Comming back!

After being away from my dear blog, today i have the chance to come back. I was actually searching for some websites that I saw my blog. Oh my god, my blog about my first son still exists. I am so excited and I can't bear from not posting a word of update.

I have the second son, his name is Ngin Chan Rithysac and Isaac is his nickname. He was born healthy on Nov 8, 2014 just one day before Cambodia Independent day.

Not different from Noren, I am so excited to welcome his arrival despite of pain during natural delivery with a 3.7 kg baby. Isaac cried out so loud immediately he was taken out of my womb. We as his parents were excited to see the new life is coming. I felt so sad the day Isaac was born because my mother was not with me. When I was in labor, I saw my mother's face on the window which made me think that she is with me to protect me during the delivery.

This is the picture of Isaac after he was born for about 2 hours. He slept so well without taking breastmilk. He is a gentle handsome boy. But he does not have big cheeks like his brother. His eyes are smaller than Noren but he has handsome sharp nose. His skin is so white and soft like silk. He has few hairs on his head which is good for cleaning.

This picture was taken in Feb 2015. He is growing :-). He looks so gentle and handsome. I am so much in love with him. Whenever I am at home, i love to sit and see his face, watch him crying, smile, poo poo and pee pee. I have never been tired of looking at him. Isaac could recognize my face on Feb 8 when could see things clearly.

These are my two princes. They love each other very much. The big brother loves to kiss the little one after coming back from school, and getting up in the morning. He also likes to scream at his brother to attract attention of his brother. He said the baby brother is shouting at me, Isaac is kicking me, mommy. Isaac is scratching me, mommy........... Oh, boy........... there is a lot of works that i have to do and a lot of complain that i have to hear. However, I do enjoy being with them. Last but not least, the burden of assignment is increasing. I have to work, I have strong commitment to breast feed Isaac till 6 months, I have to travel to province, I have to take care of big Noren and ..............endless complain from me too.......:-)

From a mother of two boys

School Age: From Home Care to Pre-Kindergarten

It has been almost one year that I have not update any post on this blog due to many assignments that I have to complete on time. Today, I would like to take the opportunity to update one post about Noren's schooling. Time flies! To me, Noren is still a little baby who was born yesterday. But, today Noren is 4 years and 5 months old. He is a pretty grown-up boy who can talk a lot and asked many questions every day.
I sent Noren to school when he was 2 years and 6 months to Footprint home care at Tuol Kork. The first day of attending school for Noren was the worst day. Noren had always been under good care of mother, father, sister and relatives around him. He felt strange to meet with other children and stay at school with the person whom he was not familiar with. Noren cried for a few days after sending him to school; then he stops crying and seemed to enjoy the playing with friends and teachers.

At 4 years old, Noren entered pre-k1. He is not difficult like before but still cries some days in the morning before sending him off to school. I put him for one full day at school. Noren started to question a lot since he was 3 years old; and now at the age of 4 years old, he has even challenged me some of the questions that he asked. He is such a funny boy but still crying when going to school. Last week (July 15) I was invited for parent-teacher meeting, his teacher reported to me good scores and behavior of Noren. However, Noren still have difficult to tell the teacher about his needs. Perhaps it relates to personal attitude. I appreciate the development that Noren gained after going to school, a large part of the development of Noren, I must give the credit to Noren's teachers.
I attended Noren's dance, but I could not see him dancing. He said he was shy to show the dance to audiences. Anyhow, dancing is not Noren's favorite.

Noren's favorites are dinosaur, airplanes, and trains. He likes watching youtube about dinosaur, not only about dinosaur for children but also discovery of dinosaur age. Noren can remember a few names of dinosaur and he insisted us to take him to dinosaur park. With airplanes, he like watching plane crashed, big inauguration of airbus, discovery of innovation of the first airplanes, and other research channels on airplanes. With regards to train, it is just a normal hobby like other children. He watch train for children but he is not so much keen to search into discovery history of train the same as he does with dinosaur and airplane.Different from other children who like to play games on Ipad of Samsung tablet, Noren like to watch youtube with regards to the search of dinosaur, airplanes or dinosaurs songs.

As already stated earlier, time flies and it flies so fast. Noren changed from a boy who does not like to talk but to a boy who like to question.

Noren at the end of term 2 at Footprint, pre-k1, Mar 2014

After witnessing the change and the development of Noren, I give good credit to footprint school which I have sent Noren to since he was 2 years and 6 months and I even consider to sending my second son when he will be in school age. But, one thing to consider and worry is the tuition fee. Although quality of the school is somehow acceptable, the school fee is skyrocket! In one year, just for one son, I pay more than 2000 USD. :-O This is much higher than the school fee for Master Degree or even PhD degree at some school in Phnom Penh (Master Degree with PUC is just around 900+ USD). I order to settle this, my husband and I have to work hard and save money to pay for Noren school fee. This is just school fee for Noren alone, not included other entertaining recreation, holidays for Noren, and his toys. If i have no work, I do not know how could I afford for his school fee. It is so crazy in Cambodia. I do not have any trust on public school in Phnom Penh at all. so sending him off to private school is the only option that I have but the price is crazy.

