#MillennialMoms in SM take on motherhood in the new age

Quennie Cua (center) with kids Kaitlyn (11), husband Patrick, Josh (13) and Nigel (9)

There is a new breed of moms emerging—the so called “millennial moms” or “moms of millennials” who have taken on motherhood in this exciting age of digital disruption.

They are moms who have taken the lessons of the previous generations and have fully or partially welcomed and adapted to the dramatic changes of the new era.

Millennials are typically referred to as those born in the early 1980s and the mid-1990s to the early 2000s.

They are known to be frequent and heavy users of digital technology.

Quennielyn Cua, 40, Vice President for Marketing at SM Retail and a mother of three kids, some of whom are millenials themselves at 11 and 13 years old, finds herself on the borderline of the millennial generation, identifying with some of their traits.

“I find myself half-classified as a millennial mom and half not. I classify with being shaped by technology, always finding creative ways to engage with people, and bonding through shared experiences,” Cua said.

Cua said one of the biggest challenges in raising a millennial was how to get better, quality connection with the younger generation in the age of 24/7 connectedness.

At the The SM Store where she works, millennial customers are known to be heavily reliant on social media influencers, following what they see others are doing or wearing, Cua observed.

Eva Tanglao with her son Pablo

To cater to this market, the SM Store has intensified its use of online or social media promotions and has tapped social media influencers to showcase its offerings.

With the SM Store introducing the e-commerce concept a few years back, it is integrating its e-store into its digital content sites.

Eva Tanglao, 41, SM Supermalls Group Marketing Manager for the South 1 Region, is a mom to a millennial, Pablo, 17.

She observed that restlessness is a common trait of millennials, which she has seen Pablo display on occasion.

“The good side of that is you aspire and seek for more. Bad side is, well, they are bothered. They see the world as a huge playground and they always want to do more things, sometimes even rushing into it and not understanding that they should respect the process behind it,” Tanglao said.

Just from her observation in the malls where she works, Tanglao said millennials put a premium on imagery, experience and that “value added factor” when they visit any establishment.

“Millennials” are all about the experience. They want a place where they can take selfies and post on Instagram, checking every minute for likes. There always has to be that “value added factor”.

Rachel Anne Mallari, 29, an interior designer and owner of several units of SM Development Corp. projects also relates to this with her 10-year old daughter Rien.

“She really knows what she wants. When I was growing up, it was different. You weren’t allowed to be so inquisitive or to do whatever you wanted,” she said.

Despite being open-minded, Mallari said she values and prioritizes safety and security for her family. “I’d like to think I’m a millennial mom who also sets limitations,” Mallari added.

Safety and security were also the primary concerns when she looked for a new home for her family. This helped her decide to buy a unit at Sea Residences and several other units of SMDC projects, such as in Shell Residences.