Mom TV

"Mom TV", Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 31, 2009

Armed with my ever reliable remote control, I was channel surfing one day when my husband Gary commented that there seems to be a proliferation of mommy shows on TV.

“Well, good for us, mommies!”, I said.

With our hectic schedules, having the free time to watch TV is such a treat. And, it’s definitely a bonus if we also learn valuable tips on becoming better mothers from fellow moms through these programs.

So, sit back, relax and prepare to be ‘mommyfied’ by these ‘Mom TV’ shows. Here are my top picks:

Wonder Mom

Hosted by award-winning broadcast journalist, 2008 Ten Outstanding Young Men awardee and mother of two young boys, Karen Davila, Wonder Mom is a one-hour weekly show with a parenting magazine format.

In Wonder Mom, Karen uses a softer, mother’s-point-of-view approach to her interviews which comes out as personal, effective and sincere.

Past episodes have featured diverse topics such as managing child tantrums, organizing children’s birthday parties, differentiating the role of yayas and mothers, making memories last, among others.

With the show’s tagline, “Sagot Kita!”, housewives and career-oriented moms have found a trusted partner in Karen. Through the program, Filipina moms are empowered to face day-to-day parenting challenges with confidence and ease.

Join Karen as she transforms ordinary moms to super mommies in this reality parenting show....Now where did I leave my cape?

Wonder Mom airs on ABS-CBN every Saturday at 9:45 a.m.

MomWorks

Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan is one of my most admired celebrity moms. With her sunny disposition, you will be amazed at how she makes motherhood seem so uncomplicated. With four active kids, a successful career as an actress, author, lifestyle columnist, businesswoman and parenting advocate as well as loving wife to Anthony, how does she manage to still look fresh and fab?

MomWorks is a thirty-minute show that “focuses on the struggles and triumphs of our modern superheroes and the many roles that they play—as wife, mother and career woman” (Source: www.thelifeyoulive.tv). It premiered on the Lifestyle Network on June 18, 2008.

According to Lifestyle Network’s local production team, “The program is a venue for concerns and interests that are unique to the Filipina working mom. Segments feature everyday moms discussing issues and insights and applying tips and techniques for greater work-life balance”.

I just loved the episodes where they showed the gender bender role of househusbands, different views of parents about homeschooling versus traditional and progressive schools, fashion tips for the changing mommy figure, to name a few.

Watch out for MomWorks’ all-new episodes coming soon on the Lifestyle Network.

Moments

Normally, I don’t channel surf all the way to Net 25 but Gladys Reyes-Sommereux’s (yes, the versatile actress known for her kontrabida roles) Moments talk show became a good reason to give Net 25 my undivided attention. Gladys, who is a mother of two, proves in Moments that acting is not her only forte. She brilliantly shines as a gifted host in this parenting program.

“Moments is a one-hour talk show for 25 to 45-year old mothers with 0-12-year old children. The show is aimed at providing a practical guide to motherhood”. (Source: www.net-25.com)

Moments’ popular segments include:

“Certified by Moms: An infomercial segment focused on products and services targeted to mothers and children

Mom on the Go: Fast and practical tips on homemaking and child-rearing

Moms ABC: Step-by-step guide to taking care of the kids from the point of view of experts

Momstyle: Different mothers show various techniques in child rearing and how they perform their role as “domestic engineers”

24/7: Celebrity moms and common mothers prove that motherhood is a non-stop job
Momstop: Pressure free bonding moments between mothers and their kids”

Catch Moments every Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on Net 25.

Quickfire

Mothers who work in the kitchen for hours to serve special family dishes day in and day out are becoming a rare breed. These days, there is simply too little time as we try to juggle parenting, marital life, work and household responsibilities.

That’s why cooking shows such as Quickfire by chef-mom Rosebud Benitez is an answered prayer to working moms. Believe it or not, it beats Rachael Ray’s “30-minute Meals” by 20 minutes!

In Quickfire, Chef Rosebud whips up 10-minute kitchen wonders through a step-by-step guide to delectable everyday meals using ingredients that are locally available. (Don’t you hate it when you watch some cooking shows and they have these hard-to-find ingredients that make preparing the dish impossible).

Yummy family-friendly recipes such as prawn tempura, pad thai, chicken kiev, Vietnamese pesto pasta, chicken kebabs are a cinch to make with Chef Rosebud’s time-saving techniques.

Delight in Chef Rosebud’s speedy culinary creations on QTV, Monday to Friday: 10:30 am, 11:50am, 6pm and 7:10pm; Saturday: 9pm; and Sunday: 9pm and 11pm. Check out http://quickfire.multiply.com for more scrumptious recipes.

Happy mommy viewing!!!

Photo credits: Wonder Mom (www.abs-cbnglobal.com); MomWorks (www.thelifeyoulive.tv); Moments (www.net-25.com); Quickfire (http://quickfire.multiply.com) and cartoon images (www.beforeyouarrived.com; www.tv-season-on-dvd.com)

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.