Knowledge Management and Action Research

When looking at my old files today, i found out that there was one important file that I forgot to post on my blog to share my knowledge with readers. I decided to do it now rather than waiting until tomorrow to come and rather than waiting until i could recall my password in a new blog that I just created for Knowledge Sharing. I have such a bad memory so if I think about something now I have to do it immediately.

I hope the slides that I shared here could contribute as a source of reference. It was actually developed for work interview with the WorldFish. One of the interesting point that I could clearly recall during question and answer was the integration of private sector in the action research so that they could make meaning contribution to local farmers and so that it could lead to reduce poverty. :-) I think it is not a bad idea, it is just a way that I presented the information make myself ironic. Anyway, the concept of social enterprise is now becoming popular, I may have a chance to make use of my suggestion into my current work. Let's see if I could make something done by the end of 2014. Yeay, time to fly!

How Knowledge Management and Action Research Contribute to Poverty Alleviation in the AAS dependent People: Short presentation for test

Meh: Mother

My mother during the visit to one pagoda near Phnom Penh on May 2011

I am writing the article about Meh in order to express my gratitude towards my mother who is currently sick and bed-ridden. I keep praying to god to help her get out of difficult situation and pain. The article below describes about my mother's life and her good deeds as a Buddha follower. She has spent a lot on Buddhist ceremonies and pagoda renovation.

Meh: MotherMeh, is literally known as mother in English. Meh is a Khmer word. My mother was born in 1936 the time that Cambodia was under French colony. She was born to a poor family. She has one sister. Being a second child in the family of single mother, she beared all responsibility to support the whole family. Her older sister was not allowed to go outside of the house due to security reason. As a 10-year-old girl, she had play role as both father, brother, and boy in order to support the family.

My mother got married to my father at the age of 22 years old. She delivered the first baby in 1956 and the second baby about 10 months later. More burden added to my mother responsibility. She was a housewife who takes care of the house and cook for my father, was a mother of dual sons who breastfed and made sure child welfare, and as a daughter in law who takes good care of an older age mother.

After the Pol Pot regime my mother moved to live in Kampong Som. Her life has never been easy. In the socialist regime, she was trader who traded Thailand products along the border to sell to her customers in Phnom Penh. In 1980s, business was not recognized and she was to escape from police chasing. She could earn from hands to mouth in order to support the whole family. My father was civil servant but he could earn a little as he was a loyal and honest servant. My mother worked very hard to support the family. Yet, she has never forget her role as a mother in giving warm love to her children especially me.

I remembered that one time my mother got severe stomachache. She did not speak out until she vomotted with blood. Still, she did not take rest.

....
....
In April 2010, my mother collapsed because she was too weak.....
In April 2011, she was found being affected by liver cancer and gallbladder tumor. I was pale and shock to hear this.
In Dec 2011, she was sent to VN for surgery her gallblader problem but the disease is not cured. It is an untreatable disease. In Jan 2012, she was sent there again but no major treatment was made.
In Feb and now (Mar31) she becomes bed-ridden and could not eat any foods.

Time flies so fast. If possible, I wish I could go back to the past. I want to go back to the past which I promised that I would not do anything to upset her. I would do everything to satisfy her. But, everything is over. It is over. It is too late. My mom can hear but hardly talk back to me. She can only cry woring..

Pchum Ben Day 2011

I share my view on the important of family reunion during Pchum Ben day and my sincere appreciation on my parents in maintaining family relation. I also write about the different view between old generation and young generation in giving meaning of reunion. These two views have gap which is difficult to converge in the modern society where young generation gives more meaning to friendship.

