Moms and Dads

Rissa Mananquil-Trillo: Full Disclosure

by Kevyn Gohu
February 19, 2022

Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and her husband, Paolo, have are not ones to sugar coat the realities of life. It’s this approach in parenting that’s allowed them to raise children who are unafraid to taste all the flavors that each day brings—the bitter, sour and yes, even the sweet.

In a pandemic that has seen many children stuck at home, parents are now tasked with guiding their learning processes. Homeschooling may pose several challenges, including limited space and social interaction. And in this case, it is up to mom and dad to find ways to enrich their learning journey and expose them somehow to experiences currently unavailable.

Honesty as a Shield

“As much as parents want to protect their kids from pain, Paolo and I have agreed that our way of raising strong and kind children, who will hopefully grow to be strong and kind adults, is being honest with them,” starts Rissa. “Kids will always surprise you with the breadth and depth of their mental and emotional intelligence. As parents, the way we protect and love them is not by shielding them from reality, but by being open about it with them and being there for them every step of the way as they process it.”

This degree of transparency has taught their daughters, Celestia and Audra, valuable life lessons. It has also allowed both Rissa and her husband Paolo to view the world through their children’s eyes. Rissa shares, “Our daughters have seen us through our bad days, but in their eyes, we are still the best Pappy and best Mommy there is. They have taught us perspective, gratitude, and the importance of present presence. In the midst of hardship during life in quarantine, we have been given a lot of opportunity to enjoy the latter.”

Life is a Rollercoaster Ride

Considering the roller coaster of emotions that kids undergo, Rissa encourages parents to allow children to acknowledge feelings and know that their parents will be supportive. “I don’t want them to run away or hide it from me when they feel sad or down. I want them to be able to run to me when they need to and to pour their heart out, knowing it’s okay not to be okay.”

Rissa practices what she preaches. She, too, is a work in progress in learning how to deal with her own emotions. She ends, “No mom or no parent is perfect. You can be happy or sad, frustrated or calm, stressed or content, overwhelmed or productive. But one thing’s for sure, you’re still a good mom. You’re still a good parent. When we honor our emotions, it teaches our children to honor their own emotions, too.”