Raising them right
MANILA, Philippines - Simply put, being a mom is one of the toughest jobs in the world. Aside from making sure that the kids are fed, clothed and clean, motherhood is about raising the members of the next generation right by equipping them with the right values that they will take with them until adulthood.
Working mom Cat Lopez seems to be taking things in stride, bringing the right balance into her career and bringing up her charming boys Santino and Carlos Lopez-Uy.
“I sometimes feel guilty when I have to go to work, but I make sure that we spend time together. Weekends are my time with them. As a mom of a 15- and a nine-year-old, I give them their space, and in return, they give me my space, too. But on weekends, we make sure that we are always together and we communicate with each other, especially during dinnertime when I get home from work,” shares Cat, who works at ABS-CBN as head of finance for the dynamic Access Group, which is in charge of the corporation’s latest popular products Mahiwagang Black Box and ABS-CBN Mobile.
It helps, she says, that they live in a community such as Rockwell. “My kids are very at home here, they are very comfortable. Even when I am at work, I feel secure because I know that they are in a safe community.”
Cat finds the Rockwell community very convenient from a transportation standpoint. She loves that the community is family-centric. “I actually don’t like leaving the area,” she smiles. “Everything is already here — all our friends are here and the kids like to stay home and invite their friends over,” she laughs.
They don’t have to go far to bond, Cat says, as they go out on weekends to food trips in the vicinity. Their favorites are Kuretake and Tajimaya. For tapas, they go to Rambla.
Cat’s parents come over to spend time with their grandkids, which is the same set-up that she experienced when she was growing up. “I have a lot of happy childhood memories. We lived in a compound and because my parents (Cristina and Jose Lopez) were working, I hung out with my cousins and my grandparents. Now that my mom is retired and my dad is semi-retired, my kids are spending their afternoons with them.”
She took her cue from her own parents in raising her sons. “My parents always reminded me to never feel entitled, that whatever we had when I was growing up was because of hard work. My dad gave me six months to find a job after college, and after that I have been pretty much on my own and have been working ever since,” Cat shares. This is something that she wishes to inculcate in Santino and Carlos together with the guiding principles of kindness and honesty.
In raising her sons, Cat puts emphasis on three things, “First, I make it a point that my kids spend at least two hours a day after school outdoors doing sports. Second, I make sure they read books. They cannot go on their phones or iPad without reading first.”
And lastly, Cat makes sure she goes on “alone” trips with her sons at least once a year. These travels allow them to bond more and create fun memories together. “We really enjoy these memorable trips. I’m actually so happy my boys aren’t jaded to these simple joys,” says Cat.
“I tell my sons that I can only give them education that, hopefully, will set the stage for them later on. I set a good example of working hard and being productive, and I hope they take this with them when they become adults,” Cat concludes.
Photography by RITA MARIE • Creative direction and overall styling by LUIS ESPIRITU JR. • Makeup by BABA PARMA • Hairstyling by RONNIE TUMAMAK
• Associate styling by TARA SUBALDO • Shot on location at KIROV MODEL UNIT, ROCKWELL
