On a more personal note, I found it amusing when I realized lately that my blogging journey reflects the many seasons of my life. I started my site as a personal blog, going by the handle of “Frenchraisins.”

My content then was more of random thoughts and weekend pursuits, at a time when personal blogging was still a thing. Those were the good old days of the internet. The early days, in which we just enjoyed browsing things online and sharing our interests without being scrutinized by the world.

My interest in traveling soon grew, so my blog evolved to be a travel blog (The Introverted Weekender), to a couple travel blog (Ivan + Khris’ Travels), then to a family travel & parenting blog (Dad On The Move) when we finally had kids. I was Dad On The Move for about six years, writing content that resonated with me, doing brand collabs here and there, and being active on social media as an aspiring “dad influencer.”

However, lately, I realized that the blogging and content creation landscape has changed drastically in the years in between. The algorithm update, which hit my blog hard around three years ago, is still not in my favor, and short videos are what viewers demand.

I was also no longer as interested in doing brand collabs as before. My social media posts became fewer, partly because I wanted to dedicate my time to activities that truly interest and inspire me, like going back to reading, rewatching my favorite childhood shows, and being with my family.

I also began to write fewer parenting articles on my family travel blog (although I still post about family milestone updates). Well, that’s because I realized that I don’t really believe in the advice given by parenting “influencers,” so why should I also post similar pieces of advice? Let me elaborate on this further, please.

I appreciate the efforts of parenting influencers, but if you think about things carefully, they’re also not experts. They rely on the advice of professionals and try them out for themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, because at least you know that they filter for us what’s working for them or not.

But in the end, I understood that they were also doing trial and error, just like any other parent out there who is raising their kids. They also rely on gut feel, just like the rest of us. Instead of spending time reading about what they do or watching other content creators, I’ll just go on and do what I feel is right for my family.

I encourage you try that, too. You’ll realize that you don’t really need an expert to help you with your daily parenting needs. Anyway, just keep in mind that the most important thing, and one that your family will truly appreciate, is that you give them time. Spend time with them on weekends, during breaktime, or right after work. That’s what truly matters.

I’m also not actively writing about autism awareness anymore. While I mindfully put a positive spin on my posts, I noticed I would often start them with a slightly negative tone. I don’t want it to be like that or to convey the message that my special needs son is a burden. On the contrary, we are extremely grateful that we have him in our lives. Whatever challenge we face is what all parents normally encounter, special needs or not.

On a different note, I also became extremely interested in documenting my town’s history (events, places, people, etc.) on my travel blog. This is a full circle moment for me because when I started my travel blog in 2006, what I wanted to do was to document my town’s local traditions, proverbs, sayings, local legends, beliefs, and so on. However, during that time, references were scarce.

I didn’t know how to start back then because I was based in Metro Manila and I didn’t know any local historian whom I could ask. But now, with the popularity of social media, I was able to gather good information from my kababayans who would comment on my posts, provide their stories, and share the knowledge that they have.

Having said that, I think a new season is already underway, and with that, I have rebranded my family travel blog (again) to Ivan On The Move. If you are a long-time reader, you may have already noticed the change in my blog title. It’s not really a major change; I’m just expanding my topic to include culture and heritage, and not limiting it to family travel. At the same time, the goal is to make the content more cohesive (I won’t delve into the technical stuff anymore).

This brings me to another shift in content. For my parenting stories, autism awareness articles, family milestones, and personal essays, I’ll post more of them in this blog. This will be my more personal space. I like the idea of going back to the basics of blogging, and that is to document life’s seasons as well as the things that interest us and make us happy.

With that, I’ll gradually transfer my other fatherhood articles here. I also realized that my other online persona, Dad On The Move, is hard to let go of. It has been my online identity for the last six years. So I’m keeping that identity through this space.

If you made it ‘til here, thank you for always supporting and reading my articles! I hope you will stay and continue to read stories like this one. It’s during this time that old-time bloggers like me badly need your support.

Again, please accept my deepest gratitude, and I wish you well in all your endeavors!

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Anyway, we have an ongoing big family project which we started around late 2024, but things didn’t go as planned, so we had to go back to the drawing board. It was a good thing that the delay only affected us for a few months, so we were soon back on track.

I will tell you more about that project when it is close to completion, but let me just emphasize that all our plans and decisions revolved around that project in the last few months, which brings me to my next update: a new job.

Starting a new job

Well, not technically new, as I have been with a new company for four months now. Again, the decision to transfer to a new job was anchored on our project. It wasn’t the cliché “I want personal growth” or “I got tired of my bosses” kind of reason, but it was about seeking greener pastures.

I needed the money to fund our family project, so I accepted the offer. Aside from that (and more importantly), I knew that I would receive back wages, which could help me comfortably finance our ongoing project. So, you see, transferring to a new job is not at all that negative as long as it’s planned, deliberate, and purposeful. The back pay that I received gave us a little reprieve from our monthly expenses. Because of that, I was able to save up money for our future overheads (or upcoming gastos haha). Again, it was an intentional move.

Celebrating my son’s 8th Birthday

On a different note, we celebrated Miguel’s birthday earlier this month. He’s now 8 years old, already a big boy. It’s just surreal to think that he is no longer a baby. And every year, I can’t help but ask, “Why do they grow up so fast?” Just the same, we are grateful because he is healthy and happy. Our kids are always safe and well. We still appreciate our weekend trips to the mall with our children, but we had to reduce the frequency and be more conscious of our expenses. We explained to Rafa that we had to be more mindful of how we spend money because of our family project, and we are thankful that he understood.

On recent SEO trends

Also, earlier this month, I finally convinced myself to do some research on the last few Google algorithm updates (particularly the Helpful Content Update) with the help of Copilot. It was rolled out in 2023 (if I remember correctly), and my blog was one of those severely affected. I never had the energy I once had to keep myself abreast with the latest SEO and other search updates, so I just let things be. I thought that my blog would recover naturally, but it didn’t.

Turns out, after careful research and assessment, my content isn’t exactly what Google would consider helpful content. While I do have a good number of helpful articles about travel blogging, my parenting articles, personal essays, and guest posts somehow diluted my authority and Google’s perceived helpfulness of my blog to humans.

As recommended by many SEO sites and even Copilot, I looked at my Google Search Console data and marked non-performing articles and non-helpful articles as no index. I was afraid of deleting and transferring articles to my other blogs because that would negatively impact my domain authority. I made that mistake once, tried to recover from it by republishing old articles, but I think it also did more harm than good.

So now, again, I just asked Google to deindex a good bulk of my posts. I’m hoping that it could somehow improve my organic search traffic. What struck me most, although Google denies it, is that E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) immediately equate to big sites such as news sites, scientific sites, well-established magazine sites, and other similar websites.

This puts small publishers like me at a disadvantage in terms of search rankings. At some point, you’ll begin to question if it’s still worth trying to improve your articles because recovery is not guaranteed. Then again, I can still carry on with enhancing my old posts, and if it doesn’t work, I can at least say I didn’t give up the fight easily.

