Answer this honestly: Do you allow your kids to get dirty? A lot of moms I know shudder at the thought of having their kids get all sweaty and smudged from play. There are concerns of scraped knees, germy hands, and the inevitable dirty laundry. The truth is, if they get dirty, they’re just being kids. And if you stifle this urge to explore, they may be losing out on new discoveries through experiential play.

Studies have shown that it leads to creativity, improved social skills, physical development, confidence, increased problem solving skills and a well-rounded happy child. A study presented by laundry detergent brand Breeze Philippines also says that 91% moms who allow their kids to get down and dirty are the ones who grew up playing outdoors themselves.

This is the case with noted actress Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, mom to Jacobo and Ayisha, who recalls being such a tomboy in her childhood days, and reveals very surprising things. “I played games with the neighbors, like takbuhan, patintero and habulan. We did not have computers then, and at that time we were not as engrossed with TV, unlike the kids today. I would go home na ang baho-baho ko! Amoy-araw na, and ang dumi-dumi! My mom would scold me kasi may linya na ako sa leeg!” she laughs.  “We had an empty lot near our house, where they piled up some gravel. It was as big as a hill and we had so much fun rolling down on it on our bikes.

Then, I remember coming home crying and nursing a wound, which my mom would treat and bandage. I was the type of kid na tinatawag na ng magulang kasi gabi na at hindi pa umuuwi.” she smiles.

Parental concerns

These days, though, Dawn admits that it is not so easy to just let the kids out in the world. “In the past few years, there are new diseases that are coming out, plus there are really not a lot of places where kids can play safely.” She is lucky, then, that they go to Davao every summer, where the kids can play at the beach. “We make sandcastles and mud pies!” she says, “At my age, it is a good excuse to play this way again. It is very therapeutic for me.”

As a “Sige” mom, who allows her kids to play and explore at the risk of coming home with boo-boos and mud-stained shirts, she underscores the value of bonding with your kids through play. “My fondest childhood memories were of playing, and if kids can remember their parents playing with them, that is a good memory to have.”

Career and family time

Dawn says her weekends are non-negotiable. “My shooting schedule for “Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin” is MWF. I rarely accept work on weekends because that is my time with my family. Saturday lunches are spent with my in-laws, while Sunday lunch is for my side of the family.”

She says she is very thankful to her husband Anton for being supportive of her career. Her plans were to lay low after her successful stint in the soap “Walang Hanggan,” and concentrate on her husband’s campaign. But she said that she did not want to disappoint her fans, and accepted the new project with her doting husband’s blessing.    

“Sige” Moms

Dawn joins other Breeze “Sige” moms -- actress Carmina Villaroel, celebrity Tessa Prieto-Valdez, and Senator Pia Cayetano – in a campaign to get more kids to play outdoors and also explore cooking and the arts, without moms having to stress about stains on their clothes. The new Breeze with ActivBleach formula has a 4-enzyme technology that promises to remove more types of stains, without having the need to vigorously scrub them out. Dawn says this is a boon for “Sige” moms, because they won’t have to worry about the laundry even if the kids play all day.

For more information, like the Breeze Philippines Facebook page.