inuurong ang tupi dahil tumatangkad ako.  Pero, katulad nga ng sabi ko, ngayon ay wala nang tuping pwedeng tastasin.

Kinuha ni Nanay ang aking palda at itinabi para dalhin sa kapitbahay naming mananahi.  Pagkatapos ay sinimulan na namin ang isa sa aming mga tradisyon tuwing bago magpasukan.

Tiningnan namin isa-isa ang mga kwaderno (o notebook) na ginamit ko at ng nakababata kong kapatid noong nakaraang pasukan.  Maingat naming tinanggal ang mga alambre (o spring).  Hiniwalay ang mga may sulat sa mga wala pang sulat.  Pagkatapos pinagsama-sama namin ang mga natirang mga pahina para bumuo ng mga bagong kwaderno.  Tinatahi ni Nanay isa-isa ang mga bagong kwaderno mula sa mga hindi nagamit noong nakaraang pasukan.  Tapos binabalutan ko naman ito ng mga pambalot ng regalo at plastik para magmukang bago at para hindi madaling madumihan o masira.

Bago rin magpasukan, iniinspekyon namin ang mga dati naming sapatos.  Kadalasan, wala kaming sapat na pera para bumili ng bago taon-taon. Kaya ang ginagawa ni Nanay dati, pinapapalitan lang niya ang swelas o ilalim dahil iyon naman ang madalas na unang nasisira.  Pinapalitan na lang ang sapatos namin kapag nasira na ang itaas, halimbawa ay nabiak na o nabutas.  Kaya palagi naming nililinis at pinakikintab ang sapatos namin para hindi madaling masira agad ang balat.

Isa pang paraan ng pagtitipid na ginagawa ni Nanay tuwing bago magpasukan noong elementarya pa kami ay maghanap ng mga lumang libro o second hand books mula sa mga mas nakatatandang estudyante sa aming paaralan, sa mga kapitbahay namin na mas nakatatanda o sa mga tindahan sa Recto.  Hangga’t maaari hindi kami bumibili ng bagong textbook kung mayroon naman kaming mahihiraman o mabibiling luma para mas makatipid.  Iyong mga workbook lang ang binibili ng bago dahil kailangan itong sagutan.

Mahigit dalawang dekada na ang nakaraan mula ng magtapos ako sa elementarya ngunit sariwang-sariwa pa rin sa aking alaala ang mga ginagawa naming paghahanda noong bata pa ako tuwing malapit na magpasukan.  Hindi ko mapigil na mangiti at matawa lalo na nang maalala ko kung paano ginawan ng paraan ni Nanay at ng kapitbahay naming mananahi ang akala ko ay hindi ko na maisusuot na palda. 

Dahil wala na ngang remedyong magagawa sa laylayan dahil sagad na ang tahi, dinugtungan ng mananahi sa baywang ang luma kong palda.  Ginawan niya ng bagong paha at dinugtungan ng halos kakulay na tela.  Iyong dating nasa baywang ay binawasan ng bahagya at napunta na sa may bandang balakang dahil sa ginawang dugtong.  Hindi naman daw halata kasi mahaba ang aking blusa!

Nakakabilib talaga si Nanay! Katulad ng maraming ina, tunay siyang maparaan!

Buti na lang maabilidad at maparaan si Nanay!  Dahil sa katangian niyang ito, nakapagtapos ako ng elementarya sa isang pribadong paaralan.  Ang kanyang halimbawa ng pagpupursige at sipag ay naging inspirasyon ko upang maging isang masikap, masipag at responsableng mag-aaral.  Tinuruan niya akong maniwala na hindi hadlang ang kahirapan upang makamit ang iyong mga pangarap.  Katulad nga ng sabi sa kasabihan, nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa.  Ginawa ng aking mga magulang ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang mapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral.  Hindi naging madali para sa aming lahat ang mga taong iyon na nag-aaral pa ako. Maraming sinakripisyo ang aking mga magulang para matupad ang aming pangarap pero sulit naman lahat ng iyon tuwing aakyat kami sa entablado taon-taon para tanggapin ko ang aking medalya bilang Top 1 o First Honor at nang mag-gradweyt akong Valedictorian sa elementarya, nang ako’y makapagtapos sa high school sa isang paaralang ekslusibo para sa mga babae na may Academic Excellence Award, at higit sa lahat nang ako’y magtapos sa kolehiyo sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Diliman.

