A Smart Shopper's Back-To-School Last-Minute Shopping Survival Guide

For most schools, the new school year is already back in session. In my city, school starts in two weeks. My child did not want to be reminded, as do I - tough! -  but the "cycle of life" will heave forward like a wrecking ball whose only main goal is to destroy every attempt we do to ignore and deny it. We'll just sing Hakuna Matata! Maybe that will ease the "pain" as we embrace the reality of the impending arrival of the new school year and the challenge of surviving mass stampede inside the stores from frantic parents doing last-minute BTS shopping!

But you don't need to be included in the casualty list. Here's my trustworthy survival guide to make sure you don't end up the object of a shopping roadkill.

What Legacy Will I Leave my Child? #ShareYourLegacy with Disney and h20+ and Win!

Love this girl to the moon and back! / Photo +Maricris G 

I was watching my daughter walk ahead of me the other day when a sudden truth hit me. It was like being sucker punched in the tummy. Ouch! Reality sure hurts. There was no denying it - "My baby is growing up way too fast!". Then it so happened that my all-time favorite brand Disney asked me if I wanted to participate in a campaign to share "MY" legacy - my answer was a resounding YES! of course.


Because, hey it's Disney, and I also have my own story to tell and a legacy that I hope to instill in my daughter, and what the heck, possibly my future grandchildren as well. A legacy that I hope they'll always remember me for.

No Judgement Zone: How do You explain Caitlyn Jenner to Your Tween

Photo: Vanity Fair

If the world isn't already confusing enough to a maturing, hormone-charged, muddled brain of a pubescent tween, you have to add Caitlyn Jenner to the equation and upset any well-documented checklist of awkward, hush-hush topics to talk about with a confused tween. Thanks world! As a parent, you've got my work cut out for me. Punk!

So, how one begin to explain another "label" - for the lack of a better term - where even those themselves that is "afflicted" by it have no clear grasp of what they're going through? According to Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner, "He will be learning a lot about himself as he continues his transition."- via Eonline 

If he is this confused, imagine the utter confusion of those around them who are not aware that they are transgendered.

I'm a classic example of the utterly confused. True story.

Parenting Tips: 10 Ways to Empower Your Child with Financial Skills

Earning her first "business" profit

"You have the responsibility to educate your kin [children] about finance. If you don't, no one else will, and they will suffer for it. - Tom Dyson, The Greatest Financial Gift You Can Give to Your Children

I had a great opportunity to give my daughter a teachable moment in finance recently. I have to sell my jewelry creations at an event and she decided to do it with me selling her own creations. It gave her a hard look inside the world of retail and how it is to earn money on her own. My mom gave me this same privilege when I was young and I'm happy that I can do the same for my daughter.

A Child's First World Problem: "I have No Friends!"

I did not realize the full impact of our move until tonight when my daughter promptly but silently declared "I have no friends! I have no friends here..." walking away with tears falling from her eyes like waterfalls which she tried to hide from me. Her face painfully painted with sadness. I on the other hand, felt like a lightning struck me! Or someone punched me on the face or bonked me on the head. OUCH! My heart crumbled to pieces. My grand scheme backfired... I thought I was going to have a stroke.

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