“Stop acting like a child!”

“You’re so immature, you’re like a child.”

“Act your age. You’re not a child.”

These are the common phrases that created a stigma in Filipino society, linking children’s minds with negative connotations. They define “isip-bata” or thinking like a child as immature, oversensitive, narrow-minded, unreliable, and a lot more unfavorable traits.

23-year-old graduating student Jessa Fatima Pelayo from Cavite even said that she would be offended if someone called her “isip-bata.”

It is because most kids don’t take things seriously and are focused on playing, thus, as an adult, being labeled as such will question herself if she reflects a kid’s characteristics.

In reality, children are naturally great. Give them a pencil and they will make art. Hand them with paper and they would turn it into a paper airplane. They can turn a piece of cloth into a tent house that they can enjoy. They are good at problem-solving. They find joy even in difficult situations.

According to Maria Montessori’s ‘The Absorbent Mind,’ a child’s mind is amazing. It can acquire greater knowledge in a span of their first three to four years which will take approximately 60 years for adults to achieve. Children’s minds are often referred to as a “sponge” that effortlessly absorbs information surrounding them and turns it into the core of their personality and soul.

In the Philippines, Filipino children bring not just amusement but also a sense of pride to the young generation. In a Filipino noontime show “It’s Showtime,” Argus Aspiras, a four-year-old kid, wowed audiences as he named all 17 Presidents of the Philippines which even most people can’t enumerate. Argus is just one of the many brilliant children that prove Montessori’s analysis.

Whether it be academics, sports, talents, or innovation, Filipino children always shine through. In July 2023, ten-year-old Francis Deinmel Legaspi of Olongapo City made the Filipinos proud as he bagged the gold medal in the international math competition in New York City, USA.

Moreover, a Filipino brand of powdered beverages, Tang, leads online advocacy with the tagline “‘Yan ang Isip Bata!” The brand’s movement aims to redefine how people view children’s minds as 91% of conversations online about the terms they said, are negative.

Tang believed that establishing an avenue for children to think and create freely will strengthen their ability to embrace their future and make a big difference.

With hopes of shifting from the negative connotation of “isip-bata” from the public, the phrase was still flashed by Tang Philippines on various billboards across EDSA in October 2023. This was to encourage the public to change the term by sharing optimistic stories about being child-minded on social media platforms.

They have led an online discussion on Facebook where the light of hope in breaking the stigma of “isip-bata” peaks as social media users express their take on redefining this term. Gen Zs joined the movement advocating against this misconception.

They debunked the misleading idea that children are rigid and stubborn, explaining that young minds are flexible and adaptive. This is a big step towards empowering the children to be more of what the people perceive them to be.

Adults are surrounded by children of brilliant minds. Most are teachers’ favorites and are consistent achievers. Each of them carries exceptional skills. Some may be uncertain of what exact path they will take, but they will surely make their own. And even outside the academic context, children are resourceful and creative.

So the next time someone calls you an “isip-bata,” better take it as a compliment because children will always be naturally talented and amazing!