Sly, Sleuth, Slick

The other day I called Pao at home from the office. I was going to check up on him knowing he would be having a unit test the following day. When he got on the phone and I asked him whether he had reviewed already he said "yes." I would like to doubt him because he has somehow learned that by saying "yes" to some questions it ends further questioning. Like at one time, he was watching tv but the condition was he should first keep the toys he put out in the living room. When asked whether he had kept his toys already, he quickly answered "yes" obviously not wanting to be disturbed watching Chowder, I think it was, on CN (Cartoon Network, that is). But then, when I went downstairs, lo and behold, he lied! Naturally, he had to pay for it. The tv got turned off, and he had to keep his toys.

Anyway, he sounded a bit convincing when he said he had reviewed already so I took his word for it. I then asked him what he was doing. He said he was watching Santino, a tv soap about this young boy who is shown to be able to talk to Bro, or what is made to appear as God in the show. Personally, I'm not fond of Tagalog soaps. Their plot is always predictable, which is the least of the criticisms I have for them. Exclaiming surprise and questioning disapproval, I asked him why he was watching that show. Of course, I knew also that his companions at the house at that time were our 2 household helps and his lola. With that, no explanation is really needed anymore, right? But I asked anyway.

Pao said he wanted to know more about Santino, a conviction in his tone. He said when he was at the mall one time, with his mom, he saw this shirt with a picture of Santino praying. I was stopped short from questioning his motivations for watching the show when I accepted the one good point going for the show which I myself cannot argue against- it teaches religiousity in kids. Now, who am I to go against Bro? Plus, I was also reminded how when I was a small kid I also used to follow Gulong ng Palad, also a Tagalog tv soap opera about a boy who was shown to be suffering all the hardships in life and overcoming all of them. And then there was also Flor de Luna and Ana Liza, two other soap operas, ... but hey, there weren't any cable TV then! And no remote control to change the stations from the couch. There was only that dial that you had to turn on the tv itself.

Anyway, back to our phone conversation...

"Papa, I love you," he then said.

Awww... Ok, you can watch Santino, I believe you already that you've studied your lesson already. Hearing those words from your child from just out of nowhere really makes a jello out out any parent pretending to be hard as a rock.

"I love you, too."

"Uhmm, Papa, on Friday are you going to give me a reward.. if i obey?"

Rewards and punishment. That's how I've been able to discipline him and motivate him into doing what I want for him to do. So, now he has gotten used to having a toy on Friday but only on the condition that he had done good in school for the whole week. But then, honestly, I'm also sometimes just using it as an excuse to buy the toys that I myself like. But then again, this is not about me.

He asked for Skids, the transformer motorcycle in the movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen". I told him that I don't think it's being sold yet. He said he saw it in the Block, a mall north of Metro Manila. ANd then he followed it up saying, "Or maybe a Gormiti toy na lang." He knows how to provide alternatives already for his benefit!

And the ever doting father that I was, I can only say "OK".

Mental note: Check out Toys Kingdom at the Block before Friday for Skids.