Beyond Motherhood

Author: Emily Watson

The art of creativity is vital in the development of children. Yes it is fun for children, but it also helps them to develop a variety of ideas and concepts about the world around them. The act of creativity helps all children communicate their inner thoughts and feelings by expressing these thoughts and emotions in visual and auditory ways. Creativity can be engaged in a variety of ways. Children love to sing, create, move, and think is new and inventive ways and it is our job as parents and educators to help encourage the many expressions of creativity.

Benefits of Creativity Development
Creativity encourages a child to express him or herself and to understand the freedom involved in committing to a project they are in the process of creating. Creativity development provides a child a sense of ownership in their creation and fosters mental growth by encouraging the child to try new things, new ideas, new ways of thinking, and problem solving. As a child creates, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the child’s uniqueness and sense of self.

Way to Encourage Creativity
It is not hard at all to encourage creativity in our children. With a little planning, thought, and a fun spirit, you can help blossom your child’s creativity and help them enter a world of unique expression and FUN!

Encourage Creativity Tip #1: Schedule it!
Set aside time each and every day for some sort of creative expression for your child. Let’s face it: life is busy with children and unless we make a conscience effort to do something, it may never get done! Put together a schedule where you can see it everyday and make sure your child is engaging in a creative activity each day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #2: Plan it!
Really work on providing one scheduled creative activity each day. There are hundreds of books out there that provide ideas for art projects and other creative activities for children that you can pull from. I have a book that provides all sorts of ideas for toys to make from items found around the home. Each night, I look forward to curling up with this little book and choosing a fun activity my children and I will enjoy together the next day.

Encourage Creativity Tip #3: Need some ideas?
First, take into consideration your child; their age, attention span, likes, dislikes, personality, etc. Tailor your scheduled activities around your child interests and you can’t go wrong! Some ideas my children enjoy are: playing dress-up, Playdoh, building blocks, coloring, pudding painting, and finger paints, dancing to fun music, creating music with household items.

Encourage Creativity Tip #4: Join in!
It is rather easy and FUN to encourage creativity in children. What is fun as adults is to relax our own mind and enter the world of our child and see how their mind creates and perceives the world around them. It’s not hard to get your child excited about a variety of activities, especially when you’ve channeled your silly side and joined in on the fun!

source :**http://www.oliverstop.com/articles/Encourage-Creativity-Development.htm

Here are 10 simple steps which we normally perform at home to lighten up the computer.

1. Remove unwanted files
   When the last time you did housekeeping or check your files. Do you really need all of them? I can bet there are some files have been sitting there since you first got your unit and never even open. Just remove unwanted or redundant file.
2. Defragment your drive
   It is good to defragment your drive from time to time but not too often. This will rearrange all your files in order to improve loading time.
3. Open only needed program
   Yes, limit the programs to be open simultaneously. The more you open, the more it consumes your system resources. This will lead to slower response time.
4. Scan for virus or spyware
   Both virus and spyware will cause system malfunction and drain system resources.
5. Make your virtual memory page file permanent
   All windows XP and Vista come with auto configure page file. This will sometimes cause system to slowdown when it is readjusting the size. It is a good idea to make it permanent with the right size. Rule of thumb; make it 3 times your physical memory size.
6. Reduce background process
   Turn off background process that is not needed as it will free up more memory for your main application.
7. Get a 2nd hard disk
   Split your system files in primary unit and the rest on the secondary hard disk. 2 channels is better than 1. Data can be process faster as the throughput  is increase.
8. Increase the RAM (optional)
   Bigger size means more programs can be loaded and process simultaneously resulting in performance increase. RAM module is now fairly cheap and is one of the best investments you can get to improve the speed of your computer.
9. Processor upgrade
   If your unit is 2 years or more maybe you can consider this. There maybe better, faster and reasonable price processor that is compatible with your system. Upgrade it.
10. Install only needed program
    Sometimes when new programs available, we install them without realizing they belong to the same group of application. E.g. Internet Explorer and Firefox, 2 or more antivirus software installed, etc. Remove the extra application.

note :**input from hubby

This is my 1st entry joining others to share God’s word through photo’s and bible verse every Wednesday. What I love about WFW is you are free to create your own product with the verse in it. This is one of my favourite verse and I am reminding myself to praise Him in whatever circumstances. Interested to join? Check it out here or click the image above. You will be blessed.

