by Robbie Pangilinan
They go to the movies, play games, wrestle in bed. The boys don their support crew tshirt and cheer for their dad in his competitions. One of the boys get to sleep beside their dad each night.
Such is the sweet relationship between businessman and triathlete Mike Mempin and his three boys.
Mike, the husband of Clarence Anti-Aging, Slimming and Dermatology Centre founder and owner Dr. Joan Clarence Morallo, is confident that he is on the right track in his parenting.
“My kids are still small, but I can see that they are already doing good morally. And hopefully this will continue for the best,” he says.
The couple teaches the three boys – Andre, JM, and Anton – the value of respect.
“Respect for everyone, may it be their yaya, driver, older people, peers both younger or older, even for animals. I believe that if they practice respect, they will have less chances of doing bad things,” shares Mike, who disciplines the kids by talking to them and making them realize the consequences of their actions.
Dra. Joan sometimes does not understand the boys’ bond with their dad, something that amuses Mike.
“Dra. Joan lets Andre and JM take turns sleeping beside me. But never Anton. I think Anton also wants to sleep beside me but Dra. wants him to sleep beside her always,” laughs Mike, whose business is fixing and installing POS systems and security cameras. he is also the Philippine distributor of the Nitgen biometrics security system.
Mike describes Andre, the eldest, as very serious and an introvert who copies what he wears and does. JM, the middle son, is the most talkative who imitates both his kuya and baby brother. The youngest, Anton, is the most pampered and the gadget expert. Mike says the boys got his physical features and perfectionist character.
“They always wants their things to be in order, even in our schedules, they always want to be informed,” he says.
But Mike admits it was not always that easy being a father. He even tells of the time he bathed one of the boys for the first time.
“I bathed him with cold water, which made Joan really mad because the baby had colds afterwards,” he recalls laughing. On a serious note, Mike said that the most challenging role he has is to discipline the children without hurting their feelings.
“Like if they did something bad, it’s how to explain to them that’s its not good, but at the same time not permanently hurt their feelings, or leave an emotional scar in the future,” he adds.
As a father, Mike fears that one of the boys will not be able to finish school because of peer pressure or other circumstances.
“My only hope is for them to finish their school, do their best to be stable and be able to live happily in the future with their own families. I would like them to become what they want to be. I will not command them on what career path they should take, but will guide them to reach their dreams,” he says.
Every Father’s Day is special to Mike, but probably the most special one was three years ago when Anton was born. This year, the family will be in London because Dra. Joan has a speaking engagement for a derma conference.
Wherever they are, whatever they do, Mike feels it is Father’s Day everytime his children look at him and smile. He says, “It just melts my heart.”
