6 Drinks that Fight Age

With all the "things to do" & chores to run, it's not often that we forget the little things, and before we know it we're already so lost in our daily activities that we end up tired, exhausted & looking old. Here are some simple tips to keep us looking young - and when I say simple I mean as simple as the things we drink the whole day which we take for granted. This stuff could mean less wrinkles guys !


These six drinks fight aging. See what they are and when to down them.

WATER
When to Drink: At the Alarm

Guzzle water, Dr. Lodge suggests. Hydrating will help beat that groggy feeling and make your skin look its glowy best (both now and later in life), says David E. Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York.

COFFEE
When to Drink: At Breakfast

Coffee may help your heart and (if you take it black) metabolism, and it reduces risk for some types of cancer, studies show.

GREEN TEA
When to Drink: At Lunch

Sip tea. Green kick-starts metabolism and can help fend off breast cancer, says Jonathan R. Cole, M.D., medical director of the California Health and Longevity Institute. Black may lower blood pressure, research from the University of Western Australia suggests.

HOT COCOA
When to Drink: P.M. Snack

Hot cocoa (have it over ice if you can't take the heat) has more antioxidants than does coffee, red wine or green tea, a study from Cornell University reveals. Great for your heart and skin.

RED WINE
When to Drink: At dinner

Enjoy a glass of red wine: Piceatannol, a compound your body makes when you drink vino, could stunt fat-cell growth (woot!), the Journal of Biological Chemistry reports.

MILK
When to Drink: Before Bed

Grab milk-your skeleton will love the calcium, and your muscles will love the protein. You'll wake up even stronger.

To know more check out Self Magazine Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment

10 simple ways to boost our childs self esteem

1. Take every opportunity to showcase your child's accomplishments. Whether it's artwork on the fridge or a trophy on a bookcase, allow your child to see how much their hard work and dedication matters. Dr. Sears recommends parents, "Discover [each accomplishment], encourage it, frame it, and display it."
2. Encourage your child's opinion. Your child's opinion - free from judgment - matters. Scholastic recommends involving your child in discussions about your household as well as current events. Confidence in sharing their opinion will encourage them to speak up for themselves and causes they believe in.
3. Improve your own self image . Our kids learn from example and if we're always down on ourselves, chances are they'll grow to mirror our negative behavior. According to Dr. Sears, "Children translate your unhappiness with yourself to mean unhappiness with them," and further suggests that older children feel responsible for their parents' happiness. Discover new ways to bring personal joy into your life and spread the happy!
4. Provide gentle nudging. Scholastic says that kids often need gentle nudging on tasks they're afraid of doing wrong. Patience and guidance go a long way in ensuring a child's success.
5. Give your child responsibilities. Ownership and pride go hand in hand. Dr. Sears says,"One of the main ways children develop self- confidence and internalize values is through helping maintain the family living area, inside and out. Giving children household duties helps them feel more valuable, besides channeling their energy into desirable behavior and teaching skills." Parents, make that list and get started!
6. Allow your child to problem solve. As parents, we're often too eager to solve our kids' problems. Scholastic recommends allowing our kids to practice problem solving outside of the school environment to better enable them to solve problems at school in the future. Facilitate problem solving discussions with your child and allow them to arrive at a solution.
7. Provide a sense of belonging. Your child holds an important place in your family, as well as your heart. According to WebMD, "A sense of belonging helps a child to participate in learning new things; learning makes a child feel confident in making contributions; making contributions helps secure a feeling of belonging. This cycle helps establish and strengthen a child's self-esteem." Take opportunities to remind your child.
8. Encourage your child to try new things. Trying new things can be scary, especially for a child who fears doing things wrong. Scholastic reminds us that kids need to try all kinds of different things to build personal preferences and gain valuable experience. Encourage your child to try new things and support him when he does.
9. Watch those labels - Dr. Sears states, "Every child searches for an identity and, when found, clings to it like a trademark." So while your child may indeed be shy, asthmatic, or learning disabled, manage the condition and focus on creating esteem-building labels instead.
10. The most we can ever expect from our children is their personal best. According to Scholastic, kids who are complimented on their efforts are more likely to seek out challenging tasks.

For additional references check out :

12 Ways to Help Your Child Build Self-Confidence | Ask Dr. Sears®

10 Tips to Prevent Common Colds

Benz got sick. She wasn't able to attend school at St. Ambrose for weeks. It's so terrible how a simple cold could escalate into fever & cough but what we take for granted is that prolonged colds with cough & fever can be something very very serious like Ear Infection. This condition is very painful & very dangerous.

Here are some tips to prevent the common colds.

