‘Let our kids be kids and make sure they enjoy their childhood’
“Wala kasi kaming New Year’s resolution. We just aim to improve ourselves each time. Like I still work on living healthy and I encourage my sons to do the same. Take up swimming seriously. Be there for my two boys, but at the same time give them more independence because they’re adults now—one is working already and the other’s graduating.”—Ruby Gan
“Come home often to see my son —he’s in Leyte with my Mama, and I’m working in Cebu.” —Larisse Tan
“All I could think of is…to not screw up!”—Sheila
“We are very hands-on with our 8-year-old son Jake. From his academics to his social life and extracurricular activities, we make sure we are always around to guide and support him. Our resolution this year, as it has always been, is to expose him to more of the amazing things this world has to offer. Travel more, explore more, experience more to help Jake be a more well-rounded person.”— Josephine Dy-Liacco
“This 2012, my goal is to put an end to my unnecessary daily dose of expensive pick-me-up drinks (frappuccinos, milk teas, fruit shakes) so I can instead allot more money for more important things like my daughter’s medical/health insurance.”—Mark Sablan
“I intend to be more consistent with disciplining Mio. It’s hard, especially when I feel the need to overcompensate for being too busy or pressured, but at the end of the day, if I want my child to be responsible, I can’t keep letting him off the hook, even if it’s something as simple as not finishing his food. Teaching him responsibility when it comes to being in charge of the things he brings when we go out, his allowance (from the holiday ampaws), and his point/penalty system (he knows what merits him rewards and what gets him grounded) will be up to him. I hope!”—Jasmine Mendiola
“As a parent, my New Year’s resolution is be more attuned to my family this year. I will try to be less consumed by the not-so-important things and instead make every day count by making my daughter feel how much she is loved. I will take more photos and shoot more videos of our daughter, for she is only young once and I want to treasure those fleeting moments forever.”— Cesca Tolentino-Amurao
“I want to be more patient with them and to have more time to sleep and take naps with my kids. Walang palo, as much as possible. And no bad words in front of them and my husband.”—Michelle Paguia Nishizawa
“It’s not a New Year’s resolution. It’s what I try to do every day—to be the best person my daughter will ever know in this lifetime. I pray for better health for her this year.”—Tenten Abella
“This year, I will cook as often as I can for Isla.” —Ina Estacio-Verzosa
“I’d like to work more, save more and travel more this year. My daughter is still a year old but I can’t wait to show her the world.” —Jake Verzosa
To be fit and healthy
“As parents, my wife Sonee and I have resolved to adopt a healthier lifestyle, to take care of our health and improve our eating habits. Admittedly, I wasn’t so health conscious in the years before we had our daughter Isha. Now that she’s over two and about to start school, we’re more conscious of the fact that we have a long way to go in raising her. We have to keep healthy so we can continue to support and nurture her. We want to still be fit and healthy even when she reaches her adulthood and beyond.”—Jayson Brizuela
“I will avoid multitasking when I’m with Carlos Miguel. Whenever we do stuff together like playing with his toys, or when I’m teaching him something new, I always run to my laptop and check my inbox or Facebook and/or tidy up something. I realize that he might not recall how messy the place was, but he would remember how much fun we had playing with his race cars or drawing an alien! I have been so wrapped up with the idea that we are always together that I have taken this for granted. This 2012, I vow to spend more quality time together with him, explore the little things that ticks with 4-year-olds, and I will make sure that Carlos Miguel has my absolute attention!”—Ivy Manalansan-Casaganap
“I resolve to prioritize family time this 2012.”—Chely Esguerra
“1. Spend more time with our kids, Noah and Moses.
2. Make sure Noah gets to school on time, all the time. That means up by 7 a.m., out of the house by 7:30 a.m.
3. Less time on the gaming consoles and Internet, more time for reading. Buy more books and less Transformers.
4. Organize and declutter our home.
5. Take more pictures and put them up on our family wall.
6. Blog about our family adventures more (www.crashtestdaddy.net)
7. Swimming lessons for the kids this summer.
8. Draw up travel plans for 2013, our first trip out of the country as a family.
9. Let our kids be kids and make sure they enjoy their childhood.
10. Be more the persons we want our kids to be.”—Mark Parlade and Nike Sevilla
“More outdoor activities for a healthier family. Thanks to electronic gadgets like iPhone and iPad for giving our fingers their daily dose of exercise. In 2011, Whatsapp and other online social media got my attention most of the day, while my daughter kept herself busy watching cartoons on YouTube. Likewise, music and games snatched away hubby’s attention from us. Talk about family quality time and healthy living. So for this year, we will try our best to spend more time together playing outdoor games, jogging at least three times a week, or simply walking around the vicinity after dinner. Doesn’t require any expensive tools, just an effort from hubby and I to move our butts after a long day at work and get into more physical activity with our precious daughter. Off to the park now, let’s do this!”—Jennett Gualberto Arriesgado
“I really don’t believe in waiting for the new year to change oneself. This year, I will be more supportive to my kids and will devote more time, especially on weekends.”—Alma Cala-Buenviaje
“To be more health conscious. Hubby and I are not getting any younger. And to spend more time with our daughter. Having this in mind, we’ve already planned a perfect family getaway for 2012.”—Smile
“I shall refrain from doing everything for my daughter and I will introduce her to independence little by little.”—Mae Fernandez Lee
“Since my eldest is already five years old and my second child is one, I must take into account that they have different characters, behaviors, needs and topak (quirks). My resolution: to open to them all means of communication. I will try to understand that when they cry, it’s not because they’re in pain, but may need attention. I will try to understand that frequent eye blinking is not because of long TV watching but a sign of stress or boredom. I will try to give them a ‘high-five’ when they’ve done something good. I will kiss and hug them and show them more appreciation”—Anna Narciso David
“For 2012, I plan to teach my 10-year-old son DJ—and also myself—to be more aware of the importance of investing. This is not just about money, but also about investing our time in activities we believe in, and investing in enriching experiences that will develop our minds, spirits and bodies. I have given DJ a new coin bank that he can put his small savings throughout the year. My wife and I hope to teach our son the discipline to go beyond instant gratification, and instead work on attaining bigger goals that are earned through work and sacrifice.”—Dimpy Jazmines