There's a saying that your life is over once you become a mother. However, the inspiring stories of these mothers from the Smart Parenting Village beg to differ. Motherhood is not the end of one's story—it's only the beginning.
These moms, who are members of the 112,000-strong Facebook community of parents, believe that motherhood transformed them into better versions of themselves, capable of more patience, empathy, and a renewed commitment to self-care.
We celebrate the everyday stories of moms whose lives were transformed by motherhood—changed in powerful, lasting ways for the better.
Motherhood Made Me Better: Smart Parenting Village Moms
Myrna Villanueva Tinio, mom of two
Myrna has two children, ages 15 and 11, and runs Bridges School, an inclusive preschool in Angeles City, Pampanga.
As a professional educator, she thought she was meant to teach, but in motherhood, she became the student.
"I learned to watch what I say and do," Myrna shared. She realized she was far from perfect and needed to change for the better. She admitted, "I was not a very patient person."
For instance, she would feel frustrated with people in the service industry taking their time to chat during work hours, "I used to call them out or express frustration kahit sa sarili ko lang," she explained.
But motherhood opened her eyes. Myrna only realized the effect of her habits when she saw her kids do the same.
"One time, I heard my daughter sigh out loud sa isang playmate na mabagal! Toddler pa lang siya noon. Kaya alam ko na sa amin niya iyon na-pick up. Sa traffic, 'pag may nakita kang sumingit tapos mag-sigh out loud ka out of frustration, nagagaya pala nila," she said.
"Motherhood made me better because it became clearer to me what I need to fix within myself, para I can raise children who are better than I am." —Myrna Villanueva Tinio
What's more, she also learned to eat vegetables and be more intentional in maintaining healthy eating habits. Myrna said, "I want my kids to eat healthier, pero kung ako puro junk foods ang nakikita nila or hindi kumakain ng gulay, paano ko sila tuturuan non 'di ba?"
Myrna decided to change those habits, not just for herself but also for her kids, "Mas naging conscious ako on how I treat others, talk to them, handle my frustrations, and even my eating habits. It's not easy, but my children helped me without them knowing. Plus, I learned to slow down, be more patient, and be more understanding."
Myrna's realizations led to her transformation: a better person and mother. "Motherhood made me better because it became clearer to me what I need to fix within myself, para I can raise children who are better than I am. Now that they are older, I'm grateful kasi palagay ko mas mabait ang mga anak namin kaysa sa amin."
Crichy Villanueva, mom of three
They say you only truly understand your parents once you become one yourself. Crichy Villanueva agrees.
"Being a mother made me more understanding and appreciative of my mom. Na-realize ko din grabe pala ang topak ko noong teenage years ko. I feel sorry, lalo na ngayong may preview na ako on dealing with my own pre-teen/teen kids."
Crichy's kids are 6, 12, and 14 years old. 
She recalled her teen years filled with angst and mood swings—years that must have hurt her mother. "Looking back, I feel ashamed because I did not realize immediately how my mom felt."
Crichy is in her season of parenting tweens and teens, the same time her mom dealt with her in her teenage years, "My mom probably felt disrespected back then. I know how that feels now. It made me realize she was just doing her best, just like what I'm doing now."
"Being a mother made me more understanding and appreciative of my mom. It made me realize she was just doing her best, just like what I'm doing now." —Crichy Villanueva
This realization urged her to change her approach to her mom and kids, "We are closer now, and wala na yung mga past na hinanakit ko. I can't remember why I was so angry with her before. With my kids, I guess it helped me manage my reactions towards their mood swings. Knowing that it's probably hormones and it's just a phase, I'm more tolerant of their mood swings. I know that it's not personal, and sometimes they need space. Basta nakabantay lang ako lagi na they don't cross boundaries."
Van Santiago Baquiran, mom of two
Van Santiago Baquiran is a mom to two boys, both diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Seven years ago, she resigned and became a stay-at-home mom.
"I had lots of fears before. Fears of heights, fear of small spaces, fear of open water, fear of dogs, and much more," Van shared.
"Noong naging nanay na ko, mas inuna ko na kung ano ang makakabuti sa mga anak ko, kaysa sa mga takot ko." —Van Santiago Baquiran
But her love for her kids pushed her past her fears. Her sons love the ocean, the water calms them. "We needed to expose the kids to different experiences. Tulad ng pagsakay sa bangka or mag-swimming sa dagat. As Autism kids, nakakapagpakalma sa kanila kapag nasa open water."
"Mahirap gawin yun noong mga panahon na hindi pa ko nanay. Pero noong naging nanay na ko, mas inuna ko na kung ano ang makakabuti sa mga anak ko, kaysa sa mga takot ko," she added.
But no matter how motherhood made her tougher, Van admitted that her only fear is leaving her two sons behind. "Being an Ausome mom has its bad days. There are fears, but my faith in God strengthens me."
Rin Llagas-Bautista, mom of one
Rin Llagas-Bautista is a mom of all trades. She is a hands-on mom to her 6-year-old daughter, a freelancer, and now a candidate for University graduation.
