Holy Week with the Kids

The Holy Week is a religious event but we seldom see religious activities anymore.  Even in the Philippines, the only Christian country in Asia, religious activities are not what they used to be.  Before, only shows and movies about the life of Jesus Christ were aired from Holy Monday till Maundy Thursday.  On Good Friday, there are no TV and radio broadcasts to allow Filipinos to reflect on the death of Jesus Christ.  Today, Holy Week is no longer a solemn occasion but this 4-day long weekend is looked forward to as a time to trek to the beaches.

Traditional Activities
In the United Kingdom, since our kids get 2 weeks off school, it is best to use this time to bond with our children.  We can use this time to get a little rest and relaxation, but not forgetting our Christian obligation. On Easter Sunday, you can attend mass at any of the famous places of worship - Westminster Abby, St. Paul’s Cathedral or St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church. Live choral and orchestral music is usually played on Easter Sunday.  Easter Sunday is not complete without our chocolate Easter eggs. You might want your kids to enjoy the extra thick chocolates  from Hotel Chocolat. From 29 March to 14 April, the Kew Gardens offers activities where your kids will learn how we got our passion for chocolates. They will learn the history of how chocolate came to our shores from the cacao of the ancient Maya and Aztec culture to Europe through the Spanish conquistadors.  They will appreciate their generation after learning that in the past only the rich can and are allowed to enjoy this delightful sweet product.  The Kew Garden will also have workshops on the making of chocolate, arts and crafts activities and the traditional Easter egg hunt.  Cutty Sark in Greenwich also offers an exciting egg hunt from 29 March to 1 April.  The Bank of England Museum encourages visitors to create and decorate their own Easter basket to take home.  This is happening from April 2 to 5 and April 8 to 12.

Non-traditional Activities
If you want your kids to experience something different, you can visit the Widow’s Son Pub in Bromly-by-Bow to witness an Easter bun ceremony on Good Friday.  Yearly, a sailor adds a hot cross bun to the collection in honor of a widow who baked a bun of her only son who died at sea. The London Eye, one of the world’s tallest observation wheels will welcome families from 29 to 1 April to its Chocolate Easter Egg factory.  Kids will be entertained by circus-style performers from 11 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. Your kids will be amazed with the Zippos Circus’ jaw-dropping performances. There will be 2 hours of action pack performances from Cuban acrobats, Havana Troupe and Brazilian motorbike riders.

Make the most of your kids’ 2 week break by spending time with them commemorating the life and death of Jesus Christ while doing some unusual activities this Holy Week.

Bounce Back

A friend of mine had to make a very difficult decision but I believe it was a very good one.  She closed her restaurant business.  She put her heart and soul to her restaurant business but had to shut it down because it is no longer profitable. Competition is very tough, fast food chains are opening close to her restaurant.  The economy is not getting better forcing people to dine at home or in fast food chains.  She told me that no matter how you love the place you have to let it go.

That last sentence struck me as I recalled how I was devastated after I lost almost everything when the company I’ve worked for closed its office.  I served that company well and was instrumental in its growth and success.  Unfortunately, it was terribly hit by the economic depression causing it to downsize and close its branch in my area.  My life was shattered.  I didn’t know what to do.  I am a single mom and don’t have anyone to turn to for financial help. I shut myself from the world hoping that when I finally come out from my hiding place, things will have taken the normal course of mending itself and things will be better.  Unfortunately, this is not a normal course.  I had to do something and do it fast; otherwise, my kids will suffer for my immaturity and emotional imbalance.

Shutting down a business or losing a job is nothing compared to losing a husband. Research proves that it is possible to die of a broken heart. Immense grief of losing a loved one may lead to death in 3 years from the time the spouse has died.  This same research claims that this is true not just for elderly couples but also for couples in their 30s and 40s.

Regardless of how we became single moms, we were devastated in the process.

Life is a journey and we can never predict what will happen along the way.  Life is full of twists and turns.  Learning to navigate these bumps and turns will help us go through life unscathed.  As single moms, we must always remember that we are not traveling alone.  We are to drive responsibly to ensure that we get our kids safe and secured in life.

Support groups and our spiritual maturity will help us bounce back.  We must learn to look forward to new beginnings and endeavours. As soon as I realized my immature response when I lost my job, I resolved to learn new ways of earning money.  With a strong background in MLM (multi-level marketing), I embraced the power of the internet to expand my network.  I taught myself the intricacies of internet marketing and today; I am blessed to have a successful online marketing business.  I also teach and mentor single moms and anyone interested in having an online business venture.  

We should count our blessings and bounce back from the twists and turns that life offers.  We need to learn to enjoy everything we have and not lament over what we don't have. We need to keep moving, keep driving till our last turn comes to a full stop.

Spring Break

“It will all come to pass”, my friend told me as I talked to her about my problem.  That phrase has been my consolation whenever I encounter problems in life.  Time goes by very quickly and all problems and good memories will pass by.  Let problems fade away but make sure you make the most of every opportunity to rekindle good memories.  This Spring Break, reconnect with your family and make memories that you will cherish forever.

