Photo: Isabella Martinez-Funcke for PARENTS LATINA
Marcela Valladolidis opening up about how her kids have helped her to look internally and make personal changes in her life.Speaking withParentsLatinafor the magazine’sDecember/January issue, the celebrity chef, 43, shares that her “biggest growth” has come from being a mom to her three kids, sons Fausto, 17, and David, 6, plus daughter Anna, 5.“My children have forced me to take a deep dive and resolve past struggles,” says Valladolid.“I stopped drinking because of my kids. I never thought that I’d be in a stable relationship because I wasn’t in one for the first 35 years of my life,” she continues. “But seeing Fau grow into a young man, I really wanted to show him that I could do it and wanted it for myself. “The Food Network star says it is the love she has for her kids that made her want to change.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Isabella Martinez-Funcke for PARENTS LATINA"When I didn’t love myself enough to do the work, my love for my kids made me want to do it, and that’s the power of parenting. My biggest growth has come because of them,” she says.The cookbook author, who is engaged to entertainment executive Philip Button, also discusses the important values that she teaches her kids.“The most important thing I can do for my children is to show women and men as equals,” she says. “Philip and I both do the dishes. We both pay bills. We both work hard. The only limit to our dreams has to do with our own drive.“When it comes to family activities, Valladolid jokes she’s “manipulative of my kids' time” and likes to choose things that she enjoys.“The other day I asked [David], ‘What do you learn from Dad?’ And there was a list of 700 things. Then I asked him, ‘What do you learn from Mom?’ ‘Well … we have fun,’ " she recalls. “I said, ‘Great. Dad’s going to teach you how to get things done, and I’m going to teach you how to have fun. I’m okay with that!’ "
Marcela Valladolidis opening up about how her kids have helped her to look internally and make personal changes in her life.
Speaking withParentsLatinafor the magazine’sDecember/January issue, the celebrity chef, 43, shares that her “biggest growth” has come from being a mom to her three kids, sons Fausto, 17, and David, 6, plus daughter Anna, 5.
“My children have forced me to take a deep dive and resolve past struggles,” says Valladolid.
“I stopped drinking because of my kids. I never thought that I’d be in a stable relationship because I wasn’t in one for the first 35 years of my life,” she continues. “But seeing Fau grow into a young man, I really wanted to show him that I could do it and wanted it for myself. "
The Food Network star says it is the love she has for her kids that made her want to change.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Isabella Martinez-Funcke for PARENTS LATINA
“When I didn’t love myself enough to do the work, my love for my kids made me want to do it, and that’s the power of parenting. My biggest growth has come because of them,” she says.
The cookbook author, who is engaged to entertainment executive Philip Button, also discusses the important values that she teaches her kids.
“The most important thing I can do for my children is to show women and men as equals,” she says. “Philip and I both do the dishes. We both pay bills. We both work hard. The only limit to our dreams has to do with our own drive.”
When it comes to family activities, Valladolid jokes she’s “manipulative of my kids' time” and likes to choose things that she enjoys.
“The other day I asked [David], ‘What do you learn from Dad?’ And there was a list of 700 things. Then I asked him, ‘What do you learn from Mom?’ ‘Well … we have fun,’ " she recalls. “I said, ‘Great. Dad’s going to teach you how to get things done, and I’m going to teach you how to have fun. I’m okay with that!’ "
source: people.com
