I wrote about career options in this post. I remember writing about Sheltered Workshops or Social Enterprise too.

Both are articles pointing to alternative career options.

For someone (that would be me) who has worked with children diagnosed with learning needs, alternative career options is an area where a lot of untapped resources and skills are waiting to be found.

Even if the Filipino culture including parenting, thrives on being dependent with caregivers working and handling the nitty-gritty of childcare, I firmly believe that children should be taught to be able to do things for themselves. This is where the concept of honing skills geared toward independence is shaped.

There is a limit on how much hovering parents can do for their children.

Sure, these children have special needs and they need to be guided accordingly but there are those who can be allowed to “fly and spread their wings”. This is precisely the reason why they have intervention programs: to allow them to be able to develop their potentials.

Regarding alternative career options, I think what some parents feel about this is that they feel “downgraded” when their children do not end up like the professionals that they are.

There are those who scoff at people who have chosen an alternative career rather than the “norm”.

Why push someone with special needs to go to “traditional ” school when he/she can enroll in an online university? I know of someone who successfully completed an online nursing  degree. There are those who go the traditional way, facing all the bumps, humps and hurdles that come with it.

I sometimes ask why do doctor parents want their children to be like them? Can’t the children decide what they like to do and what they like to be when they grow up?

I admit I am guilty of this ‘”alternative career option” idea when I heard myself ask “what? naging photographer siya?” about a child prodigy who was “packaged” with so much potential in a TV ad years ago When I saw the portfolio online, I was taken aback with the creativity in the photos. The giftedness in this person definitely showed.

No job is too big or too small for someone who has dignity in what he/she is doing.

March and April are graduation months in this country and career options and career moves are two of the most asked questions among the the graduates. I am sure a lot of hopeful graduates are now ready to face more challenges in the coming days.

Graduates of colleges and universities are getting  ready to face “the real world.”

High school graduates on the other hand, are hopeful that they have chosen the right career options.

Amidst the jubilation of course, there are those who can’t celebrate this milestone. Yet. I know three of them, and they are candidates for high school graduation. All three took entrance exams to prestigious universities but passed none.

Disheartening of course, not only to them who are just starting to build dreams, but to their parents too, who, despite this setback, are still by their side, cheering them, encouraging them and telling them that all is not lost.

As a parent and a teacher, I know this is extremely difficult to accept for this setback reflects back to them too.

But as I have explained to a case conference a few days ago, career options are not limited to being a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant or maybe even getting a criminal justice degree.

There are several career options that they can look to, do things that they are capable of doing, things that they feel happy to do. When that happens, no one can tell them that they are not successful. Success is relative and personal preferences dictate how we measure success, not through the standards set by others.

As I have written before, whatever it is that (our) children want to achieve, we should guide them towards more reachable goals.

Spiral part of a vine called ampalaya in the vernacular, otherwise known as Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon.

Bitter gourd or bitter melon is not only a good additive to dishes but has a lot of medicinal benefits as well. These include being made into supplements for diabetics because it contains a lectin that has insulin-like activity.

That was a part of my vegetable garden last year. This year, I am starting over

When I got an sms if I wanted to watch the premiere showing of Star Cinema’s latest movie, Miss You Like Crazy starring John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo, I said “YES”.

I was not sure hubby would say yes to me though, I just had to take a chance at that

It has been years since I watched a Filipino-made movie on the big screen. Except for a preview of this movie that I watched a few days before Miss You Like Crazy, I admit, my movie preferences are a bit different.

So, going to a movie premiere is fun, albeit crowd can be high energy and bit rowdy especially when the stars arrive: screaming fans, a bustle here and a bit of a jostle there plus a lot of small talk. Good thing we were asked to go inside the theaters before they arrived.

I deliberately did not read any reviews on the movie because I didn’t want mine to be influenced even for a bit by what others wrote. This is my take on the movie Miss You Like Crazy:

I have not watched the trailer in full before I went to the premiere. I was prepared to see an engagement ring filled with diamonds, travels to exotic places, mushy romantic scenes that will melt my heart, and scenes  that will move me to tears. The movie did nothing of the sort.

Here’s why.

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A lot of professionals in this country are working overseas. Yes, these professionals teach, build structures, take care of the sick and the elderly as well as take care of other people’s children in foreign countries.

These kababayans are all over the world from New Zealand and Australia, other Asian countries,  to the Middle East to Europe to the Americas while others do New York job search.

As a parent and a teacher, I ask myself: Who are left to teach the children?

Truth is, this is one of the reasons why we homeschool, apart from the fact that we only pay half of how much we would when the children are enrolled in regular school.

photohunt

*kababayan = fellow country men

One of the things I don’t particularly look forward to in malls during weekends are sales agents. No, not that I am taking it personal since I know, like me, they have to earn a living.

But then again, maybe it is that “sensitive side” me of speaking.

Who would be pleased when they approach you with a whitening cream product.

An offer to do FREE BMI analysis so you can decide whether you would like to buy that exercise machine they are selling. Some offer a free hour at the fitness center where they want you to get a membership plan.

Ok, I get it, I look like someone in need to a fitness regimen. No need to rub it in

What about free insurance quotes? Or house and lot? Nope? Condo unit?

What? A secondary credit card? I don’t even have one, lol!

Like I even  need a new car huh? Oh, a van? Low interest rate?

“Oh, you mean I can get a chance to win a vacation package if i just fill out this form”. Hmmm…no thanks.

I know I’m rambling. Good thing the view is wonderful in this place we went to and I didn’t get to encounter a sales agent