Been There Done That
KamloopsParents.Com presents…
The KP “Been There Done That” Squad
A team of over twenty-five parents who have all sorts of parenting experiences. From the Mom of thirteen with one on the way, to the first-time Mom of one. We have new Dads to the Dad of three. From the experienced parent, to the rookie! If you want the truth…. we are all rookies. Each day presents something new, somewhere we have not already been, something that we have not already done. So, why not look to someone who has?!
The KP BTDT Squad will be sharing their experiences and answering two questions per month. Each parent will answer the questions if they can and their answers will be compiled into a feature post to share with readers. These will be general questions that many parents will wonder about as they raise their children. The BTDT Squad will be talking about subjects like potty training, how they dealt with picky eaters, their most favourite family adventures, and how they managed to ever sleep through the night!
 mealtime techniques and picky eaters
treating a cold and rainy day entertainment
Organizing Art and Child-made Creations
If you have any questions, or would like to get involved, simply contact jodi@kamloopsparents.com
Name:Â Erynn
Age:Â 34
Kids:Â baby girl April 2010
Personal story: Well that’s the tricky one.  Like so many moms at this point I feel defined by my mom-ness. I struggled for a decade with infertility and multiple pregnancy loss before my daughter was born. She’s so amazing for me and I don’t want to miss a second which has moved me to close my business  which had been a huge part of my life for the last six years. So I’m a mom and a soon to be former business owner and I’m looking forward to time on this journey to figure out who I else I am.
Name:Â Holly
Age:Â child of the 70s (born 1973)
Kids: (Kid #1) Girl born March 2008, (Kid #2) Girl born November 2009
Personal story:Â There is so much about parenting and being a mom that I did not expect. Â I have had lots of different careers but being a mom is by far the best! Â The other part to know about me, I guess, is that about a year ago I returned to Kamloops after 9 years living in northeastern BC.
Name:Â Tracy
Age:Â walking the tight rope between 35-40
Kids: boy born Dec 30th 2008 (two and a half years) and other foster children in our home- which will vary
Personal story: I’m the mom who can’t get enough of my son, who lives and breathes his existence, who drinks from his sippy cup and wipes his boogers on my shirt. Motherhood is my most coveted and treasured job. I don’t always do it right, but I do it with a zest for giving him the best childhood I can. Professionally I’m a Social Worker with a specialization in children; but I am blessed to be an at home mom who works only when my husband can be home with our son. I facilitate a variety of groups for children through the City of Kamloops and the Boys and Girls Club. Being a stay at home mom has allowed me to pursue my passions of writing through blogging, photography through my Cherry Bliss Photography business. I think I am a good balance of anal-structured, and fun and kooky.
Name:Â Â Tamara V
Age:Â 40 (and I love that my kids always confuse it with 14)
Kids: Kid #1 is a boy born November 2004, Kid #2 is a boy born June 2006 – 17 months apart
Personal story:  I’m a waffler.  I try to be intuitive on parenting matters but fully admit to getting multiple opinions before settling on a plan of action. Then once I start on my path I often change it.  Intuition is something that happens for me in hindsight.  And… I’m growing okay with that.  I have come to believe that not always being consistent with my kids means that they are becoming adaptable, flexible boys who will question the world without apology.
Name:Â Sophie
Age:Â 37 (Sometimes I feel younger, sometimes I feel much older.)
Kids: (Kid #1 and Kid #2) Twin girls born July 2008
Personal story: I’m a full-time teacher and an even fuller-time mom. My twins came 3 1/2 months early and lived in the NICU at Children’s Hospital for 4 months. One of my daughters has Cerebral Palsy. My daughters are teaching me how to be strong, patient, flexible and open-minded. I have learned that being a parent is nothing that I expected, but also much more than I ever imagined.