As one travel blogger said in a forum, we don’t have to be at the mercy of the algorithm for our income. I enjoyed good revenue from my blog during its peak, but I also understand that the search landscape has changed considerably in the last 2 or 3 years.

Harnessing the power of AI

AI has been very helpful; I have to be honest. It has increased our productivity, and, in fact, it was Copilot that helped me with the recommended recovery strategy from Google’s HCU (just a matter of time to see and test if the recommendations are effective, haha).

So, it’s perfectly understandable why people are turning to AI to help them with their everyday lives, even with simple queries. In the office, we are encouraged to use the AI tools that we have to help us with research, inquiries, creating presentations, summarizing data, and many more. It’s a valuable advancement that we should all harness.

However, for my blog posts and articles, I still want to write them on my own. I enjoy the process of thinking and crafting an article because it’s a source of fulfillment for me. Again, blogging will always be an outlet for me and my preferred medium to connect with readers (even if you are just a few 😊).

Appreciating the journey

Then again, with all the noise and chaos in the social media landscape, don’t you feel that it’s a lot nicer to slow down and just enjoy the moments that we have? We don’t have to share everything and document everything online. Let’s stop trying to please those whom we don’t know and be more present for those who are important to us.

Live life well and to its fullest!

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It was hard to believe that Miguel is now 8 years old. He is already far from being a baby (in terms of his body size, at least haha), and he will soon be in his pre-teen years. This is the reality every parent has to face: seeing their children grow is like seeing a version of them, well, disappear. Just the same, there are always a lot of things to be grateful for.

Here are the 8 things that we are grateful for:

1. The gift of life

We are thankful for the life that we have, for being alive, and for being given the opportunity to be with the people that we love, to create a difference in the lives of the people around us through our passion, and to see the beauty of the world around us.

2. The gift of love

We are grateful because we are surrounded by people who love without anything in return, which is a big blessing. I’m lucky to have a family that is generous when it comes to showering us with love, my children most especially. I want them to grow up without having to feel that they are lacking when it comes to feeling the warmth of affection from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

3. The gift of health

We are thankful because we are healthy. Health is wealth; we can’t overemphasize that. Being healthy gives us the opportunity to share more years with the people who are important to us. At the same time, overall health gives us the means to pursue our passions and to be productive at work (so that we can adequately provide for our family).

4. To be surrounded by supportive people

I’m happy and thankful because we are surrounded by supportive people. This is particular for Miguel because he has teachers who truly care for his development and well-being, a tita/yaya who is very diligent in extending care beyond the usual activities of daily living, and a family that understands his needs and is willing to adjust a little for him whenever it is needed.

5. To have the means to support my family

I’m grateful for our work (Mommy Khris and mine) and the occasional blogging gigs. This allows us to support our family financially and indulge in occasional treats, travel opportunities, and family celebrations.

6. The small wins

We always celebrate Miguel’s small wins. We have come a long way, and we have finally potty-trained him. It’s not yet perfect, but we are getting there. We also love that Miguel is a happy boy. He doesn’t really have any major meltdowns, and he is generally content and comfortable as long as he is not hungry and he has the time for play.

7. Learning new things

In addition to the small wins and the skills that we helped nurture in Miguel, we also like that he is learning new things or activities at home. Again, these are just activities of daily living, but essential for him, especially in helping him grow up to be an independent person.

8. The new opportunities

We are thankful for the new opportunities for our family. Our dreams are slowly taking form, and we are grateful for that. Our children are in school, and we are thankful for that. We are able to maintain a small circle of friends, and we value that. The opportunity to teach our youngest, Rafa, to be kind and understanding to other children like his Kuya.

In closing, we are thankful for the life that we have. It’s not perfect (well, nothing is), but we are happy with what we have. Challenges may come our way in the future, but we pray for the strength to surpass them.

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• A Madagascar-Themed Party for Miguel’s 7th Birthday

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Samsung empowers PSD

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Having said that, I find it commendable that Samsung empowers Philippine School for the Deaf with Galaxy Campus Student Ambassadors

Empowering hearing-impaired students

This holiday season, Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation (SEPCO) brought the spirit of sharing and collaboration to life as Galaxy Campus Batch 3 student ambassadors joined the ‘A Galaxy of Giving: Turning Tables of Communication’ activity at the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD) in Pasay City. The initiative combined creativity, teamwork, and purpose, as students came together to contribute meaningful gifts that support learning and inclusivity.

Impact beyond the screen

Galaxy Campus Batch 3 student ambassadors teamed-up with PSD learners for a hands-on furniture-making workshop to design and assemble modular recycled furniture. The teams worked together on creating their designs on their Galaxy tablets and painted the assembled furniture. 

The completed pieces were given as a thoughtful gift to the school, one that inspires, uplifts, and creates a lasting sense of accomplishment. Together, ambassadors and learners celebrated this joyful season by creating, learning, and shaping a brighter future.

Galaxy Campus Batch 3 student ambassadors reflected on the activity. “This is a really fun way to nurture our creativity, as well as giving back to the community,” said Yowni Cueto from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, while Mishka Gotico of Miriam College harped on teamwork: “Even with differing communities, you're still able to shine amidst your differences. I like that we're really able to come together despite such differences.” 

Nikos Catanus of Iloilo Science and Technology University – Iloilo City Campus added, “The most rewarding part is we slowly understood each other. We bonded even though we're not used to communicating in each other's language. If you really have one goal, even if you don't fully understand each other, you transcend that border.”

Mr. Jordan Madronio, Assistant Principal and Officer-in-Charge of PSD shared, “I was very happy because they said they're [Galaxy Campus student ambassadors] learning sign language at the same time. These activities are very meaningful because they boost our students’ confidence, and our society is becoming more open to acceptance. They’re not just deaf—they’re empowered deaf people. What hearing people can do, they can also do.”

Jun Guevara, SEPCO Head of Corporate Marketing added, “Our Galaxy Campus student ambassadors are already influential digital communicators within their own spaces. Through this project of Samsung, we allow them to create impact beyond what they can do on screen. We reconnect with a hands-on activity to support an underserved community differently which makes this more meaningful.”

Epilogue

In the end, we all have a part in making our world a better place to live. We can contribute directly to projects that support our community, such as giving money, devoting our time, or simply supporting brands that push for positive impact to our society.

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How to start a kiddie savings account for your little one

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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) no less encourages parents, teachers, and guardians to expose their children to the habit of saving money at a young age. Starting youngsters early on familiarizes them with the banking system, thus giving them the knowledge to confidently deal with banks as well as other financial institutions.

Having a savings account also instills in young ones the value of responsible spending, delayed gratification, and investing.

In the Philippines, only 22.6% of the total adult population owns a savings account, according to the 2017 Financial Inclusion Survey conducted by the BSP. That means a staggering 77.4% of the population does not have a savings account.

