Vina Morales on raising a teen as a single mom
For singer-actress Vina Morales, the most challenging part about being a single parent to daughter Ceana is balancing the time she spends bonding with the teenager and working to be able to provide for her needs.
Ceana, now 15, is Morales’ daughter with ex-boyfriend, businessman Cedric Lee.
“Being a single mother is tough, but it has made me stronger. Imagine having to do everything for your child on your own. Not only do I have to work doubly hard for her, but I also have to make sure to spend quality time with her. I’m grateful that I’m surrounded by very supportive family members. They have been helping me raise Ceana all these years,” Morales told reporters during a recent media gathering.
For Morales, family includes sisters Sheryl and Sheila, and youngest sister, actress Shaina Magdayao.
Morales said she is also grateful that aside from her sisters, she has really close friends she can leave Ceana with whenever she has work. “My parents are already old. I don’t want to give them unnecessary stress over Ceana, but when she is with my friends—also with her older cousins—I feel a lot less worried about her,“ Morales pointed out.
Trust
When Lifestyle asked for tips on how to effectively balance being an overindulgent parent and being a disciplinarian, she admitted to not knowing what to say, “because I’m quite lenient compared to other parents.”
“I’m not strict because I trust my daughter … I tell her, ‘Anak, Mommy has made a lot of mistakes and they all have consequences. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes.’”
Morales said she was never a domineering or manipulative mom, and would just be around to guide Ceana. “I don’t want to impose on her what she should do with her life,” said the mom, adding that she was surprised that the once-shy Ceana is now slowly starting to come out of her shell.
“She recently joined her school’s pep squad. She’s a teenager now and is starting to take part in different school events.”
Morales suspects that this is because Ceana has always been exposed to her mother’s life as a show biz celebrity. “Whenever she was allowed, she’d go to work with me,” recalled Morales. “Work” would sometimes be inside a studio where Morales would tape for her TV show, or on a set location of a movie she is shooting, or a concert hall where she is rehearsing for a concert. “Ceana grew up observing her Tita Shaina, too,” she said.
Bonding over makeup
This was why Morales said she would not be surprised if, one day, Ceana expresses her desire to join show business as well. “I will be happy for her … I will never try to stop her, because my parents didn’t stop me—they allowed me to pursue my passion for acting and singing. They gave their full support,” said Morales, who joined show biz when she was 13.
At the moment, the mom is content with bonding with Ceana over makeup and clothes. “Our time together is always about being kikay,” she said, laughing. “It’s either about hair and nail colors or about the latest makeup. She knows all the new brands. She knows how to apply them better than I do. I don’t buy her clothes anymore. She wants to pick them out herself. She’s more updated. She is quite conservative, but still very trendy.”
The discussion turned a bit serious when Morales was asked for advice on how to best handle kids who could be affected by parental separation. Morales and Lee broke up shortly after Ceana was born in 2009. Incidentally, Lee has been in prison since May, after being convicted by a Taguig court for serious illegal detention for ransom in the case filed by actor Vhong Navarro.
“Situations like this one are never easy,” said Morales, who added that she and Lee are on good terms. “Having a strong support system is very important. You should surround yourself with people who sincerely care for you and your child. If you have that, then you can get through anything. Just make sure you strengthen yourself emotionally with prayers.”
The media gathering was to promote Morales’ concert, titled “The Ultimate Performer: Vina Morales, Live In Concert,” on Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., at the Ballroom of Winford Hotel Manila. Directed by Vergel Sto. Domingo, the show will also feature David Young, Nathan Randal, Dindo Fernandez and Niña Campos. Tickets are available via Ticketnet.
