Money smarts

Money smarts

One of the most important thins everyone needs to know is how to manage money: where it comes from, how to spend it wisely and how to save and invest it. This is being Money Smart. Many parents do not teach children money management skills. Schools do not include financial literacy skills in the curriculum. I feel that is never too early to educate children about money.

Being money smart is important because it determines whether future adults will manage their resources well or fall into debt. According to Neal Godfrey, chair of U.S. Based Children’s Financial Network: “In 2001, more than 120,000 young people under the age of 25 filed for bankruptcy. If children don’t learn solid money skills at home or at school, then they are on the path to a lifetime of financial instability.

I also had no idea that I had so many option for saving or investing. In my head, I always thought that insurance was for people who were about to die. I was perfectly healthy, why did I have to buy so many kinds of insurance? All the money talk made my head spin. I realized I had to learn this new language.

As a parent, I know that we often worry about securing our children’s future by trying to save money for them. However, more than money itself, we need to teach them and help them understand how to manage money and be money smart. It is life skill worth investing in.

A. Basic money skills

When should we start teaching children how to handle money? If they are old enough to ask you to buy them a toy, then they’re old enough to learn about financial concepts.

If you have never bothered to have the “money talk” with your teenager, don’t worry, it’s not too late!

            The best way to teach kids basic money skills is to make money a part of daily life. Involve them in the daily aspect of money.

            For young children, teach them to count money. Play games with them so that they will be able to identify different denominations. Practice trading equivalent values so that they understand money values. For example: show me different ways to make P20. they can give your four P5 coins, two P10 coins, etc. you can do pretend play shopping to practice paying and counting correct change for items.

            Older children, such as 12-15 year old, can be given bigger responsibilities. They can be asked to do grocery shopping or school supplies shopping on a budget. This will force them to estimate amounts and compare price to be able to buy all the required items, taking into consideration how much things cost. They should be encouraged to take responsibility for paying for their books or their meals in a restaurant. Basic money skills should enable kids to handle money properly, and they need lots of practice and accountability to get this right.

            In preparation for adulthood, older teens can be involved in managing household expenses. Show them monthly bills you have to pay. Kids are often unaware of how much electricity, water, cable and telephone services cost. Increasing awareness of this responsibility can even encourage them to help in cutting cost by simply unplugging, turning off lights and water and minimizing the use of the air conditioner.

            In line with our advocacy for the environment, we ran a school wide “Energy Pledge” campaign to ask children to reduce electric bills at home. They noted down their electric bill from month to month, with a personal goal to reduce it by simple conservation efforts.

            The families of our school children enjoyed doing this and I would like to encourage you to do your own “Energy Pledge” in your homes. Whatever money you save can be spent for family bonding activities such as watching a movie or eating out.

B. Opportunity to manage money

Financial “know – How” is one of the best gifts we can give our children.

Managing money involves understanding

5 money smart concept:

1.Financial responsibility: How can you spend money responsibility?

2.Fiscal responsibility: How do you keep track of your money?

3.Saving and investing: How do you grow your money?

4.Responsible Consumerism: How do you make smart choices when spending your money?

5.Credit and debt: How do you use credit properly?

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Compassion = motivation

Compassion = motivation

“If you want others to be happy,

Practice compassion. If you

Want to be happy practice compassion.”

-Dalai Lama-

I strongly feel that while the entrepreneurial mind enables a person to start and grow a business venture, it is compassion that will sustain it. If the primary motivation for setting up a business enterprise is profit, then an entrepreneur can lose his motivation once this is met. The business no longer becomes meaningful. The search for meaning in what we do is what often sustain us.

            Meeting the bottom line is important because it will allow me to pay my teacher and improve our facilities, but it is not the motivation that sustains me and keeps me fully invested in the vision of our school.

            I know of people who have set up schools, then just as quickly closed  them down, simply because they were no longer profitable. I have also met many venture capitalists who have offered to grow my school, but at a cost.

            I feel that in the end, a true entrepreneur will find more reward in the good that his business id doing for others whether it is through a service, a  product or job generation than the profits it brings.

            Compassion is an equally important component of the entrepreneurial mind. It determines the kind of decisions an entrepreneur will make, the type of culture a company will have and how customers and employees will be treated. Compassion is the heart of the business.

            The challenge for parents and teachers who want to teach compassion is to get children to care about people outside their families. Filipinos value close family ties, but we are not raised to share the same care and compassion for people in the community and the country.

            It will take a deliberate effort among parents and teachers to give children the opportunity to actively show compassion toward others.

Grace Glory Go (Philippine Star)

“We believe that every employee is an integral part of the business. We truly treat each person in the company like family. It’s faith in the fact that whatever we build will benefit not just ourselves but everybody around us. We have faith that whatever efforts we put in will bring good results.”

ABC’s of developing compassion

Always think of how you can improve people’s lives. Empathy towards other encourages compassion, which children can put into action by thinking of business ventures that can solve social ills or make a difference in other people’s lives. One of the key advocacies of the Multiple Intelligences School is to encourage children to use their intelligences to make a difference. In line with this, our children run a yearly MI Kids Can. For Kidss, by Kids Bazzar to teach children to be entrepreneurs with hearts. They create products and sell them for the benefit of underprivileged children.

            It is never too early to teach children that they can already think of ways to improve people’s lives. You can even start by asking your child to sort all his old toys and old clothes, sell these through a rummage sale and donate the earnings to support a feeding program that your child can be part of.

Believe that Filipino can. Love for country and caring for the Filipino should be in the heart of any future entrepreneur. We should model for our children pride in our heritage and our products. Buy Filipino and let your child know why. Explain how buying Filipino products will help generate businesses and jobs for our countrymen. My rule for is that we can only buy abroad what we cannot buy here. It has become second nature for my children to say, Mom, we have that in the Philippines, let’s not buy it here. By doing this, we come home with lighter luggage all the time.

            Remember that taking pride in the Filipino worker and our products will motivate the future entrepreneur to invest in our country.

Care about others. Successful entrepreneurs recognize that people contribute greatly to their company’s success. Teach your child to care more about others than the profit they can generate. Happy employees will be more productive employees. Joselito Campos learned from his father that Loyalty is a two way street. You have to take care of the employees and they will work (long and hard) for you. We treat our employees more as a family. When the entrepreneurial mind is wired to care about others, the motivation for product development and human resource development will always be meaningful and for the service of others.

“With ordinary talent and

Extraordinary perseverance

All thins are attainable.”

-Thomas Foxwell Buxton-

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Commitment = determination and perseverance

Commitment = determination and perseverance

The entrepreneurial mind is fertile ground for bright ideas but it is self discipline and commitment that will see to it that an idea grows. Many people try to be entrepreneurs, but hey ultimately fail because they lack the determination and perseverance to hurdle challenges and get back up after a fall.

            Splash corp. CEO Dr. Roland Hortaleza, who build his company on innovative beauty products, says, “all throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I have had my share of failures. We’ve had failed product launches, failed product innovations, failed packaging. Our hit rate is probably only 30 percent. But if you persevere long enough, you’ll have enough success to tide you over.”

            Commitment, however, is very difficult to develop. But it is what determines a person’s ability to put in the hard work and the persistence to see an idea or task through. Commitment can be nurtured, however. The discipline of work is not developed in adulthood, but in childhood.

            I’ve heard parents say, “I know my child is smart, but why does he not apply himself to school work? His grades don’t reflect what he is capable of. I can’t get him to work and do his best.” This apparent mediocrity in work is reflective of the child’s lack of commitment to do excellent and good work.

            Parents and teachers can develop discipline and commitment by giving children the opportunity to be accountable for goals they have set. The positive expectation that they will finish what they start, without any excuses and no matter how difficult the task, gives them the character to develop commitment, determination and perseverance.

“With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance,

All thins are attainable.”

-Thomas Foxwell Buxton”-

ABC of developing commitment

 Always do your best and work hard. There is no substitute for hard work. Mediocrity, or doing work just to get by, is common among children who are overindulged. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, if you are not careful, you will end up teaching children that they can get what they want without working for it. The Filipino trait or “bahala na”, which is about leaving everything to chance, should not be encouraged or modeled. A child who is lazy to do his homework will say “bahala na” and resigns himself to what happens the next day. Parents and teachers should watch out for laziness and push children to work hard and be accountable for their work.

Be in charge welcome responsibility and change. An entrepreneurial mindset comes with a take charge attitude. When you own a operate a business, no one else is responsible for its successes or failures. There’s only you. Teach children at an early age to welcome responsibility. Tell them that there will be challenges and there will be factors that they cannot control, but they can choose to not give up and instead confront challenges and just keep on solving problems that come their way. Give them chores around the house, or if you have a business, ask them to help out. Del Monte Phils. CEO Joselito Campos, whose father founded drug manufacturing firm Unilab, remembers helping his father out when he was just 13years old. The valuable experience opened his eyes to what workers go through every day, enabling him to become a better CEO.

Continue to be a lifelong learner. The best commitment a child can make is to be a lifelong learner. It will teach him to be self reliant and be responsible for his won knowledge and decisions.

            Perseverance is fuelled by the desire to succeed and constantly improve. If the perseverance is fuelled by the desire to succeed and constantly improve. If the attitude towards learning is positive, children will gain the entrepreneurial mindset to continuously seek better and new ways to do things or to improve their products. Successful entrepreneurs are continuously reinventing themselves and their enterprises to remain competitive. Love for learning is modeled best by parents and teachers, who mush show children that no one is ever too old to learn.

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Competence = Passion

Competence =  Passion

“there is no greatness without a passion to be great,

whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete, or an artist,

a scientist, a parent or a businessperson

=Anthony Robbins=

Competence will determine whether one’s vision or innovation will become a viable entrepreneurial endeavor. Throughout our life, we have been told to do our best. However, it is equally important for parents and teachers to encourage children to ask, what am I good at. The answer will most likely lead to a business idea that they lead to a business idea that they can pursue when they grow up.

A child may start off by merely being interested in something, but with disciple, diligence and passion, competence can be developed.

            But other some people do open a preschool without the necessary competence, children end up not learning anything of value. The owner is most likely a business person, rather than a true educator with excellence, competence and passion to educate a child.

            Therefore, it pay to develop the competence of your child in areas where he is good at. When you help your child find his niche, you will enable him to eventually find his passion.

  

Milagros Leelin Yee and Clarita Leelin Go

(goldilocks founders)

            Although they had a shared interest in baking, the sister’s beginnings cannot only be attributed to their passion for cooking. Though they didn’t have a family enterprise on which to base their business model for Goldilocks, they had their parents to thank for sowing the seeds of their entrepreneurial spirit. I remember waking up early in the morning to help my father bake bibingka(rice cakes) and other pastries in a portable oven. I also recall our mother serving food and caring for our community Milagros recalls. Our door was always open to those in need of some hearty merienda or a refreshing glass of sago’t gulaman. Everyone was family. That sense of family, more than their background in business and finance, is what defined Goldilocks. Clarita adds that they were motivated by their passion for family. We serve good food and give our customers the best that we can possibly give them.

Source: Go Negosyo Joey Conception Inspirign stories of women entrepreneurs

ABC’s of developing competence

 Actively purse interest and desires. Interest in what will drive a child to spend long hours working on something. I have hear many parents say, My child is not very focused when he does his work. But how come he can spend so many hours in front of the computer? Interest in the answer. Observe your child and support his interest. Behind every great child is a great parent and teacher. If your child enjoys creating computer graphics. Find someone who can teach him how to use some programs. If your child enjoys cooking encourage him to cook at home. Helping your child develop his interests is such a great and lasting gift that he will appreciate for the rest of his life.

Be aware of unique intelligence. We are all given our natural intelligences. The earlier children become aware of their strengths, the better they are able to maximize them.

            Self awareness is key to taking steps to develop one’s competence. If you know that you are good at something, you can develop expertise. Conversely, if you know that you are weak at something, you can equip yourself with skills are knowledge to overcome your weakness.

            Parents and teachers should be sensitive about the kind of support children need to maximize their unique intelligences.

Cultivate leadership skills. The best way to learn how to become a leader is to actually lead a group, so give your children opportunities to lead others. The experience will enable them to cultivate their ability to motivate and work with others, which is an important attribute of entrepreneurs.

            Work with others, which is an important attribute of entrepreneurs. For example, if your child is a science buff, encourage him to conduct experiments and show his classmate his tricks. If your child is good at music and performing, let him audition for the lead in a play. When kids pursue their passion, work will seem like play. With this mindset, they can grow up to become like many successful entrepreneurs who work not because they have to, but because they love to.

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Creativity = Innovation

Creativity =  Innovation

“Creativity is thinking up new things.

Innovation is doing new things.”

=Theodore Levitt=

A creative mind gives birth to innovation. Creativity allows the entrepreneurial mind to come up with new ideas and solve problems in a new way. And the best time to tap into the wellspring of creativity is during childhood because creativity declines steadily as a child grows into an adult, as shown by a study in Utah.

Age Group                                                       percentage of creativity used

Kindergarten children                                        95% - 98%

Junior school children                                        50% - 70%

High school children/university students 30% - 50 %

Adults                                                              less than 20%

It is no wonder then that few adults come up with Eurika ideas in adulthood. Those who were able to come up with revolutionary ideas as adults were able to do so because they had a fertile, creative mind. Take the cases of Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo and Albert Einstein.

A study of their handwritten notes showed that they were far ahead of their time, and unlike their contemporaries who were limited by the language of words, all three of them used the language of words, all three of them used the language of images through illustrations and diagrams to make their creative thinking visible.

Among Filipinos, we want the entrepreneurial mind to flourish despite the tendency of many businesses to be copycats or imitators of successful products. A study by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor indicated that Filipino business are mostly small (micro) in scale and may be lacking in originality and innovativeness, reflecting the copycat syndrome.

We want to raise a new generation of entrepreneurs who are capable of original and innovative thinking. This is only possible if the creative minds honed.

ABC of developing creativity

Always seek to develop new ideas and improve processes. When children complain about something, encourage them to come up with creative solutions. There are always better ways of doing things and the possibilities are endless. Allow children to experiment with materials or designs. Encourage them to jot down their ideas in a notebook. With dedication, mentorship and research, an idea can become a reality.

Lllac Diaz, founder of My shelter Foundation, uses the more affordable, soil filled earth bags to construct schools instead of traditional cement and wood, allowing him to build more schools with the same budget.

The imagination and creativity employed by children when they play with blocks or construct with LEGOs can lead to a similar innovation.

Be flexible and resourceful. Creativity is not possible without flexibility of thought. Flexibility allows a person to see things from different angles. To consider things from other points of view and to represent old concepts in new ways. Resourcefulness is flexibility in problem solving. Any aspiring entrepreneur knows that change is something you need to constantly keep up with. Flexible thinking should thus be encouraged among children and teens.

Teachers and parents should allow children to come up with different ways to arrive at the same solution. Flexibility and creativity will die in homes and schools that encourage  only one correct way of doing things.

Creative imagination.  In Albert Einstein’s wise words, Imagination is more important than knowledge, for imagination is limitless. One of the valuable 21^st century traits of students is the ability to think out of the box.

The use of imagination should be encouraged in all the intelligences – creative writing (word), problem solving (number), song writing (music), dance choreography (body), experimentation (nature), painting (art) and projects (people and self). Allow them to explore the limits of creative imagination by giving them recycled materials to play with. Your future architect, engineer, designer and imaginer will be at work.

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Curiosity = vision

Curiosity = vision

The parents respond to their children’s constant questioning with a curt “keep quit” These parents are not very different from teachers who order their students to just listen and not ask any question. There are also those who still heard. All of these responses conspire against the development of a child’s natural curiosity.

“Vision without action is a dream.

Action without vision is simply passing the time.

Action with vision is making a positive difference."

=Joey Barker=

Curiosity is at the core of the entrepreneurial mind. It pushes a person to want to know more or learn about a problem; question how the problem is related to prior knowledge and experience; and persist in researching and exploring all resources to know more about a problem. It allows a person to react positively to new, strange and mysterious elements of an issue or problem.

This kind o curious mind enables a person to come up with his own vision, which can be solution to a problem or an answer to a need. Without the ability to create a personal vision. Entrepreneurial activity cannot be born.

Marixi Prieto

(Philippine Daily Inquirer)

“You should have a clear idea of where you want to go. Once you have that road map, then be ready to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve what you want. Be focused and do not be distracted.

