Today we get to sit down with Brian Underwood who is the beauty director of O, The Oprah Magazine and dad to a three-year-old girl, Parker. Growing up in a traditional family in a small town, Brian, who came out in his high school years, never imagined that fatherhood was on the cards for him as he had always known only a traditional family setting. But today, he lives with his daughter in the vibrant and diverse neighborhood of Bayside with a melting pot of different cultures, ethnic groups, and family arrangements.

He shares about his and his former partner’s journey to fatherhood, the wonderful experience of having his sister as their surrogate and overcoming all the fears and self-doubt that come along with this massive life change. He also talks about what fatherhood has taught him about himself and the needs of a child and how he has learned to let go of control. We then get into juggling work and home life and the burden of social media, and he shares everything he loves about his job, including his favorite beauty products. Join us for all of this and more!  

Key Points from This Episode:

Having to move to a bigger space once their baby was on the way.

Why Bayside is the perfect neighborhood to raise a child.

Deciding to have a family despite not thinking it was an option in his younger days.

How initial concerns about being a good parent melt away once your child arrives.

Going through the process of wanting to start a family and opting for surrogacy.

The wonderful experience of having his younger sister as a surrogate.

Why you shouldn’t worry about the doubts leading up to parenthood.

How people with a negative mindset about having kids affect those around them.

The importance of being honest about the family dynamic, even with a young child.

His daily routine with a demanding job and juggling parental responsibilities.

Having a workplace that is understanding of him as a parent.

Compromising and open communication when co-parenting.

The perks of working in the magazine publishing industry and in beauty specifically.

His skincare regimen, the products he recommends and why sunscreen is non-negotiable.

The difficulty of meeting all the demands of home and work life.

Having a kid for a type A personality and learning to relinquish control.

And much more!

Today we get to sit down with Brian Underwood who is the beauty director of O, The Oprah Magazine and dad to a three-year-old girl, Parker. Growing up in a traditional family in a small town, Brian, who came out in his high school years, never imagined that fatherhood was on the cards for him […]

In this episode we welcome Emily and Tyler to the show to tell us their interesting story of meeting, starting a family, teaching and ultimately starting a lifestyle brand dedicated to sharing tips for tidy, simple and joyful living. 

Tyler is the face of the brand but they work on it together, with Emily preferring the work behind the scenes! We hear from our guests about their long life together, from meeting in school, becoming friends and then dating to changes during their college years and eventually settling down in Queens to start a family.

We also chat about career paths and how to work in the education sector morphed into their current work situation and the busy and beautiful life they currently enjoy. 

Our guests get into the impact of therapy, using new technologies and emphasize the importance of new routines that have improved their lives. So for all this and more, from two inspirational people raising a wonderful family right here in Queens, tune in!

Welcome to Parenting in Queens

Key Points from This Episode

How our guests met in eighth grade!  

The effect of having kids and navigating the new landscape of parenthood.  

A period of high stress and transition that the couple endured together. 

The natural flow of the school year and how this related to their relationship. 

The influences of parents on our guests' own parenting styles and ideas.  

Cleaning up their living space and the birth of The Tidy Dad! 

Utilizing technological advancements and learning from younger generations. 

The gift of therapy and the amazing help it has given Tyler and the family in general.  

The gender gap and how mothers and fathers typically deal with emotions differently.  

A new laundry routine that has made a big difference!  

Meal planning and the convenience of Cook Smarts. 

Cleaning routines and the way this had to change after the birth of their daughters.  

Why Emily and Tyler love living and raising a family in Queens. 

And much more!  

This is a peek into their beautiful and tidy apartment

Links Mentioned in Today's Episode

The Tidy Dad — https://thetidydad.com 

The Tidy Dad on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/tidydad/?hl=en 

Marie Kondo — https://konmari.com 

Cook Smarts — https://www.cooksmarts.com/

In this episode we welcome Emily and Tyler to the show to tell us their interesting story of meeting, starting a family, teaching and ultimately starting a lifestyle brand dedicated to sharing tips for tidy, simple and joyful living.  Tyler is the face of the brand but they work on it together, with Emily preferring […]

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast

Today our guest on the show is an incredible, outgoing and inspiring woman. Annie is the mother of two boys and the co-founder and owner of the An Mé boutique for kids’ clothing and accessories located in the East Village. In our conversation we talk about Annie’s childhood in Taiwan, her family structure and the role of her parents played in her schooling. We then get into her decision to relocate to New York and the cultural shocks she experienced on arrival. We hear about a few difficult experiences around learning a new language and acclimatizing to a new way of life. Annie tells us about her choice to follow a fine art and finally a graphic design path and how this eventually led to her opening her business with a partner. She also tells us about some of the trouble she had in a previous job and the sexism she experienced. Annie is truly a remarkable person whose effect on those around her has been nothing short of inspiring. We end off the episode talking about her current, loving relationship, her two sons and moving on from a difficult divorce. For a great chat with a lovely guest, be sure to join us! 

Key Points From This Episode:

A little background on Annie’s childhood and schooling in Taiwan.  

The culture shock of arriving in New York and learning English.  

Transitioning into graphic design from a fine art degree.  