Pchum Ben is a day of family reunion and most of Buddhist followers observe this event as the most important for family reunion. Pchum Ben has a total of 15 days starting from the 1 roach (dark moon?) to the 15 roach which is call biggest day or Pchum Ben.  From the 1 roach or ben 1 to 13 roach or ben 13, children or individual family go to pagoda to pray and give offerings to their death ancestors; and on the 14 roach or ben 14, most families goes back to their hometown or the place of their parents' origin for family reunion. Then on the biggest day or ben 15, all families members go to pagoda altogether and visited resort or have picnic.
Tomorrow will be the biggest day or Pchum Ben. All of my brothers and sisters come to Kg Som where my parents are living for reunion. We often have happy time together. We make foods, eat and make fun of others. Every year, all of my siblings come to Kg Som for reunion. In Phnom Penh, we have different house and it is always difficult to stay and have chat together (i have 4 sibling living in Phnom Penh) as they are all busy. But, during Pchum Ben day, when we have family reunion, we always stay up late and everyone keep talking and talking.
My parents especially my mother, in her late 70s, is the happiest person during Pchum Ben day as she wants to maintain family relation and wants to see all of her children staying around. Though she is physically weak and affected by many disease (diabetes, blood pressure, stomachache, gallbladder tumor) she tries her best to walk around slowly in order to make sure everything runs properly and in order to welcome our arrival. My father, about 70 years old, goes to his farm to collect fruits especially coconut for us to drink.
This year, I plan to take my mother to Vietnam for checking up after the visit during Khmer New year this year, but she strongly refused to go. She argues that she missed the chance to welcome her children visit during Khmer New Year which is also the family reunion day, she would not go during Pchum Ben which is even more important than the Khmer New Year. She tries to eat in order to show that she has no problem and healthy though sometimes she could not bear the pain. I do feel pity on her for her devotion and tries her best to be the children shadow. She plays good model to us in maintaining family relation and giving love to all children no matter how old they are.
Since we arrived yesterday, it keeps raining and raining. My son and two of my nieces are sick. This year, it seems a bit quiet at least three of the small children get sick and cannot be playful. I wish they all recover soon so that they can make the reunion for meaningful and has full of fun.
By the way, it is easy to bring all small children along, they always follow the parents. But, when their are in their teenager-hood, they demand for their own freedom. It is not easy to bring them along anymore as they have their own destination and have different thought. For the parents, we think it is important for all children come to visit grandparents house and play with other cousins after being away from each other for almost a year; yet for adult children, age 16 and over, they have their own thought and demand to visit other places with their teenage friends and give less meaning to family reunion. It is hard to bring the two thought convergent. If we try to hard, they thought we did not understand about freedom; if we did not try, others thought we are too loose to educate our children. Being parents, it is difficult sometimes in particular to maintain family relationship. I very much appraise the big effort my parents have  done in order to bring all their children together. But, for us, we may not be able to follow this role model as the modern stage children are very difficult to deal with. I also cannot assure if Noren, in his teenager-hood, would follow me or not. Let's see what will happen in the future.

Playing with Foods

By September 18, 2011 Noren or commonly known as Shin-chan, a Japanese popular cartoon, turns to 18 months and 3 weeks. His height was 85 cm and weight was 12 kg while he was measured last month. Noren is big, he is actually comparable to other children in his age.

He starts to eat foods himself. He cries for eating foods himself. I was happy at the first time when I learned that my little son started to eat independently and I encouraged him to eat by himself. A few minutes later, he spread rice all over the place. In fact, he was striving to put the spoon into is little mouth. He was difficult to demand his little hands to touch the spoon and putting foods into his mouth. I was not upset but I laughed. I told myself that my little son is starting to learn. He will learn about how to use the spoon quickly.

Unfortunately, he failed to put the spoon into his mouth. One reason that I observed was not because of difficulty in demanding his hands to use the spoon, but it was his playfulness. He likes playing with foods which sometimes upsetting me. I wonder how to stop my child from playing with foods. If I took the foods from him immediately, he would cry out loud. One not-good attitude of Noren is that if we immediately stop him from doing something, he would be stubborn and keep doing things we do not want him to do. When he was with me, I tried to explain to him and insist him from stop playing with foods. I used only soft words with him. Noren understand a lot of the language though he could not speak. After he understood my soft insisting, he stopped playing it. But, it was for short time. So, what can I do next? Shout at him? force him to stop playing? or just simply taking him away from where he sat?

Fortunately, I came up with one interesting article about ‘How to stop your child from playing foods’. I read it with interest and I think it is worth sharing with all my friends who experienced or will experience similar issue. Please read the article below and if you are interested, you can register to be the member of the group via  http://www.babycenter.com

The article is written by Patricia Henderson Shimm, parent educator and author
http://www.babycenter.com 

It may be difficult to stop your child from fiddling with her food overnight, but how you respond when she does can gradually bring about change in her behavior. Although it may be tempting to scold her for playing at the table, try not to. Instead, when you sit down for a meal, enjoy your food and see whether she follows suit. When she starts building forts with her mashed potatoes or castles with her broccoli, calmly say, “Oh, I see you’re finished eating,” and take her plate away. You can also remind her that food is not for playing but for eating. The point is to avoid turning mealtime into a battleground or into a manners lesson in which you constantly have to monitor what she’s doing with her food. You concentrate on your food and assume she’s doing the same with hers. If you’re worried that she’ll starve, try not to show it, and take heart: Kids will eat when they’re hungry, especially active 2-year-olds who need an endless energy supply to fuel their growing minds and bodies.

