We've been following each other's blogs before we met in late 2011 when I invited her to an intimate function. I can safely say we hit it off instantly, and I'd like to think it was the start of a real friendship on- and offline. I'm proud to introduce today's Mom-Style mom on the spotlight - Jackie of Go! Jackie Go!
1. Please share with us what your typical day is like?
My schedule is very dependent on my eldest Gabbie’s school. She started preschool last November 2012, so we are still in the adjusting phase.
My mornings are dedicated to taking care of the needs of my kids: Feeding, giving them baths, fixing their things & clothes to wear, very much mom-duties. Afternoons are usually nap time, but it is also the time I do errands and for events or work.
Dinner is where we all eat together & talk about our day. And when all are asleep, that’s when I get some “me time” since I’m quite nocturnal. It’s the part of the day where I blog, read a book, watch my favorite TV series, pray the rosary or just have my quite time.
2. What do you enjoy most about your current occupation.
The thing I enjoy most about being a homemaker is that I get be with my kids. They grow up so fast - even if I’m with them 24/7, I feel that it’s not enough. I also love that I can still work (do TV commercials) and attend blogger events in between taking care of my family. Ironically, I have my time in my hands but it still depends on the schedule of my kids.
I am super hands on. I am my daughter’s driver and yaya as I bring and pick her up to and from school. I am my son’s yaya too as I breastfeed him and bring him almost everywhere I go. It is tiring, there’s no doubt about it. But you know what - time really passes by, so just enjoy it. What seems to be an everyday tiring routine for you will change soon after your kid goes to school or your baby turns one. So, just enjoy it while you can.
If you really can’t handle the stress motherhood and homemaking bring, then ask for help and take at least a day off in a week. You’d be surprised with what one night (or afternoon) away from home, from being a homemaker and a mother, can do to you:
- Do dates with your husband
- Dates with your girlfriends
- Date with yourself
- It helps to dress up - When the load of chores takes a toll on me, I wear a pair of my fancy heels even if I’m just doing the laundry. I suddenly feel empowered and pretty!
3. As a follow-up, can you share one or two practical tip/s or advise in relation to what you're doing right now?
A few moms have asked me one too many times how I juggle and balance everything. As much as I want to say it’s easy, well it isn’t. Like I said, my topmost priority is my family. My days revolve around them, taking care of their needs, but when there comes a time where I really need to juggle everything in between, I plan a busy/hectic/activity-filled day at least a day or two. Sadly, I cannot do spontaneous at the moment for I have two kids that depend on me (one literally sees me as his milk machine ;) ).
My husband and I coordinate as to what my schedule is, that includes time management and logistics (who will take care of the kids, will I bring them with me). To be honest, I like going out and doing errands with my kids. It may not be convenient towing them with me most of the time but still I’ve learned to enjoy it.
Which brings me to my advise for moms: Enjoy the present.
I know it may be cliché. As what I learned from The Happiness Project, most parents are most happy because of their children, but sometimes the every day life gets the best of them that they don’t appreciate it as much. I say, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. All those sleepless nights and restless days won’t go on forever. In a year, they’ll be walking, in five years they have a mind that’s engaging, in ten years they’ll decide on their own. So just enjoy the present. Live in the now.
4. I launched Mom-Style to feature mothers with style and substance, and I believe you possess those qualities. So what's your Mom-Style?
Describe your mothering style and personal style in fashion, or your design philosophy.
My Mom-Style is very progressive and playful.
That goes with our home, my parenting and my personal style and even my blog. I like growing and learning and I believe with these one can be truly happy. Everything I am now, I believe is a progress: myself as a wife, as a mother and as a blogger. These three titles/roles are very evident in my life right now and I love juggling all three because these make me happy.
Mothering style:
I’m a progressive parent. I am not strict nor competitive (well at least not yet heehee) when it comes to my kids’ milestones and achievement. But I am strict when it comes to implementing certain values such as being respectful, grateful, and generally good to others . I’ve learned to just chill. To take things one day at a time and to just enjoy after all, nothing is ever permanent.
Design style:
It has always been modern minimalist. Think IKEA! Heehee. Everything we bought was well thought out (blame the limited space) and that each furniture should serve it’s purpose and functionality.
Personal style:
My fashion style is playful and feminine. I’m a dress and blazer kind of girl. Three-fourths of my closet is made up of dresses and blazers. Most of them were purchased on Ebay. I like thrift shopping online because there’s a little chance you’ll bump into someone wearing the same outfit. You get to be unique and at the same time save money on clothing!
I have learned that quality by far beats quantity. I’m a shoe and bag lover and it’s hard to resist pretty shoes & bags but when you’re a mom of two, you prioritize and even find yourself enjoying shopping for them more than for yourself. So, I invest on pieces that I know would last and even things I know I can pass down to Gabbie. You don’t need a hundred pairs of shoes. Buy only those that can almost last a lifetime, they may be a little bit expensive but they’re guaranteed to last longer if taken care of properly. I’d rather have three durable bags than twenty that can get destroyed easily. Same goes for shoes - there are tons of lovely stylish shoes but I’ve learned to stick to the basics and those that I know I’ll surely use.
- Let a day or two pass by. If you can’t get it out of your head and you can afford it, then I guess it’s meant for you.
- For those items you want but find the price unreasonable, wait for a season or two until the store puts the item on sale. I’d rather be two seasons late with 30% off the tag than be trendy and pay for it’s full price.
- If you live in a condo or have a small closet space, I suggest that before buying a pair of shoes, you have to let go of an old pair that’s just sitting in your shoe cabinet gathering dust. You may opt to sell the old pair or give it to someone else, that way you don’t clutter and hoard on things you hardly use. This is a nice way of acquiring and letting go of things.
5. Who are your Mom-Style icons? (why?)
Celebrity levelz - Style wise: Jessica Alba & Katie Holmes - I like their street style and how they can effortlessly look chic while taking care of their kids.
Ideal wise: Jennie Epperson & Mikaela Lagdameo Martinez - despite their celebrity status they managed to raise down-to-earth kids.
My forever Mom-Style icon is my mom. Her unconditional love and sacrifices for my sisters and I are immeasurable. Also my mom-in-law - for raising a wonderful man who is very much family-oriented, humble and hardworking. :D
In the short time that we've know each other, I have witnessed how you've grown as a blogger and as a mom of one... and now two! You're like a little sister that I never had (naks!). I love how we discover many things in common from our family lives, so I am thankful that you trust and share your stories with me. You are strong, honest, and unpretentious, and that's what I admire about you - aside from being a gorgeous and stylish mom that you are! You're a good role model for a new generation of moms who knows what you want for yourself without losing focus on your family.
Jackie blogs at:
Go! Jackie Go
All photos courtesy of Jackie Go.
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MOM-STYLE : a special feature on mothers with style and substance.
To highlight their diversity, expect the same questions for each mom on the spotlight.
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