Carlene Aguilar Thanks Jennylyn Mercado For Being A Great Stepmom

If you need some mom supporting moms feel-good story today, here's one.

Carlene Aguilar, Dennis Trillo's former partner, has publicly praised actress Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis' wife, for being a loving stepmom to their son, Calix Andreas.

Carlene expressed her gratitude to Jennylyn after the actress dedicated a birthday message to Calix on Instagram. Carlene commented on Jennylyn's post, which included snaps of Calix at a fencing competition.

“Happy birthday, Kuya Calix! May all your wishes come true today and every day. We love you!” Jennylyn told Calix, who turned 17 on September 22.

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Carlene then commented, “Thank you, Mommy Jen, for loving Calix as your own.”

Meanwhile, Dennis also greeted Calix, sharing a video of his son at the same fencing competition with the caption,"[Diez y syete]! Congrats to my panganay, so proud of you, mahal na mahal ka namin! We're always here for you! Happy Birthday."

Calix Ho is the eldest child in Dennis and Jennylyn's blended family. He has two younger siblings: Jazz, Jennylyn's son with actor Patrick Garcia, and Baby Dylan, Dennis and Jennylyn's first child together.

Carlene and Jennylyn seem to have a good relationship, as Carlene revealed in a 2023 interview that they communicate and exchange parenting tips.

Jennylyn Mercado and Carlene Aguilar

In a 2023 interview with Pep.ph, Carlene Aguilar said she turns to Jen when she sometimes can't handle their teenage son. "Minsan kapag naiinis ako kay Calix, sinusumbong ko sa kanya [Jennylyn], actually. Sabi ko, 'Hay nako, ikaw na nga makipag-usap d'yan,' mga gano'n. Minsan masakit na ulo ko, ayoko muna s'yang kausapin, mga gano'n, kasi madalaas nagka-clash kami dahil teenager na," she said.

When Carlene was asked if she allows Jen to advise and guide Calix, she answered: "Oo naman kasi syempre, kumbaga, stepmom na s'ya and kung wala ako, s'ya 'yung tumatayong ina kapag kasama ni Dennis si Calix, so why not, 'di ba?"

Making a harmonious blended family

A blended family is basically when one or both parents bring kids from previous relationships and come together to form a new family. It sounds simple, but the dynamics can get pretty tricky.

Blended families come with their own set of challenges, but there are ways to make things smoother. In a previous article on Smart Parenting, experts said pursuing smooth family relations often involve the following steps: avoid badmouthing an ex-partner in front of the kids; allowing time to process the loss from a separation, breakup, or death; encouraging respectful language, and setting shared expectations.

Letting trust grow naturally by keeping communication open, talking to your kids, and providing a safe space for them to express their emotions without fear of being punished, is also an essential move.

Click here to know more about Dennis and Jennylyn's blended family.