I had this conversation with my four-year-old son while I was giving him a bath last night.

Justin: Mommy, why do daddies and mommies shout when they’re mad?

Mommy: Mommies and daddies shout when their kids don’t listen to them.

Justin: Why doesn’t Teacher J. shout when there’s a kid in class who won’t listen?

Mommy: Really? She doesn’t shout? She is a good teacher, baby! If you always listen to Mommy and Daddy, we don’t have to raise our voices when we talk to you. Do you understand?

VERDICT: Mommy is guilty as charged.

I have to admit. When the going gets tough and my child won’t listen, I sometimes resort to spanking or raising my voice. I noticed, however, that things only get worse because my son simply imitates what I do. There was a time when he was playing that he told me, “Mommy, I’m mad at you.” Then, he spanked me and said, “Joke only!” Also, when he doesn’t get what he wants and he’s getting frustrated, he shouts at the top of his voice, perhaps as a way of making himself heard.

One of the downsides of being a work-at-home mom is you still manage the house and attend to your child’s needs while holding a full-time job. It takes supermom powers to juggle everything and still be on top of the situation. What happens when you need some quiet time to do your work and your son sets his drum set to full volume despite your incessant pleas for him to stop?

I’m not perfect, but ‘m trying my best to be a good mom. Last night was a wake-up call for me. It made me realize how I’m setting a very bad example for my son. I vowed last night that I will try my mighty best to not raise my voice at the slightest provocation. Please God, don’t make me a monster mom!

I also need help from other moms out there. What do you do to avoid raising your voices when reprimanding your kids?

I got an invite from Ogilvy to attend a parenting seminar at Cinema 1, SM Mall of Asia yesterday afternoon. This is the first of three free education and parenting seminars organized by Kumon Philippines for 2010. Kumon Philippines’ Education and Parenting Seminar Series (KPEPSS) aims to educate parents on how to raise responsible children. Now in its third year, KPEPSS focuses on the concept of self-learning. The event was hosted by Ms. Patty Laurel.


The seminar is divided into three modules, namely: (1) learning the basics, (2) sharing of experiences with parents, and (3) achievements of someone in a self-learning environment.

Module 1: The Basics
Speaker: Melissa Lopez Reyes, Applied Cognitive and Education Psychologist

The first module discusses the self-learning ability of a child and how it is developed when the child is exposed to a stimulating yet safe surrounding, e.g., the home. It also gives examples of how parents can foster independence in their kids and teach them to become responsible.


Module 2: The Reinforcement
Panelists: Ms. Olivia Angeles, Mr. Harlan Busto, and Dr. Melissa Lopez Reyes

The second module is a discussion between parents and a child development expert about how the concept of self-learning is reinforced when it is practiced consistently in different situations and at various settings.


Module 3: The Mastery
Speaker: Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, Young Global Leader Awardee

The last module puts the concept of self-learning in a societal context. It is the “realization” part of the whole process of teaching the child independence during his early years. Bam Aquino discusses how the concept of self-learning coupled with his parents’ love and guidance has helped him discover his full potential and how this has made him an agent of change that he is today.


The next leg of KPEPSS will be held at SM City Pampanga on June 24, followed by SM Cebu on August 28. Interested attendees may register by visiting http://ph.kumonglobal.com. Admission is free.

One of the best gifts I received on my last birthday was a tiny blue book called Memo ni Mommy: Mga Kaalamang Pampasigla ng Pamilya by Bessie A. Rios. The book, intended for parents and everyone else who works with kids, provides helpful tips on raising children. It has 45 memos all in all, which cover the following topics: training for life, enhancing family relationships, cultivating self-confidence, influencing behavior, harnessing social skills, school boosters, health and wellness, managing financial challenges, and responding to parenting challenges. The way the book was written, in English-Tagalog, sprinkled with a dash of humor here and there, makes it more interesting to read.

Mommy Bessie (Blesilda A. Rios, Ph.D.) is an advocate of appropriate parenting. She has a radio program, Memo ni Mommy, which has been broadcast over at DZAS for the past 14 years. She has a master’s degree in Family Life and Child Development (U.P. Diliman) and in Christian Leadership (Asian Theological Seminary) and a doctorate degree in Education Administration (U.P. Diliman). She also co-founded the Center for Early Childhood Care and Development and the Master’s Vineyard Academy. She is an engineer’s wife and a mom to her two sons: a lawyer and a computer programmer.

