Mannequin mom: Rissa Mananquil-Samson

We all have a certain image of what mothers ought to look like. For some time, people stuck to the notion that becoming a mom meant the end of all things conventionally glamorous – mile-long, candlestick legs, perfectly manicured nails, silky mane and a golden skin. Rissa Samson, model and fashion figure, proves that being a mom can actually be the most fabulous event in one’s life. Young and definitely hip, Rissa surprisingly confesses, "I’m a strict disciplinarian but I’m generous in support, encouragement, affection and praise." Yes, this looker, despite appearances, is a hands-on, no-nonsense mom who will patiently explain to her eight-year-old son Enzo all questions a curious child will most likely ask.

"Enzo is a very curious and intelligent boy. He asks me questions from the mundane to the most extraordinary. I love feeding his mind with wonderful facts and explanations. I would like to equip him with the kind of intelligence that even the best schools cannot provide." An inquisitive Enzo, however, took Rissa by surprise when he began to ask about the birds and the bees. She recalls, "I just never thought the day would come Enzo would ask me straight how babies are made! I don’t remember asking my parents that!"

An achiever and effective leader, Rissa puts parenthood at the top of her priority list and insists that there can never be too much time spent with her son. During a photo shoot, she happily shares that being a model has allowed her to work around her schedule such that she is able to give Enzo sufficient time and attention. "I do everything in my power to be with my son. Above anything else, I’m a mother. Every other role comes in second," declares Rissa.

"Always put yourself in their place. I cannot think of other way to best understand what they do and how they truly feel," she states. Rissa also happens to be the kind to take time out to sit down with Enzo to watch, yes, at 26 years of age, cartoons. She explains, "Behind every busy parent’s back, it’s the cartoons that are raising the kids. I allow my son to watch but I try to filter and explain to him what’s right from wrong. I really watch with him."

She still believes in giving Enzo enough freedom to pursue his passions. She shares, "I want Enzo to become successful "not by my personal standards but his own," and continues, "After all, a parent’s disappointment is only anchored on selfishness – what and how we want things to be. I have no right to stop him from what he will be passionate about."

Rissa is, without doubt, as much a model mom as she is on the runways or in front of the camera. She looks back on her childhood days and credits her parents Robert and Millet Mananquil for the wisdom that she is now able to put into good use with Enzo. "When I became a mother, I began to understand everything my parents did and said to me. What I felt were selfish and unfair decisions back then were only for me. They were right after all. You truly don’t understand your parents until you become one yourself."