Kristen Noel Crawley
Founder of KNC Beauty
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Shame on mom-shamers. Experienced their wrath? Share your story.
Oh man. It’s hard to remember all the times I’ve been mom shamed. My youngest son has some developmental delays and I’ve heard all types of comments ranging from his speech to his physical abilities. Every child is different and many of them have issues going on that you can’t see. I’ve learned not to judge because you just never know what’s going on.
If any line of work needs inspo, it's motherhood. What type of mothers inspire you?
Of course the women in my family inspire me but I also look at career women; Balancing businesses and family life is really difficult. I try to take cues from friends of mine. We as women make it look easy but it’s never as simple as one might think. The key is to communicate with other mothers in my circle, getting tips and tricks to tackle our everyday life.
Sometimes we're all BAD MUTHAs (as we should be). When did you go against traditional advice?
From the start. I’ve had doctors recommended some really unusual things. My older son was considered underweight for his age around 18 months. One pediatrician recommended that we give him Pediasure which is basically Ensure for kids. I tried it for a week but I noticed that his energy levels were down and his stools were really dark and muddy. I took him off it and went back to our clean, organic diet. I tried to tell the Pedi that we all have different body types and he’s naturally small like I am. I ended up changing doctors because we just didn’t see eye to eye. I always follow my gut with my kids. They both co slept with me and stayed in our bed for as long as they wanted. I didn’t push either of them to potty train until they showed interest. Things like that - I go with the flow and how they feel but some people might think I’m being a BAD MUTHA .
"Communication is key. Being open and honest about the real struggles of motherhood. This shit is hard!"
Better worlds start with better moms. How can the motherhood community improve?
Communication is key. Being open and honest about the real struggles of motherhood. This shit is hard! And you never feel like you’re doing the best for your kids. Postpartum support, true friendships, that real “it takes a village” type of support is what we need.
How do you like to MUTHA yourself and ensure you still have some 'me' time?
I love to take care of myself from skincare to spa time. Body scrubs, at home facials - indulging in that MUTHA rose hip oil and some KNC eye masks. I love that. I also always watch a few shows or read after I put my kids to bed. That is my “me” time that I can’t give up and I shouldn’t have to!