**Every happy memory created in a child is another treasure of a lifetime. -Donna Marie**

Hello and good day to all fellow Hivers in this beautiful community! It's my first time posting here and I feel like I found the right place to share this incomparable feeling of being a mother of two. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/23xpAcxSEjFTCPxJPB1r9qWUtZ7KNKjGAre5cDaXzxiidaNbKZbQfyM7K8rmBCpZkjpci.png When we become a mom, every day is a new learning experience. There's no proper training being one but we get to learn and adjust our ways as time goes by! If we see our children happy, we feel we are the happiest and if we see they have achieved something, it's as if we have also accomplished something and that we have been able to fulfill our duty as parents to them. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Ep7v7SGXHdYJPfRJt8oXz3bzCLdqymHBbMSmC9kEaoWcwxJtQFwcZUjqhY2U3fCMABT.jpg **Wish of a Country Kid**

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It was my son's 9th birthday last December 27, 2022 and I asked him how he would like his big day to be celebrated and, without hesitation, he answered he would love us to go to the city and spend his special day experiencing the fun and excitement he could never try just by staying in the countryside. I and my husband promised both of them that if they did well in school, we would grant any of their wishes as long as we could afford it. To our delight, they both excelled in academics in their own schools so which meant a mother's gift awaited for them because of this achievement! It might seem to be a small achievement for others but for a mother like me, it's already a great one because it showed how my children worked hard for it. And, that they listened to our constant reminder to study hard so they'd be able to achieve their own dreams in the future. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/EogNs1DPzGvQJWtjP5YxnzxZRSjVT94cpuRw1H3FRRFhGpyHZCztiePHQirJGNhqDU3.jpg https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/23tSefQJimjwdPFzxmNvt9RjYmkJUDoUb6LGDQWz8pifg9uNBZxppanwUYjgY8jXCtZsg.jpg **My kids' certificates of recognition** To children born and raised in a country where only the sounds of the chickens, goats, hogs, and cows can be heard most often, going to the city experiencing a new environment, eating in fine restaurants, staying in nice hotels, and playing in brightly lit play areas like arcade game machines is a whole lot of fun and excitement for them! https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/23vhwepKuyhRVzwLR7BuEtgA2Ee95y21zVTWH5GoPn7Kduan1qNcvMJ5i7gfQrxrfSPzD.png _{These photos were taken in our backyard using my Vivo1919 camera.} It was before the COVID-19 pandemic when we last visited the city and of course, the fun time wouldn't be complete without the kids playing in the game zone in one of the biggest malls in Cebu City. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/23xyVRKKKhZJJbh4SdU6ZbjcjNojBP8gjenUo5EwiCDnoshyyZmaVP4vJAp6WQWcj7JkG.jpg _{The kids tried if not all most of the arcade game machines in the fun haven of a family entertainment center in SM Mall Cebu a few years back.} **Preparation for the Trip** The day before our trip, my little girl was already excited and got busy preparing her clothes and pieces of stuff and even included her older brother's and mine to bring! I should say she had grown a lot and became more mature just at the age of 7. She, indeed, applied her Star Scout motto, to "be prepared".

