Thank you for sharing your story with us and our readers.

Please tell us a little about your book, The Yoga of Parenting, which recently won NAPPA Awards. What led you to write it.

I often say that my book, The Yoga of Parenting, is less of a “how-to-parent” manual and more of a “how-are-you, the Parent?” guide. It’s a conscious parenting book that aims to help parents stay grounded, so they can show up fully and compassionately (with themselves and their families). Most parenting books are behavior and child focused. I was finding myself overwhelmed trying to memorize the perfect script to say to my unruly toddler and when the script didn’t work, I would often feel bad about myself as a mom. I noticed that I was looking outside of myself for the answers. When I slowed down and started to pay attention to my intuition, I was able to parent much more authentically. I wanted to create a book that cultivated that energy in parenting. A book to help people anchor into themselves and to parent from their heart.

How and when did you become interested in yoga? When did you start teaching?

My first foray into yoga was actually as a bit of a joke. For my 19th birthday, my dad sent me a box of gag gifts to imply I was getting “older” (hilarious to think about now that I’m 42). It included a number of items to combat aging, including a yoga VHS. My roommate and I popped it in, fully expecting to be laughing and poking fun, but before we knew it, we were both transfixed. Fun fact, my college roommate Allison Duckworth is also a yoga teacher in the Pacific Northwest.

I started teaching in 2008. I took the typical LA story route of working in the film business out of college, but the stress was overwhelming. When my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, it was all too much. I walked off the Paramount Lot and into the Center for Yoga studio on Larchmont and never looked back.

 

How is parenting and yoga related?

When most of us hear the word yoga, we automatically assume poses. The West has commodified the practice to be exercise, but yoga is so much more than that. Yoga is about connection and unity. The body just happens to be one vehicle we use to do that. But many other practices fall under the umbrella of yoga, such as meditation, prayer, devotion, celebration. Really anything you do with a present mind and clear heart can be considered yoga.

Defining yoga in this way made me pause and realize, OMG! Parenting is a yoga practice. Everything I do in parenting has the underlying intention of connection. There’s the obvious desire to connect with our kids, but also the need to connect with ourselves (self-care, boundaries, values) and something bigger than us (trust, non–attachment, faith).

How has parenthood changed you?

It’s funny, so many people talk about motherhood changing them, but I really feel like I’m more myself than ever. The wisdom traditions teach us that we are all love and our true Nature is light and connection. But then as we go through childhood and teenage years and adulthood, we forget that truth. We start to see ourselves through other’s eyes or society’s lens. Motherhood helped me see clearly again. Looking at my sons who are just so perfect and pure, reminded me that I am the same! Just as you, the reader, are. Everyone has that purity and heart inside of them. Now, my life’s mission is to help people reconnect to that place within themselves. It’s not an easy practice. It requires a lot of chipping away of social conditioning and old beliefs, but beneath it all is something so magnificent. Imagine loving and accepting ourselves as much as we do our kids?

 

How do you use your yoga practice in your role as a mom?

I use my yoga practice in every instance of my parenting. From taking deep breaths to being able to withstand discomfort, my yoga informs every interaction. In a more obvious sense, there is the physicality of parenting two young boys. It’s a lot of energy and movement, so having a movement practice helps me with the pillow fighting and crawling around on the floor. Mentally, my meditation practice trains me on presence. It’s not always easy! I’m often distracted or fatigued, but having a steady meditation practice gives me a baseline of what is possible. My practice also provides a levity and lens of temporality. Yoga teachings remind us that everything is changing all the time. Nothing is constant, except love. We see this when our bodies feel different on the mat day to day, or our minds are unruly one day and focused the next. Remembering that “it’s all temporary” informs my parenting in the most challenging times and the most joyous times.

What are some practical ways that parents can bring the art of yoga into their daily lives?

The first thing is to notice your breath. I like setting reminders throughout the day to breathe. That could be an alarm on your phone saying BREATHE or post-it’s sprinkled throughout your home and in your car (since we live in our cars in L.A.). Another thing my friend Tara Stiles talks about a lot is body position. Noticing how you are holding yourself moment to moment. Are you tense and hunched over? Are you making yourself small? Or making yourself larger than you need to? It’s a practice of proprioception and paying attention to where we are in space is actually a great energy management tool. Introspection is key too. Journal, go to therapy, having a parent group. We call it self-study in the yoga world. Continue to look at your role and your part, your thoughts and your behaviors, because those are the things you can control.

 

Did you have a mentor growing up? And what role did that person play in your life and your career?

