
Celebrity mom Saab Magalona revealed her struggle in dealing with Pancho's challenging toddler behavior.
Pancho is the eldest son of Saab and Jim Bacarro. In Pancho's origin story published in 2020 on YouTube, Saab revealed that her son had serious complications which include ventriculitis, pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, and intraventricular hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain), and was confined in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Saab confessed that as parents, they resisted disciplining their son as they were afraid to hurt their child with special needs.
“There was a time when Jim and I were really struggling with some of Pancho's toddler behavior. I think it's a lot harder to discipline a child with special needs especially because Jim and I were just really so scared that he would be hurt.”
Saab discussed in their latest family vlog what made them decide to look for a method to discipline Pancho.
“I think we may have spoiled him a little bit by giving him everything he wanted right away. So there was a time he was super power tripping because he knew that Jim and I would just give everything he wanted.
“He would say 'change the channel, change the song, papa.' And then with me it would be, 'carry me right now, mama.' We would give him everything he wanted right away.”
Saab said that because they allowed Pancho to get things that he wants, he showed a demanding behavior.
Photo source: YouTube: Saab Magalona-Bacarro
“He became so demanding. He was displaying a lot of bratty behavior. He wants music, yes, he wants music, now when he does that, we have to encourage him to use his words. I do this to help them build patience.”
The celebrity couple then decided to make some changes in the way they interact with Pancho.
“As he was becoming more demanding, we knew it had to stop, it had to change because he is getting stronger. His slaps and his punches and his (hitting), I can't say the word because he will do it. It is getting kind of real and it hurts.”
Saab said that as parents, they also have to recognize that Pancho is also a toddler like his younger sibling Vito. Saab and Jim settled on showing their kids the value of patience.
“We had to remind ourselves that just like Vito, Pancho is a toddler and he will display some bratty behavior. If he wants something, he needs to understand that hey you can't get what you want right away. You have to be more patient.”
By the end of Saab's story, she happily shared the positive changes with Pancho's behavior.
“Now with the changes that we've made, his behavior is so much better and our relationship is so much better too.”
See more of Saab's family vlog here:
See more of Saab's cute babies Pancho and Vito in this gallery: