Balikbayan Box: 12 DO's and DONT's of Balikbayan-box shipping

Balikbayan Box: 12 DO's and DONT's of Balikbayan-box shipping
for Filipinos living in Australia NSW, send your balikbayan boxes thru
http://www.balikbayanbox.com.au

Ham Salad Crown

Ham Salad Crown is another great kids recipe we would like to share. This is perfect to all moms and children out there where we can involve our kids to like A salad type of food with this very attractive food preparation. This is so easy and simple.







Our Ingredients are the following:

2 slices ham

1 cherry tomato

2 slices apple

1 slice cheese

2 currants

2 slices hard boiled eggs

A little mustard and cress

2 long slices carrot

How to Prepare:

3 easy steps and we are done

We cut 2 large rounds from the slices of ham using a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass or other container that serves as a guide. Then arrange on two plates and we can add a halved tomato for a nose and a slice of apple for a mouth, can trim it if needed.
Now, we will cut out small triangles or stars of cheese with a knife for eyes, place on the ham and add halved currants for eyeballs.
Now on our finale, halve the egg slices and add to the face for ears. Snip the mustard and cress for the hair and use snipped pieces of carrot for a ruff.
Added info:

We can also use radishes, peaches, raisins, red pepper and lettuce to change the appearance of the salad clown. Enjoy  and have fun with the kids! A perfect bonding for you and your kids when you can prepare it together.

Target serving: 2

Mosquito Repellant that can be made by You

We can protect our kids from killer mosquitoes by a Mosquito repellant that can be made by you. Like in all other countries, Australia also has seasons sequence to follow. We have a suggestion on how we can fight mosquitoes with a homemade repellant. Basically, this would be best during spring time.

• Summer: December to February
• Autumn: March to May
• Winter: June to August
• Spring: September to November

Here’s how:

We will just combine 15 drops lavender oil, 3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract,

1/4 Cup lemon juice,  Fill bottle with water, in a 16 oz bottle and then shake it baby! We can also give this as a gift to our friends and relatives to show how much we care and would really be nice gift that will surely be appreciated coz it is a homemade that is quite a little different from what we can buy in stores.

How does a child must grow?

How does a child must grow? A child must be raised not just to get them grow. Parenting is not an easy job and we all know that. It is not a harsh meaning of sacrifice because it is our obligation to give them a good life, a good education and an experience of a life free from harm and abuse. On the first day, the time that we gave this child life and breath, we already have expectations that we plan to give and a joy to receive from them. Eyes that open widely and ready to receive what the world offers, sounds that cling to their ears whenever there is silence for when the world is busy around them,they also hear their noise and sweet laughter that fills the room and it sounds like music in our ears, when everytime they cry and stop sobbing after we’ve attended to their needs.

Attachment is important from newborn to a raising child. Since birth, a mom always gives whatever the baby needs. When they cry, we want to help them ease the cause of their tears and help them as much as possible carry out the tears from falling quickly until suddenly be comforted. Tending children is like herding cats and dogs. Basically from the trending age of kids nowadays from birth upto 3 years old and up they become more independent. They are capable of taking care of themselves in a way they know and they could do things though it might not be the percfect one but could be right on such time it was done.

There are times they need to be nudged. Sometimes, because we love them so much some parents tend to forget that we are here to guide them not to control them. Let them see how the world goes with how the way they handle things by themselves with our guidance so they must know on how to engage in different things and learn how to deal with it with so much confidence that they could even give their parents a last look saying, “You are right mom, you are right dad. Look at me now. See how I become a successful  perosn because of You.”  We as parents are to set an example for them. By giving them a chance to grow up without much cuddling and controlling them, they are leading to a more patient and understandnding person as they should. They learn how to be more calm and listen to things they have to know and must change for their betterment. Eventually, kids grow with minds and feelings on how they should be after their surroundings. When was the last time that you explaned it to them that you are doing these great things because you want them not just to be the best but a better person in a way they would understand that you are not dismissing what they have to say. You have a toddler for two years and not too long you have a  child for five years.

Time flies quickly and you won’t even notice that by another three years you already have a preteen. This is the age where they really level up and break the curiousity out of the box from what their mind could reach. Just serve as their friend, a mom, a teacher, the best that they could ever have for an ear and someone who is always there to listen. A 

ground rules wherein they start to break if they feel like they are no longer free to do what makes them happy. We just need to have them realised that  Cwhatever it takes, they must always be accountable for that and so they will always be positive in appreciating a good decision.Come what may it fails, just make sure we regularly communicate with them so they would know that we value what they say.

