Say what you will about Kris Aquino, but there’s no doubt that the so-called Queen of all Media is one supportive sister. This Yahoo News Philippines article shares that after brother and president-apparent Noynoy Aquino’s proclamation on June 30, Kris may be leaving her weekly entertainment show The Buzz. On Sunday, the TV host and actress said on air, “To my Buzz staff, let's enjoy the next six weeks, okay? I love you all.” Today, accompanied by her sisters Ballsy, Pinky, and Viel, Kris will meet with ABS-CBN execs about withdrawing from a few of her shows. Currently, she hosts The Buzz and SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon, acts in the daily soap opera Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo, and is a judge on Pilipinas Got Talent.
The past two weeks have been controversial ones for the famously outspoken Kris. Hot on the heels of Noynoy’s victory in the presidential elections, a Facebook page called Kris Aquino’s Despedida surfaced to remind the star of her “promise” to leave the country and work overseas if she proved a liability after her brother won the elections. The page (which now has over 22,000 members) has caused an online war of sorts between Kris supporters and detractors. In response, PEP.ph reports, the star has responded by saying “I intend to stay put,” and telling her fans, “Huwag na kayong makipag-away sa Twitter at Facebook. Deadma na dun.”
Although her critics have brought up issues of integrity—which most probably lead to the “Despedida” page’s creation—Kris’s withdrawal from The Buzz may be taken as a sign of her sisterly sincerity toward her political brother. But giving up such an important part of her life only to focus her energies on helping out with Noynoy’s presidency may backfire on the star—by helping out too much, she may overwhelm her brother, or on the other hand, lose her own goals in life.
Do you, like Kris, find yourself having to strike a balance between supporting your loved ones and suffocating them? Here are a few helpful suggestions to keep in mind.
DON’T ASSUME THEY WANT YOUR HELP
You may think that helping out your loved ones is a given—that they expect it of you, even if they don’t mention it. But while this may be true in some cases, it isn’t necessarily for all. Certainly, your loved ones will appreciate any assistance they can get—but wait for them to ask for your help before you dive headfirst into a major operation support campaign. This way, you will know exactly what they need you to do—and, if they don’t want you to do anything, you won’t be working in vain.
DISCUSS YOUR PLANS BEFOREHAND
Everyone likes to be one step ahead of the game—and this is often quite useful, especially when your loved ones are too busy to handle all the little side jobs on their own. But if you have a few ideas in mind, be sure to discuss all the details with the person you are helping out. No matter how awesome, foolproof, and well-intentioned your plans may be, it is still essential that you run them by your loved ones and get their seal of approval before you set anything in motion. Aside from avoiding any pesky hitches and discrepancies that may pop up in the process, this also allows you to show deference to the person in charge.
LET THEM DO THINGS THEIR WAY
The idea is to be supportive, not controlling. Even if you have more experience in whatever they are trying to do, let your loved ones figure things out on their own. When they are able to execute a plan their way—rather than the way they were “instructed”—your loved ones will achieve a sense of ownership over their successes. Think of yourself as a mentor, who gives advice, rather than a boss, who gives orders. The best you can do is share your guidance and hope for the best—at the end of the day, the go-signal isn’t in your hands (at least, it shouldn’t be).
BE CONSCIOUS OF HOW YOUR SUPPORT APPEARS
Sometimes, even the best of intentions can manifest in less than flattering ways. Don’t take it for granted that your loved ones will know you enough to ignore with what their detractors say. You don't want to make it seem like the person you are helping is weak and simply using you as a crutch—or, on the other hand, that you are the weakling who is riding on the coattails of their success.
MAINTAIN YOUR OWN INTERESTS
So your loved ones have asked for your help, and you’re getting along splendidly. There’s only one problem—outside of this huge support system you’ve set up for them, you have no life! It happens—you become so invested in helping out someone you care for that you neglect your own goals. Don’t become a help-a-holic! Take a break from all the selfless supporting once in a while and pursue your own interests. You can be sure that your loved ones don’t want your ambitions to suffer for the sake of theirs.
(Photos courtesy of PEP.ph)