ABC of developing curiosity

Ask Question and seek answer. Encourage children to ask questions and help them seek their own answers. Teach them to do their own research, whether by reading an encyclopedia or surfing the internet. Children begin their lives as question marks, but sadly end their lives as periods. An entrepreneurial mind never stops asking question so it can come up with many possibilities. Play the “5xWhy? Game” and allow your child to ask why or how five times. Challenge yourself and your child to come up with different answers everytime. This will get the child into the habit of asking “why?”

Be a dreamer. Allow children to dream, no matter how crazy it may sound. The difference between a businessman and on entrepreneur is VISION. A businessman’s concern is to earn profit but an entrepreneur will want to see his vision become a reality. Not enough children possess the entrepreneurial mind because dreaming is not encouraged. Parents have a critical role in determining whether the child will be a bum with a dream or a successful entrepreneur. Parents have to support and teach children to systematically pursue a dream by being goal oriented. Acting on a dream will require a plan.

Choices and exploration. Curiosity flourishes when children are allowed to explore an interest of their choice. Allow them to experiment and solve problems on their own.

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Entrepreneurial mind

Entrepreneurial mind

Cielito Habito laments in his article “Are Filipinos entrepreneurial?” that Filipinos tend to be geared toward finding a job rather than creating jobs. We are too oriented toward earning an income, rather than creating wealth. Parents encourage their children to find jobs, especially in foreign lands, and many are content to just work for others.

There is therefore an urgent need to develop the entrepreneurial mind among the children of the next generation.

An entrepreneurial mind can be applied to mistaken notion that the entrepreneurial mind should only be developed if a child is bent on pursuing a career in business. I believe that all children should develop the entrepreneurial mind. It doesn’t matter if your child ends up a profession, such as a doctor, lawyer or teacher. The entrepreneurial mind of your child will empower him to use his profession to start a business.

What is the Entrepreneurial mind?

The entrepreneurial mind is a set of dispositions that enables a person to develop entrepreneurial traits that will help start and grow a business venture.

5c’s of the entrepreneurial mind

Curiosity = vision

Creativity = innovation

Competence = passion

Commitment = determination and perseverance

Compassion = motivation

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Menu Plan Monday

Happy Halloween!

I've missed my menu planning last week and it made my life so much more CRAZY!!

So on to this week!!

This Week's Menu

Monday:Meatloaf (from the freezer)

Tuesday:Chicken Noodle Soup

Wednesday:Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Taco Salad

Friday: Out of town for State Cross Country Meet

Saturday:Out of town

Sunday: Steak & Baked Potatoes

Have a great week!!



Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

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Pumpkin Squares

It is the time for Pumpkin.  This week my boss made lunch in a pumpkin, which was really fun for the kids!!  I love pumpkin so bring on the recipes!! This one is delicious and simple to make. 

Pumpkin Squares
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup applesauce & 1/2 cup oil)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs until well combined.  Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well and pour into a greased cookie sheet (about 12 x 16 sized pan).  Bake for 20 minutes or until done.  Cool completely and frost.
Frosting
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese until soft.  Add vanilla, butter and mix well.  Add powdered sugar a little at a time until all is mixed together well. 

YUM!!

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Success attitude and the entrepreneurial mind

Success attitude and the entrepreneurial mind

Person's success attitude is the fertile ground needed for the entrepreneurial mind to take root. Combine that with intelligence and skills, and a person has all the ingredients he needs to become successful in life.

Joey Conception founder of the Go Negosyo Entrepreneurship movement, say "success is not bound by poverty. Dreams of success are not only for the rich, educated or privileged."

It is the attitude, however, or the determination to overcome difficult situations and circumstances that will make the difference, so that dreams and goals will not go unfulfilled.

a. Success attitude overcomes aptitude

"Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. 

Attitude determines how well you do it."

                                                                                                        =Lou Holtz=

The success drives a person to overcome the limitations of his aptitude. During the commencement exercise at Boston University, Texas billionaire Ross Perot was the keynote speaker. He admitted that he was a below average student who hardly made the grade, so to make a success of his business, he made it a point to hire people who are smarter than him. Perot is an example of a person who recognizes his limitation but is not limited by them.

Student who are not equipped with the success attitude often use their grades to determine their worth and their future career.

But students who know that hey can be successful in any field and be good at something they put their heart and mind into realize that they are more than their IQ score. They know their strengths and weakness and will choose fields of interest that will maximize their strengths.

It mus be emphasized, however, that educational attainment is not the only measure of ability. What if a person is not fortunate enough to earn a high school diploma or a college degree. Should this prevent him form reaching his dream? no.

Socorro "Nanay Coring" Ramos, founder of National Book Store, the largest book store chain in the Philippines, has always stressed the importance of education and has sold books all her life. Ironically, she herself has not finished school.

"I was born to a poor family and only completed high school. Unable to attend college, I only had one dream in life, an impossible dream, to finish school and get my degree," Ramos says.

However, her lack of diploma did not prevent her from growing her business from a 5 square meter store to 103 branches all over the country. It all boiled down to having the right attitude and passion to turn her dreams into reality.

b. Success attitude overcomes poverty
Who would have thought that the man hailed as one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley was actually born in Cagayan Valley? Diosdado Banatao, Referred to as the Filipino equivalent of Microsoft's Bill Gates, was born to a rice farmer and housekeeper. He grew up in the sleepy little barrio of Malabbac in the farming town of Iguig in Cagayan. As a kid, Banatao used to walk barefoot to school, which he did not mind because education was his key to a better life.