Magpapasukan na naman.  Hindi ko mapigil na hindi maalala ang mga magaganda at masasayang alaala ng aking pagkabata at buhay estudyante lalo na noong ako’y nasa elementarya pa.  Masaya ako noon kahit mulat ang aking mga mata sa kahirapan ng aming pamilya.  Masaya ako dahil itinataguyod ako ng aking mga magulang para magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan sa pamamagitan ng magandang edukasyon.  Masaya ako dahil mayroon akong mga kaibigan noon na hindi pansin kung bago ba o luma ang aking uniporme at sapatos.  Masaya ako noon dahil may mga guro akong naniniwala sa aking talino at kakayahan kahit na ako’y mahirap lang.

Pero mas masaya na ako ngayon dahil sa aking pagtityaga, disiplina, suporta ng mga taong nakapaligid sa akin at sa tulong ng Diyos, naabot ko ang bawat pangarap na pinangarap ko simula nang una akong natutong mangarap.

Magpapasukan na!  Dalangin kong mas marami pang batang mahirap ang matutong mangarap at mabiyayaan ng mga magulang na tulad ng mga magulang ko… lalo na ng tulad ng Nanay ko!  

Happy Birthday, 'Nay!

My Mom and I at Hotel Kimberly last year
where we had an advance Mother's Day celebration.

* This was first published at POC as a Mother's Day post.  

Tips on How to Prepare a Child to Be an Older Sibling

He was used to being an only child. For three years, he had my undivided attention. We had a lot of time bonding with each other through play, conversations, books, storytelling, crafts, music time, dates, etc. He certainly was the apple of my eye. 

Then, I learned that I'm pregnant again. 

I did my best to still bond with him a lot and assure him that I still love him just the same. I searched big brother books that I can read to him. I was grateful I found one. 

I talked to him about his baby brother in my womb. I let him play music and sing songs to him. 

I brought him with me in my monthly visits to my ob-gynaecologist. We let him join us in some of the ultrasound sessions. 

He seemed excited and adjusting well to his role of becoming a big brother.

Then, it was time for me to give birth to my second child. My eldest son stayed at my parents' house. He slept with my parents when I went to the hospital. It was a difficult time for him. He was not used to sleeping without me by his side. He cried a lot during the nights that I was in the hospital going through labor and recuperating from childbirth.

But he was happy when he saw me again and his baby brother when he visited us in the hospital.

Two weeks after I gave birth, he acted differently. My usually active and talkative little boy didn't have the energy to play. He didn't want to eat or drink. He was not talking. He just kept sleeping and lying in bed. I knew something was wrong. I thought that he was sick but he didn't have any fever or was not showing signs that he was in pain.

A few days later, he was so weak. My husband decided to bring him to the hospital already.

His pediatrician had him confined. He was put on IV. He still didn't talk or eat or drink. He was still quiet and looked sad. He lost a lot of weight.

The doctors could not find any reason for his loss of appetite or "sickness" other than probably his difficulty in adjusting to our new normal in the family. He now has a baby brother. He's no longer an only child. His mommy is busy caring for another child. His mommy is breastfeeding another baby. 

He was not suffering from physical pain but he was going through an emotional pain... something that he could not articulate. Something he was not prepared to process or express.

He must have been depressed at that time. 

My poor little boy... I thought he was ready for this change but he was not.

It was a painful time for me as a mother. I was not even able to visit him in the hospital because I needed to stay with his baby brother. It was only my husband and my mom who stayed with him in the hospital. I stayed home to recuperate and take care of the new baby.

I did my best to give him extra attention. I tried to be extra understanding and patient with him. I tried to do the same things we used to do so he would feel that my love hasn't changed.

Eventually, he started eating again. He started talking and playing again. He was the loving and helpful big brother again to his younger sibling.

He would sing songs to him. He would read his books to him. He talks to him and shares some of his toys with him. He helps take care of him by rushing to get new diapers or getting some of the things of the baby and bringing them to me.  

I'm so thankful that my eldest child eventually recovered from that emotional turmoil. 

