SCWA Recital 2016

Remember my last entry when I told you Hayley likes to perform? Well, here is another proof. As part of their school curriculum, Hayley chose to specialize in singing which I thanked for cause her first choice is to learn drums which is too expensive for us (she wants her own drum set).

She performed three songs, all pop music (Black Magic, Roar and a Jessie J song) with her group, while the rest of her classmates only performed a maximum of two songs. She was proud to share that she volunteered to join another group performance. Who won't be proud of that?

More snapshots from her performances at Veranza Mall :

Class Picture 2015-2016

Hayley will be a 4th grader next school year. So how is she? Up to this date, she is still using the same set of uniform she was using since Grade 1. Yeah she did not grow much, she got a bit taller though. A bit alarming because she is still a picky eater thus the small frame.

When it comes to her academic performance, she is doing okay. Though not excellent but she somehow delivers. She still is part of the honor list. She gets intimidated with her English Speaking classmates, but is trying hard to keep up. She is consistent Top 3.

 A whiner, you would often hear her complain about being bullied by her classmates maybe because of her size. I feel sorry for her that is why I am encouraging her to eat more so she would be able to fight back.

She wants to perform. You would find her dancing when nobody is watching and is a trying hard singer. That is why, for the last three summers, we enrolled her in a dancing class and there is no plan of stopping. Last January, she joined for the first time a beauty contest and I conclude that she really loves to have audience. Maybe we have an "artista" in the making.

Still a baby of the family, she wants everyone's attention and she deserves it!

Summer 2014 Dance Class in Pictures: Hip-Hop

Hayley's Summer2014 Dance Class in Pictures: Ballet

So amazed with her Pink Costume. Saw it for the first time 30 minutes before the show. 

 Kids will be kids. Adviced to stay backstage before the show but they strutted their cute costume happily while waiting for the show to finally start.

 Stay PUT. The show's about to start so the little girls with the help of the big girls waited patiently for the green light.

 Pose little cuties.

 And on with the show. The ballet piece revolves around the famous children story - THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL.

 The Soldiers

 The much-awaited entrance of the ballerina fairies.

 Ballerina Hayley

Hayley's First: SCREENING BLUES

Sorry for the camera phone shot, this is the best I can get when Hayley decided to join a screening for a school Fashion Show. Her first, Hayley exuded the confidence and fighting spirit we thought she lacks. Here is the story. I came early to Hayley's school for her lunch when I saw an announcement about the screening. behold, she saw some preschoolers undergoing the screening and she decided she wants to try as well. So we stayed a bit longer for the screening. While waiting, grade schoolers from 1st grade to 6th grade are already playing/practicing their walk for the fashion show screening, while Hayley just stayed at the backstage coaxing her classmates to go first on stage. I told her to watch closely how the elder kids do their walk and should try to imitate. She got envious with the other kids whose moms are coaching them and even going up the stage to the extent of doing the fashion show as well (literal stage mommies on the lose). She wanted me to do the same, instead I told her that she show me her walk and got a bit disappointed when she gave me a shy walk. 

I told her to take a rest as I put on powder and fresh shirt on her. She then sat down beside her teacher who is assigned of the screening so that when the latter will officially start she will be the first on the list and we can go home earlier. Alas, she is. She is number 1 and she is the first one to get out of the stage and strut. 

Seeing her practice walk, we are very anxious to see her finally go on stage and do her thing and to think she will be the very first one to go without nobody to follow. Behold, Hayley surprised us with an all smiling, both hands on waist sexy walk. We cannot help but be proud of our little girl whom we thought does not know how to do fashion show. This little one is really full of surprises. Seeing her on stage is like watching your child's first step.

Now, here is a sad part. Told that those who got in will just receive a text, Hayley kept on asking if her teacher already contacted us about the fashion show but much to our dismay, we did not receive a single text informing us that Hayley got in. Hayley got disappointed but we told her that we would organize a fashion show in our community so she can showcase her talent together with her friends. 

Now, we know, we have an entertainter and model in the making.

Father's Day 2013

Hayley may be stubborn most of the time but she can be your one sweet girl, leaving a smile on your lips adding a mark of happiness in your heart once you are hit with her love virus.

