Inspiring and Informing Filipino Mommies whoever they are, whatever they do, and wherever they may be.

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Meet the Modern Fairy Godmother Supermum: Archell Diaz Fernandez

March 11, 2018
You might have heard of this Modern Pinay Fairy Godmother... But who is Chell Diaz Fernandez really in real life? Let's find out!


Last year, Archell Diaz Fernandez's fairy godmother story went viral. Why wouldn't it? Her story isn't the typical "Cinderella" story. She didn't leave her left shoe nor got to have a magical pumpkin coach - she was the fairy godmother. A modern fairy godmother, not only to a Cinderella, but to 14 Cinderella-moms!

So is she just a modern fairy godmother who grants mothers' wishes to get married to the man of their children? I say not. Behind the pretty smile, her strong advocacy to promote health and wellness for moms around the Philippines, beyond being just a leader of a supergroup, Archell Fernandez, more popularly known as Mommy Chel or "Sis" to her group, is just an ordinary, extraordinary mother who also went through a lot before she got what she has today.

Let's forget about Cinderella for today. Kilalanin natin ang modern fairy godmother ng mga Pinay Moms. Was it all really a fairytale life for her? Let's get to know Mommy Chell as she honestly answers all our questions...

Hi Mommy Chell, please tell us about your pretty daughters.

I have three lovely daughters: Amber 7, Adel 4, and Arielle 3.
Mommy Chell with her girls

Wow, its similar to your name, Archell. They are as lovely as their names. Please tell us about how you had your firstborn Amber. 

I actually became a young millennial mom. I had Amber at an age younger than most moms would have their firstborn. Hindi ko lang masabi dahil leader ako ng SupermumsPH. I kept it to myself. Sabi ko sa sarili ko noon, kailangan may patunayan muna ako as a leader.  Sa panahon ngayon,  hindi natin maiwasan ang negative  comments pero ginawa ko yun hindi para mag sinungaling o maglihim, Naghintay lang po ako ng tamang panahon and maybe this is the right time. I hope marami akong young moms na mainspire.

Wow. It's very challenging to be a young mom. Galing mo naman!

Oo, mahirap maging young mom na walang magulang na gumagabay. Pero dumating ako sa point na wala ako panahon mag pabebe. No choice kundi magpakatatag. Kawawa mga anak ko pag naging mahina ako. My parents have separated. Kanya-kanya na sila, sis. Lima kaming magkakapatid. It was not easy having a broken family. Kaya sabi ko sa sarili ko, walang masisirang pamilya kapag strong at healthy ang isang nanay mentally and emotionally. To be honest,  sobrang hirap. Along my journey, may mga taong nanghusga sa pagiging young mom ko "Maagang lumandi", "ang bata mo pa para maging nanay", "wala ka pang alam sa buhay".  Pero sa totoo lang,  wala naman silang alam kung ano ang totoong pinagdaanan ko. Pero ganun naman talaga ang ibang tao,  madali para sa kanila ang manghusga dahil hindi naman sila yung nasa kalagayan mo.  Pero kung mahina ka. Matatalo ka nila.  Instead ma down ako,  ginamit ko yun para patunayan sa kanila na "AGE DOESN'T MATTER PARA MATAWAG KANG ISANG MABUTING INA AT ASAWA. "

Then and now: Mommy Chell with husband Dhon shown here during their first meeting and when they revisited the Church where they first met last year.
Is that why you created Supermums?

Yes, hindi ko intention na lumaki siya like it is now. We have 30,000 members to date and we are continuously growing. Emotional and mental health ng isang ina ang advocacy ko. Bihira makita ng iba pero yun tlga ang pinaka magandang pundasyon ng isang pamilya.

Kapag maging emotionally and mentally healthy lahat ng nanay, everything will follow. Magagabayan at mapapalaki natin ng maayos ang pag-asa ng bayan, ANG MGA ANAK NATIN.

