Being a mother in the spotlight: the Galilea formula
Galilea Montijo is clear that being a public figure and mother is not an easy task. At 52 years old, the host of “Hoy” has learned to navigate the turbulent waters of fame while raising Mateo, her 13-year-old son.
Although they do not live under the same roof – Mateo resides mainly with his father, Fernando Reina – they maintain a close relationship. The young man frequently visits Mexico City or she travels to see him.
The hardest lesson: when fame hits home
The decisive moment came when Mateo learned to read. “When he started reading, he told me ‘Mom, why do they say mean things to you?'” Montijo recalls. That was the breaking point.
“Since he was a child he also knows, that’s why I closed my comments… and he also knows that there are people who don’t like you and that’s good, part of life, of the show”
The solution was radical but necessary: close comments on their networks. But more important was the conversation that followed. He explained that in this environment, not everyone liking him is part of the game.
What really matters, he taught him, are the opinions of those who love you. “Know that what’s important is the people who love you, the people who know you,” he says. Family and close friends are the anchor amidst the public noise.
Mateo seems to have understood it. Although at first he shied away from the spotlight, now he even enjoys a little attention. He is passionate about soccer and seeks to join the basic forces of Pumas UNAM.
Montijo hopes that when he grows up, his son won’t take criticism personally. “That’s how the environment is and you have to learn to live with it,” he says realistically.
Recently, she herself was the subject of ridicule for a facial aesthetic arrangement that generated memes. Outside of Televisa, accompanied by her boyfriend Isaac Moreno, she laughingly clarified that it was just an eyebrow lift – Botox does not favor her.
In the end, between filters and disabled comments, Galilea has found how to protect what is most valuable: that genuine connection with her son in a world where everything is shared.
