Jennylyn Mercado, Dennis Trillo on raising ‘fast learner’ Dylan Jayde

Jennylyn Mercado (left) and Dennis Trillo (right) with Daughter Dylan Jayde. Image: Inquirer/Armin P. Adina

Celebrity couple Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo’s daughter Dylan Jayde has marked developmental milestones earlier than children her age. And the Kapuso stars are thrilled to share their experience in raising a fast learner.

The three of them appeared at an event attended by several parents with their own children to exchange insights on child development, together with a pediatrician and a nutrition expert.

Mercado also shared the spotlight with Dylan in a recent campaign for Similac GainSchool, which hosted the recent event held in Taguig City.

“Dylan spoke early. Around the age of 1 she was already talking. We also observed how easy it was for her to pick up instructions during activities,” Mercado said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Trillo shared: “Dylan had a lot of grownups to talk to at around two years old. Perhaps that helped her communicate more easily. She was spoken to like a grownup, no baby talk. I feel that it helped.”

Mercado said she also made sure that Dylan got the proper nutrition to support her development. They would sneak in vegetables in making their daughter’s favorite nuggets, using sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and moringa leaves.

“She also sees what kinds of food we eat. ‘Oh, veggies, these are good!’ And they’ll do what we do,” the actress added.

And while the two actors are currently busy with the GMA primetime action series “Sanggang Dikit FR,” they are making sure to still have quality time with their daughter, even bringing her with them during the overseas filming.

“We would not be able to take it if she would not be with us. If it’s only two days there wouldn’t be any problem, we can video call her. But this would take weeks, so we really need to bring her,” Mercado told INQUIRER.net.

The couple was also fortunate to have the members of their team along with the trip, which would assure them of all the necessary help that they would be needing around Dylan. “We also have free days there,” Mercado added.

She also shared that belonging to the same management firm allows them to function as a family. “Our management makes sure that in a week, we’d have two to three days just at home, so we can be with the kids,” Mercado shared.

And to the working parents struggling to keep up with their children’s needs, Mercado assured them that she, too, has her share of challenges, and that nothing comes easy when it comes to parenting.

“It’s especially challenging if both parents are working, especially those on the job from Monday to Saturday. When you come home, eat with the kids, play, talk to them,” she said.

For Trillo, it is not so much the length of time that matters, but the quality. “Make the time productive, make everything count. It’s really important to devote time, especially in Dylan’s age. These are her formative years, and we have to be there to focus, be supportive,”

Mercado also cited modern conveniences that now enable parents to raise their children better and easier. “Take, for example, the crayons of our childhood. They used to be skinny. Now they are thick, easier for kids to hold. Now everything’s available in the market, the updated versions of everything,” she said.

Trillo, however, sounded the alarm on relying too much on technology. “It has both advantages and disadvantages. Before, we lived for social interactions as kids. Now technology creeped up on Dylan first. So we’re getting her used to interacting with other kids,” he said.

Trillo and Mercado also shared how different it is to work together on a project now as a married couple. Their previous series was the drama “My Faithful Husband” in 2016, years before they tied the knot.

“The feeling is different now that we have a daughter we’re leaving behind to work. It’s more challenging now because both of us are gone at the same time,” Mercado said.

But Trillo, for his part, cited that they currently have a stronger bond as a married couple, resulting in better teamwork on the set, and also at home.

Mercado and Trillo’s “Sanggang Dikit FR” is seen on the GMA weeknight primetime block. It has a massive cast that includes Zoren Legaspi, Allen Dizon, Roi Vinzon, Nova Villa, Al Tantay and Korean actor Kim Ji Soo. /ra