In her book she mentions about the spectrum of different parenting styles and how kids react to the different styles. What comes easily for us may seem to be different for the child who is trying it for the first time.
Each chapter revolves around problems that parents and children face and suggestions on how they can solve them. Various scenario are raised and solutions given on how to address them.
For example it can be frustrating to get kids to listen and carry out your instruction. Their attention span is very limited and sometimes they do not intentionally want to forget about what you have instructed them. A good way is to produce a pictorial chart for the child so that they can refer to what they have to do. Sometimes it is not that the child is not compliant but the fact that there was poor communication between the child and parents.
Children will always challenge us one way or another. We need to have a plan so that we can take a appropriate path of action if the need arises in different situations.
My thoughts
I enjoyed reading the book as it had clear explanations of why children behave in a certain manner and the rational behind their actions.
Many a times the parenting books do not give a practical alternative to how to handle certain obstacles that most parents face and just quote theory after theory. The summary points at the end of each chapter also makes it easier to focus on and certainly deserve a thumbs up by me.
Ronald and Aubery’s book give tips that are certainly doable and make it easy for the parent to follow through
As parents we need to display a united front and have a clear stance regarding how we would like to bring up our child/children.
It is important to know what works best for your child/children and how you can tweak your parenting style as they grow up. As they move from toddler to teenage we need to guide them every step of the way.
It was interesting to see so many different aspects of how a parent can be fully involved in a child’s life to guide and mentor them. From teaching them the correct way to behave, social skills and also building up their resilience as a young adult.
The authors have some interesting suggestions for dealing with kids misbehaviors which I will be implementing with my boys in the coming weeks. Hopefully they will be able to change for the better.
Being a student is hard these days. There are so many things that are taught for each subject that has to be learned. Every day the boys come back with homework that has to be completed and handed up the next day. The workload can be quite overwhelming especially if the exams are around the corner.
The pressure is on the kids to understand what is being taught before the teacher moves on to the next topic. It can be daunting for both my eight year old and eleven year old at times when they are preparing for upcoming tests.
Side view of Monkey boy doing his homework
Being a concerned parent, I try to ensure that the kids remain well hydrated in the best of health. I give them the best nutrients with the freshest foods available while keeping our home as sterile as possible.
I don’t want them to fall sick and miss many days of school. This would make it difficult for them to catch up with their peers at the breakneck speed that the teachers go at in school.
Combating the Haze
Traditional Methods of combating haze
I have tried a couple different ways to keep the kids healthy when the haze struck Singapore 2 years back. If you remember back then the PSI level went as high as 400. Everyone was scrambling for N95 masks and air purifiers and they were out of stock.
We did not have the Philips Air Purifier at home back then and I tried combating the haze with traditional methods that were shared with me. I boiled green bean soup and Chrysanthemum tea for the kids to drink as these foods are suppose to keep the “heatiness” away and clear their respiratory system.
It was really tiring for me to constantly boil soups and drinks for the kids. I had to keep a constant eye on the fire and stock up on the ingredients needed to make the soups/drinks. The kids didn’t really like the soups and drinks and it was really exhausting coaxing them to drink what I brewed as they didn’t fancy the taste.
I tried using essential oils in a diffuser but the area that the diffuser was placed was quite limited and it couldn’t cover the whole living area. The air smelt good but then there was no indication that the air was much cleaner because of the dispersion of essential oils. The effect was also temporarily as it is not advisable to keep the diffuser on for extended periods of time.
We also kept the air conditioner switched on all the time in the house as we had to keep the windows closed. As a result the electricity bill sky rocketed to nearly $500 a month!!
Even with all these measures in place I worry that my kids could be breathing in dangerous particles and harm their health If only we had an air purifier I could be certain that the air we were breathing in was safe and clean.
Our trusty Philips Air Purifier
Fast forward to 2015 the haze situation in Singapore hasn’t really improved that much. The air quality in Singapore hasn’t been that good lately. The PSI has been between 50-100 + and it is hovering between Moderate and Unhealthy range.
The unpredictable hot weather in Singapore has caused many people to be down with cough and cold and has taking a toll on many Singaporeans.
This time around we are equipped with the Philips AC 4014 Air purifier to combat the Haze at home and I have peace of mind.
We have been using this machine for more then a year in the home and I’ve noticed a great improvement in the health of the kids.
The kids do not fall sick that often . In fact I do not recall having to bring them to see the doctor at all last year and this year due to minor ailments. They are able to recover by themselves after taking more fluids and getting more rest. They even got 100% for attendance in school!!
Monkey boy suffers from sinus at time and since we started using the Air purifier I have seen a drastic decrease in nose sensitivity in the morning. He seldom wakes up in a sneezing fit and has a runny nose these few days. This is certainly a plus for him as he is able to start of his day feeling fresh.
The Philips AC 4014 Air purifier 3 Step natural advance filtration system and high-grade HEPA filters have helped to remove up to 99.97% of airbone particles (as tiny as PM0:3-sized) with zero ozone emission.
The Antibacterial pre-filter catches big particles like regular house dust while the Activated carbon filter removes odors and harmful gases.
I am assured that the air purifier is working optimally to give me clean air with the unique Air Quality Light indicator and Healthy Air Protect & Lock feature that would prompt me when it is time to change the filter.
The three kids
The Philips AC 4014 Air purifier is left switched on in the living room 24/7 and I haven’t seen an increase in our monthly electrical bill since I’ve started using it as it uses only minimal amount of electricity is needed for it to function.
It certainly is economical and definitely a must have gadget in our household. It would certainly have caused me less anxiety back then if I had it when the PSI levels were 400.
The Philips Air Combo (2 in 1) Photo Source: Philips
If you are looking for a dual purpose humidifier and purifier do check out the Philips Air Combo (2 in 1) which can help to keep the humidity levels in your house an optimal level of 40-60% while at the same time ensuring that the air that you breathe in is clean.
If you would like to know more about the air purifiers do visit the Philips Website for more information.
Disclaimer: This is an Advertorial by Philips. The opinions expressed herein are those of Dominique’s and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips .
