How to Become a Leading Light in Childcare

A career in childcare is challenging and rewarding. For those wanting the opportunity to influence young lives there are several ways to show employers that you are right person for the job and to stand out in the profession. 

Entering the profession

 Starting out in childcare does not necessarily need a hatfull of qualifications. As a nursery assistant, in fact, you may not need qualifications at all. But, you must show great enthusiasm for your work and a commitment to developing your skills. You will need to be a warm, caring person and a great communicator. 

 If you show the right aptitude and commitment, you will find that some employers will be prepared to help you get industry qualifications while you work. There are several to aim for in the early stages of your career, including the Level 1 in an Introduction to Early Years Settings or the Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce. 

 There will also be opportunities to progress. If you are interested in jobs in education and becoming a nursery nurse with responsibility for supervising classroom activities and teaching numeracy and language skills, for example, you might want to work towards a Level 3 qualification such as the Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce. 

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework

 For anyone wanting to progress and stand out in early childcare, an understanding of the EYFS framework is essential. This statutory framework is part of the government’s vision for families in the early childhood years and sets the standards required of all Early Years providers to make sure that young children learn and develop well and are kept safe and healthy. 

 Provisions of the 2012 revision of the EYFS included an emphasis on childcare professionals spending more time interacting with children in order to foster communication, creative and critical thinking skills and encouraging parents to become more involved in the development of their children. The early identification of children with difficulties or extra needs is another crucial objective of the EYFS. 

 As you work with children and their families, how well you implement these provisions will say a lot about your commitment and determination to succeed. You will need to be competent in the execution of your duties and confident enough to take the initiative when the need arises. You will need to be prepared to seek out and accept responsibility and able to show that you can be proactive, working on your own initiative. Your performance at meetings and training modules will also help you get noticed. You should be ready to put forward sensible ideas and show eagerness to learn and progress your career. 

 If you demonstrate these traits and abilities you will soon be noticed by your employers and hopefully will be earmarked for greater things.

Spring Fashion According to the Little MIss

Miss Burrito is very interested in fashion designing, cooking, interior designing, reading, photography,  and most of all dressing up and posing in front of the camera.  Most of the time, she picks what she wears, when I disagree, she has a long a explanation why she chooses  a specific set of outfits and I tell you, she always wins with her arguments as I don't know much  about fashion anyway.  The photos below is her pick of celebrating Spring.  I told her that  I thought,  you are suppose to wear something bright like green and yellow representing  the  plants and flowers.  She said that she picks  something with red and black because it is still chilly outside and you need a color that could warm you up.  Make sense?  I was laughing with the explanation lol. 

Anyhow, the photos  of the Burritos below were taken  last week right after they got off from school and they wanted to stay at our porch for a while.  I took the opportunity to  take some photos of them while they were having fun.

 Miss Burrito is very strong, she can carry her brother  without a problem.

On another note, this is the 100th post for Color Connection and although I had fun hosting it, I have to  end it through this post.  I have been been busy with my  children's school activities that my time is very limited to do all the things I need to do online.  It is for this reason that, this will be the last po]st for the meme,.  I thank you all so much for  joining and sharing your colorful world with us every week.  If anyone would like to host this meme, you are more than welcome to continue it.  Again, thank you so much!

Dallas Cowboys.

It's been 4 years since  my daughter and husband meet  the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders who went to the Navy base in Korea.   My daughter was very happy that she got to see the gorgeous cheerleaders.  We were flipping our albums  that we compiled during our  2 years of stay in Korea and it made us all nostalgic.  We had such great memories  living there  Below are some of the pictures of our daughter with Brooke Sorenson and Brittany Evans.  

I just wish that the  store inside  the base  have Dallas Cowboys Baby Clothes, it could have been more fun for Ms. Burrito to dress up.  I found some really cute Dallas Cowboy clothes for kids online at Baby Fans website.  They have different kinds for newborn and for  toddlers.  It's fun to have small kids at home.  You can dress them up and they will never complain no matter what lol.  I miss those days!

Outdoor Enjoyment

We visited  Dad last Tuesday after  Ms. Burrito's  dental appointment.  The kids played in the backyard using  the wagon that my SIL, Chris made for them years ago.  The Mister just want to ride, poor little Miss has to drag the wagon even on the steep hill lol.  She's pretty strong though.

