A Happy Family

Couple’s Corner: Shopping Experience

>> Dec 16, 2009

I’m not a spontaneous buyer; I use to write a shopping list or at least make a plan in my mind before leaving home to go shopping. This habit doesn’t change much after I’ve become a wife. Before marriage, I really enjoy shopping alone at malls, or wandering around a mall to do window shopping… I love spend hours at a big book store for free reading the latest books. Just seeing displayed good stuffs can be so refreshing for me!

After marriage; there’s no more shopping alone at malls, my hubby forbid me doing it. For buying daily household needs, I use to buy it at nearby stores. We only go to the mall to buy needed stuff that it isn’t available at little stores. We seldom buy things to fill our wardrobe, twice a year shopping for clothes is quite enough for us. Of course as a woman, I like wearing good clothes; but I’m not a fashionista who always wants to catch up the latest trend or every big sales. I’ve my own style. I’m also not crazy in branded things, it’s only because we still can’t afford it, hehehe.

My hubby like to shop in a flea market, he’s good in bargaining (not like me). We go to a flea market almost every week to buy fresh foods. When we’re at a flea market, I use to only follow him here and there; he’s totally in charge.

We avoid credit card, we always pay in cash or using our debit cards. I think it’s the safest way because we won’t get trapped in debt. Living debt free is so enjoyable, right?

My hubby is more spontaneous than me in buying things. Our finance condition is tight now, so, I have to accompany him often to remind him whether he needs or just wants the stuff. We should think twice before paying expensive things…

Well, it’s a brief story of mine, how about you? If you want to know other couple’s shopping experience, just click the badge above!

Don’t Be Late to Maximize Potency of Your Child’s Brain

>> Dec 15, 2009

I think most of parents have already known that the first four years age of a child is golden age times. Why? Child’s intelligence ability will develop fast as much as 50% in the first four years; 30% for 4-8 years old children and only 20% for 8-18 years old. So, based on this fact, the best times for parents’ role to maximize potency of their children’ brain is the first four years...

For several parents, giving lessons to under five years old children is still taboo. They assumed that children are still plain; and it’s better to let them grow and develop by themselves. What a pity; because of their unawareness, these parents don’t make the best use of golden age of their children. The neglect of golden age times will result in children’ learning difficulty, especially at their primary school times.

Center of children’ growth and development is the brain. What can you do as parents to maximize the use of your child’s golden age times?

Give proper nutrient since early age.
There is much nutrient needed for brain development: protein and amino acid, AA-DHA, gangliosida, kolin, and micro nutrient (iron, zinc, iodium, folat, vitamin A). This entire important nutrient is available completely in breast milk. That’s why breastfeeding your baby is very important! To know more about giving proper meals for children, it’s better if you consult to a nutritionist.

Give enjoyable stimulation to train your child’s brain.If you noticed, there are several methods to maximize potency of child’s brain (floor times, Glenn Doman, biolearning, etc). In this post, I’ll mention a little about floor time method.

Floor time is a recently developed brain stimulation method. The aims of floor time method are: to develop child’s potency, to enhance emotional closeness between parents and child, to train communication and thinking ability; and to increase child’s self confidence. In short, you can say that floor time is a playing and interactive tool, as long as 20-30 minutes, between parents and child. To interact and play can be repeated several times per day.

Several points in floor time method that parents should understand are:

Parents and child play interactively every day for about 30 minutes.
Focus completely in your child’s wants. Turn off TV and radio.
Follow your child’s idea; initiate comes from your child.
Let your child to decide what she/he wants to play/tell and how to do it (of course, the game depends on your child’s age).
Don’t take over to lead the game, parents should play actively as your child wants and be her/his friend. You should build interactive communication here!
Stimulate your child to response spontaneously; it aims to increase your child’s creativity! Try to be a connector of his/her toys. Ex: when you’re playing a frog puppet; imitate and speak like a frog.
In floor time method, avoid playing game boards, because the purpose is to interact creatively and spontaneously. Game boards tend to build structured interaction, not creatively.

Well parents, whatever brain stimulation method that you choose, the most important is: don’t be late to do it!

Rewrite source: Kompas and google
The picture is taken from help-your-child-with-anger.com

Child Can Look and Act So Funny

>> Dec 12, 2009

Another funny post from me. I don't want to make you serious at the weekend. Have a wonderful weekend, every one....

Catch up the latest news... It looks funny; but I think it's an image; look at the big hands. Am I right?

Source: laughitout.com

Dear baby, you looks so cute (the dog, too), but you need to loose your weight soon...

Source : people.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper

Potty training???

Source: funnypicturefunnyphoto.com

Which one do you like best?

Couple’s Corner: Jealousy

>> Dec 9, 2009

This post is this Wednesday’s Couple's Corner. We can learn by sharing and reading other’s experience, right? Happy reading…

Jealousy is one of our differences. I’m not a jealous person, but my hubby can be jealous easily. Thank God, his jealousy isn’t the blind one. I really understand that his jealousy shows how much his affection to me. I’ve never assumed it as a negative thing.
But I became confused when he asked,” Why you’ve never been jealous?” Yeah, why I’ve never been jealous to him? I think it’s only my personality; because I also love and don’t want to loose my hubby. I can feel his strong love; I believe in him 100% that he’ll always keep this trust. I think it’s the answer why I’ve never been yet jealous to him…

I know that he checks my hand phone and my face book account regularly; and it isn’t a problem at all, because I’ve never hidden anything or done ‘stupid’ things behind his back. I know that he also believes me 100%. He said,” I believe in you; I just want to protect you from others that may annoy and tempt you”.

So, actually, until now, I can enjoy his jealousy; even though he forbids me going shopping at the mall by myself. He always says,” I don’t like you’re leaving alone; I’m afraid someone will annoy you there. Let me accompany you”. Because now he’s very busy at the restaurant, I seldom go to the mall; just shopping at nearby little stores or factory outlets.

I realize that the aim of his jealousy is to protect me. Having written this jealousy thing makes me want to hear again the song “Jealousy” (Freddy Mercury –Queen). But the lyrics don’t describe us at all, just like the melody; because I love my hubby’s jealousy, he’s my truly body guard, ha ha ha….

Poisoned Relationship (3)

>> Dec 8, 2009

It’s the last post of poisoned relationship topic.

Third condition: “I want to rule you”

It’s a message that stated by a person that categorized as a ‘bossy’. Different with the ‘difficult’ person, the ‘bossy’ person used to take over all responsibilities. If this person is in your team work; she/he will ask opinion to every team member; and then suddenly she/he steps forward and admits these opinions as her/his own opinion.

It is unpleasant situation for the victims who have original opinions/ideas. But, this ‘bossy’ person is so clever to manipulate others, so, the victims can’t be protest. This person usually has the ability to influence others; therefore, she/he often becomes a leader.

The ‘bossy’ persons don’t realize that what they do make others stressful. With their charm and cleverness, they continuously pull their manipulated victims to facilitate them in achieving their own wants. They can make others look bad or ‘stupid’; and she/he is the best.

How to face the ‘bossy’ person?

If she/he involve in the same team work; don’t answer the questions. If the ‘bossy’ is your superior, seek a way to keep your idea safe with you.

Don’t pay attention if she/he tells about rumor or someone’s badness.

Speak out your objection straightly. Convince yourself that you’ve done the right thing.

If your objection doesn’t have enough attention, and her/his behavior burdens you continuously; do the detox. Stop seeing her/him or take a distance. If the bossy person is your parents or your spouse; find a reason to stay away for awhile. You need a rest!