Category: Parenting

Birthday Weekend

The recently concluded weekend breaks routine. On Saturday, with wifey and Marcus, I attended the 7th birthday party of my officemate’s daughter. It was a good way to meet some of my colleagues away from the confines of the office, it was just about (fast)food and fun. Thanks to Jollibee and the party’s Hello Kitty theme, it erased for a moment the pressure of the Friday that was.

Every time we attend a Jollibee party, however, it reaffirms Marcus’ dying admiration of its mascot. Just like any Filipino kid, he once used to go crazy at the mere mention of meeting the famous red and yellow bee. He was once a big fan that he can even identify the store’s illuminated signs the instance he sees any of it from afar and it is usually when he would excitedly shout ‘Jollibee’ in gibberish. He was less than a year old then. But wifey and I now have observed that Jollibee parties for Marcus mean just parties with free food and loot bags. Period. In the past couple of years, whenever we talk about kiddie birthday celebrations, Marcus would strongly express that he prefers McDonald’s. Or Pizza Hut. Well maybe leaning more on Pizza Hut because lately he loves singing the pizza chain’s ‘making it great’ jingle.

The next day was entirely different. No balloons, no loud music, no screaming kids. On Sunday, we found ourselves at my MBA classmate’s place somewhere near Nuvali. It was a good time to re-connect and chat again after three years since I last met her. (Great house by the way.)

In both days, I am pleased that we successfully skipped the malls—we easily convinced our son to be home after each event. I now wonder if Marcus has started getting bored being inside these places? Has he become more fond of his Call of Duty Xbox game? Or has he begun to know the last-stretch-before-payday feeling? I think I have an idea.

 ***

Happy birthday again Keih and Anna. Thanks for inviting us. Until next time.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Still stuffed. Need to lift weights later.)

A Coaching Technique That Applies at Home

Just realized that the best wrap up of the day is watching my young child sleep. It makes me ponder what was done right, what was done wrong, and what could have been done better. Come to think of it, it’s like coaching people at work except that this time I talk to myself.

Good night, Marcus. You are loved.

***

Mood: 1/10 Honks! (Great day. I was in Nuvali but not to work.)

Oggy is Now at Home

Not ordinary, the stars have aligned, we finally got Marcus his cat. Yes, what appears to be SSDD–Same Saturday Different Date–ended with us taking home a stray kitten from an unlikely source.

Stopping at a gas station to fill up, I gave in to wifey’s long standing request to avail of the NBA car sun shield promo. She wants one to show support to her favorite team. So I requested to look at the samples and while waiting for the gas attendant to get the items, a kitten under a Rubbermaid mop bucket appeared from my side mirror. It was the size I’ve been looking for Marcus for more than a month already. Eure-Cat!

“Is it okay to take the cat?” Hiding my excitement I asked the gas attendant as he returns with the promo item samples.”Ano ‘yun sir (What do you mean)?” he asked back, confused. “There’s one that just went under our car, we want to take it home,” I replied. Bending over to look under the car the man confirmed, “Ah, opo sir, para maalagaan nang maayos (yes you can, so that it can be taken care of properly).”

And so after paying for the gas and a Miami Heat sun shield, we drove away from the Phoenix gas station with a black-and-orange patched kitten stowed right under the dashboard. Gas filled, wifey happy, Marcus ecstatic. By the way, he named the cat Oggy from his ever favorite cartoon show Oggy and the Cockcroaches.

Oggy. (Cockroaches not in picture.)

***

Before it happened we came from the church and dropped by SM Dasmarinas. Everything was almost routine but what happened in each place seem to add up.

At the church, being seated right in the front row, I was approached by the ushers and asked if I can bring the wine to the priest to be used during the offertory portion of the mass. I didn’t decline. Of course, as I expected, Marcus tagged along and was also given the ceremonial blessing by the priest.

Then at SM, he led us to the Pet Express store to tour me around at the recently opened shop. He was there once with wifey and it appears that he already memorized the items on the racks. On our way out was a PAWS ‘Catvocacy’ poster. It promotes saving cats.

