Tomorrow, May 13, is Mother’s Day, a special day for children to treat their moms in a special way, although every day should be Mother’s Day.
Mommies of whatever color, race, religion or social standing are all the same. They love their children unconditionally.
Let’s hear it from seven showbiz mommies who recently attended the launch of Nano Smart, Aprica’s new stroller model, held at the Adventure Zone of Shangri-La at The Fort.
Ciara Sotto & Joy Woolbright-Sotto (wife of Ciara’s brother, Quezon City Councilor Gian Sotto)
How do you celebrate Mother’s Day?
Joy: Actually, we just spend time with the family. For lunch, it’s always with my own family; and for dinner, with the in-laws. Actually, for me every day is Mother’s Day.
Ciara: My son Crixus and I go out on dates. We have spent two Mother’s Days pa lang, eh. We go to Sugar Factory or Adventure Zone, or have dinner out without a yaya. Actually, not dinner because we are always with my mom (Helen Gamboa-Sotto) so lunchtime or daytime on another day.
How are the lolas?
Joy: My mom is in Cebu. But when she is in Manila, she always spends time with the kids, brings them to the mall, spoils them which I don’t like pero I don’t have a choice. I just let it be because she’s in Cebu, so ‘yun ‘yung way niya. Sometimes, I try to make kontra, pero sometimes ganoon talaga.
Ciara: Kung puede nga every day, eh! She misses her grandchildren all the time. She has to see them every week, like more than once a week. She’s doting; she always likes to be involved with everything.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your mom about being a mom?
Joy: Siguro, even if she doesn’t want to admit it parang she kind of spoiled me. While my dad is a spoiler, my mom is more of the disciplinarian. Pero she kind of did spoil me a bit. I think it was my mom who balanced it a bit. I’m still the disciplinarian when it comes to the kids. My husband sometimes can’t say no.
Ciara: A lot. I learned about disciplining my child even when he’s still a kid…huwag daw papalagpasin ‘yung mga small stuff. That’s how she raised us four siblings. I don’t ever remember growing up with a yaya. So you really have to be hands-on. Also, there’s food ready when you wake up, every day up to now, for my dad.
Pauleen Luna-Sotto (wife of Vic Sotto)
What do you look forward to on Mother’s Day?
Pauleen: Well, you know, even before this Mother’s Day, I was already a step-mom. But I never really got to celebrate it. Since it’s the first time, I don’t really know. Of course, I’m excited but I don’ know what’s going to happen.
How is your mom like with your daughter Talitha?
Pauleen: Naku, she’s so crazy about her. She’s now in the US at halos every day humihingi ng photos ni Talitha, kasi natatakot daw siya na baka pagbalik niya, hindi na raw siya kilala. Ako naman, wow, parang kilala ka na niya ngayon. Hehehe!!!
What have you learned in the five months that you’ve been a mom?
Pauleen: Different moms, different experiences. I can’t say that I had a roller-coaster experience because I didn’t have a hard time giving birth, I don’t have a hard time taking care of her, it’s all sugar and no spice. I’ve been waiting for this day for years. For sure, as she grows up, I’ll let her enjoy the dirt para masanay ang kanyang immune system. Of course, I want her clean, pero hindi naman naliligo ng alcohol.
Mother’s Day message to your own mom?
Pauleen: They say that you get to appreciate your mom when you have your own baby. I hate to admit it but it’s true. It’s not easy, it’s not only the taking care part, it’s your fears for the future. My mom told me, bata palang ako, pinagdadasal na niya ‘yung mapapangasawa ko, yung magiging family ko. When I was younger I used to think, “Wow, OA ng nanay ko!” But it makes sense. You live for the baby, so you might as well pray for her future di ba?
Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla (wife of Robin Padilla)
How have your Mother’s Days been like so far?
Mariel: Well, I have celebrated twice. The first one was when Isabella was in my stomach and I just got flowers and cake. The second time, it was the same. But when you have a baby pala, you really feel the essence of Mother’s Day. Being a mother is like the hardest job in the world talaga. Kapag Mother’s Day, parang you really feel like it’s your day and you deserve that.
What kind of flowers and cake did you receive ba?
Mariel: It was this delicious pumpkin and carrot cake by The Flour Girl. Robin had it made for me. Super delicious! She’s my go-to baker, The Flour Girl.
How do you usually celebrate Mother’s Day?
Mariel: Usually, we spend it with my mom, my grandmother and Robin’s mom. We just have lunch, that simple.
How are they as lolas, by the way?