After we visited  Dad, we  dropped by at the recycling  place downtown and  sold some aluminum cans.  While hubby is dealing with the  cans, I accompanied my Burritos to a nearby  river and they  throw rocks in it.  They love the splashing sound when the rock hits the water.  It's amazing how the simplest things can bring so much joy to children.  They were overjoyed that  even for a short period of time, they get to bond with nature.  This is just one of the many outdoor activities that they love.

On the other note, we were so happy to see the fourth  grading marks of our kids.  They both have  great remarks from the teachers and outstanding grades.

5 Indoor Activities For Your Family

Kids and adults can become bored when they are stuck indoors. With a few simple ideas, the family can have fun indoors. The ideas will keep everyone entertained for hours.

Family Game Time

The family can set up board games to play together. The games can teach the kids valuable lessons. For instance, some games will help improve the child’s memory, and other games can make the child think about possible solutions to a problem. Board games can help kids learn the principles of losing and winning. The family can play a basic board game or put a puzzle together to spend some quality time together indoors. With a variety of games to choose from, the family will never become bored.

Story Telling

Most people enjoy hearing a good story. The story can be one from a favorite book, or it can be a real life event retold by one of the family members. Either way, it will make a dull day more enjoyable. A great way to tell a story is to involve each family member in the story telling. You can do this by allowing one member to start the story, and then, the story is passed to the next member to add details to the story. The story will continue being passed until the last family member finishes the story. Each family member will make up the story when it becomes his or her turn. This is an opportunity for each family member to become creative in telling a story.

Instead of making up their own story, a family can choose to use a book to tell the story. However, each family member will change the facts to make it into a new story. It will become a challenge for each person to twist the events of the book into a new tale. The kids and adults will be learning how to think quickly. In addition, each person can see how new ideas can form from an old idea.

Act It Out

After telling the stories, the family members can add life to the stories by acting them out. The kids can be encouraged to prepare a presentation of the stories, and then, they can act out the events for the parents. Add some music to the play or drama to make it more interesting.

Camping Indoors

Many kids love to pretend that they are camping outdoors. Tents can be made with blankets thrown over chairs. Blankets can be placed inside the homemade tent for the kids to relax and enjoy their indoor camping experience. Adding a basket of snacks to the activity will make it even more fun. All the family members can become involved by roasting marshmallows over a make-believe campfire and telling ghost stories.

Family Movie Time

Pop some popcorn, and watch a movie together. Family movie time will be an opportunity for each person to bond together over a favourite movie. Choose a movie that the entire family will enjoy.

Spending family time together can make memories that the kids can reflect on when they are grown. And now that technology has advanced, interactive things such as smart tvs and PlayStations are creating more activities for the family to enjoy together. Staying indoors can be fun, energetic and adventurous when you find a memorable activity to do that involves the entire family.

Tom is a tech head and is currently studying computer engineering. He loves everything to do with technology and writes these blogs hoping that it will help those who are not to savvy when it comes to basic tech knowledge.

Natural Curly Hair...

Ms. Burrito wanted me to curl her hair with the flat iron but I was afraid that it would damage it so I told her that I would just braid it.  I braided it  after she took  a sower and she  slept with  it, when she woke up we opened up the braid and this is what we have, a naturally curled hair without using anything.

She reminds me  of me when I was young, I always wanted a curly hair because mine is straight.

Oh do you see the gap in her teeth?  She lost another one  last week.

Music

The music teacher at school picked  Ms. Burrito to sing the "Alleluia" at church last Saturday.  Ms. Burrito have never sang alone  so she was very nervous.  She has been singing with the group but never alone so that was her first  solo  performance.  

With my two kids, Mr. Burrito is that one with the "VOICE", I mean the one that can really sing.  So when the teacher  chose Ms. Burrito, she  was like "I don't know why she picked me".  I told her that the teacher see something special on her voice so   she just need to be confident  and don't think that there is an audience.  I know that it is hard to do because I have been there.  I was asked to sing during our Theology class graduation, and I was on fire lol.  

I found this Epic Threads'  dress on a sale rack at Macy's.  This was originally priced at $39.99 but I got it  for only $4.67, so I got a pretty good deal on this one.  This dress is made in China but the quality is really good.

Below is the  video I took when she was singing.  Her voice was shaking, you can tell how nervous she was lol.  But I think, it wasn't bad knowing that it was her first time singing solo.  The second video was the group singing.

Both hubby and I love music  which explains why our  Burritos are  very interested in it too.  You might have read a post I did some years ago about my husband being part of a band. He played bass but he can sing too, he just don't believe he can lol.  I was a part of a choir in church during my high school years and also part of the choir that the Non-Teaching stuff in the catholic school where I worked in the Philippines.  So music is pretty much part of our lives.  Music is one great spice in our family.