Almost three years later, I got pregnant again. My eldest son will become a big brother for the second time. My second child will no longer be the baby. He will now be a big brother.


I didn't want any or both of them to go through depression again or to get sick after I give birth. 

How can I assure them of my unchanging love? How can I prepare them for their upcoming sibling? 

I thought that I should tell them often that I love them just the same. But how do I remind myself or ensure that I tell them these words often when I have a lot to do and prepare for the coming of our new baby?

Since I had been writing poems almost all my life, I wrote a poem with this title: Mommy Loves You Just the Same.

I drew inspiration from my bonding times with my kids.

I read the poem often to them, daily at least.

I believe that the poem helped my older kids prepare for the coming of their baby brother. My second child did not get sick after I gave birth even though he and his eldest brother were also crying a lot while I was in the hospital during childbirth and on the nights that followed.

I'm so glad things were better this time around.

Then, a dream was planted in my heart. What if we make this poem into a children's book? Why not?

Before my youngest child turned one year old, I found an artist who was willing to collaborate with me in making this dream a reality. On May 19, 2016, Thursday, we will be launching my first children's book! A dream that was planted in my heart because of my experience as a mother. It's like I'm giving birth again. But this time to a book and not to a child. 

Click here to order a copy of Mommy Loves You Just the Same.

My excitement is shared by my two older children who were my inspirations in writing this children's book. They were the ones who first heard this story and who first benefitted from it. 

Are you a pregnant mom who is looking for resources that would help your older child prepare to be an older sibling? Or did you just give birth recently or a few months ago to a new baby and you need help in assuring your older child that your love for him/her remains the same? 

I recommend this book to you, not because I wrote it, but more because I know that it would be a good tool that you can use in your motherhood journey. One of my goals in writing this children's story is to help families adjust as their families grow. That's why I asked our illustrator to make coloring pages for the kids, too. I wanted to give the kids something that would further help them remember the lessons in the book. 


Before I end this post, let me share some tried and tested tips that could help prepare a child to be an older sibling.

1. Stop calling the child "baby". We used to call our second child "baby". But when we got confirmation from my ob-gynaecologist that I'm pregnant again, we started calling our second child by his first name. I also instructed our maids then to stop calling him a baby. Instead, we made him proud to be called a big brother or "Kuya".

2. Deliberately spend more quality time with the older child/children. This is one way to make deposits in your child's emotional bank account in preparation for the times when you will be away from him/her. During my previous pregnancies, I did my best to spend as much time as I possibly can to do arts and crafts with them and to have dates with them. Even when I was on bedrest and after giving birth, I would regularly read-aloud books to them. This poem/story was one of those that I read to them.

3. Give your child/children ideas on how they can bond with you while you are pregnant and with their baby brother while still in your womb and after you give birth. Aside from suggesting to my kids what they can do, I let them come up with their own ideas on how they can help me take care of their baby brother. You'll be amazed at how loving and helpful kids are!

4. Make their birthday before you give birth extra special. On their last birthday before becoming a big brother, I always go out of my way to make these celebrations memorable. I want these events to help make them feel important and special. You may read about my second child's birthday party here. If you don't want to throw a party, you can get some ideas here in my other blog post wherein we had a simple celebration for our eldest son.  

Hope these tips help you and your family! I also hope that you can join us in our virtual book launch on Thursday! We're giving away exciting prizes to those who will pre-order a copy of Mommy Loves You Just the Same. Click here to read more about these. 

Some of the prizes we're giving away during the launch.

How did you prepare your child/children to become older siblings? Feel free to share your own tried and tested tips by leaving a comment on this blog post so we can help more families.
   

How do I love you, my children?

I love you by enduring the cold and pain on my back as the air conditioner blows. I could not turn it off because you perspire even in cold temperature and especially when you snuggle close to me.

I love you by giving up precious sleep just to let you breastfeed as much as you can all through the night... I would have loved to sleep uninterruptedly but I chose to show you my love by allowing you to disturb me from my sleep.

I love you by forcing myself to get up this morning to think of what you can eat so you don't go hungry. I do this in spite of my terrible headache.

I love you by forcing myself to get up and prepare your food even though I'm suffering from severe pains on my neck, back and hips.