Among the reasons cited for not having a bank account are, among others, lack of money, no awareness, and not seeing the need for it. If most Filipinos were exposed to banking early on, the habit of saving funds, whether for emergency or foreseeable expenses, would be part of their lifestyle.

Kiddie Savings Account versus Banking On Your Future (BOYF) Kiddie Account

In the Philippines, there are two most practical ways by which parents can start a savings account for their children. One is through the Kiddie Savings account, and the other one is through the Banking On Your Future (BOYF) Kiddie Account. Both are evidently targeted at children. However, the difference between the two lies in the features and the requirements.

Kiddie Savings Accounts are deposit account variants offered by most banks in the Philippines. Here is an example of the features, which are more or less the following:

• Initial deposit: Php500

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php500

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php500

• Interest rate: .50% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

• Other requirements to open a Kiddie Savings Account are the following:

• Filled-out Customer Information Form

• Latest 1×1 ID picture

• One (1) original valid ID for presentation to the branch and a clear copy of that valid ID (bearing photo and signature of the client) for submission to the branch.

For children below 7 years old, the savings account must be opened via an In-Trust For (ITF) arrangement. That means the parent or guardian accompanying the child must present one (1) valid photo-bearing identification document

Local banks offering Kiddie Savings Accounts

Here is a list of some local banks that offer Kiddie Savings Accounts:

China Bank Savings

• Product Name: Easi-Save for Kids

• Initial deposit: Php500

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php500

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php500

• Interest rate: .50% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

BDO

• Product Name: Junior Savers

• Initial deposit: Php100

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php100

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php2000

• Interest rate: .25% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

Metrobank

• Product Name: Fun Savers Club

• Initial deposit: Php100

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php500

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php4000

• Interest rate: .25% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

EastWest Bank

• Product Name: Kiddie Savings

• Initial deposit: Php2000

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php2000

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php2000

• Interest rate: .25% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

Security Bank

• Product Name: Junior One Account

• Initial deposit: Php100

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php5000

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php5000

• Interest rate: .5% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

BPI

• Product Name: Jumpstart Savings

• Initial deposit: Php100

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php1000

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php2000

• Interest rate: .25% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

PSBank

• Product Name: Jumpstart Savings

• Initial deposit: Php0

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php0

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php2000

• Interest rate: .25% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

Equicom Savings Bank

• Product Name: Kiddie Builders Savings Account

• Initial deposit: Php500

• Minimum maintaining balance: Php500

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php1000

• Interest rate: 1% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

RCBC

• Product Name: GoSavers

• Initial Deposit: Php100

• Minimum maintaining balance: None

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php5000

• Interest rate: 0.15%

• Documentation: Passbook and ATM card

Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive. There may be other banks that offer Kiddie Savings Accounts that are not on this list. For the complete features and requirements, visit your local bank or check its website.

BSP's BOYF Program

The BOYF Program, meanwhile, is a financial education and savings promotion project launched by the BSP in partnership with the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP). The idea behind BOYF is for banks to partner with schools, hold financial literacy talks and activities among school children, and encourage students to open accounts.

BOYF Kiddie Account normally carries the following features:

• Initial deposit: None

• Minimum maintaining balance: None

• Minimum balance to earn interest: Php500

• Interest rate: .50% p.a.

• Documentation: Passbook

Opening a BOYF Kiddie Account is a lot easier than opening a Kiddie Savings Account, as children are only required to present their school ID and a filled-out customer information form. Account opening is done within branches,   as deposit account opening outside branches is against BSP policy.

Currently, there are 13 banks, all members of BMAP, that offer BOYF Kiddie Accounts. These are: BDO, BPI, China Bank Savings, DBP, EastWest Bank, Maybank, Metrobank, PNB, PSBank, Veterans Bank, RCBC, Security Bank, and Sterling Bank of Asia.

Most of these banks accept walk-in applicants, but just to be sure, always inquire about the products they offer as well as the account opening requirements.

To summarize, here are the things that you need to keep in mind when opening a Kiddie Savings Account or BOYF Kiddie Account for your child:

Ensure that you have the complete documentary requirements needed to open an account. You may call your local bank or visit their website to check for these.

• Bring a 1x1 recent photo of your child.

• Bring one (1) valid photo-bearing ID, both yours and your child’s.

• For In Trust For (ITF) accounts (children below 7 years old), bring one (1) valid photo-bearing identification document.

• Go to your preferred bank and fill out an account opening form.

• Make an initial deposit if this is required.

Epilogue

That’s it! However, guiding your child toward financial literacy ultimately depends on you. Teach them the value of saving and spending only on necessary items. On the other hand, do strike a balance by rewarding them for a job well done. Remember, they also have to learn the value of responsible spending.

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As the days went by, my fears were soon alleviated when I realized how caring the other children at home were. They would always play with Miguel and Rafa, and, in the case of Miguel, they didn’t mind that he wasn’t responsive or if he wouldn’t even look at them when they played.

Moreover, Miguel has a cousin who is about a year older than him. I really appreciate him because he was always extra caring for Miguel. When one of the children took Miguel’s toy, he would take it back and give it to Miguel. When Miguel stumbled, he would always come running to help him get up. He would even shake off the dirt from Miguel’s knees. Whenever Miguel cried, he would talk to Miguel and play with him. And when it was time for him to go home, he would kiss Miguel and his little cousins all at the same time. I do appreciate that boy, I mean, he was kinder and more understanding than people who are much older than him.

In the past, I had fears of Miguel and my two kids in general, getting intimidated by older kids. But with their big cousin, I felt hopeful and enthusiastic that I need not harbor negative thoughts and just to trust human kindness. This situation at home has taught me that people are innately kind. The young ones have so much to teach us – the value of acceptance, kindness, and just being joyful with life. That young boy that I’m talking about has already been through some big setbacks, having come from a broken family. Still, he has so much love and cheerfulness to share.

He was always smiling and just plain playful like any other child. He is unbothered by his current situation, and I think that is beautiful. I do admit that I have so much to learn from this little boy. If we retained our childlike innocence, I think we wouldn’t have to hurt each other so much. Alas, the world is not like that, but that doesn’t mean that we should just let life’s trials get the best of us. As adults, we are in a privileged position because we have the power to choose. So, let’s choose to spread kindness whenever we can.

In a previous post, I said that understanding begins at home, and I’m happy because God has granted us that privilege through our loved ones.

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Fun Toy Finds #1: AlphaPup, Train Robot, Fire Truck Robot, & More

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Let’s start with the following:

AlphaPup

Miguel had an AlphaPup about two years ago but it got damaged because the battery leaked. We got one again from Lazada because Miguel was looking at it and holding it in a toy store, which you might’ve guessed by now was selling it at an exorbitant price.

AlphaPup

We like this toy because it’s educational – the cute dog sings the alphabet, recites items beginning with each letter of the alphabet, sings number songs, and asks its human to take him for a walk or to sing with him. It’s also quite a sturdy toy because it’s made of hard plastic.