Today, Banatao manages Tallwood Venture Capital and is sharing his bleassing with the country through the Banatao Filipino American fund. The fund helps Northern California high school students of Filipino heritage to pursue engineering. Banatao is just one of the many Filipino entrepreneurs who did not let poverty prevent them from making it big in thier field. What these entrepreneurs have in common are the proper attitude, willingness to do hard work and the single minded determination to reach their goals, no matter the obstacles on their path. Parents who want to give their children a brighter future but are discouraged because of their lack of resources, should invest in building the success attitude in their children. Stop limiting them by saying that they should give up on their dreams because they are poor. Always provide positive encouragement. Develop in them a strong work ethic and tell them that they - like Banatao - can find a way out of poverty.

c. Success attitude overcomes personal challenges
Voltaire compares life to a game of cards and each player must accept the cards and each player must accept the cards dealt to him. Hellen Keller was born deaf and blind, but she overcome her disabilities and went on to become the first deaf blind mute person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She has since served as an inspiration to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Tony Llanes Jr. and Marx Melencio share a similar tale with keller and are equally inspiring.

Tony was born partially blind and completely lost his eyesight when he was 28. he did not succumb to self pity and instead started a business that provide computer delivery and maintenance serveces. he is one of the founder of ATRIEV, a computer school for the blind.

Marx, on the other hand, lost his eyesight when a drunken man shot him twice. he initially drowned in self pity, but he later found the strength to take charge of his life. he became a student at ATRIEV, which introduced him to own grayscale Business Consultancy and Management Services.His company provides research services to offshore companies and now employs a hundred skilled workers - some of whom are also blind, other are wheelchair bound or have other disabilities.

Both men were able to rise above their disabilities because of their success attitude. It was this attitude that enable them to fight back depression and self pity. their positive perseverance helped them make the best use of the skills they have in order to succeed.  Parents who have children who learn differently should not expect less of them just because they have disabilities. Find their strengths and interests and support them so that they will find their niche.

d. Success attitude overcomes problems
In Awake My Heart, J. Sidlow Baxter writes, What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty and every difficulty an opportunity.

A person's success attitude can indeed turn problems into blessings. take Cecilio Pedro. For eight years, his former company aluminium containers, Inc.  ranked it in as the major supplier of aluminum collapsible toothpaste tubes to multinational consumer goods giants Colgate-Palmolive and Philippine refining company(now Unilever Philippine).

All that come to an end when the tow companies decide to change their packaging from aluminum to plastic. He was left with no money coming in and millions of aluminum tubes.

He could have just closed down his company. But instead of giving up. he decide to formulate his own toothpaste so that he can use his tubes. Today Hapee Toothpaste is a fierce competitor in the market.

No matter what we do as parents, we cannot protect our children from problems and adversity. What we can do is equip them with a success attitude that will enable them to face challenges head on.

We have to teach them to view their situation realistically to see what they can and cannot change and show them to there are always ways to solve problems. help them to see that they have what it takes to make the right choices and that there are always options available to them.



Success attitude builder:
Create a SMART goal with your child
It is never too early or too late to help children make SMART goals for themselves. this will help them be pro active, self motivated and accountable for their goals.


Discuss goals that you own child want to set for himself. It can be as simple as doing homework every day and gaining more friends.


THEN HELP THEM SET SMART GOALS:


S - specific. state what you are going to do and be as specific as possible. example: " I will do my math drills every day" is a better goal then "I will get a high grade in Math.


M- Measurable. Devise a measure for your target. " I will finish 30 math drills day" is measurable, unlike " I will do better at math drills"


A- Attainable. Help your children set targets they can actually reach so that they will be motivated to work toward their goal will be motivated to work toward their goal. for example: if you know hat finishing 30 drills a day is not attainable, start first with just 10.


R- Realistic. This means the goal is do able if it's highly unlikely that your child will achieve his goal of getting an A in math make him go after a more realistic goal, such as passing all the math quizzes. Raise the bar as he develops his math skills.


T- Timebound. Set a time frame for achieving the goal. One week? One quarter? The deadline should be clear to make ti easier for your child to be accountable for his goal.

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Babe's "Naked" Fruit & Veggie Salad ♥

Today's salad inspiration: A "naked" salad: No dressing. Not a drizzle of vinaigrette, not even a splash of lemon juice. What do we think, what makes a salad a salad? Is it the dressing? or what's dressed?

Back in June, a reader forwarded a recipe. (Thanks for the recipe, Mary!) She listed a few of my favorite ingredients for salads, romaine and chopped vegetables plus fresh fruit and dried fruit, coconut and a few nuts. The instructions were simple, "Cut all ingredients in medium pieces and mix together. Very delicious!" The recipe struck me as a fall salad so onto the stack it went until last week when it hit me, Hey wait, this salad has no salad dressing! Sure enough, said Mary when asked. "Actually, I like it without dressing."

My brain got to working. Is it the "dressing" that makes a collection of chopped veggies a salad? Do I ever make a salad without stirring in some sort of something to bind it all together? Admittedly, I was a little dubious – but fully prepared for a new food discovery too!
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Karen's Ham chowder

This is true comfort food and a long time family recipe!  It is so delicious!! A HUGE thank you to my Aunt Karen for letting me pick her brain on the amounts of each ingredient.  It originated from her mother-in-law and there were no amounts listed.  With my Aunts help it turned out perfect and oh so delicious!! 

