by: Cherry Moriones Doromal
The Daily Routine
It’s 2013 and my daily routine barely changed... Normally, my
next day starts a day ahead. It’s because I need to wake up the earliest and
sleep the latest to make sure everything will run smoothly for everyone in my
home of two wonderful sons and a loving police officer husband.
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| (L-R) Ezekiel (Gr.6), Me, Zecheriah (Gr. 2), My husband Wilson |
Modesty aside, I feel favored by God to make it possible for
me to simultaneously assume the roles of a full-time mom, full-time wife,
full-time housekeeper and a full-time academic staff at the Mahatma Gandhi International School (MGIS) in Manila.
Mondays through Fridays, I begin the day waking the boys up,
preparing their breakfast and driving them to MGIS Manila-- their school and my
workplace!
My mommy work generally pauses the moment we arrive in school
for me to focus on my job as marketing director of MGIS. However, in between, my mommy duties are
occasionally called for to guide the kids in their studies. (Isn’t it amazing
that as I guard my kids, they guard me as well, in the absence of the busy man
of the house?)
As each school day ends, I revert to being a
driver-bodyguard-nanny-mom of the kids.
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| Dinner #1 (early dinner) after school |
On the way home, we would routinely drop by the mall to eat Dinner
No. 1 (since I also prepare fresh dinner late at night, that’s Dinner No. 2),
and shop for whatever we need. Shopping is therapeutic, I think!
No big issue with clothes and uniforms as the laundry service
picks up the laundry twice a week. Then go the basic daily add-ons: homework, movie time, internet browsing,
playing. Plus the mandatory routine: milk and vitamins, waiting for daddy and
family prayer.
To think that our weekends are constantly jam-packed with social
obligations, the next school week is always an exciting challenge for everyone. I’m
just so thankful that over the years, I have been trained by experience to plan
ahead, live one day at a time, be versatile, and be happy about every
circumstance.
Stress Versus Personal Goals
On the part of mothers who have no choice but to multitask,
an active, organized life is at
times stressful. What stresses us out the most, for instance, is that we are steeped
with work that we tend to eat a lot to recuperate, and find no time to exercise,
resulting to every woman’s nightmare: weight gain!
In the past, I considered my active daily routine a barrier to
doing my other personal plans, such as further studies, ministry involvement, business
focus, travel etc. But such has never
overpowered the pleasure of seeing how my kids enjoy school (MGIS) and witnessing
how they become responsible and excellent in all areas of learning each day.
Things Which Keep Me Going
Here’s the most exciting part that inspired me to write this blog. I was reading the Report Cards of my sons Zekie
and Zecheriah for the first term SY 2012-2013 and
these are a few things that the proud mom saw on the
narrative portion (Teachers’ Comments):
Singapore Math: Strong can
easily grasp Math concepts. He remembers rules in addition and subtraction and
would apply and remember them right away.
He is an enthusiastic Math learner. Strong tries his best to finish
tasks on time, as he strives to work for developing a stamina in doing longer
Math tasks.
International Primary Curriculum: Strong enjoyed the Unit of Work for this term—Olympics. He was able to work collaboratively with his
classmates and would diligently do the task assigned to him. He is a very enthusiastic learner. He also enjoyed the art activities in Science
about the Human Body. He remembered and
is very cautious about the food he eats in relation to what he learned about
the human body.
Performing Arts /Music:
Strong has displayed great enthusiasm and appreciation for the things we
are doing in the music class. He is very
active when it comes to classroom discussions. I also noticed how he gives
focus on playing the melodica. He is
keen in writing the letter names in each piece that I give. Good work!
Philippine History, Culture and Language: Strong takes keen interest in all works and
is most agreeable and willing worker. He
enjoys learning new Filipino words and even volunteers to read aloud in class. Hope
his interest will continue.
Literacy: Strong’s
ability to read has been evident this term. He reads with fluency and
accuracy. His spelling is
excellent. His literal comprehension is
very well-established.
Physical Education:
Zecheriah has made a good improvement in all areas of PE. His motor skills and coordination have
remarkably improved. He actively
participates in all the assigned tasks and challenges. He gives his best in every activity he
does. Keep it up, Zecheriah!
Class Teacher’s Comments:
Strong is a very pleasant student.
He is charming and would unawarely humor anyone in the class. At the same time, he would surprise you with
his wit and out-of-the-box ideas. He is
very art smart and he finds true joy with his creations.
Mathematics:
Zekie has
a good focus especially when accomplishing tasks. He wants to be certain in his approaches and this
method helped him produce good test scores in which he continues to do so. During discussions, he has the confidence to
volunteer to answer.
Humanities: Zekie is
an active participant in the class who is always ready to give his opinions and
insights. He is respectful of his peers
and teacher. He has a good disposition
that helps him work easily with others.
Zekie makes sure he meets all his requirements and tries to submit tasks
on time.
Mandarin: Wilson showed
his grasp of the simple Mandarin words and sentences better. His skill in reading Pinyin words and
sentences was pleasing.
Visual Arts: Ezekiel
is very artistic and creative. He
visually plans his ideas with clarity and consistency. He is very good both in working with a group
and on his own. He never runs out of
creative ideas.
English and Literature:
Zekie has a vast and exceptional recall of his schema. He knows topics
and important details which are forgotten by his fellow students. He is quick with his ideas; he finishes his
journal prompts ahead of time for there is no difficulty putting his thoughts
into words.
Integrated Studies /International Primary Curriculum: Ezekiel is well-engaged in activities like
role playing and creative story telling.
He enthusiastically shares his ideas to his peers and classmates. He shows leadership skills when doing group
activities.
ICT: Ezekiel
demonstrates great interest in ICT class.
He shows good technical skills and creativity towards his work. He’s very enthusiastic in learning new things
from the ICT lessons and hands-on activities.
Philippine History, Culture and Language: Ezekiel enjoys
participating in conversations and group discussions. He can express his ideas clearly and has a
good vocabulary. I hope his good
attitude in class will continue to the next term.
Physical Science:
Zekie exudes positivity and cheerfulness in the class. He sees to it that he actively participates
and engages himself in any class activity especially during experiments.
Life Science: Ezekiel
displays an excellent capacity for retention and comprehension. He often fulfills the leadership role in
group tasks, and is able to relate with his peers.
Music and Drama: Zekie
displays self-discipline. He is able to
adjust to his new environment in a short period. Keep it up.
Physical Education:
Ezekiel has actively involved himself in all our activities. He always tries his best in everything he
does. He has developed a wide range of
skills and understanding in all of the activities covered in our PE
lessons. Keep it up Zekie! Stay active!
Homeroom Adviser’s Comments:
Zekie has been enthusiastic in accomplishing classroom tasks given to
him. His positive attitude and
cheerfulness in dealing with classroom issues are admirable. He also finishes tasks given within allotted
time.
And so, that's it! Pardon this parent for seemingly being so proud of her sons. It's just that seeing those teachers' comments on my kids' Report Card has instantly taken away my fatigue, giving me the confidence that my precious ones are on the right track with Mahatma Gandhi International School (MGIS). And yeah, every bit of stress has vanished!
