Last we were pleasantly surprised with the unusually warmer temperatures in Sydney winter. Heaters were off and in some instances jackets were off as well! There were probably some who started to troop to the beaches. Shopping malls were not crowded at all which gives a hint that some people may have gone to picnics, or have gone preparing to do some time outdoors by getting their RVs tuned up and backed up with the rv insurance quote. But after about a few days of this warm weather, the weatherman started to warn that the cold weather will make a return. Lo and behold, the weatherman is correct (yeah, on one of the times we are hoping he is wrong!).

The Masterchef Australia season is about to end tomorrow. But there won’t be any ‘break’ in terms of the reality television. Thanks to the Renovators series. It is really interesting how talented designers can make something out of, well, something. So while manufactured homes for sale can be potentially attractive, I guess this should also remind people that with the right guys in the project, there could be something as good or even better. Well, the show is entertaining enough to keep even the kids glued on it!

An iPhone, well, you don’t have an iPhone. If you do, then you probably have a case. Well, probably. I know there are a few who prefer not to put an extra cover to this thin gadget. Parents however are more likely to have this, not just because it is nice to have but because it is a necessity. So when getting a phone, most parents would have to include iphone 3gs cases in the budget. Why? Well, have a look around and it probably would not take much effort finding children fiddling around with their dad or mom’s gadget.

Last week we attended a friend’s birthday party. It was a great time to connect with friends from the past, the present, and well, the future! It was a formal party so the whole family had to dress up to the occassion. No we didn’t have real diamond bracelet or even pretend ones for accessories. But it was definitely nice seeing my girls with a little bling from time to time.

Doing home work has obviously changed over the years. Watching my kids do their home work differs a lot from how we do home work back then. Gone are the days of having to flick through books to find an answer, thanks to more powerful internet search engines. Printing, document scanning, flash drives, and so on. These are all part of a student’s tool kit to do homework. And did I mention I’m just talking about primary schooling?

I read in the papers a few weeks ago about the pitfalls of gaining weight during winter. As people tend to be less active during this months, the tendency to gain a bit of ‘winter weight’ becomes higher. Apparently weight gained during this period can take a longer time to shake off compared to the time it is gained. One may have to resort to cissus quadrangularis options. Or perhaps go for some hearty exercise. Or just take some extra effort to remember to watch the scales during the cold winter months.

We do not have the proper outdoor furniture to hang around. What we do have currently are foldable picnic table and chairs. Well this actually works for us anyway. But of course, who wouldn’t dream of having Adirondack chairs in the backyard! Or perhaps add a sturdy outdoor table for those barbecue days. Oh well, just a wishful thinking. With winter still on its early days, it will still be quite a while before we can even do some barbecue going.

A couple of weeks back, my daughter CN accidentally broke her glasses. Despite this, I think overall, she has done a pretty good job maintaining her set. I know of stories of how some kids break theirs a week or so after getting them. Thanks to the health insurance, we were able to arrange for new pairs to be made without costing an arm and a leg. It was also good that there were some decent kids frames available as sometimes, these shops stock mostly Eyesave designer reading glasses or frames for adults. Apparently, kids frames have special characteristics in that they should be both sturdy while staying light.

Parenting has its joys and challenges. And the experience depends on what ’stage’ one is in. While a lot of people may put a lot of focus on the younger years, I think each stage will have its own importance. When raising younger kids, the focus is a lot on the fact that kids do get ‘trained’ at this stage. It is like giving them industrial bearings which can potentially cushion the ride when they grow up. This stage can prove to be challenging in some cases, but without a doubt, it can also be fun.

Earlier this week, a school was featured on television for using iOS device, particularly the iPad as a learning tool. To iPad owners, it is probably clear why it has such potentials. It would be interesting to follow the effect of these machines on kids’ learning. My kids for one use iOS devices, and would probably be happy to invest on their own machines if it really does them good. To buy iphone is probably a different story. Perhaps when they are in higher schooling and have proven that they will use it responsibly.

Winter is well upon us here in Sydney. This week has been particularly cold and wet so we had to put up the portable heaters in the evening to make sleep a bit more comfortable. It is important to keep the electrical wires tidy as they are a safety hazard especially where kids roam around. Suitable cord covers may be useful for some products if the manufacturer approves or recommends them. If not just a bit of parental instinct could be enough to know how or where to position these appliances.

Parenting involves a lot of things. But one obvious aspect is providing for the family. Many are blessed to do this with one job or business. Others need to put up more time to meet the budget with a second or even third job or business. So instead of spending weekend at the park, some would have to go talk others intowhat is life insurance and hope they get some extra income. Others really go out of their way and that is something that can really be applauded.

It just comes out naturally. No training required. In fact I have yet to find a kid who does not know how to use the touch gadgets available out there. And yes, that srems to be a fact even if they do not own one of these devices. But many kids actually own an iPod or iPhone. Beefed with the right cool iPod accessory, these gadgets could be turned to be nearly kid-proof. That makes it good enough to be handled safely by the new touch generation.

My youngest daughter loves dressy things. Even when just at home, she would love to wear dress over some comfy home wear. High heels, Black diamond earrings (the pretend ones) and other girly stuff is her thing. But these dressy things would not stop her from picking up her jump rope and going for the hop or having a massive play at the backyard. Besides, she loves dinosaurs which is not exactly ‘girly’.

I wonder if there is a market for a TV with enhanced parental control? I’m thinking of something smart enough to control audio and video depending on content shown. For instance when a graphic surgical procedure involving bovie is on display, or when other inappropriate scenes are shown, there should be some technology that woult shut things down temporarily. Or better yet, how about forwarding to the next child-friendly scene as if things were cut professionally by the director?