Celebrating Father's Day or any special occasions need not to be expensive.  On Father's Day of 2013, the family went to hear mass at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. After, we went to SM Mall and took the chance of having photo op with the Father's Day decorations. We also had barbecue for dinner and wrapped it with Mcdonald's Hot Fudge for dessert.

And here are Hayley and Papa!

Hayley & Friends: Ashley

Days older than Hayley, Ashley is her usual weekend buddy since they visit every weekend. Though of the same age, Ashley is Hayley's niece from a cousin. Both love to play dolls and watch cartoon movies, they sometimes re-enact some scenes of their favorite Filipino Drama Series, "Ina, Kapatid, Anak" starred by Kim Chiu and Maja Salvador.

School Bluez: PET DAY HOORAY!

The Class with their Pets

For a first Show and Tell activity at Hayley's school, the teachers arranged a Pet Day where pupils are to bring their pets at school. It is one exciting activity for the kids of course where they can show off their pets to their peers and practice their communication skills at the same time eradicate stage fright for those shy little ones.

Not all families have pet in the house, may it be for health restriction or space restriction, some just don't have any pet. So, mommy's would troop to the nearest pet shop to buy a small and expensive pet that their children can bring to school.

For Hayley, we had trouble deciding which pet to bring. See, we have two dogs, fishes and lovebirds in the house. She wanted to bring our dogs but we discouraged her for safety purpose, then she wanted to bring a lovebird which is possible if we still have small cage. So, she opted to bring not only a fish but a sort of school of fish for her Pet Day!

Hayley's Fish

Hayley's First: Professional Hair & Make-Up

Right After the Make-up Session

Hello! It's been awhile I know. But here's for Hayley's archive again.

It may not be a first for Hayley to get dolled up, but for her Ballet Recital, I asked a friend do her hair and make-up.

Doing children's hair and face is not an easy task. They tend to get tired easily and they move alot. Not with Hayley's case. She was patient all through out and follows direction religiously. She was excited even.

In doing children's faces, try-test the make-up to be used first on your child's arms if there are no skin reactions.

before washing up

School Bluez: CANKS Foundation Anniversary

The City Alliance Nursery and Kindergarten School where Hayley is currently enrolled celebrated their Foundation Anniversary last October 14, 2011 through a one-day activity. They started with an early parade, followed by a devotional activity and a presentation from each classes.

Hayley participated the calisthenics presentation where they used a holla hoop as their props and dance to a  religious upbeat song. They were also joined by the Jollibee to make the day more fun and memorable for the pupils of CANKS. Hayley and Ate Lalaine joined the longest breath contest.


It was one warm day full of fun and laughter which is worth to be on Hayley's archive.

Hayley's Halloween 2011 Gimik

Hayley's Halloween 2011

In the US, Halloween is said to be the next Christmas. Here in the Philippines, where almost all its inhabitants are Christians, that thought is far from possible, for now.


Due to western influences, some exclusive subdivisions or villages in the Philippines organized Trick or Treat activities for its residents, Malls also joined the bandwagon by offering halloween special for its customers.


Hayley had her share of Halloween experience. Since we do not live in an exclusive subdivision who offers halloween activities and trick or treating is not in the vocabulary of our neighbors, we brought her to the mall to get a taste of Halloween.


Clad in a hand me down witch costume (thanks TATO and his adorable alaga) and an inexpensive registration, Hayley joined the very first FrightFest in General Santos City, mounted brought by a group called Circle of Arts at Gaisano Mall of Gensan.

Hayley @ Frightfest 2011

Still cannot get enough of the feast, when we visited our dearly departed at the Forest Lake Memorial Park, she again wore a costume, this time a Fairy, while she lent her witch costume to her friend.

Hayley @ Forest Lake

See you next Halloween!

School Bluez: 1st Prelim & Periodical Exam

What are your usual reactions when examination week is approaching? Stomach churn, hands sweaty, constant paranoia, yes, I know, i get it, we tend to get nervous.

So how will you take the fact that your preschooler will be taking their very first examinations? Excited? Maybe. Apprehensive? Probably. Clueless? Right. Whatever your reaction maybe, make sure not to pass on the negative vibe you are having to your child. Do not put on the pressure to your preschooler on ACING the exams. Remember they are still children, more learnings to encounter and more knowledge to store. 

