This week our featured Mother is Mona Segal. Mona is another inspiring mother to two boys and works full time and also has her delicious baked goods business! She is also a huge supporter and fundraiser for Crohns and Collitis. You can check out and order Mona’s amazingly delicious creations at bak.d_by_mona on IG
Thanks Mona for sharing your journey with us!
1)How many children do you have and names and ages?
I have two boys Aidan age 21 and Spencer who will be 17 next month.
2) What is your Current occupation?
I work mornings doing marketing for a company that imports scales, inspects those that are legal for trade and distributes to a dealer network. In the afternoon, evenings and weekends I run a cookie business called Bak’d by Mona Cookies Inc . I sell direct and I also sell to stores and hotels.
I also volunteer my time for various organizations like Crohns and Colitis Canada ( see our campaign online #crunchesforcrohns and #sockit2ibd ) As well as for HBOC and other organizations.
3) What are the Challenges of balancing work and parenting?
As the kids get older on some level it gets easier . I can ask them to help out with deliveries and other things . But the biggest challenge for me personally, is getting a dinner I would like to serve on the table. As I enjoy trying out new recipes or just experimenting all the time, I find sometimes there just isn’t enough time , so we pick up or we make frozen pizzas and a salad! I know , it’s not terrible, but if time was infinite I prefer to make my own. My husband is a massive help with everything including laundry so I really have no right to complain!
4) what is your Your life philosophy?
As someone who has had a few run ins with death, life is very short and we are here for a short time, so make the most of it. We all lose it sometime and get angry about things, but we have to try and stay focused on enjoying each day , try to laugh every day .
(I love this philosophy Mona!)
5) What is a piece of advice you would give other mothers and what is one thing you wish you had known before having children?
I think every situation is different and each child is different Even each post partum was different. I think the best advice is to learn about your child as much as you can, apologize and admit when you yourself did something wrong or could have handled the situation better.
Something really important is if you are with a partner or spouse, never tell them they are doing something wrong when they are trying to help! Hands done I have seen parents do it and then the other person gives up that duty and does not help out . This works too with grandparents . So what if they gave them an extra toy , or they went to bed an hour or two later when they were babysitting or they watched a show you don’t approve of ? Grandparents are not here for ever so let them cherish those moments. Lastly there is no book on how to raise your kids. Go with the flow and if you make a mistake, learn from it.
6) What is your greatest achievement apart from your kids so far?
Overcoming serious health issues and showing my kids that outlook is everything. Everyone will encounter something not pleasant in life but it is how we process it and yes sometimes everything is not in our power to change an outcome , so just do the best you can.
7) What have you done that you thought you could never do?
I can’t say specifically but there are many times I take on more than I can chew . When it is all done I look back and think wow how the heck did I do all that and with my health issues that I had?!
8) What books do you /did you like reading to your children?
For my eldest we had a book from Monsters Inc that had a little poem for each letter and associated it with the character . For my younger one I loved reading Spongebob! My kids were huge readers when they were young. So we kept scholastics and chapters in business!
I love that Mona’s kids were such voracious readers!!! I hope that even though Mona’s children are grown up that there will be a time that they can enjoy Three Times the Fun.
Click here if you would like to be featured on my blog!