Mothering when the concert recitals are over

The Interview, a regular feature of The Catholic New World, is an in-depth conversation with a person whose words, actions or ideas affect today’s Catholic. It may be affirming of faith or confrontational. But it will always be stimulating.

This week, Catholic New World staff writer Michael D. Wamble talks with Grace Villamora.

When Grace Villamora merges into the weekend exodus back home from the advertising firm she “rejoined” last year, atop her list of chores—is “straightening up the house.”

“I’m not sure, but they may drop in before Sunday. And if they do, I want to be ready,” said Villamora, an employee and an entrepreneur with her own consulting firm.

The “they” she refers to are her daughters, Genevieve, 23, and Nicole, 20.

Watching the 4-foot-something media and market research pro buzz down the primary red, yellow and blue curving hallways past creative “war rooms” wallpapered in People, Us and Rolling Stone covers, at 8:30 a.m. sans pre-morning coffee, there’s no doubt the house will be in tip-top shape.

Having tackled “the terrible twos” and safely passed through the trials of those teen-age years, Villamora now knows she made the right decision by settling down in Chicago after coming to the United States from the Philippines in 1974.

That is why this Mother’s Day weekend, Villamora is hopeful they may “surprise” her and join her at Mass at St. Margaret Mary Church.
The least they could do is call.

Catholic New World: When did you first enter the world of advertising?
Grace Villamora: I starting working in advertising in Manila a long time ago. (She laughs.) After my husband [Winifred] and I married, we emigrated here because of martial law. We left what we had behind to start a new life in this country bringing only our career experiences, our faith and our culture with us.

CNW: What was your first reaction when you found out you were going to become a mother?
GV: A lot of excitement and joy. I think I had always looked forward to having children. And that’s probably the reason we gave up a lot of things when we moved to Chicago. We both thought, we had to stay in an environment that was conducive to raising our family, especially with good schools. I used to talk to them [her daughters], when they were still a part of me and I played all kinds of music for them.

CNW: During a typical workday here, how often are you in contact with your daughters?
GV: Every day. We have phone calls, e-mails. Today, there are a lot of new challenges in the world. People are exposed to telecommunications and all sorts of new technologies and it can be even more difficult to get the right information to make the right choices and decisions.

CNW: Do you think growing up with a mother in advertising shaped how your daughters look at the world?
GV: I think to a large degree I’ve been able to influence how they look at the world.
As a family, I loved to travel. Whenever my daughter, Genevieve, who recently graduated from Georgetown, had a break at school she would save money to have Easter in Switzerland or visit friends in London. They both have a world view on life. I am sure my husband and I have influenced their diverse tastes in foods, art and music. Both daughters have had years and years of training in classical music and violin lessons. It was a good anchor.

CNW: How were they exposed to classical music?
GV: One of the wonderful memories I have of Genevieve is when she was 4 years old.
It was a Saturday, so she could watch TV, and that evening she was the last person to go to bed because she was watching [Luciano] Pavarotti on Channel 11. She was just intensely watching the monitor. And remembering cautioning her saying, “You’re too close, you’ll ruin your eyes.” She told me, “I’m just watching the violins and these musicians.” A few months later, she told us she wants to study the violin. We spent many weekends attending concert recitals where they played at Orchestra Hall, now the Chicago Symphony Center.

CNW: Looking at TV as a positive vehicle that exposed your daughter to the violin, one can’t help but think of the negative side to it. What are your thoughts about the “sex sells” approach seen in forms of advertising?
GV: I have concerns about that. Early on, you have to provide a learning environment for your children that what they see isn’t necessarily true. It is just a way to communicate to purchase the ‘right’ products. My children didn’t watch a lot of TV when they were growing up on school days, I did. That was my life and my work.

CNW: For you, what has been the best part of motherhood?
GV: The best part of motherhood is that it gives you an opportunity to share yourself with your children and being loved back and to see a person that you held in your arms grow up to be a wonderful, caring and warm person.
I think it’s about driving them endless and endless months to Mount Prospect for violin practice to eventually see them perform and give a beautiful performance. There are so many other joys, it’s impossible to pick one or two. I love everything about being a mother.

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