Venturing into uncharted territory as a single mother is already challenging enough for actress Janella Salvador, who mostly raises her son Jude on her own.

“Markus Paterson is present in Jude’s life, but he really spends most of his time with me — around 80 to 90 percent of the time,” Salvador shared during the media conference for Season 2 of Lactum’s Bibo-Lilit’s Galing Challenge.

For Salvador, the biggest challenge is taking on both parental roles in her son’s life.

“In moments that require it, I need to be both mom and dad. As Jude grows up and goes through emotional hardships, I need to balance myself in how I support him while also meeting all his needs as a parent. Although his father is present, I still need to be both. I have to stay strong even when I’m tired,” she said.

The actress admitted that juggling motherhood and work can sometimes become overwhelming.

“Of course, I’m also working, and there are times when I feel completely drained and just want to give up,” she added.

Despite the difficulties, Salvador believes strength is the key to overcoming the challenge.

“I don’t want to pass on to him all the weight and trauma I experienced growing up. For me, the challenge is making sure it ends with me,” she said.

Bonding moments

During the media conference, Jude playfully moved around while Salvador answered questions from the press.

“As you can see, he cannot sit still. He loves rough play. I try to keep up with his energy as much as I can. He has so much energy,” she shared.

As for their love language, the mother-and-son duo enjoys watching movies together.

“Actually, he’s very, very curious, so our bonding moments often involve him asking questions. As much as possible, I try to answer all of them no matter how random they are,” Salvador revealed.

According to the actress, Jude’s endless curiosity continues even before bedtime and sometimes as soon as she wakes up in the morning.

Being part of Bibo-Lilit’s Galing Challenge Season 2 has also become a meaningful experience for Salvador and her son. Since she is not fond of posting many photos or videos of their moments together online, the show gave viewers a glimpse into their relationship.

“The show gave us the opportunity to show who we really are and our dynamics as mother and son. It also gave me a platform to share how I raise him, how I want him to grow up, and to show everyone how amazing, smart, and energetic my son is,” Salvador said.