Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?

I live in a small farming town that is on the outskirts of the Seattle suburbs in the US state of Washington. While the town is only 1 square mile and just getting its 1st traffic light, I can be in downtown Seattle in 40 minutes. I feel like I get the best of both worlds. I have privacy and gorgeous natural spaces for my family’s home with easy access to a major metropolitan area.

I have lived in Washington for the past 13 years, but I grew up in Northeastern Pennsylvania and then lived in Philadelphia to attend college (where I met my husband) prior to moving out West.

While I miss the East Coast and try to travel back often to see friends and family, Washington is definitely home.

What language(s) do you speak?

I speak English. While I studied Spanish for 6 years in school and even a little American Sign Language, I lost it from lack of use.

When did you first become a mother?

I had my first son in the fall of 2005 just before turning 30 years old, after 3 years of marriage (although my husband and I have been together since 1995). I had my second son in the spring of 2010. I come from a big family, and I’ve always known I wanted to be a mom. I feel so fortunate to have found a wonderful partner in my husband and to have created two amazing little boys with low stress pregnancies and deliveries.

Are you a stay-at-home mom or do you work?

I am a stay-at-home mom. Prior to having kids, I worked for 6 years in the staffing industry, helping companies find the right hires. I had a good job working for wonderful people whom I am lucky enough to still have as friends, but I knew in my gut that if I could afford not to work and stay home with my kids, I wanted to do that. I sensed I would drive myself bonkers dividing my time between work and home. Plus we don’t have any family close by, and my husband puts in tons of hours as well, so I knew finding affordable childcare would be difficult.

Being at home has definitely been the right fit for me, but I understand the desire to work and have a little piece of the adult world for oneself every day. I am in such awe of moms who balance work and home life. It’s truly amazing!

Why do you blog/write?

I love story telling. I look around and see a world filled with such fascinating people and rich details. I also find even the hum-drum-day-to-day hours full of interesting, funny and insightful moments. You just have to be open to seeing them. I started contributing to this blog because I enjoy sharing the stories of my life in my own voice. The wonderful surprise for me was learning about the amazing community that a good blog can foster. I am new to all of this, so it really was a serendipitous discovery. I enjoy not just writing, but conversing with the other writers and sharing ideas and support.

How would you say that you are different from other mothers?

I rarely read any parenting or child development books, articles or journals. It’s not that I don’t find tremendous value in the wealth of information out there, or that I haven’t consulted these resources (especially with medical issues), because I have. But generally speaking, my kids are happy, healthy and developing on track, so I trust my gut to lead me, even in new or unfamiliar territory. I am someone who can get intensely analytical, sometimes to a toxic degree. I find it to be too much at times to wade through the vast sea of parenting resources. Instead, I prefer to talk with trusted friends, teachers, and my pediatrician for advice. It’s keeps me level-headed, like a checks and balance system.

What do you view as the challenges of raising a child in today’s world?

I just want my kids to love and honor themselves while also being respectful of others. I want my kids to have tolerance and empathy for those different from themselves while at the same time championing and celebrating their own unique spirits. While I live in a fairly progressive part of the world in the 21st century, the reality is that one’s choice of religion, partner or lifestyle can still put one in danger. And while there are true threats to peace in this world, people embrace stereotypes out of fear or cynicism. It’s hard for adults to sort through the melee, let alone teaching your children to do so. Kids today have so much access to information from all over the world, which has its positives and negatives. I want to help my kids find the path through the chatter to informed understanding and acceptance of themselves and others. I believe Thomas Paine once wrote, “My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.” Simply stated centuries ago, yet still as difficult to live today as it was then.

How did you find World Moms Blog?

I have never blogged before, and this is the only blog to which I currently contribute. I had been sharing some anecdotal stories with friends via Facebook. Fellow contributor, A. Roslyn, is an old hometown friend and current Facebook friend of mine. She suggested I connect with Jennifer Burden to see if I would be a good fit for World Moms Blog. My first post was last November, and it has been so amazing to see how the blog has grown since then. Kudos to Jennifer and all of the women who make this a great forum!

What do you like best about writing for World Moms Blog?

I love seeing the various writing styles and topics. The contributions have been all over the map (no pun intended), and it makes for fun reading! There is also a really positive vibe from everyone involved, whether we are in accord on any given topic or not. Great group of women all around!

This is an original post to World Moms Blog from one of our original writers, Tara B.

The photo used in this post is credited to the author’s husband.

Tara Bergman (USA)

Tara is a native Pennsylvanian who moved to the Seattle area in 1998 (sight unseen) with her husband to start their grand life adventure together. Despite the difficult fact that their family is a plane ride away, the couple fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and have put down roots. They have 2 super charged little boys and recently moved out of the Seattle suburbs further east into the country, trading in a Starbucks on every corner for coyotes in the backyard. Tara loves the outdoors (hiking, biking, camping). And, when her family isn't out in nature, they are hunkered down at home with friends, sharing a meal, playing games, and generally having fun. She loves being a stay-at-home mom and sharing her experiences on World Moms Network!

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