EXCLUSIVE: Phil And Margaret Younghusband Transport Us To England With Stories Of Quarantining Abroad

Quarantining in Kent

Phil Younghusband and his wife, Margaret Hall, relocated to Kent 11 months ago. Phil, a Filipino-British football star, was based in Manila for years and years until he married and started a family. "Kent is known as the garden of England, so there's lots of beautiful places to go and walk to. And especially since we've been on lockdown, we've been able to go on lots of beautiful walks and even see the seaside. The ocean is only 10 minutes away," Phil smiles. He's definitely thankful that England's lockdown measures haven't been as strict as those in Manila, where his brother and fellow footballer star James Younghusband is based. "It hasn't been too bad," Phil continues, because less time outside means more time with family - something especially important now as he and Mags are raising their baby boy Philip who's just seven months old.

Photo Credit: @philyounghusband10

Photo Credit: @philyounghusband10

Getting to know Philip

Philip has FOMO, his dad teases. And his mom says he's a curious little baby who never passes up an opportunity to go for walks with mom and dad out in the nearby gardens or woody areas they can explore as a family. Despite being stuck indoors, the tiny tot has been thriving and these first-time parents couldn't have been prouder of that fact. "He's becoming more like his dad. He's definitely very cheeky, very happy, always happy... He likes being in front of the camera and he's very active since he's been able to sit up. He doesn't like to sit still!" Mags beams. Right now, Phil has mastered sitting and he's quickly learning how to crawl and climb!

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Father-son bonding

"He's started his training program already," Phil jokes. The athlete used to structure in his days and adhering to a workout regimen tells us he bonds with his son via a "training program" where he teaches his son how to sit, crawl, stand, and eventually, walk! Philip's easygoing, no-tantrum personality makes it such a lovely experience to do all these things with him. "I like to use football and sporting analogies to explain how he does his training. He's improving all the time and he's a very fast learner," Phil shares. And just like his dad when he was little, Philip is all about moving around in his seat, never being able to stay in one spot for too long!

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Adjusting to parenthood

Putting your baby's needs before yours, changing your priorities, your world revolving around your child's comfort and happiness - these are the biggest things that Phil and Mags have experienced as first-time parents, so far. "In the mornings, at 7 a.m., Phil would take Philip downstairs. He'll do his training and after two hours of that, he'll usually feed and then have a nap for two hours. And then in the afternoon, he'll have his first solid food, he'll have another meal, and then a nap, and then we usually go out for a walk or do some activities with him," Mags describes. Evening bath time is dad's responsibility, and then it's straight to bed for the little one who's almost always exhausted by the time he's tucked in. It hasn't been difficult to care for their son with just the two of them, save for the occasional late-night breastfeeding courtesy of mom.

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Practice makes perfect

According to Mags, something that's really helped her and Phil figure out how to make things work as a young family is Phil's experience taking care of his little sister, Keri. "I did read a few books through my pregnancy but I've always loved babies. I couldn't wait to have a baby of our own! There's only so much preparation you can do. Nothing really compares to having a baby during lockdown. There are no books for that!" Mags laughs. It's definitely been a challenge to navigate the UK's no in-person medical appointments at the moment but so far, this mom and dad are getting by very well.

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Relationship level-up

Becoming parents has taught Mags and Phil new things about each other. Mags says Phil "has so much patience. He's so understanding. He's got this endless sense of humor so he's always making baby Philip laugh. He's got the willingness to listen and understand any challenges that we face and that we're learning every day as parents. It's amazing just to watch Phil with baby Philip," she adds. On the other hand, Phil is all praise for Mags' motherly nature that was there even before they were expecting. "With Mags, it comes naturally. She has the natural warmth. When mommy's around, everything will be okay. I knew before Philip was born what a great mother Mags would be," Phil dotes. They're both calm parents, and they're both playful and hands-on, so they project that their parenting style will be more progressive and relaxed.

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Lockdown challenges

Mags and Phil are doing alright overall, but it's been difficult to know and see some of their loved ones suffer from the mental, emotional, and physical consequences of not being able to be out and about. To protect themselves from lockdown-induced stress, they've done a few things, like prioritizing time outdoors to get fresh air and sunshine, finding new fun things to do at home (like leveling up their cooking skills!), and even lowering expectations for the foreseeable future. Going with the flow and remaining positive have been Mags' mantra. And for Phil, it's learning to let go of the things that he's missed out on and the activities he and his little Philip had to give up. "We've been very fortunate," Phil says.

Photo Credit: @philyounghusband10

Appreciation for each other

A newfound respect for moms is what Phil has personally learned from seeing his son's first seven months of life unfold. A lot of it has gone by so beautifully thanks to the nurturing side of his mom Mags, and it's something Phil is constantly amazed at. "It's not easy," he says, as he talks about all the sacrifices and late nights and re-prioritizing Mags has had to do to live up to the responsibility of motherhood. As for Phil embracing fatherhood, it's his initiative to help that she appreciates so much. They're well-oiled together and they've learned to complement each other!

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Homecooked

Besides the unlimited family time they get to enjoy these days, this couple bonds over food, too, or more specifically, Phil's cooking! He makes a lot of roast dinners for his little family, practicing his traditional English cooking skills. Imagine lots of Yorkshire pudding and gravy-soaked dishes! They've definitely gone over to their local Filipino grocery a couple of times every time they need special ingredients for dishes that taste just like their tropical home.

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband

Steady as they go

Their New Year goals are simple: to try their best to keep their steady pace and enjoying watching Philip hit his milestones. Be able to reflect, maintain a healthy mind and body, move forward positively, making the effort to connect with loved ones, and taking all their 2020 lessons with them to 2021 are part of it, too. "We've always been grateful. We've got to remember that during this difficult time there are lots of people who are struggling and we want to reach out to them," Mags adds. Phil has his own personal goals, too, aside from being a great dad. Like his dad, he's now pursuing his own career in accounting and finance. He's furthering his education to safeguard his family's future by making sure he'll have a career outside of sports.

Photo Credit: @philyounghusband10

From mom and dad to baby Philip

Don't be afraid, but be prepared. Be mindful of others. Understand people's different situations and be sensitive and empathetic. Be the change you wish to see. Teach them to go forward and that needing others is a good thing. These are the things that Mags wants her baby to know, even though he's only seven months old! There are many things she knows she'll have to teach him as he grows. And from Phil to his firstborn, he's all just love and adoration. He talks about what it's like to want to give so much to a little human being and how a person only understands what their own parents did for them only when they become parents themselves. There are so many new things these parents are experiencing and want their baby to experience too, but in the meantime, they're happy enjoying seeing their baby grow. It'll be a while until they have conversations like this with little Phil, but nonetheless, they're savoring every single moment!

Photo Credit: @margaretyounhusband