A lot of things are happening at the moment, mostly quite scary, but the Avanzado family finds comfort in knowing that they have each other. The patriarch, Dingdong Avanzado, said that they take advantage of the time to strengthen their bond.
For Dingdong, raising a teenage daughter is both challenging and fun. At 17, Jayda Avanzado is already a mature conversationalist, thus Dingdong learns a lot from her. Of course, he imparts the wisdom he gained through the years both from the industry (since she has already entered showbiz) and about life in general. “Sa age gap namin, marami akong mashe-share sa kanya. I think it’s important that I am able to teach her, at the same time, I get to learn more about her and her generation. I think that’s the fun part of it – ‘yung discovery.”
Dingdong is always amused by his discoveries about Jayda. Yet, he makes sure to balance what she knows with parental guidance, so she can make better judgment.
Speaking of the lessons he learned from his daughter, Dingdong revealed that Jayda taught him how to make TikTok videos during the quarantine. Their dance video has now reached 15 million views. “It’s a different world. If there’s something I learned from her, it’s being able to relate with her generation.”
Dingdong and wife Jessa Zaragoza have a balanced parenting style. They have different priorities when it comes to raising Jayda. For instance, she’s focused on physical grooming like taking care of the skin (especially since Jayda has sensitive skin). On the other hand, Dingdong is strict about building the young Avanzado’s character.
The doting father admits that he’s concerned about Jayda’s social circle. He doesn’t worry a lot, though, knowing that Jayda is a responsible young lady who knows her priorities. He’s glad to see how passionate she is about her music. There’s one thing that triggers his tough side, though – when he hears Jayda talking about boys. Dingdong smiles and said that he knows crushes are a typical part of the teenage years.
The Original Prince of OPM Pop is proud to see his daughter conquer the music scene. Her latest lockdown feat of releasing the single “Sana Tayo Na” with Darren Espanto was a significant event for the family. It was a big achievement, a family effort, a full circle of a dream coming true. More importantly, it was a touching moment for Dingdong who wrote the song two decades ago.
“When I heard it, when she re-recorded it, siya at si Darren, it was such an unforgettable moment kasi parang who would think I wrote this song a long time ago and then, and makakapagbigay-buhay nito was my daughter and si Darren nga. They made it so beautiful and so real. I’ll never forget that moment na I heard it noong gawa na siya.”
When Jayda was called in to join the interview, Dingdong can be seen smiling throughout as she talked about her friends and the dreaded topic about boys. As Jayda shared, virtual bonding with friends keeps her sane during these anxiety-inducing days. She mentioned Francine Diaz, Kyle Echarri, and AC Bonifacio. Of course, she had to communicate often with Darren Espanto, who is currently in Canada, for their music collaboration.
There are a lot of adjectives to describe Dingdong as a dad but Jayda would like to begin with “loving.” She added that he’s very expressive towards his family. He is also her mentor. Asked about the best life advice she got from pops, Jayda said, “Always have a teachable spirit. I feel like that would get you really far in life. I think the moment you stop growing is the moment you start saying na, ‘Ito na, tama na wala na akong pwedeng ibang matutunan.’ Dapat laging open ka na matuto ng iba’t ibang bagay.”
Besides doing TikTok videos, Dingdong and Jayda love to bond over food and fruitful discussions. Jayda expressed how grateful she is for her dad’s loving ways. “Just the fact na nadito siya and he chose to be here, all the decisions in the past that led up him being allowed to be her with us. I’m really thankful for that kasi alam mo, especially at a time like this, being with your family is such a big blessing.”
Dingdong finally answered the question dreaded by most fathers. Is Jayda allowed to entertain suitors? Dingdong knows that his daughter is at the age where romantic feelings are starting to blossom. He also experienced that stage. Thus, he doesn’t see anything wrong with courtships as long as several conditions are met.
“I think Jayda is at the age na she can accept suitors but I always remind her, know your priorities and get to know the guy before you become serious. To answer your question, okay lang ba may manligaw? There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you know how to respect the boundaries, respect my daughter, respect us, I’m fine with it.”
To end the interview, Dingdong and Jayda were given the chance to ask each other a question. The younger Avanzado would like to know the secret to making a good connection with people. According to Dingdong, it’s about being sincere. The celebrated OPM star mentioned that the audiences connect more when a performance is real and not just too technical.
Jayda was asked about Dingdong’s shortcomings as a parent. She couldn’t think of one. She isn’t the type of person to hold a grudge or keep a record of wrongs. She knows parents also make mistakes because they’re humans, too. But what matters is how her parents willingly own up to their mistakes and make them right. Nobody is perfect. And at the end of the day, the good things still outweigh the bad.