💐 With Mother's Day approaching, we are shining the spotlight on the super moms we know and love.
"I have three kids, and one of them is only three years old, but I haven't had the chance to be with them ever since I left the Philippines right before the pandemic", Blanca – our cafe supervisor, shared while having her lunch break, after a busy morning at our Marina One space.
The mother of three often spends her breaks at work giving her children speedy check-in video calls – catching up on the kids' day at school and talking about their plans for the rest of the day, "this is the best way I can stay and feel connected with them while being away" she explains.
The pandemic's travel bans and border restrictions have separated many families around the globe for as long as two years. When the announcement of the border closure hit back in March 2020, many made a tough but necessary decision to leave their families behind to return to Singapore for work. Despite being unsure when the world will see a return to normalcy – Blanca and her husband decisively packed their bags and hopped back on a flight to Singapore (she had worked at Bizlink, another social enterprise in Singapore previously). Having just secured her position at The Social Space, Blanca knew it was the right decision to ensure a stable income stream for her family.
We asked her what's the biggest challenge being a mother that is miles away.
"Without a doubt – discipline," she confessed.
"For example, I was doing a video call with my family during their dinner time the other day. I saw my teenagers being on their gadgets while eating, and my toddler was putting his legs on the dining table while watching YouTube. I quickly let my mother (the kids' primary caregiver) know that she should discipline them with proper table manners (that has always been our family rule). But she shrugged it aside and said that it's fine."
"As a mother, it's tough because you want to be there for your children – to teach and guide them, telling them what's right and what's wrong," she said, "But with me being physically away, there is nothing I can do besides naggings and hope that they understand".
It's not all bad days being apart. Blanca recalls a particular incident when her teenage kids stepped up without any hesitation to take care of their baby brother and grandmother when both of them caught COVID-19. "I was so worried. I wanted to fly back to the Philippines almost immediately – because, at that point, people couldn't even travel around from one neighbourhood to another freely, so my brother wasn't able to come to my place and help out," she said. "But the application process was complex, and due to the traveling rules back then – I was afraid that if I decide to return home, I won't be able to come back to Singapore."
"Fortunately, my teenagers did everything they could to take care of their grandmother and sibling in that difficult time – they even distributed the roles and responsibilities among themselves, with no complaints." A big blissful smile quickly appeared on Blanca's face as she proudly looked back at her children's independence and maturity that naturally blossomed even while she was not 24/7 by their side.
With the world's transition into an endemic phase and loosening of travel restrictions, a long-awaited reunion is finally in sight for Blanca and her family. The sense of anticipation peaks through her words as she talks about the family's version of quality time – bonding over meal times, "I look forward to the day we get to sit around the table and enjoy a meal together as a family".
We've featured two beautiful mothers for #MeetMeAtTSS in honour of upcoming Mother's Day. 💕 It has been an honour to have this intimate conversation with incredible mothers like Blanca and Samantha of CoCreation Workshop on their take on motherhood in our times.
👩🍳 Next time you are at our Marina One space, give the Cinnamon Bread Pudding a try (it's from Blanca's recipe!) and don't forget to say hello to our cheery cafe supervisor.
The mother of three often spends her breaks at work giving her children speedy check-in video calls – catching up on the kids' day at school and talking about their plans for the rest of the day, "this is the best way I can stay and feel connected with them while being away" she explains.
The pandemic's travel bans and border restrictions have separated many families around the globe for as long as two years. When the announcement of the border closure hit back in March 2020, many made a tough but necessary decision to leave their families behind to return to Singapore for work. Despite being unsure when the world will see a return to normalcy – Blanca and her husband decisively packed their bags and hopped back on a flight to Singapore (she had worked at Bizlink, another social enterprise in Singapore previously). Having just secured her position at The Social Space, Blanca knew it was the right decision to ensure a stable income stream for her family.
We asked her what's the biggest challenge being a mother that is miles away.
"Without a doubt – discipline," she confessed.
"For example, I was doing a video call with my family during their dinner time the other day. I saw my teenagers being on their gadgets while eating, and my toddler was putting his legs on the dining table while watching YouTube. I quickly let my mother (the kids' primary caregiver) know that she should discipline them with proper table manners (that has always been our family rule). But she shrugged it aside and said that it's fine."
"As a mother, it's tough because you want to be there for your children – to teach and guide them, telling them what's right and what's wrong," she said, "But with me being physically away, there is nothing I can do besides naggings and hope that they understand".
It's not all bad days being apart. Blanca recalls a particular incident when her teenage kids stepped up without any hesitation to take care of their baby brother and grandmother when both of them caught COVID-19. "I was so worried. I wanted to fly back to the Philippines almost immediately – because, at that point, people couldn't even travel around from one neighbourhood to another freely, so my brother wasn't able to come to my place and help out," she said. "But the application process was complex, and due to the traveling rules back then – I was afraid that if I decide to return home, I won't be able to come back to Singapore."
"Fortunately, my teenagers did everything they could to take care of their grandmother and sibling in that difficult time – they even distributed the roles and responsibilities among themselves, with no complaints." A big blissful smile quickly appeared on Blanca's face as she proudly looked back at her children's independence and maturity that naturally blossomed even while she was not 24/7 by their side.
With the world's transition into an endemic phase and loosening of travel restrictions, a long-awaited reunion is finally in sight for Blanca and her family. The sense of anticipation peaks through her words as she talks about the family's version of quality time – bonding over meal times, "I look forward to the day we get to sit around the table and enjoy a meal together as a family".
We've featured two beautiful mothers for #MeetMeAtTSS in honour of upcoming Mother's Day. 💕 It has been an honour to have this intimate conversation with incredible mothers like Blanca and Samantha of CoCreation Workshop on their take on motherhood in our times.
👩🍳 Next time you are at our Marina One space, give the Cinnamon Bread Pudding a try (it's from Blanca's recipe!) and don't forget to say hello to our cheery cafe supervisor.
Leave a comment