Judy Ann Proud Of 'Super Independent' Luna For Planning Her 6th Birthday Party

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo's youngest child, Luna is showing potential as future events planner. The kid had the chance to demonstrate her planning skills when she recently celebrated her birthday.

To mark Luna's 6th birthday last Jan. 8, 2022, the Agoncillo family had a simple at-home party. But while low-key, it was a special get-together since it was the birthday celebrant herself who took charge planning the party — from the theme, cake design, up to the food menu. Hands down, Luna!

On Instagram, Judy Ann penned a short but sweet birthday message for Luna. She can't help but express how proud she is of her daughter for being "super independent."

"Our baby girl.. months before her bday, chose her own theme, visited Pinterest app for the design of her own cake and piñata, decided what types of food she wants from Mcdo, and chose the designs of our matchy matchy shirts," Judy Ann gushed. "Yep! Wala na kaming ibang ginawa kundi orderin at bayaran."

She adds, "That’s our 6-year-old baby girl... super independent, smart, funny, sweet, loving lunnie bunny."

The celebrity mom also tells Luna how much she and Ryan loves and supports her. "We love you with all our heart. Mommy and daddy will be with you every single step of the way."

We can't wait to see what plans you have in store for your next birthday party, Luna!

Phrases that can encourage independence among children

One of the most important things kids need to learn growing up is to become independent and self-reliant. After all, adulthood is inevitable and they should be able to thrive within a family, culture, society, and life.

Parents play a vital role in making this possible. So, what can parents do to make sure their kids are set up to have a "can do" attitude? For starters, you can employ these phrases Montessori teachers use to help bolster a child’s independence.

Below, we are republishing an excerpt from a previous SmartParenting.com.ph article, which listed five phrases parents can use to raise an independent child the Montessori way. (Read full article here)

1. “I saw you working hard.”

Saying this, rather than just complimenting your kid's output can help develop a growth mindset and make him realize that he can succeed through his efforts.

2. “What do you think about your work?”

Instead of just praising the artwork, ask him about it — why did he choose those colors? Does he think using watercolor is better than crayons? Help him analyze his own work and affirm his skills, rather than just telling him how good he is.

3. “Where could you look for that?”

If your child asks how to do something, or where he can find something, don’t just offer a ready solution. Ask, “Which person could you ask for help?” or “Where do you think you should start looking?” or “How do you think you can accomplish that?”

4. “Don’t disturb him, he’s concentrating.”

If you see your child focused on building blocks or concentrating on modeling clay, walk by calmly and make a mental note of his laser focus, which you can tell him later on. Breaking his concentration just to praise his hard work may distract him and let him focus on the compliment instead of the actual output.

5. “Follow the child.”

Montessori teachers remind us to follow our child and to trust him — every child is unique, and he’ll be able to accomplish things at his own time and pace. In fact, he doesn’t care about the milestones he’s supposed to reach — that’s you putting unnecessary pressure on him.

Click here to read more tips about raising an independent child.