Mariel: Well, Mama Eva (Robin’s mom) is already old, she’s 72, so she really can’t carry Isabella. Isabella knows her, she calls her Ba. On my side naman, Isabella gets to really spend time with her lola. My mom is a spoiler. Like, bawal mag-cellphone, tapos when I see them, may video na pinapakita, ganyan. “Bawal siya niyan,” I would tell her. And she goes, “Ay, bawal ba?”
Tanya Garcia-Lapid (wife of former Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid)
When is your most memorable Mother’s Day?
Tanya: Oh, every year now is memorable! Kasi I have so many kids now, eh. We always have surprises. They make cards, or they cook for me. Anything, kahit scrambled eggs lang. My eldest is 10 kaya she can do it na.
What’s the best lesson that you learned from your own mom?
Tanya: Up to now talaga, I thank her for that…that in everything we do, we shouldn’t rely on other people. Like, no one can influence us with our choices. It has to be us talaga and always be ready for the consequences. You can’t blame other people. She’s always like that, eh, you stand by your decisions, and be ready to face the consequences. That’s what I’m teaching my kids now, whatever you do, you can’t tell me na I was influenced by my friend, or someone told me to do so. No, you did it because you wanted to, you had to, so you face the consequences.
How is your mom as a lola to your kids?
Tanya: Oh, any time I call her, she’s there. Di ba nga they say na everything that your parents won’t let you do, okey kay lola. Siya ‘yung nato-tolerate. She lives close by. She would go, “Ako kasi I don’t leave my kids without my mom or my dad.” If I have work or I have to leave, they come and sleep in the house. My mom and dad were separated for 16 years, and they got back together.
LJ Moreno-Alapag (wife of Alab Pilipinas coach Jimmy Alapag)
How do you deal with your kids when they fight for your attention?
LJ: It makes it a lot easier that my husband’s very hands-on also, so it’s teamwork. Kaya lang today he’s not here because he has a game, he comes home tonight. So when he comes in, I tell him, “Okay, you take the kids.” It’s really a big thing that I have a hands-on husband. We try as much as possible. It’s either me or him who takes them to school. We do have a yaya pero nag-a-assist lang, taga-abang with things. With a new baby also now, when the two kids are in school, I hang out with the baby who is five-months old.
What did you learn from your mom?
LJ: Well, my mom has six kids, so I guess I learned balancing from her. She didn’t really have a yaya for each of us because we moved to the States when I was very young. I was five, the eldest, so she gave birth to my four siblings there. She encouraged us to do whatever we liked, she never forced us to do things. Ako kasi, “Keona, you do this, ganoon.” I think with Calen I was able to spend more time kasi with Keona, although ‘yun nga, like parang she spent more time with Jimmy because I had a show. Right after I gave birth, I was shooting for my TV show with Danica (Sotto-Pingris). With Calen, I’m there all the time.
Toni Gonzaga-Soriano (wife of director Paul Soriano)
What do you bring with you everywhere when you’re with your son Seve?
Toni: Baby wipes and diapers, tag team ‘yan. Maiwan ko na ang cellphone, huwag lang ang baby wipes and diapers.
When traveling, especially kapag airplane, how do you make Seve behave?
Toni: Honestly, I don’t know how; maraming pray-over na nagaganap before the flight, and then I have four different kinds of pacifiers, because he’s at that stage where after siguro a few sucks, another one. Then, another one. I make sure that he has his milk ready, and his favorite toy, and books.
How will you spend Mother’s Day?
Toni: Well, we are actually planning a vacation for Seve; we’re going to bring him to Hawaii. Paul loves Hawaii; he always dreams that the Philippines will look like Hawaii. He loves it because he feels like he’s in the Philippines when he’s there. Seve likes everything, he likes to go outdoors, kasi boy siguro, di ba? How do I keep up with him? I take lots of vitamin C to keep up with him, para may energy, para I won’t get sick.
How is your Mommy Pinty as a lola?
Toni: Actually, surprisingly, as a lola she’s so lenient, she’s so calm, we never saw that kind of Mommy Pinty as we were growing up. Kasi when were growing up, she was fun, but I think pang-fifth characteristic niya yon. No. 1: Strict, strict, strict…then disciplinarian…then fun.
What’s the best lesson that you learned from your mom?
Toni: She didn’t say this, pero I observed this when I was growing up. That no matter what happens in her life, when she makes decisions, she makes sure that we are her top priority. Na parang she never decides for herself. And I feel that now. Every time I make an important decision, I ask myself, “Will it benefit my child, will it be good for my child?”
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