Princess Kathryn Caponpon, also known as Kulot. Image: screengrab from YouTube/ABS-CBN Entertainment
“It’s Showtime” child star Princess Kathryn Caponpon, also known as Kulot, could not help but be emotional as she talked about her father who was allegedly caught texting another woman, an instance that some psychologists find very concerning.
In an episode of the noontime variety show on Monday, March 27, show host Vice Ganda was speaking to Kulot about her parents, who were present at the studio, discussing how they have already mended their relationship after a recent misunderstanding.
Vice Ganda noticed that Kulot was still about to cry despite her parents hugging it out, which led the comedian to ask the kid why.
“Madami pa rin hong ka-text ‘yan,” Kulot answered, referring to her dad. (He still has a lot of textmates.)
Vice Ganda as well as fellow host Anne Curtis then explained that Kulot’s dad might just be texting his friends, but the kid pointed out, “Bakit ang pangalan ay Barbie?” (Then why is the name Barbie?)
Vice Ganda then seemed to have changed the turn of the conversation as he asked Kulot if she loves her dad. Kulot responded affirmatively, but she admitted she rarely expresses it.
When Vice Ganda asked Kulot to hug and say “I love you” to her dad, the kid shook her head and said, “‘Wag na ho. Baka mamaya ho may ka-text pa din.” (No need because he might still be texting [other women].)
‘Serious repercussions on the child’s mental health’
The particular “It’s Showtime” scene with Kulot immediately became a trending topic on social media, with psychologists Riyan Portuguez and Jeemon Rey Amaca Bacaoco giving their two cents on how the hosts handled the situation.
“Hindi requirement na hikayatin siyang magsabi o mag-express ng love sa tatay niyang pakiramdam niya nagcause ng pain niya,” Portuguez said. “Nauunawaan kong intensyon lang ni Vice ay mabuti sa bata. Although, tandaan natin na ayos lang din naman sa ‘on-air’ i-demonstrate ang makatotohanan na pagkilala ng totoong nararamdaman.”
(It’s not a requirement to convince her to say or express her love to her dad, who she feels has caused her pain. I understand that Vice only has good intentions, although we should remember that it could also be demonstrated on-air how one acknowledges their genuine feelings.)
Portuguez pointed out how Kulot’s statements toward her dad imply a broken trust between them, which may be the reason why the kid finds it hard to say “I love you” to her dad. Portuguez also reminded the public that cheating in a marriage hurts not only the wife but also the children.
“All feelings are valid. All emotions require processing. Mahirap magsabi ng “Mahal kita” kung hindi naman din na-demonstrate sa kanya ang trust,” she added. “Sa akin, ayos lang na hindi ka magsabi ng “I love you” o kaya magpatawad kung di ka handa. Hindi naman kasi ‘yan instant.”
Bacaoco, for his part, spoke about how “openly discussing family conflict” in the show may affect Kulot mentally.
“While the intention was good, I think doing this has serious repercussions on the child’s mental health and well-being,” he said. “You should also not force a child to say I love you to a family member especially if she has expressed that she’s not comfortable doing it.”
“Please consult a child psychologist so you are aware of the consequences of your actions when you are working with children,” he added. /ra