As a mom to a 14-year-old ‘dalagita,’ Nikki Valdez’s rules or non-negotiable about specific things in life are now aligned with her daughter’s needs and values.

Playing Kapamilya Chat’s “My Rules” Challenge, Nikki said she grew up sheltered by her mom, who is very conventional especially when it comes to tattoos. She actually asked for her mom's permission to get her first tattoo even though she was already a mom to Olivia at the time. Nikki got her first tattoo for Olivia’s birthday and the latter knows this story.

On that note, she mentioned that at home, she encourages her daughter to be open about her wants and needs. She told Olivia to let her know things before jumping into certain decisions, for instance, getting a tattoo.

When it comes to shopping, here’s the rule she instilled early in Olivia’s mind: “If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.” She taught Olivia how to differentiate wants and needs, although they let her splurge once in a while during special occasions. But Nikki makes sure her daughter knows the value of saving money. During the pandemic, she set a rule for Olivia to earn first through their online bazaar before she gets to buy what she wants. Then, Olivia would end up just keeping her hard-earned money.

Meanwhile, her rule about friends is something every ‘Marites’ must learn: “’Pag hindi nag-open up sa akin, hindi ako magtatanong. I’m very sensitive to how my friends feel. Kahit may makita ako, may mabalitaan ako, I will wait for the person to tell me.” She added that her friendships have no written rules and that makes them free flowing and more genuine.

What’s your take on these topics, Kapamilya?