OFW Dad Who Came Home On Vacation Makes DIY Kitchen Playset For Daughter

Welcome to Real Parenting, a space where parents can share the joys, pain, and the mess of parenthood. Have helpful parenting, money, health or home tips to share? Email us at smartparentingsubmissions@gmail with the subject "Share Ko Lang." Click here to read more 'Share Ko Lang' stories.

For many overseas Filipino workers, the Christmas season is the only time they get to spend with their families. That’s why they make the most out of their vacation despite their limited time in the country.

For dad Kenneth Salar, Christmas 2020 was all about fulfilling a promise he made to his daughter. He had always wanted to make a DIY kitchen playset that she will enjoy.

“Hilig niya mag-DIY, but because he’s an overseas worker, this kitchen playset is the first na nagawa niya for our baby,” explains Krizzia Salar, a stay-at-home mom to Krizzeth, 2.

Both members of our parenting community, Smart Parenting Village, Krizzia says that she would always tag Kenneth whenever members post DIY creations inside the group. “Kaya mas lalo siyang nainspire na gawan ang baby naming pagkauwi niya dito noong 3^rd week of December,” adds the mom.

How to DIY a kitchen playset

Krizzia shares that it took Kenneth 3 days to complete the play kitchen in their Cebu home. “Since we were busy with the requirements and planning our simple civil wedding, it took him three days to finish the project and we spent less than a thousand pesos for it.”

The playset was made using plywood. After painting it, Kenneth designed it with wallpaper and installed a faucet and a basin. He also placed adhesive hooks for his daughter’s pots and pans. There’s even a stove made of carton!

Krizzia shares that their toddler had no idea what the finished product would look like, but she would always go to the garage where Kenneth worked to distract him. When it was finally done, Kenneth covered it with a bedsheet and surprised her.

“She was so happy and exclaimed, ‘WOOOW!” Krizzia recalls.

Of course, it was Kenneth’s turn to show off his creation in the Village. “I built my daughter her DIY kitchen. [It’s] my first accomplishment this year, [and my] hard work paid off. Proud daddy here — she loves it!” the dad wrote in his post.

It doesn’t take a lot to make our kids happy, but it’s that extra effort that shows them and makes them feel how much they are loved. This also proves that dads will do anything to put a smile on their children’s faces. The true meaning of “labor of love!”

Ang galing talaga ng mga daddy! To see more DIY creations by dads, click here.