Colourette CEO Nina Dizon on Motherhood, Mom Guilt, and Raising Gen Alpha
Nina Dizon wears many hats – and shades of lipstick. You may know her as the charismatic CEO of homegrown makeup brand, Colourette, or as the feisty online influencer who advocates for self-love and political accountability. But if you take a look at her platform on Instagram, you’ll notice that the premier title she has for herself is “mom.”
Though technically a single parent, Nina is far from alone. In fact, she raises her son, Nathan, and daughter, Bambi, with a community of other maternal figures. “I have a core support system which is my mom and [the kids’] ‘Nanay’. We call [their nanny] ‘Nanay’ because she’s been with us since I was pregnant with my firstborn,” the CEO shared.
What’s beautiful about their effort is that with it, each woman is able to provide the best aspect of herself to the kids. Nathan and Bambi will often turn to their grandmother for help in school; she will also accompany the kids on an occasional road trip out of town. Hand in hand with their grandmother is Nanay, who is more than happy to care for the children with plenty of love, “lambing,” and homecooked meals.
“I’m the financier,” laughed Nina.
Ever-busy, Nina’s current schedule as a breadwinner involves business meetings for Colourette, fixing up the final details for her upcoming book launch, and a consistent exercise regimen to keep her health and energy at par with demand. Fortunately, having the support of other women has alleviated, if not fully banished, the “mom guilt” that society loves to place on women.
“Early in my career, the question I would often get whenever I travelled would be ‘who’s taking care of the kids?’,” Nina reminisced. “'Di ba pwedeng 'yung tatay nag-aalaga (Isn't it possible that the dad is taking care of them)? Men don’t get those questions that women do.”
“[Having Nanay and my mother, who fill in certain roles for the kids], allows me to be who I am as a career woman,” Nina shared. “I never feel guilty about being a career girl, about working late, or pursuing my own dreams.”
Aside from being the family’s breadwinner and provider, Nina is also the woman shaping her children’s values and perspectives.
“[My kids] come to me when they have thought-provoking questions. They talk to me about religion, LGBTQ+ issues, war, and even the elections.”
Much like their mother, Nathan and Bambi are both expressive and progressive. “Siguro generation na nila talaga yung pag-asa ng bayan (I suppose their generation is our country's best hope),” joked Nina.
Born under Generation Alpha, Nina’s kids carry both the privilege and the burden of having information so easily accessible. Because of this, Nina has noticed that today’s youth have already formed strong opinions on key issues.
“Even at home, we have varying opinions and I have to explain to them that that is okay, we can co-exist. I will support your belief, and you can support mine,” the young mother explained.
In fact, Nathan, Nina’s elder child, has already exercised his right to freedom of belief. At age nine, Nathan, who is both baptized and dedicated as a Christian, had decided that he was not comfortable partaking in his school’s First Communion blessing for Catholics.
“I respected that and I allowed him to make his own decision,” shared Nina of the incident. “I’m that kind of parent: I will try to educate and inform my kids of the situation, and I will share my thoughts with them. But if I think there’s nothing wrong with [their logic] and how they came about their decision, [then I’ll allow it].”
Now, Nathan and Bambi are comfortably growing into their own. With a young son to raise, it’s been important to Nina to “teach [Nathan] how to be a gentleman.” It wouldn’t be uncommon to see him opening doors for strangers, carrying bags for his mother and sister, or performing chores around the house.
Bambi, as a young woman, is receiving her own kind of education; Nina has been adamant about teaching her daughter boundaries. “What I want her to learn from me is how to stand up for herself and how to enforce [her boundaries].”
In fact, when Nina made the drastic decision to separate from her partner, Bambi was first in her mind. “I wanted [Bambi] to look at me and see that her mother can stand on her own, that her mother has her own boundaries.” Not one to fall for the trap of “staying together for the kids,” Nina is now the happiest she’s been in a long time.
The young entrepreneur, author, and personality no longer feels like she has anything to prove. She owns a successful enterprise and is doing things simply because she wants to.
“I enjoy the peace I have now,” she added. “If anyone is doubting my capabilities, then that’s fine. My motivation right now is simply my peace. But I am also so enthusiastic about life and I’ve never felt more excited for the future.”
With a happy home life, a thriving business, and an upcoming book launch, there’s no reason for Nina Dizon not to be excited about the life she’s built. Much like other mothers, Nina has had to strive and persevere in order to find a rhythm that befits both her and her brood. Fortunately, she’s done it – and knows you can too. “If I can do it, you can too,” Nina insisted. “I know that sounds cliché but it really is what happened to me.”
Follow Nina on Instagram or check out Colourette for more info!
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