Princess Treatment

I woke up one Friday morning to an unusual abdominal pain.  I shrugged it off and went on with my day as the pain was tolerable for my standards.  It was mid-morning when I began to suspect something must be wrong as the pain was still persistent and I also felt all flushed with fever (uy, kinanta nya.. ^_^).


I then received a call from my son's school that he was not feeling well.  I had to drive back from where I was (Ortigas) and face the heavy traffic.  On the way home, I began praying for our health and for strength to drive.  Traffic was slow moving.  It took me about one hour to reach school and another hour going home.


"Whew".  So this is how taxi / jeepney drivers feel.


I gave a sigh of relief as we reached home.  I thanked God for His protection.  I immediately went straight to bed as I was too weak already.  My son was asleep so I asked our helper to bring him to his room.


I was feverish with 38.8C temperature accompanied with chills.


After a while, AS (who was feeling better already) went in my room.  I told him not to go near me as I have fever.  He was persistent that he wanted to be with me.  He lay on my bed but with a significant amount of distance apart from me.  He just wanted to be there.  Later, I allowed him to touch my forehead at the same time as his. He said I was "hotter than him".


I was wearing a blanket because I was feeling cold.  He went out the room and came back with two more blankets!  Then he did the sweetest.. He thoughtfully laid the blankets over my body.  He went out again and reappeared with a bowl of sliced apples (with our helper's help) and tiny white flowers (from the garden).  I feel so special!


AS:  "Mom I'll get you water." He went down and back again with my water bottle filled to the brim. I feel so loved!  He did all these without me telling him.


I expressed my gratitude, affirmed his kind actions and told him I love him.


Times like this I feel like a princess, what with three boys surrounding me in the family.  (But most of the time, I am a prince.  Just one-of-the-boys, when I get down and dirty, rough and rugged!) I am just thankful that AS got his sweet side through his dad's modelling of love.


Yes our children are watching us.  A huge factor of how they will turn out as adults someday are influenced by us parents. That is a great responsibility!  I too often find myself making mistakes and having misgivings in raising our children ( who doesn't?).  That is why I am so glad that the role we have as parents is not ours to play alone... we have God with us on this journey.


Jesus said: "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40)

Deuteronomy 4:9
"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them."  (Deuteronomy 4:9

Snow White and Prince Charming

This was my book when I was still a little girl.  My mom found it several months ago stashed away in her storage room.

I was wondering how do little boys learn about classic "girly" princesses stories when we as parents do not intentionally buy girly story books to them since of course, they are boys, unless you have a son and a daughter.

Anyway, I began to introduce this book to AS.  I read it to him last night.

We came across this part of the book that read:

Snow White looked into the well and murmured, "I wish that my prince would come."
No sooner had she spoken these words than a handsome young Prince appeared at her side. 
"Princess, you are even more beautiful than in my dreams.  Will you be mine?" (Agad-agad?? Di pwedeng ligaw muna??)
"Oh yes!" replied Snow White.  "I was waiting for you."  (hello?? sagot agad?! ngayon lang kayo nagkakilala... PBB teens?)


So I began to explain to AS what these mean.

Mom :  "Do you know why Snow White was wishing and waiting for Prince Charming?"

AS : "No.."

Mom : "Because it is every girl's, well most girl's dream to find the right husband for her, to become a mom to her own babies, to raise a family.
But there is a right time to get married.  Right now, you are still small.  You need to grow up first. You need to study well to gain knowledge so that when you are already an adult, you can work and earn money for yourself.  That is the right time for you to marry so you can provide food and money for your family."

AS was just listening.


The Prince came to see her everyday at the same hour.
There beside the well they made plans.  "I shall ask the King your father, if we can get married," said prince Charming. 

I paused to explain again.  "Now what the Prince did was good.  He asked permission from Snow White's parents first.  You know, before Daddy married Mom he also asked permission from Gwakong and Gwama first.  That is showing respect.  That is being a gentleman.  When you are old enough to marry, you should also ask permission from the parents.  And also, you need to pray to God to give you the right girl for you to marry."

AS :  "I don't want to pray for the right girl!  I only want to be with you...."

Awww.. =)

Although it feels good as I am savoring this season in his life where I'm the only girl in his life, but at the same time, I'm bracing myself for the inevitable.  The turbulent teenage years... where peer pressure, dating, promiscuity, and a lot more, begin.


No matter how much I try to protect him from the negative influences of the world, I cannot.  I sincerely believe that it is through parental involvement in our kids' lives, values formation early on and intentionally praying for our kids daily can we find peace and protection in God's hands. We as parents can only do so much in teaching, guiding and training them, the rest we leave it all to God.  I pray that AS will grow in the fear of the Lord.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. -Proverbs 9:10 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Proverbs 22:6