Note: This is not a paid post. I simply love this book, period!

While parenting can be quite rewarding, it can also be one of the most difficult jobs on earth. Unlike other jobs, you can’t resign from your post if you don’t like your boss, your office mates, or your work environment. Once you become a parent, you’re stuck being one for the rest of your life. You’re also on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, without getting paid. You’re an all-around worker, too, because you assume the role of a cook, a driver, a house cleaner, a laundry person, a messenger, a babysitter, a counselor, a teacher, a nurse. Last but not least, you have to sacrifice your own personal happiness for the sake of your family. Suffice it to say that being a parent can be overwhelming, and we can’t do it alone.

Being first-time parents, my husband and I are only just learning the basics of handling a toddler. But our three-year-old son is now becoming quite a handful, and we find it hard sometimes to make him listen to us, which is quite frustrating. We need all the help we can get. We’re lucky we came across a website that offers helpful family advice. Family and Parenting gives valuable tips on parenting, budgeting, housekeeping, kids’ health and education, and childcare. Now, we can sleep soundly knowing that we have a partner in raising our kids and caring for our family.

This is the second week that my Tatay (Filipino term for father) has been taking good care of my son Justin while my husband and I work. That’s because we still haven’t found someone responsible to do so. Well, we thought we had one last week. But on her third day of watching over our son, Justin ended up having a bloody cut on his nose.

She said Justin was running towards her and she was holding our house keys that accidentally scraped Justin’s nose. Good thing my son has tetanus shot! Fearful perhaps of what happened, she asked me to allow her to go home to Cavite after that bloody incident. She said she had to do important errands at home but she would return to us very early the next day.

That’s when my husband and I decided we should not let her come back. We did not decide in haste, however, as we weighed the pros and cons of our action. But the deciding factor was the fact that this new yaya (nanny) wasn’t very fond of children, judging from the way she interacted with our son.

She even told this to somebody who works in the same building where we live who happens to know us. And worst, she was actually scouting up a new employer while Justin was under her care. She thought she found one, but the deal between them did not materialize for whatever reason.

I have not regretted that decision of letting the new yaya go. I would never entrust my son to someone who doesn’t really care for his well-being. My criteria now for choosing a yaya are as follows: she has protective maternal instincts, she loves being around kids and she tolerates kids’ mischief.

Do you look for the same qualities in a yaya as I do?

I can’t help but notice the way we, parents of this generation, care for our little ones. (I’m not generalizing here, though.) In our attempt to lessen the amount of work that we need to do while attending to the needs of our children, we like to take shortcuts.

1. We order takeout food instead of cooking for our children.

2. Instead of making our kids eat on their own, we much prefer feeding them, saving us the trouble of having to clean their mess afterwards.

3. We sometimes get irritated by their nonstop blabbering and questioning, so to make them stop, we force them to play or sleep.

4. Instead of reading bedtime stories to our kids or teaching them the things they need to know, we make them watch TV or VCDs/DVDs.

5. We leave it up to the nannies to do everything for our children, which makes our kids wonder if their nannies are their mothers. Ugh!

These things may be due to any of the following: (1) we’re tired from work, (2) we’re too old to keep up, or (3) we’re too lazy.

So, which of the things listed above are you guilty of doing?

My son Justin, now two years and six months old, is more clingy than ever to mommy. This shift in behavior actually started when his yaya (nanny) went home to the province last December and never came back. Perhaps, he felt he lost a mother figure there.

In the morning when he wakes up, the first person he seeks is me. When he rouses from sleep without me by his side, he cries and desperately looks for me. At night, when I’m still doing some household chores and it’s his bedtime already, he throws a tantrum, wails violently and wouldn’t stop until I come to his rescue.

I’m a work-at-home mom, and I’ve been working in our bedroom since July of last year without my son’s knowledge. This means I’m able to overhear the conversations going on in the living room between my son and his grandparents. Every day, he repeatedly asks his lolo and lola if I’m arriving anytime soon even when I’ve just been gone for a few minutes.

I know my son loves me very much, judging from the way he always wants to be with me. And I don’t have a problem with that because I love him to the hilt and there’s nothing I want more than to spend most, if not all, of my time with him. But this extreme “clinginess” has its downsides, too, such as I can’t do anything for myself anymore.