Mommy Chell, being recently married, also wants to extend her happiness to other mothers who want to marry their partners.
Napakagandang advocacy nya talaga, Mommy Chell. Pero how do you pull off managing a really giant group. Last time we talked, 25,000 pa lang ang members. Ngayon, 30,000 na!

True, sasabog na ang email ko at messenger sa dami ng narereceive ko na messages. But our group has admins who help moderate it. They helped me grow SupermumsPH. Sila ang mga katuwang ko at pinagkakatiwalaan.

SupermumsPH is a Facebook support group for Filipino mommies with a membership of 30,000 moms!!!
You really have a healthy group, I can say, everything is moderated, at walang "masamang tinapay".

Isa rin yan sa itinuturo ko sa mga members (na pag isipan lagi muna ang bawat post). Hindi pwede na basta tayo magpadalos-dalos lalo na tayong mga mommies nasa nature natin ang pagiging emotional, every move damay ang mga anak natin. Kaya lagi ko sinasabi sa kanila since active lahat ng nanay sa social media gamitin natin ito sa tama, sa paraang mas makakatulong sa momma life journey natin. And ini encourage ko sila na maging magandang halimbawa sa mga anak namin sa tamang pag gamit ng social media.

I agree, bilib nga ako at you are still able to give time and check posts in your group, and give good advice sa mga members. Pero gusto namin kayo kilalanin pa, how do you take care of your kids with everything that you do?

Time management talaga, sis. Sa tingin ko ito dapat ang minamaster nating mga nanay sa dami nating responsibilities as a SuperMom para hindi tayo mahirapan sa daily routine natin.  I make time to cook healthy meals dahil gusto ng mga kids ko ang lutong bahay with fruit shake, any kinds of fruits.  Ako lang din nag tutor sa kanila after ng work ko.  Then before sila matulog, lagi ko sila binabasahan ng bed time stories. Constant ang communication ko sa mga anak ko, hindi totoo na pag bata pa sila hindi nila maiintindihan ang kawalan natin ng attention sa kanila.  Children nowadays ay matatalino.  Dapat maging sensitive tayo sa nararamdaman ng mga anak natin. Always make time for them.

Ang galing mo naman mag manage ng time. How did you pull off the 1st anniversary of Supermums ph?

Tulungan kami dyan, sis. Pero ako yung nag o-organize.  Mahirap dahil through online communication lang kami nag uusap-usap ng mga co-admins ko. Andoon yung kaba kung magiging successful ang event.  Pressured dahil yung ibang Supermums dumadayo pa from provinces, like last time galing pa yung isa kong member from Boracay Island.  Yung isa naman umuwi pa from Thailand.  Thank God nairaos namin ng maayos at masaya ang 1st Grand anniversary namin last year.  Kitang kita ko sa mga mata ng co moms ko yung kasiyahan nila. Isang malaking blessing para sa akin ang mabuo ko ang SupermumsPH.  And I'm so thankful na maraming sumusuporta sa group namin.

Mommy Chell with SupermumsPH co-admins during their 1st Grand Anniversary

And how are your preparing for the 2nd anniversary on May 25, this year?

This time, kasama na ang counter part group namin, ang SuperDadsPH. It's like a Super Family day. We are planning to have a Zumba party and lots of fun games. Sigurado ako maraming SuperMums ang mapapasaya ulit ng group together with their husband and kids.
Mommy Chell with husband Dhon who also leads SuperdadsPH
Galing! Bilib talaga ako sa inyo, Mommy Chell. Will you still be granting the dream wedding of Supermum mommies this year?

Looking forward sis Marami po ang nagrerequest na maulit at willing naman po ang SupermumsPH Admins na mag organize ulit this year.

Modern Day Fairy Godmother: Mommy Chell with the 14 "Cinderella-moms" whose wedding wishes were granted in 2017.
We wish you the best of luck and blessings sa mga events ng group. Pero gusto ka pa namin kilalanin. Beyond being the creator of Supermums ph, sino ba talaga si Mommy Chell?