At 16, Rin worked at a fast-food chain to help her family instead of pursuing a college degree. She was 22 when she finally started her dream degree in education. But in her second year, an unexpected twist of fate came: She got pregnant.
Rin shared, "Akala ko kakayanin ko ang demand ng school and work as a tutor kahit expecting na ako. Ang mindset ko, 'di lang naman ako ang nag-iisang nabuntis sa Uni namin habang nag-aaral, plus I'm at the right age. Nandito na ako, titigil pa ba?"
She continued, "But the baby inside me got stressed too, I had a threatened abortion, luckily, my baby survived. It made me slow down and think about my priorities." Rin had ovarian cysts at the time of her pregnancy, and even her doctor said, “Congratulations, kumapit ang baby mo!"
Rin's birth experience is another story. She experienced leaked amniotic fluid, seizure due to postpartum hemorrhage, and neonatal sepsis. "Nilaban namin ang anak namin from the start, kahit biglaan man siyang dumating sa buhay namin," she shared.
"I want my daughter to see that motherhood didn't stop me, but even gave me more strength and purpose to pursue my dreams." —Rin Llagas Bautista
It the middle of the pandemic, she decided to continue her college education. Rin said, "Kaya nilaban ko din ang degree ko ngayon is because I want to show my kid na hindi siya hadlang for achieving my dreams. Kasi for sure, paglaki niya, maririnig niya ang mga tao na sasabihin, "Sayang, kung hindi dahil siguro sa'yo, naka-graduate and nanay mo ng college."
She wants her daughter to know that her mom fought hard for a degree she truly wanted, not just as a parent, but as a woman who values growth and continuous learning. "I believe my journey isn't just mine, it's a foundation she can stand on one day. I want her to see that motherhood didn't stop me, but gave me even more strength and purpose to pursue my dreams. Contrary to what others say, my daughter didn't hinder my education or work, as she became my greatest motivation. Through this, I hope she learns that a woman can still achieve something for herself even after being a mother and that choosing yourself is a powerful act of love,” Rin concluded.
MaAnn Termulo Montances, mom of three
"Sabi nga nila, we are our children's first teachers. But the truth is, my children have taught me more," MaAnn shared.
When she became a mom, MaAnn took her health seriously and changed her habits of skipping check-ups, ignoring coughs and colds, and sleeping off whatever she felt. She gets regular check-ups, vaccines, and multivitamins. She also became more mindful of eating and getting enough rest.
However, even with MaAnn’s healthy lifestyle, she still experienced a challenging season. At one point, she overworked herself and landed in the hospital.
"I often stayed up late, didn't have time for morning walks or sunlight, and sometimes cried a lot. I didn’t realize that I had become less present with my kids. My patience wore thin, and I became easily angered. One day, I felt dizzy while cooking and almost fainted. Eventually, I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and anxiety disorder," MaAnn recalled.
She underwent counseling and her doctor reminded her, “You have your kids. You need to take care of yourself."
"I realized that my three kids look up to me, and whatever they see in me, they may learn and carry with them. I don't want them to go through what I experienced. I want them to grow up knowing how to care for themselves," MaAnn added.
"Being a mother inspired me to write a book for my kids and for other kids, too." —MaAnn Termulo Montances
Since her diagnosis early this year, MaAnn happily shared, "I’ve taken time to rest, recharge, and rediscover myself as a woman and as a mom. During this season, I wrote a children's book about self-care for my kids. I'll be releasing it on my birthday."
Contrary to the notion that taking time off is counterproductive, MaAnn proved otherwise, "Funny thing is—I never dreamed of becoming an author. But then, I became a mom. I was inspired to write a book for my kids and other kids. And that, I believe, is even better."
Bebe Ramallosa, mom of two
Bebe Ramallosa is a mom to two boys. She says motherhood taught her to be a better leader.
"Mothers show unwavering compassion, empathy, and support for their children. These qualities serve as my standard for parenting my kids and as my guiding principle for leading my team members in the workplace," she shared.
She sees many parallels between motherhood and leadership. "As a mother and leader, I am responsible for their well-being, development, and growth. My kids are happy because I support them with their hobbies and interests. The same goes for my team," Bebe explained.
"Compassion and empathy—that's the heart of both motherhood and leadership." —Bebe Ramallosa
She added, "Being a mom doesn't mean I need to constantly decide for my kids. I listen to them, provide guidance, and let them figure out the rest. As for my team, I don't micromanage. I let them do their work and only intervene when they need guidance. This is how I empower and make them independent."
Before motherhood, Bebe admitted that she was a control freak, and she saw how it damaged her team. "I was also like that during the early days of motherhood. But my eldest child and his microexpressions made me realize he was unhappy."
Bebe slowly changed and applied what she learned from motherhood to her work team. She proudly shared, "We've had zero attrition in 10 years. Awards and recognition followed as well."
Whenever she feels lost, Bebe returns to where it all started: "Compassion and empathy—that's the heart of both motherhood and leadership."
These mompreneurs were changed by motherhood. Read their inspiring stories here.
