MOM ON THE STREET
MOM-TO-MOM ADVICE ON LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF YOUR OWN GROOVE

Welcome to our latest monthly column, Mom on the Street (ya know, like Man on the Street). Each month, we'll be
asking moms just like you for a slice of their sage advice, insider tips or tried-and-true wisdom in the hopes that their
unique brand of Mother inspires, assuages, calms strengthens and even amuses yours.

Check out what these five moms had to say on this month's question: How do you balance work and motherhood—
and marriage and womanhood and sanity and friendships and, well, you get the idea?




Michele OBrien is the mama of two rockin' little girls and wife to as she puts it, “one hip husband.” She's a former Bloomberg TV exec, who left the high life of the city for the good life upstate. Here's what she had to say:

"Balance implies at least a modicum of skill. I'd say my approach is more winging it.  There are more dark moments on this journey than I thought possible and in order to stay above the fray, I take mini-moments every day to think and breathe and just be me. I find it all rather overwhelming (can't you tell!) so the other thing I need to do is talk about it—to my husband, my friends and even my kids. I feel like if I lay it all out there, they may all think I'm a loon, but at least, at the end of this wild trip, I won't be a stranger.” Michele also writes for THE FAMILY GROOVE. Check out her articles on flat head, breast cancer, on late onset postpartum and staying connected with your mate during pregnancy.





Stephanie Rach is the mom of two adorable little girls and the wife of a pretty cool guy it seems (see below). As founder of True-G Productions (www.true-gproductions.com), she's a woman on the go-go-go. Here's what this NoCal mother had to say:

“My family and work motto here is: "Embrace the chaos!" and "We've got to move it, move it!" I am lucky to have had a mom who inspired me to go after my dreams and two daughters that motivate me to stay the course.

It took my husband some time to understand the importance of my work goals and he now steps in more than I could've ever imagined. He actually finds it all very sexy and has become the lingerie fairy. Sex is important in a marriage —and Greg loves it when I say "I didn't make it to the gym.” Yes, sex is great exercise! 

As for balance, I have wonderful clients, products in production and stories in development. It's chaotic and stressful to my friends, yet I have the greatest sense of balance and ease because I know I am doing exactly what that little voice inside my head and heart told me to do years ago. I celebrate each milestone and welcome what the world brings to myself and my family each day.

And remember, the less time you spend complaining the more time you will have to get everything done.”





Linda Fass is THE FAMILY GROOVE's Sales Representative Extraordinaire. She's also the mom of two handsome boys and an all-around super groovy gal. This North Jersey mama, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, takes multi-tasking to artistic levels—and we so admire her for it. Here's what Linda had to say:

“I balance my busy lifestyle by staying very organized in every aspect of my life. I keep my weekly schedule structured and set priorities but remain flexible for those unexpected things. I am a dedicated list-maker and constantly refer to my to-do lists and appointment/activity calendars for both my work and personal life. I can’t afford to be tired or sick so I keep my energy up and take care of myself by eating healthy and exercising whenever I can fit it in.  I try to look my best because when I feel good about myself it translates in to everything else I do.  Above all else, I do the best I can, I don’t sweat the small stuff, I have fun and I often remind myself of what is most important.”




Monogram Momma is the mother of two little boys, blogger supreme and our favorite Martha-to-be. Click here to read Monogram Momma's mom-alicious blog. But first check out what she has to say about balance:

 “Work & motherhood: As a SAHM, motherhood is my work. This family is my job and my kids, house, and husband are my employers. My days revolve around my children's meal and nap schedules. Awake time, when they're not at pre-school twice a week, is spent doing crafts at the kitchen table, meeting friends at the park, storytime at the library and—I won't lie to you,—often times pushing around the double stroller while shopping. Naptime is my time for—thank goodness—some peace and quiet and alone time. Sometimes I use this time to cruise the Internet (and check out The Family Groove!) but most times it's spent folding laundry, tidying up the house, cleaning up the dishes from lunch and sometimes, yes sometimes, even catching a nap myself. Admittedly, some days I am much more organized and accomplish a lot more than others, but at the end of the day, I'm just doing the best I can and I'm really fortunate to be in a position to be able to stay home and have this job as a SAHM.
 
Sanity & Friendships: Whew, that is a hard one. I will admit, there are plenty of days I am not quite sane at all. Having two children in a year and a half will do that to you, no? But for me, that's where my friendships come into play and why they are so important. Good friends can tell you you're not alone and let you complain and whine about your lack of sanity and how you accidentally put the milk in the microwave and your keys in the refrigerator. Then they'll come pick up your kids for you while you look for said missing keys and thus give you time to try to regroup and reclaim your sanity (or what is left of it anyway). The playground can be just as difficult and childish for moms as it can be for our kids. Let's face it, the sandbox is a tough place—full of judgmental, cliquey, catty women—so it's often times difficult to find that groove and group of your own, but it's so important. I am so lucky to have a great supportive group of friends, both with and without children to support me, and to support one another.

Marriage:  My mom is very conscious about doling out unsolicited advise. But one piece of advise she did tell my sisters and me when we had our children was to always remember that our marriage and husbands still come first. It is so easy to put your marriage on the back burner when you have kids because, all the sudden, you are up to your eyeballs in diapers and wipes and bottles and then playdates and t-ball practices. Throw in more than one kid and you and your spouse are criss-crossing each other all over town, each taking a child to his practice or game. That doesn't leave much time or energy for a relationship. So in my house, my husband and I have always been really conscientious about getting babysitters and going out alone without the kids, or taking a few trips a year alone without our kids as well. Finding extra time in the day for each other is never easy but it's so important to show and teach your kids how to maintain a marriage and that the world really doesn't revolve around them.”




Nanci Hersh is a mother of two cutie pie little boys, extremely talented illustrator and a cancer survivor. Click here to check out her book about how to help children cope with a loved one's cancer diagnosis. But first give a read to her answer to our question about balance. Her message is sure to inspire you to seek some balance of your own.

“You can be/do/have anything you want; but you just can’t be/do/have everything you want—at least not at the same time. That best describes how I balance my life. I I have a lot of balls up in there air—as do all working moms (and all moms are working moms). Following my breast cancer diagnosis four years ago, I have set my priorities  on health and sanity and that starts with self-care, i.e. sleep, meditation, yoga, exercise. These priorities certainly don’t all happen on the same days, but if I can manage at least two of the above, I am in better shape for everything else. I just figure I am doing the best I can at the time with everything else—family, friends, career, community service, you name it. I try and do it all, at different times of course, and sometimes it gets crazy or I feel overwhelmed. And yes, some balls get dropped (like arriving at the airport earlier this month for a long weekend getaway with my husband Scott, sans kids, only to find out that my passport, that I had checked and double checked, had expired or missing a doctor’s appointment, or forgetting to send my son to school with bake sale money) but I try to remember to breathe and feel grateful that my life is so rich. Illustrating the book Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings: When someone you love has cancer...a hopeful, helpful book for kid also helped me find balance by helping me look at how we all are part of a larger picture. Hopefully, the book's message will help anyone who has to deal with cancer or difficult situations.”