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What is Parenting? A Fun Interview with Jenny of MyMommyology.com

May 27, 2012 by 60 Comments

Note: I’ve always found Jenny to be fun, witty and insightful, though, we’ve never met face to face.

Guess what? After reading this, you’ll see that she’s all that… and more!

How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have two girls, Sam is 3.5 years old and Jamie is 14 months.

Do you stay home or work?
Because we live outside of Manila (Chapel Hill), I have to stay home with the kids.  But I do have a marketing consultancy business back in Manila which I work on every now and then.

Where do you blog?
MyMommyology.com is where you can find me.

My most embarrassing moment with my kid / children was when…
I thought long and hard about this question.  Quite honestly?  I don’t think I’ve ever been totally embarrassed.  I can’t think of anything that stands out.  I used to be very self-conscious but then after I had the girls, I barely notice or charge the “embarrassment” to being a parent.  Maybe that’s what kids do to you?  Does that make sense?

A parenting topic I consider controversial is…
Because every child is different, a lot of normal things can be controversial.  How much “crying” or “tough love” you should give them.  How to discipline your children.  How much time to spend with them — quality versus quantity time?

To keep my sanity, I…
Blog!  I have a set of taped shows I watch each week too.  Once in a while I try to read a book, play Scramble with Friends and or take walks outdoors.

The top 3 traits and/or values I want my kids to have are…
I want my girls to be self-sufficient and independent, to have a good head on their shoulders and think for themselves.  I would like them to be fair and honest, with a strong moral foundation and a strong connection with their God.  At the same time, I’d like them to be compassionate and passionate girls, but still very level-headed.

My Mommyology logo

When my children have tantrums in public I…
If I’m done with my errand, I pick them up and walk away.  If I am still in the middle of it, I ignore the girls and let them scream.  I try to smile at staring folks, and apologize to those who are being disturbed by the ruckus.  We process the incident privately at home.

My kids make me smile when…
Oh gosh.  A gazillion and one reasons.  When they accomplish something, or reach a new milestone.  When they say something witty or funny or can communicate clearly.  When they laugh so hard at something I do.  When they’re peacefully asleep.  When they sing at the top of their voices in the car.  When they hug me tight, or when we come up with good ideas together.  And a gazillion and one other reasons more.

When parenting becomes overwhelming, I…
Well first I try to walk away.  I stick the kids in front of the TV and do something else.  I try to blog, play an aimless game, or I look for mom friends to talk (vent) to.  It’s important to take a breath away from the kids.

My favorite parenting books are…
The 90-minute Sleep Training Book, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers and Cinderella Ate My Daughter.

We spend Sundays…
When we’re not traveling, we spend Sundays at home.  We go to Church, finish up chores and often do a fun family activity together.  Baking cookies tops the list.  Recently with the warmer weather, playing outdoors.

My favorite parenting blog is…  
Hmmm.  I don’t really have a favorite.  I browse through feeds on Facebook or take it from links sent to me.  The ones I read regularly are Babble, OCMominManila, Mommy {T} Coach, Rants from Mommyland, and CrappyPictures.com, to name a few.

One tip I would give to a stressed mom is to…
Get a massage.  And go to Church (or just talk to someone — you’ll realize you’re not alone)!

Parenting is….
It’s a lifelong experiment.  You try what you think works for you and your kids, and a lot of it is subjective.  There are a lot of factors involved, so technically you can’t compare.  At best, you collect and select information and tweak it to your style.

Parenting is always on the extreme — it’s always the “most” of all feelings, emotions and thoughts that you have.  It’s like a never-ending roller coaster ride.  There is fun, thrill, excitement, panic, fear and worry all rolled into one.  But it is never dull, and it is always, always… worth it.

The hardest part about being a mom is…
Trusting your instinct and intuition as to what is best for your child and your family.  A lot of books and well-meaning folks will tell you how, why or what you should do but in the end, only you are the expert on what your kids need.

The best advice I’ve been given as a mom is…
Not to judge other Moms.  It’s hard to do – but we all have to believe that we do the best that we can given our own unique situations.  We need to help each other because no one understands a mom other than another one of her contemporaries.

