Stay-at-home mom Shannon Hyland-Tassava enjoys the little moments she has with her daughters, whether it’s reading Little House on the Prairie books out loud to second-grader Julia or learning how to make homemade bread with the help of five-year-old Genevieve. She combined her background as a clinical psychologist specializing in women’s health and wisdom gained from the battlefield of motherhood to write The Essential Stay-at-Home Mom Manual.
What does a typical day as a stay-at-home mom look like for you?
I get up at five o’clock every morning. I’m naturally an early riser, but getting up an hour before the troops are out of bed gives me a chance to drink my coffee in peace and get some work done. Once Julia is on the bus, Genevieve and I run errands, go to play groups, and I get some cleaning done while she plays.
You’re also an avid runner, correct?
Right now running is a solo endeavor for me purposely; it’s that sparse alone time that I get away from the family. As my girls are getting older they show more and more interest in running, saying that they want to run like mommy when they grow up. Julia has even started finishing runs with me around the block. It’s my goal to instill a love of being active with my kids.
What prompted you to write The Essential Stay-at-Home Mom Manual?
As I went through my transition from a clinical psychologist to a stay-at-home mom I was blown away by the unique stressors of the role, and found that there wasn’t anything out there that addressed these challenges. I intended for [the book] to be a mash-up of professional health advice about maintaining physical and emotional health and a fun conversation about keeping kids entertained during long days at home, house clean so that you aren’t living in your own drudgery, and everything in between.
What are the three most important things every stay-at-home mom should know?
So often stay-at-home moms are so busy taking care of their kids that they forget to take care of themselves, and they shouldn’t feel guilty [about that] either.
A happy momma means a happy family, too. Embrace the imperfection. There is no perfect life; it will always be chaotic when kids are involved and you have to be able to accept that.
Finally, find a tribe of like-minded and supportive moms. It’s lifesaving to have a gang of mom friends to hash things out with.
