Kids

Chris and Clarisse Tiu : A Simple Antidote

by Jana Blanco
February 6, 2022

Chris and Clarisse Tiu share tips on how to keep cabin fever at bay and their relationship strong—even with kids and an on-going pandemic.

Twelve years of dating led to marriage for former professional basketball player Chris Tiu and his wife Clarisse. This opened a new chapter in their lives: raising a family. Only two years after having their first child, Amanda Claire, the couple soon welcomed another daughter, Mari Diana. Since then, childcare and managing a household have become part of the routine. And Chris and Clarisse have calibrated to the changes with ease. That is, until COVID-19 hit.

Adapting to the New Normal

Just like most families, Chris and Clarisse have had to adapt to the changing times. Their day-to-day activities, now with an extra cautionary eye on safety, are now different. But with it comes learning lessons on family, their relationship, and more. “[Our] home life has really been elevated and glorified in the last year. More meals at the table, more karaoke and movie nights, more duplo and tent building, and basically reinventing the whole space,” Clarisse shares.

The couple sees the time spent in the safety of their homes as a chance to spend more time with their kids—something that is lost to most working parents pre-pandemic. “We enjoy just being with our kids, observing them, and learning from their creativity,” she continues. “It’s [also] fun for us as parents to relive our childhood through them.”

Chris and Clarisse Tiu: “Stay active as much as you can.”

Long days spent cooped up at home also brought with bouts of cabin fever, not just for the children, but more so for parents. As an antidote, Chris and Clarisse suggest: “We make sure to keep active almost daily and get out of the city every few weeks for some fresh air. We also make an effort to eat healthy, well-balanced meals—nothing is worse than kids on a sugar rush in a condo unit.”

Aside from a healthy diet and proper exercise, Chris is keen on making time for his children’s hobbies. He adds, “We noticed that at this age, the kids enjoy and learn best through music and movement, so we’ve also tried to engage them in active online sessions like ballet, dance, taekwondo, and music classes!”

Between husband and wife, a sense of normalcy has been key in keeping their relationship alive. Clarisse elaborates, “ We make time for date nights at home, treat ourselves to our favorite resto’s to-go menu, take walks around the neighborhood, and hold occasional e-numan with our friends.”

Importance of Self-Care

Self-care and time alone also factor into how each partner manages to show up as the best version of themselves. Chris and Cla agree that togetherness is strengthened by taking time off from each other once in a while. “Each one of us finds ‘me’ time to do our own self-care, routines, and even attending classes or seminars so that we can continue growing and learning as individuals even during this pandemic!” They conclude, “To parents who are living through these times, what is important is that we do the best we can, and that can mean also having time for ourselves.”