I don’t know if I have ever gotten into much detail here about Why I actually started this podcast but today’s guest is part of it.
In 2009 when my husband and I were trying to conceive and starting our family, we were the ONLY people in our circle of friends entering into that stage of life. It was lonely. In those early years, and honestly, still today, I have sought out a gang of Internet mom friends through blogs and social media whose online presence and transparency in their motherhood experience makes me feel a little less alone and a lot less like I am always screwing things up.
Today’s guest Hillary co-wrote a blog with a college friend called, Not Raising Brats. I gobbled up every word. They were two years ahead of me in the parenting game and, as luck would have it, Hillary and I were expecting at the same time (her son Wes born less than 24 hours after I delivered Quinn!) so not only did I get to learn from their experiences with toddlers but I also had a mom going through the exact same things as I was and it was comforting having a long distance internet friend in pregnancy.
Just like Not Raising Brats was a lifeline for me in the early days of motherhood, that’s what I hope for with this podcast. A little virtual life line that helps other mothers to feel al little less alone in whatever parenting hurdle they face.
Today Hillary and I talk about what it is like raising sons. If you ask her sons what their family motto is they will first ask if they can “cuss” and then tell you it’s to not be an asshole.
We talk about how she is mindful to open up her sons’ experiences and extra circular opportunities to things outside of their personal interests in the hopes of exposing them to things that may not necessarily be targeted to boys and men. We also talk about the importance of reading and how Hillary has cultivated a love for literacy in her home and how you can help your children love to read too.