Karen's Ham Chowder
3-4 medium potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
2 cups diced ham (small pieces)
3 cups milk
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Place a small amount of olive oil in a pan.  On medium heat cook the onions for a couple of minutes and then add the ham.  Cook until onion is clear and soft and ham is warmed through (just a little bit brown). Place potatoes, carrots and celery in a pot;barely cover them with water.  Cook until just tender (becareful not to over cook).  When veggies are tender add cream of mushroom soup and milk.  Stir until combined.  Add the ham, onion and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted.  Season with salt and pepper.   Serve with crackers or french bread.

YUM!!

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Grilled Herbed Chicken and Zucchine Salad

Grilled Herbed Chicken and
Zucchine Salad

Why this recipe works: Ingredients that are commonly use in Greek cooking(dill, mint, lemon, feta, cheese, and kalamata olives) work in concert here to create a briny yet fresh flavor profile. Chicken cutlets are perfect for a quick weeknight dinner on the grill they take well to a quick marinade and cook in minutes. The oil in the marinade serves two purposes: It prevents the cutlets from sticking to the grill and ads richness to the lean meat. Uncooked Zucchini shaved into thin ribbons on a mandoline makes an attractive salad. The zucchini's mild sweetness in punctuated by the saltiness of olives and tanginess of feta cheese. For color contrast, substitute two yellow summer squash for two zucchini

Ingredient: 4 serve
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbs chopped fresh dill
11/2 tbs grated zest plus 1 tbs juice from 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tbs red pepper flakes salt and pepper
8 thin cut boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 zucchini (about 1 1/2 pound), sliced lengthwise into very thin ribbons
1/2 cup shredded fresh mint
1/3 cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instruction:
1. Combine 1/4 cup oil, parsley, dill, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbs lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 3/4 tbs salt, and 1/4 tbs pepper in medium bowl. Add chicken and turn pieces to coat.

2. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup oil, remaining garlic cloves, remaining 1/2 tbs lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 tbs salt and 1/4 tbs pepper in small bowl.

3. Grill chicken over hot fire until lightly charred and chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

4. combine zucchini, mint, and olives in large bowl, Pour dressing over and toss with tongs. Sprinkle salad with cheese. serve with cheese. serve with chicken.

Quick prep tip Making zucchini ribbons
To add visual appeal to the zucchini salad, use a mandoline to shave the zucchini into this ribbons. Adjust the mandoline to its thinnest setting, typically 1/16 inch, then run the zucchini lengthwise down the mandoline to create long, ever ribbons. Since the blade is very sharp, it's important to keep your fingers curled under and to work carefully to avoid cutting yourself

smart shopping zucchini
Zucchini is remarkable versatile: It can be cooked a variety of ways including steaming, baking grilling, and sauteing or just eaten raw. When purchasing this popular summer squash, select small zucchini, which are younger and have thinner skins. The skins should be free of blemishes and have a vibrant color. Fresh zucchini is available year round in most supermarkets.

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Want a "Nutter" Ghost...

I saw these ghosts at a recent church event and thought they were darling!  My girls saw them and have been bugging me to make some.  What I couldn't believe is how quick and easy they are to make.  What a fun treat to take someone or just surprise the family with.

Nutter Ghosts

Nutter Butter Cookies

almond bark or white chocolate meltaways

mini chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate in the microwave until smooth.

Dip each cookie in the chocolate.

Lay them on to wax paper.

Add two mini chocolate chip for eyes.

Let them dry a bit to set up.

Package to give away or store in a sealed container.

Cute and delicious!!

Linked to:

Fat Camp Friday

Friday Favorites



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Positive perseverance builder

Positive perseverance builder
4. Hang in there vs Give up
The third ingredient to the success attitude is positive perseverance. this determines whether a person has the strength to survive setbacks, challenges or problems. Many people have great ideas, but only those who persevere will see their ideas become reality. Parents and teachers need to not only help children develop tha mental and emotional discipline to persevere but also prepare them to become resilient.

In his 1997 UNICEF funded study, Resiliency: stories found in the Philippine Streets Dr. Cornelio Banaag defined resilience as the capacity to withstand, recover and even grow from negative experiences.

Resilience separates winners from losers. It is this trait that enables street children to triumph despite their poverty and lack of family and community support. So how do we give our own children this inner strength? how do we develop in them that positive perseverance?

There are two things that parents have to be aware of when teaching children to be persevering and resilient. The first is that children are growing up in a world of convenience that allows them to put in the least amount of effort into a task. Second, parents are spending less time with their children because of economic pressures or demands at work. To compensate, more parents are indulging their children, making the kids used to getting anything they want. It has become more important therefore to provide our children with opportunities to develop positive perseverance so that they will learn to keep going when the going gets tough.

There are simple ways to do this. One way is to teach children to wait for what they want. Expose them to small frustrations. Do not give them everything they ask for. This way, they will develop self discipline and learn the difference between wants and needs.

Allow children to pursue projects they are interested in whether it is to assemble a toy, take care of a pet or start a band. Taking responsibility for a project they are interested in and seeing it through is perseverance at work.

I remember one of the projects of my high school youth entrepreneurs. They wanted to make statement t shirt and worked hard to perfect their designs. They were supposed to sell them during a Go Negosyou Youth Summit so they got a printer to commit to their order.

One week before the delivery date, the printer backed out and returned their money. They panicked because they could not get another printer at such short notice. But instead of giving up, they manually ironed the design on each shirt to meet the deadline. Their shirts made it to the summit.

Teach children to hang in there when things don't go their way. Don't let them give up. As the saying goes, Success comes to those who hang on when others have let go.

