Jennifer Harte
Stay at home mom of 2, St. Petersburg, Florida
How has motherhood informed or changed your current career path?
Motherhood has and continues to bring a lot of self reflection. I always thought I would be a mom that would balance a full-time career, but when I had my oldest son I quickly realized my career needed to be put on ice, which was a hard decision to make. I’ve always valued my independence, but I recognized that I would never get the time back from relishing the moments of my children’s youth. I was fortunate that my husband and I could allow the flexibility to be a stay at home mom during their early stages. Now that both my children will be in school this year, I’m open to other opportunities that I would’ve never considered before kids, which is really cool.
I’ve found that it’s important to find a balance, and fill my creative yearnings, while also being available to my family.
You recently moved your family across the country! What have you learned about that type of change for children?
It was wild! We moved November 2020 when our boys were 3 Months and 4 Years old. Moving from San Francisco to St. Petersburg, FL was a major adjustment and continues to be, but I’ve learned that no matter where you are, kids are adaptable as long as you keep school, and family time consistent. We moved to be closer to my husbands extended family, who are a tight community and our children have benefited from their proximity to those relationships. Ultimately I found that my boys will feel those anchors of routine and comfort, which makes it a more smooth transition.
Tell us something that is bringing you joy as a mother right now.
It’s really amazing to watch your kids tap into their interests. We introduced a handful of activities from soccer, flag football, and basketball, but this past summer my oldest son has really developed a love for baseball. Now that he’s leveled up from T-Ball to 8U, it’s really fun to see him develop his skills and the excitement around the game.
As your eldest child is growing into those elementary aged years, what are a few ways you hope to give him some independence?
This year we’re going into the second grade, which is really exciting for him. Normally we’d do school drop-offs in the car, or walk up together, but this year he’s expressed doing the walk over himself. He’s got it wired and really enjoys feeling a sense of trust and space as he gets older.
Having built and designed your house from the ground up, how would you describe your style and how do you balance that with young children in the home?
We live on the water in a very hot tropical environment here in St. Petersburg, FL, so I wanted the house to feel modern, clean, but with organic elements. With young kids, the thought of having a white couch can be scary, but we balanced it well with family friendly materials. It’s feeling cozier by the moment as we get more a feel for the space, but it’s been fun to fill the home because it’s not only a space for my family, but it’s also been my creative outlet.
What do you do for self-care?
Each morning before the kids wake up I do a morning stretch. It’s important for me to get on a yoga mat and center myself before I start my crazy energy filled day. Time for myself is limited, so it’s super important to get those moments in.
What is your morning routine like?
My youngest son (3) enjoys picking out his outfit each morning and greeting me with what he put together, followed by the journey of putting everything on himself. My oldest (7), is fully ready for the day through the following of his own routine and independence. Now that we have plenty of storage, everything is accessible for him to get what he needs thanks to Cloud Montessori!
What are you and your children currently enjoying together?
Magic Tree House Series - we can’t get enough of these books. We’re on book #34 and climbing - both boys really enjoy reading a couple of chapters a night to see what adventure Jack and Annie find themselves in.
Puzzles, puzzles & more puzzles! We have a great large format floor puzzle that we received as a gift one year and it’s held up over the years so now our youngest really enjoys putting it together.
Interlocking Straw STEM Toy - the kids will build shapes, cars, towers which will span the length of your space, so get ready to make some room!
Local favorite outings and activities to do with your kids:
We really enjoy spending our evenings riding bikes around the neighborhood. There is always something interesting to look at along the way and it’s just an enjoyable cruise together!
Follow Jen’s design account at @piece_of_paseo