Picasso, Our Little Ms. Burrito's Favorite Painter and Sculpture

One early morning, after she got done cooking breakfast (omelet and  potato hash) for us, she  had this urge to paint.  She put some fruit in a bowl, set it  on the table then she took the  two small  wooden chair and set it on the kitchen floor.  She then put a bond paper  on top of  folded newspaper , put some paint in a disposable plate, and started painting.

After 30 minutes or so, this is what she came up with.  I don't have an art inclination so I am so proud of my little girl for having that  ability to draw.  Both of kids love arts, they got that trait from their Dad, thanks God for that!   

Now, I have a great idea what to get her for her birthday.  She's turning 8 in few months and I think that a  good paint set would  make her very very happy.  I have to buy a frame for this painting as well so I can hang it up in our kitchen.    During their  Spring break, she  did some arts like cloud painting and stuff, will have to make a post about that sometimes.  

I remember  her 2nd grade teacher asked me if my daughter is taking  art lesson and I told her that she isn't.  She thought that Ms. Burrito is really talented.  It made me feel so  happy, I actually shed  tears in front of the teacher, wahh what a cry baby lol.  Oh well, what can I say, I am very emotional when it comes to my  Burritos.

Ms. Burrito's Favorite painter and Sculpture is Pablo  Picasso.  She reads  his biography online and  admire his works.  She even make these little people  from his playdoh.  she calls this one, the cave man.

She calls these group, the Little People.  She  said that it's actually "Us" as a family.

So there goes  my little girl's Picasso-Inspired creations.

Legal Professional with a Healthy Work Life Balance

Forget your personal life if you want a career.

Working in the legal profession such as family law often involves long hours. This is especially true if you are ambitious and keen to reach the top of your chosen career. Leaving home early in the morning, skipping lunch and working late into the evening are often seen as prerequisites for a successful and lucrative career. Having a personal and family life is seen as a weakness that needs to be overcome in order to reach the top. Your career has to take priority above all else: those deadlines must be met; that research must be done; those meetings and presentations should become your life blood. Law firms can often be viewed as lacking in understanding when it comes to the demands of our partners and families. Your performance at work should be blemish free and unaffected by any aspect of your personal life. Is it your partner's birthday? That case must take priority. Does your child have a part in the school play? Your boss doesn't want to know. Is your mother ill? She'll have to wait for your attention. 

Achieve a work/life balance in a driven manner 

You shouldn't have to become a loner at risk of losing your family to have a career in the legal profession. It is possible to achieve a healthy work/life balance and to be successful. What can you do to make sure you don't have to choose your career over a 'life'? 

You know how to research a case, how to find out all the salient facts and figures to ensure it stands up in court: apply this to your personal life. Research the best means of managing your time so that you can still meet the expectations of your partner, family and friends. 

You know how to negotiate a great deal for a client, using carefully constructed, fact based arguments: do this for yourself. When you need time out to spend with your children, show your boss what you have done and how you're going to do to make sure you continue to meet the requirements of the job. 

It is easy to become so absorbed in your work that personal time loses its value, as you lose the ability to 'switch off'. Research the best means of detaching yourself from work when you need to focus on your family. That could mean learning to meditate; engaging in sport or physical activity; or teaching yourself to become distracted with cooking, reading a novel or taking up crafts. 

It is possible to achieve a healthy work/life balance, even if you are at the top of your game in the legal profession. All you need to do is to apply the same principles of planning, prioritizing and research to your personal life. You don't gain career success without being proactive, and the same applies to personal success and happiness. It is arguable that career success will be that much more difficult to attain if your personal life is falling down around you. Looking after yourself physically and mentally will equip you with the tools you need to be the best you can be, and who can argue with that?!

Love at its Best!

We had a nice day last Saturday so we went to Steubenville.  We dropped by at  Dairy Queen and had some food to eat.  We proceeded to  Steuben Fort Mall and bought Ms. Burrito a pair of shoes and two dresses.  She said that she would like to have blue dress and not pink so tried on four different kinds of blue dress.

Mr. Burrito said that the last one that her Ate tried on looks beautiful on her and we all agreed.  She gave her brother a kiss for helping her decide which one to pick.  Can you tell  that my  son has a sweet tooth, sucking on a lollipop while shopping..

Sibling love at its best.

The line on the photo booth for the Easter Bunny was very long .

When we came home, we went to the field and  we played tennis.  