The LORD is my strength and my shield ; My heart trusted in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise Him (Psalm 28:7)

How’s your Monday today? What have you accumulated in your mind to complete your week? For me other than adoring my little baby smiles this morning, I shall start my week with this prayer.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.

Isn't he's cute?

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For many years I have been immerse myself in my work passionately and committed. I love working passionately on something that trill me and sometimes it doesn’t even feels like work. When I decided to become a stay at home mom lasts year, I find it hard to shift myself from a working mother to a stay at home mother. The process began slowly but surely and now I am in the process of a positive change.

One of the most challenging things for me as a stay at home mother is the fact that my own behavior is on show 24/7. Children listen to what their parents say but it doesn’t go into their brain if they see their parents do the opposite. Other word is they do not walk the talk. I have to take a deep look at myself and ask if I would be happy to see my kids turn out to be something. I also realize that my kids look up to me everyday.

I have been reminding myself to be their inspiration not just a good example that I am special for them and exceptional and that make me excited to wake up every morning. I think the best way to be an inspiration is to feel inspired.

Check out my other posts
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Children need us to take of ourselves

Other than cleaning the TV screen, she loves folding laundry,  and she can really fold neat and nicely done.

Check out my other posts
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As usual hubby wakes up at 5.30 am to prepare A to school. I started my Monday by waking up at 6.00 am. Prepare A breakfast had a little chat with him on the table. His Year one first term exam starts today. My saying goodbye to him followed by prayer that God would refresh and fills his heart with joy and peace.I inspired myself with a beautiful worship song “Majesty”. I have been inspired by these songs during the church worship yesterday Sunday. Thanks Abbot for the inspiring and beautiful selection of Sunday worship song. I was so charged up yesterday during the worship that I don’t want the worship to end. The sermon is so simple and yet relevant and meaningful.

Ok..So I started my house work by cleaning and sweeping the floor follow by laundry. Baby C wakes up at 8.30 am had a little peek on him and say hello. He response with a smile and starts cooing and playing with his fingers and feet while I continue my stuff.

9.30 am my girl B wakes up and play with baby C. Breastfeed baby C while singing Majesty song to him. Pick up my guitar, tune it a bit and there I am singing Majesty while playing the guitar. Thanks to my audience B and baby C. As I type this post baby C is sound asleep and B is playing with her starfall on the other computer. We dedicate one computer for the kids to play with. Mummy has one and daddy got his laptop so we do not argue and quarrel with one computer and thanks to hubby for setting up the wireless network at home.

My conclusion: Starting your Monday, day or week with a positive attitude does make a difference with your day. I know some people label Monday as a black Monday. One thing for sure you start your day with a negative thought or attitude and you can expect your whole day with a black day. Find your own motivation or inspiration to start your day. I end my post with Majesty lyrics and my all time favorite verse “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”.
Psalm 118:24

Majesty (Here I Am)
Here I am humbled by your Majesty
Covered by your grace so free
Here I am, knowing I’m a sinful man
Covered by the blood of the Lamb

Now I’ve found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice

Majesty, Majesty
Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands
Majesty, Majesty
Forever I am changed by your love
In the presence of your Majesty

Here I am humbled by the love that you give
Forgiven so that I can forgive
Here I stand, knowing that I’m your desire
Sanctified by glory and fire

Now I’ve found the greatest love of all is mine
Since you laid down your life
The greatest sacrifice

What a beautiful Monday to start my week. How’s your beautiful Monday?

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Are you depressed at home with your children
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A little laughter is a wonderful thing. Enjoy the video and share with others.

“My husband wanted one of those big-screen TV’s for his birthday. So I just moved his chair closer to the one we have already.” -Wendy Liebman”

“So far on my 30-day diet, I lost 18 days.” – Terry McEntire 

I make shortbread cookies the simplest recipe on Mother’s Day. This is my first attempt to venture into baking. Yes… I never bake nor did I like baking.
Hubby loves it, my girl says “yummy yummy fruit salad.” She loves singing that word every time she eats and of course my boy enjoyed the cookies.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there.