From the time they age as a teenager, they know the full responsibility for every  action they make. Boys know how to clean toilets, do the dishes, cook, groom themselves,etc, just as much as they learn how to do boys things. Girls should learn how to work on cars, dig a sprinkler ditch in the backyard, paint the house, etc just as much as learning how to manicure their nails. In short, we have to teach them the practicality of life wherein they will live with it and would survive i because they know how to do it independently.

“ And then they’re off. Take care in what you do with those years. They are few, though they may seem like many.” Lucky we are if were given a child. For they are the most wonderful blessing we could ever have. We only need to get them prepared in everything until the world is gone from us and they have to live on their own. It is how they were grown and from there, they will take it for good…

Goodness of Empowerment for kids

Goodness of Empowerment for kids

Engaging your kids in the community comes so easy as early when they have social life and interaction with other kids and people outside the house. And how are we going to do that? Parents who are too busy at work and they can’t leave nor absent themselves from work may need to have a nanny service. It is crucial that you find someone you trust to take care of your child. So of course, it would really be essential that we also take some parts other than hiring a nanny on how we can empower our kids at a young age. Generally, kids nowadays can easily understand things.

Though we still have to back up when the nanny is not around or a live-out, during our free time, we may still engage with our kids in a more personal way. How? During bedtime, we may also lay down beside them, read some stories where they can pick up good lessons and that they can live up with it. Giving them some instructions that their mind can pick up at their age and as they grow so they would be able to do things by themselves. Empowering is like inculminating them a ” I Can Do It” attitude. Other times are when you are having lunch or dinner with them. You can engage quite a great talk with them.

In a way that we check them if they truly understand you and the way things you are teaching them is really essential. We need to know how they respond to things and advices and how they feel about it. They must be aware on things around them, how to deal with them and how they may feel towards an incident that can be good or bad. It is mainly their reactions.

Giving them options to be able to give solutions on things. This would enable them to explore on how they will arrive to their own solutions to problems. Like we can ask them, ” What are you going to do when you see someone is locked on the door?” Giving them options like, ” I will try to help them by calling someone older than me, I will just ignore it, ask why if they will choose it, or I will call a police or could be other than those. Questions that would make them think about the answers would be fine. This is what normally we should do when our kids are 3 years old and up. Coaching is best even when we hang out with them not that often. They will surely remember this. Just inject it in a way that you are not forcing them do something against their will.

Letting them know that you are always there to support them and you know they can do it to boost their self confidence and that they can do things possible if they believe they can do it. Of course, giving them inspiration on how they can do it would be best like telling them, never miss to eat their meals, play and learn, be alert and always communicate in any way they can to ensure they will be guided. Encouragement is the key to make them more confident so when at times you are not around, it will be more fun when a nanny engage with them coz they know how to engage themselves. Empowered kids in the community is what we should see and mostly they are disciplined. We really can expect imperfections in decisions but learning that “They can DO IT” is great.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here is another recipe that our kids would love. Give them just the right amount and they will surely love it. New taste of chicken: Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is perfect for all occasions. Another chicken recipe that kids would dwell and would always want it. It is also yummy for young tummies.

Chicken:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Here’s how to prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.
4. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through.
5. Place the chicken in a 9×13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken.
6.  Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes…

Recipe credits to stayathomemommies(Six Sister’s Stuff)

Oreo Blast Fried Cookies

Here is another simple and yummy recipe that your kids would surely love for snack. Oreo Blast Fried Cookies.

Your Target: Best Kid

Ingredients:

1 package oreos

1 medium box of pancake mix

Cooking Oil

How to prepare:

1. In a bowl, add water to a few cups of a pancake mix.
2. Add water until the batter reaches a consistent thickness and smoothness
3. Chill the batter (pancake mix) in the fridge for a few minutes while you heat the pan wih vegetable oil.
4. Once the pancake mixture is ready, dip the oreo cookies in it and make sure the coating is even
5. Put the coated oreos in the pot with hot oil
6. Fry until coating puffs up and becomes golden brown. If it gets too hot bring off the pan from heat once in a while. You can serve this with some scoops of Ice cream

Presto! Our Oreo Blast Fried cookies are ready to serve.