This post is brought to you by Wilkins Distilled Water. (Photo by Nicey Arafiles Photography)

I guess you could say I’ve “loosened up” as a mom when it comes to many things about my child. For instance, I let him play on the grass in my mom’s huge garden, sometimes with bare feet. Or, I let him play rough with his cousins, and don’t worry too much if he gets a few bumps or scrapes in the process. (Boys will be boys, but of course, this mom always cleans any wounds with salve, a band-aid, and the requisite “booboo kiss.”)

Yeah, I’m pretty loose about fun and play. (Aren’t I?) When it comes to food and household products, though, I become the mommy police. And I’m not ashamed to admit it at all! After all, I know it pays to be conscientious and informed about what we eat and what goes into our bodies. I’m extremely “OC” (obsessive) about three things, in particular:

Organic vegetables and protein. At home, my family and I make sure we only eat the best produce and protein. That’s why early on in my marriage and when I became a mom, I started sourcing out the best food providers. I found several sources, but stuck to a few trusted ones for our organic, pesticide-free produce, and our free-range meats and poultry. (That’s a photo of my all-organic Pinoy salad, using local, organic ingredients.)

Chemical-free cleaners. I’m an asthma sufferer, and so I’m very particular about the kind of cleaners, even toiletries that we use at home. I opt for natural, chemical-free cleaners as much as possible. In fact, give me some good ol’ baking soda, distilled vinegar and some lemon juice, and I can clean away happily. I also don’t have to worry that my kid will inhale any dangerous fumes and VOCs, because I don’t use anything that’ll be harmful to him.

Clean water. One of the things we always have at home is bottled distilled water. When Vito was just starting to drink water, for instance, we trusted Wilkins as our top choice. Even my extended family knows this: If you go to my in-laws home, for instance, Vito and our family have our own “stash” of Wilkins water, in huge gallon bottles, like this.

Vito’s hospital bracelet from when he had diarrhea from possibly dirty water.

Actually, the clean water issue is close to my heart. That’s because when Vito was around 1 year and 11 months old, he most likely drank some “bad” water while we were eating out, and it led him getting a mild case of diarrhea. The baby threw up twice, and also had a case of the runs. It was awful, and I felt awful that it was happening to him. Of course, the food he ate that night probably also had something to do with it, but the pedia suspected it was most likely that Vito had taken in some non-purified water.

Haaaaay. I hate it when my kid gets sick, especially if the cause is either food or water.

Let me tell you: It’s not an easy thing to be on your toes about food and safe household products. Home safety, family safety: These are conscious mind-shifts we need to make. It takes some work and effort to make the paradigm shift from what is convenient to what is safe. However, as a mom who looks out for the best possible practices and choices for my family, I can do no less. “Safety never takes a holiday,” so the saying goes, and moms have the same duty to always be on-call in terms of keeping our families safe.

In the same way that I’m particular about my family’s safety (whether through the food we eat, the water we drink, or the things we use for our home), Wilkins Distilled is committed to providing the safest drinking water. As moms, I’m sure you are, too. That’s why I’m inviting you to share your stories about your experiences. I want to know about how you, as a mom, give your family the best love and care.

This is a contest, by the way!

Moms Know Best: A Wilkins’ Story Contest

Eligibility and Mechanics:

Only mothers aged 18 and above can submit their stories

The entry instructions:

1. In 400 words or less, write about how you give your family the best love and care. You may include the challenges you faced, the lengths you’ve gone to, or the sacrifices and difficult choices you needed to make. You may write in English, Tagalog, or Tag-lish.
2. Submit your story at Smart Parenting’s website.

Prizes:

a. Writers of the 5 selected stories for publication in magazine will each receive Php 5,000 cash and Php 5,000 gift certificates for Wilkins products.
b. Grand winner (story will be turned into a short film) will receive Php 10,000 cash and P5,000 gift certificates for Wilkins products

To join, click the image below, and you will be taken directly to the Smart Parenting-Wilkins’ special webpage, where you can submit your story. Good luck, and all the best to you and your family.

Some talking points suggested by sponsors but story and opinions written are mine.