Parenting in Queens

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast!

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Today on the show we welcome guest Shar La Porte.Inside this episode we talk about Shar’s parenting approach, what helps her recover from a bad day what Motherhood means for her.  Shar shares one anecdote about the health care industry is not supporting black mothers and how she is educating her biracial daughter. We also dive into her journey into becoming a midwife, how it was crucial for her to have a good supportive community so that she can accomplish her goals.Finally, Shar updates us in the newest project her and other midwives started. The non-profit birthing center that will open 2021.For all this and more, stay tuned for today’s episode!

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Key Points From this Episode:

Midwife’s routineHow Shar recovers from a bad dayFavorite nourishing meal. Attachment parentingBuilding a good community of friendsReason into becoming a midwife.Journey into becoming a MidwifeTwelve years later she explains what Motherhood is to herAfrican American Pregnant woman seeking support a a hospitalEducating her biracial daughterChanging the world one birth at a timeCo-founding a birthing center.Updates for opening a non-profit birthing centerWhat is Shar most excited about!

Quotes:“ ... I found people to support me along the way because I was having kids I gravitated to a group of women that really became my backbone in the younger days when my first marriage was failing I couldn’t have done what I have done; to go to school, to be a labor and delivery nurse, to become a midwife without my friends from that time period; they really had my back and helped me with the kids. There is so much riddance It takes a neighborhood to keep them alive, to keep them happy to keep mom sane..”It was hard when my kids were younger like I said I have two failed marriages and I have been the primary caregiver for all my three children and it was often a struggle financially sometimes just emotionally trying to keep myself happy and keep the kids happy. I leaned heavily on my friends I believed in myself I believe that I could succeed in what I was doing I just knew that it was going to take a lot of work and a lot of time and I can’t believe how fortunate I am today to be a midwife, twelve years now I am a midwife and it’s everything I have ever wanted in my life I absolutely love my job”Being a woman who becomes a mother is almost the culmination of life; she creates life and brings it into this world and nurtured that life however it may proceed it’s just the epidamy of just greatness and wonder and amazement that so many women do this and succeed look at all the people around us”“Racism is so hideous in our culture and the way we care for people it’s awe full... My daughter is biracial and I think about this for her going forward in life I just hope that I will able to educate her so that going forward she doesn’t feel that marginalization and outright discrimination”   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  Simple Parenting in Queens —  https://simpleparentinginqueens.com/Birthing Center - https://www.havenmidwiferybirthingcenter.com/Midwifery practice — https://midwiferycarenyc.com/about-us/  Birth Photography featured on this post - https://www.katherinemarivellephotography.com/

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast!

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On today’s episode get to chat with Adanna; full time blogger and mom of three kids.  Inside this episode we talk about life before kids, breast feeding journey, remote learning  routine, and her parenting approach. Adanna takes time to share the story of how she keeps her brand Rattles & Heels very authentic and gives useful tips to any parent trying to build a blog. 

We also dive into her parenting style; how intuitive she is to her  children’s needs and how she  helps them to deal wit remote learning. 

Finally, we discuss the self care practices that keep her grounded. she shares what she is reading, and her must have apps.

Before you listen please remember that this episode was recorded before the death of George Floyd and the events following after this tragedy. My guest has been educating us on her platforms about Black Lives Matter, how we as parents can talk about racism, and how to be intentional about raising black children who know joy.

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Key Points From this Episode:

Life before kids

Breastfeeding journey

Parenting during Covid-19

Journaling as a meditative practice

Perspective in Motherhood

Blogging as a full time work

Keys to a successful blog

Meeting her husband

Must have Apps, current reading 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  

Simple Parenting in Queens —  https://simpleparentinginqueens.com

Adanna’s blog: http://rattlesandheels.com/http://rattlesandheels.com/

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast!