The common cold is arguably the most common illness in humans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is also one of the most common causes of work and school absenteeism, with up to 22 million school days lost each year in the U.S. Colds are caused by viral infections. Over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms of varying severity.

Viruses that cause colds are spread from person to person through tiny droplets of mucus that enter the air from the nasal passages of infected persons and are inhaled by others. Colds can also be spread by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by contact with infected persons and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

While it is impossible to completely prevent the spread of colds, there are steps you can take to reduce your and your family's chances of becoming infected with a virus that causes colds:

• Wash your hands often. This is probably the single best measure to prevent transmission of colds. Especially after shopping, going to the gym, or spending time in public places, hand washing is critical. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. You can also carry a small tube of hand sanitizer or sanitizing hand wipes when visiting public places. Teach your children the importance of hand washing too.

• Avoid touching your face, especially the nose, mouth, and eye areas, if you are around someone with a cold or have been touching surfaces in a public area.

• Don't smoke. Cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.

• Use disposable items if someone in your family is infected. Disposable cups can be thrown away after each use and prevent accidental spread of the virus from sharing of cups or glasses. This is particularly important if you have young children who may try to drink from others' cups.

• Keep household surfaces clean. Door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks can all harbor viruses for hours after their use by an infected person. Wipe these surfaces frequently with soap and water or a disinfectant solution.

• If your child has a cold, wash his or her toys as well when you are cleaning household surfaces and commonly-used items.

• Use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing. Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels. Alternatively, have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests.

• Throw tissues away after use. Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there isn't direct evidence to show that eating well or exercising can prevent colds, maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, with adequate sleep, good nutrition and physical exercise can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection if it occurs.

• Control stress. Studies have shown that people experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.

LINK

What is a Link ? A Link is a Connection, a Relation, a Bond.

Letter To Partners Dear Parents Through the years we have forged a partnership with you. To enhance this partnership we are providing you with this journal as a venue for constant communication.

St. Ambrose School has their very own “Link”. It is a journal used to connect teachers and parents. It’s like going to the billboard to find out what’s happening ! I really like it ! It’s such a big help from simple daily activities such as home works, quizzes & projects, to all sorts of parent’s concern. It is a complete set of school contingency making the teacher – parent relationship to be more open.

For the teachers to address significant areas like, test & quizzes, project requirements & other classroom activities, there is the LETTER OF CONCERN. For the parents to discuss their concern is the APPOINTMENTS. In case of the need to fetch your child early, there’s the REQUEST FOR EARLY DISMISSAL. And if in case your child gets sick, the EXCUSE LETTER. Last but not the least, which is one that every parent doesn’t wish to get is the TARDY SLIPS.

So you see, St. Ambrose is a “Fair” School. Channels are open. Communication is two way. Doesn’t it feel great to go to sleep at night knowing that the next morning our children are going to wake up excited to go to school ? And not screaming & shouting (,")

Starting my birthday right

June 8, yes it’s my birthday, but there is something more special than that happening today – my very 1^st parents orientation at St. Ambrose School.

I was excited! I was excited to meet other parents! Unlike the usual “tell something about your self”, we were given a few minutes to know the parent seating next to us. I know a couple of parent from summer class but unfortunately we were not seated beside each other. So here goes getting to know a “new” parent. I was partnered with a DADDY. We started with facts about our kids, then facts about each other. TIMES UP ! Each parent was then called in front to introduce the other. It was fun ! Different ! Before the morning is through, we each had an idea of who each of us were. It immediately created a friendship amongst us, a bond of the “new parents” .

Christ is the Reason for this school. He is the unseen, but ever present Teacher in the classess, the Model of this faculty, the inspiration of it’s students.

Next is the distribution of the Student Handbook. It contains everything you want to know about St. Ambrose, The School Crest, It’s Philosophy, It’s Vision. It will aid you with the Admission Policies. And when your child is already attending, It explains the Evaluation Process of the Student’s Achievement. The Guidelines for Proper Behavior is also spelled out well – for both students & parents. And lastly is the Student Services which enumerate the facilities of the school. Each & every part of the Student Handbook was discussed with us “new” parents thoroughly. The presentation was well prepared, and the venue was very comfortable. It gives you the feeling that you are seated amongst friends.

So what better way to start a birthday morning but to be seated with friends !

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My daughter Benz started her Reading and Math Enrichment at St. Ambrose last April 25, 2012. It was a 10 day session comprise of 1 hour per session. Armed with just her knowledge of the Alphabet song and numbers 1 to 10 she started her journey to the new frontier called kindergarten.

