At this present time and living in a modern world we notice how modern technology changes the way of living in every person all over the world. Sometimes we just follow what is new and trending just to make us not ignorant in the modern world. Even how we raise our children is a lot difference now compared to before. Filipino parents now our more focused on how they can give their children the best that they can do that sometimes the attitude of children also change because of the lack of attention and love that parent can give to their children. All they know is that they can give materials things to their children and send them to a good school and give them what they need without knowing that attention, love, caring, and support is still the number one that we can give to our children. Also, modern technology has a big role in a part of the growing up of every child. If parents let their children know how to use modern technology that is the time children will become more focused on gadgets rather than focus on their studies.

What is Independent for Filipino Children?

An Independent is a person that is not dependent on another person. It is the ability to think freely and to talk about what is on their mind without hesitation. In the Philippines, because we are now living in a modern world most Filipino children now are more independent compare to before. At present, Filipino children can think freely, talk freely, and act freely without hesitation. This ability that they have right now is one of the ways that we called modern upbringing. Children that have a lot of information gathered from his or her environment and the support of their family can be as independent as an older person. The dynamic outgrowth of Filipino children is very fast and they can imitate other skills and talent without their knowledge or without the help of other people. Filipino children now have a lot of courage and determination in what they want and in what they are doing. They know what is going on around them and what is going on outside their home. They are not ignorant of what is happening outside. Children now are more active in social media and have a lot of knowledge and information compare to before.

However, independent children are different from an independent person. Because an independent person is mostly an older one that they can live alone without their family. They can decide their own and work for their own needs without the help of their parents or family. Independent living for adults are now also using in the Philipines, they can support themselves and live by themselves without their family. While Filipino children who are independent on their own have different needs and meaning. They are independent in a way that they can express what they want, what they need, and their opinions also not neglected. Somehow, parents or elders teach their children to speak themselves and not afraid of having mistakes. Because it can help them to learn from their mistakes and think the best way not to do it again. This somehow helps Filipino children to be more independent than before.

Positive Side of Independent Filipino Children

1. Children that are independent can have a positive point of view in their life
2. Filipino children that is independent can act freely and live freely
3. They are more joyful and easy to understand
4. They can treat their parents as their friend
5. They can share their ideas and point of view without hesitation with their family, friend, and also with their teacher.
6. They can easily have friends without judging others
7. They are open to new challenges and willing to learn new skills
8. Filipino children now have the freedom to speak themselves and freedom on what they believe

Negative Side of Independent Filipino Children

If there is a positive side to being independent children in the Philippines there is also a negative side of it. We all know in the Philippines, Filipino has a cultural belief and practice in raising their children. It is an important part of each family to raise their children in a conservative way and they influence their children on how to develop their self to be family-oriented in the future. Filipino family raises their children in a more respectful way than other foreign families. But somehow due to the modern days Filipino parents also change their way on how they raise their children. They even do things different from before. Elders always remind the parents on how to raise their children in an old way but at present parents now are more on the easy way of raising their children than doing the old way.

Here is the Negative Side:

1. Filipino children sometimes become too lazy when it comes to studying their lessons in an old way. They want to learn their lesson through a modern way like searching it in a Goggle than searching their lesson in the dictionary.
2. The attitude of Filipino children also changes because of modern technology and the social environment.
3. Being independent for children also change their way of thinking and their state of mind in everything around them. They sometimes too mature to think about a situation base on their ages.
4. Although being independent helps children to have more self-confidence, it also has a negative impact on the way they see things in a positive way.
5. Children now very engage in modern gadgets that sometimes they forget to focus their studies and spend more time playing with their playmates.
6. Being independent for children also not help in a way their behavior change like they sometimes forget o respect to the elders using “po or opo”.
7. The development of Filipino children who have an independent mind also has a negative effect on the way they speak because sometimes they think that being talkative or expressing themselves is good at all times.

How Filipino Children Become Independent on their Own

Being independent for Filipino children is not bad at all, but for the Filipino family, some of them still believe that raising their children and teaching them in an old way is still good than following the trend of the modern way of how children should be. Teaching independence is for children at this present is now easy because of the technology we have now and because we are now living in a modern world. We are now in a growing country that we almost follow the trend of living with the influence of a foreign country. Filipino parents teach their children at their young ages how to have self-confidence and how to manage themself on their own. Some parents leave their children in the home without worrying about what will they do if their parents are not around. With simple instruction and briefing, Filipino children can understand that they should be more careful and more strong if their parents are not beside them.

