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Jennica to working moms: "Mas mahalaga ang memories..."

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Jennica Garcia reminds working moms: "Mas mahalaga ang memories kaysa sa pera"

Liezel Dela Cruz

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1740270240608OD2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div>Being a mom is already a full-time job, but juggling that with another career requires next-level multitasking. It&#x27;s challenging but possible. Kapamilya actress Jennica Garcia is proof that being a hands-on parent while working is absolutely doable. In this feature, she opens up about the joys, challenges, and everything in between when it comes to being a working mom.With back-to-back acting projects, ongoing studies, and full-time motherhood, how does Jennica manage it all? &quot;Kailangan kong i-remind &#x27;yung sarili ko nagwo-work ako everyday because I need money for the kids,&quot; she shared. &quot;Grabe kasi minsan &#x27;yung grind ko sa work with that reason na I&#x27;m doing this for my kids.&quot;<div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABUqOdWphSa8VaMm"></script></div>But at one point, she found herself questioning if she was truly doing it for her kids when she barely had quality time with them. This wake-up call came when her eldest, 9-year-old Mori asked, &quot;Nanay, bakit parang &#x27;di ka na umuuwi?&quot; This was when she&#x27;d leave the house before her kids wake up and return when they&#x27;re already asleep due to her filming schedule.  Mori&#x27;s question made her realize that she also needs to slow down. As with everything in her life, Jennica turned to her faith. She clung to God’s promise that with Him, there is no need to be anxious. &quot;Since then, this year, it became my New Year&#x27;s Resolution to make it a day at a time. I will plan but only for tomorrow at most,&quot; she pondered, emphasizing that moms naturally worry about their children’s future, but faith makes all the difference in finding peace of mind.She also shared the importance of self-reflection since the people around you often sugarcoat things to avoid hurting your feelings. In the end, only you can truly assess your situation and decide what needs to be done.One of Jennica’s parenting tips for moms when it comes to bonding with their kids is to limit gadget and technology use even just for a while. She recalled that when she cut off their WiFi connection while preparing to move to a new place, she and her kids had no choice but to find other ways to keep busy—like arts and crafts or reading books. It was especially satisfying for her to pass down her love for crafting, particularly crocheting, to her little girls. In fact, she proudly shared that her eldest, Mori, started learning how to sew at just two years old using katsa fabric and a plastic needle. Now, at nine, Mori already knows how to sew properly. Sharing the same interests with her kids makes motherhood even more fun. When asked about the best part of being a mom, Jennica had the cutest answer—having playmates for her doll collection. &quot;Masaya ako na meron akong kalaro... I don&#x27;t look like, &#x27;ano ba &#x27;yan balik-bata.&#x27; Kasi now it&#x27;s valid. I have kids. I have girls. I can buy all the doll house that I want and not feel the guilt because we&#x27;re all enjoying it,&quot; she smiled.From there, Jennica shared a meaningful reminder for fellow working moms—the same advice she constantly tells herself, &quot;Mas mahalaga ang memories kaysa sa pera. Kasi ang pera pwede mong i-earn, pero ang memories &#x27;pag lumipas na, lumipas na.&quot; That’s why, this year, she made a conscious decision to slow down and worry less. For instance, when it comes to paying for her new condo unit, she reminds herself that it’s okay to take her time. She doesn’t want to exhaust herself by working too much to the point where she has no time left for her kids, just because she’s overly fixated on securing their future.&quot;Kung 15 years akong magbabayad ng condo, okay lang, kung ang ibig sabihin no&#x27;n ay madadala ko sila sa ibang bansa, makakakain kami ng pagkain na hindi namin nakakain dito. Kung &#x27;yun ang magiging kapalit no&#x27;n, okay lang na wala kaming bahay,&quot; she pondered.Jennica plays a mother in the series “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/savinggrace" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Saving Grace: The Untold Story</a>,” and if there’s one parenting lesson she connects with from her character Sarah, it’s how childhood trauma can unknowingly be passed down to the next generation if parents aren’t careful. &quot;Minsan the way we parent is based on how we are raised, ano &#x27;yung gusto natin for ourselves,&quot; she said. Catch Jennica in &quot;<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/savinggrace" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Saving Grace: The Untold Story</a>,&quot; starting March 3, at 9:30 PM, on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, and TV5. It also stars Julia Montes, Sharon Cuneta, Janice de Belen, Christian Bables, and child star Zia Grace.