I’ve had many mentors over the years. In the yoga world, I would say my two main yoga teachers were Maty Ezraty, who founded YogaWorks in 1989, and Annie Carpenter. They both taught me how to slow down and to pay attention to the details. I was always high energy and fast-moving (frankly, I still am!), but Maty & Annie taught me to let my breath set the pace of things. They taught me to trust in the process. More recently, Jaycee Gossett who’s a teacher at The Class in Santa Monica is an unexpecting mentor. Her classes are therapy sessions for me and every time I study under her, I practice unconditional love and radical acceptance.

My parenting mentors include a number of very wise teachers, including Kimberly Ann Johnson, who wrote The Fourth Trimester, and who I’m super excited to study with this January. Kimberly teaches me the critical importance of self-care and how to honor the primal and transformative process of motherhood and womanhood. From afar, I’ve always greatly admired Dr. Shefali Tsabary. My wish is to learn directly from her one day! She’s the queen of conscious parenting.

 

When not working, where will we find you?

Ha, I feel like I’m always working, because that’s kind of my default approach to life. The times I can truly turn it off are meditating, breastfeeding my littlest, enjoying sunsets with my eldest, with my mom friends, doing mindful movement, and napping!

 

What would you tell your middle school self?

Oh man, middle school was rough. I had a really hard time finding where I fit in. I remember a lot of tears, but I also remember a lot of laughter. I would tell that little Sarah, “This is a blip! Just get through it.” I would reassure her that as permanent as everything feels, nothing is. I’d tell her that she is perfect exactly as she is and to not stop shining her light.

We’re thrilled to chat with Bill Nichols and Peter Cmiel of Blip’s Toys, who have won NAPPA Awards several times.

Thank you for sharing your story with us and our readers.

1. Please tell us a little about your company’s mission.

Our mission is to offer innovative toys at reasonable prices.  We think of ourselves as a speedboat among cruises ships as compared to the large toy companies, bringing new products into the market in a matter of months versus years. One example of this was the Zoom-o disc launcher. Back in the mid 2000’s we showed Target stores a working prototype in February and they loved it. The challenge was they wanted it in stores for summer that year!  We challenged our operations team and we were able to build the tooling, complete production and ship it in under 90 days, making it in store by June.  That item has sold millions to date and is still being sold today.

2. What made you want to start this company?

Bill: While working in the toy industry as a frustrated salesperson I saw many opportunities left unanswered. Very few companies actually listened to retailers’ needs so I thought what a great opportunity to actually listen and develop for actual opportunities on shelf.  So, starting Blip allowed me to pursue new products and categories in the marketplace with instant support.

 Peter:  Prior to forming Blip, I worked as a toy inventor and became frustrated in getting manufacturers to bring my ideas to market. With the creation of Blip, I was able bring those ideas from concept to production and into the hands of consumers. Part of that process is not only seeing that item make it to the market, but being in control of the process to ensure that its outcomes match my original vision.

3. Did you have a mentor growing up? And what role did that person play in your life and your career?

Bill: I’ve been very Lucky. I had many mentors, in all areas, toy sales, design, retail merchandising, product development.  It’s important to listen and play out of your comfort zone.

 Peter: One of my key mentors was my first employer out of college. He was an ex-Tonka toys executive and introduced me to the complex toy world.  When I first started, I asked him what my job description was and he said, “anything I don’t want to do”.  Our main focus was toy inventors and were able to successfully license various products. My time spent with him was invaluable as he included me in all steps of the process. One of my favorite memories during that time was when we travelled to the London Toy show.  It was my first toy show and trip overseas. 

4. Best life advice you received growing up?

Bill: you get to choose every day, good day, or bad day when you start, choose good!

 Peter:  As it relates to one’s professional career, I was told people want to work with people they like.  While simplistic, it helped me keep understand the benefit of working in a team and staying out of the politics and drama as much as possible.

5. How has parenthood changed you?

Bill: I have three adult children and one grandchild. The benefits of having children and being in the toy industry is invaluable.  It forces you to use your own experiences when developing products. My 3 kids would give a very different answer, they would talk about how many of their toys went missing and never came back. “dad” was always watching how they played with them and then the ones they played with the most would disappear. Later they realized I was like “Sid” from Toy story and was always recreating / designing new toys from old.

Peter:  I have two teens (16 & 18) and they provided a tremendous amount of insight into toy design at their various stages of their development.  We spent a lot of time together playing with our new toys learning what works and what doesn’t.  It was interesting to see what they gravitated towards and as a toy maker I tried not to influence them with things I brought home as I really wanted genuine feedback.  In my experience kids want to please you and will tell you they like something if they think you do as well.  My children were at a great age, 3 &5 when our big hit toy brand Squinkies came to market, and they were an instant hit with them!  The industry had never seen a toy IN a capsule, so Squinkies was a pretty big innovation in the market.  They loved the collectability aspect and their squishy tactile feel.  And having all of our kids be able to play test it and give us feedback on the tiny characters was just invaluable.

