Her son getting bullied taught Jodi Sta. Maria this valuable lesson on care |

Just because celebrities are prone to backlash doesn't mean they are immune to the mental toll that comes with it, let alone their family. Actress Jodi Sta. Maria, known for her talent and grace on and off the screen, recently shared a deeply personal journey that many parents can relate to—the painful experience of her son, Thirdy, facing bullying.

"I guess most of us have experienced bullying,” she said. “Some are overtly done, but sometimes it is done in a seemingly harmless way—microaggressions.”

Regardless, no parent is ever prepared for the heartache that comes with discovering that their child is being mistreated. Jodi shared, “It happened way back when he was in grade school. I remember that I was abroad doing a show and was sent photos of what happened to my son. I was alarmed and initially felt helpless because I was so far away.”

It's only natural for the actress and her family to feel a wave of sadness and anger when they first learn about Thirdy’s incident, especially with distance adding a layer of complexity to an already challenging situation.

“During that time, I wanted to confront the child that hurt my son. I talked to his principal, reported the incident, and asked them to address and inform the child’s parents about what happened,” Jodi recounted.

Navigating the situation was also challenging when it came to differences in parenting approaches within the family. “It’s not easy to deal with these things. ’Yung isa an eye for an eye. [Meanwhile, I would] resolve it in a way na hindi na mag-e-escalate ’yung problem.”

One valuable lesson that Jodi learned in this difficult experience was to first, tread with care; “to communicate, ask questions, and look for verbal and non-verbal cues.” This influenced her greatly in reshaping her perspective on parenting.

“Sometimes kasi they’re not comfortable to share. But if we talk to our children [in a non-judgmental way], [it] will help them open up to us more easily,” she explained. “The key is to make our children ‘feel seen, loved, heard,’ and make them feel secure knowing that they can count on you.”

Now, what was first a painful experience has become a beautiful lesson in care and compassion for both mother and son. “I always remind my son about the golden rule: treat others [how] you want to be treated. If they still behave otherwise, it’s on the other person,” she shared.

There are still times when choosing to be caring might be tough, especially when its towards yourself—a lesson that even Jodi had to learn: “I realized children will, most of the time, emulate what they see. As parents, we should lead through our actions.”

And while parents always try to do their best, it's no secret that the stressors from every day challenges can take their toll and manifest through headaches, fever, or others. The first step is still to tread with ingat—self-care, because it's important to teach our kids that it's okay to take care of yourself so that you can better care for others. Paracetamol (Biogesic), for one, is a reliable partner that can help you cope with headaches and even fever.

That said, if you've ever found yourself in the same situation, take a cue from Jodi to #SayItWithIngat by communicating with care, showering your children with loving words and actions, and leading by example to show unconditional care regardless of situation.

Remember to #SayItWithIngat as you spread more care to others, just like how Paracetamol (Biogesic) cares for you when you have headache or fever! For more information, visit www.unilab.com.ph/biogesic/ or follow Paracetamol (Biogesic) on Facebook and Instagram.

If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.

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