I love you by forcing my hands to have the strength to hold the bread knife and bread just to make you a sandwich even though I could hardly sit up because of my body pains.

This is how your mother loves you. 

One day, I hope God the Father would let you know that that's how your mother loved you when you were small, when there was no one else who did these things to you but her... When no one else cared enough not to let you go hungry, not only on Valentine's Day but every single day of your young life.

God Always Makes a Way for His Words to Come True

At the start of the year, God told me that I can again pursue my dream of publishing at least one book this year. I was hesitant at first, knowing how busy my schedule is. But I claimed it and listed it in my Novena to God's Love again. (You may read my blog post about dreams and how the Novena to God's Love has helped me make my dreams come true in the past years here.)

I'm not yet through planning for my dreams and goals this year. But I was starting to feel discouraged yesterday and the other day because there's simply a lot that a mom like me with three small children needs to do daily. Homeschooling two kids with different grade levels, breastfeeding a toddler who recently turned one and is teething, caring for them daily, managing a household and an online business, maintaining blogs and trying to finish some backlogs from last year are what fill up my hours each day. Yesterday and the other day, I began wondering, "How can I write and finish at least one book with this?" I felt that I was just too busy to squeeze in that dream and goal into my already full schedule. I was wondering how God can make a miracle out of my situation again.

Then, God answered me this morning during my prayer time with this:

"Just because you don't see a way 

doesn't mean I don't have a way." 

Wow! Isn't that great? God read my mind once more! And He answered me clearly and powerfully in a way I could not doubt His voice!

That's all that I needed to be encouraged and empowered to act on my dream and goal again. It was a very timely reminder to me to just keep putting one foot forward and make even baby steps of faith to move closer to my dream.

I excitedly shared about this on my Facebook account and said that I'm targeting to launch at least one book on Mother's Day this year.

Then, I followed up a potential artist who can do the illustrations for one of my children's stories. In minutes, I got the answer that I've been praying for! She confirmed that she will do the illustrations for my upcoming book Mommy Loves You Just the Same! I am beyond thrilled and happy! hahaha God just made a way for me again! I can't help but be amazed! Thank you so much, Lord! 

I'm so excited to see my story come alive in her illustrations! This storybook is special to me because I wrote it for my two older children while I was pregnant with my third child. We were preparing for the coming of our third baby and I wanted to make the two older boys especially my second child that I love them just the same even though they will have another brother.

Moreover, I wanted to continue my breastfeeding advocacy through this book. I think this is a perfect accompaniment or follow up to my book BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking because I want to show in the illustrations that breastfeeding/tandem feeding has helped my sons in their transition to becoming big brothers. This is something that most books on becoming an older sibling did not show. Thus, I am so happy and I feel so blessed to have found an artist who is also a breastfeeding mom like me. I believe that she is the perfect artist for this story of mine.

Oh, before I forget, did I tell you that she's also expecting another child? Yes, she's pregnant now with her second child. Isn't God truly amazing? This makes her understand my feelings more when I wrote my story.

I believe that it was really God who ordained our meeting last year at an event where I was invited to speak. It was a gathering of breastfeeding moms and their families and our booths were situated beside each other. We got to talk to each other and I found out that she's interested in illustrating a book. And the rest is history, or should I say His story. ;)

That's all for now. I will update you about our book in the coming days and months and I hope you'll support us in this book project. In the meantime, please pray for both of us so that we'd be able to finish this book project amid our busy schedule as moms.   

Do you also have dreams that you are unsure if you can achieve them this year because of your current situation? Don't give up right away! Look to God for inspiration and strength! 

QUICK UPDATE:
Our book is almost done! It will be launched on May 19, 2016. :) Jia is now finalizing the inside pages of our book... just doing minor edits to it before the virtual book launch. You may see the book cover and pre-order a copy when you click here. Join the virtual book launch here.

Will You Choose to Give Joy to Your Child?

It's touching how your presence is your baby's main source of joy.

I just stepped out of our bedroom to get my devotional from the altar. I put my baby in his crib before doing so. He cried as soon as he saw me step out of the room even though I told him that I will be back right away. 

As soon as I went back inside and picked him up, he smiled instantly. Then, as I carried and walked with him to my home office, he kept on laughing and giggling as if saying that he was delighted to be carried by me.