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_{This photo was taken using my Vivo1919 camera during my daughter's symbolic pinning that only mothers should supposedly do for her to become a real Star Scout.} **The Trip to the City** To travel to the city from our hometown, it took us more than 3 hours (originally only about 2 1/2 to 3 hours) by bus. You could imagine how tiring the trip was especially because the traffic was heavy as we passed by three busy towns before getting to the heart of the city. We left home by bus at 8:30 in the morning with cloudy skies which meant a not so good weather for a trip. However, this didn't change the kids' minds about visiting the city. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Ep3duNABAwD8P8GZwCsFht7wqABFfi6zuKxxzAsV8oEEovaTzH8Uhfguca5FYAi87eb.jpg Because of an important business that my husband had to attend to, only I and my two kids left for the city ahead. For kids who were not used to traveling quite far from home, it was truly a challenge for a mom like me to manage them alone who were complaining of getting motion sick and actually throwing up in the bus. Luckily, I brought a plastic bag with me to prepare myself for this kind of situation. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/EppLeHDoM2y1s6AchT5RzzhVc5i5EAt2GGiKJWvnuFBPTYLkr9ki3J2orEBCM1kMBCq.jpg To my relief, the bus stopped over at a food park in Carmen, Cebu about halfway to the city for both the driver and his conductor to have their quick breakfast and the passengers to have their toilet break or a light meal, too. This gave me a chance to buy something for my kids especially my boy to put something into his stomach to somehow stop his motion sickness. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Eou9CEkqWUqUphHxRkDougnQiTxUdg6pP2AyhyqdktfiHk7j4BeuENZBHoj1rKzrjMB.jpg While doing so, I took pictures of the place where travelers or backpackers could stop by to have a cup of coffee or tea- the bastap cafe. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Ep7u5B7bfn6J9YVpTQHKjnA24A9XX2AkRSarFLJ3kixeqZCDQx5ftoSGm7UpgnZWkYz.jpg I didn't order anything from the coffee shop but only bought a few pieces of bread from the bakeshop next to it and biscuits from the nearby store to eat for snacks as it was already past 10 o 'clock and the kids already complained of being hungry. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Eonk4wsp5hkWVfxDD9Ebu14yVHNi4Sf8Bom2FmVme46FH9fUkKnFa4Y2C4ujFtW4BUC.jpg _{The weather was not quite good that day so I couldn't see any customers sipping coffee at the place.} **In the City** It was already past noon when we arrived in the city and headed directly to the nearby SM Mall just next to the North Bus Terminal to have our lunch. It was, indeed, a big relief we finally arrived there with my kids who seemed to have regained their energy and enthusiasm at the sight of beautiful things inside the mall and the cool atmosphere they felt upon entering the place. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/EoeEse5A2netKwKveu4qxmxsrKTi1Ap9MErei91Ly3JkCGN5VHagjbfMDZsSWE9ewwy.jpg _{Each of the kids was assigned to carry a piece of stuff to teach them to be responsible. They kept on carrying it wherever we went.} Stepping into the city meant unlimited playtime for them as they tagged me along immediately as soon as they finished their lunch to look for an amusement place. Since I wanted them to try a new environment they had never been to before, I brought them to SM Seaside, the largest mall in Cebu, located at the South Road Properties, Cebu City. It was our first time visiting this mall and I was also not quite familiar with the place since it was not very accessible to the people coming from the Northern part of Cebu. **The Fun Time Starts** As my little girl saw other kids riding on animal robots around the mall, as expected she wouldn't just pass by this place without her trying it herself. My little girl had always been adventurous and brave and she wouldn't budge unless she got what she wanted. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/EoK8C4X2rJDuss7x7smApDkK646E8A69cM5KhdKpDbk9p8Y6cddR8TsdKAAp3kGRbXN.jpg This ride cost Php200.00 for 20 minutes (*equivalent to 3.65 USD*) for both of them. My boy first hesitated to take this ride because he felt he was old enough to try this. However, his sister wouldn't be allowed to drive the animal robot herself alone as they had this rule and she's below 120cm in height. So, her ***"Kuya"*** in the local dialect (which means older brother in English) had to give in to her wish. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/Eoc8UzWYY7Kdc3sh7dP9Z2RPMPkYhdQPqLsUCGQbZBowrCU9TJLWb5uoqVqhCMR4o7d.jpg _{The siblings seem to enjoy hopping on the easy-to-operate animal robots hovering around certain places in the mall.} The fun indoor adventure continued at the next stop as the kids excitedly demanded to enter the Children's Playground at Kid's Paradise in the same mall. Getting inside meant we had to pay another Php200.00 per hour for each of them.

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_{The kids have a blast playing a lot in this children's playground.} For a mother like me, I don't really mind granting my child's wishes as long as it gives them joy but of course, I always remind them that sometimes not all what they want, they can get if it's not practical and reasonable anymore. However, letting them experience once in a while the things that give them genuine happiness is truly a treasure for all moms. What could bring greater joy to us than seeing our children happy? https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/missjoycee/EoH1MkeMbpXofKkkFD23ZiLakWEZ8h2CEWLEzk1G1i1x6tVTDp7EkQPmeL8ag3RoFqk.jpg Indeed, children are a gift and a blessing to every parent and the happy memory that we create in them is another treasure of their lifetime! As Regina Brett said, "Our children get only one childhood so let's make it memorable." This is all for today's blog. I would like to thank everyone for reading and supporting my article! Until next time and have a great day!

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