Juggling many things at once is normal for Jolina Magdangal. Apart from being one of the momshies of the morning talk show “Magandang Buhay,” she runs the vlog #JolinaNetwork and takes care of her two kids, Pele and Vika, with her husband Mark Escueta.
Magdangal also makes time to pursue hobbies like diamond painting, working out, and being a #HalamaNanay.
But with the pandemic, she was forced to adjust her priorities and make changes to her family.
“May times na busy sa Magandang Buhay pero pag walang taping, usually dito lang ako sa bahay with my family. May mga nagbago samin, tulad ng anak ko na nag-homeschool. We decided to do homeschooling kasi mas naging priority namin ang safety niya, and we want to experience yung pagiging hands-on din sa school niya,” the mom reveals.
Even if Magdangal is used to doing so many things at once, she admits that homeschooling can be a struggle. It’s also a new experience for her and her husband since they are not teachers.
Still, she takes on the challenge because “masarap ang pakiramdam dahil anak namin yung tinuturuan namin at rewarding ang feeling pag natututo at malaki ang development.”
Another change in the Magdangal-Escueta household is their attitude towards going out. If in the past, they can just get up and go, they now take extra precautions.
Magdangal says, “I must admit, may pagkapraning ako na baka yung makasalubong ko or yung kausap ko ay positive sa COVID-19. Dumami ang dala-dala kong gamit kasi ang dami kong disinfectant.”
She also taught her kids hygiene habits to protect themselves and stay clean at all times. They learned to wash their hands and to carry alcohol and wet wipes. When going out, they wear their face masks even in the car, and they take showers as soon as they get home. When Magdangal and Escueta return home from work, the kids already know to stay in one room and
wait until their parents have showered.
These precautions are second nature to Magdangal, who has always prioritized her and her family’s health.
She says, “Pag may nararamdamang masama ang anak ko kahit ano pa yan,
binibigyan ko talaga ng pansin. May pagkapraning kasi ako sa mga sakit.”
She believes in giving them the right medicine and the proper dosage, at the right number of times.
For fever, she trusts Calpol.
“Pag iba na ang pakiramdam and parang iba ang temperature, naka-monitor na ako. As soon as pumatak sa 37.8 yung temperature, Calpol agad.”
The paracetamol-based suspension can be given to infants and children
ages 0-12 years old. It can treat mild to moderate fever and pain associated with discomfort after vaccination, toothaches, headaches, migraines, muscle aches, sore throats and musculoskeletal pain.
“Mabilis talaga umepekto ang Calpol. Pag may lagnat ang anak ko, di ako umaalis sa tabi nila at gusto ko either yakap ko sila o kung natutulog na kami, hawak ko paa nila. Nararamdaman ko agad na bumababa ang lagnat,” Magdangal reveals.
Her kids also love the Calpol strawberry and orange flavors. According to Magdangal, “hindi ako nahihirapan painumin. Tsaka sinisimot pa.”
Times may be tough, but Magdangal has advice for everyone in the new normal.
She says, “kung ano man ang nararamdaman nila, hindi sila nag-iisa. Laban lang nang laban lalo na para sa pamilya. Mas malaki tayo sa virus kaya wag natin papabayaan ang sarili natin.”
Besides, there are things to look forward to in the future. For Jolina, she’s hoping to continue vlogging, book more endorsements, and shoot a movie.
She wants to learn to cook and bake and she and her husband want to start a business. The family has milestones to celebrate like the kids’ birthdays and her 10th wedding anniversary.
Everything may have changed for families around the world, but Magdangal says that there are three good things that came out of this pandemic: “mas lalo pang na-appreciate ang worth ng family, wala nang mas hihigit pa sa prayer, and yung idea na ‘prevention is better than cure.’”
