Hazel Ceej

Coconut trees chime with the mountain breeze cooling this country school in a cozy town known as the 'fruit and flower basket of South Cotabato ,' a province an hour and a half plane ride from the Philippine capital of Manila. Children were queuing up to get to their classrooms when I got in for a friendly business chat with the principal.   Cashew Fia, girl in white shirt and sneakers, far left, runs to greet CJ (little boy blue with his back to the camera) who was late for flag ceremony. They are classmates in first grade. Srifle, the Red Riding Hood holding CJ's hand, is a girl I hired to help (the Grandma who is official guardian) look after CJ. Cheeky, my niece's dog escorted the duo. That must be his way of saying thank you for the free breakfast I gave him that morning. There's a class entrance protocol that is new to me. Each child takes the teacher's right hand to have it touch lightly on his forehead, and then give the teacher a peck on the cheek befo...

In this post: Booking Through Thursday and Thursday Thirteen GigiAnn asks: Do you have a favorite season of the year that you read more? (Example: during snow storms, rainy weather, or sunny and warm weather) Lisa asks: Where is your favorite place to read? On the beach? Inside/outside? During rainy weather! I love the rain , especially when I'm indoors. I love curling up in bed with a fuzzy blanket, a cup of hot chocolate or tea on the side table, and read read read. While traveling on a coach from Windsor Castle back to London, it rained. Hard. The next minute everything was white. That was my first snow experience ever and I was thinking... this would be perfect if there was a charming book in my hands right now! The beach -- well, every time I'm on a beach I'm doing something else like catching up with family and friends so the bedroom with the rain pitter-pattering on the roof works very well for me. Thursday 13: Books (on my TBR pile) for the rainy days See if yo...

"Give the body junk food and the brain is certainly going to suffer," comments nutritionist Bethany Thayer, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. It is statements like that that renews my horror every time I remember sacks of junk food at the ex-hubster's house, made available for my then 4-year old. Experts ask parents, "'Want your child to do better in school? Take a close look at his or her diet. Certain "brain foods" may help boost a child's brain growth -- plus improve brain function , memory, and concentration.'" The brain is called a very hungry organ.  Thayer explains that "it is the first among the body's organs to absorb nutrients from the food we eat." WebMD presents these top ten brain foods that will help kids get the most from school. Their experts also provide preparing and serving suggestions: 1. Salmon , an excellent source of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA - both essential for brain growth...

The phrase is defined in varied ways. The meaning presented on The Dictionary of Idioms on YANGLISH.com is one that describes how I feel one bright November day - If someone is very excited about something, they have a bee in their bonnet. We were about to tour a beautiful field of big blooms. This was so far the most exciting moment I had with nature in fifteen years being an expat. ABC Wednesday Related articles Aprons, bonnets necessary gear for country ladies (amarillo.com)

The phrase is defined in varied ways. The meaning presented on The Dictionary of Idioms on YANGLISH.com is one that describes how I feel one bright November day - If someone is very excited about something, they have a bee in their bonnet. We were about to tour a beautiful field of big blooms. This was so far the most exciting moment I had with nature in fifteen years being an expat. ABC Wednesday Related articles Aprons, bonnets necessary gear for country ladies (amarillo.com)

Have you got a funny kid or have one among your friends or acquaintances? If a child has sense of humor early on, it may mean he's got the genes. Study shows the same parts of the brain that respond to humor in adults are as active in children as early as six years old. And these parts of the brain develop; become more sophisticated with age. Researchers say this "finding should lead to a better understanding of how positive emotions like a sense of humor develop and affect a child's well-being." Let us touch a little on the significance of humor, the good kind of humor. Better clarify that as there's a dark sense of humor, a rotten sense of humor, a sick sense of humor, etcetera.  Researchers featured on WebMD specified "balanced and consistent sense of humor may help children negotiate the difficult period of pre-adolescence and adolescence." Don't we all remember the confusion, difficulty as well as the excitement of adolescence? Do you remember ...

We are humans, we are normal. We do things, human things, and one of them is something anyone may have done or experienced - yelling or being yelled at. Yelling: the cause, the casualty & the cure is a book packed with practical tips you need to know about the behavior. Author Lorrie Flem gently shows readers, mothers particularly, how negative a behavior yelling can be and how to learn to avoid and overcome it altogether. There are bits of real-life yelling episodes of individuals shown in the book. Some of them you may know to be true or reflective of someone you know. You'll be surprised. Surprised that you may think you know how to handle yelling when you get around to it because you think it is not serious and sorting it out is a piece of cake. Or you may be surprised to realize that yelling needs to be cracked at now, not tomorrow or when you are ready to deal with it. This book is a good eye-opener and guide to help you overcome the problem of yelling. To be frank, my...