Mothers & daughters

Experts agree that parenting is one of life’s great challenges and what more when the glare of spotlight is on you 24/7.  Mother-daughter relationship, in particular, is a complex arena on its own. For celebrity mothers, the whole experience could be quite overwhelming, or maybe even frustrating. 

So rather than remind our showbiz mothers about the trials and tears they went through in raising their daughters, this writer went to the other side of the parenting equation and asked four daughters, who are themselves, celebrities, to talk about their relationships with their moms and what are the lessons they’ve learned from them. 

Karylle on mother Zsa Zsa Padilla

One thing that stands out in Karylle’s memory about her mom is the time they spent in Amanpulo. "I appreciate our vacations together because that is the time that we are most relaxed and I see her as a normal mom," says Karylle. During the Amanpulo visit, Zsa Zsa, according to Karylle, took them around in a golf cart and she thought it was the funniest and sweetest thing her mom did for them simply because her mother doesn’t drive. "It was really an effort on her part to do that."

It is no secret that Karylle’s mom and her dad parted ways when she was still young. But the separation, according to Karylle, didn’t leave her resentful towards her parents because at an early age, she was informed about the status of her parents’ marriage. "Parenting doesn’t mean that you have to hide the realities of the world from your kids; in fact, it is helpful to be aware of what’s going on in the world," shares Karylle, who credits her mom for always treating her like an adult. "She loves to baby-talk and calls me by my pet-name but she always wants us to think for ourselves."

Karylle reveals that her relationship with her mom is multi-faceted: "She’s like a friend who’s my textmate, a sister whom I borrow clothes from and never return and a mom whom I always look up to and respect." If there’s one thing that Karylle wants to give to her mom, it is "a vacation house – if only I could afford it. And Brad Pitt, my mom’s ultimate crush."

Isabella on mother Kuh Ledesma

Isabella admits that when she was younger, she didn’t know her mom, Kuh, very well. It was because she spent most of her time with her dad and obviously, was a daddy’s girl. When her parents separated, got back together only to break up again, Isabella consciously made an effort to be more open to her mom. "Once, when we were together in the car and she was driving, I just looked at her and realized that I don’t really know the person sitting behind the wheel and driving for me," Isabella recalls. What turned to be the turning point in their relationship was when at age 14, she started opening up to her mom and confiding her innermost secrets; and to her surprise, "my mom took it really cool." 

It also helped that her mom was instrumental in bringing her closer to her faith but she also acknowledges that it was her father who introduced her to the Bible since he would always read to her Bible stories during bedtime. "It was actually a team effort on their part," enthuses Isabella. And for Isabella, to make God first in her life is one of the most valuable lessons she has learned from her mom.

If there’s one thing that Isabella will never forget about her mom, it will be about the time when she was 11 years old and was very sick to the point of hallucinating. "I remember she was by my side even if she was tired from all her showbiz commitments – she made me feel very safe." On Mother’s Day, Isabella only wishes that her mom be able to use God’s given talent in the time frame she has allotted to herself. "To fulfill her dreams to the maximum in this lifetime."

Katkat de Castro on mother Arlene de Castro

Katkat’s mother is not the one of the celebrities we see on-screen but she used to be one of the top bosses in the ABS-CBN news room, the country’s largest broadcast news facility with the widest reach worldwide. Like most relationships between mother and daughter, Katkat had her share of "stressful" phase with her mom. "When I was a teenager, she never liked this guy for my boyfriend and I would really feel bad because I felt that she was meddling with my life," Katkat reminisces. "On hindsight, now I realized that she was right." 

Now that Katkat herself is a mother things between herself and her mom have been, by far, smoother and much more relaxed. "I am now more open to her maybe because I can now put myself in her shoes." Now they are like sisters, wherein Katkat seeks nuggets of wisdom from her mom to keep her focused in her life. "One thing I’ve learned from her is to see the best in every person and never hold a grudge no matter how much this person has hurt you," Katkat says. 

She also recalls with amusement, how her mother, on her wedding day, told her that she could still back out from the wedding if she wanted to and made a serious threat to her husband not to break her heart. Katkat is grateful to her mother on this Mother’s Day for "everything that you’ve done for me." She also wants to assure her mom that she need not worry because "you raised me well."

Ciara Sotto on mother Helen Gamboa

Ciara’s memorable times with her mom are the times when both of them would do their work-outs. She also gets a "high" when she performs alongside her mom. "I really am a big fan of her and I do respect her and appreciate her talent as a performer and when we perform together, those moments will forever be treasured," says Ciara. She believes being prayerful is a trait she has emulated from her mom. "I pray not to ask for more but to count the blessings I receive. And that is the way how my mom taught me prayers should be."

Ciara admits that though there are many sweet moments with her mom, there are also "not so sweet moments with her simply because we are two different individuals who have distinct personalities." On Mother’s Day, Ciara would like to thank her mom for the love she has showered her and her siblings. She would consider herself really blessed if, according to her, "I could be half the mother she is to us."