This was written ages and ages ago but the sentiment remains the same....
IT'S ONE thing to know that your child is growing up, another to accept it.
Everyday, Ned, Naki and I get on our trusted Chug-a-bug or Dolores (VW
Beetles) and drive off to school and work. It's our way of being
together, even if only for a short time, before going our separate
ways for the day.
Usually, we drop Naki off at the school gate then continue on to the MRT station. Since the road leading to Quezon Avenue from Edsa opened, however, I've taken to going down at JASMS with Naki and then taking a taxi from there to the office. This week we've been extra early and I figured I could use the opportunity to walk my son from the gate to
his classroom. I didn't figure in the feelings of my young "binata".
"Why are you following me?" he asked, the first time I accompanied him in. As I explained to him the whys and the merits of bonding, he rolled his eyes (in desperation? in disgust?). He cheered up visibly when he was met by a classmate and made sure he got away from me as quickly as possible. He then disappeared into the classroom without nary a glance at me, his poor suffering mother.
Walking slowly along the corridor, I looked at myself, wondering what it was about my dress style that made my son want to stay away from me.
Well, I don't know if it was prompted by guilt or something else
but the next thing I know my son is back with his friends. Smiling
broadly, he tapped me on the arm and held out his hand. "Can I have something extra?"
Ha! Prompted by money pala.
This morning, I dashed after him as he sprinted out of the car into the gate.
"Hoy," I hollered. "Wait for me!" He slowed down a little
then speeded up when I got a little closer. Determined to catch up
with him (who doesn't love a little challenge, right?), I placed my
arm on his shoulder to slow him down. He let it rest for a minute,
looked around, and then shrugged my arm off.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Bringing you halfway to your classroom," I responded.
(You should have seen his face light up! No classmates to see his mom bringing him to the classroom!)
As we walked along the pathway, I whispered softly to him, "You knowwhen you were a little younger, you would beg me to take you all the way to your classroom." My son smiled sheepishly in response.
"O kiss na," I told him as we reached the halfway mark. "Kiss na," I prompted. He looked around first, made sure the people behind us had gone ahead and bussed me quickly on the cheek.
Boys!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009 Update: Naki's now in highschool and we usually drop him off at the MacDonald's near his school. It's easier, this time around, to get my goodbye kiss. The reason? The car's tinted!!!
IT'S ONE thing to know that your child is growing up, another to accept it.
Everyday, Ned, Naki and I get on our trusted Chug-a-bug or Dolores (VW
Beetles) and drive off to school and work. It's our way of being
together, even if only for a short time, before going our separate
ways for the day.
Usually, we drop Naki off at the school gate then continue on to the MRT station. Since the road leading to Quezon Avenue from Edsa opened, however, I've taken to going down at JASMS with Naki and then taking a taxi from there to the office. This week we've been extra early and I figured I could use the opportunity to walk my son from the gate to
his classroom. I didn't figure in the feelings of my young "binata".
"Why are you following me?" he asked, the first time I accompanied him in. As I explained to him the whys and the merits of bonding, he rolled his eyes (in desperation? in disgust?). He cheered up visibly when he was met by a classmate and made sure he got away from me as quickly as possible. He then disappeared into the classroom without nary a glance at me, his poor suffering mother.
Walking slowly along the corridor, I looked at myself, wondering what it was about my dress style that made my son want to stay away from me.
Well, I don't know if it was prompted by guilt or something else
but the next thing I know my son is back with his friends. Smiling
broadly, he tapped me on the arm and held out his hand. "Can I have something extra?"
Ha! Prompted by money pala.
This morning, I dashed after him as he sprinted out of the car into the gate.
"Hoy," I hollered. "Wait for me!" He slowed down a little
then speeded up when I got a little closer. Determined to catch up
with him (who doesn't love a little challenge, right?), I placed my
arm on his shoulder to slow him down. He let it rest for a minute,
looked around, and then shrugged my arm off.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Bringing you halfway to your classroom," I responded.
(You should have seen his face light up! No classmates to see his mom bringing him to the classroom!)
As we walked along the pathway, I whispered softly to him, "You knowwhen you were a little younger, you would beg me to take you all the way to your classroom." My son smiled sheepishly in response.
"O kiss na," I told him as we reached the halfway mark. "Kiss na," I prompted. He looked around first, made sure the people behind us had gone ahead and bussed me quickly on the cheek.
Boys!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009 Update: Naki's now in highschool and we usually drop him off at the MacDonald's near his school. It's easier, this time around, to get my goodbye kiss. The reason? The car's tinted!!!
Latest update:
Naki's now in college and just the other day, his tatay and I dropped him off at school to avoid the transpo strike. "Kiss, pleaaa.." but before I could finish my sentence, he'd sped off towards class. "Late na ko, 'Nay"
BOYS!!
BOYS!!
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beautifully written! and sooo true!
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