Archive for August 23, 2009
Parenting
Kids today spend more time with just their mothers at home. Fathers do not live with them (working out of town, an OFW) or are simply not as accessible. Many see fathers as absolute authority but don’t share strong relationships with him. Mothers go to more lengths at interacting and communicating with their children.
Vast changes in the social environment have made many parents recognize the need to re –think parenting styles, or spend more time with their kids. They want to be seen more as friend than authority figure. Most of us spend time with their mothers in the home but fathers are not to be left out either. Females tend to maintain a close personal relationship with their fathers.
There are more and stronger “outside influences.” Fathers and mothers are still the most admired individuals.
Not all is rosy inside the home. Money has a great influence on satisfaction with life.
Family life is not deemed as vibrant as that of the upper class. It is significantly grounded on money issues.
Financial uses surface as the country’s most pressing problem. But it should not be the case. Whatever you are in this universe, family should always be a one and happy.
Make unique gifts
Preschoolers can participate in packing giveaways. Have them draw designs on plain paper bags. They can fill up the bags with goodies to distribute in orphanages or to children begging in the street.
Visit homes for abandoned children. Take photographs or a video so the children will have a memory of seeing the joy of others receiving a gift.
Allow them to help bake cookies to serve visiting friends and relatives. Have them experience the actual act of serving guests. To ensure that they will do so with success that is, no spills – prior practice is necessary.
Let them prepare a finger painting for Mom, Dad or their siblings. This gives them a unique way to express wishes, complete with a big hug and kiss for everyone.
Children on their different age opt for bigger projects. Not only will they prepare goodie bags, they will want to be involved in distribution. Make them classify the gift packs according to age to enable them to pick appropriate ones for street children.
Help them think of gifts for other family members. Certainly gifts may be purchased, but they can also take the form of services. For Dad, why not a certificate entitling him to have his shoes polished or his car washed. Sibling may offer to take on each other’s chores, clean up …
Opting to adopt
Adoption establishes a relationship of paternity where none existed before and the adopted becomes compulsory heir of the adopter.
It may not be clear for whose benefit adoption was practiced in the past. The trend now is to give it a social and moral purpose, to ensure that persons not blessed with love, care and support of family are provided with one.
Only a person of age and will full civil capacity and legal rights who can support and care for his children, legitimate or illegitimate, is allowed to adopt.
Since family harmony should be preserved, a couple must jointly adopt, except when one spouse seeks to adopt his illegitimate child of the other. The couple should exercise joint parental authority, regardless of whether they adopt jointly or individually.
Once the adoption becomes legal, the adopted shall be deemed the legitimate child of the adopters and both acquire reciprocal rights and obligations of parent and child, including the child’s right to use the surname of the adopters.
If the adopted is a minor at time of rescission or is physically or mentally handicapped the court shall reinstate authority of the natural parents, unless disqualified or incapacitated, in which case the court appoints a guardian.
