Saka Nalang Ba Ang Hobbies? Why Parents Should Make Time To Do The Things They Want

"May hobbies ka pa ba?"

In a recent Instagram post, actress and mom of two Solenn Heusaff shared a behind-the-scenes video of herself painting on a vast wall, with her daughter Tili also seen painting on the floor. Her painting reflects the beauty of nature, intertwined with her thoughts, mindfulness, and creativity.

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A post shared by Solenn Heussaff (@solenn)

She captioned her video, "Snippets of my mind. Slowly coming to life." To which her followers replied, "Is there anything you cannot do?!" 

In the Smart Parenting Village Facebook group, we asked parents about their favorite hobbies and how they find time to pursue them. Some moms reacted, saying, "Sana all, may time!"

One mom said, “Anong hobby? Wala na beh. Sinakripisyo na natin yan para sa bills. Haha! Pero masasabi ko namang nasulit ko yung pagkadalaga ko noon. Marami ako nagawa, nalaro, at napuntahan na lugar bago ako nagka-anak kaya okay na yun. Tsaka na 'yung hobby-hobby na yan kapag malaki na siguro anak ko.”

As a celebrity, Solenn may have certain privileges that allow her to be creative as a mom, but even as regular parents, we believe we can still pursue creative hobbies given its many benefits to our health.

Why parents should pursue own hobbies

1. It improves your mental health and well-being.

A study cited by the Harvard Business Review stated that people who take part in hobbies or leisure activities are less stressed, and have lesser negative emotions.

Creative hobbies can be an outlet for stress relief for overwhelmed parents. Many moms suffer from depression and anxiety after giving birth, as caring for their children can be all-consuming, causing them to forget themselves. Moms should remember that happy wife, happy life.

2. It helps you progress beyond parenthood.

Many of us feel stuck in parenthood, especially moms who feel they have lost their identity. Pursuing creative hobbies can help shift focus from the demands of motherhood to something more fulfilling.

3. It can lead from passion to profit.

Once a creative flow is achieved, we can pursue our passion, which can also turn into something profitable. You don't have to feel pressured to profit initially, but you can do so once you feel confident in what you do.

Like Mommy Teresa Teñoso, who said that she's lucky enough that her small business is actually her hobby. She has a printing and personalized business on Facebook Marketplace.

Parents share how hobbies benefit them

We asked moms and dads in the Smart Parenting community how they are able to make time for their hobbies like photography, crocheting, and reading books, and what they get out from it.

"It recharges my brain and body after doing all the household chores and taking care of my three kids." 

Reynosa Bato, a full-time mom of three kids, finds time to do crocheting and embroidery. She does it while her kids have their swimming or karate lessons.

When asked why she still finds time to do it, she mentioned how it has positive effects on her total wellness, such as decreasing boredom while waiting for kids instead of browsing social media, increasing patience because embroidery and crocheting can take time, giving a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, and helping her cope with stress.

"It makes me feel as if I can grow beyond the norms of a stay-at-home mom."

You can start small by pursuing your hobbies. For example, reading can ignite creative thinking. Mommy Coleen Sitchon-Bundal is a mom of two kids who is the only present parent (as her husband works in Japan). She said she made it a hobby to read at least one new book in a month. She finds time to read while breastfeeding, during contact napping, or at night when her kids are asleep.

"I admire moms who chose to put aside their ambitions, but I also believe that becoming a mom should not stop us from pursuing what we want."  —Teresa Teñoso

When asked why she needed to pursue a hobby again, she shared her story. "Since becoming a mom of two, I feel like I lost myself in motherhood. So I am just staying home. My days are just for work and taking care of my children. So, as 2024 started, I felt like I had to do little things to feel like myself again, and I wanted to start with eating healthy and reading again. Though now I want to start with self-help books."

"It's kind of an escape."

Mommy Teresa Teñoso shared that when you become a mom, you tend to forget who you were before becoming a mom. She added, "You know, when you become a mom, we tend to lose ourselves, our passion to do the things that we used to love doing kasi now we have kids na, so our time is mostly dedicated to the kids. I admire moms who chose to put aside their ambitions in life and their careers to focus on their family, but I also believe that becoming a mom should not stop us from pursuing what we want." She said she dreams of having her own printing shop.

Since she has skills in graphic design, she sells different personalized souvenirs, and one of her best products is these family portraits printed on Sintra boards. Indeed, even as a mom, there's no doubt that you can ignite the creative side in you.

"It's an expression of myself through art."

Daddy Rojirone Pasimio, a certified public accountant, uses photography as a creative hobby.

"Before having a family, I was into scape photography - landscape, cityscape, and waterscape. It's an expression of myself through art. But since that genre of photography requires lots of traveling to destinations that are not really child-friendly, plus the cost of other lens and equipment, I shifted to taking photos of our family."

He said it started when their daughter was still a newborn during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there's nothing to do with his camera. "Since then, it's become part of our family tradition to take our photos together on special occasions and while we're traveling," he said. Daddy Rojirone plans ahead about the theme of the image, framing, and background, and then they do it together as a family activity.

Not all of us have the same privileges, but we all have the same 24 hours. It's up to us whether we make an excuse that there is no time for doing a hobby or finding time to pursue a creative hobby. You have an identity beyond parenthood—never lose sight of your potential.

Read how YouTube content creators Cong TV and Viy Cortez support each other in pursuing their hobbies and passions here.