Angelica Panganiban’s Letter Reflects Every New Mom’s Feelings

As she celebrates her daughter’s first birthday, Angelica Panganiban reflects on the long and arduous learning journey of being a new mom.

From her pregnancy journey to now her journey as a mom, Angelica Panganiban now gets to look back at the year that has passed ever since the birth of her daughter, Amila Sabine. And she reveals, just like every other mom who’s starting out, there are moments she doubted herself and didn’t know what to do. “Punong puno ng takot ang buong pagka tao ko ng ganitong oras last year. Marahil dahil sa dami ng mga hindi ko alam gawin. Sa lahat ng duda,” she recalls the moment when Amila was born. “At nang sa hindi ko na mapigilan ang grand entrance mo.“

However, that fear and hesitation shrinks at the sight of the love Angelica has for her. She wishes her little girl a happy birthday while laughing at how they probably “drive each other crazy.”

“Happy birthday love. Isang taon na kong baliw sayo. Ilang taon pa kaya tayo magiging baliw sa isa’t isa?”

“Hindi Perpekto, Pero Sapat”

Before we even become moms, we have an inkling of what our ideal mom is because of how our own moms raised us. We see them as someone always knowing what to do, accomplishing even the most menial of chores with grace and poise. But what we don’t see is the years of experience that our moms built up to develop that attitude and mentality. Something that Angelica learns now as a mother to her daughter.

“Pero sa kabila ng lahat ng kaba, ikaw ang nag gabay sakin kung pano maging isang ina. Hindi perpekto, pero sapat. Yun naman ang mahalaga,” she adds.

Becoming the “perfect” mom, we consciously know, is a pipe dream. We are human; making mistakes is part of how we grow as a parent for our children. There’s so much trial and error despite the vast parenting libraries at our fingertips that perhaps, we should settle on being “enough” for our kids. They don’t want anyone else. They just want their mom or dad who will be there with them as they grow, regardless of the mistakes we and they make.

Parenting Drives You Crazy With Love

Angelica Panganiban’s use of the word “baliw” to describe is no understatement of the moments we’ve gone through as new parents. Sometimes, we’ll even look back and scratch our heads, bewildered at how we managed to survive all the sleepless nights, rising of tempers, and other things. All the more when we spend the next few years like Angelica raising our babies into toddlers and then teens. We’re sure it’s going to be one crazy rollercoaster ride. But it’s a rollercoaster ride we know is worth being on!

More about Angelica Panganiban as a mom?

Judy Ann Santos Pens Message for New Mom Angelica Panganiban: ‘Handang Handa Ka Na’
Angelica Panganiban Reminds Moms to Check on Themselves
Angelica Panganiban Shares Breastfeeding Truths Moms Can Relate To