If she seems uninterested in what you’ve prepared for her, avoid asking what she’d like to eat instead. Turning your kitchen into a restaurant where your child can order what she wants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be disastrous. If you operate on the assumption that everyone is eating what’s on the evening’s menu, she’ll soon learn to eat what you make.

Your child may also be playing with her food because she’s not hungry. To remedy this, don’t let her snack for at least an hour before meals so she will have the appetite to eat when it’s time. She may also be getting bored, so keep mealtimes to a realistic timetable. Your toddler really can’t be expected to sit still for more than 15 minutes at a time, even if you’ve served her absolute favorite dish. Include her in conversations by asking about her day and make the best of your time together as a family, then let her run and play while the rest of the family finishes their meal.

I Love You-Barney Song

I love you, you love me
we are happy family with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you,
won't you say you love me too.

I love you, you love me
we're best friends like friends should be with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you,
won't you say you love me too.

This is Noren's favorite song. He often smiles when he hears this song. Though he may not understand the meaning now, he will know it when he grows up.

I also like to listen to this song. It is about love within family and friends. If we love someone, we will be loved! Be nice to others, others be nice to you. I explained the meaning of this song to little Noren though I know that he may not get all the points. I expect one day he will understand.

To me, a good song is not a song for us to sing along, but it is a song with meaningful. It has to be both good lyrics and music. According to this song, it is important to show our love to others if we want to be loved.

This is the first sentiment lesson that I try to educate my little boy. I hope he will be loved and will have full of love in the whole life.

Kindhearted mummy

My short visit to the Pou Kroch village

As part of the pre-test for basic course round 21 part II, the course participants and ADI team are required to stay in the village overnight in order to conduct pre-test. In fact, conducting pre-test does not necessarily to stay in the village, but the indigenous villagers have different characteristic. During day time, almost all households go to do farming at their far away farm. If we visit the village at 10 am, we would meet none of them except young children.
The stay in village went so good last night. I stayed at village chief’s house. The village chief’s daughter is very socialize person, she sat with me while i was using internet and ask a lot of questions. Though she is originally bunong, she could speak Khmer language fairly well. She has two-year old daughter. She told me that she works on her 3 ha farm along while her husband works as district police rarely help her. Her husband works in Koh Nhek commune and visits the house once in two or three months. She, being alone, looks after her two-years old daughter and do farming for her own benefit. I wonder if this is common practice in indigenous villages whereby husband provide little support and help to the family. If this is the case, i would feel sympathy to those indigenous women who were born just as ‘housewife and farmer’ and gain little benefit from the husband.
The village locates along the road to Bou Sra waterfall. Villagers of the village gain benefit from the tourist to the waterfall through their small vending and wage labor. In the meanwhile, they also do farming which could support their family.
Over the last year, villagers faced problem related to drought. Villagers have poor system to save water and they do not have enough water to use for the whole year. Some villagers indicated that some months they do not have water to drink or for bathing. Though there is some rain fall during dry season, villagers still face such a problem. I observe that villagers did not have big water containers to save rainfall and they do not dig big pond too. The work on farm depends heavily on rainfall. If no rainfall, no foods.
I concluded that villagers do not have any adaptive capacity to climate change. They will face severe drought problem in the future if they were not trained about climate change adaptation. Indigenous villagers also have low capacity as entrepreneurship. Literacy level is also very low in this village.
[to be completed]

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Paradigm Shift

I attended two-day workshop hosted by ICCO for its partners and potential partners. ICCO presented its revise program and procedure of fund release. In its new strategic plan (2011-2015) ICCO will phase out its health program and shift it focus on Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Rule of Law (specifically on human right). these are new changes that will affect on its existing partners and how to make those changes beneficial to community or Cambodia as a whole.

The two-day workshop collect and share discussion

[to be continue...]

Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

 The course is facilitated by VBNK for the EED partners in Cambodia. This course aims to improve capacity of the partners in monitor and evaluate impact of their program/project.

The design newly introduced by EED will be incorporated into new proposal for new phase. While VBNK team facilitates the process of training, they will also provide direct support to partners who need help after the course. In fact, the course conducted by VBNK for EED partners is to share general idea and concept of what is 'Impact Monitoring and Evaluation' rather than merely a practicum exercise of EED 'Result Chaim' or 'impact monitoring and evaluation'.

It is expected that the EED representative will provide orientation to all partners in November on how to apply the 'result chain' framework into their new proposal and project report. In November seems to be long as the Analyzing Development Issues Center (ADI C) will develop its proposal with an inclusion of 'impact monitoring and evaluation'  framework in June and to be submitted to EED in June 17.

