This May, we’re honouring motherhood by chatting with some of our favourite mom bloggers, influencers and content creators about the highs, the lows and the many moments in-between. —Vita Daily
Hi Kama! Tell us a little bit about you and what do you do!?
I’m a mom, wife and full-time teacher who loves sharing our family’s life and travels on my blog. I was a single mom in my hometown of Port Alberni before marrying a mainland guy and moving to South Surrey, B.C. It was so scary to move from a small town to a bustling urban centre, but I’m so glad we did. When I’m not at work, most days you can find me walking on the beach, perusing small local shops and going on fun day trips to farms, bookstores and museums. We are also huge foodies! Early in my career as a high school teacher, I began working with at-risk youth, which inspired my MA in community studies. My travels to Kenya with Red Rose Tea + Me to We, and Rwanda with Because I am A Girl + smartwater provided powerful lessons about corporate social responsibility and women’s cooperatives. These trips also served as media boot camp with interviews on CBC Radio, CTV and Elle Canada. I am so grateful for the chance to be creative and share the stories of our adventures together in with my blog. I’m known as an honest, real and influential storyteller … and also for my salty sense of humour!
How do you use your platform to impact other moms—and parents—who follow you?
Ethigal Blog is a modern lifestyle blog for the socially conscious woman and mother. I love my dedicated community of moms so much! I seem to attract highly active and engaged working moms between the ages of 25 and 40 who live in the Lower Mainland of B.C. Most of my followers have post-secondary education and solid professional careers. Many of them also have blogs—or are thinking of starting one. Their main interests are products and experiences that suit their modern, conscious values. I share a lot about my own search for work/life balance, along with the importance of self-care and time being present with my family. We have many lively debates on my Instagram about the dark side of being a mom blogger and how to set healthy boundaries and negotiate with the barrage of brands who want us to work for them for free. So many moms with blogs are running around going to free events and exhausting themselves doing unpaid promotions for brands—trust me, I’ve been there. I truly value the depth of our discussions about how to prioritize our time and value our work. It makes me so proud when moms reach out and share their successes using the tools I’ve provided.
What’s your personal style/beauty mantra?
It seems funny being asked this, as I’ve often felt like I have no style! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve built confidence by wearing locally designed and well-made pieces. I used to buy a lot of fast fashion and wore different shoes and accessories every day. Now, I’d rather have fewer, high-quality pieces and feel proud when I regularly repeat outfits. My style has changed so much in the past few years, with more neutral colours and less brash patterns. Also, Instagram inspo has really helped me with how to put outfits together! For skin care, I’ve also become more aware of what I use. I am a huge fan of handcrafted, natural skin care and love a good at-home spa night with scrubs, clay masks and oils. Moving forward, I’d like to get more into natural makeup—I currently use drugstore brands.
What would the Mother’s Day of your fantasies be? And what, in reality, does Mother’s Day usually look like at your house?
If I could wave a magic wand, I’d get to sleep in and then spend the morning at the spa getting a massage or facial. I’d then meet my hubby and son for brunch at a local spot and then go for a short hike in the forest. On the way home, we’d stop by a farmer’s market to pick up some fresh produce, meat and bread for a homemade dinner—actually, I think I’ll show this description to my husband! Ha!
Did motherhood come easy to you, or were there challenges (if so, any in particular you’d like to share)?
It’s truly been both. I am thankful to be mom to my funny, curious and opinionated son, who is now six. It’s also been the most humbling, challenging experience I’ve ever had. Sleep deprivation and post-partum struggles are the worst. I’ve shared that I became a single mom when my son was a toddler; I was knocked to my knees pretty hard and had to dig deep and accept family and community help. Ultimately, going through this made me stronger than I ever thought possible and my son and I even closer. Now that I’m remarried, my husband has shown what partnership and co-parenting looks like. It’s been a game changer for us.
The hardest thing about being a mom? The best thing?
To be honest, these things are intricately wrapped up together. I can’t separate the two. It’s the feeling of loving someone else more than you ever thought possible. Of putting their needs above your own, and being willing to do anything to keep them safe and happy. It’s the headaches and the sleepless nights alongside the warm hugs and the whispers of “I love you, Mommy”. Motherhood is the most challenging—and rewarding—experience ever. All at the same time.
Follow Kama on Instagram, Facebook and her blog. Photo by Caley Dimmock.
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