Kids can tug it along like a pet and even sing with AlphaPup while they go on little adventures around the house. It’s good for boosting a child’s imagination, as well as their alphabet and number skills.

Train Robot

Rafa loves robots, especially the Transformers so he would ask us to buy a transformer robot every time. This battery-operated toy transforms from a train to a robot (and vice-versa).

Toy train robot

This was Rafa’s favorite for a few days, playing it non-stop until we had to change batteries. Miguel liked it too because it had dancing blue and red lights.

You can buy a similar toy in Lazada or Shopee.

Fire Truck Robot

For a time, Rafa was fixated on fire trucks. He loves watching fire trucks in videos and even imitating the sound of a fire truck siren.

Toy firetruck robot

With that, he made sure to buy a fire truck transformer robot during one of our visits to the toy store. It’s good for pretend play; Rafa was creating make-believe rescue situations using the fire truck robot.

Again, this toy is battery-operated and would transform from a vehicle to a robot. You can buy it on Lazada or Shopee.

Cake Toy

Again, this is a battery-operated toy. It looks fun because of its colorful lights (Miguel loves this) plus it plays a Happy Birthday song. This cake toy can also be part of your children’s pretend play activities.

Toy cake

You can buy a similar toy in Lazada or Shopee.

Happy Meal Adopt Me Toy

I keep on saying that we are frequent diners at McDonald’s and Rafa would always insist that we get him a Happy Meal. This is our most recent fun toy find at McDonald’s and I must say that it’s kind of cute.

McDonald's Adopt Me Toy

That about sums up our recent fun toy finds. I’ll also share our previous toy finds once I get to sort through the piles in our room. I’ve observed that Rafa tends to easily get tired of the toys that we buy but after a few months, he would be interested in them again once he sees them. So it’s practical to sort of revive his old toys.

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Here are the books that I got:

Agent Running In The Field by John Le Carre

This is a spy novel. I’ve read some novels of John Le Carre in the past, most notably “The Night Manager” and I remember enjoying the stories. Most of John Le Carre’s works were a mix of action and suspense, with some twists here and there because of the predominantly espionage theme.

On The Road by John Kerouac

I’m not familiar with the author but the story looked interesting because of the generally travel and adventure theme. I learned later on that this novel was published way back in 1957 and is based on the author’s travel experiences across the United States.

Billy and the Minpins by Roald Dahl

Who doesn’t know Roald Dahl? I think most people know who this author is. I personally love his stories, but I particularly bought this book for the kids.

The Adventures of Spider Man (Sinister Intentions)

I bought this comic book for Rafa. He loves Spider Man stories, and I thought that he would love the colorful comic book. I realized though that it seemed to mature for him, the topics I mean, so might as well just reserve this later on when he is a little bigger.

Epilogue

Anyway, I love the feeling of being excited about books. It’s such a pity that there seemed to be fewer people frequenting National Bookstore these days (I don’t know about other bookstores). I like the old feeling of running my fingers on the pages of books, flipping the leaves, the smell of books, and the thrill of reading.

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Photo by Tobias Dziuba

However, to come up with an answer, we needed to take a step back and assess how it was during our time or our days as teenagers. Growing up in the ‘90s, we didn’t have smartphones, the internet, or social media. 

Well, there was the internet, but it was not accessible to the common people. Plus, the user interface of websites during that time was crude, loading was slow, and you don’t pretty much get any entertainment from websites. The internet of the ‘90s was used mainly for office work or academic work/research.

We were disconnected most of the time from the outside world, and we didn’t experience bullying and intimidation on a constant basis. If there were bullies at that time, we only got to experience it at school or outside. But we were also with our friends most of the time when we were outside, and we can easily protect each other from other groups of kids who may want to intimidate us. 

Parang yung support system naming, nandun agad. May validation din agad coming from our friends (syempre may mga hiritan at lokohan din on the side), so kung ano man yung naramdaman natin na stress and tension from the experience, we can easily dispel those because we surround each other and protect each other.

And then going back to the kids these days, they are exposed to the online world, particularly on social media, at such a young age. Let’s admit it, social media platforms these days are full of trash, with content creators trying their best to go viral at any cost. If you are not careful, you see a proliferation of inappropriate posts (aka ladies dancing wearing skimpy clothes) and even uncensored road accidents become content or scoops for some unscrupulous individuals.

Then there are also content creators who post about unrealistic standards of beauty and success. We all know that young minds get swayed easily into believing what they see online as the absolute truth. As such, the a need for support and guidance from parents.

Then there are online bullies who are out there to rage-bait or comment negatively on posts. Kumbaga, ang objective lang is mambully online. Let’s admit it, mas madali mambully these days because they take comfort in their anonymity, unlike during our days, na bullies only act when they have an opportunity to do so.

And then dahil online nga, when young ones get bullied, they don’t have a support system readily available to them…walang mga friends or family na nandyan sa tabi nila to comfort them. So the tendency is for them to keep the negativity within themselves and for it to linger in their heads.

Anyway, it was just a theory from my colleague and me. During our youth, we were outside most of the time. When we were feeling lonely, we would take our bikes and go to our friends, and we would bike around town. We were constantly surrounded by real people, unlike these days when interactions are mostly online.

Just the same, to close this post, I urge everyone to show a bit of kindness during our online interactions. As our parents always say, keep in mind that other people are also going through something, a rough patch or a life challenge, no matter their status in society.

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He was elated because he had unlimited dried leaves and sticks to choose from. I could see him taking his time to decide which to pick. When he had finally found the toy that he was satisfied with, we decided to walk around the perimeter of the park and explore a bit. When we were finished walking, I saw that there were some high school students practicing a school presentation in the spot where Miguel had picked up his toy.

We decided to rest and sit on the concrete bench near the sidewalk. It gave us a good view of the people going about their business, both outside the park and in the busy street. A few moments later, two middle-aged ladies carrying broomsticks came into view. They started sweeping the fallen leaves and branches in the park. One nice-looking lady smiled at us and engaged in a little conversation.

“Naglilibot kayo?” she asked me if we were going around the park. I said yes, but it was because we were waiting for my other son to finish his daycare school.

“Tinola yung lunch nila ngayon,” she informed me that the kids in the school were having chicken soup and rice for lunch. I said that I saw the other parents preparing the ingredients for tinola.

Then to Miguel, she said, “O ikaw naman, ano ang name mo?”

She asked Miguel his name. Of course, Miguel didn’t reply because he was non-verbal. Miguel just smiled and laughed a little.

The lady said, “Dapat pang tinatanong ang mga bata, sumasagot.” She said that small children should know how to respond when old folks ask them questions. She said that in a pleasant tone, though, almost jokingly. She was also smiling the whole time.

That was when I said, “Hindi pa po kasi ito nakakapagsalita.” I said Miguel was non-verbal.