Below are general feature of Impact Monitoring and Evaluation introduced by VBNK team on May 23, 2011.

Impact Chain (OECD/DAC)-particularly in M&E
- Impact: Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly intended or unintended.
- Outcome: the likely or achieved short-term and medium-term effects of an intervention's outputs [as a result of their utilization]
-Used of outputs
- Outputs: the products, capital goods and services which result from a development intervention; may also include changes resulting from the intervention which are relevant to the achievement of outcomes.
- Activity: Actions taken or work performed through which inputs, such as funds, technical assistance and other types of resources are mobilized to produce specific outputs.
- Inputs: The financial, human, and material resources used for the development intervention.

Hierarchy of Objectives -in Planning (of a program/project)
- Overall Goal: Higher development objective to which the project is supposed to contribute.
- Project Objective: Description of a desired situation that is supposed to be achieved through a tangible project
- Output/result: Material and immaterial products, goods and services directly produced by a project
- Activities: Steps taken by the project bearer to achieve the planned outputs and objectives
- Inputs: Used resources to carry out the planned activities.

These are just introduction part of the Impact Monitoring and Evaluation course. The more advance skill will depend on sharing of experiences of participants to the course and facilitator. The actual learning will reflect on how participants use this skill and techniques to meaningfully use in their own program/project of their NGOs. The practice is the challenge that facilitators will have to take into serious consideration. Learning is not for the sake of learning or learning for granting; but learning for the benefit of implementing your knowledge from the learning and how you can transform the learning into actual practice.

[to be completed]

Research as Generating New Knowledge or Business

I attended course on Research Project Development and Management organized by CDRI with support from Cambodia Development Research Forum (CDRF).

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កំណាព្យដកស្រង់ពីរឿងទុំទាវ

៣០៥. មកយល់វាលវែងត្រែងដួលដុះ  ផ្កាសត្រសុសផ្លេកភ្លឺថ្លា
ដូចរូបសម្បុរពណ៌កនិដ្ឋា  ដូចផ្កាត្រែងត្រស់ស្រណោះពេក។
មៀងមើលទឹកជ្រៅស្មៅត្រកៀក  ចិត្តបងចង្អៀតរឹងវិវេគ
ត្រកួនដូចខ្លួនបងឈប់ដេក  ឈបដោយម្លប់មេឃត្របែកព្រៃ។​

កំណាព្យនេះពិតជាមានន័យមែន។​ ប៉ុន្តែខ្ញុំឆ្ងល់ថា​ ហេតុអ្វីបានជាព្រះភិក្ខុសោមអាចតែងរឿងទុំទាវជា កំណាព្យបានល្អយ៉ាងដូច្នេះ​ ជាពិសេសនៅត្រង់ឈុតដែលទុំមកសាសងស្នេហាជាមួយនាងទាវលើក ដំបូងបន្ទាប់ពីគាត់លាចាក សិក្ខាបទ។​ ថ្វីត្បិតថា ព្រះភិក្ខុសោម ជាព្រះសង្ឃ តែលោកបានតែងកំណាព្យសាសងស្នេហា និងរៀបរាប់សំរស់ព្រៃឈើតាមអារម្មណ៍របស់បុរសទើបមានស្នេហាលើកដំបូងបានយ៉ាងល្អឥតខ្ចោះ។

What every child needs to thrive?

You don't have to be a child development expert to give your baby a great start in life. Recent research confirms that we've known all along: love, attention, and basic care are all your baby really needs and wants. To help your baby reach his full potential, follow these eight simple steps. 

Show your love

Children need love. You emotional caring and support give your child a secure base from which to explore the world. This isn't just touchy-feely advice. Hard scientific evidence shows that love, attention, and affection in the first years of life have a direct and measurable impact on a child's physical, mental, and emotional growth. Love and touch actually cause your child's brain to grow, according to Marian Diamond, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of Magic Trees of the Minds: How to Nurture your Child's Intelligence, creativity, and Healthy Emotions from Birth through Adolescence. 

How do  you  show your love? Hug, touch, smile, encourage, listen to, and play with your little one whenevr you can. It's also important to answer his cries immediately, especially in the first six months or so, when experts say it's impossible to spoil a child. In fact, responding to your baby when he's upset (as well as when he is happy) helps you build trust and a strong emotional bond, according to Zero to Three, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of infants, toddlers, and families. 

Care for your Child's Basic Needs

Your baby needs all the good health and energy he can muster for learning and growing, and you can help by covering his basic needs. Take him for regular well-baby checkups and keep his immunization up to date. 

