Celebrity couples share the excitement & anxieties of being first-time parents
Being first-time parents can be exciting, yet scary at the same time. There are days when you’re so happy, and feel like crap in an instant.
First-time celebrity parents Solenn Heussaff, Nico Bolzico, Slater Young and Kryz Uy took us to a roller coaster ride called parenting in the recent AIA Philam life virtual event, “Tea Time with the Bolzicos,” via Facebook Live.
“Being first-time parents can be overwhelming,” shared Kryz Uy-Young, doting mom to three-month-old baby Scott. “I’ve had my fair share of sleepless nights. And like most moms, I’m ‘on’ 24/7 thinking about his sleeping patterns, his vaccines, and doctor’s visits. Like, guys, we need help. Thank goodness for mom groups.”
Kryz’s husband, TV personality Slater Young, said his role is basically to keep her wife calm and provide her with a strong support system.
The Youngs, being first-time parents, describe parenthood as “fun, but very challenging.”
“There are so many things — we didn’t know — you have to consider. Like what happens if he doesn’t sleep? What do you do?” added Kryz.
Just like Kryz, Solenn also relied on mom groups when it comes to baby matters.
“It’s so scary to not know what to do, especially in terms of your kid’s immunization,” said Kapuso celebrity and mom of baby Thylane. “I was looking and researching online about what vaccines are most important. There are parents who are pro-vaccination, while others out there aren’t.”
Solenn and her husband Nico, digital influencer, also shared about planning on baby-proofing their home.
“Our house, unfortunately, has a lot of stairs, which freak us out since baby Thylane just started crawling,” said Nico. “Like even when we prepare her bottle and we leave her on the floor of her room, two seconds later she was already crawling to the bathroom. I think everyone who has kids goes through the same line of thought: ‘How can I protect my kid?’”
Despite the challenges, “life happens.”
“It may not always go as planned, but be optimistic,” added Solenn. “You can’t foresee what’s going to happen in the near future; that’s why it’s always important to be prepared.”
And it’s called parental instincts. When you’re preparing for what’s to come, preparing for the future.
“As parents, you need to be one step ahead of the game, one step ahead of everything,” added Solenn.
Kids need insurance, too!
Protecting your kids does not only mean baby-proofing your homes, to always be on guard for minor mishaps or securing their future with an educational plan.
“Most parents invest in educational plans. There’s nothing wrong with that,” said Tennyson Paras, head of products, AIA Philam Life. “What they don’t realize is that they have to protect their babies now. We have to look into what is immediate.”
For first-time parents, getting medical insurance for one’s child rarely crosses their minds, thinking that the more pressing matter is their kid’s immediate physical needs.
But the truth is, a child’s medical needs can be costly. And with 54 percent of health expenses coming from the household budget, this can be a burden to many.
“I was in a meeting when I received a call from my wife informing me that our daughter Stella was rushed to the ER after having a seizure due to high fever,” recalled Paras. “When the doctor told me that she had to stay for a couple more days, my mental calculator did the math. Confinement, medicines plus doctor’s fees would cost a lot.”
Thank goodness, the company Paras works for has a good medical plan.
“But what about those who don’t have?”
This inspired Paras and his team to develop an insurance product designed to address medical expenses due to hospitalization of newborns to 17-year-olds.
Called AIA Med-Assist for children, this product can give parents peace of mind in case of hospitalization.
“As a parent myself, I understand the additional burden that these unexpected medical expenses have on families. With AIA Med-Assist, they can simply focus on taking care of their children and recovery,” Paras enthused.
AIA Med-Assist covers 90 percent of in-patient hospitalization and other medical expenses.
“Most parents will agree that the first five years are the most vulnerable age of children. As parents, we do everything we can to ensure they are healthy and provide their needs during this critical period in their lives.”
AIA Philam Life chief executive officer Kelvin Ang shared an unforgettable experience that opened his eyes to the importance of being insured.
“I was only 14 years old when I lost my dad,” related Ang.
Being the eldest child, he had to “grow up” overnight to help his mother take care of his four siblings.
“Sadly, my dad didn’t have a life insurance. My mom and I would go to our relatives and friends to borrow money. It’s one experience I wouldn’t forget,” Ang added.
And so when he first had a job, one of the first things he did was get a life insurance policy.
“I named my mom as the sole beneficiary. So if anything happens to me, my mom won’t go through that experience ever again,” he said. “That’s what makes my job so fulfilling. I’m now in the position to help other families prepare for life’s eventualities.”
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To know more about AIA Med-Assist for children, call 8528-2000, visit philamlife.com, www.facebook.com/AIAPhilamLIfe on Facebook or email philamlife@aia.com.
