LAST month I shared my principles on “Simplifying Parenting,” one of which is having “mom peer-mentors.” They are moms whom you personally know and are in tune with your parenting style, or with the parenting style you aspire for. This is the first installment of a series, where I share how learning from others continues to help me become a better parent.
In 2007 I remember chancing upon Joy Go while she was heading home one afternoon. We recognized each other because I was friends with her brother. At that time, Meagan, my daughter, just turned 1. In that one encounter, she shared with me her two cents on picking schools, which teachers were good, and how I could pave a good learning journey for my child. They were valuable advice that I still apply today. Mel Sua has been my barkada since we were Grade 4. We were in Girl Scouts and the Volleyball Team together. Today, our group with Joelyrose and Reena still remain to be tightest of friends and great confidantes in all things “us.”
In 2014 I had a lot of things on my plate. From raising a young family, to having a ton of new responsibilities at work, I wanted to expand my capacity. Meagan was entering a “sponge” stage in learning but lacked focus. Mel introduced me to BrainRx. Joy and Mel brought the program here from LearningRx USA. She said the program has been proven to improve memory, attention, comprehension and processing speed.
The expected effect, according to Mel, allowed people to process things more efficiently and with less effort. Joy would say it’s like a having a personal trainer for your mental gym.
Honestly, this is really what I felt after taking BrainRx. I felt my capacity stretching and my memory improving a lot. I think it’s also the reason I felt empowered to take on more responsibilities. Thanks also go to a great teacher, Joanna Go. She drilled me and shared valuable life lessons to my daughter and me. I’m very appreciative for the deeper realization that although BrainRx is supposed to be “brain stretching,” it was actually a “life-enabler” for me to now pursue my passions side by side with my work.
As I got to know both of them more through the years, I saw them as great mom peer-mentors.
Joy is a mom to two teenagers, and believes learning is a lifelong process. She graduated BS Management Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University. Mel is a mother of 5-year-old twins.
She graduated BS Business Administration, specialized in Management of Information Systems from Simon Fraser University in Canada. I thought it would be great to share their tips in simplifying parenting:
For Joy Go, she suggests the following: “1. Provide constant communication and hope. Listen without judgment, converse on topics that go beyond the topics of homework or the day’s events. Make time for unhurried daily conversations throughout the years, even brief ones, without doing something else while talking to them. You’ll be surprised at how some of the young ones can provide interesting comments; 2. If your intention in putting your child through school is for him to learn, have the parent mind-set that reflects this philosophy. Learn to ask the right questions. Look for the right things. Know that grades do not necessarily reflect learning. Know that learning happens everywhere, not just during homework or ‘study time’; 3. Our worth as moms is not measured by our children’s achievements. Let’s not get caught in the trap of projecting or living our desires and failed dreams through them. Develop your own identity and guide them to discover theirs. Let them develop their own voice so they find their place in the world and thrive.”
For Mel Sua, she says, “As busy moms, let’s prioritize what are the top 5 things we want for our kids. There are so many programs and activities out there that can benefit our children. But it boils down to our priorities and goals for each child. 1. Sit down and think hard about those goals; 2. Identify where the gaps are by recognizing each child’s strengths and weaknesses; then 3. Find means to work toward those goals. It’s easy to want to sign up for anything and everything but the last thing we want is to have an overscheduled child with no goals or confused with the direction we are heading.”
For more information about BrainRx, including success stories from kids to teenagers, you can call them through 0917-7785889 or 801-2475. You can also visit their web site at www.brainrx.com.