She is a superhero and should probably be celebrated all year long, but Mom still gets an official holiday dedicated only to her and we love it! This 2020 though, with social distancing in place, some of us may not even be able to be physically with mom on this occasion and that’s alright. At SweetEscape, we love any opportunity to celebrate the people who inspire us and Mom, this one’s for you.

We’ve worked with so many inspiring moms over the years and we talked to a few of them recently about this holiday and put together a very timely conversation with Marketing Maven, Fitness Enthusiast, and mom of two, Erin Campos-Menk; Lifestyle writer, entrepreneur and mom of two, Cat Juan-Ledesma; Fashion Designer, and mom of two, Rosanna Ocampo-Rodriguez; Freelance Stylist and mom of two, Bianca Santiago-Reinoso; and Social Media Influencer, Vlogger, and new mom, Danika Nemis.

Life on quarantine

These five moms and their families have been on home quarantine for almost two months and when asked how they’ve been coping with life on lockdown, they respond with gratefulness and appreciation for what this crisis has taught them Qas parents.

Erin: My family and I have been happy, healthy, and well! I feel incredibly lucky that none of us have been sick or have had a medical emergency during this time.

Cat: We have been comfortable since the lockdown started and that is something we are more than grateful for. We know it hasn't been as easy for many other families around the country so we try to help as much as we can through organisations we believe in.

Rosanna: *We found the first two weeks particularly challenging, everything happened so fast and the world changed overnight. It took a while but thankfully we found a rhythm that works for us. *

Bianca: In spite of the uncertainties and fears, most especially for me, I consider us blessed because we are complete, safe, and at home.

Danika: Spending more time together has really helped us get to know our identity as a family. We have decided to be grateful for this pause. We see that Luna is very pleased that both Luke and I can be completely present for her.

Strengthening family bonds

Under quarantine, these moms found a way to stay happy, productive, and active. They’ve each found ways to bond and learn more about each other. Collectively, these supermoms have agreed that it is in the little things and that each moment is precious with the ones we love.

Danika: Everything we do with Luna is a new learning opportunity. I’ve recently started baking and I let Luna assist me so that she can gain confidence in the kitchen. We hope to make these activities fun for Luna so that she will love doing them too. Sometimes we feel down but to lift our mood, we sing songs together. We’re really just taking it slow and savoring these special moments that we are creating as a family.

Bianca: We’ve introduced childhood Pinoy games such as Piko, and Patintero to our kids. We play at the back of our house, it allows us to get our vitamin D fix for the day. My kids have been helping me water my plants too, every afternoon. It sometimes ends up messy but it’s such a mood changer. And after dinner, we watch a movie. I made it a mission to introduce some of my favorite childhood movies to our kids such as The Mighty Ducks, Land Before Time, and Three Ninjas.

Cat: Aside from school work, we have done lots of arts and crafts, cooking, and physical obstacle courses as a family.

Erin: Our focus has been on finding ways to keep the kids busy and trying to balance that with working from home which is by no means an easy feat! Alexa is 6 and Sebastian is 3. We also try to get them moving with some fun exercises and games. We have dabbled in cooking simple recipes with the kids that they enjoy (spaghetti has been their favorite so far) and introducing them to simple daily chores.

Rosanna: *I do activities with my children in the morning and just enjoy quality family time in general. One thing I am most grateful for is the precious time I’ve been able to spend with them. *

Celebrating Mother’s Day

But how are they celebrating Mother’s Day while on lockdown? Simplicity is key for these moms. A little me time and family time over a delicious meal is more than enough. Goes to show that even these successful moms see the little wins and celebrate victories as simple as the gift of time.

Rosanna: A good meal (fortunately my husband is an amazing cook!) and time in the garden listening to my favorite music is more than enough for me. My mother also lives with us so am happy we will all be able to be together.

