Spotlight

Nico Bolzico Enjoys The Life Of Being A Girl Dad

by Pamela Musni
June 1, 2023

Modern Parenting cover star Nico Bolzico spills the beans on growing up in Argentina, his views on parenthood, and being a dad to two wonderful girls, Thylane and Maëlys.

This cover story on Nico Bolzico first came out in Modern Parenting’s special Mother’s Day-Father’s Day 2023 Print Edition. It’s available on sarisari.shopping. You can also download the e-magazine via Readly or Press Reader.

Nico Bolzico is no doubt your resident funny man. And he doesn’t even have to try. That is, of course, when he’s not busy revolutionizing Philippine agriculture.

When he first came into the Philippine spotlight, fans across the nation were taken by his charm, quick retorts, and unique love for wife Solenn Heussaff. It’s no surprise, then, that from determined agribusiness CEO he was launched into his second life as a social media personality, becoming the face of many-a viral campaigns and videos.

But while Nico’s charming public persona is something most people are familiar with, it’s his love for his family that’s won the crowd over. His social media followers are definitely no strangers to the heartwarming posts about his pets, his wife, and of course his daughters, Thylane Katana and Maëlys Lionel, who are endearingly called Tili and Milli.

So how does one balance being an entrepreneur, a highly public figure, and a family man all at the same time? Modern Parenting talks to Nico about his upbringing, his approach to fatherhood, and the joys of being a girl dad.

Read the full story when you download the E-magazine via Readly or Press Reader or buy a copy from sarisari.shopping.

A simple upbringing

Born to a farming family in Esperanza, Argentina, Nico recounts how all the kids had to be part of the family business at a certain point. “Being in the family means you have to also put in the work where you can. We rode on horses, went with our dad to the farm, we were always doing stuff,” he shares. “So I grew up with that simple but rewarding farmer’s life.”

Through this, Nico developed an appreciation for nature, which he touts as one of the most significant educators for kids. “Living in the city, I try as much as possible to [bring my kids] outdoors to experience nature,” he says.

Read the full story when you download the E-magazine via Readly or Press Reader or buy a copy from sarisari.shopping.

Lessons in parenthood

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the Bolzico residence was abuzz during the photo shoot. What was most notable was the absence of a yaya. Both Solenn and Nico were so impressively hands-on with their daughters.

If there’s anything Nico’s childhood taught him about parenthood, it’s two things. First, it’s crucial to bring his kids out of the city and closer to nature as much as possible. Second, it wasn’t easy for his parents to be parents. Especially since they were much older than he was while he was growing up. So from them, he learned the value of time.

Nico’s upbringing has a profound impact on how he takes care of his family. Although he is parenting in a completely different place and time. In raising Thylane and Maëlys, Nico says he constantly tries to do his best as a parent. In general, however, Nico explains that he simply wants to ensure that his daughters grow up to be good people. That they’re happy, and that he gets to witness all the milestones in their lives.

“My mornings are mostly dedicated to them. [I get up early] because I want to be with them before I work. Then, I try to finish working as early as possible so that I can spend the rest of the day with them,” Nico shares. “Weekends are pretty sacred and are really meant for them.”

When asked for his advice to his fellow fathers, Nico expresses the importance of parents being physically present with their children whenever they can. However, he’s very much aware that this is simply not possible for others—particularly for those who have to work longer hours or live away from home. “I believe every family is different. I recognize that I have the option and privilege to be able to spend time with my kids, and I don’t take that privilege lightly. It is something I am grateful for everyday. But I also understand there are parents who have to work very hard to bring bread to the table and provide for their children’s needs,” Nico says. “So it’s hard to generalize because each father is going through different realities.”

Read the full story when you download the E-magazine via Readly or Press Reader or buy a copy from sarisari.shopping.

On raising his daughters

So what is Nico’s approach to parenting his daughters in these modern times? He goes for a more “show-not-tell” approach. For instance, when asked how he models healthy masculinity or how men should treat women, Nico says it’s through how he treats Solenn. “So [I show them not to] settle for less than that,” he says. “That’s why for me, you educate them by [showing them]… because for me, telling your kids [to] do this [or] that can be hard. But if they see you doing it, you are also sort of inspiring them in a way.”

Aside from this, he and Solenn split their time evenly between their daughters to keep their bonds strong. “Since Maëlys was born, I give Tili a bath every single night. Solenn spends more time with Maëlys because she’s breastfeeding,” Nico shares. “So it allows me to do more one-on-one things with Tili.”

It also helps that their parenting styles mix well with each other: Nico notes that with how hands-on Solenn is with their kids, he tends to take on a supporting role. “Since [Solenn] is taking care of Maëlys now, she’s the one mostly waking up at night,” he shares. “So I have to take over for her and take care of Thylane the whole day. I make sure she doesn’t feel left out because the baby is here. When Solenn wants to spend time with Tili, then I take care of Maëlys. It works.”

Read the full story when you download the E-magazine via Readly or Press Reader or buy a copy from sarisari.shopping.

A family in the spotlight

As a family of internet sensations, there’s always the question of overexposing your children and its consequences. It’s definitely something Nico takes to mind seriously especially as the two girls grow older. “Am I exposing my kids too much? It’s really a question that I ask myself all the time,” he shares. “I sometimes ask myself, ‘What if when Tili becomes a teenager and asks why I exposed them so much as kids, what then?’

Despite the conundrum, Nico and Solenn make sure that the benefits from being so public and visible online outweigh the risks. While the girls don’t have their own social media accounts as is with other famous celebrity kids, they have secured endorsements which the pair plan on using for the girls’ future. “ [Tili] has some endorsements, so she’ll have some savings already that she can use for the future,” Nico explains. The most important thing is that this whole experience becomes a stepping stone for Thylane and Maëlys and affords them more options in the future, instead of viewing it as something that impedes them.

The spotlight, after all, isn’t something that their family values. For Nico, the time he spends with his children is paramount, especially since their childhood days are fleeting.

Read the full story when you download the E-magazine via Readly or Press Reader or buy a copy from sarisari.shopping.