I can’t stay long in the bathroom because he’d be pounding on the door nonstop. I can’t take a nap when I want to because he’d try his best to open my eyes and make me watch him as he plays or urges me to play with him. I can’t talk to anybody for longer than 3 minutes because he wants my full attention.

My little one simply knocks the life out of me sometimes. Not that I’m complaining.

We simply couldn’t resist my parents’ offer to tend our son Justin while we (hubby and I) are both working. That’s because I still haven’t found someone to do that. Yesterday afternoon, Nanay and Tatay arrived with their things (because they’ll be staying with us for an indefinite period of time) and a lot of pasalubongs (goodies), like ginataang langka (jackfruit in coconut milk), burong ampalaya (pickled bitter gourd) and chocolate cake and chocolates courtesy of Justin’s Tito Dennis who got home from Dubai four days ago.

Justin was so glad to see his lolo and lola. He went riding the elevator with his lolo and they played throw-and-catch-the ball game. Because he was too excited to play, he lost his footing, causing him to fall on his face and chipping his left front tooth. Hay!

Before Justin went to bed, he hugged his grandparents, kissed them on the lips and told them “Good night” and “I love you.” He was actually finding it hard to drift off and he even went to where his grandparents were sleeping to check if they’re really asleep. That’s the only time he decided to go to sleep himself.

I hope this temporary arrangement turns out okay. I hope my parents won’t be worn out from running after our hyperactive son not until I find a worthy babysitter/all-around helper. And I hope that happens soon.

“Mommy, pode (pwede) computer Justin?” (Mommy, can Justin use the computer?)

These were the first words my two-year-and-five-month-old son Justin uttered when he woke up from his afternoon nap today.

Since my work for December ended on the 20th, I spend less time on the computer these days. The only time I get to use the PC is when my son Justin is asleep.

My son now takes my place in front of the computer watching Thomas & Friends YouTube videos. This is because he only has a handful of Thomas & Friends DVDs (only three, in fact, but he accidentally broke one, leaving him with only two now). He usually spends three to four hours a day video-hopping.



I know, I know. He’s not supposed to be watching too much. But what’s a mom to do?

I was so tired last Tuesday not because I worked, but because I didn’t work. It turned out that Tuesday was the scheduled day for fogging/misting in our building. Kids are advised not to go outside while spraying is done. This is not a guarantee, however, that the insecticide won’t seep inside the rooms as there’s a tiny gap below each unit’s main door. Per Justin’s pediatrician, Justin should be out of the building for at least three hours, enough time for the fog/mist to subside.

Spraying is scheduled at 2pm. I actually still have time to work in the morning until after we leave our unit before 2pm, but I decided not to because ending my work before the appointed time would just ruin my momentum. To kill time, I read my e-mails, surfed the Net, and read other people’s blogs (Boy! I wish I have more time to do this).

Then off we went to the mall (Justin, Mommy, and Manang). We spent the first two hours at Tom’s World. Justin had a grand time bowling, playing basketball, and whatever games he could lay his hands on. For my part, I played Pharaoh’s Treasure and Jungle Jive. This cost us Php400.00.

Justin was already hungry by 4pm, so we went to the food court. We ordered Arrozcaldo Special and Goto Special with iced tea from Goto King. This totaled Php150.00. I then called Justin’s dad because we’re running out of things to do. He told me we could go to My Playroom Kids Care Center at the upper floor.

My Playroom is a place where your tiny tots could play, read, and sleep (if they want) for a fee. One hour costs Php90.00. Justin and Manang spent two hours at My Playroom, so that’s Php180.00, plus, we have to pay for Manang’s socks priced at Php25.00. Children and their companion/s are required to remove their shoes and wear only socks while inside the play area. Total expenses: Php205.00.

Finally, Justin’s dad, coming all the way from his office, met us at My Playroom’s reception area. It’s dinner time already, so the next best thing to do was to eat again. Ed and I had pork sisig, while Manang had fried fish fillet (I forgot what this was called) at Icebergs. We all had lemonade for our drinks.Our bill amounted to almost Php700.00.

All in all, it cost us approximately Php1,500.00 for having stayed in the mall for 5 hours, plus, I didn’t earn anything that day. And to think that we’ll have to repeat the process in two weeks’ time as fogging/misting in our building is done twice a month. Haay! Well, at least, Justin is safe from inhaling the toxic stuff. And yes, I was dead tired from all the playing, walking, eating, and spending that we had to do.

