Moms Who Inspire : Kristin McGee

When I was 22 years old my boyfriend gave me one of the best Christmas presents I have ever received; a MTV Yoga DVD with Celebrity Yoga Instructor, Kristin McGee. That DVD is what made me fall in love with yoga and inevitably become an instructor in NYC.

So to say I was excited to interview Kristin for Expectful’s Moms Who Inspire series is a big understatement; to be honest, I was kind of geeking out about it.

However, I also had my reservations. When meeting any celebrity you always run the risk of realizing they aren’t the person you’ve seen on screen…

Luckily, Kirstin exceeded my expectations and was as gracious, generous and caring as they come.

The first thing I noticed about this mother of one is how giving she was with her time. As I walked through the Equinox on the Upper West Side where she teaches, she introduced me to three different people that were all there to speak to her before her class about a product, interview or picture. Kirstin was so attentive, she gave full focused and genuine attention to everyone.

I want to be with my son every moment; but I also love my job. It’s a challenge every day to decide what to give up.

Perhaps the most beautiful thing that I noticed about Kristin (besides the fact that she’s down-right gorgeous) is how she lights up when she talks about her son. When she spoke about her two year old, Timothy, you could see how much she loved being a mom. She talked to me about how she had kids later in life and expressed that she would like more but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.

As you’ll see in Kristen’s interview, her whole outlook on life is very simply, love.

I am beyond excited to share her thoughts on Motherhood with you below. I hope you find her just as inspiring as I have.

What’s your favorite part about being a mom?

1. Waking up and cuddling with my son every morning. I can’t imagine my life without him. I love watching him grow, I love being introduced to new things through his eyes constantly, love hearing his voice, love his smell, LOVE LOVE LOVE being a mom.

What’s been the biggest challenge being a mom?

2. Trying to balance my work/life. I want to be with my son every moment; but I also love my job. It’s a challenge every day to decide what to give up.

Self-care can be a challenge for moms. What advice do you have for moms who want to incorporate more self-care into their lives?

3. I would say make it a priority, schedule it in your day planner even. Find other moms who you can talk to and make mom dates with. I wake up early so I can have some “me” time and enjoy a cup of coffee, meditate, stretch. I also pick one thing a week just for me, whether it’s a yoga class or guitar lesson or glass of wine with a friend.

What’s the one piece of relationship advice you would give to new parents?

4. That’s a tough one…try and communicate as much as you possibly can. It’s so easy to get caught up in being a mom that your mate can be put on the back burner. As exhausted as you are by the end of the day, try and connect on some level. Make a date but also be spontaneous. We can’t do date night weekly but we can tell when it’s time to do something together. Weekly tennis classes on a Saturday in Central Park was a big hit for both of us!

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you as a mom?

5. I’m not very disciplined! I am super strict with myself; but when it comes to Timothy, I have a very hard time drawing the line. I co-slept and nursed him until he was 2 and change. I still crawl into bed with him many nights. All I want to do is love him. I teach him good manners and he’s extremely well behaved; but my parenting style is definitely more attuned with him and letting him lead the way.

What lesson do you most want to pass on to your child?

6. I want him to have a positive self-esteem, be kind, empathetic, open-minded and loving. I want him to learn how to follow his own intuition, be independent and smart, compassionate and brave. I mostly just want him to feel loved and be loved and be a loving person.

Are you pregnant or a new mom? Expectful is a digital platform that makes meditation easy for expectant and new moms. Each one of our guided meditations has been created to support you throughout your pregnancy and motherhood journey. Our mission is to help you give your baby the best start in life. Go to wp.expectful.com and sign up for our free 14-day meditation trial.