Andi Eigenmann: Her Fairy Child

Our first cover story for May 2018 introduced our Mermaid Mom, Andi Eigenmann, and her advocacy with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in raising awareness and educating the public about protecting and conserving our oceans. Prior to being a volunteer for the DENR, Andi has already been vocal about giving back to Mother Earth and to the locals who have helped shape who she is today.

” The secret to being happy is being kind. As long as you know that you live a life, that you’re not harming others, whether it’s plants, animals, or other humans, then you’re good. “

Choose kindness, as tattooed on her arm and seen in our editorial video, is one of her top mottos in life. “The secret to being happy is being kind. As long as you know that you live a life, that you’re not harming others, whether it’s plants, animals, or other humans, then you’re good,” she shares with us during our interview while celebrity makeup artist, Jake Galvez, was working on her second look.

While you could see the glimmer in her eyes and passion in her voice as she talked about how important it was for her to really care for our oceans and Mother Earth in general, both senses definitely heightened when asked about
what life is like with Ellie, her Fairy Child, as Andi fondly calls her on her blog, Mermaid Wanders.

And that’s exactly what we focused on this week, as Andi shares what’s a day like with the Mermaid Mom and her Fairy Child! Continue reading our interview below.

And that also taught her. She used to be so shy—like she wanted to be by herself all the time and just stay beside me, and it was really hard because of course, I have to work! Like I have to leave her, for example, in a room first when I go out for a shoot. But having no nanny taught her also to learn to make friends by herself, her social skills really improved, and her sense of responsibility went up a notch or by a mile. (laughs) It might have been hard at the beginning, but this has only been nothing but helpful to our lifestyle and to our character development, so I decided to keep it that way. And eventually, when we learned to adjust, it became easy because now, we already know how to go about it. We work as a team. So we kept it that way.

Were there any factors that made you change to this lifestyle?

I realized that maybe the reason I wanted people around me is because that’s what I’ve gotten used to. I grew up knowing that in every family, there’s a companion. Like it’s okay to have help. But I realized also that there are other families that don’t live that way and if they can do it, so can I—and I did. (laughs) I was able to succeed in it, and it made me happier as well because I just feel like I gained. I learned how to be more organized in life and in terms of household stuff. And also, my mind became more organized that I only wanted what I needed. It filtered out the things that I didn’t really need in life, and when I started living simply, that’s when I learned how to love life even more and to enjoy it—the simple joys. And I feel like it also is the same case for Ellie.

Do you have any other philosophies aside from the ones you just mentioned?

Well for one, I just believe that equality, that kindness is everything. It’s in my arm. (laughs) That the secret to being happy is being kind. As long as you know that you live a life, that you’re not harming others, whether it’s plants, animals, or other humans, then you’re good. And also because this life, Mother Nature, is one of the most important things that we should take care of. That without them, we won’t be here as well. And if we love the life that we live, we should first show and give back to the things that give us, that provide this for us. So I’m all about nature. (laughs)

Ellie is growing up to be such a charming character. Can you tell us more about what she’s like? What are her likes and dislikes? What’s a normal day like with Andi and Ellie?

Well, Ellie is an artist. (laughs and pertains to Ellie on the bed who’s painting) As you can see, she super loves art and at the same time, she likes doing it. I’m really happy because she also likes doing the same activities, the physical activities that I love to do. So she also skates and also surfs, but she’s more comfortable with skating. She is a really good gymnast. She’s a medalist. And a really good swimmer as well. I believe in her. Although she doesn’t believe in herself in terms of swimming. So that’s how she is. She’s super girly. She’s a girly-girl. She’s a pop kid. She likes all those famous YouTube people. But at the same time, she makes that perfect balance of still living like a 90s kid, like I was. I just feel like I should never not share that, just like my mom who was always so generous in terms of stories from when she was growing up in the 60s, 70s, up until the 80s. I feel like it’s also going to be nice that she’s aware of our time, and she is, and she really loves it as well. She loves 90s films, so she’s met the perfect balance of living the way we used to and us playing together the way I used to when I was her age. And also, living in the now, the new age, I also have to understand that things are different and so I let her. Other people, they give them schedules in terms of using the iPhone or the iPad, but I don’t have to anymore with Ellie. Just because if I say that, “Ellie, you’re using it too much.” She’d really understand, and she’d be like, “Okay, Mom.” And she’ll find a different way to keep herself entertained!