Your baby will only be small and needy for around 2 years. After that, your baby will become less dependent on you and would desire (and sometimes insist) to try new things on his own. Your baby will need you less. But while you are your baby's main source of joy, would you choose to give him joy? Would you choose to fill your baby's love tank by being present to him?

I thank God for the grace He has given me to choose to bring joy to my babies' hearts. I thank Him that He has helped me make the decision to prioritize my babies over my career and money. I thank Him for the precious smiles and laughter I have witnessed all because I was present to them while they were still babies. No amount of money or achievement can compare to the priceless experience of being there for my children when I meant the world to them.

If you are a parent or a mom like me and your baby/child's cry tugs at your heart too whenever you need to leave for work, I invite you to the Hands-On Parents while Earning (H.O.P.E.) Summit on August 8, a whole day workshop that can change the course of your family's life. In this workshop, parents will learn hands-on parenting and working smart in the new millennium and how they can marry hands-on parenting with earning for the family.



Being able to work with a lot of flexibility has been one of the biggest blessings I have received in life. I was able to witness all my children’s milestones, personally take care of them and breastfeed them because I am home almost all the time. I am able to shape my children’s character and educate them while pursuing my passions and earning through these passions. I want to share what I have learned through the years to my fellow parents so that they too can spend ample time with their children while contributing to the family income. This is my way of helping families grow and remain intact.


Below are my objectives in organizing this workshop for parents:

• to enable parents to discover their big why in aspiring to be Hands-On Parents while Earning (HOPE).
• to enable parents to come up with a clear and compelling vision for their children and for themselves as parents and as earning individuals.
• to help parents to come up with a list of new habits that they can easily and consistently implement after the workshop so they can be more involved in their children’s lives.
• to help parents discover ways to work smarter so they can free up more time in their schedules to bond with their children.
• to inspire moms and dads to be hands-on even while earning for their families and to learn tips and strategies on how to be successful in their careers/businesses through the stories of the featured moms and dads (guests) in the iHOPE Summit.
• to introduce different earning options for parents while being actively involved in their children’s lives.
• to give parents an opportunity to meet and interact with other parents who also want to become H.O.P.E. (Hands-On Parents while Earning).

I will be the main speaker and facilitator of the workshop. The other speakers in the summit include Martine de Luna, Jomar Hilario and Ginger Arboleda. Martine is a work-at-home advocate, award winning blogger and blog coach. Jomar is the Philippines’ Internet Marketing Guru who teaches individuals how to be virtual professionals and online business owners. Ginger is a serial entrepreneur, business coach and blogger.


Guest panelists who are successful Hands-On Parents while Earning themselves will be part of the summit also. These include Denise Bernardo of Indigobaby, Angeli Del Rosario of The Beadlady, Katrina Ambion of Mommyfide PH, Chef Jonathan Chua of Magsaysay Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts  and Jay and Cherry Castillo of Foreclosure Philippines.

The workshop is valued at P3,500 per head at least; but I want to help as many families as I can, so I found a way to make the workshop more affordable to parents. Thus, attendees get a 43% discounted rate even as they pay the regular rate of P2,000 per head. Couples are encouraged to attend together through the couple rate of P3,000 only. Moreover, we will raffle off prizes to couples who will be present during the workshop. Click here to read more details about the summit and to register to this life-changing event.

The H.O.P.E. Summit is co-presented by Full Life Cube Publishing and Events Services, Sun Life Financial and PLDT Home Telpad. Participants of the summit will get a chance to win exciting prizes during the raffle from its sponsors which include Indigobaby, The Beadlady, Mommyfide PH, Bert Lozada Swim School, Gymboree Play and Music Philippines and Halo Philippines. One of the prizes to be raffled off is a free annual membership to Gymboree Play and Music Philippines worth P2,000! Winning this will not only translate into savings but many precious bonding moments for the lucky parent and child. Participants will also receive freebies like P500 gift certificates from Lozada Swim School, copies of Mustard magazine for kids and so much more.   

We will also have a kids' room for parents who want to bring their kids with them. We will raffle off storybooks for the kids who will use our kids' room too.