And these probably were signs that somewhere on our way home could be an answer to Marcus’ prayers that sooner or later he would own a pet cat.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (So far the cat hasn’t pooped inside the house.)

(Street) Smart?

This week is Marcus’ 3rd week of summer class and yesterday after he exits the classroom I was able to have a short talk with his teacher to check for progress.

Soon I learned that while he gets marked with stars on the back of his hand for doing a good job almost often since day 3 he seems to be fooling around–which I suspect happens when he is bored. His teacher said, “I know that he knows the answer but sometimes he would deliberately give the wrong one.”

Upon arriving home I had him reviewed using the Word Family House game with a very clear condition: for every wrong answer he gives I delete one of his apps from our Telpad tablet. The frustrating session began. He says ‘cup’ instead of ‘mug’, he says ‘punch’ instead of ‘hit’. The clues I’m giving weren’t just working. He lost three apps by lunch time.

Today at school before class I reminded him that there will be another round of review, just like yesterday, same rules apply. Excitedly, he told me, “Daddy, I have given to mommy some of my games. I have placed Talking Tom and Minecraft in her apps folder.” Those were his favorite games, now it his mom’s which I can’t technically delete this time. I’ll give to him. Street smart, isn’t he?

***

Mood: 1/10 Honks! (Jack Bauer in 10 minutes.)

No More Kragling

Here comes our master builder.

Robocop, Lego, Robocop, Lego, Robocop, Lego. And the winner of Marcus’ moody decision-making process…Lego The Movie! As much as I would like to also see the new Robocop movie our little boy made up his mind before I reached SM cinema’s ticket counter and I agree 100% with his choice.

Our son belongs to the huge fan base of the famous building blocks brand that started way before his generation began to connect their first pieces together.  Someone whom we observed to be a natural in assembling cardboard puzzles, it did not surprise us when at barely age of three, Marcus showed interest and knack in creating shapes out of his first Duplo set. It was also when he began to be aware that each set has its own instruction manual—one that has to be followed by the number.

Thanks to having someone (yes, you Santas in California) who can support him in acquiring the pricey original kits, and as supplemented by the rip-offs and Shell Lego promo items that wifey and I can afford, our son always gets excited whenever he sees the individual blocks form into distinct shapes as shown on each of the boxes—usually followed by the questions why the lighting streaks, the whirlwinds, and other graphics meant for illustrations purposes only always remain missing at each end of the assembly.

As a father who knows that these building blocks aide in the learning phase of children, I am among those who strongly enforce that the instruction manuals are followed. And Lego The Movie made me realize that I am President Business as well as I am part of the legions of Micromanagers and even the Good Cop/Bad Cop. Unconsciously, I have become someone who holds the Kragle ever willing to freeze anyone who deviates from the instructions.

By being obsessed in keeping the toy appear as it is supposed to be based on its instructions manual, the toy that is designed to foster learning also became the toy that suppresses creativity. Thankfully, someone came up with Lego The Movie to show parents who the real owners of these toys are. In the movie, the Lego figures did not just move to entertain the kids, it also delivered a very strong message to the adults. Recalling the duration Marcus has kept his 3D glasses on, I would say that this beats other 3D he has watched so far. It was two ‘buttered-popcorn’ thumbs up.

I admit, however, that while I will likely continue to keep an eye on how he takes care of his Lego sets, I will now give him more freedom this time. No more Kragling. I will now let him fly and slam his Jay’s Storm Fighter plane into his Kai’s Blade motorbike as its masked rider stalks in front of the brown snake temple that is built under the shadow of the Duplo mega carwash-mall-fire department building wherein a smiling dog stands beside a giant fireman who seems to be talking to a bearded bad guy who just got away with a huge bullion but with nearby Lego City cop figure in pursuit followed by an army of fake Star Wars characters flanked by genuine Ninjagos and as viewed by the shocked fresh out-of-the-box Chimas. Whew, such chaos. I now wonder if somewhere someone will indeed sing “everything is awesome!” I will let you know.