It was a pleasure working with Jenny so I’d like to thank her a gazillion and one times for agreeing to be featured!

What’s that? You missed her posts? Don’t worry, here they are:

  1. 6 Ways to Build Harmonious Sibling Relationships Amongst Toddlers
  2. 5 Fun Activities to Build Your Toddler’s Fine Motor Skills
  3. Make It Work!:  Mom-Solutions During Less Than Ideal Situations
  4. 7 Simple Living Tips for Moms To Stay Sane

What’s next? Hop on over to her blog and show her some bloggy love! Read, comment, follow and subscribe!

Filed Under: For Moms Tagged With: , ,
About Anne Mercado

Anne is the owner of Green Eggs & Moms, which offers parenting tips for moms with young kids. When she's not hunched over the computer working, you can find her reading a horror book, baking sinful treats, or counting to ten to get her kiddo to move faster.

Comments

  1. Rebel Sweetheart says:
    May 27, 2012 at 1:39 am

    What a great interview!
    Oh, and you’ve got a new blog look, too! :)
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  2. Pam says:
    May 27, 2012 at 1:55 am

    Wonderful to “meet” Jenny—Love that she says GO to Church for a stressed Mom!!
    AMEN!!!!
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  3. Amber--JadeLouise Designs says:
    May 27, 2012 at 4:00 am

    how Fun! My kids don’t embarrass me either, well…except when my 2 year old daughter INSISTS on kissing me in public because her kisses are still a bit too much “tongue” lol.
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  4. Leah Christians says:
    May 27, 2012 at 4:08 am

    Nice post! I try very hard to take time away from my kids too!
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  5. Sarah says:
    May 27, 2012 at 6:57 am

    What a great interview. :) I like how “parenting is a lifelong experiment” It does seem that way. Kids are ALL so different!
    Parenting is an adventure for sure! :)
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  6. Erin Patrick says:
    May 27, 2012 at 8:12 am

    This was a great interview, Anne! It was fun getting to know more about Jenny. I go to church too, for stress relief! A lot of my girlfriends are there and they can make me laugh.
    Thanks for sharing Jenny with us!
    ~Erin
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  7. mymommyology says:
    May 27, 2012 at 8:19 am

    Thank you thank you so much Anne! I am humbled by such compliments. I look forward to our meeting in person in the future over coffee or lunch maybe? :)
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  8. Shannon Milholland says:
    May 27, 2012 at 8:56 am

    Thanks so much for this great interview. I particularly liked your answer about not judging other moms. I think that is so important!
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  9. Claire says:
    May 27, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    Great interview! I expectantly relate to the not getting embarrassed, even when my one year old slowly lets a half eaten piece of salami slip out of her mouth at a party. I’ve learned allot about not judging other parents. I’ve had to make some decisions that I never thought I would make, and that some parents would tell me I “didn’t try hard enough”, when it became obvious to me that I was doing my daughter more harm than good. Thanks for introducing me to Jenny.
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  10. Spanish Pinay says:
    May 27, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Nice and refreshing interview :) I don’t think I have been embarrassed by my daughter either because of her behavior. all kids behave in a not so ideal way in public so there’s really nothing to be embarrassed about. However, I have been embarrassed one time not exactly because of her but because of me losing my head as a first time mom… when my daughter was just a few months old, one time, I forgot to tuck in my breast after feeding her in public. It was like out there for a few minutes before I realized it! Good thing my hair was long back then and it kind of covered it… but still!!!!

    Spanish Pinay
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  11. Tala says:
    May 27, 2012 at 5:06 pm

    Anne! First of all, noticed you’ve redesigned! It’s BEAUTIFUL :-) I love the look and the fonts!!! Very clean, organized and easy to ready not to mention yummy to the eye :-) Well done :-) Second, thank you for featuring my cousin-in-law Jenny of MyMommyology! She “showed” me how to be a mom even from far away through her blog. Thank you for letting her share her wisdom to a bigger audience! :-)

    Jen!!!!! Wala lang… :-) Write write write! Blog blog blog! :-) *HUGS*
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    • Anne Mercado says:
      May 27, 2012 at 7:41 pm

      Tala, this design is by an awesome lady named Lindsey who creates themes for Studio Press. Glad you like it.