Erin: To give the kids some semblance of “weekends,” we make Sunday’s special by ordering delivery from some of our favorite restaurants. Perhaps on Mother’s Day, they will let me choose the restaurant. Also we’ll probably schedule a few Zoom meetings with family and friends and celebrate Mother’s Day online!

Danika: To celebrate Mother’s Day, I just want to be able to hold them. We can go to the beach, watch the sunset, and eat a healthy meal that we prepared. We’re really celebrating every single moment by being resourceful and grateful.

Bianca: *No plans yet, actually. No expectations as well. But I would really like to just continue spending time at home with the family. Maybe cook a meal together or order in and watch a movie. And aim for a good night’s sleep, workout and get a foot massage from my husband. *

Life after lockdown

With the quarantine period being lifted in the next two weeks, these moms plan to re-introduce some normalcy into their routines. But what makes this significant is how much value they are putting into planning to prepare for what the future may bring to their families and the society they are part of, reuniting with their relatives and traveling to destinations to achieve balance from being quarantined at home.

Danika: We’ve not made plans to leave La Union yet. We need to stay here first to take care of our business. We need to look after our people so that they can take care of their families. We also need to save up again so that we can be prepared for whatever happens in the future.

Erin: As soon as we can take the kids outside, we would love to take them anywhere outdoors where they can run around freely and get some sun and fresh air. A visit to their grandparents also tops our list of things to do!

Rosanna: After settling back at work I think we all want to escape to Tagaytay or Balesin. A change in scenery, more space and fresh air. Cat: The first thing we are going to do when this quarantine is over is see my parents who the kids and I miss very much. The kids also always talk about how much they miss travelling, and we will definitely travel again in the future but I am also managing their expectations that it won't be soon.

Sharing the love with other hard-working and inspiring moms

With everything that they have experienced and learned during this extraordinary time, Erin, Bianca, Rosanna, and Danika have some words of wisdom to share encouraging moms to be strong yet vulnerable, tough yet tender. That it’s okay to be brave and scared at the same time, to see beyond what others see and allow ourselves to be more and do more. That despite what the world may tell you, as a mom, you should take pride in who you are and that at the end of the day, all that matters is the love of our family to get us through anything and everything.

Erin: Dear Moms, we are all in this together! It has never been more difficult and more fulfilling being a mother than it is during this time. Constantly switching roles within the day, prioritizing everyone else while your own work accumulates, being pulled in different directions, and then having some time for yourself! Take it one day at a time.

Bianca: I know it hasn’t been easy, and we continue to worry even as this quarantine gets lifted, but for Mother’s Day, choose to set these fears aside and celebrate us moms. For allowing a messy house, for having the courage to pick our battles and prioritize self-care. These are tough times, but I truly believe we are tougher. Your family is thankful as you continue to be their anchor of hope. Celebrate today and always! You deserve all the unlimited hugs and kisses from your kids and some Netflix and maybe some wine?

Cat: Dear moms, please don't feel pressured to do anything different from what is working in your home. As long as you and your family are safe and healthy, you are doing an amazing job! Celebrate that major accomplishment for yourself this Mother’s Day! Rosanna: If there’s anything I learned from the last 50+ days in quarantine , it’s that we can live much simpler and we have all we need beside us. We do what we can to adjust and it’s ok to take it one day at a time.

Danika: I want all the moms to hold their partners and their children as closely as they can. In the face of uncertainty, material things just don’t feel as significant. What’s more valuable is your family’s health, presence, and love. As a woman, this also is the time to look beyond ourselves, to grow and be better human beings. To reach out to more people and learn something new. We owe it to ourselves to try.

This Mother’s Day, we celebrate you. The woman who gave us life. The woman who never hesitates to sacrifice what they have for us. We love you and appreciate all you are and all you will be. We thank you for your patience, understanding, support, and love. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

Celebrate Mother’s Day with SweetEscape! In partnership with Photobook, we are offering 75% off to download all photos on your existing SweetEscape albums plus 20% off on Photobook Mother’s Day Gift Sets from April 30 to May 10, 2020! For more information, visit this link.