A Morning with My Preschooler at La Mesa Eco Park

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

marcel proust

I still remember when I first visited La Mesa Eco Park in Quezon City for a fashion editorial shoot (one of my favorites!).  I was amazed that a park that large (33 hectares) could be hidden within this crowded city. That was in 2010 and I hadn't been back since, until a few weeks ago when E's nursery class visited the park for their end-of-year field trip and family day. I am glad to report that the park is still as green and well-kept as it was many years ago (which is not often the case for public areas in Manila, unfortunately).

One of the joys of having children is that I get to be a traveller in my hometown. I've lived in Metro Manila for most of my life and I've visited most of the kid-friendly places in the city, thanks to the 11 years I spent as a writer and then an editor for three kids' magazines (first, K-Zone; then, Monster Allergy; then, finally, my beloved Total Girl). But I was not yet a parent in those days.

Visiting with a preschooler on a mission to fully experience everything rather than with a fashion editorial team on a tight schedule allowed me to see the park with fresh, eager, and gracious eyes. I know some may dread taking their young kids out in public because of the potential for disaster—I know because, on some days, I am one of those people—but I urge you to bring a venti cup of coffee to rinse away the pessimism  and try to see all the potential for wonder, three feet from the ground, arms outstretched, head in constant motion. Up, down, back, around, then back up again. And if, on that morning, you are having trouble finding joy, bring a magnifying glass. No, really. Literally. Because if you do, I guarantee your preschooler will have no trouble pointing out to you that there is much to wonder about hiding in plain view.

How I Survived the U.S. Embassy Waiting Room with a Preschooler—Screen-free

What's in Mommy's bag of tricks?

No electronic devices allowed. These four words may cause a parent to panic at the anticipation of a long wait, especially inside a government office such as the U.S. Embassy, which is not a place you'd associate with preschool-age-appropriate fun. But a trip to the embassy is sometimes a necessary inconvenience for families with travel plans or, like us, families with a young and adorable American  citizen who needed to be recognized as such. The night before our CRBA (or Consular Reporting of Birth Abroad) appointment at the embassy, my worried husband asked me, "Are iPads allowed?" Sorry, Honey, we're just going to have to be resourceful.

Even if we weren't required to line up with the majority of the people who were there to apply for a U.S. non-immigrant visa, it still took us three hours, from waiting for the doors to open (we got there early in order to be one of the first in line) to waiting for our documents to be processed (which took relatively quickly, but it seemed like other families were not so lucky. Need to get some official business done with a preschooler (and an infant) in tow? Here's how to play the waiting game, screen- and gadget-free.

Family Fun Field Trip: A Strawberry-Picking Side Trip for the Baguio-bound

An unexpected family obligation a few weeks ago led to an unexpected milestone: Ella and her papa's first father-daughter trip. Although they only stayed overnight, they managed to fill their short trip with memorable experiences, not the least of which was strawberry picking at La Trinidad, Benguet. I'm so glad they made the time for the side trip! (This was before we read Stefen Chow's Medium article about father-toddler adventures that's been going around. Read it for inspiring insight!)

Papa W rarely takes photos so I'm impressed and touched that he remembered to take a few for my sake. Since I didn't come along, I can't fully narrate so I'll let the pictures do the talking. Their stories and photos were enough to get me excited enough to share this with you. Read on also for tot schooling tips to go with your trip!

Fun for Free: Story Stones at Ayala Museum

A is for Art, Awesome, and Ang Ink

We had come for the mall koi pond, but we found this instead. What a serendipitous find! This kid-friendly art installation outside the Ayala Museum was the highlight of our Sunday afternoon. I'd heard about story stones and have been coveting a set by Etsy seller Thrive 360 Living. So when I saw this exhibit-sized version, I was thrilled! What a fun way to introduce my preschooler to the concept!

A project by Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK, an organization of illustrators for children) in collaboration with Ayala Museum, these story stones were painted by Ang Ink illustrators, such as Robert Alejandro, Jamie Bauza, Liza Flores, Abi Goy, and Yas Doctor. Can you find which stones were painted by your favorite illustrators?