COVER STORY
A Milestone for Maggie and the Moms by Maggie Rodriguez, photos by Athena Leila Photography
My baby turned one recently, and I am one proud mom! I’m not talking about my son or daughter (although I’m very proud of them, too); I’m referring to “Maggie and the Moms,” the parenting segment I host on “Daytime,” WFLA/News Channel 8’s 10 a.m. weekday lifestyle show. Every Monday, I assemble a rotating panel of moms from diverse backgrounds and in different stages of parenting. We discuss parenting tips and trends, exchange ideas and insights, share advice and hacks, voice our doubts and fears, and even admit the ways in which we fall short of our own parenting expectations. It’s a “judgement-free” space and a reminder to each one of us—and hopefully to our fellow moms watching at home— that we all deal with the same struggles and grapple with the same questions. All we can do is our best, and that’s good enough. I gathered with four frequent panelists to celebrate our milestone birthday. Maggie: Thank you for being part of Maggie and the Moms, which I often refer to as “my baby”. I know you can relate because each one of you has passion projects that you’ve worked hard to bring to fruition. How do you manage to be the mom you want to be and still devote time to these projects? KIVA WILLIAMS, FOUNDER, MAHOGANY KIDS: It’s definitely hard and I often fall short. Luckily, my entrepreneur endeavors incorporate my kids and my family, so I’m able to include them on many of my projects. I also make it clear to them that mommy is pursuing her business goals that will ultimately impact our family in a positive way. MARGARET ZAKARIAN, PRODUCER, FOOD NETWORK’S “BIG RESTAURANT BET”: I am constantly making to-do lists. Although these lists seem endless at times, it helps me stay focused on the small steps I need to
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take every day. Tasks for different categories all go on the list, such as work, family, kid sports items, holidays, etc., so it helps my daily time stay balanced. KARIMAH HENRY, BLOGGER, CRAFTING A FUN LIFE: I try to set aside a specific time block to work on my projects. LAURA BYRNE, EDITOR, TAMPA BAY PARENTING MAGAZINE: I try to get as much work done as possible while my kids are at school and attending after-school clubs. After a long career in TV news, I’ve grown accustomed to working on tight deadlines and turning a story quickly, but it can still be stressful and often I don’t get through my to-do list. I’ve had to learn to accept that.
