This month, we’re featuring an entrepreneurial mom and stepmom; Jamie Scrimgeour, creator of The KICK-ASS Stepmom Project.
Occupation: Entrepreneur, Mom, Stepmom, Wife
Hometown: Exeter, Ontario
Current town: Stratford, Ontario
Did you always see yourself as a mom?
Jamie: “I wasn’t one of those girls who dreamed of being a Mom when I grew up. I assumed I would eventually have children but it wasn’t something I longed for. When I started dating and eventually became engaged to my husband, who has three children from his previous marriage, I gained what you could call an insta-family. It didn’t take long for me to know that I wanted to add more to our crew. Just under a year after we were married, I officially became a “real” Mom. Becoming a stepmom sparked maternal instincts I didn’t even know I had.”
As a working mom, what unique struggles do you face?
J: “I am not sure I can categorize myself as a “working mom” or a “stay-at-home-mom”. I guess you could call me a “part-time-work-from-home-mom”… I don’t know. My biggest struggle is balancing my “stay-at-home” duties with building my business. I thought working from home would be so easy.”
Can moms really “have it all”?
J: “I think the real question is, “Can you do it all?” My answer to that is a big N-O. Whether you’re at stay at home mom, a working mom, a single mom or a stepmom, it takes a village, and you have to ask for help! You can’t be everything to everyone.”
What is the best part of your job?
J: “The fact that I know I am giving stepmoms the support that I needed when I was in their shoes. When stepmoms seek out support from me, I know how they feel because I was there too. When I first became a stepmom and realized that amongst the abundance of information for moms, there is little to no (positive) supportive for Stepmoms, I felt helpless and alone. My early experiences transitioning from a bachelorette to a stepmom of three inspired me to really engulf my self into all the stepmom resources I could find. I became a Life Coach, a Certified Stepfamily Coach and did a lot of personal development.
“My online program The KICK-ASS Stepmom Project combines all the information I learned with the personal strategies that I used to start to thrive in our blended family life. It’s a great feeling to know that I am providing stepmoms with game-changing tips and strategies. I can say that because I’ve experienced it first hand.
When I first started blogging about life as a stepmom, I really didn’t think that anyone would read it. Then when I began receiving messages from stepmoms from all over, thanking me for saying what they were afraid to say, and I knew I wasn’t alone and that there is a need for this type of support.”
What advice would you give to your kids about raising their own kids?
J: “If nothing else, teach empathy. I want my stepchildren and children to be empathetic and have the ability to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. A little empathy can go a long way.
“Also, it’s okay to think outside of the box and do something that your family and friends don’t necessarily understand. You don’t have to stick with the status quo and do what everyone thinks you should be doing. There are so many opportunities out there that we don’t even know about!”
What do you want kids to remember about you?
J: “I want them to remember that I at the end of the day I was fair, and fun, and really did my best to give them every opportunity to be successful in life.
“I also want them to remember that when I made a mistake, I apologized for it. I’m a huge advocate for apologizing to your children when you may not have responded in the best way or weren’t at your best. It teaches them that everyone makes mistakes. I want them to know that we’re all human beings doing the best we can with what we have! When you know better you do better!”
How do you find balance in your life?
J: “I don’t. I like most Moms who are going to read this article, I struggle with balance most days of the week. We are all a work in progress, and it comes down to priorities. Mine differ day to day. Someday I’m all “house-wife” and other days I’m all “entrepreneur”.
“In our home, we’re all about the “work hard/play hard” mentality. That’s an area where we have balance down pat. I am a huge fan of picking up and taking off for a weekend, even though the laundry has piled up and there are oodles of chores to be done. When I am 95 years old reflecting back on my life, I don’t want to be talking about how organized and efficient I was around the house, I want to talk about the amazing memories I made with my husband and kids.”
Quick fire questions
- Would you rather cook or do the dishes? Can we just go out for dinner?!
- Lipstick or lip gloss? Lip gloss, if anything! I’m pretty plain jane.
- Jeans or leggings? Leggings for sure. The kids always ask where I’m going when I put a pair of jeans on. They know I wouldn’t have them on unless there was a reason.
- If you could master one thing, what would it be? That balance thing you asked me about before…Oh, and I wish I had better penmanship. Cursive writing truly is a lost art, and they should start teaching it in schools again.
- If you could have more time for one thing, what would it be? Two more hours between the time I drop my daughter off at daycare in the morning until the kids get home from school would be game-changing!
- What’s your guilty pleasure? I eat chips or cereal in bed almost every single night.
- What is your favourite moment during the day? Like most moms, it’s when my morning coffee has finished brewing and/or wine-o-clock
- What’s the last book you read? The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy (now that’s a man who has balance down pat!)
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