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Positive Action builder

Positive Action builder
3. Solutions vs blame

Being around kids, know that it is perfectly normal for them to blame someone or something when things are not going their way.

But always tell children who approach me to complain about one thing or another that instead of looking for blame, they should look for solutions. The ability to change a negative into a positive situation is based on a person's attitude towards problem solving.

We need to help children develop their own problem solving skills. Show them that in a problematic situation, they cannot control others or the situation. The only person they can control is themselves and their attitude how they feel, think or act towards their problem.

First, ask them to collect all the information about the problem and state it, sometimes, this is enough for children to realize that what they thought was a problem was really not.

Help your children come up with possible options or solutions. Go though each solution and evaluate if this is realistic and what the possible consequences are if they choose that option. Try a different solutions.

Engage in Problem Solving Process

 Problem

collect information: WHY?s

Generate Multiple Solutions

Evaluate Consequences of Solutions

Decide on Best Solution and Implementation

For example, when your child asks you to buy him a cellular phone and you don have the budget for it, this becomes a real problem for both of you.

To practice solving problems with your child, consider doing the following:
1. Clarify the problem and collect information: Ask him to check different phone models and costs so you can come up with a budget you can both agree on.

2. Generate multiple solutions: Explain to your child that you do not have the extra budget to buy him a phone so he needs to think of ways to raise the money for it. Some kids will save part of their allowance. Other will sell old toys or clothes to raise funds for a new phone.

3. Evaluate consequences of solutions: Consider different option and then evaluate the best one to take.

4. Try out your solutions: Support your child and make sure that he sees his solution through. If it does not work, go to Plan B. Children who are given opportunities to solve problems when they are young become empowered individuals. They will be used to taking possible action. Parents and teachers have tjo realize that good problem solving is a habit that needs to be taught and supported. Children do not figure this out by themselves, but once acquired, it becomes a life skill.

Entrepreneurs face a lot of problems, from start up to product development, marketing, financing and managing people. It is important that we give children the right attitude to hurdle similar challenges.

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Roasted Delicata Squash ♥

The very easiest winter squash to cook, the delicata, here oven-roasted in pretty little half rings.

Say hello to my very favorite "easy weeknight vegetable" -- at least during the fall and winter. It's the delicata squash, see those two long-ish squash in the background of the photo? Those are delicata squash. What you can't see is that these guys are small, maybe six inches long. One squash feeds two or four, no need to pack up leftovers.

And delicata skins are edible, not as soft as a zucchini skin but not as hard as the skin of a butternut squash. This is good news because -- there's no peeling!

And unlike a butternut squash, where you need to worry about How to Cut, Peel & Cube a Butternut Squash and Keep All Ten Fingers. No, not these delicata babies, these baby delicatas. It's easy as can be to slice into a delicata squash, no minute in the microwave required. Just you and a sharp knife. Or hey, a dull knife, you decide.
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A Scone Tradition

A couple of weeks ago I shared with you my Grandma's White Bread recipe.  As I was making it I remembered an old family tradition of eating hot scones.  YUM!! So I made two loaves of bread and turned the rest of the dough into scones.  My children claimed they had never had scones before.  How sad was that! They LOVED them.  This is a super simple recipe, but my goal is to keep the tradition alive.

Simply Scones

bread dough

oil, canola or vegetable

Divide your dough into the desired size.

Roll each piece out a bit.

Heat your oil in a pan, medium/high heat. (you may need to adjust it.)

Place dough in the oil.  Cook about a minute on each side or until golden brown.

Drain on a paper towel.

Now the topping choices are endless:

butter, honey, sugar, cinnamon or ect!!

Enjoy they are delicious!!



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Menu Plan Monday

 This Week's Menu
Monday: Crescent Chicken Bundles
Tuesday: Ham Chowder
Wednesday: Spaghetti Casserole
Thursday: Picnic Night
Friday: Chicken Alfredo
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Ham Fried Rice/Egg Rolls

The winner of the Heart to Heart Girl Giveaway chosen by random number generator,
Congratulations to :
Erin@ Making Memories...One Fun Thing After Another 

Have a Delicious Week!!

Linked to: Menu Plan Monday

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Positive Thinking Builder

Positive Thinking Builder


1. Can do vs Can't do mindset

Our mental attitude determines the limits we set for ourselves. a can do mindset can open doors for our children and helps empower them. It's Interesting how children's view of themselves change with age.

When I am among preschoolers, and I ask them, How many of you think you are smart?, every single hand goes up. But when I am among high school students, only a few do the same.

The mindset and attitude toward taking charge of situations are very important because these will determine whether a person will develop an entrepreneurial mind.

As a parents and teachers, we need to teach children to see themselves positively and as positive agents of charge.

It is normal for children to say I can't do it!  It's to hard! I'm not good enough  I'm dumb. That's only for smart kids, That's the way it is. I can't do anything about it. But we have to try and correct these pessimist attitudes because these hamper their ability and desire to work hard or come up with a solution.

What we want is for our children to believe that they can be what they want to be. If they develop this can do mindset, then they are on their way to achieving great thins. It is attitude that limits us.

As a parent and educator, I know how important it is to play a role in building  a positive attitude among children. We can do this by giving children enough opportunities to show that they can do it. Give simple goals or tasks they can achieve and appreciate them for doing them.

At home, we can also assign our children simple jobs that have an impact on the real world so that they can appreciate that small actions can make a big difference. You can ask your child to segregate waste and the money earned from selling recyclables can be his extra allowance.

Just make sure that when you give children responsibilities, you also hold them accountable for their actions. This will teach them to take charge, be self motivated and see projects through.

