Rich | Saint Heliers
“When I first had my first-born, and just recently as well, I had my second-born now, so quite an inspiration for me.
I grew up in the Philippines. Came here [New Zealand] about five, six odd year ago, for a better life. I grew up valuing more of family, as I grew up in a tight-knit, family-centred culture. Well, at first it was scary because I wasn’t really prepared before, but then nobody could really prepare you for parenthood today. When it’s there it’s there; you just have to make do with it. I was really scared at first. I didn’t know what to do. My parents are really away from us, but yeah we managed, and we’re here now with the second one, so I guess we’re doing alright, I think. Having an extra family member would be really great, but I guess it’s just trying to make time and trying to get that mindset that you already have a family that you’re bringing up. If you have that right mindset, that you’re looking forward to the challenge I guess you should be well sorted.
I wish for them to have a better education than what I, well that my wife and I have gone through. Coming out from the Philippines, which is a Third World country, we basically had to move out of there to get a better life and that’s what I’m hoping for me, for my children; yeah better future, better jobs I guess as well.
As long as they’re happy they should be fine. It has taught me a lot of things. I’ve been selfish just before I’ve had my kids. Most of the time I would just think of myself, and my wife. My wife, she’s been really great. She’s like really, I guess children-centred. She is really good with kids, but for me, I think what has really taught me was being selfless. I never thought of other people other than myself and my people just close to me, but now having two young ones to feed, it has taught me a lot of being selfless.”