I started blogging last year and ended up with only 12 articles. That’s because I didn’t really have time to write, let alone switch on the computer when I got home from work. I still reported for work in our Boni, Mandaluyong office back then. Now that I’m working at home, I manage to squeeze in some time for writing and updating my blog. I regret the fact that I wasn’t able to document my son’s first year as much as I wanted to. But I’m making up for those lost times. From time to time, I will write about some of the significant events of that year as I remember them.

When you have a baby in the house, your schedule becomes a wee bit crazy. Gone were those days when you only plan for your husband and yourself. Now, everything revolves around the baby. Suffice it to say that you have a new master in the house, so tiny and yet so powerful that everyone is at his beck and call. After I gave birth to my son Justin, I had to come up with a plan to create some semblance of order in our lives.

First, tomorrow’s meals will be prepared the night before. This is so that my son’s nanny is focused on just taking care of Justin the entire day.

Second, washing of Justin’s clothes and other small stuff will be done at night and not everyday, but three times a week only. Hubby and my clothes go to the laundry shop.

Third, general house cleaning is done once a week, usually on a Saturday or Sunday. When this happens, I have to take my son out of the house. It’s either we go to the rooftop of the building where we previously rented a studio apartment or the whole family (daddy, mommy, and Justin) takes a stroll in the mall.

Fourth, baby’s feeding bottles are sterilized everyday. I have to make sure I "fix" these bottles (pair the bottles with their covers and fill the bottles my son will use for the day with distilled water). The purpose of this, again, is to lessen the work that Justin’s nanny will do so her full attention is only on my son.

These simple steps definitely made things a lot easier for the entire household.

Last Friday, my son Justin sustained a small cut on his right forehead while playing in the living room. His daddy and nanny were both there, and I was inside the bedroom working (Note: My son doesn’t know I’m working inside our room; he knows I work in the office and that I leave for work everyday. See my post“Working from Home.”)

Justin was picking up his toy blocks when his forehead accidentally brushed against the square metal handle of the wooden cabinet that doubles as TV stand and living room accessory. He was hurt, judging by his loud cry. He had every reason to be. The cut bled slightly, and that part of his forehead that was hurt swelled somewhat. Justin’s dad told his nanny to apply cold pressure on the pained spot, but all that action ever did was make Justin cry even harder.

That night, when all three of us were in the bedroom, I told my husband that perhaps the reason why they (my husband and the nanny) weren’t able to prevent Justin from getting hurt was because both of them were so engrossed watching one of his recently bought DVDs, too hooked to even notice what Justin was doing. I actually said that with an accusing tone, which annoyed him. I got dressed down for that remark, which served me well. Yes, it was wrong for me to accuse when I wasn’t even in the scene when it all happened.

But I was only concerned about my boy. Nothing pains a mother more than to see her child getting hurt or bruised or having to suffer any feelings of discomfort. I would have been a more relaxed mom if I could protect him from all of those.

I missed a day of work today. It wasn’t intentional, though. Unknown to me, my husband took a leave from work today and tomorrow, not because he really wanted to, but because he needed to. He has to use his remaining leaves or they will be forfeited. When I learned this morning that he’s not reporting for work today, I told him to just take his son to the mall. I wasn’t supposed to go with them. I was all set to work. But I couldn’t bear not being with them. To be honest, I don’t want to miss out on this great family bonding moment. So I gave in to temptation, but a nice one at that. So all three of us—daddy, mommy, and Justin—headed early to the mall. In fact, we were there 20 minutes before opening time.

Gone were those days when I would prioritize work over family. Yes, I was such a workaholic. There was a time I voluntarily worked two shifts (morning and evening shifts; the second shift was pro bono) because I wanted to improve both the quality and the quantity of my work. I was working for a production-based company at that time. That work attitude eventually got me noticed by management and was later made supervisor. But would I do it again? Not ever. I now realize there are things more important in life than work or money, and that’s family. Nothing compares to the joy I experience being with the people I love. So for the first time today, I don’t regret missing a day at work. Will I do this again? Certainly.