Name:Â Sarah
Age:Â 28
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born Jan 2006, (Kid #2) boy born April 2007, (Kid #3) Boy born Sept 2009
Personal story: Hi my name is Sarah and I have been married to my husband Josh for 8 years. We have 3 boys (5, 4 & almost 2!) so we are pretty busy! I don’t co-sleep or babywear but I do cloth diaper! I try to have a pretty regular schedule for my kids but I do find it is a bit more flexible that it used to be. I have had c-sections and a natural VBAC and I have breastfed and formula fed. I like to say I’ve tried pretty much everything! I am excited to be part of the Been There Done That Squad!
Name:Â Amanda H
Age:Â born 1981
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born Nov 2008, (Kid #2) Boy born May 2010
Personal story: I’m a working mom, not by choice but by need so my time with my children is extremely valuable to me. If you had asked me 5 years ago if I wanted to have children the answer would have been a definite no but now I can’t imagine life without my boys. As a wife and a mother I have been through amazing highs and the hardest times of my life and come out the victor. I’ve had breastfeeding issues preventing me from breastfeeding like I had wanted to, I’ve co-slept with a $300 crib beside me, I’ve had both a hospital and a home birth, I’ve used cloth diapers, and found an open mind I didn’t know I had.
Name:Â Tamara C
Age:Â child of the 80s (born 1981)
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born December 2008, (Kid #2) Girl born June 2011.
Personal story: I’m a breastfeeding, baby-wearing, cloth-diapering mom. I am also a teacher. In my spare time, (ha! who has that as a mom?) I love playing soccer, crafting, cooking and spending time with my hubby and kiddos…preferably outdoors. When it comes to parenting, I don’t follow any “rules” ~ I take my cues from my children and “make it up” as I go.
Name:Â Angela
Age: 29 and counting… born 1977
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born December 2002, (Kid #2) Boy born February 2007, (Kid #3) Girl born November 2008
Personal story: I’m a Mom.  I’ve been both a working mom and a stay at home mom. Both have advantages and disadvantages. As a Mom I am routined…somewhat.
I like it. The kids like it.  It works. Life is busy with school and sports and everything else that is going on and I know it’s just going to get busier as the kids get older. I try to enjoy a little bit of every day with each of the kids amidst all the hustle and bustle.
Name:Â Wendy
Age:Â born 1981
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born July 27, 2010
Personal story: I’m a new mom and a seasoned Auntie. When it comes to being a mom, my sister gave me the best advice when she told me “Just do what you feel” and that’s what I do.
Name:Â Erin
Age:Â child of the 70s
Kids: (Kid #1) girl born August 16, 2010
Personal story: I come from a very close-knit family, and so I thought I had a pretty clear picture of being a mom. But when I finally became a mom, 2 things took me by surprise.
#1. How big my heart could grow (I was quite certain it would burst those first few weeks, and yet, it just continues to grow!)
#2. Mommy guilt (who knew that you could second guess yourself on so many decisions on a daily basis!)
As I navigate the alien world of parenthood, I’m learning lots (and forgetting even more – damn mommy brain!)
Name:Â Jennifer H
Age:Â 30 (1980)
Kids:Â Boy Born Sept. 2007, Girl Born Oct 2009
Personal Story: Being a Mom is my full-time job.  I operate a small family daycare off and on.  I love & cherish my kids always & unconditionally, but don’t always love and cherish parenting.  My husband and I are a team and discuss how we choose to parent, to our kids Dad is as good, if not better than Mom.  Nothing makes my day better than seeing my children’s faces joyful.
Name:Â Â Alison
Age:Â Born in 1980, so I guess that makes me an adult.
Kids: (Kid #1) K – Boy born November 2006, (Kid #2) R – Boy born October 2008.
Personal story: I’m a Mom, a wife, a Discovery Toys Team Leader, and a records administrator to list a few. There are a lot of things I said I wouldn’t do as a parent, that I do now (yell, co-sleep, fast food) and I’m at peace with that.  I struggle to find a balance between work, family, work and me as my oldest starts kindergarten this year, and I work two full time jobs. Exercise is rare for me, and baby weight can no longer be called as such. Thankfully I have an amazingly supportive husband who lifts me back up when I’m feeling down, and is also my best friend.