Photos were taken using  a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Fun First Time Jobs For Kids

Kids get the freedom that comes along with having their own money when they work. A job can also teach a kid how to become a responsible adult. Many kids do not want to work because they think that their job will be boring. On the contrary, there are a number of fun jobs for kids. Below are some of the many fun jobs that kids can do.

Babysitting

If your kid loves small children, then a babysitting job may be perfect for him or her. Babysitting jobs are relatively simple to find because parents are always looking for someone to take care of their child. Babysitters typically work on the weekends, so it will be easier for a child to work and keep up with his or her studies.

It is very important for your child to know what to do if an emergency situation arises. That is why is why babysitters are strongly advised to take a course in CPR and first aid.

Animal Shelter Worker

Animal shelters are always looking for hard-working people. People who work in animal shelters spend their days feeding the animals and cleaning out the cages. This is a great job for kids who are interested in becoming a veterinarian because it will give them the hands-on experience that they need.

Restaurant Waiter or Waitress

Despite the fact that waiters and waitresses often have to work long hours and deal with unpleasant customers, this job can be a lot of fun. People get to socialize with other employees and get free or discounted food. Waiters and waitresses can also make a lot of money in tips.

Tutor

This is another great job for people who love working with children. Schools hire tutors, but your child can also tutor online. One of the advantages of being an online tutor is that one has the option of setting his or her own hours. That is huge benefit for a busy student who has other things to do.

Retail Job

There are a number of benefits that can be reaped from having a retail job. People who work in retail get merchandise discounts and the opportunity to work alongside other people. They also get to enjoy light schedules.

Some of the downsides that come along with working a retail job is that one will most likely have to work weekends, make minimum wage and deal with unhappy customers. However, this is a great first time job because it teaches a young person how to interact with various types of people.

Stacey is the mother of twin teenage boys who have recently been looking for casual work in order to earn some extra pocket money. One of her boys recently landed a job doing letterbox distribution in Perth whilst the other is still searching prompting Stacey to put together this list. 

Easter Party in School

I went to school on Friday and helped the other Moms facilitate the Easter Party for the  Kindergarten and Second Grade.  I was all geared up with my camera so I can take photos but when I took my camera out of my bag, the battery was dead argghhh.  My cellphone came to the rescue though, I got to take some photos with it.

The kindergarten class had so much fun during their  egg hunting.  We laid the eggs  everywhere in the cafeteria.  I feel bad that I was not able to  spend as much time with Ms. Burrito because  I focused my attention to Mr. Burrito.  I explained to her that it's  her brother's first time celebrating the occasion in school so I made sure I was there.  I went to her classroom a couple of  times but did not stay very long.

For every party  in school  parents are  assigned to bring treats, snacks, and drinks.  I was assigned  to bring drinks this time.  I bought some Yohoo chocolate milk  and Kool Aid juice.  After the Egg hunt, we let the children eat their snacks, and then we end the party with games.

One of the Moms  prepared a game  for the kindergartners.  She  poke a hole on the eggs, emptied it out, boiled the shell and when it was cleaned, she put confetti in them.  Then she told the kids  something like a tradition of  breaking the eggs in their head for good luck.  They had so much fun cracking the eggs in their heads, we made a big mess lol!

Personalize Your Loved One’s Gift When You Buy Online

Are you looking for that perfect gift for your loved one who has everything? Or do you need to buy a backpack for your kid that has their name on it so they won’t lose it at school? Then you need to check out the products from Stuck on You today. You will find many affordable gifts and kids’ products available on the internet. All you need to know is how and where to find them. Young children often end up losing their backpacks, lunch boxes and clothing at school, which is why parents should think about labeling their kids school items.

Affordable Personalized Gifts 

You will want to check out how you can buy affordable personalized gifts for your loved ones on the internet. There are many types of gifts you can buy on Stuck on You including stationary, lunch boxes, tags, labels, clothing, back packs, and much more. If there is an upcoming birthday for one of your family members, then you should consider buying a beautiful embroidered bag or towel that has their name on it. You will be able to choose as many products as you want when you search through the retailer’s online inventory.

Value Packs

Depending on the age of your child, you may want to consider buying a value pack so you can label their shoes, hats, back packs, and other clothing items. There are value packs that suit different age groups when you browse through this website: http://www.stuckonyou.co.uk/.   There are school packs, travel packs, artist series activity packs, sleepover packs, and many others that you can choose from. All you have to do is click on one of the packs and enter in all the details that you want the labels to have. You can choose the label color, font, and design before adding it to your shopping cart.