A mother in California who always gets mistaken for her 19-year-old daughter’s sister says the teenager doesn’t get offended with the comparison because they’re super close.
Whenever people see photos of 43-year-old Joleen Diaz and her daughter Meilani Parks, they always feel like the 23-year age gap between them doesn’t exist.
Joleen is an elementary school teacher from northern California. In an interview, she revealed the secret to managing and maintaining such a youthful appearance: Clean living.
The proud mother says she is ‘very close’ to Meilani, with the two enjoying lots of things together like shopping, working out and traveling.
She also added:
“Sometimes we just lay on the couch and talk.”
It is because of their tight bond that the teenager doesn’t even consider it offensive when people think her mum is her sister. Joleen even noted that:
“I don’t think she minds… I was pretty young when I had her, so it’s not entirely impossible that we could be sisters.”
Despite her youthful appearance, Joleen said she avoids tagging along with her daughter to parties, emphasizing that she doesn’t see themselves doing that anytime in the near future.
She also added:
“I’ve had my share of doing both – these days I’d rather stay home, drink a nice cup of hot tea, and watch a good movie.”
The 43-year-old mother believes that her youthful glow was because of her healthy and active lifestyle. She told the reporters that she rarely drinks alcohol, always gets a lot of rest, and eats a ‘balanced, healthy diet’ every single day.
However, she said that the secret truly lies in her beauty regime:
“I religiously take care of my skin, and every day, I wash my face in the morning and before I go to bed. And the real secret? Start early. I began taking care of my skin at a young age, around 12 or 13. My mum used to buy Mary Kay and I would secretly use her skincare products.”
“A product that has shown dramatic change for me is Tretinoin. Most people know it as Retin-A. I’ve been using it now for about a year and a half, and I’ve seen my skin just get better and better.”
“I absolutely use sunscreen, every day, even on cloudy, rainy days. I also use a vitamin C serum day and night. Having good skin gives me confidence, even on the days that I don’t look my best.”
And yes, Joleen also mentioned in the interview that she always insists that Meilani follows the same rigorous routine as her.
She added:
“Yes, I do.”
“I had her start around age 12.”
Aside from her skincare products, the mother also believes her calm and relaxed attitude is also key to her youthful looks.
She said:
“I’m pretty pragmatic and try not to worry too much about the past or anticipate worries in the future.”
Joleen got separated from her husband about 13 years ago, but their family still get along and regularly go on holidays together. The mother is proud to say that she’s living a pretty simple life and is content with what she has right now.
She posts photos of the two of them regularly on her Instagram account, leading their social media followers to express confusion about Joleen having a teenage daughter.
As a matter of fact, some even pointed out that it’s difficult to figure out who is the mum and who is the daughter at times, with one user saying:
‘Which one is the mom I don’t understand.’
Another user asked:
‘Who had who at this point.’
Others remain in a state of disbelief after knowing their relationship with each other. With one person stating:
‘If you’re her mom… You are officially the hottest mom in the world!’