Despite of my one year old (going two) daughter being in the stage of wanting to be the center of the universe, it made me proud to see the values I am inculcating in her--- selflessness and helpful attitude especially towards other kids.
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My family and I went to Nueva Ecija early this year to visit our grandparents and relatives there. We were with my parents, aunt and her adopted three year old girl. On the way there, we stopped at a gas station along North Expressway to eat lunch. It was a cheap but yummy lunch because my mother prepared it for us as our baon--- rice, adobo, barbeque and softdrinks---so that we wouldn’t have to buy food along the way. We all ate at the parking lot of the gas station which was just beside the low wall which separates the place and the grassy area over it. As we took our lunch, a little girl in rugged clothes appeared infront of us, begging for food. My cousin (the adopted kid of my aunt) cried aloud upon seeing the strange girl. My aunt asked her why was she crying and she replied, “Ang panget kasi nung bata e!”. She also pleaded to shoo off the rugged girl. I chuckled under my breath. Kids.
Rian (my daughter) was watching my cousin all the time. Afraid that she might absorb her attitude, I took action. I grabbed a barbeque and handled it to her, and then I encouraged her to give it to the poor rugged girl. "Look Rian oh, wawa yung bata hindi pa kumakain. Give mo siya ng food.” My little Rian just stared at the girl who was also looking at her, pleading for food. I slightly pushed my daughter towards the girl, but she won’t move. Knowing that I shouldn’t push her too much if she doesn’t like to, I took the barbeque on her hand and handled it to the girl. “Look Rian oh, Mommy is sharing food sa bata.” The rugged girl took hold of the barbeque, said salamat po, sat beside the low wall and started to eat. My father also gave her some adobo and rice. Rian saw the whole thing. Later when she was drinking water in a plastic cup, she suddenly saw the rugged girl again, and to my surprise, she gave her water to the poor girl…without me telling her to share! So proud of her action, I kissed my daughter and told her that she was indeed a very good girl.
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My family and I went in the park in Laguna one afternoon, so that our little Rian can play ball there and so that she can meet other kids there. Rian was very active, playing throwing and kicking the ball all over the place. Later, two kids about her age walked closer to her. The three of them was staring at each other. My little toddler girl smiled and slowly stretched out her arm, with her ball on her hand towards the toddler boy infront of her. Awed by the situation, I forgot to take a shot of them with my digicam. The little boy didn't make a move, however, probably because he wasn't aware that my daughter was actually inviting him to play with her ball. Rian didn't stop offering the ball, hoping that they could play with her...until another toddler girl came running towards her (Rian was shocked that there's a kid running towards her, she suddenly ran towards me and hid her face between my legs while the other girl hugged her. I laughed with pleasure because of the cuteness of the situation. Toddlers!).
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Arcades have this mini car wherein you have to insert a coin to let in run (or cradle, that is!). I placed Rian on one of those with two seats which has also two stirring wheels. Since there were two seats, a toddler girl started to climb on the car to take the other seat. Her mom helped her climb on it. I observed that my little girl offered the seat to her because she patted the vacant seat, just like saying, dito ka umupo. She also stretched her arms towards the other girl, offering her hand so that she can climb on the car easily. The other girl probably wasn't aware that Rian was trying to help her, but anyway, my daughter didn't mind. She looked at the girl with enjoyment as they rode the cradling toy car. My daughter Rian was very happy indeed to have find a playmate that time.
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As a mother, I am very happy to see my daughter growing up to be a kind person. Hopefully, those values that we instill to her which she already practice during her early development ages will make her someday be a mature person, with a big heart to share to the world! :)
---Vhan---
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