january 2010Best Tribute Last year December 31st I got what I think the most wonderful and exceptional gift or tribute to my 63rd birthday from my youngest daughter, Aisa. I would like to share some of her unconventional points when she was a child under my care. ( I have three children two boys and one girl) . Some of her remarkable points: a.While most dads enjoy watching their kids sleep peacefully, my dad wake me up so early because he said eight hours of sleep daily is too much that when you reach 60 years old you spent 20 years sleeping so a waste of time. b.While most dads send their househelp to buy bread for breakfast, my dad sends me to a neighborhood bakeshop about 300 meters away from the house to buy the stuff. c. While most dads wash their cars or bring them to the car wash shop, my dad let me and my two bros do the washing. d.While most dads enroll their kids in swimming lessons, my dad throw me into the pool and let me swim back to the pool side. e.While most dads buy gooddies from duty free shops, my dad buys machine shop products for the kids use f.While most dads check the homeworks of the kids from school, my dad seldom does. g.While most dads protect their child from harm, my dad is always ready to pull out his belt whenever he felt we do wrong and hard to correct forcing me to reason out fast before the belt strikes. h.While most dads take pride and enjoy seeing their kids plump and chubby, my dad threatens me I won't get married if I looked like a water drum. i.While most dads give more money to their kids to buy shoes, my dad would spend a day with me to shop for the cheaper but sturdy shoes. j. While most dads give their only daughter a brandnew car when they go to college with good grades, my dad give me a dilapidated small car. k. While most dads would not let their kids dirty their hands with grease, my dad threatens me he will haunt me as a ghost if I cannot change my car tire. l. While most dads hire a painter to paint the house, my dad buys paint and brush and let me paint my own room. m. While most dads hire expert landscaper to build a nice home garden, my dad buys tree seedlings and blue grass and let us work on our own garden. n. While most dads hire an architect to build a perfect house, my dad would make us mix cement, sand and water and file one hollow block aftert another to finish the house. My child when I was a young boy I prayed that God will give me good health that I might acheive good things. But He made weak that I might learn to be humble and obey. I prayed that He make me strong so I can do great things. But He made me frail and sickly that I might do better things. I prayed that He will give me wealth that I might be happy. But He made me poor and bunkrupt that I might become wise. I prayed that He will give me power that everybody wll recognize me. But He made me weak and sickly so that Imight need God I prayed that He will give me all things that I might enjoy life. But He give me life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I prayed for but everything I ca hope for. My child, I was born of the baby boomer generation 1946 to 1960 when it was right and recomended to discipline a child by punishment and spanking. That kind of cultural practice then was not only in our hometown in Cebu but all over the world. This culture is based on Biblical scriptures, (seeProverbs 23:13-14, 22:15-16 and 29:15 'Spare the rod and spoil the child' was then the favorite saying. In church and in schools this practice was shove down our throats and we were force to swallow. I received more spanking and chastisementsfrom my parents, relatives and even teachers than any one of you. And every child during my time did the same. But in the last four decades this kind child punishments was started to be banned in North America. Today, most experts, psychologists and social scientists believe in social diplomacy in bringing up a child. They almost abandoned the violent culture of the recent past. In truth it was only when I had my own family and children that I experience first-hand the joy and hardships of raising children. Bringing up children and handling families were not taught in schools. It is only now that my children started leaving home to marry and have their own family that I understand what my parents did to me. So, my child do not worry all these you will enjoy, experience and understand soon when you have your own children, watch them grow up and by the time they are grown-up they start leaving the house to get married then you will understand what parethood is all about and you will say that papa is not at fault at all. Lastly, all parents have their own way of bringing up thei children. There is no such thing as perfect parents. In almost 75 years of continues studies all social scientists agree an conluded that parenthood is not a perfect or exact science. That perfect parents and perfect parenting do not exist.# papa
No comments:
Post a Comment