How to make 15 Local Kids happy! for 90 piso (no, not a giant big Mac)

:D Thought for a peaceful Monday! Over the last week, the local kids here, have not been to school. like all kids, they got Bored and were getting into Mischief. Thinking about Oz Tony's Wall Seats mmm what can we do?

Off we went to Uni Top. 6 bags of marbles @ 15p each bag 10 marbles to a big (a mixture but there you go)

So Daughter gave the Marbles to the kids, outside the Sorry Sorry. To our surprise, not only, did they Share them out nicely, they divided the 60 marbles equally between those that were there, 15 in total at that time.

You would have thought, we had give them, the Crown Jewels (UK saying, for expensive gifts.)

I remember well, a Good Game of marbles, was not only Competitive, but taught us, all about cheating.

Anyway, a Couple of Parents, I spoke to at the shop this morning (Which prompted me to Start this Thread) asked if I had been a teacher, NO! I said why? well not only, have you made them happy, seems you understand kids and they are at it again this morning. (ME! Understand kids Ha Ha! seems I know how to buy them Off, joke, Sorry, my bad) but also, you have given the girls a chance to join in, with the boys. {something I guess that does not normally happen here.} hmmmm until they are older maybe
Not earth shattering World news I know but a little something we (The Foreigner) with our families,can do to make some of these kids lives, a little better,


Any Body?? surely, it is not just Oz Tony and I, that think of the Local Kids

Morning All. JP

 

When I go to the local general merchandise store in Bacong, to buy something they have all those jars of candies on the shelf. Generally any change I get I buy some candy and give it out to kids. I just figure it is a good way to build a bridge to them and cost very little. Takes the fear of a foreigner out of their eyes, when you pull the candy containers off the shelve and offer them some. I think it is a good way to teach the kids were are not as evil as they may been taught.

 

I remember when I was out walking in the 'bukid' and I managed to accumulate a following of 20 local kids that were amazed to see a foreigner in those parts. My main concern was to 'buy them off' to get them out of my hair but I wanted to do it in a nice way so I walked up to a local sari-sari and asked if he had 20 ice candies. Cost 20 pesos (cheap in the bukid) and result was 20 happy kids. Just lucky he had so many in stock.

 

So many people also asked if I was a Teacher when I was there, because when I spoke English to them, I spoke it word for word instead of running all the words together as we do here in Oz. They seemed to appreciate the way I spoke to them so that they could understand what it was I was saying, and telling them if at anytime they did not understand me, feel free to interrupt and ask me the meaning. I plan to teach anak and her cousins how to Speak, Read & Write in English when I am back to help them with their future careers.

I know the FIRST thing I will be doing when I am back is buying Lice Shampoo and Lice Combs! Most Filipino I spoke to regards this barely show any concern, I assume it is so common, no one is really concerned with addressing the problem. I want to bridge the gap, but I think it is better to do so by making sure that the kids are treated regularly, and instead of edible treats I plan on buying small educational Games like the Flip Cards etc where the older kids can learn and the younger kids can follow the lead.

Maybe I am looking at it the wrong way, but I keep thinking of the old story about giving a man a fish f or a day or teaching him how to fish for his future...

When my (ex) Brother In-law was alive he went to Cebu and spent around $200 buying Lollies and treats, then drove around the villages beeping the horn and throwing lollies to the kids then off to the next Village and did the same thing, then when they got home he blew around a grand buying free drinks for everyone at his Father In-law's House. I spoke to several Filipino regards this to share my views and they were of the same opinion, whilst the kids would have loved it, and the adults more so with all the free drinks on hand, we felt it was paving the way where kids would expect the next unsuspecting foreigner to throw them lots of sweets and treats, mobbing them which could panic those not expecting something like that. I/we felt he was setting a bad example by doing what he did.

What are the views of others regards giving in such ways?