Teach Your Children the Realities of Life

"Pangarap ng isang magulang na ibigay ang lahat sa kanyang mga anak" (Parents always wanted to give the best for their children). "Walang masama roon". (There's nothing wrong with that). As much as we would like to pamper our kids, it’s also important to teach them life lessons. But, it is our obligation not to spoil them.

photo: Pakoy and friends

"Darating ang panahon na matututo na manghingi ng pera sa atin ang ating mga anak para pambili ng pangangailangan niya". (Time will come that your child will asks you for money to buy something). Will you give him/her a hard time and refuse? If so, then you’ll be under his/her control.

You have to teach them something as well as give them the money. Of course there are times when you just give them because you want to, but also make time to teach them the value of the money you are giving them. "Sabihin mo sa kanila na gaano kahirap sa iyo at sa ibang magulang ang kumita ng pera" Tell them how you and other parents earn such money, and make them understand that one day they too will need to make a living for themselves.

Huwag na nating antayin na maging binata at dalaga sila, bago makahawak ng pera". (You ought not hold up until they are old enough to try and get it into their hands). "Hanggat bata pa sila, paliwananagan na natin". (Let them know now while they are young)

Be frank to tell them that you are giving them cash on the grounds that you did that and that to get it. Let them know that if you were not around, they would have needed to work for it. Simply tell them now of the present realities of life.

You are Not Useless

photo: Jason and the Argonauts

Meet this happy-go-lucky dabarkads 'Jason and the Argonauts'... And as always, they are having an inuman (drinking session) complete with pulutan (food accompanying drinking sessions).

"Aga naman nyan para sa inuman " (that is too early for a drinking session).

Jason winked at me and in a soft voice uttered "Tito, eto lang ang alam ng mga taong walang silbi" (Uncle, this is what useless people do best).

Without hesitation, I answered back "Don’t ever call yourself useless. As long as you are alive today, you are useful. You just have to find your right place".

"Galing din ako riyan" (I've been there also) and "I know the pain of having nothing to do or seeming unimportant to the people around very well".

"Sumagi rin sa isipan ko noon na wala akong silbi" (This thing got to my head and I started calling myself useless).

But then I realized, I am not!

"Basta't buhay ka, may silbi ka" (As long as you are alive today, you are not useless).

Just because you have not found that right place for you in this world, you call yourselves useless.

"Hanapin nyo lang sarili nyo" (You just have to start looking for it.)

Don’t waste time thinking that you will never be good at anything, and start investing time in getting good at something. That’s how you solve the problem.

"Time management lang yan" . Find what you are good at and gain skills that you will use in life.

God has given each one of us a 'gift'. All you have to do is to unwrapped that gift.