Monthly Archives: March 2022

My Daughter: One of the Reasons I Strive to be Healthy and Fit

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We’ve all heard the cliché phrase, “Tomorrow’s not promised,” and perhaps it really hit home during the pandemic. For me, having my daughter at 35 made me think about my own mortality and how I want to do everything in my power to be around and healthy for her.

My eight year old is one of the reasons I go hard when taking kickboxing classes, strength training classes or even going for a run. She’ll often ask to come with me when I’m working out, which makes me feel good.

Something else positive that‘s come from my motivation to be healthy is that Quinn is watching me even when I don’t realize it. More and more, she mimics my behavior. Like me, she wakes up early to exercise. She often finds kid-friendly exercise videos on YouTube.

Most recently, we got similar workout clothes, and she asked if we could both wear them when I did my strength training class yesterday. If I’m honest, I still feel a bit awkward if my stomach shows exposing stretch marks from being pregnant with Quinn, but she makes me feel more confident, which is another way I’m becoming more healthy because of her.

All the best,

Tanya

Spotting My Daughter’s Smile in a Crowd Makes me Happy

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I love that my daughter’s school uses Class Dojo to share events and classroom memories. But last week’s memory was extra special. For the first time in two years, I spotted Quinn’s smiling face immediately. She didn’t blend in with the sea of children wearing masks where I had to zoom in to find her. I immediately spotted her in the middle of the third grade crowd holding with a peace sign in the air with a huge smile on her face.

Most recently, her school made the difficult decision to make masks optional. Since Quinn is vaccinated, my husband and I allowed her to determine if she wanted to keep wearing a mask. She opted not to but said she wants to carry one with her just in case.

Though I blurred out the faces of the other children for privacy purposes, they all looked so happy, and it practically brought tears of joy to my eyes to see all of their smiles. Is the tide officially turning? I hope so! These children are so resilient and been through so much. They deserve to have some fun without constantly worrying about all that came with the pandemic. We all do! Here’s to seeing everyone smile big in the weeks and months to come! 😁

All the best,

Tanya

Never Too Young to Learn the Art of (Penny)War Through Supporting, Sacrificing and Strategizing

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The talk of war, especially with the current and tragic events of What’s going on with Russia and Ukraine, is all around us, and at my daughter’s school is no exception. Luckily, their “war” is all in fun and for a good cause to raise money for the classes and school through the PTO event of “Penny Wars.” When Quinn was in kindergarten, I helped as a volunteer of the PTO and collected buckets and helped kindergarten classes decorate theirs. Unfortunately, this annual tradition did not happen when Quinn was in first or second grade due to the COVID restrictions, so she and I both were excited to see it being advertised on Class Dojo.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that my eight year old went to her own bank container of coins to gather pennies to support her class rather than asking her father or me if we had pennies. Once the status came out in the middle of the week, and she found out her class was in the lead out of all of the third grade classrooms, she was ready to do whatever it took to maintain that lead.

The wheels were turning, and she began strategizing, so this time around, she was collecting quarters, dimes, nickels and even dollars to increase the gap between her class and the others. She told me her classmates planned on doing the same. As I saw all of the dollars in her ziplock bag, I informed her that she didn’t have to contribute all of her own money and that I could see if I had some coins too, but she still insisted on using her own money even with the contribution from her father and me. She informed me that she really wanted to give it in not just to help her class win the pizza party but because the money will go to the school and help when she graduates from fourth grade.

Even if Quinn’s class doesn’t win the pizza party for her grade level, I celebrate her willingness to support her class, to make sacrifices by contributing her own personal savings and even taking the time strategize to help her class win.

All the best,

Tanya

Am I Officially a Dance Mom? Celebrating My Daughter’s First Dance Competition

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There were nearly 100 dance numbers an people everywhere. I was probably a little overwhelmed than my eight year old was as we attended her first dance competition yesterday. We arrived two hours early to get prepared and I summoned what little make-up skills I had to get Quinn “stage ready.” Thank goodness the dance owner of Zero Gravity Dance Company was there to assist me with applying eyelashes.

On the drive to the hotel, Quinn informed me that she was a bit nervous, but once she put in her costume, had her makeup on and practiced her hip hop number, I could see the excitement in her eyes and voice.

Though the event lasted until late in the evening, and I was growing tired, I’m so glad that I was able to support Quinn in her goals and interests. I love helping her do what she loves and felt so proud of her as she danced on the stage with the children in their hip hop number

I don’t think I’ll ever embody all of the traits of a “dance mom,” but I will always make sacrifices for my daughter and cheer her on like a maniac from the audience.

All the best,

Tanya