I must admit that I am a bit a shame that we never got to teach her to write but am very proud that she can draw, color, & paint beautifully. We never got to teach her how to read but am very proud that she speaks several languages. Benz doesn’t only speak English well, but she has a very wide vocabulary. She uses words like Imagination, conclusion, accident and many more. She speaks Mandarin, Spanish, and a little French. She understands Fookien and Pampango. Sometimes I wonder if this makes it hard for her to learn basic reading.

On her first day, she came out in the middle of her class teary eyed saying “mom it’s too hard”. I was worried. It’s a good thing that her teachers, Teacher Normie and Teacher Love followed her and gently pursued her to return to the room. She did although a little apprehensive. For the first 3 days homework was a struggle. She seemed uninterested and appalled by it. By the 4^th & 5^th day she was more obliging. Her teachers “very good” in her seatworks inspire her.

By the 8^th day, Benz can’t just read, she can spell ! This is from a 6 year old who never wrote nor read, in 8 days she has a half filled notebook of her “work”. I thank her reading teacher, Teacher Love for being patient, for finding ways to arouse her interest to do more, to learn more.

Benz started her math with only “1 to 10”, in 8 days she knows up to 100! She can add numbers in groups. She knows '< '> and =. I thank her math teacher, Teacher Normie for guiding her. She helped Benz discover that she loves numbers.

I believe that every childs first experience in school is dreadful, dreadful to the child and to the parents. It is during these first moments that one could make or break a child. My experience with St. Ambrose was very pleasant. It was very pleasant from the very first day where my inquiries were graciously entertained by Nursery Teacher, Teacher Ehmy. It was likewise subsequently pleasing as Benz’s took her entrance exam and evaluation where Teacher Det did not “scold” us for our nominal teachings but rather hearten us.

Benz finished her enrichment classes last May 10, 2012 and I can proudly say that I chose the right school for her.

a baby was born

We were blessed with a healthy baby girl after 10 years of hoping. My husband & I were so thankful. Although the pregnancy progression was life & death - 24/7, it was all worth it. Benz was born September 17, 2005 at 7:19 AM with a weight of 5.2 pounds. She was a very tiny, frail baby. Everybody was so afraid if she would make it. She refuses to take her milk & cries all the time. But she was God’s gift to Ben & me, she fought to survive.

Years passed, a lot of trials brought us to tears. We were so afraid many times of losing her to illness but God is Good ! He will never take away the precious gift He gave us. Every 17^th of every month since Benz was born, we always had our thanksgiving, we will prepare “pancit” or “pasta”, a sign for long life to rejoice & give thanks for having our daughter.

This year is the first time we will let her join the outside world - school. We were so protective of her that unlike other parents who send out their kids to school at the age of 3, were sending Benz to school at the age of 6. We never really tutored her at home. We didn’t teach her the alphabet or numbers. We never taught her how to read nor write, although we had our simple mention of colors and shapes - she loves to draw. Her constant teacher was the television. She watches a lot of educational shows which aided her as she grew.

Honestly, we were more terrified that she’s going to school than she was. Benz was thrilled! She was ever so enthusiastic. You see, we call her “Ms. Congeniality” LOL cause she make friends everywhere she go.

Now the critical part is to find the appropriate school for her. A school who will understand her & teachers that will be patient enough to teach and guide her. School is new to her. Rules and Regulations are new to her. All her life it was always play time. Now it’s time to get serious.

I scouted around. I found a couple of high end schools but sad to say the feedbacks about them in the parents forum is not nice, and to think that they are really really expensive. Then I remembered this “Cute” school which I pass through every day when I was still going to work. “I’ll check it out one of this days” I told myself. So I did.

It’s been been 8 days now since Benz started her summer class. We first had to prepare her for her written and oral examination. We barely had a week to teach her everything in a crash course. Now she can read (a little) and do addition of numbers in a group ! It seems that she loves numbers ! She’s made friends & has seemingly matured a little.

This blog is dedicated not only to share Benz’s growth in school but also to share the great school she’s in – St. Ambrose School.

“At St. Ambrose School each child is treated as a unique individual. We always look for strategies that build on the child’s unique strengths and help him/her participate fully within the community.

Our Speical Education Program offers a carefully planned, stimulating and safe environment which creates an atmosphere that enables children with special needs to learn at his/her own pace according to his/her own capabilities. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is formulated for each exceptional child. They are guided to academic learning with a goal to provide them the opportunity to develop to their full potential.”

Their Philosophy : Inspired by a belief that each individual is uniquely created by God to be treated with the dignity and respect. Saint Ambrose School is commited to provide a positive learning atmosphere conducive to academic achievement and individual growth within a Christ-Centered environment.