Dina Tantoco on love and Motherhood
Mother of three and Rustan’s executive Dina Tantoco: “There’s nothing more special than the bond between a mother and her children,” Dina says. “Before motherhood, it was just about me and what I wanted to do. But ever since I got kids, I totally shifted to a different way of thinking about life.” Photo by Ernie Peñaredondo
MANILA, Philippines - Blessed with three children — Alana, 10; Bella, 7; and Zach, 5 — while still looking twentyish, Rustan’s executive Dina Arroyo-Tantoco knows the difficult but rewarding role of mothering a young family and working it to her advantage.
“There’s nothing more special than the bond between a mother and her children,” Dina says. “Before motherhood, it was just about me and what I wanted to do. But ever since I got kids, I totally shifted to a different way of thinking about life. Aside from that, I believe that every time another child comes along, it’s really a blessing to our family. When we had our first baby, we were so young, but I think it was actually better in the long run because it taught us how to operate as a unit.”
Dina and Paolo Tantoco were just two years out of college when they got married in a civil wedding in Las Vegas. In September last year, they celebrated their 10th anniversary by receiving the holy matrimony at Montecito Chapel in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
It is in Santa Rosa, specifically in their home at Santa Elena Golf and Country Estate, where the young family spends their “sacred” weekends.
“I’m still figuring it out,” she says, referring to the ideal work-life balance. “I don’t think there’s a formula that works for everybody. For us, what works is the weekends. We go out of the city and we stay in our country home, which is really good for families. There’s a lot of things to do there. There’s a farm, there’s swimming, there’s the outdoors and bike trails.”
“Vacations are the best for little kids because they don’t fight with each other. They are having the best time of their lives, making memories of family get-togethers. Our activity can be just close by — like watching a movie. They will really appreciate any excursion. Plus, we get to teach them things they don’t learn in school, like common-sense things or things happening around the world,” she smiles.
One of the things she learned from some of her friends and in-laws is being organized. “I know people who plan the outfits of their kids and the meals. Everything is planned before they leave. And I think that it lends itself to really having more time for bonding with your kids.”
While Paolo takes the role of the disciplinarian, Dina describes herself as their children’s friend, playing with them, trying to talk to and understand them. “I’m pretty relaxed and casual with my kids. We joke around a lot and we’re very playful. And I think we’re both hands-on as much as we can, because we both work full-time,” she says, adding that they’re lucky to have a great yaya who takes care of the whole family.
Admittedly a non-morning person who would pack the children’s lunch and bring them to school, Dina makes up for her two girls, who go to Assumption and her preschooler at the Montessori, by going to all their activities.
Alana, the eldest, is the responsible and creative one in the family. “We ask her to take care of her brother and sister. They don’t get along all the time but I think she has that in her. I also think she is very sensitive; so, if I’m feeling down or had a rough day, she’ll hug me or give me attention,” Dina quips.
Meanwhile, Bella, is a go-getter. The doting mother continues, “She likes to do everything. She does all the sports, all the activities. She finishes her homework early. She takes care of everybody, she plays with everybody. I find that very special.”
“And Zach is my baby boy. He’s special just because of that,” she laughs. “He’s very artistic. He loves going to Rustan’s. It’s a very special treat for him to just even play in the children’s section. That’s another way I find work-life balance anyway. Because everything is here (at Rustan’s),” she says.
Despite the daily grind and less time — with Paolo currently taking his master’s degree — the couple still manages to go on date nights to either have dinner and a drink afterwards, or go out of town, just the two of them, with their friends.
Another important thing that mothers should remember, according to Dina, is to cherish a little me-time. Her three favorite things are massages, facials, and getting her nails done, which her kids find boring. “It’s boring for the kids so they don’t normally come with me, although my 10-year-old has started coming with me. It’s just quiet time.”
“It is important to make time yourself, not just through spa pampering but also spiritually, so you can be happy and calm inside. If you can take care of yourself, you can project that to other people and your kids, and it’s for their stability,” she says.