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Today on the show we welcome Onica Jackson. she is a New York City public school teacher and a mother of two boys. Inside this episode we talk about her routine during covid-19 crisis. we learn from her self-care practices and what is keeping her grounded.

We also dive into how she took the news of New York City public schools closing down on a Sunday. Onica shares the value of the New York City public school system. 

 For all this and more, stay tuned for today’s episode!

Ready to Listen!

Key Points From this Episode:

Morning School routine

School work for two children

Favorite meals

Self-Care practices

New York City public school shutdown 

Re-opening school practices

Favorite book/Music

Quotes:

”Every morning at least I try walking as a workout nothing too crazy” 

“After I take care of the kids I take care of myself... another thing on the weekend I go outside to pick up drinks”

”My classroom is all about personality. I keep all the crafts that my students have done on the walls. The walls are covered with some kid art or decoration...after some tutorials online I did an emoji classroom, just trying to bring fun to the kids”

”We live in New York City, one of the largest school systems, your classrooms have at least 20 children... school is jot solely education its also socialization...”

”Don’t listen to anyone... I remember  being pregnant with my own children and there was a lot of advise but as a parent you need to write your own stoey”

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  

Simple Parenting in Queens —  https://simpleparentinginqueens.com/

Deco Bookmarks  — https://www.decobookmarks.com

Welcome to Parenting in Queens. I am your host Cesia Falcon, and in every episode, I get to speak to incredible people that are honest about their parenting journey and why they choose to raise their children in Queens.

I hope this is a channel for empathy and community building.

Today’s episode is Andrea, she and her husband are raising her two boys in Forest Hills.

In this conversation, we learn from Andrea’s lovely childhood in Pennsylvania. Her reasons for loving living in Forest Hills. She shares her journey into motherhood so far. Andrea launched Her passion business last year ” organized from the stat,” where she helps many families not only in the organization of their home but the emotional load it takes to do so.

This interviewed was recorded in February before the pandemic. Andrea will do an IG takeover and we will learn from her how her family dynamics has changed.

Key Points

Her upbringing comparing to her Her kids upbringing 

Being authentic to yourself 

Mother journey

Birth story

Moving to Forest Hills

Starting Organized from the Start

Finding her passion

Keeping a tidy home 🏡

Giving power to kids 

Finding balance

Morning routine

Self care

Overcoming burnt out

Connecting with your partner

Quick tips for us 

Connect with Andrea

check her website: https://www.organizedftstart.com/

Today’s guest is Eli Wesitein he is husband representing the area of Kew Gardens, he is the father of a 9 month old baby girl, he is a therapist and motivational speaker.In this conversation , we learn about ADhD, Chrome's disease, how he recovers from a bad day. He gives an insight about his teamwork with his wife. We discuss about his religion upbringing and How the profession of a therapist is evolving.

Key Points

ADHD journeyHow Eli helps parents whose children has been diagnosed with ADHD.What is Chromes disease.How Eli is making sure he is staying healthy through food and medication.How to recover from a bad daySurprising emotional birth of his first babyMartial teamwork with a new a babyIVF journeyJudaism and creating Spiritual SundayReligion not being separatist but inclusiveAppreciating his wife now as a motherReasons to become a therapistHow Therapist profession is changing Describing his perfect day

Links

https://www.elivation.org/

Welcome to Parenting in Queens Podcast

Welcome to Parenting in Queens, where we like to connect with amazing moms and dads right her in our own borough.  

In today's episode we chat with  Julie Collazo; she is the mom of Three kids raising her children in  Long Island City. We discuss her approach to parenting, her philosophy and how we can still be ourselves even when raising young children. 

Julie is the co-founder of Immigrant families together  We go into her journey of co-founding this non-profit along with her husband and so much support from other angry parents.

In addition Julie is the co- author of Harper One memoir; the book of Rosy that will be published on June 2nd 2020. 

Be sure to listen!

