It is also the perfect time to take up something you’ve always wanted but never found the chance to. If you really feel strongly about something and you want it to happen there is no time like now to start working your way towards that goal. If you keep putting it off, waiting for things to land on your lap you are succeeding only in wasting precious time.
If you have little ones, instead of making them go through the whole stretch of summer doing nothing, try to engage them in activities. The best dancers and best athletes have this to say: For a person to really excel at anything he/she should start at around four or five years old. A child is like a sponge, effortlessly absorbing everything even as he/she observes from the sidelines. Exposure, not pressure, is the key. There is absolutely no way kids will not pick it up – yes, maybe in fragments, some days more than others but always something is ingrained in their subconscious. That thought should be enough to encourage you to guide your child to the path he/she is most inclined to take, be it in sports or the arts. Wanting to do something and being dedicated to learning it is already half the battle won.
Juliana and her best friend Shanika have started taking flamenco lessons. I used to get frustrated when, instead of following the teacher, I would see them running around the studio halfway through class doing everything except the drills. But I persevered in sending her there week after week and yesterday as she was playing with her cooking set I heard her mumbling "planta tacon, planta tacon-tacon… un dos…un dos tres…" I asked her to show me some of the steps and she did, her chubby arms outstretched and her hips swaying as she did her footwork. I was so happy. She really is learning despite what I perceived as her short attention span and seeming inattentiveness.
I remembered Mommy Susan because she shared with my mom something that you would love to do for your little ones. Mommy Susan suggested that I get huge mahjong pads for Juliana to draw on. I can recycle the finished artwork as wrapping paper. I am sure it would look pretty tied with string. Also, kids will love the huge blank space they can work on, the size alone will empower them.
Lastly, summer is synonymous with travels and the luxury of sinking into plush beds covered with pristine white sheets. This is perhaps the thing I love most about nice hotels – the nice smooth sheets that envelop me as I relax and sleep. On that note, let me introduce you to Virgilio Sia of Versia Corporation. He is the person to see if you need hotel-quality sheets. He has everything from luxurious Frette to generic, good quality sheets with a 300-thread count. The best part is he can customize sheets to fit your mattress and pillows. The finished product is very, very neat. I ordered all the sheets we use at home from him, color-coding them according to room. He even has pillows, duvet in-fills and covers, the most beautiful plates, glasses, and cutlery, too. He is every homemaker’s Godsend. For details, call Arleen at 241-0056 and 245-3396 or 0918-9100885 or visit his showroom at Suite 801 Tytana Plaza Bldg., Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz, Oriente St., Binondo, Manila.