From the bump, to the boob and beyond

Mama of the month: Sonia Chang

Posted on November 07 2019

Name: Sonia Chang

Mom To: (Names and Ages of children/pets)

Kaira (3.5)

Dev (21 months)

Luna (0 months)

Furbabies - two Havanese dogs Bowser and Biscuit

What are you currently working on?

I’m Co-Founder of a baby and child development app called Playfully (www.playfullyapp.com, @playfullyapp). We’re building the go-to child development resource for parents of children ages 0-3, by providing research-backed tips, activities, and expert guidance to promote their children’s development through play. When I became a new mom, I didn’t realize how influential parents can be in shaping the foundation of their kids’ future learning and success. So much growth happens in those early years; in fact, 85% of a child’s brain is formed by age 3! Playfully is here to support and coach parents through their child’s unique developmental journey. As a mom of three young kids, Playfully has been integral to my own learning and growth as a parent, and I love being able to help other parents build nurturing, more responsive relationships with their kids as well. I joined Playfully about a year ago, and it’s been quite a ride, especially having my third baby just a few weeks ago!

How have things changed for you since becoming a Mama?

My path to motherhood and getting pregnant was definitely not straightforward or easy. I’ve experienced miscarriage, IVF, and the emotional and physical struggles that come along with both. But it’s made me a much more grateful person as a result and has entirely shaped who I am as a mom now! I am careful about how I choose to spend my time so that I can maximize time with my kids and be there for our growing family. When I’m not with them, I’m spending my time on a career that I find meaningful and fulfilling, and best yet, because I work in the parenting and child space, I find that my professional and personal lives now weave together in a fun, really seamless way.

How do you take care of yourself outside of motherhood?

I love being physically active, especially running! Running is a win-win for me because I can easily bring a kid (or two) along in my double jogging stroller. However, with a third baby in the picture, I’ve started opting for home-based exercise solutions so I can be close by when a kid needs me (which is ALL the time!), so we recently got a Peloton Treadmill, and I’m also loving my online barre3 subscription that lets me squeeze in 10-minute workouts when I get a chance. I also enjoy walking my two dogs, which gets me outside every day and ensures I get to spend some quality time with them as well.

Every mother needs to find balance, what does your village look like ?

I’m very lucky that my husband is a truly a 50/50 partner -- not only does he take care of dinner every night, but he’s also super involved in our kids’ lives, whether it’s taking them to gym class, making sure diapers and wipes are always stocked, and keeping track of little things like when it’s time to cut the kids’ nails. We are also fortunate to have his parents nearby who help out a ton, and my parents visit from the Midwest as often as they can as well. We also have an incredible nanny whom we could not survive without! We sometimes count down the hours until Monday morning when she will come and make everything sane again in our household.

What are you working on improving about yourself as a woman and mother?

I’ve learned that being a parent means you have to let a lot of things go and focus on the small wins, even though each day can be full of ups and downs. This has been hard for me, as I’m a Type A person and have always been a perfectionist. You basically have to throw all of that out the window when you have kids. It’s something that I’m still actively working on every day, both in my family and work life. Raising three kids under 4 while simultaneously trying to build a company is not easy! I’m trying to put less pressure on myself to make everything go right, and be more forgiving of myself when things don’t go as planned or I didn’t get to every task on my to-do list. When I start to get overwhelmed with what’s not going well, I try to remind myself that as long as my family is healthy, happy, and safe, that’s the definition of success, and nothing else really matters. :)