An afternoon with a smart mom

I’m inspired to write my column today. I’m inspired with the work I do each day, hosting the daily show for moms like me, Kumare Klub on TV5 (Monday to Friday, 7 to 8 a.m.). I have my own segment there called ParenTIN, inspired by www.parenTIN.tv, the online parenting show which I founded two years ago. In K-Klub, I give my personal advice and ask for parenting advice as well from other parenting experts and partners in the field. The segment has gained a solid following and it is a blessing that I am able to reach out to mothers by being one of the hosts of Kumare Klub. (My Kumare Klub co-hosts are Amy Perez and Chiqui Roa-Puno.)

The role of a mom who gives pieces of advice to fellow moms extends beyond my working hours on cam. It thrills me all the time when I meet moms who watch Kumare Klub and seek my two cents’ worth.

I was at the supermarket one time, when a pretty young mother approached me and asked for my advice on the spot. She said that her baby was easily allergic to a lot of stuff especially chemical-based stuff. Her baby was having skin rashes and that her pedia told her not to use the usual laundry detergent that has strong chemicals that may harm our baby’s sensitive skin. 

“Perfect!“ I told her. “I have the right product for you to try.” I led the young mom to the supermarket shelf which displayed the new product which I’m endorsing with my soon to be two-year-old son Nio. The product is called Smart Steps.

Smart Steps is a Filipino owned brand that offers a line of proven safe cleaning products that is especially formulated for babies and young children and good news — lower-priced alternatives for modern child rearing. Smart Steps helps mommies take good care of their babies. I believe that taking good care of your little ones should not come with an expensive price tag. I say, “Alagang mabuting ina sa tamang halaga.”

Smart Steps Baby Laundry Detergent and Baby Fabric Softener are safer and milder for use on your baby’s clothes. These are hypoallergenic and do not contain harmful chemicals that are normally found in regular detergents and regular fabric softeners. Smart Steps doesn’t contain optical brighteners. They are mild since they are not chemical-based, but plant-based. Yet, moms need not worry because Smart Steps still has the same effectiveness when it comes to cleaning your baby’s clothes and killing the germs attached to the clothes.

For moms who opt to use baby bottles to store breast milk, (I put emphasis on breast milk because I’m a breastfeeding advocate and still breastfeeding my son) — did you know that Smart Steps baby bottle cleanser is so mild, proven non-toxic and completely edible? So much so that it can also be used to clean and rinse our fruits and veggies.

All I can say is, I did well as a promo girl (my other crown is Miss Congeniality) that afternoon… proudly holding the Smart Steps products while pointing to the young mom the fine print printed at the back of the products. We even did price comparisons together which made the mom exclaim, “Ay, pasok nga sa budget ang produkto mo!“ And quickly, she put several bottles and sachets of Smart Steps in her shopping cart. We ended up having pictures taken as souvenir and shared a good laugh, too!

One good thing about this life: You meet people along the way. You may not know much about each other’s personal lives but you share a common bond. That is our longing to give our babies and young children only the safest and the best, without compromising our precious budget. Be a Smart Mom!

Happy Parenting!

Visit Smart Steps at www.mommysmartsteps.com. Find them on Facebook and Twitter @MommySmartSteps.