The lady said, “Naku, ok lang yan. May kilala rin ako na ganyan. Eventually makakapagsalita rin yan.” I smiled when she said that Miguel would learn to talk sooner or later.

“Gwapo pa naman, palangiti.” she and the other lady said. They said that Miguel was handsome and that he was always smiling. When it was about to rain, I said goodbye to the two nice ladies.

On a further note, when I introduce my son to other people, I don’t say that he is autistic. I mean, I don’t define him by his condition, and I hope other people will also not define (or brand) children with special needs based on their condition. I want people to get to know my son as a person with a name, and just like any other individual, he has his own unique characteristics and maybe even some quirks. He is a person with emotions, with his very own way of connecting with his loved ones as well as other people.

As for the lady at the park, we were happy because she did her best to understand our story. Some people might find offense with the seeming bluntness of other individuals. However, let’s not be too quick to judge. They may be unfamiliar with the uniqueness of autism, and it’s our duty or responsibility to also help them understand, to spread autism awareness.

In the end, what’s important is to display kindness and to treat each other with respect.

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I mean, it can somehow dissipate the impression that work (and the office, in general) is stealing away precious family time from them. It’s a great way to acquaint kids with an office setting and convey the message to them that work is not always about, well, parents trying to get away from kids. You get the picture.

Rafa's robot costume

Anyway, going back to our kids' costumes, we asked Rafa a few weeks before the event what he wanted to wear, and he said that he wanted a robot costume. We bought the robot costume from Shopee, and it looked really good when it arrived. 

In terms of the material, it was made mostly of cotton, with a combination of other fabrics for the robot parts. It came with a suit plus the headpiece. It had nice accents to complete the whole robot look. Rafa looked really happy when we showed him the costume when it was delivered.

Miguel's astronaut costume

Meanwhile, for Kuya Miguel, we decided to get an astronaut costume for him. He was already a big boy, so we wanted something that would suit his age and height. We also bought his costume from Shopee. It looked good in the photos, but it was even better in person. 

It was a silver, single-piece suit with some colored accents. It also came with a headpiece (which Miguel didn’t want to wear). It was really nice for big kids. Again, we were happy with the quality of the material as well as the overall finish and look. I think big kids will really like it because it didn’t look too childish, but also not too mature.

What’s even better is that you can reuse both costumes for, say, a school play. Both are great for kids who like to play dress up. All in all, we were impressed with the quality of the costumes we bought for our two kids.

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We also asked him if he wanted to have a celebration at school, but he said no. So, his birthday party at home was final.

Rafa and Kuya Miguel

As for this birthday theme, he said that he wanted a Roblox-themed birthday party. It seemed quite popular among kids these days. Anyway, a DIY Roblox-themed birthday party at home was easy to organize. For this, we just bought the following:

• A Roblox-themed backdrop (it was made of a silk-like material, a bit flowy, and unlike the usual tarpaulin printouts). Buy it on TikTok Shop.

• Roblox balloons for more fun and excitement. Buy it on Shopee.

• LCD panel sketch pad. Buy it on TikTok Shop.

• We also bought candies and toys for the Roblox-themed loot bags. Buy it on Shopee.

Rafa and his guests enjoying the food

We bought him his favorite chocolate cake and also organized games for the total enjoyment of the children. It was just the usual trip to Jerusalem, longest birthday greeting, stop dance, pabitin, and basagan ng palayok. It was lots of fun, with the kids enjoying the games, the prizes, and the food.

Rafa's cake

Roblox loot bags

Of course, no birthday party is complete without gifts. Rafa received his favorite toys (robots and cars) from his friends and cousins. 

Zuru Horror House toy

We also bought him a Zuru Smashers Horror House, which he has been asking us to buy for him a few weeks before his party. Being a fan of horror movies and spooky toys, I actually wanted that toy also for myself haha.

After the party

All in all, it was a happy day. We were grateful to celebrate Rafa’s birthday and happy to see that the children had fun.

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Loving Without Hesitation

One who will be at his older brother’s side to comfort him or play with him. I dream of seeing them like the typical brothers who are close to each other. On the other hand, I do hope that he doesn’t feel like we might be giving more attention to his big brother.

For some people, special needs parents might seem like they pour their attention only on their special needs child. While it might be true in the sense that we indeed have to give a lot of our time to our son with GDD, it doesn’t mean that we don’t spend time with our younger son.

In fact, from the very first day that we knew that we were having another baby, Mommy Khris and I made a resolve that we would never let our younger son feel left out. By that time, we already suspected that our eldest son might be within the autism spectrum, and we were already bracing ourselves for the hard work that awaited us.

Having read a lot about autism, I knew that it manifests differently in kids, hence, parents and caregivers can’t really tell what to expect. There may be meltdowns, sleepless nights, and challenges when it comes to food.

Brothers

I told myself that we were up to the challenge. But the truth is, I was also a little scared when I found out that we were having a second baby. Scared because I know that two small children would demand attention, and I was afraid of not being able to give equal attention to both of them. I wanted our son to feel safe with us and that he fits perfectly well in our lives.

Anyway, since we really can’t predict what’s to happen next, I just told myself to take it one step at a time.

When my second son was born, I prayed hard that he would be neurotypical, especially because we were told by the doctor that there is a greater chance of developmental delays in younger children if an older child has them.

My second son liked his mother more than me. I’m not sure if it was because we had to sleep in a separate room for more than seven days when he was about two weeks old, because our older son had a cough. He might not have been used to my presence because of that.

Now that he is a toddler, his mom is still his most favorite person in the world, but I’m proud to say that I come in second place. I have no problem with that at al,l especially since we’ve come a long way from the time when he would cry incessantly when I held him. I just have to exert more effort to be closer to him, and it paid off.

The only way for a child to not feel left out in a family is to shower them with the same amount of love and attention, and that’s what we do to our second son. He is a happy and contented child. He is as playful as any other toddler. I do hope that he remains a happy and loving boy when he grows up. Someone who is supportive of his older brother.

You know how children change when they grow up. They create their own world, and sometimes they’d think that there are no other people outside that personal bubble. Change is inevitable, and we have no control over that, but I just hope that my second son grows up to be a gentleman. The same goes for our first son. I hope he also grows up to be kind and the person that he wants to be.

Whatever happens, we will love them both with no hesitation.

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The Beauty Of Unpredictability In Children With GDD

In fact, if you look at the bright side of things, it can actually be an exciting journey. Life for special needs parents (and kids) can be full of surprises. There are moments when you’d just be amazed when your child would suddenly do something outside their usual routine. I’ve heard my non-verbal son blurt out words once or twice (and never repeat them again) out of nowhere.

But what I like most are the moments when he would just approach me, hold my hand, and then gesture for us to play. Sometimes it would be a game of "hide and seek," at times it would just be running around, and most of the time he would just ask to be carried around.

When he asked to be carried, I used to toss him in the air. I could do it effortlessly when he was little. He enjoyed it very much. However, he’s quite a big boy now. Much bigger for his age, so carrying him is already proving to be a huge challenge for me.