      About featuring Jenny, I’m just glad she said yes. She’s an absolute delight to work with!!! :D I’m so thrilled to be able to share her work with other moms because I’m sure they’ll take away valuable lessons from her writing.

      Reply
    • mymommyology says:
      May 28, 2012 at 12:41 am

      Hey MommyT! Haha. Fancy seeing you here. :) Yes, I hope to continue to keep writing.

      Anne, I do agree the site looks great! Very feminine. Okay. I owe you an email reply, I haven’t forgotten. It’s just been buried under the sale emails, haha (Urgent but not important, you know!)!
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  12. Pamela / Pamela's Heavenly Treats says:
    May 27, 2012 at 10:05 pm

    Wonderful interview Anne! I would love to be interviewed by you Anne :-) Very wonderful things said, I dont think I have ever been embarrassed by my kids neither, and I like the tantrum one, thats the samething i do, if I am done we leave, if I am still shopping and you still want to cry and show out, then it will have to be, and we will dealo with it when we get home. I havent had to do that in a while, Yet Jayda is getting to that age of acting out a little :-) Thanks Anne for bringing us such wonderful people and posts!
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  13. Dominique says:
    May 27, 2012 at 11:09 pm

    Parenting is sure a mix of everything.. the kids do give me really embarrassing moments when we are out but I normally brush them aside as there is no use to get stressed over it.
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  14. Carla Barilá Karam says:
    May 27, 2012 at 11:39 pm

    What a wonderful interview!! And you’re right Jenny is “all that” !
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  15. Leigh says:
    May 28, 2012 at 7:57 am

    Great post! Never heard about the book Cinderella ate my baby – sounds cute! It’s so important to have “me” time….
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  16. Cheryl says:
    May 28, 2012 at 8:21 am

    Wow I was reading through all the comments and I don’t really have an original thought. It was a fun interview, and it is nice to hear how another Mom does things.
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  17. Truly Rich Mom aka Teachermama Tina says:
    May 28, 2012 at 9:50 pm

    Love this post, Anne! :D And your blog’s new look! :D I’ve read Jenny’s My Mommyology’s posts before (I am what you can call a blog-lurker, haha!) and I find them really nice. :) Sorry to have been “silent” lately, esp. over on VB and on commenting over here! Been really busy with work and the blog and everything else in between! :D Your posts have been UBER helpful though! (Also, because of you and Martine, I think I’ll have a go at using MailChimp, WHEN and IF I get the time! Haha!) Thanks again for everything! :D

    P.S. I hope that one day, we can work together, too, just like you and Jenny! *hint hint!* LOL! :D God bless always!
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    • Anne Mercado says:
      May 29, 2012 at 4:02 am

      Glad you like the new design, Tina. Also, still owe you lunch/dinner! I will set that in the coming weeks.

      Jenny’s posts are really great and I’m sure she doesn’t mind you being a lurker.

      Use mailchimp and if you have questions, let me know. Hope you won’t be too busy in the coming weeks, and thanks for dropping by!

      Reply
    • mymommyology says:
      May 31, 2012 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Tina! Thanks for dropping in and “lurking”! Let’s be friends! Haha. :)
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  18. Karen Dawkins says:
    June 13, 2012 at 2:42 am

    Great post! Jenny, keep this attitude through the teen years with your girls and they will become all you have prayed for. My first son just graduated high school and he is becoming one incredible young man. I’m honored and blessed!

    Jesus first… then family and you can’t go wrong!
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    • Anne Mercado says:
      June 14, 2012 at 3:14 am

      What a nice and supportive message, Karen. Thank you! I will let Jenny know there’s a wonderful comment waiting for her.

      Reply
  19. The Mommist says:
    July 12, 2012 at 11:30 pm

    Wonderful Q&A! I enjoyed reading it. I can totally relate! :)
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    • Anne Mercado says:
      July 23, 2012 at 10:53 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it! It’s so inspiring and empowering to learn about how other moms view motherhood, don’t you think? Thanks for dropping by and I do hope to see you back here again!

      Reply
  20. eleanor says:
    October 24, 2012 at 10:16 pm

    Nice and positive. Definitely going over to mymommyology. Thanks Anne I am now a follower

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