Juggling many things at once is normal for Jolina Magdangal. Apart from being one of the
momshies of the morning talk show Magandang Buhay, she runs the vlog #JolinaNetwork and
takes care of her two kids, Pele and Vika, with her husband Mark Escueta. Magdangal also
makes time to pursue hobbies like diamond painting, working out, and being a #HalamaNanay.
But with the pandemic, she was forced to adjust her priorities and make changes to her family.
“May times na busy sa Magandang Buhay pero pag walang taping, usually dito lang ako sa
bahay with my family. May mga nagbago samin, tulad ng anak ko na nag-homeschool. We
decided to do homeschooling kasi mas naging priority namin ang safety niya, and we want to
experience yung pagiging hands-on din sa school niya,” the mom reveals.
Even if Magdangal is used to doing so many things at once, she admits that homeschooling can
be a struggle. It’s also a new experience for her and her husband since they are not teachers.
Still, she takes on the challenge because “masarap ang pakiramdam dahil anak namin yung
tinuturuan namin at rewarding ang feeling pag natututo at malaki ang development.”
Another change in the Magdangal-Escueta household is their attitude towards going out. If in
the past, they can just get up and go, they now take extra precautions. Magdangal says, “I must
admit, may pagkapraning ako na baka yung makasalubong ko or yung kausap ko ay positive sa
COVID-19. Dumami ang dala-dala kong gamit kasi ang dami kong disinfectant.”
She also taught her kids hygiene habits to protect themselves and stay clean at all times. They
learned to wash their hands and to carry alcohol and wet wipes. When going out, they wear
their face masks even in the car, and they take showers as soon as they get home. When
Magdangal and Escueta return home from work, the kids already know to stay in one room and
wait until their parents have showered.
These precautions are second nature to Magdangal, who has always prioritized her and her
family’s health. She says, “Pag may nararamdamang masama ang anak ko kahit ano pa yan,
binibigyan ko talaga ng pansin. May pagkapraning kasi ako sa mga sakit.”
She believes in giving them the right medicine and the proper dosage, at the right number of
times. For fever, she trusts Calpol.
“Pag iba na ang pakiramdam and parang iba ang temperature, naka-monitor na ako. As soon
as pumatak sa 37.8 yung temperature, Calpol agad.”
Calpol for Kids is a paracetamol-based suspension which can be given to infants and children
ages 0-12 years old. It can treat mild to moderate fever and pain associated with discomfort
after vaccination, toothaches, headaches, migraines, muscle aches, sore throats and
musculoskeletal pain. Calpol for Kids starts to work on fever in 15 minutes and is gentle on kids’
tiny tummies.
“Mabilis talaga umepekto ang Calpol. Pag may lagnat ang anak ko, di ako umaalis sa tabi nila at
gusto ko either yakap ko sila o kung natutulog na kami, hawak ko paa nila. Nararamdaman ko
agad na bumababa ang lagnat,” Magdangal reveals.
Her kids also love the Calpol strawberry and orange flavors. According to Magdangal, “hindi ako
nahihirapan painumin. Tsaka sinisimot pa.”
Times may be tough, but Magdangal has advice for everyone in the new normal. She says,
“kung ano man ang nararamdaman nila, hindi sila nag-iisa. Laban lang nang laban lalo na para
sa pamilya. Mas malaki tayo sa virus kaya wag natin papabayaan ang sarili natin.”
Besides, there are things to look forward to in the future. For Jolina, she’s hoping to continue
vlogging, book more endorsements, and shoot a movie. She wants to learn to cook and bake
and she and her husband want to start a business. The family has milestones to celebrate like
the kids’ birthdays and her 10th wedding anniversary.
Everything may have changed for families around the world, but Magdangal says that there are
three good things that came out of this pandemic: “mas lalo pang na-appreciate ang worth ng
family, wala nang mas hihigit pa sa prayer, and yung idea na ‘prevention is better than cure.’”
For more information about Calpol, visit www.calpol.com.ph