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Key Points Mentioned

Parenting philosophy 

Supporting children to be resilient and thriving

Going against the grain as a parent

What does community mean and how we can create your own village in Queens

We are not going to be a perfect parent we are good enough and that is enough 

 Didn’t think wanted to get married or have kids

 Life doesn’t have to change, be fully present

Turning point on her career

Her work in Puerto Rico

The story behind founding Immigrant families together

How we can contribute as parents into our communities

Quotes

"My husband is from Cuba and he grew up in a different setting and what family is and who that includes"

" I don't invest a lot of energy into the things that New York parents tend to, like focusing which middle school my ten year old is getting into"

"We are not going to be a perfect parent being good enough is enough"

"I dint want to replicate the bureaucracy I had run away from"

Links mentioned

Erikon's stages of development

https://immigrantfamiliestogether.com/

Native Country of the Heart: A Memoir

Welcome to Parenting in Queens Podcast

Thank you for tuning in to our episode with Thuy Petersen. She is a mother of three children.  When we recorded this episode she was pregnant with her third child. After finishing recording I get an email saying that she was heading to the hospital! We got so lucky to record this episode just in time. 

In this conversation we speak about expectations about motherhood, what motherhood has taught her so far. We listen to her marriage advise and self-care practices. My guest is also trying to contribute to her community by opening House of Playful Soul where children cannot only play and interact with others but also can be involve in various community projects from a young age. At last she tells us why she loves her neighborhood Forest Hills!

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Listen to this episode

Key Points from this Episode

Motherhood expectation 

Re-evaluating life as a mother

Multi-tasking with multiple children

Meeting her husband

From career focused minded to opening up to a new relationship

Cultivating a solid relationship before getting married

Practices as a marriage to keep a solid relationship

Watching her husband evolve as a father

Journey to starting House of Playful Soul

Reasons to starting House of Playful Soul

Benefits of living in Forest Hills

Self-care practices

Being an exceptional woman

Lessons from her mother 

Quotes from this episode

" I remember sitting across the isle and thinking to myself he would make a good husband"

"without the support of my boss, my husband, mother-in-law, and our nanny there is no way I could even fathom being able to take on starting a new business without that level of support"

"We wanted House of Playful Soul to be a place where there is cultivation of community..."

"I want to create a space where my children feel safe and feel that they can come to me for anything... I don't think that school is the most important thing"

Links mentioned

The Book of Us: The Journal of Your Love Story in 150 Questions

Peleton

The Rise Podcast

House of Playful Soul

Welcome to Parenting in Queens, where we like to connect with amazing moms and dads right her in our own borough.  

I am so excited for season 2. Thank you for joining me. We will listen from more parents who are truly making a difference in their children's lives, work-space and community. I hope that these stories inspire yiu and make this parenting journey much more memorable and enjoyable. 

For our first episode of this second season we have Kim Calichio; she is a mom of two kids from Astoria, she is a professional chef and founder of the Connected Chef; a cooking school for adults and kids.

Here is sneak peak into our episode!

Thank you so much for having me and for making the time to be in the podcast so I would like to start us off with one question how was your routine like before having kids?

K: I didn’t have a routine because I didn’t need one

C: that is so true

K: in terms of cooking in the kitchen

C: in general because because I know you were a top Chef so for me that life is so interesting so I’m trying to picture what your day was like because I think it was probably pretty crazy

K: it was all about working I worked nonstop.  So  I grew up in Long Island. So when I first started working in the restaurant business in Manhattan my commute was two hours each way and eventually I moved to Queens and I just worked all day.  I was going to work from 8 to 10 in the morning and then I will get home at two or three in the morning we would work 14-hour shift,  go out and have drinks afterwards. And that was just on repeat and the days that I didn’t work I would stay home because I was exhausted. Before being in the restaurant business I was a medical professional on Long Island. So routine has always looked different for me depending on what I was doing and what I was focusing on but in terms of the restaurant world it was just all about working which I loved but it’s also different from everything that I have ever done.

