"YOU CAN'T GO."

My eldest, going seventeen, is now in her second year in College taking up Broadcast Communications. She's doing good in her studies and even made it to become one of the President's & Dean's listers on her first year. A college student but in her father's eyes, that's me, she's still my baby.

With all the news about young girls being abducted and abused, Pinoy parents will do all they could do to protect their children from harm. I would remind Jann daily as she goes to school, as parents always say, "Don't talk to strangers." Everyday, I would request her to send text messages of her whereabouts. Bus terminal, Train station & school premises. It's my daily routine to check on her. Not to be over protective but to make her feel that she's important to us, especially to me as her father.

One day, she sent a text message, "Can I go watch a movie after class with my classmates?"

I immediately responded, "You can't go."

She replied, "I really wanted to see that film."

I just said, "Think of my reasons why I don't want you to go."

Later in the afternoon, after class, she said, "Papang (that's how my kids call me), I'm about to go home."

I believe there are things we could do in the right place and in the right time. My daughter understood my point without even telling it to her. I once told her, "Doing the right things in the wrong time is wrong."