Our community is comprised of entrepreneurs and artists and creatives – folks who have chosen incredibly difficult professional paths that often don’t offer any safety nets or guarantees. Nonetheless, we regularly hear that being a parent is a far greater challenge and so we asked some of these folks to open up to us about the things they’ve done as parents that they feel will have a meaningful and positive impact on their child.

Cole Mitchek | Filmmaker

As a new parent, I quickly realized that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. It’s an amazing experience to feel like I’m still growing up while also having a toddler to take care of every day. It’s nice that I mostly work from home so I get to be with little Elliott all day. Having a kid helped me to realize the importance of showing my vulnerabilities and my weaknesses to him. I think that is the most important thing I can do to have an impact on him. There’s a lot that he can learn from me and there’s even more that I can learn from him. Read more>>

Allyssa Phillip | Mother, Small Business Owner & Recipe Curator

I think its most parent’s hope to be a great example in terms of drive and being a good person, but I think what trumps that is how much I want to be a safe space for my son. My BIGGEST prayer/wish for him, is that he knows how truly unconditional our love for him is. I don’t want him to ever feel like he has to earn it, or that it’s dependent on certain behaviors. Being a mother to me means cultivating an environment where he feels overwhelming love, security, and where he can grow into an amazing tiny human that in turn gives that same love in the world he grows up in. Read more>>

Kimberlee Oliver | Content Creator & Sarcastic Introvert

If there ever was a loaded question – this would be up for gold. Out of all the skills, qualities and traits I hope to pass on to my daughter, I think the one that trumps them all is the ability to be mindful (of oneself, of others, and of the world we live in). The day and age we’re in is a fast paced one – with the necessary slow movements needing more intention and space to just be. This makes it difficult for us to know what it means to be still, or to listen without the intent of talking back and understanding what we really need (because it’s not always what someone else will tell us). Read more>>

LaVie Turner | Social Worker and Self-care Advocate

The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is to be present for my 5 children. I’ve worked in Child Welfare for over 15 years and I take this position seriously. It is my personal belief that a career as a Child Welfare Social Worker was not necessarily designed for individuals with large families and young children. For many years it was a juggling act trying to balance career and family in the social work profession. The job is not only stressful but realistically it requires long hours in order to be truly successful in this field. It comes with a huge responsibility which required me to be away from my family in order to adequately assess safety and risks. Read more>>

Kaitlyn Babcock | Salon and Boutique owner & Momma of two boys

I try to make sure that no matter what’s going on, my boys always know how loved they are. Life gets crazy and busy and hectic but I want them always knowing that there is always time for them no matter what. Read more>>

Latha Jay | Spiritual Manifestation Coach

I’m a mother to two young children, a four-year-old girl and two-year-old boy. The most important thing that I have done was shadow work to heal myself. Reparenting myself and healing from past traumas will always be the best thing I’ve ever done for my children. It’s allowed me to be a better parent and provide for them in an emotionally healthy manner. Read more>>

Ashley Boyd | Spiritual Healer/Reiki Practitioner/Intuitive Reader/Massage Therapist/Author

For my child, the most important thing I’ve done was walk away from an abusive relationship. I was with my son’s father for about 2.5 years. It wasn’t until fully that he was on earthside I realized this wasn’t the life I wanted to live nor raise my child in. So I had to leave my apartment, my car, all my belongings, my whole life. I then moved back to Arizona where I was trying to find myself and where I belong. I had gone through a series of 20+ interviews and only got the job for one. It wasn’t until then I realized I didn’t want to work for anyone else let alone a job. I wanted long-term stability for my child and me, so I chose a career. Read more>>

Tiffany Seale | Wellness Lifestyle Services & Events

I feel it’s important to model for our children how to share love, kindness, and respect for others. We cannot do that if we aren’t first doing that within ourselves. I have provided the tools of self love and respect for my daughters, so they may learn how to embody that emotion and share it through every interaction they have. I created Three Goddess Gardens as a way to shift the corporate structure back to being people-focused. Read more>>