2. It's Possible vs It's impossible 
Napoleon Hill was right when he said that Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve

We thus need to encourage our children to ask themselves how they can change situations and dream of what possible. This kind of positive thinking will give birth to innovation, which is at the core of the entrepreneurial mind. Walt Disney built his empire on dreaming of what is possible and stretching imagination. In fact, he created a career of imagineering. encourage children to similarly dream of new thins. Support them by giving them access to the latest information. For example, young boys who have an interest in cars should be encouraged to sketch the future car model of their dreams and give it high tech features that do not exist yet. Give them car magazine and visit showrooms with them to open their minds to endless possibilities. Student were challenged to design their own shoes for presentation to the mentor who owned a number of shoe companies. To encourage a positive attitude, it is important that parents and teachers respect ideas no matter how crazy or improbable some of them are. With proper guidance and access to information, they will figure out which ideas are viable without having to put them down. it is sad to hear statements such as Get your head out of the clouds, stop dreaming! that will not put food on the table. or that not possible. It has never been done! Instead of nipping their ideas in the bud, encourage experimentation. Allow children to make mistakes and tell them that it's all right to make them. Once children start having the It's possible attitude, they will be able to create and innovate.

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Attitude

Attitude
"Success is a matter of attitude"

Success attitude

Our attitude determines how we feel, think and act. for our kids to grow up with an entrepreneurial mindset, it is important to inculcate in their minds that elusive success attitude. The success attitude embodies

Positive thinking, Positive action and Positive persistence

The success attitude is a can do mindset that enables an individual to think of solutions and innovations, rather than dwell on the problem. it is not only about positive thinking and action, but more importantly, also about positive persistence, so that despite difficulty and hardship, a person will persevere and be resilient until he achieves success.

Sometimes, you have to try many businesses and ideas before you find the right one. To get that idea, you must not give up along the way.

Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate developer known for both his successful and unsuccessful ventures, speaks from his heart when he says, whether you're a kid starting your first business, or an adult still chasing success, the most important thing to remember is to never give up never, ever give up! if you have a dream that you believe in with your whole heart, you have to go after it. Even when others are telling you that you can't do it. If you give something your best effort, there is a very good chance that you will succeed. and even if you don't you will be able to say you gave it your all. that's what makes you a winner.

Parent, teachers, peers and society play important roles in the formation of attitudes of children. but sometimes, their influence may be diminished by other forces, such as peers and popular culture.

thus, at crucial points in a child's life, parents must make their voices louder if they want to be heard. it is crucial for parents to make sure that children adopt the right attitude because what they will embrace in their early years will most likely be the same attitudes they will embrace as adults.

since children and teens are growing up in a world where everything is instantly and teens are growing up in a world where everything is instantly available, they have learned to take the easy way out. Technology has tough our children to expect fast solutions and fast results. The cellular phone, the internet, social networks and search engines have raise a generation of children that no longer have the discipline to grapple with a problem and persist at a difficult task. if anything takes too long, they leave it because of the multitide of options available to them.

However, for children to develop an entrepreneurial mind, they have to possess the success attitude that will enable them to see possibilities, work hard and not lose courage when they do not immediately get positive results.

Success attitude builders

Train up a child in the way he should go, 

even when he is old he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6

significant people in the life of a child parent, teacher, grandparents role models contribute to building the success attitude to building the success attitude that will determine how he approaches life or deals with people. the good news is that it's never too early or too late to influence your child's attitude.

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Pumpkin Spice Cake

Love, love, love pumpkin goodies!!  This one was so delicious and a huge hit with everyone.  One of the little boys in my preschool class told me, "They weren't good, they weren't great, they were FANTASTIC!!" 

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat together pumpkin, eggs, oil and vanilla until smooth.  Add the rest of the ingredients and beat again. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes. Frost when still slightly warm.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Beat cream cheese. butter, vanilla and salt together. Slowly add powdered sugar slowly until fluffy and frosting consistency.  Spread over warm cake.

Store covered in the refridgerator.

YUM!!

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Grilled Italian Checkin Sausage Subs

Grilled Italian Checkin Sausage Subs 

Serve 4

Ingredients:

2 tbs vegetable oil
2 onions, halve lengthwise
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes salt and pepper
6 mild or hot Italian chicken sausages
4 (6 inch) soft sub rolls
12 slices deli provolone cheese

Procedures:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat broiler. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until lightly browned and softened, about 4 minutes. Add green bell pepper , red bell pepper, and pepper flakes and cook until lightly browned and softened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper

2. Meanwhile, grill sausages over hot fire until just cooked through and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and slice each sausage in half lengthwise. Arrange rolls, cut side up on baking sheet. Place there sausage halves in each roll. Top with onions and peppers mixture, then arrange provolone slices on top. transfer baking sheet to oven and broil until cheese is bubbling, 2 to 4 minutes serve.

Smart shopping: MILD VS HOT ITALIAN CHICKEN SAUSAGE
when shopping for Italian chicken sausage, either mild or hot look first for fresh sausage. Fresh sausage contains meat that has not previously been cured or cooked, so it is important to remember that it must be kept in the refrigerator and be thoroughly cooked before eating. The meat is contained within a thin casing that is edible. Mild Italian Chicken sausages contain white meat chicken and fennel seeds as the most prominent flavorings. Hot Italian Chicken sausage add red chili pepper flakes for heat and paprika for color. It is not uncommon for garlic to be mixed in for added flavor(though this is not typical for pork sausages). Be aware that hot sausages can range heat from mildly hot to very hot.

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