C: well I am a fanatic about food and I watch all the cooking shows so I was wondering how it would be for a woman to be in that restaurant world and how crazy that is so after you for having your first child were you in the restaurant business is still?

K: yes a little bit so being a female in the kitchen or in any male dominated industry it takes a lot of effort for a woman that it would take for any though so once I got pregnant I didn’t say anything to anyone for a while then I had to disclose that I was pregnant I was out for about six months when I had my first son. I attempted to go back part time so when I first left I worst executive sous chef for David Burke restaurant in the upper East side in Manhattan I was headed to become the executive chef of one of the new restaurants that was opening them and got pregnant so I left for maternity leave and they were really wonderful they were super supportive and I work for them for a really long time so they have my job which technically for New York at the time but when I come came back it wasn’t an entirely new kitchen so for me as a female I was struck at the bottom I was technically a sous chef but I could’ve had the same respect from people that I did when I first left it was a totally different chef so I had to either make a choice of starting from scratch and building that  reputation again which took me five years to build or find something different to do so because I wanted to stay at home with my son and not work 80 hours a week since I couldn’t do it slowly I wasn’t going to do it at all so I left after working a year after working part time and started to spend time with my son and I started to connect Chef.

C: so now that your kids are 7 and 4 do you have some time to build a routine where you feel good about so where do your morning look like which took me five years to build or find something different to do.  because I wanted to stay at home voice my son and not work 80 hours a week I went back part time at first and I th...

Welcome to another episode of Parenting in Queens!

In this episode we will learn from Rakhmi. In Indonesia she was a working woman in the business sector and now she is at stay at home mother. Rakhmi tells us about her journey to assimilate into a new city and how she dealt with post-partum. She tells us how she found motivation through the darkest times and how her life is now; happily married and raising her daughter who is now one years old!

 

Highlights to our interview

C: Can you tell our listeners about yourselfR: My name is Rakhmi or you can call me Amy. I come from Indonesia following my husband who is working for an Indonesian bank so we will be here until next year. I am living in queens in Forest hills and I have a 1 year old toddler; she is moving all over the house. She is so active, she is all over the house, (you can hear her!) I cant take my eyes off of her because she is so fragile you know i need to be very careful.C: Tell me how it was like growing up in IndonesiaR: I was born in a small city in Indonesia in Purwokerto; its in one of the cities in Central Java. Indonesia has 13 regions and one of them is Central Java which is my region. I come from this small city and then i come to the capital; city. I was struggling because my parents never spoiled me when I wantedSomething new my parents would tell me that I needed to be number one in school so I can get what I was asking for. This was my parent’s teachings when I was a kid.C: So in order to get what you wanted you had to be number one and that was a struggle for you.R: Yes but in the future it helped me because when I moved to the city I saw the benefits’ of my mother’s teachings. I learnt to struggle in order to get what you want. So I am grateful for my childhood. This is the old parenting and I am benefiting from it now.C: What else do you remember from your childhood?R: I am the last child from my family, I have 3 older sisters, I am the youngest one. So my oldest sister moved to the capital city with her husband and my other sisters are still in my small town. Since I am the last one I struggled when I wanted to move to college since my mother forbid me to go. My oldest sister asked my parents for permission to go to college to the city and my parents didn’t let her. But in my case I persisted and at the end they let me. So i registered for college and got accepted so they didn’t have a choice. I loved this city because everyone is so supportive and it has a great community. Here in NYC is very different. For the first time I moved here I got a culture shock, the first 3 months were very hard. You see in my city I used to work and here I became a housewife and I am waiting for my husband to come home so it was a struggle. So I wanted to keep busy and I found English classes at the library; they are free from the government, they are called ESL. I joined the ESL program. I also was studying to get the license to become a real estate broker. Before in Indonesia I was working for an investment company in Indonesia so I wanted to pursue my dream and wanted to be a real estate broker in NYC but this was not possible because luckily I became pregnant. So all the plans changed, I am enjoying my life now and my new project is having this bakery from home.

