Parentalk 2023: What Happened at the First Live Parentalk!

A gathering of experts and parents, here’s what went down during Parentalk 2023!

Alongside the highly anticipated Momzilla Fair, Modern Parenting debuted its first-ever public event with Parentalk 2023 last August 19 to 20, 2023. Originally held online, Modern Parenting invited a variety of experts and parents to share their valuable insights and advice with other parents. And with a whole smorgasbord of mom and baby essentials filling the aisles of Glorietta’s Palm Drive Activity Center, parents had a chance to shop while watching their favorite personalities open up about the ups and downs of parenthood.

Filled with insightful parenting tips

From finding the right skincare for moms and babies to parenting and raising kids in the digital age, Parentalk 2023 created a safe space for celebrities to share their messages on how parenting paradigms have changed. Hosted by Modern Parenting’s Editor-in-Chief Marga Tupaz and TV host Kelly Misa Fernandez, Parentalk 2023 invited beloved parenting personalities like Camille Prats, Mindy Lagdameo, Legendaddy Raffy Zamora, DadBud PH’s founder Joey Ong, Troy Montero, Phoemela Baranda, YouTube mom and star Zeinab Harake who recently graced Modern Parenting’s digital cover last July, Anna Magkawas, Audrey Pastelero, and many others!

It Starts At Home

Featuring celebrity mom Nikki Gil-Albert and Dermatologist Dr. Mara Huber, and moderated by Kelly Misa-Fernandez and Modern Parenting’s Managing Editor Gretchen Gatan Fragada, these moms gathered together to talk about the ups and downs of one of the most important bonding times between mom and baby: bath time! But skincare isn’t just about beautifying and glamming up. It offers a foundation to establish a routine for many other habits that become a part of the family’s lifestyle.

Holding Space and Self-Care

Every parent has their own version of self-care. But a lot of times, it’s difficult to confront the idea that we have to. There’s a lot of mom or dad guilt involved, especially when we’re conditioned to devote all our energy and efforts to our growing little ones. Especially for moms going through postpartum, the effort it takes to care for ourselves feels double the usual amount. But as Mindy Lagdameo shared during the talk, “Pregnancy is the biggest injury we [moms] can do to our bodies.” And when we’re injured, we need to heal.

Parenting in the Digital Age

Back in our day, we only had text messages, Yahoo Messenger, and probably MySpace and Friendster. Today, there’s always a new social media platform for our kids and teens to get involved in. And who better to speak about it than celebrities like Zeinab Harake, Phoemela Baranda, and Anna Magkawas? With their lives constantly under the microscope of the digital court of public opinion, any move they make can either make or break the peace they’ve built for their families.

“Bia and Lucas eventually got their own social media because my life is there, too,” Zeinab admits, revealing a different perspective from the usual, “Don’t let kids use social media until their teen years”.

Raising Teens

When the hormones kick in, our angelic and obedient kids turn into angsty, brooding, and defiant teenagers, making us parents wonder often where we went wrong. But you’re not the only one! Mom personalities like Camille Prats and Aliza Apostol-Goco reveal their tips and tricks of the trade — tackling many of the hard topics with our teens for Parentalk 2023. Especially when talking about sex, drugs, and, dating, the safety of our teens outweighs our initial discomfort about talking about it.

“We don’t ban them from dating,” Camille Prats shares. “We discourage it because there’s a lot of complex things involved. They have to learn how to respect themselves and others before they get into it.”

A New Way of Learning

But what’s a parenting talk-show without showcasing the latest trends in lifestyle? Parentalk 2023’s education segment also featured well-known schools such as OB Montessori who had President Sara Soliven De Guzman, Discovery Academy’s Nicole Inocencio, and Primary House’s Czarina Ledesma grace the stage to talk about the latest developments and thrusts in education.

“We don’t just hire teachers,” shares Sara Soliven about OB Montessori. “We also make sure we train them because there is a particular way of making sure learning stays student-centric.”

It Takes A Village

There is truth to the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And with social media breaking physical barriers and limitations to gathering information and support, it’s become both a double-edged sword in finding support and drawing flak from those who agree and from those who don’t. “I always see some parents looking and criticizing how I raise my kids,” admits Audrey. “But I know there are some who understand the rationale behind why I do so.”

Dette Zuluetta, founder of Millennial Moms, sums it up nicely, being candid about it. “Parenting is hard,” she laughs a bit. “And it’s extremely important to have a supportive and inclusive community as a parent.”

Operation: Dad Support

We’re seeing more dads getting involved with raising their kids. No longer constricted to the “breadwinner” stereotype, dads like Raffy Zamora, Joey Ong, and Troy Montero deviated from the image and soon discovered that there are dads out there who need help. Troy, who openly shares his journey of being a dad to Rocket who has ASD, shared that there was that need to find others who were going through the same thing.

“The most beautiful thing I think about having these groups is having a space to share our emotions and stories with other dads,” Joey admits.

We hope to see you next year!

Parentalk 2023 is proof that parenting is always changing. With technology developing its own culture and etiquette, we’re always trying to find a new way to raise pro-social, resilient, and wise kids in this constantly changing society. There’s definitely a big learning curve for parents; there’s so much to learn but so little time. But if there’s one thing we all want, it’s for our kids to grow, succeed, and enjoy life. But that goal isn’t one to achieve alone. It takes a village and Modern Parenting is here to be your village.

Parentalk 2023 was also made possible thanks to our sponsors: Lactacyd Baby, Erceflora Kiddie,
Cetaphil Baby, Y.O.U Beauty, and Luxe Slim.

More about Parentalk?

Time to Talk: Cetaphil Baby Joins this Year’s Parentalk
You’re Invited to Modern Parenting’s Parentalk 2023 at Glorietta!
It’s Time For Moms To Enjoy A Mother’s Day Out