Hello Mommies,
It's time to introduce to you our next Empowering Mom: Alison. This Mama is very passionate about supporting community of moms. She is also all about healthy lifestyle and encouraging others to live their dream life. Get to know her better by reading interview below.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. When did you become a mom and how old is your kid/s.
I am Alison Avayu - a wife, mother of 2 little boys 3 and under and a health coach! I get to work from home and raise my 2 little boys and my hubby is a Chef that is just now going through a complete career change! We love anything ocean/diving related and try to enjoy that as much as we can in our spare time. I am super passionate about connecting with other moms, helping other moms and just creating a supporting community for moms :)
Are you a stay at home mom or are you pursuing your career or passion? Tell us more about what you do?
I am a "work from home" mama. I get the best of both worlds - I get to live my passion, which is helping others live their best life all while staying home and raising my boys. I honestly never thought I wanted to be a stay/work from home mom, but here I am! Getting to help people improve their health, feel better and live their dream life is truly a blessing and a gift that I love sharing with others.
How do you cope in today's difficult pandemic times?
Grace. Give yourself grace and lots of it every day. Enjoy the moments, throw the to-do list and expectations out the window if you have to and do your best to survive. If your kid watches too much tv and has breakfast for dinner....it's ok. Give yourself grace and know that it won't be this hard forever and you are never alone.
How would you compare your old self (prior to having kids) to the present self. Let us know what is the biggest thing that your kid/s changed about you?
My old self was uptight, super OCD organized and ALWAYS WORRIED/STRESSED. My present self - is much less OCD/organized (I mean come on...1.5 and 3.5 year old boys...) and so much more laid back. Having kids have helped me realize what truly is important in life and what doesn't really matter so much. I have also learned the power of just being present and savoring the beauty around you.
What is the 1 thing (or more) that you wish someone would have told you about parenthood before you had kids?
It's ok to not want to be a parent sometimes. It is ok to miss your previous life and freedoms. It doesn't mean you love your kids any less....you are still human and still have a life and it is ok to miss things. You can be an incredible mom/parent and still wish you had more freedoms.
What do you think is the biggest challenge of being a mother in today's world?
All the judgement we give ourselves and the judgement we get from others. We really need to be more supporting of one another.
What is the best memory that you have with your kid/s so far?
Watching the boys laugh, smile and play together. It is just starting to happen since my little one is just over 1.5 years old and the older one is now 3.5 years old.
List 3 things that were really useful and made your life easier during your babies 1st year. Recommend other pregnant moms what they should have on their registry.
1-The baby k'tan carrier. It is simple to use and fits easily in any bag.
2-Mirror for the car with music/lights - my kids hated the car at the beginning
3-A good baby book to capture all the important milestones/memories....it goes so fast. You have to write it down as you think of it otherwise it gets lost in mommy brain.
Tell your best advice for the first time mom who is expecting but doesn't know what to expect:)
Find yourself a good mama tribe. Find other mamas that you can relate to and feel comfortable around. CALL/TEXT with any and all questions - reach out. It can be very overwhelming but having other mamas to lean on makes the hard moments a million times more bearable.