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

Below was one of the photos I took on January 1st when I decided to do a daily 2010 project 365. Yes the blog posts may not updated but the photos are

It is fun taking photos because each photo has a story to tell, hence my blog name, Photo Stories.

Though the inspiration to capture what one sees as a good image may make one lose interest and get bored, for me, taking photos, albeit what I think for me are good enough , is better than reading about insurance quotes and waiting for the paint to dry.

Others may not consider my work as masterpieces. I don’t really mind at all, as long as I am happy and still able to take photos I find interesting. After all, photos are captured moments that can be enjoyed without sweating the tech stuff.

Have fun Photo Hunting, remember, taking photos is one of the many ways we have stopped time

photohunt

It’s the time for Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and Sadie, a Scottie won the best in show.

We love going to dog shows whenever we can. It is amazing to see dogs groomed and paraded for everyone to see. Most are oblivious to the cameras aimed at them and people ogling at how well they look. But there is always one that stands out, which turns out to be the best among the best.

Breeding dogs is not cheap.

When there are a lot of people who can’t even afford to purchase their basic needs like food, nor be able to get personal needs (things for hygiene like bath necessities, get adult acne treatment or weather-appropriate clothes), sometimes it looks “vulgar” offensive to some when these pets are given excessive pampering. Yes,this is big business after all.

We love dogs, in fact we have had several dogs but we chose a breed that will not drill a hole in the budget.

• Dogs bring out the good in people.
• Dogs help people relax.
• Dogs love unconditionally.
• Dogs are wonderful companions.
• Dogs give you a sense of protection.

These are just some of the benefits of having a dog. So there, maybe it is never always about the tag price that goes with taking care of these faithful companions but also the joy one feels in return.

We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults.  Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment.  ~George Eliot

Just a few minutes ago, I was listening to Senator Pia Cayetano talking about the delaying of the signing of the Expanded Value Added Tax for Senior Citizens by PGMA. So what else is new? The fact that she is putting in new appointments in key government positions and having elected governors unseated because they were NOT the real winners this late is a sign that something is definitely brewing.

Anyway…

This issue about taking care of the elderly has been tackled in our homeschooling lessons in Social Studies. In the lesson about population, we discussed how each segment of the population is important:  the  very young, the working population and the elderly population.

The elderly population’s condition in this country is not one of the best when it comes to their age group. Retired government employees have problems with the pension. I know because my in-laws have this kind of problems and I go to a bank where these pension payments are processed.

Delayed check payments is one of the common complaints.  Social security disability? Errr…

I once remarked to my eldest daughter that for most of the working people in this country, retirement is not an option for its citizens, even if the country prides itself as one of the “perfect places” for expats to retire.

Ironic isn’t it?

There is a certain stage in a child’s life when the once bubbly, perky and chatterbox child starts to withdraw and talk less.

What has happened to your child you once looked lovingly at you and “worshiped the ground” you walk on? The child became a teenager. Or a tween for those who radically changed overnight.

Yes, they still talk at length especially when they need that new pair of shoes, or they want to try an acne treatment gel a friend is using or maybe just to ask for more spending money.

• You try to reach out, they just look at you.

• You try to talk to them their words seem vague.

• You ask them questions, you get grunts and/or monosyllables. Sometimes you just get a strange look.

So, how can parents communicate with their teenagers?

• Try to “listen” not just with the few words that are being said but especially the words left unsaid.
• Maintain eye contact with them when you talk.
• Be positive and try not to dig up “dirt” and past mistakes. The child is still learning, help her/him recognize life’s lessons and not dwell on the negative effects.
• Get your message straight to the point.
• You were once a teenager so you might say you are a Been-There-Done-That (BTDT) which means you know something about what your child is going through.
• Learn to meet halfway, to compromise.

Remember, teenagers will push you to your limit so it is best to prepare yourself and know how to handle whatever situation will arise.

That mothers love their children and would do anything and everything within their capacity and even beyond leaves not a doubt in my mind.

Being a mother of three young children, I can say that I put my children’s needs before my own. The fact that I homeschool the two younger children for three years now and by tending personally to their needs made me take my career on a yield. Well, sort of, since I still work on a part time basis.

So when the news about the authorities getting Jason Ivler who was just hiding in their home for several weeks after being subjected to a manhunt, broke early morning yesterday, I was interested in what has happened.

The fact that he is wanted for not one but two homicides and that he opened fired at the authorities using armor piercing bullets shows how guilty he is.

The authorities got his mom too, Marlene Aguilar, an author (I removed the link to her website), who asked him to surrender and who even said she got an email from him and that he is in the USA when in fact he was just hiding in their home.

I would like to say I pretty much understand that Marlene loves his son dearly.

BUT I am assuming too that maybe, just maybe, she is afraid of her son too, knowing his capacity to hurt people.

The fact that he fired on authorities and wounded two of them using armor piercing bullets and that he used a baby armalite speak volumes on what he can do.

Would I do the same if one of my children gets involved in murder?

The answer is NO.

And I really hope to God we won’t have to go that way.