• Take responsibility for their action. It is one of the very important things that we should teach our children. To be more responsible for what they do. Parents should always let their children know and understand their mistakes so that they will correct and learn from their mistakes in their growing up.
• They should show how to earn your trust. Being responsible and independent as children they should learn how to earn the trust of their parents, family, friends, and people around them. They should be responsible for everything they do so that they can secure the trust of their parents.
• Children should know how to prioritize things properly. Ho to manage and prioritize things is important for children who are independent-minded and independent by themselves. They should learn what is their priority first and what should be their last priority. This kind of thinking show how Filipino children become more independent on their own.
• Open for communication. Children that are independent in many ways are very open to what they feel and what they really want. They are the future of the Philippines and for that, at their very young ages, they are now vulnerable, adorable, confident, strong, and intelligent. Their determination and courage will put them on what goal or dream they want in the future. Letting themselves to discover and learn many things without depending on others.

Filipino parent teaches their children to not depend on them for everything. They want their child to grow up with self-confidence and be responsible for what they doing. At this time school also teach the children how to be independent and don’t rely on others for all the activities they perform in the school. Teachers should always there to support the needs of the student but not to the extent that they will give everything to them. They should learn how to get the things they want by themselves. Having goods grades in not depend on their teachers or their parents but it comes from their diligence and hard work. They should also learn to be independent in many things like expressing themselves, communicating to others, respecting the opinion of others, and most of all to learn how to accept their mistakes.

Independent children are now growing in the country, they are not like the children before who are timid and very shy that they cannot speak and stand by themselves. Children before cannot do things without the help or permission of their parents or elders. They always wait for the assurance of their parents and guardians before they can do the things they want and learn the things they need. Filipino parents before very focused on raising their children especially the mother who assign to take care of their children’s needs. Bothe parents know their responsibilities at home and in their family, the father should be the one who earns money or needs to work while the mother should stay in the house for their family needs. The mother is there 24 hours for their children’s needs, like food, clothes, and everything. They are the one who sends their children in the school and helps their children in school assignment and teaches them. Sometimes a parent who bring their children to school they also wait for their children to school until it will finish their subject. They cannot leave their children alone in the school because they are worried that their children will go outside if they leave them inside the school.

Conclusion:

Here in the Philippines, one of the important factors is family. We cannot survive if we don’t have family around us, supporting us, loving us, understand us, and staying with our side no matter what. We are successful in our own way but the most awarding is that we have our family behind us.

Today, when I remember how my parents and my grandparents raise us it’s very different now compare to before. I remember before that we always wait for our parents to cook for us and feed us. We start eating if everyone is there and everyone is in a good manner on the front of the table. We should always on time in front of the dining tables. We always pray and clean our hands before we start eating. Our family always there for us to help us take a bath, clean ourselves before going to bed, prepare the things that we need in the bathroom or in the bedroom, and always lend their hands to feed us. We cannot stand on our own when we are young. Because we always depend on my parents especially our mother, my sibling and I are very dependable to our mother because if our mother is not around we cannot do things or think right without our parent’s help.

However, at this present time raising my child is different from before in many ways. I see my daughter how she becomes more independent. I can leave her in our home without worrying about what she will doing or what she feels. Because I know how independent she is at the age of 7 years old, she is now more carefree, she is a very understanding, and strong girl with a lot of courage to her self. She knows that I’m a working mom. She is not dependent on me for many things because she can take a bath, prepare the things that she needs on her own and she knows how to take care of herself. She can always eat by herself without the needs of the people around her. I can also rely on her with the things I need. She always by my side and not a burden in my life but she is my joy and my happiness. I always count on her every time I feel tired or exhausted. I can say that she’s a very independent person even if she’s only 7 years old. She thinks very matured and I can talk to her as an adult or as my friend. I don’t treat her like a kid but I treat her like my friend. She can speak on her own understanding, express her feelings, and what she wants and what she doesn’t like. She is very understanding and she also a very responsible daughter. She knows when to keep her things in proper and manages to know her priorities in life. She also helps me with household chores and doing things with a joyful heart. I thank God that I have her in my life and that I raise her without any regret.