Name: Bon CrowderQuick Bio: I’m a math mom and education fanatic. I’m an accidental math teacher but an intentional math blogger. I don’t love math, and I don’t much like the text book versions of it either. I just love empowering people. And I know that fear of math takes a huge hit to parents’ feelings of empowerment. Especially during homework time.
I blog at MathFour.com about math, parenting and the intersection of the two. I manage the Facebook Group “Empowering Parents to Tackle Math.” And I’m working on a series of courses for parents of 2nd graders to help them navigate the “new math.”
You can reach me via twitter or just about any other social media, with either MathFour or BonCrowder.
Q: What is your “go to” snack/toy/show/trick when your kids start to fuss?
A: Team Umizoomi. For some crazy reason my son’s addicted to it. And what mom can complain – it’s all about math!
Q: How do you balance being a Mommy and keeping your sense of self?
A: I blame the kids.
I’m clumsy, slightly sloppy and don’t know how to pick out clothes. That’s part of my identity. My own sense of self.
But grownups don’t think that’s cool. So I’ll often blame my clumsiness on “mom brain.” I blame my sloppiness on some kid who spilled or puked on me. And I blame my bad clothes on lack of time because I’m a mom.
So being a mommy supports my sense of self.
Q: What is your favorite piece of advice to new Moms?
A: My FAVORITE piece of advice is “don’t eat them today because you won’t be able to chew on them tomorrow.”
My BEST piece of advice is to ignore everyone’s unsolicited advice. And you can even ignore some solicited advice if you don’t like it.
Q: How do you incorporate fitness into your daily routine?
A: When I was working away from home, I ran to work. It takes some planning, but it’s great fun (and people think you’re pretty bad-@$$). I’m currently on a crazy-stupid medical weight loss program, so I don’t get much in the way of fitness. When I transition back to “real food” in a couple of months, I’ll be able to hit the road again. I’ve made it a goal to finish the Houston Marathon in January 2017.
Q: How would you describe your parenting style?
A: Lazy.
I’m one of the last of my peers to have kids. I’ve learned a lot from their successes and failures. One of the big things is to not sweat the small stuff. Or at least choose carefully the small stuff that you want to sweat. (Mine is sticky – I HATE sticky. Everything else is fine. Even rabid dogs and open swimming pools.)
Q: Share your best or favorite place for a family vacation and tell us why.
A: We love going on the generations-long tradition of vacationing at the Frio River (a cold river in Texas). The best part is that there’re so many other kids that if yours is lost, she’s probably lost with three of her cousins. And who would bother to kidnap a motley crew like that?
Q: What’s your most memorable Mommy moment to date?
A: It’s hard to put a finger on the MOST memorable one. Some that come to mind are:
- A kid pooping on the living room floor
- A kid smiling in her crib, covered in poop
- A lost cloth diaper with baby flies enjoying the poop (yes, it happened)
- The perfectly spherical meconium coming from a newborn’s bottom
Hmm… seems like all my memorable mommy moments revolve around poop. I think that’s Freudian or something…
Q: As a Mommy what is it that you feel you do “right”?
A: Use big words and teach polite behavior.
The sentence “I love my mommy” has five syllables. So does the sentence, “I need assistance.” To a small child, these are equivalent. So I make sure to use as many “two-bit” words as I can. Kids can learn their meanings just as easily as the short ones.
My son’s first words were “Thank you.” No kidding. At two, he says it independently when someone helps him.
With the 6yo, we’re practicing eye contact when you say thanks.
And both of them are required to say “Yes/no ma’am” and “Yes/no sir.” And I’m vigilant about it. Almost to the annoyance of other grownups.
Q: Share something you have learned about yourself since you became a Mom.
A: I’m territorial. Like crazy territorial. This is not new. What IS new since becoming a mom is that I’m okay with sharing that territory with my kids. At least most of it.
I don’t freak when the girl uses my makeup. And I’m not really bothered when either kid pukes on my favorite blouse. It’s just part of the fun.
Q: Describe your “Haute Mom” (fashion) style!
A: I love hand-me-downs and resale shops. I wear my blazer sleeves rolled up. And I always wear something “mathy.”
I prefer wearing my boots or my clod-hoppers (waterproof work boots) because they accentuate my swagger. And I always wear my cowboy hat to conferences.
Lipstick is my weakness. I don’t pay more than $10 for any piece of clothing, but I won’t hesitate to pay $100 for a tube of lipstick. (I haven’t yet, but totally will if given the chance!)