'Pwede Na Ba, Direk?': These Toddler Dramas Made Moms Whip Phones Out And Record Instead

When parenthood gets exhausting and frustrating, sometimes all you need is a good laugh. Parents in the Smart Parenting Village know this all too well. Just take it from Nikka de Guzman, who shares her toddler son's, um, award-winning performance:

"Yung mama ko mas inunang [video-han] at [picture-an] yung anak ko na nag ta-tantrums kaysa kargahin at patahanin sya. Ha, ha! Yung acting naman kasi [ng anak ko] pang-primetime teleserye," she shares in a post.

She adds, calling on parents that can relate: "Aminin, mga momsh, maraming nakaka-relate lalo kung nakakatawa yung itsura ni LO (little one)… Ito kasi ng mga moments/pictures, masarap ipakita at ipaalala sa kanila ’pag malaki na sila."

Fellow parents took Nikka’s lead and shared their kids’ FAMAS-worthy—and definitely priceless—moments:

Justine Mae Magbanua’s baby reminds you of a certain emoji: the pleading face. Just look at those puppy-dog eyes!  

This "best actress" ups the ante (and the volume), but her mom Jhomz dela Rosa isn't buying it. "Selfie kami—good vibes lang habang nagta-tantrums," she says.

Let's play a little game. Can anyone spot a single teardrop on this cutie's cheeks? "Picture muna bago karga," says his mom Catherine Tubay Bailon.

"Umiiyak siya kasi akala niya iiwan ko siya pero [pini-picture-an] ko lang naman," Iziaa Parel says. Her son could very well add this to his acting portfolio.

"Ito rin, pekeng iyak," Zandy Villagracia says. Perhaps this pint-sized performer knows the cameras are still rolling.

Tantrums usually involve an ugly cry, but three-year-old Yana looks poised and chic. Pwede na ba, direk?

Tantrums: For real or for reel?

"Tears are a good way to draw a parent in and seek both attention and service, which children sometimes interpret as love and affirmation that you care about them," says Beverley Cathcart-Ross, founder of the Toronto parenting education program Parenting Network, to Today’s Parent.

Also, toddlers fake tantrums because they're starting to realize that throwing one helps them get what they want.

"They’re already learning to manipulate you..." Cathcart-Ross says. Some parents can't be fooled, though. Instead, they take photos and have a good laugh. 

But be careful. Any form of attention can make your toddler think that tantrums are effective in grabbing your attention or getting you to do their bidding.

Ignore the mild misbehavior and acknowledge the good.

If you give in to the "drama," you’ll send the signal that tantrums help your toddler get results, encouraging your little ones to bring on the crocodile tears. You don't want to raise a spoiled child: "an overindulged child who engages in socially inappropriate behaviors (e.g., tantrums) whenever [they do] not get what [they] want" according to child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Maria Celina H. Germar.

"Any type of attention, including negative attention, gives children positive reinforcement, so consider ignoring mild misbehavior that is meant to grab your attention," says Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do, in an article for VeryWell. 

Your toddler definitely deserves your attention when they're showing good behavior. Catch them doing a good thing and acknowledge it. This drives home the message that they don't need to put on a FAMAS-worthy performance just to get your attention. 

And when you see them doing a good deed, why not take a photo as well and share it with other parents? These moments are definitely worth sharing and celebrating.