There are a number of things that my son Justin took after his daddy. One of those is his fondness for watching TV and VCDs/DVDs. In fact, the only time the TV set in our living room is off is when Justin is taking his afternoon nap at the sofa bed. Otherwise, it’s on the whole day.

That’s the same with his dad. When he’s not in front of the computer playing chess or watching an international chess tournament, you’ll find him in front of the TV watching his favorite shows or a VCD/DVD of a film he already watched before or he’s yet to see. To date, Justin’s daddy already has around 300 original VCDs. He started collecting when we got married. DVDs are quite expensive, so he only had a few originals. He actually had wooden shelves installed in our living room wall to house his growing collection.


Ed's VCD/DVD library

Justin’s daddy already started buying his son his own DVDs. (Note: There are DVDs for kids that are selling at Php100.00 in selected stores.) Justin’s own VCD/DVD library consists of a few Barneys, 3 Blues Clues, 3 Thomas & Friends, 2 Dora the Explorer, 2 Brainy Baby, 1 Bob the Builder, 1 Bee Smart Baby Vocabulary Builder, and 1 Brilliant Baby Collection. Justin’s daddy did not buy all of these, however. Some are gifts from friends. I now wonder what part of our living room wall will be for Justin’s own collection.

I took my son Justin to the playground last Sunday morning. I had no work that day, and my son’s nanny took the day off. I knew my son would get dirty, so I resisted the urge to give him his bath before going up. Up because the playground is located at the building’s penthouse, 39th floor, that is, the same floor where the building’s swimming pool is located.

One of the things Justin looks forward to is going to the playground after he’s taken his afternoon nap. Oftentimes, he’s the only toddler in the playground when he goes up at around 3pm, but there are also times when he gets lucky and he finds a playmate or two, especially during weekends.

The playground has a kiddie clubhouse complete with a steering wheel, a telescope, a table and a stool, a telephone, which is now missing, by the way, and a slide. The lower part of the kiddie clubhouse functions as a maze. The playground also has a kiddie table where children can read books or have snacks or whatnot. There are also toy animals the kids can ride.


The kiddie clubhouse at the back; the kiddie table in front


Justin on the kiddie clubhouse's steering wheel


Justin riding “Mr. Fish”

Justin could sing the alphabet song when he turned two years old. (He is now 2 years, 3 months, and 16 days old.) But he can only identify three letters so far: o, s, and x. A month ago, his dad bought him Phonics Flash Cards to help him learn to identify the letters. But it wasn’t any good. Justin is more interested in the objects that were seen with the letters. He didn’t pay much attention to the letters. He actually ignored them. He already had a Brainy Baby book on the alphabet when he was just one year old, and he could identify most, if not all, of the objects in that book, but not the letters.

Last night, while looking for new DVDs to watch, I stumbled upon some of the gifts Justin received on his previous birthdays. There was a Brainy Baby DVD that teaches the alphabet, complete with the sound of the letters and things that start with a particular letter. I think this is a better way to teach him to learn to identify his ABC’s because the moment I played it, he was hooked. In fact, he was just lying on the bed intently watching what was being taught and not minding the rest of us who were in the same room with him. His daddy was able to play uninterrupted chess on the computer. You see, Justin loves playing with the computer keyboard, pretending to type something, so we can’t really use the pc with him around. Last night, though, was a different story.

I intend to make Justin watch that DVD over and over again until he gets to identify all the letters of the alphabet or until he gets tired of it, whichever comes first.

There are mommy duties that I don’t delegate to my son’s nanny, no matter how tired or busy I am with work. I personally give my son Justin his bath, take him to his pedia, cut his nails, and give him his vitamins.

Giving him a bath. When Justin was just a few months old, I would require help from his nanny in giving him his bath. When he got a little older and less fragile, I assumed the sole responsibility of bathing him in the mornings and evenings. This allows mommy and son to be alone together, enjoying each other’s company, singing ,playing, tickling, laughing, getting all wet, and exchanging small talks. I’m also the one brushing his teeth (or helping him brush his teeth), cleaning his nose/ears/navel, and dressing him. When I’m in a hurry, though, I leave the dressing part to Justin’s nanny. But this doesn’t happen quite often.

Taking him to his doctor. When my son is under the weather or when he needs to visit his pedia for his regular checkups or vaccinations, I make it a point to be the one taking him to his doctor. I usually have a lot of questions to ask his pedia regarding his current condition or other things that concern my son’s well-being. so it would really be hard to assign this task to someone else.