For updates about the H.O.P.E. Summit, please like and visit https://www.facebook.com/events/419373114931304/.

Hands-On Parent while Earning

Today, I ate grapes with my second child during his breakfast. I fed my eldest child with oatmeal before his piano teacher came to our house. I also breastfed my newborn baby on demand. I cooked my two older kids' lunch and ate with them. After lunch, I helped them brush their teeth, gave them a bath and slathered lotion on their skin. When they were already dressed, I read them a couple of books (baby included) before they went to sleep. I breastfed the baby again and put him in his crib.

After my Mommy duties, I checked my Full Life Cube Facebook Page and saw a personal message from someone who enrolled in my newly-launched online coaching program called iHOPE with Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag. It's a 3-Step Success System that teaches parents how to become Hands-On Parents while Earning (H.O.P.E.) for their family. When I checked my email, I saw one from Paypal confirming that a payment has just been made.

Click here to read the details and to sign up for the program!

I paused and savored this sweet moment of victory that I know came from God. God has planted this dream in my heart years ago to create and launch an online program that will enable me to help others through my experiences and expertise. I encountered a number of obstacles and challenges in the process of creating and setting up an online program. There were many days and nights when I felt disappointed because it's taking me so long to finish the programs I'm planning to launch. Our two maids left one after the other. House chores kept piling up. I was having a hard time understanding the techie side of setting up an online program. I battled with negative thoughts and negative words spoken to me. The thought of giving up this dream filled my mind many times in the past months before its launch. 

Thankfully, God ministered to my soul through a devotional that God led me to buy at the start of the year. God used this devotional by Joel Osteen powerfully to encourage and empower me everyday to fight my inner battles. Through the powerful words in that small book, God made alive His words in Scripture that His grace is new every morning.

Let me share a line from a page of this devotional based from the book Break Out! 

"God will never ask you to do something and then not give you the ability to do it."

It went on further to speak to me God's words of encouragement:

"All I want to know is what you do have. Don't sit on the sidelines of life intimidated, thinking you're unqualified. Put your life, your dreams, your goals, and your talent into My hands and let Me multiply it." 

That same day when I read these words from the devotional, my mentor Bo Sanchez talked at the Grand Easter Feast about giving God the little that we have. His talk was inspired by the story about the five loaves and two fish that Jesus multiplied to feed thousands. I was empowered by God through this talk. The words he shared that day moved me to have the courage to launch my online coaching program the following day, which is also my 40th birthday. This made my launch extra special and memorable. It's like offering a part of myself as I begin a new phase and year in my life. I was excited to see how God would bless and multiply the little that I offered to help Him bless many.

I'm very grateful to God for bringing me to this point wherein I can be a hands-on Mom to my kids and earn while I'm doing so. First, He made it possible for me to become an Author, Speaker and Consultant. Next, He paved the way for me to work and earn online by writing articles and blogs. Then recently, He helped me launch an online coaching program!

Like David, I felt I was facing giants. I felt small facing my problems and challenges. But I still ran towards my goal and went on to slay the giants before me; because like Him, I knew that I will conquer my problems and challenges for my God is much bigger than my problems and challenges combined.

Today, I rejoice for the opportunity to make a difference in the life of another parent. I praise and thank God for helping me live out His purpose and will for my life as a Mom with young children. I believe that I am at a season in my life wherein God wants me to be home most of time for my kids so I can personally take care of them, educate them and mold them to be individuals who will live out God's purposes for their lives as well. 

If you are a parent (Mom or Dad) who feels a tug in your heart to spend more time with your kids but is worried or uncertain how you can continue earning while being actively involved in your children's lives, I invite you to check out my coaching program. Let me mentor you and share with you the lessons I learned in getting to where I am now. I would be happy to see more families strengthened and happier because of better relationships between parents and children. Click here to sign up for my program! 

A Hands-On Mom's Thoughts on Mother's Day

There was a time when I wasn't sure if I could conceive and bear a child. A doctor once told me that I might have difficulty getting pregnant due to my medical condition. Although her words cast a shadow on the beautiful future I hoped for, I did not give up my dream of one day having my own children.

I chose to believe that the God who planted a desire in my heart to have a family of my own can and will plant the seed of life in my womb one day.

