When Eva Longoria Bastón welcomed her adorable son Santiago Enrique Bastón in June 2018, she was overjoyed as you’d expect any new parent to be.
Now that Santi is three-years-old, the actress, producer and humanitarian, 46, tells Now To Love that she’s loving motherhood just as much.
“There are so many great things,” she says when asked what the best thing about being a mum is.
“I think the fact that you get to be responsible for guiding another human being in this world. You get to guide them to hopefully be a human who contributes and cares, who is humane and compassionate and kind. That to me is what it really is,” Eva says of her “hilarious” son.
She adds: “They’re not your kid, they’re just given to you to raise and help guide them to the person they’re meant to be. You hope for the best and hope you were able to provide an example for them. You can tell kids how to be but it’s more important to show them how to be.”
Whilst many families struggled over the last 20 months due to the pandemic, Eva admits she was lucky to be with her son and husband José Bastón, whom she married in 2016. In fact, the Desperate Housewives star was particularly grateful to be with Santi at such a “crucial age”.
“During COVID I had a home to stay in, I was able to work, I had my family with me so I spent a lot of time listening to and amplifying the voices of essential workers and healthcare workers,” she says.
“They’re very important to how the world goes round and so when people say ‘Wasn’t COVID so hard?’ I say ‘No, it was a lot harder for a lot of other people.’ We should continue to put the spotlight on those essential workers.”
Pre-COVID, Eva had visited Australia on numerous occasions for work whether she was being the face of Specsavers, attending the Melbourne Cup and even filming the live action Dora The Explorer movie.
“I’m in love with the country, I’m in love with the people,” she says, adding that she “can’t wait” to come back Down Under when the world starts opening up again.
“I was last there when my son was a newborn and I was coming into motherhood, so a lot of beautiful ‘firsts’ happened there for me. I’ll always remember holding him and walking along the beaches there. I hope to get back as soon as possible!” she adds.
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Though she’s more likely to be found behind the camera these days, fans will most likely remember Eva from her Desperate Housewives days when she played former model turned suburban mum, Gabrielle Solis.
Whilst Eva is 100 per cent onboard to return to Wisteria Lane for a reboot in the future, she reckons Gabrielle would be thriving in 2021.
“I think she would be a YouTuber or an Instagrammer with her own fashion channel to make herself relevant,” she laughs. “But she’s a trendsetter!”
Eva was due to take a trip Down Under as part of her involvement with Ronald McDonald House Charities as McHappy Day Ambassador, but due to the pandemic was unable to do so.
Despite that, the mum-of-one is asking Aussies to support the fundraiser and virtually met with families of sick children staying in RMH facilities around the country and listened to their stories.
“I was so happy and thrilled that they asked me to be the ambassador for McHappy Day because I’ve been such a fan of Ronald McDonald House Charities,” she says.
“I think what they have been doing for decades has been really invaluable to families who have a child or children with a serious illness or injury and to amplify what they’re doing and help raise funds with my platform, I was ready to do it.”
Want to support McHappy Day? Pick up a pair of $5 Silly Socks or a Helping Hand from your local Macca’s or via McDelivery on Friday 12th November. On Saturday 13th November (McHappy Day) buy a Big Mac and $2 from every purchase goes directly to RMHC. You can also donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities here.