Name:Â Â Leah
Age: child of the 70s Peace, man! (born 1973)
Kids:Â (Kid #1)Â Girl born May 1993, (Kid #2) Girl born August 1996, (Kid #3) Boy born July 1998 (Kid #4) Girl born March 2008
Personal story: Being a mom is a challenging role, but one that I love and am glad that it is one I will always have – I often tell my children “even when you’re 80 you will still be my kid!” I am also a teacher and have found that my children make my job as a teacher even more rewarding as I can see a little bit of my own children in each one of my students. As well, I love to learn new things and find that children are the greatest teachers and are excellent at showing me which areas of myself need improvement, teenagers are especially good at this!  Whatever the challenge “keep moving forward” as they say in in Meet the Robinsons.
Name:Â Â Danica
Age:Â 31
Kids:Â (Kid #1) Girl born November 3, 2002, age 8 (Kid #2) Girl born August 4, 2004, age 7ish
Personal story: I’m a wife and mother and I love taking care of my home and family. I work part time, and have spent the last six years working towards a degree in Philosophy at TRU as well. I read a lot, and I also love to write. I have been rediscovering an active lifestyle. I am a woman of strong faith. I love being a mother. I love sharing fun, busy and rich life of beauty with my children.
Name:Â Â Francy
Age:Â 32 (1978)
Kids:Â Boy age 3 (June 2008).
Personal story: I am passionate about improving community capacity to support children and families. We love living in Kamloops, and raising our son here. Being a mom is the most joyful part of my life.
Name:Â Â Elizabeth
Age:Â child of the 80s (born 1980)
Kids: (Kid #1) Boy born June 2005, (Kid #2) Girl born September 2007, (Kid #3) Boy born October 2009
Personal story: I’m a Mom.  I’m also a teacher and I wear many other hats.  As a Mom I thought I would be routined but I’m not.  I thought I wouldn’t co-sleep but I did (do).  I thought I would teach my children but more often my children teach me.  I love it and I think being a Mom is the greatest gig.
Name: Kylie
Age: 33
Kids: Luca 6 , Finnlay 5 , Scarlett 3, Callum 18m
Personal story: I have 4 wonderful children!   Being a parent is the most important, and amazing thing I’ve ever done in my life.It’s also the hardest! I am one of 5 children, spent years babysitting, worked at summer camp, did work experience in a grade 6 class, was a nanny for 2 years, and have taught violin and piano to children of all ages . I knew a lot about kids before having my own. A lot of what parenthood is I fully expected and was pretty comfortable with from the start. One thing I never expected was the intensity of the love I have for my kids. I think every parent can identify with this feeling, or at least most of us. I also think it’s something you can’t understand until you experience it!  Of course along with that love comes the huge responsibility to be the best mom I can be for my kids. I feel like parenthood is all about learning and growing along with our kids. I don’t expect to get it all right, but I will do my best, and learn as much as I can from my mistakes.  I am also a newly single parent, learning to succeed on my own and doing it with joy!
Name: Sean
Kids: I am a dad to two sons (6 and 4) and a daughter (2) as well as a husband to Erin.
Personal story: We have lived in Kamloops for almost 4 years now and love the weather in the summer and the lifestyle that the move has brought. I spend a lot of time with my kids, staying at home with them during the week and I also have a photography business.
Name: Gerry
Age: 33 years old,
Kids: Husband to Heidi. I have two daughters Lucy (6/grade 1) and Julia (3).
Personal Story: I am a pipeline surveyor, which has me away from home 1/3 of the time, I live for the time I am home. I feel very fortunate to have such great daughters and a supportive wife. I was born in Edmonton, and have called Kamloops home for 4 years.
Name: Joshua
Age: 30 years old
Kids: Two boys 4 and 2
Personal story: Educated in business, BBA, however always worked with children. I love humour and kids are the funniest things God created, a perfect match! I remember my kids sitting at their play kitchen, one said “I’ll be the cook”, the second said “I’ll be a BBQ’er” and the third said “NO! we will be the three American Idol judges”.