 

 When my kids were young, we always create family activities during Spring Break.  Here are 7 of our most loved Spring Break family activities:

1.      Camping.  Kids are very inquisitive.  They love the outdoors and enjoy exploring.  Use this opportunity because childhood will not last forever.  Soon your children will grow old and they will find this activity boring.  So while they are in this stage of enjoying time with you outdoors, let them appreciate and explore the outdoors without distractions. Take them out on a camping trip free from television, video games and cell phones. 

2.      Rediscover your area.  Sometimes because of our busy schedules we fail to notice the beauty and history of our own city/town.  Use this Spring Break to rediscover your area and appreciate the beauty, history and possibly the great events that are taking place right in front of your home. This saves you not just the time and pressure of packing your family for a long travel but it saves you money.

3.      Go hiking.  Take your kids for a scavenger hunt for rocks, leaves and other discarded objects and turn your find into an art project.  Teach them how to turn trash into something valuable.

4.      Gardening. This activity will enhance your children’s knowledge in biology and the rewards of work and patience.  See their excitement as they watch a seed slowly uproot then blosom into a flower. Watch their enthusiasm as they wait to harvest vegetables and fruits from your garden. Planting the seeds and caring for the plants will teach your children the value of hard work and patience.

5.      Play family video games. You are now transversing into your kids’ world. Challenge or be challenged by your kids’ adeptness in video games.

6.      Visit relatives.  Spring Break is the time to catch up with your relatives.  Your kids will enjoy family time with their cousins and grandparents reminiscing the past and sharing their dreams.

7.      Join community projects. Look for ways to give back to your community. Volunteer in projects organized by YMCA, Habitat for Humanity and other similar organizations.  You can visit elderly homes and hospitals.  This activity will help you teach your children to count their blessings. This activity will also allow them to experience the joy of helping and making a difference in society.

 All things will come to pass but don’t let this Spring Break come to pass without teaching your children the value of life which they will cherish forever.

Balancing Act

The middle spot could be a difficult place to be. You don’t want to be in the middle seat in an airplane. The aisle seat is the best place because it is roomy or the window seat is better because of the nice take-off and landing view.   The middle school is an awkward place to be as it takes you off the carefree of elementary education and the growing independence of being in high school. In the same way, the middle child will most likely experience more stress than his siblings. The eldest enjoyed the undivided attention of the parents while the youngest is considered the baby in the family, is favored and is most likely spoiled.

Similarly, a single mom experiences stress as she balances her role in the middle as financial provider and raising her kids as mom.

Making the Most of Your Balancing Act Role
Though truly stressful, a single mom must make the most of her balancing role.  Making the most of your balancing role requires that you treat your new role as an opportunity to learn new things, grow more mature and independent. I guarantee that if you make the most of your balancing role, you will learn more things about yourself and discover your capabilities. The challenges you will face will give birth to a different you.

The Tension Challenge
You will experience pressure as you balance your role as the provider and the disciplinarian dad versus the caring and spoiler mom.  This is a tough balancing act because of the difficulty it will pose on your kids and the resistance you will most likely receive from them. They will find it difficult to adjust seeing less of you at home and resist your demands for help in the house work and their understanding of your situation.   You will be caught in between being strict with your rules and giving in to their wishes and whims.  But once you overcome this tension challenge you will become a better person.  You will learn to be stronger in facing the emotional issues in life and will become more firm in your decision making.  Most of all, you will be able to train your children to become responsible at an earlier time than most of their peers.

The Frustration Challenge
Sometimes despite all your efforts you can’t seem to steer your kids in the right direction.  You are facing a huge battle with their peers and their environment.  At this stage you must not feel frustrated but challenged to continue to fulfill your role to the best of your ability.  In time, your kids will understand and appreciate your efforts.  In time, they will realize all the sacrifices you’ve done for them.

In many areas of life, the middle is the most difficult and uneasy place to be.  But as a single mom, you are left with no choice. You are caught in the middle and is tasked to fill-in the shoes of dad.  You need to perform a balancing act to raise good kids.

Life Plan

Have you done a life plan? A life plan is essential if you want to be happy in life. A life plan has be to revisited at least once a year preferably at the start of the year to check how we did the past year and if we are on schedule based on our "gantt chart".  We we are not on schedule we might need to make some adjustments.  Or, we should stop and re-think if a change in our activities is necessary to better align to our life plan. Whenever we examine our life plan, it is best to involve our family to help us get a better perspective and unbiased assessment.

A life plan is not merely a goal-setting or a new year’s resolution.  A life plan is your road map to living your life with a purpose and passion.  A life plan is rooted in the discovery of what makes you happy and channeling your activities toward this.  Discovering your happiness will lead you to discover your purpose and create a deep desire to fulfill your purpose in life.  This will enable you to create a concrete direction, give you motivation and inspiration.  With these discoveries, you will have the passion to drive all your efforts to the achievement of your life plan and make your life and your family’s life more productive.

