Choosing A Musical Instrument For Your Child

Many parents want to encourage their children to learn to play a musical instrument, to encourage their musical development.

The first instrument is often a music keyboard. These are reasonably priced and stimulate an interest in music even in very young children. Ask your school music teacher for advice, because some of the very low cost keyboards are very limited. The higher priced keyboards play notes softer if they are hit less hard, more like a piano.

Your child may enjoy the sound of a particluar instrument. This can be a major motivational factor, so it is a good idea to go with the child's ideas, at least initially. Many children change the instrument they play in the first few years of their music education.

Many children may find it easier to play woodwind instruments like a clarinet than brass instruments like trumpets and trombones. Woodwind instruments do not require the lip vibrations that brass players need.

Most children's choice of instrument is a matter of chance. It depends on what instrument is favored by visiting music tutors.

There are more professional violinists than players of any other instrument. This is one reason parents often encourage their children to take up the violin. Buying a violin is a tricky business.

You can buy a violin for less than 70 dollars on the Internet. Should you buy it? Never.

A violin is not just a pair of shoes. Shoes are designed to be used and thrown away when they wears out. A well-made violin will last for hundreds of years. The 70 dollar violin above should just be thrown away. Buying one for your child is a waste of 70 dollars.

If your child is taking up the violin, or any instrument, it might be an idea to rent rather than buy, until you see how your child takes to the instrument. That is the point at which you should consider buying.


Buy the best instrument you can afford, usually here at musician's friend. Price is definitely linked with tonal quality. Listen to a range of violins, pianos or trumpets being played by the musician in the retailers. You will notice differences between the different instruments. Always buy a musical instrument you and your child like the sound from. Musical training will attune the child's ear to any deficiency in the instrument you buy, and this will detract from the pleasure he or she gains from playing it.

Double the surprise with Red Ribbon’s new Double Deck Dedication Cake

Cakes have been integral in every Filipino celebration, more particularly during birthdays. This time, Red Ribbon—one of the leading bakeshops in the country—is offering a double treat to your loved ones with its new Double Deck Dedication Cake.

This two-layer cake offers more layers of chocolate goodness to make your child’s party an even happier birthday. With its layers of bursting chocolatey flavor, your child’s guests will surely line up for more slices.

According to Zinnia Rivera, general manager of Red Ribbon, the new Double Deck Dedication Cake is a rich chocolate cake with fudgy chocolate icing topped with colorful sugar confetti, dots & stars. This can be personalized with one’s special message.

“Mothers always want the best for their children. They are constantly finding new ways to recreate how their child will cherish their special day,” Rivera said.

 “With the new two-layer Dedication Cake, mothers can now make their children’s party two times grander without going beyond their budget.”

Before, special two-layer cakes are only present during birthdays, debuts, weddings and graduation. Now, Red Ribbon makes it possible for families to make any day a bigger celebration while allowing more budget for other expenditures.

While saving on budget, you can also share the slices of the cake with 26 people because it has a base layer of 8x12 inches and a top layer of 6x8 inches. This cake is now available in all Red Ribbon stores nationwide.

“Now that there’s a double deck cake in place, there’s a bigger cake with a taste of premium for all the guests,” Rivera said. “Truly, Red Ribbon complements every Filipino table with its delightful treats, making every moment more worth-remembering.”

As the company explores new product offerings to make every day worth celebrating for, Red Ribbon now offers its gold standard for birthday cakes in the form of its new Double Deck Dedication Cake.

Rivera concluded, “Cakes are known staples for every Filipino table whenever there’s a celebration, may it be as grand as your son’s 7th birthday or as simple as your daughter’s achievement in class. Coupling the cake with a dedication as sweet as its taste is what makes the occasion more memorable.”

To know more about Red Ribbon and its many delights, visit the website at www.redribbonbakeshop.com. 

5 Signs Your Spouse Doesn't Love You Anymore

Copied from here. I just wanted to share this one.. For seriously, I am being honest of having fell out of love... :(

The signs that your husband/wife does not love you may be staring you in the face, but you just don't want to see them.

If a spouse has fallen out of love, the signs are often obvious, but there are many reasons they don't see them, according to marriage counselor Kurt Smith. The main reason is because they don't want to see the signs. It's painful for a woman to say "my husband does not love me anymore."

Smith warned that demonstrations of affection and loving words on dates such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Valentine's Day or Christmas, are not usually reliable sources for demonstrations of love. On those dates, there is social pressure to display affection so they may not always be true. True love is expressed in everyday actions when there is no commemorative pressure.

He points out the five signs that show a husband no longer loves his wife (these points can show if a wife doesn't love her husband as well).

1. Holidays and nothing else

If your husband doesn't give you gifts on holidays and anniversaries or even remember them, that would be a sure sign he has lost interest. But what if he gives cards and gifts expressing their love on holidays and anniversaries and nothing else? What does that mean? It might not mean anything, but it may mean he's fallen out of love.

2. His behavior is fickle

Imagine that one day he's angry saying he doesn't want to see you, that he wishes you would vanish from his life and the next day he's embracing you, wanting to make love. Does this mean that what he said before wasn't true? If he doesn't suffer from bipolar disorder, this behavior should alert you to the fact that he may not be in love with you anymore.

3. It's always you

You are always the cause of all problems. When you try to talk, he says you see problems that aren't there. When you complain that it seems that he does not love you anymore, he turns it into your fault. This is usually a sure sign that he is looking for reasons to get out of the relationship.

4. He doesn't like you

He doesn't praise you, or notice anything you make. He criticizes your personality, your clothes, body, hair, what you eat or your work. In short, to him you are never good enough and don't do anything right. Even when you do something great, he reminds you what you did wrong. He doesn't encourage you to grow.

If you look back on your relationship and realize this is a pattern that happens repeatedly, this should be addressed.

5. He doesn't work at the relationship

You ask him to change an annoying behavior and he continues to do it. You ask over and over again, and he pretends not to hear. You ask him something and he doesn't respond. It's always you who gives, who sacrifices herself for the relationship. You feel sick and tired, and he seems not to care. This could be the most obvious sign of a lack of love.

When we love someone it is difficult to see their mistakes, and we can fall into the trap of justifying everything they do rather than facing reality. It is very common for a woman to see this behavior in another woman's husband instead of seeing it in her own.

Signs of true love appear on a daily basis. You know your husband loves you if he makes you a priority, takes care of you, and encourages you.

When he doesn't do these things, the love could be gone. It is up to you — however painful it may be — to accept it, take care of yourself and decide what you will do after that.