Mother's Day: Athlete-mom shares how she inspires kids through sports
MANILA, Philippines — Each mother has a story to tell, tales that are amplified during Mother's Day when every mom around the world are showered with the love and support they fully deserve.
One mom of two kids Erica Samonte is no stranger to the physical side of things being an athlete of several sports.
To get exempted from joining the Girl Scouts she got into basketball, while during summer she began doing karate as a summer activity which eventually turned into a lifelong passion.
She managed to juggle a professional career with joining the Karate National Team for the Southeast Asian Games, juggling work and training en route to two bronze medals.
While Erica has embraced the wonder of motherhood, her commitment to sports have not changed, "Those two sports are a big part of me. Basketball dictated my days back in high school and college. Karate dictated my life from college until my first job."
"People don’t expect moms to be athletic or good at sports," Erica added of the stereotypes towards athlete-mothers. "I would always get surprised comments that they can't believe I'm a mom of two kids [because] I run fast, or I kick high, or I punch hard."
Despite such comments, she remains dedicated as the lessons she obtained from these sports like hard work and perseverance have transcended into her parenting approach.
"[What] I always tell [my kids] is to always do their best regardless of what they're doing. Whether they're learning a new technique, or just doing pushups, or even at home doing chores. Give it your best," Erica shared.
She also acknowledged the importance of character-building, allowing her kids to simply experience what both victory and defeat feels like on their own, and how planning and quality time is a factor in both being an athlete and a mom.
"Ever since I was an athlete, I valued time management... I also put a lot of importance on efficiency," Erica continued. I"f I can get swifter or stronger in, for example, 5 days instead of 10, then I'm able to make time for other things like my kids."
Erica expounded further on the importance of personal quality time, "When I'm with my kids, I'm fully present. Same thing when I’m doing my sports, or even when I’m at work. Introducing my sports to my kids has also allowed them to understand why I like doing these sports."
Her children are into karate just like their mom as well as jiu-jitsu and golf, one of them winning two golds and a silver from jiu-jitsu competitions while the other won a silver medal in their first-ever tournament.
For Erica, her greatest aspiration is that her kids find their passions, the same way basketball and karate did for her.
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