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Thanks to Metrobank Credit Cards, Marie Lozano Is Living Her Best Life And Here’s Why
Living her life to the fullest, Marie Lozano tells us about the joys of parenting—from her treasured relationship with her son Nikos to the rewarding experiences of her blended family setting
It’s not unusual for parents to dream of having a very close relationship with their children. Open communication is key to a better understanding of each other’s worlds, bridging generation gaps and maintaining trust between parent and child. An experienced lifestyle journalist who has interviewed prominent personalities both here and abroad, Marie Lozano shares that this is exactly a privilege she enjoys having had her son Nikos at 28 years old. Her other favorite privilege? Her Metrobank credit card that makes online purchases and cashless transactions as seamless as possible.
Her Blended Family
Nikos is now 13. And while many parents dread this entry to a new phase of life, Marie Lozano shares how extremely lucky she is with her son, who exhibits admirable maturity for his age. Nikos’ dad, Pierre, continues to be a presence in their lives. “We’re very good friends. We’re neighbors. We’re co-parenting. And he’s very good friends with my boyfriend,” she tells us. And while the blended family setting is everything but traditional, it is a choice that has kept everyone happy and has made everything work for all members of the family.
Recently, Marie took it upon herself to introduce her boyfriend, wildlife photographer Aaron Gekoski to Nikos. It was an enlightening experience, to say the least, bringing her and her son closer. “When I was dating, I kept it away from my son because I didn’t just want to introduce him to anyone that was not going to be permanent because that would really have psychological effects on a child,” she starts. “And then when I finally introduced him, it just worked so well. It was beyond what I expected—how he just accepted it and how mature he is about it.”
“Sometimes, as parents, we underestimate the capability of our children—how they want us to be happy. A lot of us think, ‘Oh, they might not understand.’ So we base our actions depending on what we think our children would understand. But they really want us to be happy. They feel it. They know when you’re stressing. They know when you’re having arguments. They’re very sensitive to those things. It’s a big learning for me,” she says, thankfully.
Spending Time with Nikos
Marie Lozano admits that she’s always wanted to be a young parent. “I wanted to have this gap where I don’t feel like the generation gap is too big that I don’t understand him. That’s why I’m trying to have this relationship yet still be a mom to him,” she explains. When at home, she takes the chance to bond with Nikos—talking about their day or watching movies. “He loves gaming. That’s his personal time. So whenever we have the chance, I take him away from that. I want to stimulate another aspect of his brain, not just gaming.”
While acknowledging the experiences his son is going through as a young teenager, Marie also reveals how proud she is of how Nikos has been approaching all the changes. At times, she catches herself amazed, glad of how wise he is for his age. “I remember thinking when I saw these teens in a show we’re watching, and they were kissing. I was like, ‘This is the moment. I’m going to ask him. I’m going to do this whole talk with him…’ And then he was like, ‘Mom, I know. I had this talk with Dad.’”
Marie is what many people would consider a cool mom. Young at heart, outspoken in conversation, and in more ways than one, very personable. Yet like many parents, she confesses that her child’s approval means the world for her. When he says, ‘You look nice,’ I get so kilig. It means so much to me when my son approves of something I do. Like I made this website before, I started in e-commerce, and I showed it to him. And he was like, ‘You did this? It’s really cool.’ And I felt so cool. They don’t know this, but we as parents also want approval from our children for the things that we do.”
Staying at Home During the Pandemic
Before the pandemic struck the country, Marie Lozano would find herself booking flights at least twice a month. When the lockdown was imposed, she found herself in an uncommon situation, cooped up at home and rediscovering experiences while learning a new set of lessons along the way. She says, “When it happened, I was like, ‘Holy sh*t! I get to sleep in. Spend time with my family. Read a book. Do nothing. Work out. Eat on a schedule—and not just eat whenever I’m free. So I was really embracing it. I was happy.”
Soon enough, she started cooking and got in on baking bread. She also started taking Masterclasses online and grew comfortable with the work from home setup—eventually adjusting to the new normal and finding her way with the limiting scenario. If anything, though, one expertise she has learned even way before the pandemic is purchasing fashion finds online. Confident even without trying out the pieces, she tells us it is all about knowing your size and learning from each add-to-cart session. Metrobank Credit Cards, a trusted partner in this experience, lets her save, receive privileges and get discounts—a welcome gesture for the ever-fashionable mom. We hear that Metrobank has new products to look out for — stay tuned for the deets!
“If there’s anything this pandemic will teach you is that we’re looking inwards,” Marie says, summarizing her experiences for the past several months. “We’ve all been given that opportunity and we should not take that for granted. And we’re now seeing what makes us happy. We’re now seeing the choices that we’ve made in our lives. It’s really about focusing on the essential things.”
In the end, what matters most for Marie is what her family needs. She ends the interview with these nuggets of wisdom. “It’s about embracing what makes you happy. Because at the end of the day, you’re the one who’s going to live with it. If it really doesn’t make you happy and it’s just for show, who are you deceiving? Yourself. You’re living this life 24/7. And if you can’t be true to yourself, you’re the one who’s going to lose in the end. You’re the one who’s going to be unhappy.”
Photography by FLOYD JHOCSON
Art Direction by FERDI SALVADOR
Hairstyling by JOSEPH FANTONE of The Colorbar PH
Makeup by RIA AQUINO of NARS Cosmetics
Styling by BANG PINEDA
Shot on location at OKADA MANILA
In partnership with METROBANK CREDIT CARD
More about blended families?
Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo: Blended Together
The Blended Family Dynamic
These Celebrity Parents Are Co-Parenting Goals
