November 12, 2012

[Guest Post] How you can blog easily from your iPad

Dominique Guest Post, Parenting and Kids iPad, Mobile Blogging

For some people, holding an iPad while walking on the street is probably only a symbol of existence. For children whose parents are fortunate enough to afford one of these Apple’s babies, iPad could be just a fancy toy to play around. But for me iPad is a validation of my status as full time blogger. Somehow I was hoping with the little gadget I could blog wherever I went without having had to carry the laptop. But blogging from iPad turned out pretty annoying.

I gave up for the first few months thinking that my iPad could only function as my grocery list note, digital organizer and browsing. As a matter of fact I, once, thought of giving it up for a sowing machine! Can you believe that? Well I am glad I didn’t do it. Because I finally found the secret. So here are the 5 must have FREE apps to make blogging from iPad more fun and easier.

1. Line Camera

This is a great photo editor that I just found from a friend’s recommendation. The screen is similar to Instagram but it has better features. There are many things to do with your photo using this app. Line Camera has effect editor to make your photo brighter, darker, in vintage look or in various other styles. It also has collection of frames and patterns you can add into your photo. It has a great inventory of stamps to decorate your photo, wide selection of fonts to add words and once you finished you also get to share it with your social network like Facebook or Twitter.

2. Pic n Pic

Pic n Pic is another photo editor with strength in collages. There are various types of collage you can choose from with selection of frames. I like to combine the use of this app with Line Camera.

3. Instagram

These days Instagram is not only a photo editor but also a social network on its own. People follow each other and it provides button to be placed in your blog just like Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Although it doesn’t have elaborate features like Line Camera, I think Instagram is a must have app for it’s nature as social network.

4. Photobucket

Some themes like mine can’t open your normal post editor pad in iPad and instead open the Html one. Hence you need to have a bit of knowledge in coding to be able to arrange your paragraphs. But this one is manageable. How about pictures? Even if your theme’s post editor opens in normal pad you will still have trouble to insert pictures. This is where Photobucket app comes in handy. You can upload photos from your gallery to your Photobucket album and obtain it’s code to embed it in your post.

5. Social Network

Because blogging is all about networking you must have social network apps ready for you in your iPad. In mine I have Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, G+ and LinkedIn. You can add more depending on your own social network. My suggestion is to only install social network apps that you use more often. With these apps readily set up, sharing your blog post is as easy as flipping hand.

Finger crossed once you get your hands on these apps, blogging from iPad can be addictive. Check out my post here, which I did from my iPad and have the above apps integrated in it. Looks like fun isn’t it?

Biography: My name is Rina, a mom of two notorious yet adorable little boys who jump around and run around all the time. A former hotelier who quits the corporate ladder to join the stay at home mom troops and embraces full time blogging. I blog at www.cutecoconut.com and I still have my sanity.

November 11, 2012

Preparation for Primary One- Doggie Boy Style (Mental Preparations)

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Parenting Views, Recommendations preparing for primary 1, primary 1, Singapore education

Primary 1 series 2012

This weekend marks a new milestone for Doggie boy as it is P1 orientation for him. It will be his first formal introduction to the Primary school which he will be going to from 2013. It will be a new learning environment for him as he enters the same school that his elder brother is currently studying in.

Doggie boy character is slightly different from Monkey boy. He is not as outspoken and forthcoming as his elder brother. Being more shy and reserved in nature it has been quite difficult getting him to open up and speak up.

It takes him a longer time to process new information and there is need for more revision on the same topic for him to be able to register what is being taught to him. Doggie boy needs more one on one focus as compared to his brother and more breaks in between study sessions.

Regarding academic development

I have tried a few different methods with him and found that he relates better to visual stimulation as compared to just pen and paper talk. Taking into consideration his attention span we came up with a schedule which was agreeable for the both of us.

	After school	Weekend
Down time	TV/ Playtime (1/2 hr)	TV/Playtime (1 hr)
Dinner	Max 1 hr	Max 1 hr
Piano Practice	30 min	30 min
Academic revision	Eng/Maths/Chinese (1.5 hr max)	Eng/Maths/Chinese(2hr max)
Reading	Eng/Chinese (1hr max)	Eng/Chinese (1hr min)
Bible reading		30 min

I do not specify that we need to cover all these items per day but the bulk of it. I believe in frequent revision and having a set schedule will make it easier for Doggie boy to adjust to the new study/ play timetable that he would be having next year.

He gets to choose which activity he would like to do first. The only requirement is that he completes the assigned work before bedtime. I try to cover all three subjects with him during the weekdays however sometimes time doesn’t permit or he is too tired for the day we will cover less.

I do a combination of direct and incidental learning with him using a variety of teaching materials. Kids at this age are unable to sit still for long period of time and require different mediums to keep them stimulated.

We go through a selection of activity books, assessment books, flash cards, game sets, online educational programs, iPad Apps and hands on learning each week. I also infuse learning into the everyday chores which he does around the house.

For example, while hanging up the clothes I may ask him to describe the particular shirt that we are placing up onto the laundry poles in both English and Mandarin. I may also throw in a simple mathematical question for him in the mix on certain occasions to get his mind thinking on the go.

Regarding social development

Doggie boy does have play dates with other kids outside school. This gives him chance to interact with more kids in a range of ages and learn to be able to relate to different personalities.

While outside with Doggie boy I do let him order food, interact with the waiters and pay for our groceries. This gives him the chance to experience handling cash and interacting with other adults. It also gives him a chance to build up his confidence. It is also indirectly preparing him for show and tell which he would be facing next year.