As Mother’s Day approaches, families are gearing up to celebrate the women who have given them life, love and endless support. At Camana Bay, some even have the unique opportunity to work or study alongside their mothers every day.
Patricia Montoya and her daughter, Josephine Montoya, for instance, are a mother-daughter duo that run Sportista, the sport and fitness retailer located in One Nexus Way.
Patricia Montoya opened a store called Futbolista World in George Town in 2014 with the aim of keeping the excitement of football alive in Cayman after the World Cup ended. Four years later, Patricia, Josephine and her siblings decided to open the sister company, Sportista, in Camana Bay.
“We share in the good and bad times together. We depend on each other and are always there when and if needed. We make a powerful team and complement each other’s strengths," Patricia Montoya said. “It can be challenging because the roles are reversed; Josephine is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business and I take a more strategic role,” said Patricia.
Josephine Montoya is grateful to be able to work alongside her mother and says her support has made it possible.
“It’s inspiring; being able to take control but knowing she’s behind me 100% of the way makes running a business less daunting,” Josephine Montoya said. “With the ebbs and flows of running retail, having someone to go through it with is special. We share everything."
Over at Cayman International School, Heather Thompson is an educator with 17 years under her belt. She moved to Cayman with her family five years ago when she was given the opportunity to teach kindergarten at CIS and, at the time, her son Alex Lopez was 3 years old and attending pre-K3 at the school.
“Alex is a lovely kid; he has never met a stranger in his life,” she said.
Teaching at the same school her son attends has allowed for Thompson to be present for all the little things. She recalls a time when Alex caught a baby iguana and he walked over to her classroom to show her. Or when he got hurt and needed the type of comfort only a mom can offer.
“It’s really nice that I can be there for him," she said.
Despite the different roles she plays as a mother and a teacher, she says that their relationship does not change.
“I’m a kindergarten teacher and my job is essentially to be a mom to kids all day long,” she said.
Lopez, 8, enjoys the extra time he gets to spend with his mother.
“She’s cool and very helpful," he said. "She likes to help a lot of people."
When on recess, he said he likes to visit his mom in her classroom to have snacks.
“I can come and talk about my feelings, or I can just say 'hi.' It’s just nice,” he said.
This article was originally published in the May 2023 print edition of Camana Bay Times.