Sleep is anything but wasted time for your baby, so help him get plenty of shut-eye. During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep your baby's cells are making important connections. These synapses, as they're called, are the pathways that enable all learning, movement, and thought. They're the keys to your baby's understanding of everything he sees, hears, tastes, touches, and smells, as he explores the world. 

Breast milk or formular will provide all nutrients your baby's needs for the first six months, and will be an important part of his diet until his first birthday. Breastfeeding is best for your baby-among other benefits, studies show that breastfed babies have lower rates of allergies, diarrhea, respiratory problems, and ear infections. Breast milk may also give your baby's IQ a boost. Although formular can't replicate all of the unique properties of breast milk, formula-fed babies can thrive, too, so don't beat yourself up if you're unable to breastfeed. 

(if you're worried about your baby's sleeping or eating pattern, talk to your doctors)

Tend to your baby's physical comfort promptly. Be sensitive to the fact that he's too warm or that his diaper is wet. You and your baby are a team, and one of your jobs is to take care of the basics so he can get on with his challenging tasks!

Talk to Your Child

Research shows that children whose parents spoke to them extensively as babies have significantly higher IQs and richer vocabularies than kids who didn't receive much stimulation. You can even begin during your pregnancy - it's a great way to start the bonding process. 

Once your child is born, talk to him as you diaper, feed, and bathe him. He'll respond better if he knows the words are directed t him, so try to look at him while you're speaking. Don't worry abut words of wisdom. Just describe what you're doing: "Mommy is putting warm water in the tub so she can clean you up." Try to avoid baby talk, though. Once in a while it's ok, but your baby can develop good language skills only if you speak to him correctly. 

Read to your Child

Reading out loud is one of the most important things  you can do to help build your child's vocabulary, stimulate his imagination, and improve his language skills. It also give you an opportunity to cuddle and socialize. 

Jim Trelease, a reading expert and author of the Read-Aloud Handbook, says even newborns enjoy listening to a story. Make a point of reading to your child from day one. 

Stimulate all his senses

For your child to learn about people, places, and things, he needs to be exposed to them. Every new interaction gives him information about the world and his place in it. Studies show that children who grow up in an enriched environment- where they are presented with new experiences that engage their senses-have larger, more active brains than those who grow up without adequate sensory stimulation.

Of course, children can become overstimulated; you don't want to bombard your child 24 hours a day or try to engage all his senses at once. When he is interested in playing, though, provide a variety of toys and other objects. Choose things with difference shapes, textures, colors, sounds, and weights. Learn about the effect of music on your child's development at different ages, and sing the lyrics to your favorite lullabies. play interactive games such as peeaboo and patty-cake, go on walks and shopping trips together, and let your baby meet new people. Even the simplest daily activities will stimulate your baby's brain development. 

It's also important to give your child room to roam. To develop strong muscles, good balance, and coordination, he needs plenty of space to crawl, cruise, and eventually walk. He'll also benefit from safe spaces where he can explore his surroundings without hearing "NO" or "DON'T TOUCH." The easiest way to do this is to childproof your home (or at least he common areas). Keep dangerous objects out of your baby's reach and safe ones accessible. For instance, in the kitchen, put childproof locks on all the cabinets except one. Fill that with plastic bowls, measuring cups, wooden spoons, and pots and pans that your baby can play with safely. 

Encourage new Challenges

It's important not to frustrate your child with toys and activities that are way beyond his abilities, but a little struggling goes a long way toward self-improvement. When an activity doesn't come easily to your baby, he has to figure out a new way to accomplish the task. That type of problem-solving is the stuff better brains are made of. If he's attempting to open a box, for example, reesist the urge to help him. Let him try first. If he continues to struggle, show him how it's done, but then give him back a closed box so he can try again on his own. 

Take Care of Yourself

Parents who are depressed or upset are often unable to respond swiftly and sensitively to their child's needs.One study, published in the journal Child Development and Psychopathology, found that children whose mothers were chronically and clinically depressed had abnormal patterns of brain activity, suggesting that the children also suffered from depression. Seek advice about coping with postpartum depression, and talk with your caregiver any time you think you may be struggling with depression. 

If you're feeling drained, find ways to divide the household and parenting responsibilities with your partner. If you're a single parent, surround yourself with people who can offer you help and support. And don't forget to treat yourself to some time alone once in a while. Being a parent-especially an involved and active on- is tiring, and you need time to re-energize. 

Find Good Childcare

If you work and aren't able to care for your baby during the day (or need a babysitter regularly), a quality childcare provider is essential to your baby's healthy development. You'll want to find someone who can do all the things mentioned above when you're not around. Whether your childcare provider is a nanny, a relative, or a daycare worker, she should be experienced, caring, and reputable, with a genuine love for children and the energy to help your baby thrive. 

