Philosopher Adi and Other Stories

It is interesting to hang around kids. They say things that totally surprise you.

Now that I spend more time at home, I get to interact more with my children and am really amused by some of the things that they say. Here are a few stories:

STORY NUMBER 1:

Adi (my 10-year old) and Ali (my 4-year old) were in the room playing with some plastic coin banks. Ali was asking her kuya (i.e. Filipino term for older brother) to do something with one particular coin bank (what she wanted, I do not know). Adi, however, was not able to do what Ali wanted him to do so Ali was angry that she did not get her desired result.

Ali: "You fix it!" (Adi and Ali argue back and forth about the plastic coin bank.)

Ali (sounding frustrated): "You destroyed it, you fix it."

Adi (sounding very calm): "What's done is done." (Manuel and I stopped what we were doing and looked at Adi wondering: "Where did he get that?")

STORY NUMBER 2:

Ham is a staple in Filipino homes at Christmas time. My parents bought Chinese-style ham and after it was cooked, Adi asked: "Did Chinese Ham come from a Chinese pig?"

STORY NUMBER 3:

Before Christmas time, kids are excited about the coming of Santa Claus. All Filipino parents then use the name of Santa to the hilt to get their kids to behave.

Ali: "It's almost Christmas!"

Mommy: "Do you think Santa will give you a gift?" (Ali nods her head.)

Mommy: "Have you been nice to kuya Adi?"

Ali: "Yes. I clapped for kuya even if he did not catch his yoyo. He likes it when I clap." (Ali redefines the meaning of nice.)

STORY NUMBER 4:

Ali: "When I grow up, I want a house just like this." (Ali is referring to the house of her grandparents.)

Mommy: "You tell Lolo (grandfather) to build you a house like this."

Ali: "I can build a house like this?"

Mommy: "Yes, but first you have to have a lot."

Ali: "A lot of money?" (Well, you do need that too but I explained to Ali that a "lot" is a piece of land on which you build a house.)

STORY NUMBER 5:

Adi and Ali are most of the time arguing with each other. One time, while in our room, I could hear the two discussing:

Adi: "You bothered me first!"

Ali: "You bothered me second!" (So, no argument there, I guess.)

Hang around your children. They will entertain and amuse you. You will surely get tired in the process but hey, nothing great comes without great effort -- parenting included.