#FindYourTribe with Maggie Kim

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" separator_top_type="none" separator_top_height="50px" separator_top_angle_point="50" separator_bottom_type="none" separator_bottom_height="50px" separator_bottom_angle_point="50" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]In my line of work, I talk to a lot of mamas. I've discovered that no matter where you live or what parenting philosophy you follow, we all have one thing in common: we all need a support system to help us through the insane journey of motherhood. We all need a tribe who can see the amazingness that we bring to the table (which is usually lurking behind an exasperated and exhausted facade). And we all have the urge to move beyond playground conversations about the best sippy cup to the real-deal chats about our lives.#FindYourTribe is a new series dedicated to discovering mamas from around the world. It's an opportunity for us to get a peek into the lives of amazing women and badass moms.If you're interested in contributing to the series, I'd love to hear from you.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_image type="none" src="http://www.bonnenuitbaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/maggie1.jpg" alt="" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content=""][cs_text]Maggie Kim is a writer and former rock musician who lives in Paris. She's also a mom of two and Editor-in-Chief of Les Lolos. My favorite thing about Maggie? She's equally happy to discuss the gender politics of a highbrow novel or to engage in a marathon text session dissecting the latest episode of Younger. She's equal parts cool and empathetic and our chats about parenting have, on many occasions, given me hope for the future.Let's meet her, shall we?[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]After becoming a mom, how did you find your tribe?[/x_custom_headline] It took me years. I had PPD after my first baby as well as expat depression because I got married, moved countries and had a kid within a year. Oh, and I broke my leg skiing—found out I was pregnant in the ER and spent my whole first trimester on the couch because I couldn't put any weight on my leg. So I was pretty traumatized by all the changes and holed up at home for about two years. It’s really through my writing that I found my tribe. I made lifelong friends through my now-defunct personal blog, newyorkinparis.com, and with Les Lolos, I’ve been able to connect and work with so many cool, smart, amazing women—like you! It's a dream-come-true for me. One of my missions is to champion and celebrate women and I feel lucky I’m able to do that with Les Lolos.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What would your memoir be titled?[/x_custom_headline]Yikes, that’s a tough question for a writer. I can’t commit to a title! Since I believe I’ll live to 115 years old: “100 Years Later.”[x_image type="none" float="none" src="http://www.bonnenuitbaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/maggie2.jpg" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover"][x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"][x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What's the first thing you do each morning? [/x_custom_headline]It used to be look at my iPhone, but I’ve mostly stopped that thanks to my digital detox. (It’s the only thing I was successful at. Otherwise, big detox fail.) I get loads of cuddles from my 4-year-old son and then I do a bed yoga series by Colleen Saidman Yee. This is how lazy I’ve become, I do yoga in bed for 10 minutes and I’m like, “I worked out!”[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]If you had 12 hours with no outside commitments, how would you spend the day? [/x_custom_headline] I recently had this, thanks to my understanding husband and mother-in-law. I wish I could say it’s totally different from my other days, that I’m superproductive or super-zen or I really pamper myself. In reality, I order in food and binge-watch the series I’ve missed out on during the baby-rearing years.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"][x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]Do you have a parenting philosophy? [/x_custom_headline] My husband always says, “If you want to raise a Democrat, be a Fascist. If you want to raise a Fascist, be a Democrat.” I’m strict on sleep schedules, chores, and "listening to Mama" (that’s the Number 1 rule of the house for everyone). But my goal is to raise happy, independent kids so I give them plenty of space to express themselves and to do things for and by themselves. I always, always let them know I have their back. I’m the mean mom in the park who yells at the badly-behaving kids and the one who complains about too much homework to the school. God, I’m a PITA.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"][x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What are the last three books you loved? [/x_custom_headline] Can I just give three books I love that I think everyone should read? Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Adichie; Tenth of December, George Saunders; Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What’s the last thing you geeked-out about? [/x_custom_headline]Silicon Valley. Too geeky?[x_image type="none" float="none" src="http://www.bonnenuitbaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/maggie3.jpg" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover"][x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What’s your favorite part of being a parent? Least favorite? [/x_custom_headline]Having kids healed a hole in my heart. I’m not close with my own parents so it’s wonderful for me to have a very different, very loving relationship with my kids. Lack of sleep, lack of time are probably my least favorite parts, but that’s gotten better as they get older. Even though it’s more than a decade away, I imagine them leaving the house will be one of the saddest moments of my 115-year-old life.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What’s your most treasured article of clothing in your closet right now?[/x_custom_headline]I’m not really precious about my clothes… I guess if I had to pick one thing to save in an inferno, it’s my Paris wedding reception dress. It’s a lime green, strapless Carlos Miele with pleating all over. I can’t fit into it anymore (okay, that’s my least favorite part: losing my pre-kids body), but I can’t wait to see my daughter wearing it. Not for her wedding but to a fancy party when she’s older.[x_custom_headline type="left" level="h5" looks_like="h5"]What’s your tried-and-true parenting hack? [/x_custom_headline]It changes with your kid’s age and development, doesn’t it? When they were babies, it was the 5 S’s from “Happiest Baby.” As toddlers, the distraction technique so they’d stop fixating on whatever was making them go nuts. Now that they’re in school, I try to have systems in place to save us time and aggravation. We lay out their school clothes the night before. There's a rotating breakfast menu so I don’t wake up with the horrible, “What’s for breakfast?” question. [This is GENIUS. -Ed.]I think being observant and aware is key, especially when kids are pre-verbal, and even when they do speak. Oftentimes, things go haywire when we’re not paying attention, which is so easy to do when you’re saddled with a baby or toddler all day. But if you’re tuned in enough, you can figure out what they want or need or what’s bugging them—and cut off tantrums or what we call “junky moods” before they turn into a Category 5 hurricane.And there's one thing that works for all ages: When they're cranky, throw them in the bath. Playing in the water makes them happy.[/cs_text][cs_text][x_gap size="3em"]Previous #findyourtribe mamas: Bethany Ciotola, BloggerSunshine Punzalan, Content CreatorSasha Romary, Postpartum Doula[/cs_text][x_gap size="50px"][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][x_share title="Share this Post" share_title="" facebook="true" twitter="true" google_plus="false" linkedin="false" pinterest="true" reddit="false" email="true" email_subject="Hey, thought you might enjoy this! Check it out when you have a chance:"][x_gap size="100px"][x_image type="none" src="http://www.bonnenuitbaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/findyourtribe-1-1.png" alt="" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content="" class="aligncenter" style="width: 300px;"][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]