***

Happy 11th birthday to one of the young Santas 🙂

***

Drafted this while at a radioactive environment.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Everyone’s under one roof again. Master builder is now sleeping.)

Not So Usual Monday

Today seems to be just another usual Monday for all of us at home. Our routine remains the same: wifey prepares breakfast while I prepare Marcus’ uniforms. And when I say prepare it involves ironing his small shirts and pants which I discovered since last week as a task that is more complex than doing the regular adult clothing size. Not to be forgotten, of course, is dealing with the small guy’s resistance—something we have to contend with since the opening of classes.

But heavens must have wanted to reward us for all the sacrifices we continue to make just to send the kid to school.

Marcus and I arrived late which is usually the case on Mondays. We were met, however, with an excited class adviser who told me an unexpected news—Marcus is their class’ top 3 pupil for this quarter. “Top 3?!” I almost exclaimed in front of his restless classmates but I held my composure and was able to fake a bland reply.

“Marcus you made it to top 3, do you know what that means?” I asked him as he takes a seat and as I make my way out. He just smiled and shook his head. Yes, he probably does not understand all about it and he might not even care right now.

Just like any other Mondays, I soon left the room and went straight to the nearby gym but this time I was already pumped up even before I started my usual weight training routine. This Monday’s so usual yet not. Thanks to you Marcus. Good job son, you made us proud.

***

Mood: 1/10 Honks! (So this is feels to see a good report card.)

Bye Treadmill

I’m now 30 lbs lighter, he’s 3 years older, the treadmill’s a goner. 

I have gotten rid of the treadmill after a finding a buyer online. About three  weeks ago, the initial purpose of the sale was just to free up some space as this exercise machine is just starting to gather dust, but things have changed…

***

Mood: 5/10 Honks! (Happy to get wifey back home.)

Crushes, Crushed

I am among those people who are often fascinated by the innocence of children. Their perspective in life is so simple that often it brings that smile on us adults, a smile that comes when we least expect it. Marcus is no exception.  At age 5, his views seem to just revolve around his favorite apps and toys. Like whenever I drive, he expects our speedometer to breach 200 KPH just like Lightning McQueen; He believes that his Ninjago stance will protect him from other annoying kids; He thinks that his full name is MarcusBen10—the very reason I have to keep his Ben 10 toys away from him indefinitely; And when wifey revealed to him that one of his classmates has a crush on him, he innocently asked, “Mommy, Candy Crush?”

He is someone’s eye candy but for now this is all he can relate to. (Image from the web.)

I believe though that while he doesn’t know yet what a crush is all about, he might have felt it already. Last year, while on vacation, of all DVDs he has, he brought along with us Ghost Rider. That night in Bacolod, I noticed him staring at the DVD case and to my surprise, before shutting his eyes I saw him kiss goodnight Eva Mendes’ picture. Could she be his first crush? Good choice.

Ghost Rider with Eva Mendes (Image from the web)

There are serious times, however. When a recent magnitude 7 earthquake struck Bohol, he witnessed on the news the crushed buildings and people displaced out of their homes. Thus, other than his regular nightly prayers, he prayed before going to bed, “Papa Jesus, give [them] food, house…and no [more] earthquake again pwease.”

It also appears that he now has idea of the impact of other disasters. As super typhoon Yolanda threatens the country he kept telling us his worries. “Daddy, mommy, paano na akin toys?  How na house, daddy’s car…wala na car…can’t go to school,” were his repeated concerns.

But there were some funny moments when he saw us packing three days worth of clothing. “Mommy, saan punta?” he asked. “This is just in case we need to go seek shelter somewhere,” wifey answered. “Punta hotel?” was his excited reply, his fondness of staying in hotels becoming obvious. Sigh, if only everyone can be evacuated inside a comfy hotel.

***

This month is Marcus’ 5th year and there is no other cake he wants but this:

Marcus’ Ninjago-theme cake.

***

Mood: 10/10 Honks! (Remembering #YolandaPH victims. We wish that you all recover.)