Search Results for: young mom summit

VIDEO: Young Mom Summit – From Teen Mom To M.D.

April 22, 2013 · by Tara ·

Welcome to my “new” video series, the Young Mom Summits. Think of these as mini conferences/events, where you can hear from some inspiring people who will give you encouragement on being your best self. I’m working to re-brand this series so people can truly walk away feeling like they’ve learned something and are a better person for talking the time to participate.

Episode THREE in the series features Dr. Melanie Watkins, a former teen mom turned psychiatrist. I “met” her via Twitter a few weeks ago (when she just happened to retweet one of my posts) and I have been a huge fan from the get-go. I read her book, Taking My Medicine: My Journey from a Teenage Mother to a Physician, in a matter of hours. The book had some moments where my mouth dropped open and I had to hurry to figure out what was next. I cheered for her and I felt her pain.

So I knew I had to talk with Dr. Watkins (she told me I could call her Melanie but um, I respect her grind for that degree too much!). And I knew I had to share it with you.

No more babbling from me – here’s episode three of the Young Mom Summit:

If you’re interested in purchasing her book, check it out here.

Filed Under: Education, Goal Diggin', Love + Family, Mom to Mom, Money + School, My favorite posts, She Inspires, Student Mama, Video ·

VIDEO: Young Mom Summit – Tips To Make The Most Out Of Being A Stay-At-Home Mom

December 12, 2012 · by Tara ·

My first Young Mom Summit was something I just came up with during those moments when my brain gets quiet and I can hear myself think. “Hey, it would be a great idea to bring moms together, on video, to talk about issues that are important to them, right?”

So I gathered up a few of my favorite young mom friends for a video interview on making it through school once you have a kid (catch it here). It was fantastic and I’m so grateful to the women involved for sharing their stories!

I decided to switch gears for the next one and talk about the stay-at-home mom life. I lived it for a couple years and nobody tells you how hard it can be.

I met Shannon through a Twitter link (she’s at @SAHMConsu lting) and instantly we clicked! She’s all about helping stay-at-home moms be home at home and she knows what she’s talking about. She’s a mom of four and has been at home since her oldest was born. She’s been there. She KNOWS.

She also has a new book, “Becoming A Happy Stay-At-Home Mom,” which takes her blog and puts in an easy-to-read bite-sized nugget for you to enjoy on your own time. (I read it and loved it!)

Check out our conversation on being a HAPPY SAHM and share your thoughts in the comments.

Filed Under: Video · Tagged: featured, SAHM, video, Young Mom Summit

{VIDEO} Watch The First “Young Mom Summit”: Student Moms Talk About Juggling School, Work and Family

August 20, 2012 · by Tara ·

My goal in 2012 is to do more things that scare me, that push me out of my comfort zone. So that means more video. I prefer the anonymity of the keyboard, I like letting the words on the screen represent me. But as YML continues to grow, I realize I won’t be able to hide forever.

So two weeks ago, I asked four of my student-parent friends to participate in the first Young Mom Summit. Powered by Google Hangouts, the 30-minute chat was designed to provide other young mothers (or even older mothers! Or young fathers!) with advice and inspiration if they are thinking about going back to school or if they are currently enrolled.

So check out the first video and PLEASE share with folks you think need to see it!

Filed Under: Student Mama, Video · Tagged: featured, Student Mama, video

Four Tips On Making Meaningful Friendships As An Adult

April 13, 2015 · by Tara · 14 Comments

I’ve been blogging and running my own business for so long but haven’t reached out to women in my city yet. It was a problem because while the internet has made it so easy for you to connect to anybody, anywhere, proximity counts. I didn’t have that community of women in my own backyard that I could call upon for immediate support, instead having to always rely on “virtual hugs” and supportive Facebook messages.

So this past weekend I organized a meetup for women bloggers in my local area. We had a great time over brunch at Granite City, sharing our projects and figuring out ways we could support each other. (My favorite part of the brunch was discovering how many of them were cupcake connoisseurs as well!) It felt amazing to be around so much positive energy. I was wondering why I hadn’t done this sooner, as it could have made a world of difference over the past few years, as I was struggling for support with my events or in my personal life.

The lesson? If your support network is small or weaker than you would like, don’t just accept it. Put in the work to grow your team. Good friends/confidantes don’t just fall out of the sky. They’re cultivated and nurtured, just like any other relationship.

My tips for you:

Double-check to see who you are overlooking. Sometimes we feel like there’s no one in our corner, but perhaps we’re not looking in the right places. Do you have friends that you used to be close to, but time and distance have weakened your bonds? There’s nothing stopping you from rekindling an old friendship, particularly if there was no nasty falling out.
Organize some type of dinner party/get together. You need face time with your support circle. It is so easy to just stay at home and text your friends or trade “LOLs” on Twitter, but over time, that kind of connection weakens.
Join a shared interest organization/group. Is there a young professionals group in your city that you could connect with? Are there student organizations on campus that fit your interests? Sometimes the easiest way to make new connections is to go where folks are already looking to make new connections.
Use your kids. Over the past few years, I have made a few “mom friends” by befriending the parents of my kids’ friends. It has helped me tremendously as I get to know them and their family and it also helps my kids feel like they have a bigger community as well.

If you found these tips helpful, care to share it on Twitter?

If you don’t have the support your need in your life, here’s four steps to improve your circle!

Tweet This

Filed Under: Behind the blog, Family, Featured, Love + Family, Mom to Mom ·

GIVEAWAY: “The Nut Job” DVD Is Perfect For Family Movie Night

April 17, 2014 · by Tara ·

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m going through the motions with my kids. They go to school, I stay home and work and in the evenings we’re just kind of existing in the same space, but we’re not really talking and we’re not really connecting as much as I’d like. Part of me was happy when I was knee-deep in Young Mom Summit details, because they were content to play together and didn’t demand as much of my attention, but now? I’m feeling a little lost, honestly.

A good family movie night does wonders for me and my kids. We spend the whole day talking about it, I obsess over snacks and pizza toppings and we have a good time. I usually lay a blanket on the floor and we eat picnic-style while watching a funny movie. (Always a funny movie. We have enough drama in real life.)

It’s a time to be still, enjoy each other’s company and be silly together. My kids are 7 and 5 now and they no longer fit on my lap. They are developing their own friendships at school, they want more independence and before you know it, they’ll be out of my house. I’m trying to squeeze the most out of the time we have left together.

That’s why I’m happy to be sharing this giveaway today! I have five copies of the new-to-DVD film, “The Nut Job,” and I want you to win!

Film synopsis:

THE NUT JOB is an action-packed comedy in fictional Oakton that follows the travails of Surly (voiced by Will Arnett), a mischievous squirrel, and his rat friend Buddy, who plan a nut store heist of outrageous proportions and unwittingly find themselves embroiled in a much more complicated and hilarious adventure.

Download these coloring pages for your kids to use before the movie starts!

To enter the giveaway, share your nuttiest parenting moment in the comments. I’ll pick five winners on Monday, April 21. Good luck!

Filed Under: Family, Featured, Giveaways ·