Cutting his nails. This may seem a bit trivial, but I find it important that I do this for my son. I want to be the one to attend to his personal needs, big or small, as much as I can. I do this once a week, and it’s usually on a Saturday. We have two baby nail cutters, one for mommy’s use and one for Justin’s. He actually imitates what mommy does to his nails. Both of us are doing the nail-trimming, so to speak. Once, Justin’s nanny took it upon herself to cut my son’s nails without telling me. I discovered just the same and I sort of gave her the message that I alone should do that.

Giving him his vitamins. Before I head to work, I see to it that my son receives his daily dose of vitamins. He has two vitamins right now, one that promotes growth and another one that strengthens his immune system. It’s really easy giving him his vitamins. I only need to tell him what a strong baby he’ll become if he takes his vitamins. And when I do, he shows his muscles for everyone to see.

As a mom who works five days a week, there is not much that my son and I can do together during weekdays. But I hope he appreciates the fact that mommy spends quality time with him.

I was scared to death today. I was cutting my son’s hair, and I was doing the finishing touches on the hair at the back of his head, when I made a wrong move. I accidentally cut the lower part of his right ear. He actually squinted when he felt it, but I don’t think he was hurt. But then blood starting oozing out of the cut, and this sent me into panic mode. I was continuously wiping the blood from his ear and was getting frantic because the bleeding wouldn’t let up. I didn’t really know what to do. I was telling my son non-stop, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, baby!” He just gave me the stare. He didn’t have the slightest idea what mommy was talking about.

When my husband saw the cut and my reaction to it, he actually laughed. “It’s nothing, really, just a small cut,” he said. “Think nothing of it.” How could he feel so calm when I was scared out of my wits! He told me to put ice on the cut and pressed on it really tight. But I couldn’t keep my son in one place. He was constantly on the move. I couldn’t really press hard on his cut for longer than two minutes because he would be up and about in no time, which made mommy all the more edgy.

“We need to take him to the hospital or the clinic downstairs,” I told my husband. I’ll call his doctor now.” But my husband wouldn’t take any of it. He took over seeing to my son’s cut from then on. Feeling helpless and useless to control the situation, I left my son to my husband’s care and I started writing this piece. I couldn’t bear to see any more blood on my son’s ear. And to think it was all my fault. I made a promise to myself. Never again will I cut my son’s hair.

(Note: After writing this piece, I checked on my son’s condition and everything’s okay. I was finally able to heave a sigh of relief.)

My son Justin loves taking a bath. He actually looks forward to dipping himself in the tub every chance he gets. Recently, though, it gets a little harder coaxing him to take his bath at the appointed time (that is, before I start working or after dinner time) because of so many distractions. Sometimes, he’s so engrossed watching Barney or Sponge Bob that you can’t make him go to the bathroom, let alone dislodge him from the sofa bed where he usually sits while watching TV. This is when frustration sets in. Justin taking his bath later than usual affects my work schedule. So, I need to quickly come up with solutions to this problem. Below are some of the ways that work for both me and my baby.

Have a toy ready. The idea of having something to play with while bathing is definitely appealing to the little ones. In Justin’s case, he would bring just about anything he fancies at the moment. His choices range from his pail and shovel to his miniature cars to his blocks, and to, just recently, his rubber duckie.

Do some sweet-talking. Raising my voice is usually my initial response when Justin does not budge from his seat when I call him for his bath time. This strategy fails most of the time. The more I raise my voice and show my frustration, the more he insists on having his way, most typical of a two-year old. I usually sweet-talk him into taking his bath by making little promises, which I keep, by the way, like telling him we’ll buy goodies from the convenience store downstairs or that he’ll watch his favorite DVD after he’s had his bath.

Keep distractions at bay. Switch off your TV set 10 to 15 minutes before bath time if you think your baby’s favorite kiddie shows are what’s preventing him from heeding your instruction. You can also keep his favorite VCDs/DVDs out of sight if you plan to give him a bath anytime soon. You’ll find it much easier to make him go to the bathroom. He might even be the one urging you to give him his bath pronto for lack of anything interesting to do.

Following these simple tricks helps put my schedule back on track and it allows both me and my baby to truly enjoy this activity, Justin’s bath time, as one of our best bonding moments.