Jennifer Yco
Founder of ARLi
Mom of three: Josephine (6), Eloise (4) and Ozzy (3)
As a mother of three, it was important for Jennifer Yco to find pieces that were ethically made of safe, comfortable fabrics sans chemical dyes and the like--clothes so good, she slept better at night. Jennifer has reinvented the mix-and-match philosophy of yesteryear, infusing kids’ closets with fully functional, buildable wardrobes that transition not just day to day--but year to year. Each collection is a blend of multipurpose, playful pieces that are as easy to wear as they are to wash--no laundry PhD required. And now, ARLi makes them accessible to you. From one parent to the next, here’s what fun looks like.
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You run a company and have been juggling 3 multiple aged children at home during this pandemic. Any advice or something you have learned that helps you to balance it all?
I've tried it all, including but not limited to turning my office into a "Mommy Montessori" preschool. What I find that really works, is blocking out time with each child. My 3-year-old loves when I play cars with him. My 4-year-old loves learning how to read and playing memory games. My 6-year-old loves doing art and talking (she could talk for hours)!
If all else fails and I am short for that one on one time I get creative with snacks or introduce a new activity that I have hidden away. Sometimes that might mean a toilet paper roll and some crayons or a simple coloring page that I quickly "create". It doesn't have to be elaborate. It also might be an old toy or game that has been put away for a few months, but bringing it back our sparks a new interest.
Tell us something that is bringing you joy as a mother right now.
I absolutely love doing art with my children. I love showing them that art doesn't have to look like a specific picture. It can be wild and crazy scribbles on paper. We play with a lot of different mediums. Anything can be used for art in this house! Most days, one of my children will slide a drawing or painting under my office door, and it brings me immense joy that they chose me to share that piece of art with.
What has worked for you in terms of fostering independence in your children?
We offer them easy access to their food/water/cups/plates and full autonomy to grab what they'd like during the day. We offer them the bottom shelves in the refrigerator and a lower cabinet that offers them easy access to the dishware.
What keeps you up at night in regard to parenting?
I think as a parent there will always be worries or fears, but for the most part - I feel extremely lucky - we have our health, our happiness, and each other.
Can you share a beautiful parenting moment that came out of the pandemic?
Our Friday Night together is a pretty big deal. We put the record player on, we let the kids pick out what they want for dinner (usually it's pizza), and we light candles or use the fireplace on special occasions. We really set the mood. Then we all cuddle together with a big bowl of popcorn and have a movie night.
What do you do for self-care?
I think my self-care these days would have to be investing in my skin-care products at home.
I absolutely love:
Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser
Marie Veronique Balancing Hypo Tonic
Marie Veronique Vitamins C+E+Ferulic Serum
What excites you most about raising your three children?
The slow moments. Taking time to slow down and enjoy the little things. Stealing every single snuggle and hug possible. Going for walks and holding hands is the happiest part of my day. I love their little steps and tiny little hands. I know that someday they will be too cool for these moments, and I am truly cherishing every little handhold with them. At a time when we aren't really seeing people, it has also given me a chance to talk more about how diverse and special the world is, and to always choose kindness.
Anything your children are enjoying these days?
I try really, really hard to live a minimalist. Definitely not perfect. But trying.
For clothing: the kids each have a handful of their favorite ARLi pieces of clothing and that's it! We keep a small closet for them.
For toys/activities: we have a lot of wooden blocks and little wooden people, my son has his cars, and we are very into playing memory these days. Our three-year-old surprised us with his memory skills, which is super exciting because we are very into games - so it's so fun that he can participate. I like to shop online from Merci Milo (an LA boutique that is curated in the most adorable way), and recently my dad sent the children a box of my old blocks and toys which was pretty awesome.
Our favorite book is Her Right Foot, a fun story about the Statue of Liberty. We used to live in lower Manhattan, along the Hudson River, and we loved walking over to see a view of the statue. We are very into the Statue of Liberty, my daughter even dressed up as her for Halloween one year!
You’ve recently moved from Manhattan, NY to Lamorinda, CA; any new local places your family is enjoying?
We have stayed pretty serious about sheltering in place, and we haven't really ventured out - which is ironic because we are new to the area and do not know anything around here. We have a couple of ranches in walking distance, so we pop on our face masks and go say hi to the horses from a distance. I was born in NY, spent many years in South Florida, and a tech job in Miami sent me to San Francisco, where I bumped into my husband at a dive bar and the rest is history! We have since moved around a ton together, but are back in the Bay Area and I think we are here to stay.
Check back with me post-covid, as I love getting to know all the hot spots wherever I live :)
