When a five-year-old directs an entire animated short film that makes it to the big screen, most moms would be quick to take some credit. But Solenn Heussaff? She shrugs and says: “That’s all her.”
Solenn’s daughter, Thylane “Tili” Bolzico, was one of four young creatives behind The Promil Gifted Four and the Case of the Missing Gifts, the first-ever animated film in the Philippines created by Gifted Kids, for Gifted Kids. But behind the spotlight, Solenn reveals a home dynamic that’s less “stage mom,” more chill-and-present parenting.
Tili at Home: Bossy, Introverted, and Very Nico
“She’s more like Nico than me,” Solenn says with a laugh. “Tili copies everything her dad does — she’s animated, funny, and confident when we’re at home. But outside? She’s actually quite introverted. Like me, she gets shy, a bit socially awkward at first.”
And while many see Tili’s strong personality and leadership skills shining through in videos, Solenn is quick to say they’re not pushing her. “Whatever she’s good at, it’s just her. We just try to give her the right environment to explore.”
For Father’s Day: The One Trait Solenn Hopes Tili Inherits
When asked what trait she hopes Tili carries from her husband, social media-favorite Nico Bolzico, Solenn doesn’t hesitate: “His sense of humor. It’s so important to be able to make people laugh. And she already has that spark.”
Nico, often dubbed the “fun parent,” brings playfulness into their home life. Solenn says the two share a goofy bond filled with dancing, games, and spontaneous laughs. “They’re so alike. And I think that lightness, that joy — it’s a beautiful gift to pass on.”
On Discipline: Who’s the Stricter Parent?
“Oh, that’s Nico,” Solenn admits. “I’m the one who says no at first, but when they keep asking, I give in. Nico will actually talk to me on the side and go, ‘Did you really allow that?’ He keeps me in check,” she laughs. “That’s why the kids think I’m the pushover.”
Parenting “Fails” That Don’t Feel Like Failures
When asked to recall a parenting fail, Solenn pauses. “I honestly don’t think there’s such a thing as a parenting failure,” she says. “You miss, then you learn, then you get better. And with each child, the approach has to change.”
Her advice to fellow parents? “Be present. That’s what we’re lacking most nowadays — real presence. Not just being in the room, but really being there. And don’t stress about what other parents are doing. You decide how you want to parent.”
Presence Over Perfection
As the mother of two daughters and a public figure juggling work and family, Solenn remains grounded in one core belief: “You don’t have to do it all right. Just be true. That’s enough.”
Tili may be directing films at five, but at home, she’s still her parents’ funny, sensitive, ever-growing little girl. And for Solenn, the biggest parenting win isn’t in the achievements — it’s in the joy of simply being there as her daughter discovers who she is.
