I Am MORE Than A Mom
Have you ever felt like people only saw you as a pregnant woman? Like the bump, you’re wearing define you?
I have.
“The Pregnant Girl”
I remember being a full-time student finishing up college when I found out I was pregnant. Every time I stepped into the classroom I felt the eyes and knew that, to the other students, I was just the “Pregnant Girl”. As if I was any less capable because I became a walking incubator.
The Path Not Taken
I spoke to the dean about my new situation, and he suggested that I take one or two semesters off from school. I knew for a fact that I did not want my pregnancy to get in the way of me accomplishing my goals, but to instead use it as motivation. This was not the path I wanted to take. I felt like I had more reason to prove myself.
I did not listen to the dean. Instead, I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in something I am passionate about, despite the obstacles of being pregnant and a young mother.
Hello, Stress!
Continuous stress and sleepless nights were already inevitable to a college student, but that was on top of fighting through the morning sickness, and fatigue of pregnancy. I gave birth to my son in August and went back to school in September. It was stress on top of sleepless nights with breastfeeding a baby in one hand and typing an essay with another.
I was on campus for 8-10 hours a day just so I could have more days home each week and avoid having FaceTime as the only form of communication with my son. He wasn’t even a year old yet. I’m not going to pretend that it was easy because it wasn’t. It took a lot of sacrifices – I missed a lot of time watching my son grow.
Juggling Act
Juggling all of that was hard, but being a mother was a big enough motivation to keep me going. I knew that I was not only doing this for myself but for my little family as well. I was the face of my Business School, landing a director’s position before graduation. I was proud to be a woman working in tech.
Graduation day was a very emotional day for me. I knew how much harder I had worked to get there. It felt much more rewarding to have made it to the finish line.
Goals and Accomplishments
Although I have graduated from college and am currently working in a job and company that I absolutely love, I didn’t want to stop there. Those were just two out of a million things that I wanted to accomplish in my lifetime. I wanted to start a blog.
Launching My Blog
Last year, I launched my blog, Jae, The Mama. I wanted to start my blog because I remember being pregnant at a young age and not feeling like a part of a community. This was not something other young moms spoke about. I wanted to create a safe space for other young moms to use as their guide. I wanted them to feel a part of something where others can relate to their experiences and assure them that they are not alone in their journey.
I am fortunate enough to be able to use my blog as a platform where I can not only document my own experiences but have my family benefit from it from the partnerships I have created with amazing brands.
From Mom to Blogger to Business Owner
That was not all I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I appreciate my husband because he sees so much more potential for our family and opens my eyes to make me aware of it. He is the reason we decided to launch our own business, Hi, Aria. As a toddler mom, I knew that there was something missing in the diaper bag market so I decided to create it.
When we decided to launch our business, I was pregnant again (with a baby girl)! This meant I was now juggling the tasks of being a young mom to a toddler, a walking incubator to my daughter, a full-time employee, a blogger, AND a small business owner. Yikes! (And by yikes I mean yay!)
My Why, My Purpose
People look at me and think that I am crazy to be doing all this at once but I find it exciting. I like the challenge and the adrenaline of doing something new. I have so many ideas running through my mind – I just can’t contain them! People ask me, “Why?” My children and husband are my why and my purpose. They are my inspiration and motivation to work hard so we can live a life we love.
Although having kids can be physically draining, it can also be very energizing, if that makes sense. Work hard, play hard-am right? In the next few years, I hope for my blog to grow beautifully and my small business to be successful enough for us to move somewhere where it’s always sunny, like California, living in our dream home.
Time Management is Key!
I also get asked the question, “How do you balance it all while being there for your kids?” Support and time management are key, but I also include them in everything we do. After a full day of work, I usually spend time at home working on my business. I do that with my son right by my side. He has contributions when I am shooting content for the blog, which he enjoys because he actually loves being in front of the camera.
As long as I am home I am always available to him. If I need some peace and quiet to get certain things done, I utilize his nap times to do those tasks.
Dreams and Accomplishments
To other mamas with big dreams, keep dreaming big, and do not stop until you’ve accomplished those dreams! Nothing is impossible. Just because you are a mother doesn’t mean that you are any less capable than anyone else. Remember that we are more than just a human incubators. Don’t use your children as your excuse, but instead, use them as your motivation to be the best version of yourself. If that means accomplishing your dreams, then do it!
