City Music Center

Last Saturday was  our daughter's first day of classes in  Doquesne University.  She is enrolled to their  music program which include  one-hour of Musicianship, one-hour of Eurhytmics, and a 45-minute one-on-one piano with Ms. Natasha.  She was very nervous on the first day because we read  the reviews  online about her piano teacher and most of her students said that she is very strict, however, they all complimented her for being the best teacher.  Here are some of the photos of her first day at City Music Center.  Their classes are held in Mary Pappert School of Music building.

I tried to divert her nervousness by  letting her pose for me to take a picture of her which she did but inside the  piano teacher's room, you can tell that she is very tensed.

The piano teacher invited us over  to see how she does  but after the session, she told us that we  can no longer come inside with her in the succeeding lessons lol.  After her piano lesson, we  waited outside for her other classes to be over.  We let our son ran around the field and  have fun.

Me and my son won't be going with them  next Saturday.  Three hours of classes is  a very long time for him to wait although he can play outside but I would rather stay here at home with him then we can do something else rather than  be in the campus.  Besides, my husband has to do his  online assignments while waiting for our daughter so it will give him time to do it alone without us.

We Missed to Attend Friends' Wedding

Hubby and I were not able to attend the wedding  of his friend last weekend because  our daughter's first day of classes in Doquesne University have  fallen on the same day and we ran out of time after we got back home.  We were gonna try to go but  the drive from here to the venue of their wedding was two house so we will miss the ceremony anyway.  The thought of leaving the kids just to be able to attend the reception was not really ideal so I told my husband that   he should just give our monetary gift when they see each other at work.  Right now, they are still in honeymoon I think.   To Ralph and Bethany, congratulations  and best wishes to both of you!  Sorry if we were not able to come on your special day!

Compassion and Understanding: Lessons from These two Books

 I received a couple of books full of lessons for kids and adults alike from Wisdom Tales.  I love partnering with companies like Wisdom Tales  that gives opportunities for parents like me to have a copy of their newly published/released books.  Wisdom Tales books are not just ordinary books, they contain beautiful stories full of life-learning-lessons both for kids and adults.  

I have two kids and sometimes, even though I teach them how to share all the time, there are still instances that they wouldn't especially if it involve their favorite toys or things.  So  the story of "The Olive Tree" is perfect to remind them once again how   nice it is to share things  not only with your family but with other people as well.  The award winning illustrator, Claire Ewart included  beautiful paintings on this book.  This books contains a story of two children  who are learning to share and work  together  by looking past their differences. This book will be published  in November 2014, these are just the first copies.   This book definitely teaches children and even adults  a lesson about how compassion and understanding lie at the heart of all friendship.  I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something for your kids to read.  This is  suitable for kids ages 5 and up.  

Summer is ending and Fall will be here soon.  Big holidays are  just around the corner and with that being said, this book "The Dreidel That Wouldn't Spin" would be a perfect book  to  get and read with your kids as you snuggle up with them during the cold season.  If  you celebrate Hannukah holiday, then this book is  just perfect as it explains the meaning of the Hannukah holiday and the story revolves around it.

Whenever I let my kids  read a book, my first question after they read is "What lesson did you learn".  My daughter has a  long explanation about this book which I  wished I could have captured in video.  This  book  tells a very strong message that when you believe, things and miracles  still happens even at a very unexpected ways.  For those of you who have bookworm kids, this is another book I would  recommend to get.  It's a beautiful story full of lessons to learn for young minds.    Thank you so much once again Wisdom Tales!

Disclaimer: The author of this blog was NOT financially compensated to write this review. Opinions expressed is not in anyway influenced by other factors. The product/s mentioned above was provided for FREE for evaluation purposes. 

Six Benefits of School Uniforms

As your child heads back to school this fall, there’s a good chance that they will be wearing uniforms. USA Today recently reported that almost one out of five students wear a school uniform. This is a sixty percent increase from 2000, and both private and public schools have adopted the trend. Fortunately, access to a Dickies school uniform is easy. Plus, there are a lot of benefits that come with forgoing traditional school clothes, including these six.

1 – Better for Students

When school uniforms are implemented, most students benefit. This requirement sets a standard of dress for all of the kids that attend school. In doing so, a lot of the competition and bias among students is eliminated. Teachers are less likely to judge students, and students are less likely to judge their peers. In addition, when students attend school dressed appropriately, they usually perform better. Therefore, schools that implement stricter dress codes often care about the academic performance of their students.

2 – Increased School Sprit

Since everyone dresses the same with uniforms, unity is often seen on these campuses. They have positive atmospheres where students feel like they can fit in with others. This type of atmosphere boosts camaraderie among students and can easily increase school spirit.

3 – Mornings Are Easier

When a school requires uniforms, the mornings are easier. There is no need to worry about what you should wear to look cool or fit in. Parents also don’t have to fight with their children about what is and isn’t appropriate for school. Instead, the kids just get dressed in something that is acceptable under the dress code rules. Usually they have a few options to choose from. Having fewer choices eliminates the time in the closet. It also helps them get out the door and in the classroom on time.

4 – Safer Learning Environment

Schools that require uniforms are known for safety. One of the reasons that uniforms enhance safety is because they make it easier for safety officials to identity non-students that are on-campus. If these individuals are a threat, officials can take action to prevent a problem before it gets out of hand. Without uniforms, these predators might easily blend into a crowd.

5 – Less Expensive

It is less expensive to purchase uniforms for your children. Most children only need enough shirts and pants to get them through a week of school. Then, you can wash these clothes on the weekend. The cost of this wardrobe is much less than if you were to purchase an entire wardrobe for a school that did not require uniforms.

6 – Self-Expression Is Encouraged

One of the amazing benefits of uniforms is that self-expression is actually encouraged. Since kids cannot use clothing to express themselves, they will use other means to showcase their personality. They might choose to participate in sports, join a club, or excel in academics. Some individuals might not pursue such lofty endeavors if they had clothing to hide behind.

These are just six of the most common reasons why parents, students, and teachers are jumping on the school uniform bandwagon. If you child has to wear uniforms, you have a lot of benefits in store.