tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37457945321487795352024-10-25T05:17:45.918+08:00Information and inspiration for Filipino work-at-home momsBlessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-39891089465091329702016-09-07T09:09:00.003+08:002023-08-02T22:30:37.865+08:00

[Image by ceejayoz via Wikimedia Commons]In 2015, when I gave birth to my son at 29 weeks, only one thought kept running through my head: “What can I do to help my baby survive?”It’s easy to feel helpless when you’re a preemie’s parent. You see that the doctors and nurses are already doing everything they can for your child. What more could you possibly contribute?But there are some things only

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-91817055447050802212016-08-22T15:36:00.005+08:002019-06-22T12:01:54.683+08:00

A few months ago, for a short while, I took a break from my regular editing-writing profession and took on work as events coordinator at The Parenting Emporium, a parent-and-child–oriented store, events venue, and community.One of our best-selling products there were Medela breastpumps, specifically, the Medela Freestyle and the Medela Swing Maxi.Now these are two very similar pumps, that is,

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-58473697719881897532016-07-21T23:33:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:54.893+08:00

Someone I know is having a baby!And since you're reading this article, I'd bet someone you know is having a baby too.So what would be a good gift to bring to the baby shower?A few months ago, I worked at this parenting store. It was full of the most wonderful, amazing, why-did-I-not-know-that-thing-existed-when-I-had-my-first-baby-eleven-years-ago kind of merchandise.So I've got a headful of

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-74791141526075182552016-07-14T22:57:00.008+08:002019-06-22T12:01:55.105+08:00

If you’re a pregnant mom, you’ve surely heard of malunggay. It’s well touted as a galactagogue, or a milk supply enhancer.A lot of people also swear that consuming malunggay has helped improve their immunity or control their diabetes, hypertension, infection, etc.But much of these are anecdotal evidence, easily attributable to placebo effect.The question is, what do scientifically designed and

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-44812435983751067072016-03-22T19:02:00.006+08:002023-07-30T21:41:10.077+08:00

This is the last of a series of articles about my experiences at the University of the Philippines (UP)–Philippine General Hospital (PGH) charity wards. To read the first of this series, click here: Part I, The OB Admitting Section and Delivery Room. The War Zone Because I gave birth to my child two months before full term, we had to stay at the PGH neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-49551025388057481262016-03-21T15:16:00.003+08:002023-07-30T21:25:18.621+08:00

[Image by Bobjgalindo via Wikipedia. This is not what the PGH NICU looks like.] When I was at the OB admitting section and delivery room, one of the residents asked me, "Why did you choose [the Philippine General Hospital] to give birth in?" I answered, "The hospital I came from did not have the necessary facilities for taking care of a preemie." The resident smirked, "Neither do we."

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-50051103239157536732016-03-19T22:24:00.002+08:002019-06-23T09:05:26.585+08:00

(Source: Ramiltibayan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0) This is the second part of a series of articles that chronicle my experiences at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) obstetric, neonatal ICU, and pediatric charity wards.  On September 30, 2015, the twenty-ninth week of my pregnancy, I went into preterm labor. My OB-gyn advised me that if my baby was alive at birth, he would likely need

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-34866103166773005702016-03-17T04:15:00.004+08:002019-06-23T09:04:15.952+08:00

Backstory On September 30, 2015, the twenty-ninth week of my pregnancy, I went into preterm labor. My OB-gyn at St. Victoria's Hospital in Marikina advised me it would improve my baby's chances of survival if we went to a bigger hospital such as the Manila Doctors or the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). She also told me that if my baby was alive at birth, he would likely need to stay at

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-17979066246600461712014-09-24T19:42:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:56.217+08:00

I've been receiving so many questions about BMBE, I decided to post this FAQ for quick reference.If you have questions that are not answered here, please ask them in the comments box below and I will update this post.What is BMBE?The Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act of 2002, or RA 9178, is a law that (theoretically) allows businesses with assets worth less than 3 million pesos to be

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-1815701652916043632014-08-13T20:55:00.003+08:002019-06-22T12:01:56.482+08:00

CONTEST RESULTS After ensuring the validity of entries, The Nanay Notebook is happy to announce that the winner of the raffle is NADIA DE LEON. Congratulations! See you at the Homeschool Conference 2014! Please email me your full name and mobile number so I can submit them to the contest organizer, Manila Workshops.Warm regards,Blessie AdlaonOn a signal-number-2 day in August, my

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8284714999999991 101.11971999999997 28.5879135 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-19973284409678599292014-07-31T12:02:00.003+08:002019-06-22T12:01:56.688+08:00

A reader just informed me today that we can now register our kasambay (household helper) to three government agencies – the SSS, HDMF and Philhealth – in ONE registration step!(Thank you, Leah. You rock!)How to do it? Watch the video below. Then, scroll down further to download the form. Click a link below to download the Kasambahay and Household Employer Unified Registration Form:via HDMF

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8284714999999991 101.11971999999997 28.5879135 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-64193857489502295902014-07-19T13:00:00.004+08:002019-06-22T12:01:56.894+08:00

If you're a freelancer registering your business to the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for the first time, one question invariably comes up: should I register as a professional or as a sole proprietor?Even if your profession does not require a license, you can register as a professional. And even a licensed professional can register as a sole proprietor. Hence the confusion.To find

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-75095732615327996932014-06-26T21:24:00.004+08:002019-06-22T12:01:57.104+08:00