Mommy Chell in a fun selfie
Wait,  ayoko magmukhang nagbubuhat ng bangko.  😂 Kidding aside,  super kalog ako.  Mababaw lang ang kaligayahan ko.  Maperfect ko lang ang itlog sa umaga para sa breakfast ng mga kids ko masaya na ako,  hindi kasi sila kumakain ng hindi well done na pagkakaluto ng egg.  😂 I am a good friend daw pagtulog sabi ng kumare ko na si Donna. 😂 And I am my husband Conradino
Fernandez, Jr's bestfrenemy: bestfriend and enemy. I love to dance kahit plus size ako.  I also love cooking. Mahilig ako mag experiment at maglagay ng twist sa mga Filipino recipes. I've been a momtrepreneur since last year. Nag o-online selling din ako, and I am also a Certified Herbalife Wellness Coach. Isa rin tlaga ito sa goal ko noon pa man na kahit full time mom and housewife ako, kahit papaano makatulong pa rin ako sa husband ko financially.

Thank you Mommy Chell, lastly, alam nyo naman tayo mga nanay nalolosyang na pa minsan, what's your secret to looking and being young. What do you do at sa'n ka natambay?

Been there,  nalosyang ako for how many years but then I realized kung bakit ako nalolosyang: nag stress eating ako. I was eating unhealthy foods.  Last year I weighed 185 pounds, sobrang hirap ako kumilos at alam ko naman hindi na tama.  I tried a healthy diet: eliminating all the bad eating habits really helped me achieve my goal.  Now, I'm just 129 pounds. I'm still working hard para sa ideal weight ko. Kung noon fast food restaurant ang favorite tambayan ko, ngayon lagi na ako sa gym. And syempre, iwasan mag isip ng negative, always be positive and happy.  Nagrereflect kasi sa physical aura natin kapag negative tayo mag isip at laging stressed. Always be thankful para hindi mabigat yung mga task natin sa araw-araw.

#healthgoals: Mommy Chell is living proof that you can achieve your goal if you set your heart and mind to it. 

Formerly a "fastfood tambay": Mommy Chell is now a "walk-the-talk" health and wellness coach who now loves to hang out in the gym and inspire other moms to be the best version of themselves.
I'm doing this for myself, and specially for my family.  Gusto ko sila maalagaan kaya sinisikap kong maging positive sa lahat ng bagay.

Yes, hindi madali sa umpisa lalo na sa age ko noon. Pero unti-unti ko naintindihan ang papel ko bilang isang ina at asawa kaya nakayanan ko at naging madali ang lahat.  Wala akong ibang sinisi. Choice ko ito.  At paninindigan ko hanggang sa huli ng buhay ko.

Iba ang nagagawa ng buong pusong pagtanggap sa role natin bilang isang ina.  Kahit anong pagsubok makakayanan natin.

Mommy Chell Fernandez: More than just a leader, she is also an advocate of mental and health wellness.
Thanks for sharing your story, Mommy Chell, and for the words of inspiration. Mommy's Tambayan is more than just grateful that you took the time for a virtual interview despite your busy schedule. You are really are an inspiring supermum and we hope to inspire other mommies in our Tambayan with your personal story and prioritize their mental and health wellness in order to achieve a healthy and wholesome family. Thanks again, sis!

You may read Mommy Chell's viral feature from Kicker Daily News here:
Never too late: “Modern day fairy godmother” grants dream wedding to 14 unwed moms

Mommy Chell is not just a Supermum, she is also a wellness coach, an online mompreneur, an events organizer and leader of the super group SuperMumsPH, to contact her for coaching, business transactions, events, and if you are interested in sponsoring or participating this year's Superfamily Day, you may contact her through Facebook account Chell Diaz Fernandez.

*All photos used in this article were used with permission from Archell Diaz Fernandez.
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