We asked some fantastic parents from in and around the city to tell us about the most important thing they have done as parents.

Jennifer Handley | Business Owner and Makeup Artist

The most important thing I strive to accomplish as a mother is to provide my daughter with a life of truth and balance. Raising children is hard, and finding the right balance between love and discipline is a daily responsibility. She’s a beautiful soul, inside and out, and I pray that she’s inspired and encouraged. At the end of the day, we are all human. We have good days and we have bad days. I use my good days to guide her and my bad days to teach her to be, and do, better…. but I use every day to love her fully. Read more>>

Blanca Vasquez | Lash Artist

Growing up, my parents had to work constantly to support our family. I appreciated their hard work but they didn’t have much time for me. Because of that, I knew that I wanted to have a good balance between work and my family. I figured that the best option to find that balance was to create my own lash business. I knew that owning my own business would have its own set of challenges, but being able to create my own schedule based around my family’s needs has been rewarding in and of itself. I can confidently say that my children feel supported by their mother 24/7. I feel like my younger self would be proud of how I’ve been able to take care of my children. Read more>>

Seema Desai | Author, “Connected | Unleashing Your Inner Guides”, Life & Wellness Coach, Speaker, Dentist

As parents, we all want our kids to be happy and healthy. However, so little of that is truly under our control. That being said, the next best thing we can do is to teach our children how to adeptly handle all of life’s challenges with confidence, love and kindness for themselves and for those around them. Learning to be mindful, and teaching my children how to love themselves through mindfulness, is by far the most impactful and important thing I have done for our family. As a parent who was far from mindful when I first started out, I have seen the difference in myself. I went from being angry and controlling to being more flexible. I started to see my kids in a totally different light; no longer are their actions and words perceived as a threat to my ego or authority. Learning to tune into my own emotions, especially when triggered, and adjusting my reactions to become responsive has lead to less “disciplining” and more connection. Importantly, my children have had magical breakthroughs with their own abilities to handle change, anger, sadness, and conflict. Read more>>