Introduce yourself.
T: My name is Tammy Goodson and I reside in Columbus, Ohio #GOBUCKS! I am a full time, single mother who works a full time job. I work in the Insurance industry.
Introduce us to your children.
T: Alright, I had to take a deep breath before I answered this one. Sometimes seeing it in print makes it extra real LOL! I have 2 children; my daughter, Tionne (pronounced “tee-ahnâ€) is a 20 year old college student and my son, Braylon is a 4 year old pre-schooler. They are 15 years apart! Yes, I started completely over but in a lot of ways, it has made things easier.
My daughter is a mini me in every sense of the word. Her facial expressions, her hilarious commentary and in many cases her view of the world. She is super intelligent and I am extremely proud of her and the young adult she is becoming. My son has the most gentle soul I’ve ever met. Not a day goes by that he isn’t checking to make sure I’m ok or if I need anything.
Can you give us a mini-version of your birth stories?
T: My daughter was born vaginally after 11 hours of 4th-of-July-fireworks labor. I had an epidural as I approached my 11th hour which was 10 hours too late but better late than never I suppose. The name labor is an understatement but it is a labor of love nonetheless.
My son was supposed to be delivered vaginally as well, however after 14 hours of intense labor and a few complications, I had to have an emergency caesarean. Roughest experience ever but thankfully he was a healthy baby. My daughter was definitely the easier of the two if there is such a thing when it comes to birthing a child.
Did you breastfeed?
T: I bottle fed my daughter and breast fed my son. If I could do it all again I would have nursed them both but when I had my daughter I wasn’t educated enough on the benefits of nursing so I automatically opted to bottle feed. With my son, bottle feeding was not even a thought. I nursed him for 16 months and would have happily continued but I ended up having to stop to undergo another surgery. It was somewhat stressful because I had to express milk during work every 2 hours so I had to juggle my workload accordingly. It just forced me to learn better time management skills.
Tell us a little about your blog, Curly Chic. Why did you start it and how has it grown?
T: I started my blog in 2010 after being introduced to the natural hair community. I had no clue what a blog was or that this entire world existed. It started out as a way to do what I love, which is write. I had started my first journey into naturalhood almost 8 years before but I was doing everything all wrong. Once I was aware of that, I wanted to start anew and the blog became a way to document that. It has gone from a small group of friends to a now larger group of supporters, including other bloggers, which I truly appreciate. I am hoping to continue its growth and expand.
At the moment it’s a hobby, which keeps it fun and light, however I have written and still do for 3 other well-known publications which is a welcomed challenge. I’m hoping it will eventually become a supplemental income for me and I know it doesn’t happen overnight but a girl can dream right?
What advice would you give a mommy who is looking to start a blog?
T: The advice I would give is to be sure you are able to commit the time and energy to any endeavor. I write mostly during the evenings after my son is asleep. As it pertains to blogging, I would also offer the advice to think outside the box and offer something others do not, so as to maintain interest.
How do you balance work and motherhood, and how do you carve out time for yourself?
T: This is one of the most difficult things for me. Although I know I must work to take care of myself and my household, I do experience some mommy guilt because I miss out on so much of the day to day. I wrestle with that every day and have to talk myself out of feeling bad for handling my business. I make a commitment to have my son in the bed by 8:00pm every night so that I can have some me time.
What is your biggest parenting challenge right now?
T: It’s different with each child. With my daughter, it’s learning to let go and allowing her to have some adult say even though I am still 100% responsible for her financially. With my son, I sometimes am afraid I don’t have the skills to raise a boy on my own so I am constantly networking with parents, reading how other single moms do it, etc…
Who is your child-rearing support group?
T: My child rearing support group is my parents. They have always been a constant in my life and remain that for my children. I can count on them for anything and without me ever saying a word they know when to step in. I can’t thank them enough.
How do you determine that your kids are happy and well-adjusted?
T: With my daughter, it’s obvious because she’s old enough to express herself. With my son, I can tell by his behavior. He is always happy; he doesn’t have toddler tantrums and is always in great spirits which keeps me smiling. I get so much inspiration from him.
What is the most important value, ideal or philosophy that you want to impart to your children?
T: Wow, it’s hard to pick just one because you want so much for your kids but I think compassion is such an awesome quality. I truly want them to take note of other people’s situations and not go through life with blinders on, realizing that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.
What advice would you give to a new mom?
T: Another loaded question! Being a mom is nothing at all like I imagined. I never thought I could love another person so much. Recognizing that you are responsible for someone else’s life is a huge responsibility so I would say to new moms, give yourself permission to not always get it right. Sometimes you won’t know what the right thing is but as long as you make decisions with your heart, it will always be the right decision at that moment.
About Leila
Leila is the founding editor of Baby and Blog. She splits her time between editing hair and culture site, Black Girl with Long Hair, whipping up butters at BGLH Marketplace, and writing here. She adores her husband and two kids, her parents and her friends. But she hates Chicago weather although she is slowly coming to peace with it...