And so it happened that my dream was fulfilled. God caused the miracle of life to grow inside my womb... not just once, but three times!

It has been almost seven years now since I first became a mother. I now have three children. My eldest child will celebrate his seventh birthday this year. My second child (also a boy) will celebrate his fourth birthday and my third child (another boy) will celebrate his first birthday.

I learned in this short span of time that motherhood is not for the faint of heart. That if a mom would take her responsibility to her child/children seriously, motherhood would not be a walk in the park.

When I was still single, I dreamed that I would be a hands-on mom. I dreamed that caring for my kids would be my primary duty and that I would not be required to work.

Thank God that dream has been fulfilled!

I praise and thank God for the gift of being a mother to these children!

But there are lessons that I also learned about motherhood. 

I learned that motherhood entails sacrificial love. Motherhood means prioritizing the needs of your children over your own. Motherhood means pouring out your life to give life to another.

The above sentences are pretty loaded. Let me make them more specific by sharing how these sentences translate in the life of a mom with young children like me.

Sacrificial love for me means sacrificing my personal goals and preferences (like travelling and pursuing another course) so I can fulfill my God-given role and destiny to raise my kids. Allowing my personal dreams that are in conflict with my role as mom to die at Jesus' feet. Prioritizing the needs of my children over my own means preparing their food first before I eat my meals. Breastfeeding my hungry baby at night or during the wee hours of the morning even though my body screams for rest and sleep. Pouring my life out for my kids means spending my energy and time mainly to care for my children, to educate them and to raise them to be the persons that God wants them to be.

These are just some examples of what a hands-on mom with young children like me do every day. 

Motherhood is not a glamorous job. It's a very demanding and fast-paced job. A job that does not allow me to take day offs or vacations (even on Mother's day) because my young children are still very dependent on me. On days when I don't have a helper/maid and my husband is in the office, I could hardly go to the toilet or bathroom. I could hardly eat (even with my husband around because remember we have three children). With three children, there is always at least one child who needs my attention, my listening ear, my help and my touch.

It's a draining job to be a mother. But I've come to realize also in the past years that it's the most fulfilling job I've ever had! 

I've been a manager, a writer, a trainer, a speaker, a coach, a counselor and an author of books. I found a lot of fulfillment doing these jobs that I'm passionate for. Witnessing growth and transformation in the people I worked with in these roles/jobs of mine filled my heart with much gratitude for the opportunity to make a difference in other people's lives. 

Yet, I discovered that being a mother, being an instrument of God in bringing a child into the world, nurturing that child, raising that child to live out his purpose in life... I could hardly find the words to describe what an honor it is to be able to do this. Motherhood is both humbling and rewarding.   

I love the words of Elisabeth Elliot quoted in my desk calendar today. It says, "The process of shaping the child shapes also the mother herself. Reverence for her sacred burden calls her to all that is pure and good, that she may teach primarily by her own humble, daily example."

It's so true that as I mold my kids' hearts and minds, God is molding me as well. I'm not the only one teaching my kids how to be patient and loving. As I mother them, God is teaching me too! He reminds me daily that in as much as my sons are works in progress, so am I. That more than speaking words of instructions to them, I need to model good behavior, good values to them. 

So, today on Mother's Day, I pray that God would give me grace always to speak with wisdom and that faithful instruction would be on my tongue. That I would not eat the bread of idleness or that I would become too busy with extra curricular matters. Instead, I pray that I would be faithful in living out my God-ordained role to be a mother to my children.   

And if you are a mother who longs to make being a mother your priority over making money, I invite you to check out my newly-launched online coaching program called iHOPE. It's a three-step success system that will help parents become hands-on with their kids while earning money for their families. I created this program because I want to help families by enabling parents through this program to be involved in their children's lives while contributing to the family income.

Click here to learn more about this program.

I strongly believe that God called mothers to have a special role in the lives of their children especially when they are still young. This program is my gift to moms! Read more about it here and email me if you have questions about it. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the hardworking and self-sacrificing moms around the world! May we all be thankful for the gift of motherhood. May we reap the rewards of our sacrificial love. May we have a glimpse of the fruits of our labor in our children's lives. 

What are your thoughts on motherhood? Feel free to share them with me in the comments!