The next move you probably take is to conduct study sessions with your little ones. Problem. She is too preoccupied with her favorite cartoon network shows or her toys. Well, here is some list of the lessons we learned as Hayley took her first written examinations:

1. Before examinations, we only checked her bags for assignments, minding not her other lessons. Now, we know that we should review everyday all her lessons for the day, for familiarization and memory retention. This will also help develop an excellent study habit at an early age.

2. Practice writing often. Practice. PRACTICE. Practice.

3. Play teacher to your preschooler. Patience is a MUST.

4. Have a conducive room for study time. Make sure your child will not be destructed either by noise or any activities by other members of the family. Invest a right-sized study table and a small whiteboard. They are also big factors for a good study habit.

5. Make studying a FUN activity. Do not pressure your child. Avoid scolding and punishing.

6. Practice a REWARD SYSTEM everytime she gets a good score!

some Hayley's exam results

Those are only few of our personal takes on studying with Hayley. As a result here are her scores:

SUBJECT                                      Prelim Score                                              Periodical Score
LANGUAGE                                      20/20                                                          18/20
READING                                          14/20                                                          18/20
FILIPINO                                           18/20                                                          20/20
MATH                                                16/20                                                          30/30
SCIENCE                                           13/15                                                          11/20
VALUES                                             20/20                                                          20/20

Keep it up Hayley Girl!

School Bluez: 1st Memory Verse

One of the advantages of enrolling your preschoolers to a Christian School is their introduction  and their focus on the Bible teachings. Helping you in honing God-fearing citizens, instilling essentially good values  to your children which results to a less chaotic and stressful household. Much to our surprise, after almost a month of attending Kinder 1, Hayley already know by heart two memory verses.

The 1st verse she easily memorizes is  Psalm 139:14 "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made"- which serves as a reminder that Men are special beings since we are made in the likeness of our Creator. This further teaches that we should be forever thankful for who and what we are. 


The other one is Ecclesiastes 8:6 "There is the right time and the right way to do every thing." Focusing on the value of being RIGHTEOUS, they were thought good and proper conduct especially towards their classmates and peers. 

SCHOOL BLUEZ: WHAT TYPE OF PRESCHOOLER ARE YOU?

Being in the same room with Hayley for almost a week as she experience her first week of Back-to-School days, I  learned that there are different types of preschoolers that working parents might have missed out, since they they left the role of watching for their children to babysitters. 


 Here are few of my observations using Hayley's class:

THE ACTIVE
They can be easily pointed among the crowd. These are those kids who participate every action songs, follow teachers' instructions swiftly or loves to do coloring and writing tasks. They also love to play with their classmates, and starts to form little ones clique. They are the easy-to-handle group. Also fond of calling the teacher's attention and seeks constant approval. More often than not the teacher's pet comes from this group.

THE SHY
One of the clingy to the mother/father/guardian/nanny kinds. They are those who needs constant companion. May it be inside the classroom or when being called to write something on the board. Likened to a turtle for their timidity and slowness. Opposite to the active type, they do not like to draw attention to themselves. If they cannot avoid the attention, they transform into a turtle trying to hide their face in any way they can, wanting to get inside their shell and be invisible for the meantime.


THE HYPER
Expect that having them inside a class of 20 will always be in mayhem. Count 10 active types rolled into one and you will get the hyper kind. they are bound to destroy and distract. they easily gets bored that they tend to make a show to get everyone's attention. A teacher's needs a special skill and a bagful of patience on handling their type. A louder room than usual means presence of their type is among the herd. They usually instigate trouble among the other students which is one of the grueling tasks any early childhood teachers might encounter.

THE CRYBABY
Almost like the Shy Type, the Cry baby are the clingy ones as well. They are sensitive in almost everything. They need to be handled with care if you do not want a bucketful of tears and whining distract the class. On the first week of classes, Cry Babies are everywhere, this is usually because of the Separation anxiety preschoolers normally experience. As days go by, the number of the criers also decreases especially when their type are being assured that they will be taken care of and if they develop friendship with their classmates. PATIENCE is still the key for the Cry babies to improved and level up to be with the Active Type.


Now, what type of preschooler your child is?