My Journal: Cuteness Overload

The icing on his face

MYE DOMAIN: 

December 4, 2014

Do you think this photo is cute? Well, you're absolutely right. This is what I call, "cuteness overload".

If you are a parent with young kids around, I'm sure you have done some naughty things that made them chuckle and giggle like showing them your wackiest face, playing peekaboo, imitating animals' sounds, or any other silly demonstration that may tickle their little minds. 

There’s no better stress-buster than a baby laugh. It's music to our ears and the sound it makes drives us crazy. They are just adorable.

That's my youngest son in the picture when he's one year old. His Papa smeared some chocolate "icing on his face". The smile is so naive and innocent. He didn't even know that his Papa's making fun of him. 

This was taken during our summer outing in Laguna and happened to be his older brother's birthday.

Everything is open to serve you

This second photo is epic... That's Kiko again with his shirt on his head like wearing a bonnet. He looks like a scavenger kid in Smokey Mountain.

Obviously, "everything is open to serve you"... his eyes, nose, and mouth are in perfect coordination.

I love to take photos of my children. They are the most beautiful kids on earth. I love to see their smiles especially during infant and toddler years like these two pictures of my youngest, very candid and gullible.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Effects on Children

Image from the web

The Covid-19 pandemic immensely affects millions of people from around the globe. Its impact is massive especially on children who are the most vulnerable. 

During this time, schools are closed and children are out of the classroom. Any public activity is being discouraged to prevent the spread of the infection.  As a result, the education system dramatically changed with the rise of online classes. 

Distance learning means no physical interactions between students and teachers. This may contribute to the inability of the students to focus on the lessons.  They may lose motivation to attend their online classes because of the repetitive and seemingly dull virtual academic environment. There's also a greater possibility for students to be easily distracted by social media and other internet sites. This cycle may lead to more serious circumstances like failing grades and dropping out.

Children are confined to their homes. They have limited access to the outside world like they used to. They cannot even play or hang-out with their friends. The feeling of social isolation is stressful and may increase the risks of mental health issues. Parents should know how to deal with this problem and manage to control or set limitations in order to avoid conflicts. I know, it's a struggle to establish a constant and close connection with our children nowadays but we need to be cautious in guiding them every step of the way.

Most children are scared and worried so they should feel safe inside the house. The psychological, mental, social, and emotional effects of long-term confinement may generate discomfort on both old and young adults but having a loving family will definitely give them the strong support system they need.