The essence of being a proud Filipino should never be downplayed. Finding the right reasons for kids to be proud of their country is something that parents need to consciously do if they want their children to love their country.
So how do you go about it? Here are some ways that parents can cultivate love of countryin their children:
Go to our museums
Take advantage of the fact that the National Museum circuit has free admission for the month of June. Make a family excursion out of it for the weekend and continue discussing what the kids saw after the trip. Ask them which were their favorite pieces and research more about them on the Internet.
Travel across the country
Before taking them to Hong Kong, Singapore or Japan, why not explore Tagaytay, Baguio, Puerto Galera or Bohol? Now is the time to impose on relatives' hospitality and introduce the kids to their lolos, lolas, titos and titas in the provinces.
Speak to them in Tagalog or your family dialect
While fluency in English is a must-have, Winnie Monsod and other experts have long touted that children should learn first the mother tongue. Help your child learn the language you speak with your own parents whether it's Kapampangan, Bisaya, Waray or Ilokano.
It is important that they grow up with a native language before learning English. It can do wonders for their Sibika and Filipino grades too!
Expose them to media about famous Filipinos
Choose your role models carefully. If your child is enthusiastic about a sport or hobby, look for a Filipino leader in that area. While celebrities and famous personalities are also viable, make sure that you balance this out with entrepreneurs, leaders, experts, scientists and other Pinoys we can all admire.
Check out our gallery for Independence Day to see some women who make us proud to be Filipinos!
Click 'Continue Reading' to find more ways to teach your kids to love our country.
Feed them Filipino food
While we know it's difficult to get them to love our more exotic or vegetable-based dishes, regularly presenting them with native delicacies can help our kids develop pride in our country.
Feed them bistek, adobo, pochero and longganisa from various provinces before moving on to pakbet, kare-kare and binagoongan. Don't forget about our favorite pastillas, espasol, puto and haluhalo.
Talk to them about how they can help the country
Our country is beautiful but rife with problems. Don't be afraid to talk to your kids that being successful in our country in whatever field or profession they choose can help the country immensely. Talk about the work that doctors do in the provinces or how setting up a business in our country can create jobs for people who desperately need them.
Teach them Filipino games like agawan base, tumbang preso, piko
Nothing gets kids excited more than games. Recall all the sidewalk games you played with cousins and neighbors--especially the ones with the questionable rhymes (we're looking at you, Langit-Lupa). Take a weekend or afternoon to teach them these games. Buy a jackstone set or show your kids how two spiders and barbecue sticks could be better than an on-screen Pokemon battle.
Tell them alamat and other Filipino stories
Instead of the usual Hans Christian Anderssen Fairy Tale, why not find some books about Maria Makiling, how the siniguelas fruit came to be and what mystic creatures lurk in the provinces or in our own back yard?
For bigger kids, you may want to get them into local comic books like Kajo Baldisimo and Budjette Tan's Trese, Tepai Pascual's Maktan or even Rob Cham's Light. All of these showcase Filipino artists, culture, history and literature in modern treatments that engage children.
Pinoy Pride develops over time
Keep in mind that anything you want to teach your kids requires time, patience and love. Buying a Philippine flag, making them wear patriotic shirts or other nationalistic paraphernalia won't work or make the lessons stick. The key is to expose them to the good sides of our culture (they’ll find the bad sides on their own) and let them derive their own take-aways from the experiences.
Did you know that fostering pride in our country can lead children to become better people who empathize and work for their fellow human beings? Studies have shown that countries actually signify social groups where children can learn cooperation, competitiveness and other positive values and habits. All in all, having Pinoy pride builds character.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dana Santos
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