If my arms, legs, and back become sore, I just try to remind myself that he won’t be a small boy forever. He’d grow up and probably make a life for himself someday (we’re praying for it). The same goes for his little brother, so I’m cherishing every moment of it.

My happy little boy

Let me reiterate again that it’s not always bright and all smiles for us; I’d lose my temper when I get so tired. That’s the reality of parenthood. That’s part of taking a special needs child. Nevertheless, I try my best to stretch my patience by a few kilometers more when things become too stressful for us.

Anyway, one afternoon, I persuaded my son that we should go inside the house because it was already getting dark. As usual, he asked me to carry him, but just as we were walking towards the gate, he tried reaching for the clothesline. I jokingly pulled him away just as he was about to touch the wire, and then he laughed nonstop.

He tried reaching for it again, and I pulled him away just as he was about to grab the clothesline, and then he laughed heartily again. My son was laughing so hard that I just let him be. I didn't want to spoil that beautiful moment. I teased him a few more times because I just wanted to hear him laugh. I only stopped when it was already too dark to see the things around us.

That was just one of those precious, unexpected moments with my son that I cherish. It's a privilege to be a special needs dad.

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My Son’s Unpredictable Sleep Pattern

My son had good sleeping habits until he was a year old. Back then, he would go to bed early. We’d put him to sleep; sometimes he’d sleep on his own. Our only complaint at that time was that if he slept early, he also woke up early. Eventually, my solution was to go to bed early and then take him to the common area of the condo unit when he woke up. I liked that routine because it also allowed me to exercise early in the morning. My son ran a lot, so all the chasing gave me a good morning jog.

However, things started to get a little crazy when he turned two years old. The restrictions were imposed, and we just moved to my in-laws’ home in Quezon City. He’d wake up at odd hours, like 2 in the morning or 11:30 in the evening. It was at random hours.

In the first few days, Mommy Khris and I thought that he was just adjusting to the new bed and the new environment, in general. After around two weeks, though, he was still like that. He’d wake up, then he’d start to laugh and shout, and then jump around. Sometimes he’d cry nonstop.

By this time, we’d already had him assessed by the developmental pediatrician, and we already knew that he had Global Developmental Delay (GDD). We initially had no idea if it was GDD that was causing our son’s irregular sleep pattern, but after doing some research, we found out that one of the characteristics of children with GDD (as well as autism) is sleep interruption.

During all of those moments, he just wanted to be carried. He’d cry when I put him down. I’d be able to put him back to sleep at around 4 or 4:30 in the morning. Sometimes, I’d have an hour or two of sleep before my son woke up.

At times, I’d have no sleep at all before he woke up. It was a good thing that work was suspended during that time, so I could afford to sleep when my son was finally asleep. But as we all know, one isn’t really able to catch up on lost sleep. Lost sleep is lost sleep. When one is sleep-deprived for days on end, one can already feel its effect, especially for someone like me who is already in their 40s.

When I began to report to the office a few times a week last year, there were days when I’d have only two hours of sleep. I’d try to sleep on the bus on the way to the office, and that one hour of extra sleep is very precious to me.

When I lost my full-time job and focused on freelancing, I saw that as a blessing in disguise because I could sleep a bit more in the morning. My wife is working full-time, so I let her sleep when my son woke up.

I imagine other special needs parents are just like me. They’d also be struggling; sometimes they’d be asking questions about why things are not the same for them as other parents.

Oftentimes, we have no clue or idea about the things that are happening in our lives; we just have to exert an extra effort to navigate our way through the confusion. Yes, that’s it. We’re often left confused in the midst of thinking of ways to make a good future for our kids.

When my son and I are awake in the dead of the night, I sometimes lose my temper and patience. I do admit that you’ve been in a similar situation, too. I do admit that it’s a work in progress for me when it comes to those areas.

But it’s only because I’m tired – we’re tired. It’s not because I love my child any less. It’s just a natural response when one is drained. So when that happens to you, forgive yourself. In the end, we only have ourselves to turn to.

The load is also a little lighter for us because we have a yaya (nanny). I can imagine how hard it is for parents who don't have any help at home and do everything on their own. It's enough to drive one crazy.

Anyway, my son has been sleeping well in the last two months. I can only recall two instances when he woke up at odd hours. It helped that we gave him Mosegor Vita Syrup. We heard that this multivitamin supplement promoted good sleep in kids, so we decided to try it. It’s been beneficial for my son so far.

To end, I’d like to say that if you are a special needs parent like my wife and I, just do your best to be patient. I know things are not always ideal for us; we may get angry and flare up, but just think that our kids only have us to take care of them.

I believe that being a special needs parent is a noble purpose, and I hope that alone is a big enough reason to encourage us to carry on.

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Starting All Over Again (GDD & Regression)

The school personnel told me that the initial assessment was necessary since my son has been away from school for around six months. That was fine, especially because he would have a new teacher since his former teacher wasn’t available in the schedule that we got.

Getting my son to go up to the classroom was a challenge. I think it was because he hadn’t been outside with other people for too long. It was a struggle, but I was able to finally bring my son to the classroom and leave him with his teacher after much crying and trying to escape.

After the initial assessment, I had a talk with the teacher. She told me her observations, with particular emphasis on my son’s ability to focus and concentrate. That had always been our issue, so I said that it would still be part of our goals.

However, what got me a little concerned was the feedback that I got after my son’s first session. My son was very cooperative when we arrived at school. He was even smiling when I told him to go up the stairs.

When the assessment came after the therapy session, the teacher told me that she had a hard time getting my son to sit still and concentrate. He would insist on doing the activities that he loved, which were the alphabet and numbers. Well, I was expecting that.

I began to worry, though, when the teacher told me that he couldn’t get my son to do the shape-matching activity and the vehicle form boards.

I was a little shaken because those were my son’s favorite activities during his previous therapy sessions, even in our home program. He aced the shape blocks and form board tabletop activities that his former teacher told us he didn’t seem to be challenged with anymore.

Now, here we are starting all over again. I asked the teacher if my son had regressed, and she said that it seems like it. She couldn’t get him to wipe his mouth and face and pack away his learning materials.

You see, one of the hallmarks of Global Developmental Delay (GDD) as well as autism is regression. This means that the child has lost the previous skills that he has learned. Admittedly, I was somehow at fault because I focused on other activities in the last few months. I thought that since my son previously enjoyed shapes, he would continue to do so even if we didn’t practice them. Now, we're back to square one. Well, it should have been a continuous effort on our end.

What I did was to slowly introduce the activity again in my son’s daily routine. It was hard at first, but in the second and third days of convincing my son to do the activities, he’s slowly warming up to them.

We’re also trying to get him to wipe his face after eating or after his playtime. I know we’ll get our groove back slowly but surely. It’s just a matter of not giving up and never stopping to wallow in the past.

