I grew up in a home where spanking was a form of enforcing discipline. I wasn’t a bad child, but I got quite a few of those hard whips from my dad’s belt - left my butt stinging for days. It didn’t help me much growing up, though. It was a scare tactic and though [...]

Most single mothers find it hard to set their kids up in a good school. No matter how much we want to send our children to the likes of Ateneo, La Salle or Assumption Antipolo, we just can’t afford the horrendous tuition fees; especially if we do not receive any financial support from our parents [...]

My boy’s 8 now, and soon he’ll be experimenting with his body. Feigned shock! Every boy goes through it; wet dreams and everything else involved in the natural process of growing up. The problem is, I’m not sure if I’m well equipped (no pun intended) with the knowledge. For obvious reasons, I don’t know how [...]

As a child, I never had to deal with bullies. Maybe because I grew up as a tomboy, and lived the first 7 years of my life in the slums of Mandaluyong. I do remember a midget I was really scared of because he said he was going to marry me one day. I can’t [...]

When I am in pain, I just need someone to be there beside me. Not to share my pain, but to sit beside me and tell me that everything will be okay. Someone to take my mind away from whatever it is I’m feeling by holding my hand or embracing me. Because honestly, there’s no [...]