Annie’s first job in the city and then moving on.  

Taking time off from her retail job to spend time with her first son. 

Annie’s ideas on relationships and the role of the father.   

Healing processes and helping others through difficult times.   

Her second son and the reasons she decided to have another child.   

Treatment for her first son’s difficulties.  

The boys’ temperaments and relationship with each other.   

Effects of therapy and how it has helped her son.  

Annie’s divorce and how this impacted her children. 

Breaking the news to her parents and the support she received from them. 

Meeting someone new through Facebook! 

And much more!  

Tweetables:

“In Taiwan school does not get out until 5pm and then you to the after school curriculum.” — Ann [0:05:50.4] 

“But by the time I graduated everyone and their mother is making their website for free!” — Ann [0:12:58.8] 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

An Mé — https://anmeshop.com/ 

God Never Blinks — https://www.amazon.com/God-Never-Blinks-Lessons-Detours/dp/0446556513

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast Today our guest on the show is an incredible, outgoing and inspiring woman. Annie is the mother of two boys and the co-founder and owner of the An Mé boutique for kids’ clothing and accessories located in the East Village. In our conversation we talk about Annie’s childhood in Taiwan, […]

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast

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Welcome back to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast everybody! Today we are so lucky to have the Pell Family join us on the show to tell us all about their lives together. John and Kaori have a four-year-old daughter, Naori, and also have two cats! It was so nice for us to reconnect after not seeing each other for some time and this conversation is so honest and open we know you are going to love it. We chat about the college years and how our guests met, their marriage and working out the distance. They tell us about parenting and their expectations going into it, we also discuss bilingualism and living in a multicultural family. We are really lucky to have their daughter, Naori, share a few words and tell us about her cats!

For a beautiful conversation with a wonderful family be sure to tune in! 

Key Points From This Episode: 

Some background, how our guests met and their first date. 

The decision to get married after about three years of dating.   

Two weddings and planning these.  

Moving to New York and finding jobs in the big city.   

Working as a research librarian and a little about this profession.  

Having a child and starting a family.  

Breastfeeding, preparation and pumping.  

Expectations going into parenthood and ideas going forward.   

Morning routines, diet and balancing work.    

Finding time for each other and spending time in the evenings.  

Bilingualism, cultural identity and trying to keep these alive.  

Hopes and expectations for their four year old.  

Some information on the Pell family pets!  

And much more!

Tweetables: 

“We did two weddings, one wedding in Pennsylvania Country Club and one then wedding in Tokyo.” — Pell Family [0:07:02.1] 

“There is no way to really prepare for it.” — Pell Family [0:23:42.4] 

 Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: 

Temple University — https://www.temple.edu/ 

Hunter College — https://hunter.cuny.edu/ 

This was the last time we met at the playground

Behind the Scenes of this picture perfect family!

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast Share on facebook Share on google Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Welcome back to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast everybody! Today we are so lucky to have the Pell Family join us on the show to tell us all about their lives […]

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast!

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Welcome back to the show and our fourth episode of the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast! Today our guest is Rashana and she is kind enough to open up her home, life, and ideas for us all. Rashana is a writer, editor, marketer, and a lover of all things luxury! In our conversation we talk about her marriage, the early days of dating her husband, and how she knew it was the right time to tie the knot. We also discuss her career and staying motivated and productive with a growing family as well as the importance of self care and rest. Rashana offers some ideas on why raising a family in Queens may be different to other neighborhoods and the things that she loves about living there with her husband and toddler. For this and much more, tune in! 

Keys From This Episode:

Meeting her husband and realizing he was the one. 

Getting to know each other and negotiating work and ambitions.   

Trust, jealousy and keeping close through being apart.  

Not succumbing to the pressure to get married from friends and family. 

The eventual yet surprising proposal!  

The wedding and what Rashana wanted for the special day.  

Growing up as the different kid in the family.  

Rashana’s current professional position in marketing. 

The influence of the internet and digital developments in the marketing field.  

Rashana ’s husband’s work and how he makes a living.  

Managing work, a relationship, a toddler and a dog!  

What Rashana is reading right now.  

Rashana’s toddler and her hopes for his life in the future.  

Childcare and the differences of life in Queens.  

Tips for new parents about trust and sleep. 

And much more!  

Tweetables:

“At the time I really wasn’t looking for a new relationship. I was still young.” — Rashana [0:03:19.9] 

“I trusted him enough to know that he wasn’t wasting my time” — Rashana [0:11:01.4] 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:  

Rashana Sign with Lux.com — http://signedwithluxe.com/ 

Netflix — https://www.netflix.com 

Hulu — https://www.hulu.com 

Pandora — https://www.pandora.com 

Spotify — https://www.spotify.com 

The Alchemist — https://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0062315005 

Thrive — https://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Redefining-Success-Creating-Well-Being/dp/0804140863 

HuffPost — https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 

What we did not get to know in this interview then was that Rashana is expecting AND

it's a GIRL!

Welcome to the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast! Share on facebook Share on google Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on pinterest Welcome back to the show and our fourth episode of the Simple Parenting in Queens Podcast! Today our guest is Rashana and she is kind enough to open up her home, life, and ideas […]