Local Mom: Jennifer

For the Month of May we'll be celebrating Local Moms of kids under five in honour of Mother's Day. Today's featured Local Mom is Jennifer!

Occupation: mainly picking stuff up off the floor.
Age: 37 (that's mom years, so I'm actually 103).
Number of children and ages: 3 boys, Max is 5, Charlie is 3 and Rudi is 8 months old.

When you were a teenager and you thought about your future life what did you think and how does the reality match up?
My plan was to be an International Woman of Mystery and Intrigue. Details were vague, but involved having unlimited amounts of money and jetting around the world. I feel that I am still an International Woman of Mystery and Intrigue, however I have a limited amount of cash and I do not jet around the world.

What is the hardest thing about being a mom?
The hardest thing about being a mom, especially a full time stay at home mom, is maintaining a decent reserve of patience to deal with the many irritating things that small children do (like not listen to anything, ever) and also mustering up the enthusiasm to happily participate in the many boring things small children require of you (like pretending to be SpongeBob Squarepants AGAIN, when I'd really rather drink a cup of tea and read the back of the cereal box.)

What is the best thing about being a mom?
The best thing about being a mom is watching my children grow into kind, capable and intelligent people, and having all the hugs a person could ever hope for!

When you think about your parenting style, what words would you use to describe it?
I have four words for you. Lord of the Flies.

All new mothers get lots of parenting advice, sometimes more than they want! What was some advice that you appreciated and would pass on to others, or alternatively, what was the worst piece of advice you ever got ?
Some advice I appreciated was to put them to sleep after the first yawn or sign of tiredness when they are babies, don't wait for them to melt down and cry. Worst advice was probably from the lady at the supermarket who told a 9 months pregnant me, as I was reaching for a box of cereal, that I would strangle the baby on "hees cord" if I lifted my arms over my head.

What is the one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a mother?
If you have any urge to play strip poker, do it now, because after baby, it probably won't be happening.

What kind of grown-ups do you hope your children will become?
 I hope my children grow up happy with themselves and the world and that the world will delight in them and keep them safe forever. I hope they will help themselves and I hope they will help other people. I hope they will not back down in difficult circumstances, I hope they will follow their dreams and I hope that no matter what happens on their life's journey that they will do more laughing than crying.


How do you keep a sense of balance in your life between being a mother and a person in your own right, or between your career and family (if you work outside the home)?
I have no sense of balance in my life whatsoever.
What do you do to ‘get away from it all’?
If I really need to get away from it all I sit on the front step and drink a cup of tea.