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

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.

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!