October Mom of the Month {2019}

Memphis is full of amazing moms: working moms, stay-at-home moms, single moms, moms of multiples, etc. We want to highlight some of those moms! Each month we will feature one special mom as MMB’s mom of the month.

Heather Mom of the Month — Photo: @laramierenae

Heather grew up in Knoxville and attended The University of Tennessee, where she earned a BS in Exercise Science. She worked as a personal trainer and fitness instructor for 20 years and continues to help individuals reach their health and wellness goals as a Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She developed a unique 3-part seminar titled “Your Path to Wellness,” which offers new perspectives and motivation for individuals starting on their wellness journey. She has given this seminar at many companies and organizations in the Memphis area, such as AutoZone, Kellogg’s, Lipscomb & Pitts, and Christian Brothers University. She earned her MS in Health Sciences at The University of Memphis, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, and currently works at Hutchison School teaching wellness and training athletic teams. Heather and her husband Ben, a history professor at Christian Brothers University, have 3 children: Jack (January 2002), Caroline (February 2005), and Julianna (November 2011). She serves on the parent board at Woodland Presbyterian School and is the proud coach of Julianna’s soccer team. She loves Friday pizza & movie night with her husband and kids, the Smoky Mountains, and yoga. She hates body shaming. Read more on Heather’s blog about her passion to help parents raise healthy children at www.teachchildrenwellness.com.

We asked Heather:

1. Tell us what it is like, being a mom and having a full time job.

At the end of the day, my family comes first. However, it is extremely important to me that I have my own identity and talents outside of being a mom. This means there is a lot of juggling crazy schedules and falling into bed at night feeling completely exhausted, but also happy and fulfilled. It’s a constant challenge and priority for me to get enough sleep, exercise, one-on-one time with each of my kids, and time to myself. I am very disciplined with getting to bed on time and know that exercise needs to happen before my day starts, or it won’t happen at all. Because our weeks are so busy, I try to make a point to keep our weekends low-key and fun so we can all recover and not feel like life is a grind. The satisfaction I gain from my work makes me a better mother and wife.

2. What do you love most about Memphis?

My husband and I moved around a lot for jobs and research before settling in Memphis. We’ve lived together in Knoxville, Seattle, San Diego, Dallas, Washington D.C., Honolulu, Walla Walla, WA, and Gambier, OH. I can honestly say that Memphis is our favorite of everywhere we’ve lived. What do we love the most? Gosh, where do I start? The music, the history (good and sad), the lack of traffic, the amazing public parks, the BBQ, The Grizzlies, ELVIS, JT, the river, the diversity, the museums, Memphis in May, the low cost of living, the art, the SOUL, the nicest people you’ll find anywhere….I could go on. Memphis has my heart!

3. What do you hope your children will learn from you?

Kindness and treating everyone with respect is paramount in our house. My husband and I tell our kids all the time that success in being kind is more important to us than success in anything else. I hope my kids learn that loving what they do in their work is more important than earning a big paycheck. I try to demonstrate the importance of taking care of their bodies through exercise and good nutrition. And finally, life is short– ENJOY IT!