Birmingham Mom Collective :: Introducing Cherith

0

Birmingham

I was born and raised in Talladega, Alabama, but spent many of my weekends in Birmingham because of its proximity to my hometown. You could find my mom and me in Birmingham on any given Saturday shopping, sightseeing, dining, or visiting friends and family. Now, I live about 20 miles east of the city, and I work near Vulcan Park, one of my favorite places in Birmingham. 

What I love most about Birmingham is its diversity. There are people from different nationalities and racial backgrounds who make up Birmingham’s demographics, contributing to the variety of cultural attractions in the city. It’s nice to visit the downtown area during events like the Greek Festival, the Lebanese Festival, or the Juneteenth celebration. Activities like these increase awareness and ultimately lead to a more united community.  

Birmingham is a great place to be a mom because it’s the Magic City! Kids love magic, don’t they? In the Greater Birmingham area alone, moms have access to the best public and private schools, museums, landmarks, and nature preserves. My children have had memorable experiences and have learned lifelong lessons by taking advantage of what Birmingham has to offer.  

Mom

I am blessed to be the mother of two amazing children: Jordan (19) and Kaylen (17). For those of you who have little ones, please take my advice and refrain from blinking! The time truly flies by so quickly. It seems like just the other day, they were nine and seven. Seriously. I am thankful for the memories of their childhood that I was able to capture and document via scrapbooking and social media. We have lots of fun strolling down memory lane. 

I love being a mother. I love everything about it. I have enjoyed watching my children grow into beautiful young adults, but it has not been without challenges. The challenges, though, brought with them learning experiences that contributed to who they are today. Being a mom has pushed me to be a better person so that they continuously have a front-row seat to someone striving to practice what she preaches. I teach them to work hard, be honest, be kind to others, and have integrity, and I continuously try to model that for them so that they know how that looks. I set reasonable expectations and goals for them and provide them with the resources and support needed to reach those goals. I allow them to have a voice in decisions but set parameters when necessary or when appropriate guidance is needed.  

Collective

I am thrilled to be a contributor to the Birmingham Mom Collective, mainly to be a part of such a great community of women. In addition to sharing my experiences as a mom, I hope to learn from other mothers as well. Though all of us have very different lives and stories, we all have being a mom in common. That commonality unites us and strengthens our ability to be the best moms that we can be. My unique experiences as a mom may give another mother a glimpse into an avenue that she may one day travel. Sharing my story gives them tools in their mom toolbox to use as resources if they face similar challenges. I think that being a mom of older teens brings a unique perspective to the BMC. I believe that I will be able to shed some light and provide comfort to other moms who may be navigating obstacles that I have already encountered.