(source: http://www.babycenter.com )

Power of Money, By Adam Khoo: The critiques

Some of you may already read an article which is popularly shared through CAMPRO group written by Adam Khoo, the Singapore's youngest millionair at 26 years old. The article is inspiring. I like to read most of the discussions posted by CAMPRO group and found those debates and discussions are useful.

However, I do not totally agree with some statement raised by Adam Khoo. According to the article, Adam Khoo is very self-fish millionaire and thinking only about himself and how to be richer and richer. People have different definition of happiness, while Mr. Khoo 's happiness is saving more and more money. One of his sentence about saving that he saved 80% of his income before and now only 60% of his income, though it is pretty much high compared to others at his level, he gave the reason that the reduction in saving is due to family things (wife, mother in law and so on). I do  not think he is right about this or this is the mind set of a self-fish person like him. This statement could also be indicated that Adam Khoo has a  house but now a home.

I agree with him that those who earn money easily (i.e. from corruption) spend it more quickly. But for those who earn money very difficult they would be thinking twice before making each spending. But it is not necessarily the case. As people has different definition in happiness, other rich people would find it more happiness when they spend money a lot on assisting poor people to run business (for example, some people eat at local restaurant and pay extra fees for their creativity in decorating the shop, buying local hand-made products made by the poors or vulnerable person such as HIV/AIDS infected women or orphan children). These spendings are meaningful. The rich pay their money to create happiness of those who are in need.

Happiness does not sustain as much as life. One of his sentence saying that he has happiness when seeing his children laughing, playing and learning, and with CAMPRO in posting their articles. But, he should remember that one day if his children fall ill, they cannot laugh, play or learn and the same for CAMBRP group. If that day happens, does it mean it is the end of his happiness?

Nevetheless, the point I want to raise in this note is that the rich or millionairs should think about development project which could help the poor getting out of poverty rather than trying to save and save and count your money saving every day, week or month. If you have money and you did not make any investment, it does not mean that you are rich or wisely save the money. However, it very meaningless that you are trying to save money and never experience the power of money.

I agree with Pu Ung Bun Ang that the title of the article of Mr. Khoo about 'Power of Money' does not reflect the explanation he wrote. He has never experienced on what power the money have. What we could learn from him is saving money and how we could make ourselves happy. When I read the article first time, i expect that Mr. Khoo will share his experience about how the money influence his life and how he find a way of 'not being money-influenced' person to a person spend money wisely.

I also want to argue with Bong Chan Sophal for criticizing parents who create saving account for their children. Create a saving account for their children is the attitude of family planning, from my point of view. We need to have long-term vision for our children. However, he is truely correct that some parents does not make meaningful investment for their children by using the children's saving account but spoil the children. However, for myself, I also have saving account for my son. But the money that I save for him will be used for his higher education when he reaches at 18 years old which is the time that he will continue to university which either be in Cambodia or abroad.  At the moment, I am thinking of sending him to famous university abroad. Hence, I will need a huge amount of money; if i do not save it now, I will not be able to afford for good education in his future.

related to this point I also not agree with Mr. Khoo that his father did not even give him a cent; he forgot to mention about his parents sending him to school.

Adam Khoo: Power of Money

 Power of Money, By Adam Khoo (Singapore's youngest millionaire at 26 years old)

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Suzhou (China). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked. He asked, "How come a millionaire like you is traveling economy?" My reply was, "that is why I am a millionaire." He still looked pretty confused.

This again confirm that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book "secret of self-made millionaires). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that they earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spent more, putting them back to square one.

The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value. That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster.

Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky).

I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur's Organization) a few years back (YEO) is an exclusive club open to those wh are under 40  and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worth well over $5m, traveled economy class and some even drove Toyota's and Nissan, not Audis, Mercs, BMWs.

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoon's sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow. Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. THis is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past he third generation.

Thank Go my rid dad foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, "what is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?" The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last.

Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix. After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what makes me happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see my companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries.
what makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired someone's life.

What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this blog is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for along time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.
I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be it teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product. If you hate that you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaninglessness. 

Extra Foods

After reading BnSutopiaworld on Hiro's foods, I want to share thinking related to Noren's foods. It was really hard for me to provide Noren full breastfeeding to him because I have to resume my work after delivery for three months. Immediately after resuming the work, I traveled to province to conduct training and research which spent two consecutive weeks. I feel sorry about Noren and feel bad about myself that I have not played full role as a mother. During pregnancy, I promised myself that I will give my boy only breast-milk which uniquely produced only for Noren. I could do so only for three months.

After three months, Noren was given formula milk. However, he has never had serious health problem. I still worried about its future consequences.

