The other day my eldest son approached me with a piece of paper torn off an old notebook and said - “Mommy gawa mo ako ng boat?” (Mommy can you make me a paper boat?).

I knew that it was easy as I have always been able to make one before when I was young so I eagerly took the paper from him and sat down to start folding.

I stopped and thought for a while. Then I turned the paper around… as if turning it around will suddenly make me remember how to make a paper boat.

I looked at my kid and smiled sheepishly. I realized I couldn’t remember how to make one. He was grinning at me when he said - “Di ka marunong gumawa ng boat?” (You cant make a paper boat?)

I was soo embarrassed for myself. Imagine my kid daring me to admit I couldn’t make a simple thing like a paper boat. I did not have a choice but to reveal that truly I couldn’t make what he wanted me to. I thought he was going to be disappointed. I was afraid of that actually. But he wasn’t disappointed. In fact, the next day he came to me again with another piece of paper and asked me the same question - “Mommy gawa mo ako ng boat?” I felt challenged by my kid. If this little guy believed that I could make him a paper boat, who am I to contradict him. So that second night, I vowed to learn. Like a true blogger - I did what was second nature - I surfed the net.

Whew! There were sites that taught you how to make these things. When I refreshed my memory, it all came back. I even practiced by myself to make sure that I did it perfectly the next time my kid comes up to me.

I was excited to wake up the next day. This time I had my own piece of paper already. And before he could even wipe the morning star off his eyes, I squealed how I was going to make him a paper boat… now.

And we ended up laughing. He loved my boat. He made me put it way up high on the tv stand so that his younger brother would not accidentally trample on it (hehe).

I hugged him.

Such a little thing brings so much joy wouldn’t you say?