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8 Common Issues That Parents Face When Raising Kids With Autism

Let's see what the 8 common issues that parents face:

1. Behavioral Issues

It can be frustrating and difficult to deal with a child who has severe behavioral problems, such as aggression and irritability. This is often one of the most challenging parts of parenting a child with autism. They may have outbursts and tantrums where they hit themselves or others, scream uncontrollably, and bite themselves or other people.

Behaviors are also inadvertently or accidentally reinforced by the caregiver. Caregivers sometimes ignore or give in to behaviors to avoid a tantrum, such as giving in to a request for food or not knowing how to help with fecal smearing. They may also reward negative behavior by letting the child stay up late or watch TV when they were behaving inappropriately and should have been sent to bed instead.

2. Communication Problems

Parents often experience communication problems with their autistic children. Many times children who have autism don't know how to communicate what they want or need, and other times these children don't feel comfortable doing so.

Difficulty in communication can lead to frustration for both the parent and the child, so much so that parents of children with severe autism are unable to communicate with them at all.

3. Social Interaction

A common issue that parents face when raising children with autism is related to social interaction. Many children who have autism do not know how to interact with other people, especially in social settings outside of the home.

Image by Bianca Van Dijk from Pixabay

These interactions can be difficult for both the child and the parent, who will often have to help the child behave appropriately. Not knowing how to interact socially can make it difficult for children with autism to make friends or be accepted by their peers.

4. Stress and Frustration

Being a parent is tough, but being the parent of a child with autism can be even tougher. Stress and frustration are often some of the most common issues that parents face. Parents may feel like they are not equipped to handle the challenges of raising a child with autism, and some even end up feeling like giving up.

Some parents of children with autism may feel like they lack the knowledge and understanding that they need to care for their children. They may not know which therapies or treatments work best for their child, or even how to help them at home, due to a lack of training in this area. It can be frustrating when you don't know where to turn or who to talk to.

However, parents need to realize that they aren't alone in these feelings and that there are many organizations out there that provide support for parents of children with autism.

5. Impossible to Organize the Home

Due to the behavioral issues that children with autism often have, it can be difficult for parents to maintain a clean and organized home. Cleaning up after an autistic child who is having an outburst or tantrum is very challenging, as they may destroy parts of the house or throw things around in frustration. When this happens, organizing the mess and cleaning it up can be impossible.

It's not just during a tantrum that organizing and cleaning are difficult. Many children with autism often have difficulty focusing on or taking part in daily chores such as making their bed, tidying up toys, picking clothes to wear, and taking care of their hygiene. This can make it challenging to maintain a clean, organized home.

6. Not Having the Time For Themselves

Parents often do not have enough time for themselves, and this is especially true when they're raising a child with autism. This may be because parents spend much of the day caring for their children, planning activities and therapies, or just trying to keep them occupied.

As well as not having enough time for themselves, many parents neglect their own needs to care for their children. As a result, the parents become overwhelmed and exhausted, which leaves little time or energy for themselves.

7. Sleepless Nights

It is estimated that as many as 60% of parents with children who have autism have trouble sleeping at one point or another.

This lack of sleep can result from the child's frequent nighttime awakenings, bedwetting, talking in their sleep, or nightmares. It can also be due to hyperactivity during the day, which can make it difficult for children to calm down and fall asleep.

It's important for parents not to neglect their own needs for sleep, as a lack of it can make them irritable and cause them to be less patient with their children. Parents should remember that they need a healthy amount of sleep to function properly.

8. Lack Of Support

Many parents of autistic children feel like they lack support from family members and friends when raising their children.

Many times, relatives and friends do not understand the challenges that parents face in raising a child with autism, and this can lead to them not offering much help or support. It can also lead to them not understanding why things are done a certain way, and treating the child as if they do not have autism.

And it's not only with family members and friends that parents lack support. Some parents do not receive enough support from their employers or teachers, causing them to miss work or school for long periods to care for their children. This can put a strain on the family's finances and cause problems at work if they are not able to make up for the time missed.

Epilogue

Parents need to understand that raising children with autism is an ongoing journey, not something that is concrete or final. This means that there will be many periods of trial and error until children can behave appropriately in certain situations, communicate their needs, have meaningful social interactions, etc.

Parents should not be discouraged by this journey but rather stay strong and keep working towards the best outcome for their child with autism.

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Positive Affirmations For Tired Dads

Dads do get tired, too, but people will not hear them sharing their feelings. That’s because most dads still prefer to put up a strong façade. Even in this modern day and age, dads are still expected to remain as strong as a rock, the pillar of the home.

Just the same, we have our own way of coping. Most dads are able to hurdle the stress and day-to-day challenges that come their way and still muster the energy to take care of their family.

Admittedly, though, there are times when things get a little too much. I’m sure you’ve been through days when challenges just keep on coming with no sign of mellowing down anytime soon. In moments like this, it’s good to stop for a while and make positive affirmations.

You’ll realize that things will become a little bearable and may even begin to get better soon. Here are some of the things that you can do:

Forgive yourself

Some dads can be perfectionists and become too hard on themselves when they make mistakes, whether at home or at work. I know because I also am on a lot of occasions. Sometimes, I would even nitpick and make an issue out of small things.

When all we look at are our mistakes, our minds can become too cloudy, and we may eventually begin to tell ourselves that we are such failures. Of course, that’s not good because it can lead to even bigger disasters, so to speak.

So, learn to forgive yourself for committing that mistake, for losing your temper, or for being emotional. After all, you’re just as human as anybody else, and you deserve that second chance (or more).

You’re doing just fine

When I was just a new dad, I had the tendency to compare myself with other parents. I still do, really. It’s just that I realized later on that there’s no point in comparing myself with other parents. After all, I don’t even know what they’re going through. Thus, I just do what I think is right, and I’ve learned to trust my instincts.

As long as something isn’t bad for my kids, then that’s totally fine. I don’t have to be like other parents, and my kids don’t have to be similar to other children.

You're enough

I sometimes feel that I’m not good enough. When things become too much, I feel that I’m not able to give enough for my family – be it time, money, or my own skills. I begin telling myself that I’m not good enough and, at times, come to a point where I wish I were somebody else or give up altogether.

When that happens, I stop and try to put things into perspective. Take it slow and focus on one task or issue at a time. Later on, the feeling of being overwhelmed will go away. You will gradually regain confidence and feel that your efforts are enough.

You're worthy of respect

Whoever you are and whatever you do, remember that you deserve all the respect in the world. Start by being respectful to yourself.

It’s okay to rest

At the end of it all, we are just humans, and we grow weary of the many things that go around us. The bills, the mortgage, and keeping your family together – these all take their toll on us. Allow yourself time to rest and recuperate because, well, you deserve it.

Prayer is powerful

Don’t forget your faith and spirituality. Pray and lift your worries to God. It doesn’t have to be the usual prayer that we memorize and repeatedly recite. I think personal prayers and “conversations with God” are even more powerful and effective.