Vitamins, minerals, milk, and honey – all these are good, healthy stuff. But did you know that some of these "good" things are in fact dangerous, even deadly, for children?Giving Water to BabiesEvery summer, Johns Hopkins Children's Center sees 3 to 4 infants suffering from seizures because their parents gave them water to drink."Babies need extra fluids in the hot weather, but

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8284714999999991 101.11971999999997 28.5879135 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-16138543693881659842014-02-17T18:50:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:57.314+08:00

1. Are they open to having enrollees that use a different curriculum (e.g. Sonlight, Catholic Heritage, etc.)?Yes, they are. You as the parent have the right to choose what curriculum to use with your child. The main thing is that you are able to prove to Kolbe, through proper documentation, that your child indeed learned the materials that are contained in the curriculum you used.2. How do you

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-30009307103998374002014-02-12T15:43:00.004+08:002019-06-22T12:01:57.527+08:00

(This image just felt so right.)Oh, yes, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) powers-that-be have done it again.On January 24, 2014, the Department of Finance and the BIR issued this Revenue Regulation 2-2014 that says income tax for 2013 must be filed using the new 2013 edition tax forms released just recently (because when I downloaded it in late January, it was still the 2011 version).In other

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-53303680425723155362014-02-08T22:12:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:57.732+08:00

(Image by Cieleke)Valentine’s Day is coming soon. In a few days, Facebook will be inundated with public declarations of affection, and we whose husbands are not so demonstrative will be on the sidelines wondering, “Why is her husband so perfect and mine is so not?”Their perfect husbandsOne thing I’ve realized very recently is that partner envy is a very common pain.On social media, people post

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines11.523087506868512 122.34375-19.089890493131485 81.035156 42.136065506868512 163.652344tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-11518674005838935302013-11-02T12:07:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:57.937+08:00

Children are not just mouths to feed; they can also be extra pairs of hands.Today, my daughter Bea turns seven. I think it is a fitting tribute to her to tell the world what an amazingly helpful daughter she has been, not to brag but to thank her, as well as to propose an answer to other mothers who may be wondering, "What can I let my young children do at home, to teach them industry,

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-4981914038910466802013-09-21T16:33:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:58.198+08:00

Sonic Keyfinder  As I was looking for Christmas gifts online, I found the most interesting Philippine-based Internet store I've ever seen: LatestGadget.net. (Advance disclosure: This is an un-sponsored post.)What makes it so interesting? Here's a quick sampler of the merchandise you can find there:Wireless remote key finder, for people who wish their keys were as easy to find as their

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-82857675643207636072013-08-23T20:07:00.004+08:002019-06-22T12:01:58.401+08:00

Manila, Philippines – Merck Serono and the medical community have come together to put up www.fertilityphilippines.com, an online site that provides information on infertility, its causes, and treatment options for Filipino couples.From August 25 to 31, the platform will host Fertility Awareness Week 2013, a weeklong event that will feature a series of Web congresses on the nature of infertility,

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-88098617346501544202013-08-18T14:26:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:58.610+08:00

Rabbit meat (Image: Tran's World Productions)I can almost feel the heat from here. "Raise rabbits for meat?" you say. "What a ghastly idea."If the thought of raising, processing, and eating rabbits is absolutely unbearable to you, then stop reading this post. It's not for you.But if the idea intrigues you, read on. If you're interested in providing your kids with healthy, environment-friendly

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-72098413102414188392013-08-11T18:53:00.004+08:002019-06-22T12:01:58.884+08:00

Ref magnets, desktop magnets, educational magnets, magnetic toys, board magnets, magnetic earrings -- do you have these in the house?Most of us do.But if we have any children at all inside the house -- and yes, that means 0 to 18 years old -- it would be wise for us to keep these magnets out of reach.According to a study recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, there has been a

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-67326667629842501642013-08-07T22:39:00.003+08:002019-06-22T12:01:59.143+08:00

Talk about generational curse!Scientists from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute have found that if we smoke while we're pregnant, we are putting at higher risk for asthma not just our children but also our grandchildren – even if our grandchildren are never exposed to first- or second-hand smoke.According to the researchers, when a mother smokes during pregnancy, the nicotine

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-84063499222749319802013-08-06T11:28:00.003+08:002019-06-22T12:01:59.347+08:00

August 2, 2013—Good news for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): researchers have found a way to help you and your child communicate better, using iPod Touch or the iPad tablet.A research done in Toronto, Canada, with 12 children with ASD showed that these mobile touch devices made a statistically significant improvement on the children's communication skills. Specifically,

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-35733384091262044722013-07-12T22:45:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:59.634+08:00

(Image source: nornir)These days, thanks to the well-meaning Kasambahay Law, it has suddenly become quite complicated to keep a household helper. In the old days, it was hard enough to find someone you could trust, who would stay for more than a year, and not ask for a salary advance in her very first month of work.But now, it's far more complicated. You need to register your new household

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comPhilippines12.879721 121.77401699999996-2.8277344999999983 101.11971999999997 28.587176499999998 142.42831399999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745794532148779535.post-50617220573630527942013-07-12T11:32:00.002+08:002019-06-22T12:01:59.976+08:00

The BIR is probably one of the country's most maligned government agencies. Nobody loves the taxman.But as quick as we are to complain, we should also be quick to give credit where credit is due.In these past few days that I've been doing multiple transactions with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, I have been witness to the dedication and spirit of service of its people in RDO 045, so much so that

Blessie Adlaonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15873251902241846992noreply@blogger.comRodriguez, Philippines14.759817 121.2019467999999714.514159 120.87922329999998 15.005475 121.52467029999997