EJ's First Reconciliation

Another big milestone in our son's faith happened last Tuesday,  February 10th at St. Joseph Church.  It was his first confession/reconciliation.  His First communion is coming up in May 3rd this year.  Before they could  take their first communion, they need to do the reconciliation.  

EJ was a bit a nervous in going to the priest and confessing his sins.  I told him that I was the same way when I did my first confession.

 For moral support, we all went (as we always do for both of them).

 After he confessed and did the penance given by the priest, there were stations in front of the altar.  The stations have symbolic  things they do to further  explain how important it is to reconcile with God.  The first station is washing the hands to completely clean/wash away the   sins.

 The second station is a prayer then they were given their  reconciliation shiurt.

 The third station is  the light.  They were given  each a light.

 The fourth station is the prayer book.

 The fifth station is a prayer/blessing for the whole family and we were given  a book also.

The last station is the prayer that both parents and the child should recite while kneeling.

 Snacks were served  after the  reconciliation rites.  It gave them time to relax and be with their friends.

 It also gave us the  chance to play catch up with other parents and the teachers.

It was a nice ceremony for our little man.  I can tell he was relieved that he got thru it without passing out lol.

Most Important Child Safety Equipments

Child safety equipment are a must have in every house with toddlers. Unfortunately, accidents are a major cause of child death in comparison to many critical ailments. Your child is your life and hence there should not be any compromise on the safety of the little one. Here is a brief on some of the most important child safety equipment.

Smoke detectors

The experts always advise to get smoke detector devices in your bedrooms & hallways. When you are safeguarded by active alarm at different places in your home, it would be easier to come out alive with your family- in case fire starts in the middle of the night.

Video baby monitors

Also termed as baby cams, video baby monitors are fitted with video camera that captures the movement of your toddler while he/she is alone. The device will send the footage to the receiver & you can watch it either on your TV or on a LCD (portable) screen. The monitor will alert you whenever the child wakes or cries so that you can immediately rush to care for your infant. Some of the advanced baby video monitors are equipped with night vision capacity that allows a clear footage in low light or at night. “Baby Monitor 101 is one of the best resources for parents to find a lot of info about video baby monitors.

Childproof latches

Then, you should get childproof latches for cupboards, drawers and doors when you have child at home. The childproof latch on door will prevent the crawling baby from escaping from the house. Moreover, childproof latch on cupboards, cabinets and drawers would keep away the little hands from sharp or harmful objects inside.

Nightlights

You must install nightlights in your house so the little feet don’t get to bump or trip over into things around while moving to washroom or any other room in dark hours.

Safety gates

These are also important when you have an infant at home, especially when he/she reaches to the crawling stage. The experts advise to install safety gates as the stair opens and closes so that there is no chance of the kid climbing up & falling down the steps - as you are busy elsewhere in the house. You should also install safety gates before electrical appliances, say your exposed heater. The, safety gates installed before specific rooms - like your kitchen.-should also prevent the toddler’s unwanted entry there. You should have these gates till the infant turns two. Hard-mounted gates are most preferred.

Jesus is the LIght of the World - Experience Day

In February 7th (this past Saturday), our son EJ,  attended  the Experience Day in preparation for their  first Reconciliation.  The activity aimed to  prepare the kids before they go on their  very first confession.  It aimed to  give the kids a full understanding through experiencing what's the importance of asking forgiveness to  sins.

 They did  different kinds of activities including  making   bread, reading of the Bible, and they did religious arts and crafts,

 There were Mom volunteers who helped facilitate the event.  They also served  snacks for the kids.

 This year's first communicants is  a small number compared to the previous years.

 It is sad to think that  there are so many kids these days but only few are active or involve with religious-related  activities like this.

 I admire  the second  grade teacher for her dedication in molding  and teaching the kids about this important   milestone of their lives.

 I love the poster that the kids made.  They each  made a paper candle and put it in a big poster.

"Jesus is the Light of the World".

3 Tips for Gifting Tech to Children

A huge question amongst parents is whether or not buying technology for kids and teenagers, especially mobile phones, is a smart move.

An iPod he got for Christmas

While the thought of being able to keep in touch with your kids at anytime is very appealing to most families, your child owning a personal smartphone can open doors to many issues on the parenting front.

If buying the latest iPhone for your kid is something you have considered doing, here are some important tips to keep in mind.

1) Open Lines of Communication

           

Smart devices, quite literally, put the world at your fingertips. This can prove tremendously beneficial for young curious children, but unrestrained access to the ‘world wide web’ can expose younger kids and teens to a darker side of the world that they aren’t quite ready for yet. Sit down and have a chat about inappropriate versus appropriate content, and the consequences of seeking out the former.

2) Be Aware of Cyber Bullying

With over half of teens reporting being the victim of cyber bullying, the chances that your child will encounter incidences of either being victimized by, or even perpetrating bullying online are quite high. Familiarize yourself with the signs of bullying before buying your child a phone, tablet or computer.

3)  Set Reasonable Limitations

Ownership of a personal phone, computer or tablet is a huge privilege, and should be treated as such. 24/7 access to messaging, applications and texting can be a recipe for disaster for kids and especially teens, who will often forego hours of sleep to chat with friends or play games. The AAP recommends no more than 2 hours a day of ‘screen time’ for kids and teens alike, so it’s important that you don’t permit excessive use. Use the application OurPact to set time limits on your childs iOS devices (iPhones, iPods, iPads). From your own personal device, you can easily schedule times that internet is available on your child or teens device, and block internet and applications at a touch. A simple, free and essential application for parents :).

Enjoying the games

What other tips do you have for parents to keep in mind when buying children and teens phones or technology as a gift? Share below!

Winter Blast on a SuperBowl Day

While other families were busy preparing for their superbowl party, my family were having a blast sled riding.  We went to the nearby college here in our area and let ourselves enjoy  what mother nature has  given us this winter.

 The three of us went first while my husband was shoveling snow out from our driveway and sidewalk.  I took pictures of  them first before I joined the fun, yes I did ride the sled too, lol.

I normally would say "NO" to playing outside but I figure, we needed some fresh winter air so we all went.  I just made sure that we were all bundle up so nobody get sick.  Our dog could have enjoyed it too but it's hard when we have them because they constantly runs so our attention is divided.  

We had  so much fun.  The snow was perfect for sled riding.  The kids  went fast going down.  IT was a great exercise for all of us.  Going down is fun and going  up the steep hill was our main exercise, that and the laughter we ripped through.