6. When not working, where will we find you?

Bill:  sadly, at retail walking thru ALL the aisles looking for new and innovative ways to merchandise. For total relaxation, boating with family on the lake.

 Peter:  I’m often in my shop tinkering with new ideas.  My day is filled with meetings or emails leaving me with a desire to use my hands.  I find it satisfying to build something tangible that has a purpose.  Sometimes it’s a simple shelf system for the home or a crude mockup of a new toy idea that helps define a designs shape or scale.  My background as an industrial designer laid the foundation of the various steps of product development, ideating, drawing, prototyping, etc. that I enjoy to this day with all my projects.

 

Jossy Lee is the creator and mom behind the 2022 NAPPA Award winning board book, Mommy Goes To Work.

We recently chatted with Lee about her company’s mission and parenthood.

Meet Jossy Lee, the mom behind Mommy Goes To Work board book.

Jossy Lee with husband Matt and sons Jeremy and Timothy

Please tell us a little about your company’s mission

Mommy Goes To Work celebrates working mothers and makes drop offs easier, one story at a time. This book series is the first offering from woom, an incubator nurturing working moms through credible insights, actionable solutions, and heartfelt inspiration.

What made you want to start this company?

Mom guilt and separation anxiety led my family to create  Mommy Goes To Work. It creates a sense of togetherness, drawing connections between our days at work and at school. As we tested the story book with over 100 working moms and people who support them, we realized that there are so many opportunities to improve the working motherhood journey. We aim to drive  innovation that supports working mothers so they can thrive at work, at home, and anywhere they aspire to be.

Did you have a mentor growing up? And what role did that person play in your life and your career?

My grandmother! While raising five children, she co-founded the first hospital in my hometown with my grandfather and built a successful career impacting many lives. Our next Mommy Goes To Work book is dedicated to my grandmother and all moms working at hospitals.

I was the third girl in my family and  Chinese culture values boys a lot more than girls. My birth would have been a disappointment for others, but fortunately, my family was different. Grandma has always believed girls can be anything and everything. She is 93 this year and still active and curious—she has been learning bitcoin and loves using her Apple watch!

Best life advice you received growing up?

“Find your gift and give it to others.” I am a firm believer in combining your passion with your unique superpower, and using that to create things with purpose and meaning.

How has parenthood changed you?

My ability to switch from one task to another significantly increased. One time during the pandemic, I was changing a diaper the minute before I jumped into the zoom meeting room to host a board meeting—and it didn’t bother me at all! I am proud of my agility in managing my work and life to be the best I can be.

When not working, where will we find you?

Enjoying big and small things with my family in Boston or Taipei!

What would you tell your middle school self?

I spent a lot of effort trying to be like everyone else so that I could “fit in.” I would tell myself, “Stand out. Be you, be the unique you, and be the best you.

Best advice on parenting you’ve received?

Involve kids in your work. My husband and I often talk about our work with our kids, fill them in on our projects and take them to our workplaces. We’re constantly amazed by their ability to come up with creative solutions. One time I shared with my then 4-year-old that I was worried my colleagues wouldn’t like a new idea I was about to propose. He said “Mommy, even if they don’t like your idea, I still think you are the best. You just tell them, let’s keep trying, don’t give up, and together we’ll find better ideas.” Wow!

What do you enjoy doing most with your family?

Snuggly story time. Reading together every night sparks conversations and our imaginations. Mommy Goes To Work was inspired by our love for storytelling and we hope it brings joy and inspiration to many families.

We’re excited to share two of our newest NAPPA Awards book winners.

DITTY BIRD MUSICAL BOOKS

Meet Ditty Bird, an adorable bird who loves to sing and will take your little one on a musical journey of playful learning. This charming musical book collection is educational, interactive and fun for inquisitive babies and toddlers. Promotes early language and fine motor skills, auditory development, music appreciation and bonding. Each board book has a “music” button on each page, which triggers one of six captivating tunes, sung by children. $16.49, ages: 1 – 3.

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery is a middle-grade graphic novel series that makes your child the valiant hero of a fantasy quest—pick your panel, find items, gain abilities, solve puzzles and play through new storylines again and again. This book combines two loved genres: graphic novels and stories that allow readers to choose their own adventures. $9.99, ages: 8 – 12.

We are so excited for our Facebook Live Event with Evite this Thursday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. PST! We will be showcasing a few of our favorite Holiday Gifts and also giving away some amazing prizes!

Join the Facebook Live, comment and share for a chance to win one of these amazing prizes! Make sure you follow @Evite and @NAPPAawards

 

Don’t Miss Out On The Fun

Sign up for our ENews and be the first to know the latest on toys & family must-haves, giveaways & gift and play ideas!

No Thanks Let's Connect

Family must-haves, articles & giveaways