COOL mom at very open si Aiko Melendez sa kanyang mga anak.
Naniniwala siya na mas magiging masaya at matatag ang relasyon ng magulang sa kanilang mga anak kung walang itinatago sa isa’t isa.
Sa latest vlog ng Kapuso actress, sinabi niya na bilang ina, marami rin siyang natututunan kina Andre at Marthena, kaya aniya hindi tamang i-underestimate ang kakayahan ng mga bata.
Sa unang bahagi ng vlog ni Aiko, ipinagdiinan niyang never niyang naisip na ipalaglag ang panganay niyang si Andre noong ipinagbuntis niya ito courtesy of Jomari Yllana.
“I remember I was 23 years old when I got pregnant with Andre, I was at the peak of my career.
“Sobrang gulo nu’ng una but I never had a doubt whether kung itutuloy ko si Andre or hindi because I know in my heart, itutuloy ko talaga si Andre.
“Come what may, masira ‘yung career ko o hindi, itutuloy ko siya talaga. I remember calling up Carmina (Villarroel) and Gelli (de Belen) and telling them na, ‘Hey, I’m pregnant.’
“At that time, wala kami nu’ng tatay ni Andre at mayroon akong movie na ipapalabas noon. So talagang (nag)kagulo and it became a big news at that time when I announced that I was pregnant.
“Maraming nanghihinayang pero ako talaga, sabi ko, hindi ako manghihinayang kasi anak ko ‘yan, e.”
Patuloy pa niyang kuwento, “And then, suhi kasi si Andre, caesarian nung lumabas. Paglabas, lalaki, so okay, Andre pangalan niya.
“First time na nakita ko si Andre and I held him in my arms, it was just tears, and that was one of the happiest moments of my life.
“Kasi sabi ko, ‘Ito ‘yun. Ito ‘yung unang anak ko.’ And looking at him, sabi ko, it was all worth it kahit nawala ‘yung career ko at that time, it’s all worth it.
“And hindi ko pinagsisisihan ‘yung panahon na ipinanganak ko si Andre,” pahayag pa ng award-winning actress.
Nagpakasal din sina Aiko at Jomari ngunit noong 2002, nag-file ang aktres ng annulment and eventually ay naaprubahan din ng korte.
“As time goes by, lumalaki na si Andre, ang hindi ko malilimutan was the time na nagkakaproblema na kami ng dad niya.
“There’s this one Sunday I was driving and Andre was in the front seat, he held my hand and told me, ‘Mama, it’s okay not to be okay,’” lahad pa ni Aiko.
“From then on, natutunan ko na never, ever underestimate your children kasi kung may una dapat na makaalam ng mga nangyayari sa buhay mo, do not filter ‘yung mga situations ng buhay n’yo sa mga anak n’yo.
“Tell them or explain to them in a way na naiintindihan nila kung ano ‘yung sitwasyon n’yo and ‘wag nila malalaman sa ibang tao kasi magpo-form ‘yun ng hatred sa kanila, dapat sila ‘yung unang pagsasabihan mo.
“Ayun ‘yung lesson na tinuro sa akin ni Andre na to tell him everything and make him part of everything,” aniya pa.