Amazing Moms Coffee Table Book Features Reflective Mom

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Reflective Mom
Erin Erickson, Minnesota USA
www.momenough.com

Amazing Moms: Parents of the 21st Century is the 1^st coffee table book to feature moms. It features 115 amazing moms from a variety of family dynamics and 13 countries – USA, Canada, Australia, England, Netherlands, France, Italy, China, Hungary, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Mozambique, and Croatia. It is filled with captivating self-portraits that reveal each mom’s unique personality and joyful photos of their families. The moms bear their souls about the challenges and joys of motherhood and share a wealth of wisdom about their parenting journeys. These moms represent motherhood and femininity at its best. Amazing Moms is the companion coffee table book to DADLY Dads.

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I am the mom of three children, Clara, McKinley, and Grant, and the wife of Brett Mortenson, a chiropractor. I am also a nurse practitioner in women’s health. I graduated with a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Minnesota. Knowing motherhood is not about perfection, I try to encourage other moms by sharing my own failures and successes on the parenting show, Mom Enough® I debuted in 2006. I host the show with my mom, Marti Erickson, who is also in this book. I am committed to sharing my understanding of the mind-body connection and mindfulness-based skills to help women be reflective and intentional in maintaining health and wellbeing. I enjoy creative writing, music, cooking and all things outdoors. I love to ski, canoe, and backpack.

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Quote.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When our mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers. – Thich Nhat Hanh

What I do well as a mom.

I’m good at being mindful of my behavior as a parent. For example, when the work stress is “spilling over” into my home life, I have the ability to take a deep breath and refocus my attention to my children in a positive way that helps their development and growth and enhance our relationship.

What I learned from another mom.

My mom taught me how to handle tough social situations with sensitivity, diplomacy, and compassion. She is usually the first person I turn to when sticky situations arise. She always reminds me of the importance of recognizing other’s feelings and being mindful of how others are experiencing a situation so that I can respond from a place of empathy and validate how other’s feel.

Lesson from my child.

How important it is to have a voice, and to speak up when something is not right. My children are very good at telling me how they feel. I really admire when they say something is not okay with them. They’re very direct, yet reflective.

Successful motherhood moment.

When my daughter was in preschool, she had to fill out a poster about herself and include information about her family, her interests, and what she wanted to be when she grew up. Most kids her age said they wanted to be a firefighter, a policeman, or a doctor – all noble professions. Clara said, “I want to be a child’s rights activist.”

Mom I admire.

My mom, Marti. She exemplified that a mom can be both an effective parent for her children and the woman she wants to be. She is well-read, musical, adventurous, and passionate about her work. She showed me that motherhood means more than just doting on your children; it means showing your children how to live life to the fullest and doing that with them.

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