Mom of the Month: Amanda Little
Posted on November 04 2020
Amanda Little
Mama & Co Founder of
Abby&Finn
Mom To:
Two daughters, Taylor (7 years old) and Riley (5 years old), and two dogs, Dexter (10 year old chocolate lab) and Gus (4 year old yellow lab).
Your subscription diaper company ABBY&FINN works to bring better diapers to everyone. What inspired you to start a line of diapers with a give back program?
ABBY&FINN started when my husband, Lance, and I realized we were spending over $180 a month with another diaper subscription company to diaper our two girls, which seemed crazy! We wanted to use high quality products that were free of harmful chemicals and gentle on our kids’ sensitive skin, but didn’t think it needed to be so expensive.
Our girls also regularly didn’t finish a diaper size when we bought in bulk, which meant we were left with a “diaper graveyard” – a bunch of diapers that were too small and couldn’t be used or donated due to open packaging.
We worked with our good friends and neighbors, Matt and Kyle, to create a diaper subscription that actually grew with our kids and gave parents the ability and convenience to mix sizes in the same box at an affordable price, while being delivered right to the front door.
After diving into the world of diapers, we learned that 1 in 3 U.S. families experience diaper need. Helping these families provide the essentials for their children became central to our company’s mission. For every subscription bundle purchased, we donate diapers to our non-profit partners who use the diapers as incentives for participation in family programs. To ensure our commitment is never trivialized, we included it in the brand name; FINN stands for Families IN Need.
Have you personally seen a rise and change in the needs of the families you give back to during the Pandemic?
Absolutely! Due to the Pandemic, even more families are feeling financial constraints, and experiencing job and housing insecurities. Families who struggle to afford daily essentials like diapers to keep their babies safe and healthy continues to grow. This year we were very fortunate to partner with nonprofits, HomeAid Colorado and HomeAid Orange County whose annual diaper drive coincidentally took place April-July. Due to the pandemic, we adjusted the format and had several distributions throughout the drive so we could provide diapers as quickly as possible to those who needed them most. Together we were able to distribute over 1.2 million diapers to families in need!
You and your husband started ABBY&FINN together, how do you two get through a work day managing the kids and their changing schedules?
This is something we are constantly working on and adjusting to, especially during COVID when school schedules could change at any moment. It’s very much a team effort and requires a lot of communication. While we are working from home together, we do also utilize a shared family calendar on our phones to help schedule work and personal appointments around each other. For someone who constantly gets sidetracked and forgets about things, this has been really helpful for me!
While the kids are at school Lance and I try and get as much work done as possible. Once we pick them up from school, we make a conscious effort to set work aside and focus on being together as a family. Once the kids are in bed, we generally go back to wrapping up work. It’s definitely a long day, but we are also fortunate to have the ability to have a flexible work schedule.
What are you currently excited about either personally or professionally?
ABBY&FINN is working on launching some new products which I’m really excited about. While we started with just diapers and wipes, we have always planned to thoughtfully expand into baby’s every day essentials with a curated selection of non-toxic, organic, affordable products.
We are also always looking for ways we can make our products, packaging and manufacturing processes better for the planet. It’s really inspiring and exciting to think outside of the box and research the latest technologies.
What are you working on improving about yourself as a woman and mother?
I am teaching myself to be more present in the moment. I spend so much time and energy thinking about what needs to get done and what I can check off my “to-do list”, that I sometimes forget to enjoy and appreciate what I am doing in that moment. I tend to feel guilty when I find myself relaxing, thinking that time could be better spent getting ahead, or continuing to work. Sure there will always be an extra load of laundry to be done or some emails to answer, but it’s also important to take a break, clear my head, and go on a run, read a book, or just sit and do nothing! I’m working on reminding myself that taking care of me isn’t selfish and down time doesn’t mean unproductive time.
As mother's we're forever looking towards other moms for advice, we'd love to hear yours.
I recently read a quote, “there is no such thing as a perfect parent. So just be a real one.” As moms, I think we feel pressured to live this seemingly flawless, effortless lifestyle. That just isn’t realistic and to hold ourselves to this standard only lends us to ultimately feeling disappointed. I would recommend staying true to your own priorities, standards and values; not those that are imposed on you by others. Let’s be kind and empathetic to each other and not be so quick to judge.
Learn More & Follow Along with Abby&Finn
www.abbyandfinn.com
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