The Truly Rich Lady on How to Deal With Different Types of Moms

Dear Truly Rich Lady,

Are flowers still a good idea for Mother’s Day? Or are they passé? If they are okay, suggestions, please.

Florally Yours

Dear FY,

Flowers, like diamonds, will forever be fashionable as gifts for mothers, wives, girlfriends, and daughters. But since they are so popular during special occasions (the flowers, not the diamonds), the trick is to choose something extraordinary. 

So, avoid roses like the plague, simply because they are obvious. But when Mother just adores them, grows her own varietals, or is actually named Rose, an exception can be made.

If you go this route, I suggest ordering a riot of roses, a bouquet of at least two dozen fat buds—never the wimpy ones—in a color that is not red. Do yellow.

And please for the love of the goddess, do not ever send flowers that are attached to a bush that is planted in a pot (unless it is an orchid)

There are many specialty florists that fashion unique floral sculptures, from Mabolo to Lanai. A trip to the source, the Dangwa Flower Market, will also net rare and impressive varieties.

If you cannot acquire a bouquet from these fine vendors, you can always do diamonds.

C.C. Coo

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Dear Truly Rich Lady,

My mother is driving me nuts! She always has an opinion about my hair. She pokes her nose into everything I do. She’s just always around. (She is behind me right now.)

But I can never complain! Because, well, I am still living under her roof, and I don’t want to leave because of all the services. Also, I am broke! How do I handle this?

Pampered Prisoner

Dear PP,

The answer is right in front of you. It is called the door. You turn the knob, swing it open, walk over the threshold, and run toward freedom.

If privacy is really important, you will find a way to live without the round-the-clock cleaning, kitchen, car, and laundry services—plus the personal ATM machine that has no limit. (Hi, Mom!)

When freedom to do what you want outweighs living rent-free (or when you’ve had enough of Mother throwing away your favorite underwear), you will also scrape together enough coins to pay for a shoebox apartment beyond her reach.

Otherwise, you will forever play a game of cat and mouse, where she is the curious cat and you are the mousy mouse. Her house, her rules.

Alternatively, you can establish a tenuous boundary via another door, the one leading to your room. Just shut it and lock it. But now, you are a recluse. Tough choice.

C.C. Coo

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Dear Truly Rich Lady,

Moms as best friends. Yay or nay?

Need A Friend

Dear NAF,

I always joke that I was raised by my Old Yaya and only presented to my Truly Rich Mother when I was fully grown and not messy.

But I am not joking. For the longest time, my relationship with her has been strictly mother and daughter, person who gives guidance and person who obeys.

It is only now, when the world has become softer, that my Truly Rich Mother and I have learned to do joyful things together such as laugh at a very tiny lady walking a very huge dog.

But beware! Transitioning from a mother-daughter relationship to peers has its downside. Things are blurry. When is she a mentor and when is she a confidant? When are jokes about scratching the car okay and when are they not?

C.C. Coo

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Dear Truly Rich Lady,

I am a grown woman, but I am deathly afraid of my dragon mother. How do I tell her that I have a boyfriend?

I don’t want her to have a stroke, die, come back from the dead, scream at me for hours, slap me to death, bring me back to life, and then tell me to break up with Johnny because “you must remain happily single until you are 40!”

Daughter of Dragon

Dear DOD,

My advice: Slay the dragon.

Now, I don’t literally mean off her (that is called murder), but take a stand against her tyranny. Parry away her sharp nail-claws! Do not buckle against her withering stare!

At the risk of sounding very boring, I also say: Fight for your love. No one else will do it for you. Tell her: “Mummy, I love Johnny! And I don’t care what you think! I am sure you will learn to love him, too, because he owns a gas station.”

I also suggest buttering up the dragon before unleashing your secret. How about a clutch of fat yellow roses? How about a sleep-inducing buffet? How about you clean your room for a change? How about a spa day?

She won’t be able to spit out fire when she is lying on her stomach. Good luck.

C.C. Coo