Interview: The Young Mommy Life, a real look at a 20 something Mom
I recently had the honor of interview Tara P., the fabulous woman behind The Young Mommy Life. A blog and community of Moms that takes a real look at the life of a 20 something Mom.
I love this blog so much because I am also a 20 something Mom and have had many of the same thoughts and feelings over the past two years. It was hard to give up my late nights in high heels, disposable income, and sleep whenever I wish. But I would not trade it for anything in the world and am so glad I have a child at this age.
Links to her website and social communities are below. Check it out and send her some love!
Here is the interview. Enjoy!
What do you want readers to take away from your blog? What do you hope to accomplish with it?
I want readers (young moms, defined as moms who had their first kid before 25…or more broadly, in their 20s) to feel like they are not alone in their struggles. Because you don’t see young moms that much in the media (in books, TV, movies) and you might not have a lot of mom friends your own age, you wonder if you are the only person in the world to be going through a situation. Just hearing (or reading) someone else say, “I just went through this, too!” can be very comforting. Sometimes I’ll write a really personal post (like my struggle with postpartum depression) and I will get e-mails for months after, with moms opening up and telling me how much they could relate. That’s amazing to me.
How has blogging impacted your life? Good, the bad, and the ugly.
I get less sleep now, and sometimes I have to remind myself that not EVERYTHING is a blog post. But on the whole, I get less frustrated and I have more patience, because my readers remind me that the same thing I go through, they go through it too. I also feel if I have questions, I can ask my readers. They’re a wise group. 
What is the best thing that has happened to you because of your blog?
I found my true passion. I will be heading to grad school in the fall to get a Master’s in Family Studies. The blog has grown so much in the past two years and I want to make sure I continue to grow with it.
How do you balance blogging, motherhood, and all of the other demands life throws at you?
I try to make sure when my kids are awake, I’m with them as much as possible. I keep a notepad close by if an idea hits me, but for the most part, I blog after they go to sleep. I also work full-time, so once I get home, it’s their time. Then I spend a little time with my husband and I blog while he watches sports. It all works out. For the past year or so, I’ve tried to make sure I’ve posted consistently five times a week, which is difficult, but it can be done.
What do you love most about motherhood right now?
I might be alone in this, but I love the toddler stage. My kids are 3 and 2 and they are crazy with a capital C-R-A-Z-Y. But they learn so much every day and they still love my kisses. It’s a perfect age for me!
What aspect of motherhood is hardest for you?
Discipline, for sure. I don’t know when I’m being too hard or too soft. At times I’m like, “Well, my son is only 2,” then I think, “Shouldn’t he know better?” It’s hard. I try to be consistent, but I have to be flexible in terms of what works. So it’s an ongoing process for me.
What is your biggest triumph in motherhood so far?
Honestly? Still being married despite the demands of parenthood. I was a mess the first year of my daughter’s life and if I had been married to a lesser man, we would have gotten divorced. I was resentful of how my life had changed in every regard and his just kind of sailed on like it had been. At one point I was in tears every single day. Sometimes about little things, sometimes about big things. But I couldn’t make it 24 hours without crying. It was hard but we made it through it. So ringing in our anniversary this year was very special to me.
What would be your best advice for new, young mothers who aren’t prepared for or weren’t expecting this new role as a mother?
Take a deep breath. Take the first couple months to focus on the baby. “Learn” your kid. Do the best you can. Then, once you feel you’ve gotten the hang of things, map out your life goals. You do not want your kid to be the reason you didn’t do things you always had your heart set on. Wanted to be a doctor? How can you fulfill your goals in a way that fits into your new life? Maybe there’s another segment of the medical field that would work and you would still be fulfilled in a way outside your role as Mommy.
Tell us about the book project you have been working on.
For a close to a year now, I’ve been working on a book for young moms that discusses how to take care of ourselves. So much of the literature geared to young moms focuses on teaching the young mom baby basics and how to care for a baby. That’s valuable, but if the emotional needs of a young mom aren’t met, resentment can build and get in the way of their ability to be great moms. I’ve been asking moms all over the globe for their advice and compiling it into a book. It will focus on creating that map of how you want your life to look – and that kids can sometimes propel you farther than you knew you could go.
When do you expect your book to be released?
Right now it should be released in mid-2011.
What direction is your blog taking in the near future? What can readers expect to see there?
I want to do a better job of reaching out to moms in every circumstance. More single mom posts, more young married mom posts, more just-barely-making-ends-meet moms, mom with a little extra cash to spend looking to pamper themselves. Starting grad school, I hope to wring a bunch of posts out of that!
Website: http://www.theyoungmommylife.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theyoungmommylife
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheYoungMommy
Doesn’t she rock? What are your thoughts on the young mommy experience/life? Post them in the comments!
Related posts:
- Interview: OMommaWrites, where writing is how sanity is found amongst diapers, laundry, and homework
- Interview: A Bloggy Mom, motherhood from my laptop and other nonsense
- Interview: Heir to Blair, the insanity of making & baking a baby & the motherhood that follows
- Home Management Notebook and Life Organization
I love to write, learn, and share what I know - all while taking lots of pictures. I live in Los Angeles and am married to a very handsome man named Stan. We have a 5 year old Vizsla, a 3 year old daughter, and one on the way (due Aug, 2011). Thanks for stopping by!
RT @babybumpdiaries: Interview: The Young Mommy Life, a real look at a 20 something Mom http://bit.ly/c9Enq8
: Interview: The Young Mommy Life, a real look at a 20 something Mom http://bit.ly/crh4KS
RT @babybumpdiaries: Interview: The Young Mommy Life, a real look at a 20 something Mom http://bit.ly/c9Enq8
Check out my interview on the Baby Bump Diaries, dedicated to all my YML readers! http://ht.ly/2jfJD
This was great, and I’m totally going to check out her blog.
Question: Where did you get that image of the knocked up mama and the stroller?
@Crazy Baby Mama – The image is from Young Mommy Life’s website. Not sure where she got it. Love it though, so cute. Thanks for the comment!
RT @babybumpdiaries: Interview: The Young Mommy Life, a real look at a 20 something Mom http://bit.ly/aPI6W2