Filipinos around the world are known for their hospitality. It’s not difficult to find a Filipino who’s willing to give up his/her master’s bedroom to provide a long-lost relative a place for refuge. But, one other undeniable characteristic of many Filipinos is their humor. ...read more
Filipino Parenting: 4 Tips to Effectively Teach Children How to Share
There are some core values in the Filipino household that remains unchanged whether your family migrated in the U.S., in Europe or continues to live in the islands- It’s the expectation to be generous to others. Sharing is caring mindset. Another, to see someone else ...read more
How To Get Your Spouse to Listen: 7 Communication Hacks that Will Change the Your Relationship
Does talking to your husband/partner seem more like a monologue? Do you end up more frustrated than relieved after vomiting the details of your stressful day at work or the daily grind with those kids, aheem, your kids? And, does it feel like hubby tries his best to listen but just ...read more
Filipinos in Counseling: Sino Ang Tunay na Baliw ( Who’s the crazy one)?
Baliw is a Filipino word that means “crazy,” insane, deluded, maniac and some other words that basically mean sick in the head. It’s one word that you don’t want used to describe you. In the islands, if you’re a jokester (maloko) and are pretty successful with making other people laugh, ...read more
Lost and Found: Losing Our Language Identity, Forgiving Our Parents and Finding Our Way Back
Everyone in your family claims that they speak or at least can converse in English, right? No question, we’re the proud, brown bi-lingual, island people from Asia and our people and country have surely capitalized on this gift. Philippines has been coined as the Capital of Call Centers in the World ...read more
Filipinas in Interracial Marriages: 11 Ways To Know You’re Married To One
Filipinos Americans are more likely than other Asian-American groups to marry outside their race. You’ve heard some people say, “some of ‘ ma friends are Black/ Mexicans,” when trying to defend their spirit of inclusivity (ability to include others even in the outside group). For many families, ...read more
A Filipina Mom’s Mini-Survival Guide to a Stress-Free Holiday
No scientific journal needs to prove that the Philippines has the longest (and the grandest) Christmas celebration in the world. If you’re Filipino, you just know that when the month of August ends, you unexplainably get fidgety either to spend more money or make some more to gear up for the ...read more
Part II: Sibling Unrivalry- How to Undo Harmful Competition In Our Children
This is Part II of this series, you can read Part I here. So What? Why is it important to unrival our kids as early possible? If you want your children to: Grow up confident in their own intrinsic skills, Know and embrace their uniqueness rather than chasing success by smashing ...read more
Filipinos on Parenting Part I: Sibling Unrivalry: Are You Fostering Harmful Competition in Your Children?
Have you heard these questions/phrases in your home? Bakit di mo gayahin ang kuya/ate mo…( why can’t you be like your sister or brother..) ? Sinong mas maganda si sister 1 o si sister 2 ( Whose prettier this sister or that..)? Sinong mas love mo, si mommy o si daddy(who do you ...read more
Ano Raw (What was that)?-Filipino Island Talk in America
I arrived in the States permanently at the age 23. I say permanently because when I was 12, I attended school here but moved back in the islands ‘til I finished College. I thought I knew English and need no adjustment with culture and the American way of life. I thought wrong… I ...read more