Noren tried porridge first time in August 2010

Noren started his extra foods in August 13. It was the time that Noren tried extra foods in addition to his formula milk. He did not like it at all. I tried to feed him though he refused to eat it. I also bought extra ready-produced food for his afternoon snack. Sometimes, he was given banana. Noren does not all those foods at all.

Noren found it is hard to eat mom's made-porridge

Noren is taking water instead of porridge

I tried to give Noren the porridge before his milk time

Thievery

I would like to share with friends in this network about my unfortunate even last Friday September 17. There was thief(ves) sneaked into my house and stole my bag through the window. I lost a lot of materials including bank cards, ID cards, membership card, phones, hard disk, flash, and many other things. It was extremely terrible for me as i was sleeping in the room while the thief took actions. In the early morning, i did not even notice what I lost until I prepared myself to go to work and I wondered where I kept my bag. Only that time that I know my bag was stolen by a thief through the window.

I moved to my current house (Trapeang Chhouk village) in August 2006. I remembered that during that time, there was not many houses compared to now. The road was also bad. However, there was no such thievery happened in the village. I was living in the house alone while my husband took fellowship for 6 months in Chhieng Mai. I usually leave for work at 8 am and come back at 7 pm. There was no one in my house except two dogs. I fed the dogs only two time a day, one in the morning and another in the evening. I felt so comfortable and have never felt worried about robbery or thievery.

In 2008 and 2009, more and more houses were built and many people moved in that made my village more crowded. The road in front of my house was also constructed nicely. Starting from that time that thievery acts exist. I think people movement (in and out) may have both bad and good consequences.

Sometimes, i feel it is very unfortunate to live in Cambodia where rule of law is rarely followed. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for many developing countries; some developing countries the situation is even worst. There is nothing we can do but trying to live and adapt to the situation. For example, after thievery in my house, i rented blacksmith to build extra fence surrounded my house and build up net covered the balcony. Talking about building a net covered the balcony, i hate that idea earlier because it makes me feel like a detaining room. Now, i could not avoid it as I have to accept that this is Cambodia, i have to live and cope with the situation rather than try to run away from it. 

What is Critical Thinking? Is it Important enough to Talk about it?

There are many debates regarding critical thinking and question emerged related to how to build critical thinking and what it is important. Some people ignore talking about it because they thought that 'critical thinking' is just a very simple skill and easy to adapt and learn. It is true at some points but it is not always true.

According to experiences of living and visiting abroad for short period of time, I myself observed that people in developed countries have better thinking compared to those in developing countries. On a particular case, rural Cambodians tend to believe 'what they hear but not what they see'. Most of the time, they have been lured to rumors and some people were also affected by no-evidence-support-saying. Then, what should we do as a development practitionners? If many development practitioners keep ignoring this fact, one day their development program may affect.

Opinion: Becareful with Nanny

It is very hard to balance working and family weight particularly women in the context of modern society.

It is very fortunate that many Cambodian families live in extended family, and not many have both husbands and wives working. Or if they both are working, they have at least grandmother or other close relative living with. 

However, there are also some families faced similar sad story as shown in the video (http://helpwatch.multiply.com/video/item/2/nanny_hurting_an_innocent_child ) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGvzpUpB6WA) .  This video reminded me a few years ago that my niece live with housemaid/nanny and suffered very much the same situation as shown in the video. Both of my brother and sister in law are working. They leave their 2-year-old daughter with housemaid whose age was 18 years old (but she actually looks like 15 years old). my niece lives with the housemaid every day; they do not have any relative living with. After coming back from work, my sister recognized her daughter had scars, bruises (on chest or legs)  or sometimes her eyes swollen. She asked the maid about those scars, but she was told that my niece accidentally fell down herself or run against table. My niece did not tell my sister even though she tried to ask her many times. My brother did not care. he admired the maid for having done good job because if my sister feed my niece, she would not eat much, but if the maid feed her she ate a lot (because when both of them went away, the maid slapped on her face for not eating). Both of my brother and sister did not suspect anything. It had been two years that my niece suffered from this minor violence. I remembered that time, my niece was skinny and had slow development. We did not have spied camera, i wish i should have one that time. My brother and sister realized that their daughter had gone through the violent situation after the maid stopped living with them and went back to her home. After the maid leaving for one week, my niece dared to tell my sister about what happened. But, we do not have any evidence. I felt so pity on my niece.

I cannot trust anyone to look after my son, but at the same time I also do not want to loose my job. What should I do? should woman stop working and taking care of her child or should man stop working and take care of his child? How can working wife and husband (living in nuclear family) could share equal status in this huge responsibility? I observed that most of the time, women are the only person who sacrifice first.