Jessy Mendiola has always exuded beauty and grace, but these days, there's a softer glow to her that comes from being a mom. Since welcoming Isabella Rose, whom she and husband Luis Manzano fondly call Peanut, her world has been filled with more joy even though the journey also comes with its own share of challenges and adjustments.
In this Kapamilya Chat challenge called "Since I'm a Mother" (taken after the title of her comeback series "Sins of the Father"), Jessy opens up about finding balance, bonding with Peanut through creative play, and embracing the beautiful chaos of motherhood.
Now that Peanut is growing up—she’s two years old—her interests are starting to show and one of them is painting, which has also become her favorite bonding activity with Jessy. "Mahilig siya [mag-paint] sa floor tapos magmi-mix kami ng colors." Jessy quipped, "Mabilis siya maubusan ng paint kaya nauubos ang pera ko sa paint."
But she's happy that Peanut is drawn to creative and productive hobbies like painting, which helps her learn to make decisions and develop her own personality. "Kunwari, sasabihin ko, 'Do you want pink?' Sasabihin naman niya, 'No, I want purple.' Alam mong maganda ang progress at development ng bata 'pag gano'n," shared Jessy.
Before things got too hectic for Jessy and Luis, one of their favorite things to do as a family was riding around the village in their golf cart, just taking it slow while Peanut enjoyed sightseeing, looking at trees and birds, and exploring the outdoors. The couple believes it’s important to build that bond with Peanut while she’s still young, so she won’t feel afraid to open up to them when she grows up.
Jessy admits that she’s more of the disciplinarian at home, even stricter than Luis. "Panganay ko 'yon," she laughed, referring to her husband. But on a more serious note, she’s doing her best to balance being firm with being the kind of mom Peanut also finds easy to be around with. After all, her daughter’s still a toddler and she wants her to enjoy her childhood as much as possible.
It definitely hasn’t been easy juggling her responsibilities as a wife, a mother, and now, an actress again, especially since she recently made her TV comeback through "Sins of the Father," but she makes it work with proper time management. She’s also grateful to her bosses and the "Sins of the Father" production team for respecting the working hours and cut-off time she requested.
"I want to be one hundred percent present sa anak ko the next day. Importante 'yon para sa akin. And of course, sa aking asawa, kapag kailangan niya ako sinasamahan ko rin siya. Time management lang at balance. Find the harmony in things," she imparted.
"Aware na siya na may kanya-kanya kaming work ni Luis," Jessy also shared, adding that Peanut is slowly beginning to understand why her mom and dad need to leave for other commitments, and this made Jessy express how grateful she is for the helpers they trust to look after their daughter whenever she and Luis are away.
When asked about the best thing about being a mom, Jessy’s face lit up with warmth as she reflected, "There's someone looking up to you as if you are her whole world. Si Rosie, 'pag tinitingnan ako, parang ako talaga 'yong mundo niya." She continued, "Para siyang extension ng katawan ko, so 'pag nagtatrabaho ako, I feel like may isang part ko na naiwan sa bahay, at siya 'yon. That's the best feeling na alam mong may isang tao na umaasa sa'yo."
It's a feeling Jessy holds close to her heart, knowing that one day, Peanut will grow up and start building her own little world and meet new friends, form her own routines, and need her mom in different ways. "Kaya habang baby pa siya, super important sa akin na present ako sa buhay niya."
Jessy isn't closing her doors to the possibility that Peanut might one day enter showbiz too—after all, it runs in her blood. From her grandmother Vilma Santos and grandfather Edu Manzano, to her parents Luis and Jessy, the world of entertainment is already part of her family’s legacy. But Jessy is clear about one thing, "Dapat magtapos muna siya ng pag-aaral. 'Yon lang ang kondisyon ko."
Catch Jessy in “Sins of the Father,” weeknights, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), TV5, and A2Z.