C: I was able to try one of your sweets, it was very good. I saw in one of your Instagram posts that you met Martha Stewart. How was that experience like?R: Yeah! I met here. Actually, I bought her new book about cookies. I love Martha Stewart because in my country cookies are not common. Yes we have cookies but they are not American cookies. When I first tried cookies here I was like “Oh my Gosh it is very good!” I wonder how they were made. I knew of Martha Stewart since I was in Indonesia I adore her. She is so successful with her books. We had a little chit chat talking about my country and she was playing my daughter Serena,

Welcome to Parenting in Queens!

I am so appreciative of your time and so grateful you are here tuning in. Nao Motomatsu shares her journing into becoming a mother. Nao explains how she keeps a healthy life style before conceiving and continues to this day now that her daughter is 3 years old. 

In our conversation we talk about her super easy staple meals. We listen to how she learnt about the home birth movement, her reasons into choosing a homebirth. She explains how labor started, and her communication with her birthing team. Furthermore she tells us how she managed the pushing phase and finally met her baby. My guest is so honest about her home birth. Her approach in healthy eating is so simple and doable. So join in for this week"s episode!

Highlights of this episode

Q: Tells us why you chose to do a home-birth?Nao: When we were in our mid 20's we watched the documentary "The Business of Being Born" and that taught us so much about birth and the options we can make. Before that I did not know that we had such option. After watching that it made sense that pregnancy is not a sickness... so immediately after watching it we thought that was an option for us. My husband and I watched and we felt confident that this was an option for us, so after a couple of years we knew this is something we wanted to do... I thought I could get a referral for a midwife from my doctor and that was not the case so I had to navigate the options out there.Q: Were you exposed to the homebirth practice in Japan?Nao: In Japan I was not exposed to it but I know that it is practiced. It was more like we do not enjoy the hospital environment. We do not the people there; I know that there are doctors and nurses, but they are random people that walk in and out and they touch you, they check you, the room is really bright , it smells like chemicals. Because we have been trying to live  as natural as possible; like at home I don't keep  harsh chemicals. So I think because of those reasons it was easy for us to welcome that idea...Q: How did your husband and you meet?Nao: I went to an international school in NYC where the school provided an extra Japanese class once a week. He (my husband) did not go to that high school but he went to that class to study Japanese and that is where we met; so we met in high school. Q: How was planning the wedding?Nao: We had visa issues; this is not romantic. Because of our visa status we could not leave the county so we decided to go to Hawaii. I thought this is the most romantic place in the country. After we celebrated we did City Hall; it was quick just the paper done! Q: In order to qualify for a home birth you need to have a low-risk pregnancy, so how did you take care of yourself?Nao: Before I became pregnant I was very healthy. I kept my diet very natural I tried to avoid process food as much as possible especially sugar. This I kept while I was pregnat. Q: What is your tipical eating day like?Nao: It is a long story but before I become pregnant I met a healer who introduced me to the GAPS diet. She is a healer who a lot of her clients are families whose children suffer from vaccination side effects and she treats them amazingly. This is the whole reason for the GAPS diet to be introduced. Even though I did not have health issues, I thought it was good to follow this diet because it cures our gut  which is a core to our health. The two biggest elements in the GAPS diet is; one is the home-made bone broth and the other is fermented food. So three years before pregnancy I started to eat those. So my breakfast is home made bone broth that we use to make miso soup with eggs and fermented sauerkraut. Yogurt Recipe Yogurt MakerBig Glass Mason JarCombine whole milk with some left over plain yogurt. Press the button on the Yogurt maker and cover container with a tea towel. Go to sleep and the enxt day you have goyutBone Broth Recipe Boil a big pot of waterAdd chicken bones and chicken feetWe buy it from the ...