One, two, three, four, five
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten
Then I let it go again.
Why did I let it go?
Because it bit my finger so
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right…
I don’t know why, but I’ve been humming this Nursery tune the whole morning… LOL! Well, we don’t have a kid around in the house anymore, Gem, the youngest, is 16, and I don’t have grandkids yet, and somehow, I miss having a baby around. And so when I hear a nursery song that my kids used to sing before, it would stick to my mind. Hence this morning when I heard the neighbor’s four year old daughter singing this rhyme it never left me the whole time.
I’m a ‘play with kids mom’. I play with my kids. When they were still small, I kept track of the latest toys in craze, the most hip and cool kiddie gadgets, my favorite of which were those of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Donatello and Michaelangelo - and what do you know - I also collected NBA cards for my two boys!
I am not the typical authoritarian type who would just throw dagger looks at my children in order for them to behave or obey. I place myself at level with them, though of course, I exert parental authority when needed. And they better know it when I really mean the big ‘NO’; N-O! and the warning word - STOP!
Last Sunday when we were at Ayala Center in Makati, (this is getting to be my favorite hangout every time I go to Manila) middle child Aypee and youngest and only girl Gem were in the mood to play games with me. They were running all over the place, hiding behind posts and in dressing rooms, giggling and laughing at me as I desperately searched around for them. I knew they were trying to test my patience, endurance - and sense of direction. You see, I have a disability which is getting more serious as I age. I HAVE VERY POOR SENSE OF DIRECTION THAT I EASILY GET LOST EVEN IN MALLS!
At first, I was enjoying myself. I felt like a child once again playing hide and seek. But after half an hour or so, I got tired. I felt exasperated that I could not beat my kids into this thing. No way. Why would I allow these two naughty youngsters to smart me out? An idea struck my mind. I went inside a restaurant and sat there to wait and see if they would come to search for me. True enough, in less than five minutes that I was seated, they were coming to me, huffing.. “Ma, why did you leave us? We have no money here. I thought we would shop!” That’s my shopping girl of a Gem.. Haha! See? They needed me after all! I now know what aces to play next time around.
I do that too, sometimes. Walk from them so they will come after me and stay with me. Especially when I did not bring my eyeglasses, I really have a hard time looking after them. See, they did know they would need you.
Smart move to just go and sit inside a restaurant …
I, too, sometimes suffer from a poor sense of direction.
Julie! They thought they could outsmart their mom, no way..!
Hi, Eric..! You too suffer from poor sense of direction? And I thought I could count on you! Haha!
I thought Donatello and Michaelangelo were the names of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Or are we talking about a different set of Ghostbusters?
I wouldn’t get lost inside a mall, but I think I would need help going from Mega A to Mega B in SM Megamall, hehe.
What if they had money that time? hehe
Well, you surely got the ace there
Kathy! Haha! Matanda na talaga ako, I got mixed up with Teenage MNT and Ghostbusters! I corrected it, thanks.
Hay, naku, me? even in a small department store, I’d get lost!
Dimaks, I seldom give them money when we go together shopping, that way, I can have control over everything.. wise, eh? hehehe.
I miss this song; used to listen to it when I was very, very young!
Hehehe!
Know what, Kyels, this song was from a cassette tape that my husband bought in Kuala Lumpur when he went to Malaysia in 1994! When my kids became too big for nursery rhymes, I gave it away to a neighbor friend.
Oh so you were in Makati last Sunday? Sayang, if you had gone to the Gateway Mall instead you might have seen me, Toe and all… LOL.
Oh the kids, nephews and a niece would not like to hide on me whenever we are in the mall, because if I go, they have no Cards to pay their stuff, and if they try, I can always go the the parking lot and move the car somewhere else and have them worry for a few minutes there.
yeah, wise mom!
SMART move!
You still know how to outsmart your kids eh!
You outsmarted them, alright.
I also give in to my boys when they want me to buy certain toys. And I also play with them, usually the board games.
It was only my oldest son who enjoyed the TMNT toys. Lego blocks and Pokemon cards and games were their biggest craze, and still is up to now for my youngest one.
I have poor sense of direction too. I usually have difficulty finding where I park my car. It is hard getting old!
I, on the other hand, prefer to give them money so I can go shopping on my own peacefully and not to worry about keeping track of them. All I do is worry, anyway if I can find one of them. I only give them small amount, ($20, $40 the most each) and they have to learn to maximize their money by availing of the discount sales. We each go on our separate ways and I just tell them to be at our meeting place at certain time. I am amazed at how my little one can buy so much stuff out of the little money I gave her. She finds cute clothes under $10.
OMG… I think this is why I have no kids… I don’t think I would be able to outsmart them at all. My little nephews and nieces could always outsmart me in anything.
ha ha ha ha!!! they should have known — the one who holds the purse, rules! so, never never mess up with the purser. anyway, i’m sure it was fun. these kids — they have the zest! the energy! Happy Easter, dear!
Hi Tita Rhodes!
hahaha you had LSS (last song syndrome) huh. That happens all the time. When I play with my baby niece, I always sing Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing lol.
Ayala Center is a good place to hang out.
Snglguy… sayang, ang saya sana!
Haha! Vic! I can just imagine!
Dimaks, strategy lang yan.. hehe
Yes, LAR. Problem is - they are maturing very fast, I can’t ignore their opinions anymore!
Niceheart, I love Lego too! My kids practically grew up with Lego. We have kept their set for my future grandkids to play with, maybe.. hehe.
Hi, Belle! Nice to see you again, friend!
Maybe your little one haggles with the salespersons… puwede ba yun dyan sa States?
Or perhaps she really has great patience in looking for great buys at the least price!
Toe, never let them outsmart you! Just remind them, “who is already earning between us, anyway?” Then pretend to do your shopping list for Christmas… you’ll see - they will be angels in an instant! ..
Dine! Truly - never mess up with the purser! haha!
Happy Easter too, my friend!
Verns, I am the one who always laughs last! Haha!
Yes, I like that place, really… not so crowded.
lol! ang kulet!
at their age ha talaga lang you’re kids do that at the mall..
teka teka hehehehe
ako pala at this age nakikipaghabulan pa rin sa mga bata
That’s one way to beat the advantage of youth hehe.. They had to look for you and not you looking for them
If every one has a cell phone not sweat - you know you’d eventually link up with them 
Melai, sinabi mo! Ay, ako din, ganyan! Second childhood na siguro.. hehe.
BW… I’m the boss around here, you can ask my hubby.. haha!
They have cellhones too, but they are so stingy when it comes to texting or calling me, but with their friends… hay naku! Non stop!
Happy Easter!