Parent-Child Bonding Moments

On any given day…at any stage in life–whether consciously or sub-consciously, parents and their children get close and set up a special relationship through different bonding moments.

Mother-daughters do this through shopping, cooking, reading books, etc. Father-sons do it through sports, outdoor activities like hiking/camping, or cars.

Growing up, I’ve had (or still continue to have) very defined (albeit, UN-typical) bonding moments with my parents.

I’m not sure if my parents realize that I’ve “bonded” with them through these but…

With my Mom, it has always been through watching TV. Now we’re not die-hard TV show fans by any means. Somehow it just happens that my Mom and I both LOVE to watch Filipino teleseryes (soap operas) on The Filipino Channel (TFC). There are certain shows we just went “ga-ga” over through the years… Maging Sino Ka Man with Eli and Jackie (John-Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo), Dahil May Isang Ikaw with Miguel and Ella (Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa), and now, Walang Hanggan with Daniel and Katerina (Coco Martin and Julia Montes), and Dahil Sa Pag-Ibig with Alfred and Jasmin/Oliver and Agnes (Piolo Pascual and Christine Reyes/Jericho Rosales and Maricar Reyes). There are more shows I didn’t mention, but these are the more recent ones I can remember off the top of my head. We also like the ones Erich Gonzales have been in (Katorse, Maria La Del Barrio).

I have to point out that my Mom is more of a bigger FAN of teleseryes than I am. She is more the I-can’t-afford- to-miss-these-shows type, while I don’t go crazy if I miss an episode or two (as long as she tells me what I missed…hehehe).

I’ve bonded with my Dad through work. Always been that way. Every summer while I was in high school/college, I worked at the swimming pool company my Dad worked for. I made lots of money doing over time during those summers!! It was around those times that I learned how to work hard, make money (spend money too!!), and what it was like working in the real world. It’s just funny that after many years, I am now back working with my Dad, this time as a real estate agent like him.

I don’t remember many moments when I’ve bonded with my parents when I was younger. I do recall when I was around age 6/7 and Mom would take me to her office at S.G.V. (Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co.). I would pretend to “work” as well, while she went about her day. Looks like my bonding moments through WORK started with Mom and not with Dad after all…

This makes me think consciously about how we–Terrence and I–bond with Miguel…IF he’ll remember the conscious efforts we are making to bond with him now.

I know with Terrence, his special time with Miguel is spent playing outdoors…either going to the playground or playing in the backyard. Miguel just has a blast every time he’s with Daddy and is given free rein to be a boy and get dirty (hehehe).

As for me, my bonding moments with Miguel are more the quiet moments…book-reading, story-telling, teaching-learning, bedtime…that type of stuff.

I wonder how our bonding activities with Miguel will change over time. I hope he enjoys us and our company as long and as much as we enjoy his.

How do you bond with your child? Do you make a conscious effort to do so?

My bonding time with Miggz: some reading moments spent at Barnes & Noble. Sometimes he doesn't want me to read and prefers to TELL the story instead. He always starts with, "ONCE upon a TIIIIIME..." So cute.

Diego Overload!! Miggz saw Baby Jaguar from Diego on a shelf, so he picked it up. I gathered a few more Diego pieces for him to read/play with. His favorite was the book with the clock. He kept asking me, "What time is it, Mommey, what time is it?"

And of course...a stop at Barnes & Noble is not complete without Miggz playing at the Thomas & Friends train table display. The hard part is when it's time to leave. He cried and cried when we left the bookstore. I don't blame him...I LOVE B&N myself!!!