Busy mom Bianca Gonzalez-Intal wakes up each day with a grateful heart. Her family is well, she still gets to work even while at home, and the blessings go on. No matter how little or big, she’s thankful for everything.
The biggest adjustment, though in her current work-from-home setup is trying to set boundaries of work obligations and family duties. There are cons, of course, but she would rather hold on to the positive effects. “Ang laking blessing din ‘yung hindi ka na susuong sa traffic. After ng taping, mae-embrace mo agad ‘yung anak mo. May mga unexpected na sarap. At a time like this, grateful lang tayo na may trabaho tayo and we get to do what we do kahit work from home.”
Bianca would admit that being a mother in this era of new normal is physically and emotionally challenging. There’s a struggle between wanting to get updated with current events yet trying to limit the emotional stress and anxieties related to what’s happening. And as much as possible, she doesn’t want to let negativities consume her, knowing that kids are sensitive to their parents’ energy.
She underscored that kids have a wide level of understanding, so there’s nothing wrong with being honest with them about the current situation. “We can start to explain things and naiintindihan nila. Let your children in on what’s happening. Don’t lie to them. Tell things how they really are kasi ang bata intuitive. Kahit hindi mo sinabi, nararamdaman nila,” she told fellow moms.
Bianca’s daughters Lucia, 4 years old, and Carmen, 1 year and 7 months old, remind her so much of the Gonzaga sisters’ relationship. She compared Lucia to Toni, the more responsible and obedient child while Carmen is likened to the ‘wild’ Alex. Despite their differences, Lucia knows how to handle her younger sister like a true ‘Ate.’
When asked about her relationship with husband JC Intal during this quarantine period, Bianca smiled a little, then confessed that they often get on each other’s nerves. She knows test of patience is a normal struggle in every married life. She would admit that the annoyance was raging on the first weeks of the quarantine but they eventually managed to adapt.