Epilogue

These are just a few of the positive affirmations for dads that I can think of. Honestly, I still don’t feel 100% fine, but I get by. I’m still irritable on many occasions, but I do try to manage it. I try to see the good in things even if it’s hard. I’m also beginning to pray a lot again, and I can feel that it’s helping me get through.

How about you? What positive affirmations for tired dads can you give or suggest? You’re welcome to put them in the comment section below.

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Celebrating Miguel’s 4th Birthday At Home

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Miguel’s 4th birthday theme

Even if we were just celebrating at home, we wanted to make it fun for our kids so we still came up with a birthday theme. We opted for an astronaut and outer space theme for Miguel’s 4th birthday because his interest in Cocomelon’s Planet Song was rekindled last month.

To be able to realize this theme, we just ordered a backdrop, balloons, cakes, cupcakes, and shirts carrying an outer space design. Thanks to Shopee, we were able to buy the materials that we needed.

For Miguel’s birthday cake and cupcakes, we ordered from Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes, makers of premium customized fondant cakes and cupcakes in Metro Manila. We were impressed with how good-looking the cake and cupcakes were when they arrived.

We were just glad because, even if we were just celebrating at home, we were still able to make it joyful for our kids through this cake from Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes. Rafa, most especially, had his eyes on the astronaut fondant, and he kept on trying to snatch it even before our celebration started.

By the way, we had a very minor concern when the cake arrived because it had the number one on top of it instead of the number 4. Mommy Khris informed Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes about it, and they just said sorry for the mistake.

However, in just a few minutes, we received a call from Lalamove informing us of a delivery. It turned out Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes sent the correct number. The number 1 was perfectly fine with us because the cake looked very beautiful, but we appreciated the gesture of Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes.

Aside from looking amazing, the cake and cupcakes also tasted good. As such, we highly recommend Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes for your theme cake needs for any occasion.

If you want to order from Charm’s Cakes and Cupcakes, they are located at 789 Quirino Highway, Quezon City. You can check their designs on Instagram or www.charmscakes.com.

What we prepared for Miguel’s birthday

We prepared simple birthday party food items for the kids. There was sweet spaghetti, pork barbecue, and fried chicken. In the end, we were just glad to be able to celebrate Kuya Miguel’s 4th birthday and see our two kids grow healthy and happy.

Epilogue

No matter how simple celebrations are, they become more meaningful and unforgettable as long as you are with your loved ones and you are happy. This is Miguel’s third pandemic birthday, just the same, we are happy because he is growing up to be a sweet and jolly young boy.

Time indeed flies so fast. I can still vividly remember when we were waiting for his birth in the hospital, and now he is a tall four-year-old.

We can only wish for him to grow up to be a confident and responsible man who is not afraid to stand up for what is right.

Happy Birthday, Kuya Miguel! We love you, Anak!

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Photo by cottonbro studio

Anyway, I didn’t want to try it because of my personal beliefs and convictions. I figured that rage baiting isn’t exactly a legit method because you are not really adding value through your posts. You are just inciting anger and triggering people to react in a negative way.

Why I decided to try rage baiting

I decided to try rage baiting out of pure curiosity. I run a family travel and lifestyle blog (which has evolved into a mishmash of the things that interest me, like food, culture, toys, and old TV shows that I enjoyed as a kid). Having said that, the comments that I get in my social media posts were mostly respectful and civil. I haven’t experienced dealing with controversial and negative interactions just because my posts were also on the not-so-provocative side.

Furthermore, I wanted to see how people would react to an angry post. At the back of my head, since I don’t have a firsthand experience with bashing, I still believe that many people would engage in meaningful and intelligent conversations even in the midst of a negative topic. Well, I was wrong and I was too naïve for having that mindset.

How I did it

The issue of a couple changing their dog’s diaper in a baby-changing station was still very hot at that time. I honestly get triggered by those types of topics because I often see people in malls who are somehow similar to those persons, such as owners who put their dogs on top of pushcarts or on chairs.

Anyway, one weekend, I saw a lady whose small dog was sitting on a chair in the food court. I was a bit irritated because the chairs were intended for humans, and I thought that dog owners should be responsible enough to bring their own dog strollers. Normally, I would let similar situations pass and carry on with my day. However, during that day, I decided to experiment and ride with the scorching topic of the couple with their dog in the changing room.

On that day, though, three ideas popped into my head:

1. Tingnan ko nga kung ano ang magiging reaksyon ng mga mga tao pag nag-post ako ng tungkol dun sa nakita ko. I still believe that we are humans na pipiliin pa rin igalang ang isa’t-isa since ang issue naman involves a dog.

2. I still wanted to see if people would engage in rational debates even if triggered sila. Rational meaning based on facts and experience.

3. I also wanted to see which platform would rake in the most negative reactions. For this experiment, I chose Facebook and Threads.

Finally, I created my post. I wanted it to be as raw and spontaneous as possible para mas feel yung emotions and, hence, mas mabigat ang dating. I posted it on my Facebook page and on Threads.

Mas naunang nagkaroon ng reactions and comments sa Facebook page ko. Most of those who commented agreed with my post, with one fellow blogger giving her thoughts on the matter and backing her ideas with facts (such as links to articles on the internet debunking the usual ideas of people that dogs are not clean, etc.). She was respectful, and I was thankful for her because I learned and realized some things and concepts that are new to me.

It was very different at Threads, though. I was expecting Threads to be a safer place because I had the impression that it was a platform dominated by users who got tired of the negativity over at Twitter. Well, I was wrong. When my post finally got traction, I got mostly hurtful comments from people who were mostly just hurling expletives and ad hominems, even from individuals who claim to be “advocates.”

I mean, if you are advocating for something, might as well be kind and logical so that when you stand up for your advocacy, you are backed by facts. Some people were even questioning my own advocacy. I realized later on that it wasn’t such a good idea to expose myself too much, and that was probably the reason why many rage baiters don’t use their real accounts.

That was also the time I realized my experiment somehow backfired because I thought I was ready for it. Apparently, I was not, and I didn’t want to do it again. I opted just archive my post for fear that it might go out of hand.

What did I realize after this experiment?

I realized that in this day and age, people could still be bullies. I understand that we should think before we post, but we should also keep in mind that many people who are angry are very spontaneous on social media. We can react and correct them in a very kind and reasonable way, without having to intimidate them (or each other).

I also realized that, no matter how long I’ve been in the content creation field, I still don’t like negativities. I understand that it’s the reality of social media content creation and blogging, but I still get affected, so I should steer away from those types of content strategies just to get engagement.

In hindsight, I also realized later on that I might be too old to make a big deal out of content creation. If people like my content, then I’d be grateful. If people don’t like my content, then that’s also fine. It’s not the end of the world, and it wouldn’t make me less of a blogger. In the end, the whole idea of content creation is to gather individuals who are of similar interests and mindsets. And let's try to be kind at all times!

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