Tang, the country’s leading powdered juice brand recently conducted a social experiment entitled "Do You Know Kids?" to see if Filipino kids nowadays are ready to be given more independence and if they can be trusted to make bigger decisions and more responsible, grown-up choices.

One hundred Filipino children between the ages of seven and nine years old were given Php500.00 each to spend on anything they want. A makeshift shopping paradise was created where kids can buy toys, foods, school supplies and have other options like a charity box where they can donate their money or save the money they received if they want to. More than 50% of the mothers interviewed expected their kids to spend their money on toys and food because they believe their children are too young to make responsible decisions.

The results were surprising. Ninety-nine out of 100 children saved most of their money, many of the kids gave to charity, half of them bought school supplies, and one child spent all of his money on food and toys, not for himself, though, but to give as gifts to his brothers and sisters. The parents were so proud of their kids. Isn’t it amazing to know that today’s Filipino kids aren’t what we perceive them to be?


Cyn Icasas, Kraft Beverage Category Marketing Manager, has this to say: “Tang believes that just like the refreshing results of this social experiment, today’s kids can surprise, amaze and delight us in many more ways than we can imagine. Whether it be in school, in their community or in their own families, kids can shine when we least expect them to—all they need is to be given a chance.”

Today, Justin’s teachers for his nursery summer class, Teacher G. and Teacher M., prevented all parents from going inside the classroom. The teachers will now be solely responsible for these kids.

Justin wouldn’t let go of my hand initially as I was preparing to leave the room, but he soon forgot about mommy when Teacher M. pointed to the toys and invited him to play.

I was standing outside Justin’s classroom the whole time, peeping through the “semi-tinted” (for lack of a better term) windows to see what Justin was doing. As a mother, I was hesitant to leave my son behind for the following reasons: (1) he might grab other kids’ toys; (2) he might bruise/hurt himself or other kids might hurt him; (3) he might fall; and (4) he might get into a fight with other kids.

To my surprise, none of the things I feared happened, although there was this classmate who was deliberately bumping Justin. Good thing, my son wasn’t retaliating. Justin didn’t cry for two hours while inside the classroom, he actively participated in all the activities, and for the first time in more than one week that he’s attending school, he lay down on the mat when it was time for them to rest.

I couldn’t help noticing, though, that it takes longer for Justin to finish his food. When all of his classmates were already roaming around the room or horsing around or lying on the mat, he was still eating. Maybe it’s because at home, he usually eats in front of the TV where his attention is divided between eating and watching.

I hope Justin continues behaving well inside the classroom until he finishes his five-week summer class. By then we will know if he’s ready to go to a regular nursery class this June.