How do working moms juggle work and family? How are they coping with and managing their usual busy days?
We asked some working moms who excel at work and managing their families. May they inspire all moms / mamas / nanays out there that motherhood is a combination of strength, creativity and love that endures through all.
KRISTINE JOYCE R. YAP
SM Prime Holdings Corp., Group Marketing Manager – Visayas 3
(Mother to Lulu, Gelo and Kiara)
How do you manage your time with your children?
As a working mom, I’ve mastered the art of juggling my family and career responsibilities. I carefully manage my time to meet the needs of both areas of my life. When I step through the door after work, I make a conscious effort to leave any work-related stress behind, allowing me to fully focus on my children. They understand that my job is important for all of us. I prioritize being there for them in important moments and making the most of our time together.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
I prioritize freeing up my weekends for family time. Whether it’s dining out, taking leisurely drives, or simply staying home, we savor these moments. Our annual family vacations are highly anticipated, allowing us to break from routine, explore new experiences, and create lasting memories from the planning to the actual trip.
Message to all Moms
To all moms out there, remember that your love, dedication, and sacrifices make you extraordinary. Embrace the journey, find time for self-care, and treasure the precious moments with your children as you prepare them for a bright and fulfilling future.
CHERYL LYNN D. NUÑEZ, MD
OB- Gynecologist
(Mother to Joesam, Patricia and Jeff)
How do you manage your time with your children?
As an OBGYN physician with irregular working hours, my quality time with my kids is either having a fun chat or doing carpool karaoke with their favorite Japanese anime songs, driving them to school with my husband, or tutoring them at night. I had always been their tutor, except in high school math and when they entered college. Now that they’re all adults, we make sure to all go to church and eat together on Sundays, and we also find time to travel if everyone is available.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
My favorite bonding time with my kids was reading to them at bedtime or telling some quirky made-up stories when I ran out of fairy tales. I made sure to do that because that was also my favorite bonding time with my mom when I was growing up.
Message to all Moms
Whatever you want your kids to be, just set a good example. If you don’t want them to shout, have temper tantrums, or show a lack of discipline, then make sure you also act chill and show good self-control. If you want them to be honest and show good behavior and values, then make sure you practice GMRC yourself. And most important of all, if you are at your wit’s end and don’t know what to do, don’t sweat it: ask God to be the one to steer your life’s wheel and set everything right.
MA. CRISTINA D. CABALHIN
VP for Marketing & Corporate Affairs, MORE Power
(Mother to Lance and Leigh)
How do you manage your time with your children?
As a working mom physically away from my children, I prioritize staying connected with them every day using modern technology. Despite being in Iloilo while my children are in Manila and already have their careers, I make sure to manage my time to maintain regular communication. By leveraging technology, I can bridge the distance and engage in meaningful conversations and activities with my children, allowing us to bond and stay involved in each other’s lives.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
The most beautiful bonding time I have with my children is when we dine out at our favorite restaurant. During these moments, we engage in heartfelt conversations where we catch up on each other’s lives. It’s truly amazing to witness my children take on a nurturing role, offering me advice on avoiding toxic individuals, staying out of trouble, and living a stress-free life. In these instances, it feels as though the roles are reversed, with me becoming the child and them assuming the role of the parent.
Message to all Moms
On this Mother’s Day, I want to celebrate the incredible strength and love that all moms possess. Remember, dear mothers, that guiding your children toward greatness doesn’t mean being controlling or toxic. Instead, strive to be a source of unwavering support, understanding, and encouragement. Nurture their dreams, listen to their voices, and empower them to make their own choices. Through your unconditional love and guidance, you have the power to bring out the best in your children and shape them into remarkable individuals.
KATHRYN JOYCE FERMIN-GORRICETA MD, FPCP, DPCLM
(Mother to Gab and Anton)
How do you manage your time with your children?
I am a doctor, and it demands a lot of my time to be on call 24/7. But I want to be there when my kids reach important milestones. I want to be there on every special occasion, especially when they are sick. As a mother, I had to make sacrifices. I had to limit my patients and sometimes refuse big responsibilities in the hospital so I could spend more time with my two boys. I love my profession, but my children are my priority, and being a mother will always be my choice.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
Every moment with my kids will always be beautiful, even just playing with them before going to sleep or cuddling with me upon waking up in the morning.
Message to all Moms
As mothers, we are privileged to be given the greatest gift from God, which is unconditional love. This love will always be the strength, inspiration and connection that will forever live in the hearts of our children and our family. So to all the mothers, let’s continue to love, nurture, and be beautiful. Happy Mother’s Day!
JUNEL ANN DIVINAGRACIA
Iloilo City Tourism Officer
(Mother to AC, Toto J., Atty. Jboy and Paolo)
How do you manage your time with your children?
I am blessed with four wonderful, working boys. A nurse, a seafarer, a lawyer, and an IT guy. I must admit, I was not always there for them, especially when they were younger. Being a single mom has forced me to prioritize my career to support my children’s education, which I consider most important. But whenever we have time to be together, I always make sure it’s quality time. I try my best to show how much I love them.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
My favorite time is when we gather during the weekends and try a new restaurant or discover a new dish. Another was when they would go shopping with me and choose my clothes and shoes. They are my No. 1 critique.
The best bonding time is during Christmas and birthdays, when we would reminisce about their childhood days and who made the worst bloopers, and then we would all laugh our hearts out. Sometimes, they feel bad when they think about their Lolo, who would have been proud to see how and what they’ve become.
Message to all Moms
I would like to quote Proverbs 22:6. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Make sure your children have a strong Christian foundation, and you’ll have successful, God-fearing children, and you will grow old with fewer wrinkles.
Love and take care of yourself. Go to the salon once in a while and pamper yourself. Buy that bag! You deserve to feel and look good after a hard day’s work. Moreover, it pays to have prayer warriors (friends from church), like in our case, the Rara girls, who cheer, pray and listen to us during good and hard times.
We will encounter heartaches, challenges and betrayals. But chill and be happy, because that is life. Importante gwapa and healthy kita.
MARY PAULINE G. BANUSING
Chef / Restaurateur
(Mother to Justine and Nadine)
How do you manage your time with your children?
I am very lucky that my children are very independent and do not demand so much of my time. These days, they are the ones checking in on me and how I am. But I remember that when they were both growing up, I prioritized their needs before anything else.
What is your favorite bonding time with your children?
Just being together, wherever, as long as we are together. Anywhere but together is our mantra.
Message to all Moms
It is so true when they say that our most precious treasures are our children. This is so true. Always support your children in whatever they do, and being a mother does not stop even when kids are adults.
