Playing Fair and Square

April 2012

Summer vacations mean kids being out of school and going into different activities. Whether it’s participating in a soccer clinic or a theater workshop, introducing your three-year old to Kindermusik or driving your tween to dance class with her best friends, it’s important to keep in mind that the kids need to keep up with their good manners, especially because they’re interacting with more people and making new friends.

..
Being a good sport is one lesson that your children will bring with them to their older years, and it’s never too early to give them some guidelines that will make them pleasant playmates, fun friends and kids who are easy to get along with..
..

Give the guidelines.

Talk to your kids about the rules and make sure they understand them. Letting them know how being tardy, for example, can dampen team morale; or how shaking hands after a game, whether you win or lose, can keep everyone friendly no matter what happens in a game or in class.

..

Teach them respect.

While kids are often managed by an

adult—a teacher, referee, or yaya—they sometimes need reminding about how they need to show the elders their due respect. Summer classes will introduce your tots to even more personalities and they need to know that even if they can have fun with their coach or camp counselor, they still need to show the right amount of respect to those around them.

....

Show them there is no "I" in team.

Exposing your kids to new personalities will help teach them to be considerate of others—but when your child does show some signs of being insensitive to the concept of “team spirit,” remember that a little talking-to about cooperation is in order.

..

Be proud, but not boastful.

If your kid’s team wins his basketball match, don’t hold back and be the proud parent you are! Show your child that you appreciate his win, but watch out for any trash talking that may occur among opposing teams. Demonstrate how winners can be “gracious” instead of gloating—by shaking the hands after a competition, or complementing someone on the opposite side about something good they did during the game.

..

Take the bad with the good.

Help keep your child’s chin up when he loses a game, slips up her lines during a play, or misses a couple of notes at a piano recital. Don’t focus on what went wrong but help your kid work on what can be improved. Remind your kids to congratulate their peers who are successful in their activities—that’s what a good sport does, after all!

.

..

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

--

--

---

The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Travel Time

March 2012

Summer is well on its way and along with the season of sun comes family vacations and travel, whether in the Philippines or out of the country. Going through the tedious process of checking in and flying can be tiresome and daunting. Dealing with the hassle of airports and planes can make it easy to lose your cool—no matter what kind of stressful situation you run into, keep these tips in mind to give your trip a good start..

..

Read the fine print.

To avoid last minute mishaps at the check-in counter, make sure you know the exact weight limits and luggage sizes required by your airline. Be conscious of airport screeners when dressing up too, so you don’t waste too much time emptying your pockets of loose change, removing belts with metal hardware or packing and unpacking your gadgets.

..

Watch your carry-on luggage.

Hold your bag in front of you, instead of letting it drape from your shoulder so you avoid hitting people on the airplane aisle while walking to your seat. Remember that the overhead bin policy is first come first stowed.

....

Grin and bear it.

The true test of patience when it comes to travel, is staying up in the air for an hour (or twelve), trying not to overreact when minor incivilities occur. When a child is crying at will or a noisy couple is arguing within everyone’s earshot, try to resort to those noise-canceling earphones and concentrate on the movie instead of creating even more of a ruckus. When things get out of hand, however, do not hesitate to report what’s going on to a flight attendant.

..

Know the faux pas.

Bad behavior is a no-no, especially in small confined spaces like an airplane. Being unreasonably demanding to your flight attendants, loitering in the aisles, having too much alcohol and toting along strong-smelling food or spraying on too much perfume are to be avoided at all costs.

..

..-----

--

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

--

--

---

The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Dining Dictates

February 2012

The month of hearts brings a multitude of opportunities for dining out—not only for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day on the 14th, but also for family and friends because the celebratory spirit of Filipinos has everyone making merry well after the holidays. Whether you are looking forward to a romantic night out or are in for a regular Sunday brunch with the entire clan, it is always good to keep these dining tips in mind.

..

Make conversation.

Part of the fun of the dining experience is being able to have a running conversation among all the guests at the table while enjoying your meal. Keep everyone in the loop by bringing up topics that don’t exclude certain persons and do not offend anyone’s politics or religious beliefs. Avoid talking too loudly, especially when at a restaurant or public place.

..

No elbows.

Though this rule has been drilled into most everyone’s minds since childhood, the no elbows on the table really only applies when you are actually eating. If you are holding any utensils, avoid placing your elbows on the table. When your hands are free however, placing them up top and leaning forward shows the other people that you are interested in what they have to say and that you are engaged in conversation.

..

Excuse yourself.

If you need to reapply lipstick or talk to a friend you just bumped into, the polite thing is to take your business outside the dining table. Whipping out your powder compact or taking a hairbrush out of your purse is considered a definite no-no.

..

Treating the table.

Footing the bill is a generous gesture and should be done with utmost subtlety. If you plan on paying, let the waiter know in advance that the check should be brought to you—Filipinos love to argue over who gets the bill and making arrangements in advance will help quell any disputes that might arise over who pays.

..

..

..-----

--

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

--

--

---

The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Paying it Forward

January 2012

Many Filipinos have been struck by the effects of Tropical Storm Sendong. While tragic, the challenges people in Cagayan de Oro have faced through the holiday season have given everyone, regardless of where they are from, an opportunity to show love, kindness and compassion to Sendong’s victims. As we end the Christmas holidays and move on to the new year, let us greet 2012 with generous spirits—making the most of this chance to show oneness with our fellow Filipinos who have been struck by tragedy. There is no better way, after all, to kick off a new year than by making space in our hearts for humanity.

..

Gift.

The start of the year is the perfect time to clean out your closets and rid your rooms of any items you may no longer need. Old clothes, blankets, towels and other goods will benefit flood victims greatly. Many foundations, schools and churches have set up drop-off centers that can accept donations. LBC Foundation is accepting donations until January 6, 2012—visit their Facebook page for more information.

..

Click.

Websites like Unicef Philippines and the Philippine Red Cross have made it easy for everyone to give cash donations at the click of a mouse. Every peso counts in times like these and coursing your donations via legitimate organizations will ensure that your money is reaching families and evacuation centers that need it the most.

..

Volunteer.

Whether you join those making actual trips to Cagayan de Oro or choose to give your time to another cause that you believe in, volunteering is a selfless activity that will surely usher in the spirit of compassion and humanity throughout the year.

..

Post.

Reblog any calls for action, share links on Facebook, and tweet to your followers. Social media has certainly made the world a smaller place—during times of crises, tools like WordPress accounts, Facebook walls and Twitter timelines can work wonders in getting information out there and bringing like-minded people who support the same cause together in an instant.

..

..

..-----

--

The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

--

--

---

The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.