Since a life plan emanates from determining what makes us happy, here are some suggestions to determine the happy points in your life:

1. Review your life.  Where are you today and where do you want to be in the future? If you leave earth today, how will you be remembered?  Will your kids be thankful that you were their mom? 
2. Asses what is important to you. This is easy to enumerate but what makes it a bit tasking is if you list the important things in your life based on the most important to the least important. Does your career come first or your consider your kids more important that your career?  You have to be honest in your list.  Do you go to work even if your kid is burning with fever?     How would you rate money, friends, family, relationship?
3. The steps become harder as we proceed but it is very important to go through these steps one by one to have a clarity of vision. You need to forecast where you and your family will be in the next 20 to 30 years.
4. If you want your family to be affluent and living in a particular country and your kids becoming professionals or owning their businesses, what is your role or your purpose behind your vision. If this is what makes you happy and this your purpose, what will you do to achieve this?
5. The fifth step is planning for what you have envisioned.  Involve your kids. Ask them what they think of your plan.  Ask for suggestions. Remind them that they need to participate because whatever you plan will definitely affect them.
6. The 6^th step is implementation.  The actions you have identified in step 5 must be strictly followed. 
7. The 7^th step is to read and reflect on your plan.  Is this truly what you want.  Is your plan doable?   Is it realistic?  Will it guarantee achievement of your purpose if strictly adhered to?  Make adjustments if necessary. 

Take a week to do steps 1 to 7. Involve your kids and ask them to be your accountability partners in areas you think they are capable of handling.

     8.  The 8^th and final step is to revisit on an annual basis how you are progressing.Involve your   accountability partners – kids, family, friends. 

 

Life expectancy on the average is 80 years, so it is best to start your life plan now to ensure that you spend your life on earth happy, satisfied and fulfilled.

Online Business Venture

The World Wide Web has opened a lot of business opportunities to enterprising people who desire to be free from employment and have their own business.  Since these business opportunities can be done in the comfort of one’s home, these business opportunities are excellent source of income for single moms.

Online business ventures range from selling physical products, affiliate marketing or selling other people’s stuff, offering training and consulting services, article writing, copy writing, transcribing, language translation, etc.  Even MLM or multi level marketing via the internet is a lucrative business venture.

The key to the success of any online business venture is having a concrete internet marketing strategy. Good Internet marketing strategy takes a lot of planning. That planning should begin long before a business website is put online. Internet marketing tactics must be planned from practically the very beginning of an online business venture. When a website has its marketing strategy sorted out on day one it will grow exponentially faster even if its webmaster is running out marketing options after going live.

When using internet marketing, targeting the correct audience is a crucial component to achieving real success with your online business venture. In-depth research on your target market’s attitudes, likes and dislikes, what they do, which sites they frequent; basically what makes them “tick”, what will trigger their emotion or desire to make a purchase are very essential components to your success. The more care and planning you use to target both your potential customer base and choosing proper placement for your marketing advertisements, the more success you will realize with your internet marketing campaigns.

You must also have the ability and skill to analyze results of your marketing campaigns.  Learn to do market surveys and small test sampling prior to rolling out your marketing campaigns. Whatever online advertising medium you use; CPC (cost per click), CPA (cost per acquisition), PPC (per per click), CPM (cost per impression), must be tested on a small scale.  Our internet world gave rise to easily bored consumers so you must be able to always provide something new and exciting to this market.

Creating a marketing plan will further increase your chances of being successful in our online business venture.  You might want to consider http://bigmoneyvault.com as your online business venture.

Smile

Problems keep us from smiling.  Parenting alone brings huge challenges from financial to physical to emotional.  But we need to keep a positive perspective and always wear a smile on our faces because smiling brings a lot of benefits both physically and mentally.

Smiling improves your health.  Smiling when under stress slows your breathing and heart rate, making you feel relaxed.  Smiling not only makes you feel better but it also makes you look better. Have you ever wondered by people smile when their photographs are taken? 

Smiling improves your mood.  Smiling sends a message to your brain that you are happy.  When you smile, your left frontal cortex, the area of your brain that registers happiness, is triggered. Studies confirm that when people are smiling their bodies produce physiological changes that reflect their emotion; they feel better and feel happy.

When you find it difficult to smile, consider the following suggestions:

1. Look at laughing babies









2.  Watch twins talk

3.  Look at the photos of cute puppies

 

4. Touch nose with your child









5. Revisit old photos of your family and recall the stories behind these photos

6.  Recount happy moments with friends









7.  Count your blessings

Single moms, when you find it difficult to smile, remember the time you first held you precious one in your arms. Some women are not blessed to have a baby and therefore do not know the joy of being a mom, the joy of feeling something alive growing in your belly, the joy of seeing that live being for the first time, the joy of witnessing your child become someone great.

Single moms, when you find it difficult to smile, think of your kids’ love for you!