How do we motivate our children to read ?

1. Think Outside the Book

Your goal is to get your child to think of reading as a useful, fun activity, not a chore.  If you have a comic-book lover, introduce him to graphic novels. Books that combine illustrations and text, often with sophisticated visuals and storylines motivates reading in children. Other ideas: Print out interesting articles from Web sites or share movie reviews — as long as it’s a sustained reading experience, it counts.

2. Get the Card

“Rediscover your local library,” If you haven’t been in a library recently yourself, you might be surprised: Today’s libraries are vibrant places. Many have special programs for children , offer lists of recommended books, and are staffed by specialists who are just as invested in getting a great book into your kid’s hands as you are. And remember, it’s totally appropriate for 9- to 12-year-olds to select their own reading material.

3. Create a Reading-Rich Home

“Choose a specific time — after dinner, on a Sunday morning, or before bed — when everyone in the family reads. “  If you don’t put reading on the schedule, it will get lost in the shuffle of your busy life. And reading should be for everyone, not just the kids. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t have to be quiet time. “One sad fact is that once kids learn to read independently, parents usually stop reading to them,” Buck that trend by starting a family book night. Vote on a book (or rotate who gets to choose) , then take turns reading it aloud by paragraphs, pages, or chapters. Finally, make sure books, magazines, and newspapers are available throughout your house.

4. Write a Happy Ending

If your child reads four or five books on his school break , chances are when he returns to school he’ll be reading on grade level . If, as a family, you make reading an integral and valued part of your daily life, you’ll increase the chances of having an avid, passionate reader.

One of the things that I encourage JM to do during his spare time is artwork. His favorite subjects are landscapes , animals , movie characters and his family. Water color, pastels , and colored pencils are the mediums that he uses. When an idea comes to his mind , he immediately expresses this by drawing. With a one month mid-year break to look forward to, I’m thinking of other ways by which he can express himself through art. We’ll shop for ideas this weekend.

I’m tying the  shoe lace of my school shoes for the last time this semester , today is the last day of my final exams, and the last day of classes . Full of hope that I will get flying colors in all my subjects in the two programs that I’m attending and looking forward to a month long vacation of fun and play, just made me realize that half the school year is gone. How time flies ! Wish me the best during the month long break.

- JM, 9 yrs.

Good news for busy parents. You don’t need to be a biblical scholar  to teach your kids how to relate to God. These eight simple, practical ways to teach children about God were selected with  busy parents in mind. The practices are short and all have been 100 percent kid-tested and parent-approved.

Last Sunday was different from other Sundays in the past . For the first time , all three of us toured the mighty river of kings way far out of the city. It used to be just me , or my husband and I. This time JM was with us . This is the third boat trip he’s ever had and the longest at that. Before reaching the port , we passed by Assumption Cathedral (this church leads to the port) , took some photos and were off. The weather was cool , and the skies grey and gloomy as it’s been for the past several months now. The boat was full of people and it took three ports before I finally got a seat.  We saw lots of famous landmarks along the river but its a pity I failed to take photos of them all . Inspite of the rain and rough waters the boat trip turned out to be an enjoyable , educational and memorable one . Photos below :

 Assumption Cathedral

Memorial Bridge

Chinese Pagoda

Rest House

Navy Station

A river barge used to transport sand , rocks , stones , rice and other heavy commodities to the city.

JM enjoying the boat trip

Houses obstructing the full view of Sta. Cruz Convent

Suspended Bridge

Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Temple of the Dawn

View of the city in the impending rain and rough waters.

JM assisting at the Pentecost 2007 celebration at our parish church.

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; “

Eccl. 12 : 1

Every day we live, we grow one day older. There are some old people who wish they were younger and some young people who wish they were older. The human race has a tendency to think that they are never at the right age. That is why God wrote this verse of the Scripture, “Remember  now thy Creator in the days of your youth,” Growing older day by day is not something of which we have control, how we choose to live each one of those days is something  of which we have control. How we are going to age is a choice we can make . God desires that each of us  learn to age  gracefully. The 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes is God’s pattern for easing into old age with grace and dignity.

 The Apostle Paul said to a young man: 1 Tm. 4:12 ,  Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Without the youth - the church will die. It is the young people who bring vigor and vitality to the programs of our church, they are the active part of our church right now. Pauls admonition to the young - After I’m gone, keep it going.

The phrase, “Before you end up and have to say ,  I have had no pleasure in life”, reminds us that there is not another life style that will bring the joy, encouragement, fulfillment and contentment that comes from living for Jesus.

In the end, Paul said : 2 Tim. 4: 6-8 , I am now ready to be offered , and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought  a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth,  there is laid up for me  crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that  love his appearing .  

Picture yourself  standing before the judgment seat of Jesus. You gave your life to him while you were young. You walked with Him through all the struggles and trials you faced. He got you through and was faithful to you in every turn of your life. He was with you. That final day has  now come. You can hold up your head and say, ” I was faithful in everything, Lord but you and I walked together all the way.”

After mass this morning, we took JM to the Children’s Discovery Museum where learning and fun takes place. A lot of hands-on activities in science, history, geography and technology are available for children to get involved in. The place has a Kids Studio where the children learned how fantasy movies like Harry Potter are made using actual TV cameras and other studio stuff . Volunteers were used as models and with the help of camera effects made them look like as if they are actually flying in the sky. There is also a recording studio, models of houses from different countries,  train station, a park where children can get involved in outdoor activities and lots more. Fun is the word of the day as shown in the photos below :

Experimenting with concave and convex mirrors.

Examining bacterias and microscopic parasites.

Playing at the model igloo.

Digging up the sand.

Testing the sound pipe.