Encouraging a Love for the Philippines :) Happy Independence Day!

We celebrate the 114th Philippine Independence Day today. :) Here are some ideas on how you can do so in your own home (not necessarily homeschool!), taken from fellow Filipino homeschool moms:

Philippine Independence Day for Preschoolers from The Learning Basket
Love of Country Posts One and Two from The Mommy Journey
Six Things You Can Do With Your Kids On Independence Day from Mommy Bares All

We've been reading the books listed below prior to today and I hope to FINALLY get a copy of The Chair King so we can do the unit study from The Learning Basket (as described in the link above). (Hubby and I checked out five bookstores between us and still couldn't get a copy!)

Adarna books:
- Si Segunda, Noong Panahon Ng Mga Espanyol (Text both in Filipino and English)

Talks a bit about how Segunda's life was during the time of the Spanish

- Si Pitong, Noong Panahon Ng Mga Hapon (Text both in Filipino and English)

Talks a bit about Pitong's life during the time of the Japanese

- Si Jhun-Jhun, Noong Bago Ideklara Ang Batas Militar (Text both in Filipino and English)

Talks a bit about Jhun-Jhun's life before Martial Law was declared in the Philippines

- Dalawang Bayani ng Bansa (Text in Filipino only)

Talks about the lives of Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio and how they intersected at some points

Chikiting books: (published by LG&M Corporation)
- Rizaldy (Text both in Filipino and English)

Sorry about the incomplete image! This talks about living up to one's name, in Rizaldy's case,  following the example of his namesake, Rizal. :)

Golden Salakot Stories: (published by LG&M Corporation)
- Uldok the War Hero (Text in English only)

Uldok is a dog that save his Filipino owners from the Japanese.

I got all these books from National Bookstore. We've enjoyed reading them, though Tim insists I read the texts in English only and not in Filipino! (I had to translate the Dalawang Bayani ng Bansa text in my mind while I was reading it to him — quite a task for the Filipino-challenged me! That's what I get for not growing up in the Philippines and not having a formal education in Filipino! Haha!)

Anyway, I plan to read these again and again sporadically this week and next to try to emphasize the importance of learning about our country's history and cherishing our independence and our culture.

Admittedly, I had a hard time with Dalawang Bayani ng Bansa, as there was a part that mentioned how the Spanish priests at the time were not doing good things (when Rizal wrote Noli Me  Tangere). Once I had read that part out loud, Tim had this shocked look on his face: "What? How can the priests be bad?!" OOPS, Mama!

I explained as best I could that that was a loooong time ago and changed the subject. Hmmm.... Need to be more careful for now, since Tim's still in preschool and may not be able to understand that there really is evil in the hearts of all men (and women and children!) and we need to battle it every day with God's grace and mercy! :)

So anyway, yes, it's time to celebrate Independence Day now! :) Have a good one, y'all and remember to thank the LORD for our freedom every day! :)