A native of China, Hua Nian is an active exhibiting artist and art instructor in Champaign-Urbana. Her paintings have appeared in international and national art exhibitions, winning awards on the local, state, and national level. Her works have been featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, Dialogue: An Art Journal, as cover art for books and music CDs, posters produced by Stanford University, and American Artist Magazine. At her home studio in Urbana, she teaches children drawing and painting as well as creates her own artwork. Married to a University of Illinois faculty member, the couple have two children, a 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl.

See why we think Hua Nian is a Chambana mom to know. 

With her son by her side, Hua Nian sketches in ink in this family photo.

Q: How has motherhood influenced your work as an artist?

Being brought up in China, a country whose culture cherishes the past, I was taught all my earlier life to master the lessons refined by our predecessors, to achieve the goals expected by society. The past had built up a closed tradition in which I felt content and secure. But after several years living in America, I have been bombarded by new events happening everyday. I was terrified to discover that the world is actually moving tumultuously, open-ended and unpredictable. I felt incredibly restless and groundless until the day when my son was born.

I entered motherhood with uncontrollable tears in the delivery room. My anaesthetist was worried that something went seriously wrong. With a broken voice I told him that I was just too happy. Overwhelmed by the miracle of my son’s birth, I suddenly realized that I am no longer an onlooker of life, but a participant – the river of life just running through my body, carrying part of me down to someday, somewhere I would no longer exist. The amazing physical experience created an intimacy between me and reality. I felt like a drifting bottle caught by a branch in a flood–although we are constantly on the move, the moment of tranquility created between the two, floating together, is enough for me to be grateful.

This shift of view had gradually yet profoundly changed the way I think about art and make art. For my abstract paintings series, each one of them stepped out of the shadow of its previous one – colors getting brighter and warmer; lines running to meet each other, forming stories instead of passing through each other and rushing out of the picture frames; instead of mindlessly roaming in no where, dots bounce with joy and energy, some of them started to root into the ground. My upcoming exhibition at Amara Yoga and Arts in March is all about flourishing flowers, in vases, in the wild – I know their journey of growing because I am one of them.

I used to take a lots pictures of my children but still couldn’t ease the anxiety of possessing the fleeting moment. That was when I started to pick up a pencil to draw, to record their growth. Many years later, when I look at my sketches of them rolling, eating, waking, playing, I am thrilled as if I was right there at that particular time of that day because I had used my eyes, my mind, and my hand to trace them rather than having a simple finger movement, a “click” on the camera. These drawings helped me successfully launch a new medium – pen and ink drawings. (Some of my works are currently displayed at Asian American Cultural Center until March 16. The opening is next Monday, Jan. 23, 6:30 – 8 p.m.)

As for my paper-tearing art, the whole body of work is about celebrating motherhood and childhood. (They can be viewed at www.huanianartstudio.com) My playful children have bought me so much joy as well as inspiration.

You work in many mediums. Do you have a favorite and why?

I work in acrylic painting, pen and ink drawing and paper-tearing art. Three of them balance to each other to fulfill my vision of life and art making.

But among the three I spend the most energy on painting, simply because it is more time consuming and demanding both in ideas and techniques.

Q: What is your teaching philosophy?

People like to use the word “talented” to label somebody who can draw well, and I am fortunate to work with a few who appear to have the inner ability to draw. However, most of my students are just like I was when I was a little girl –someone who just wants to make something happen on blank paper, fascinated by the power of magic.

I have been teaching children art lessons for 17 years. My teaching aims at developing students’ drawing and painting skills. I believe that without solid knowledge of how to do, creativity will only end up with what to do, and sooner or later it will lose its appeal. Study shows that majority kids quit drawing at around 9-10 years old. One of the reasons is that children at this age start to get more aware of and interested in the world around them, they often get frustrated by lack of ways to depict it; also, kids this age are smart enough to quickly tell the truth if grown-ups give them indiscriminate praises. If there is someone in their class that can draw well and is being praised being “talented”, then they are more likely to view themselves being not “talented” and give up. I would like to equip these kids with some fundamental techniques, so they can express their ideas confidently and efficiently. I am not against creativity at all, rather, I am trying to complement it – especially in this creativity-oriented society.

With love to draw, appropriate and creative teaching methods within a pleasant and encouraging learning environment, we work to build a solid foundation in drawing and painting, opening doors to future possibilities. Through practice, children can all become “talented” as demonstrated through our annual art exhibitions at the Children’s Department of Urbana Free Library. Drawing is an integrated part of childhood. Learning to draw makes a child’s life much more imaginative, creative, fun and rewarding…

Q: Do you have any tips for parents on how they might encourage their kids’ creativity?

I am speaking of my own experience working with my two kids, in the hope that it might apply to others. Many children at age 1.5 (or maybe earlier) can grab a pencil to make marks – most of the time by accident while waving the pencil. This is the best the time to introduce them to drawing. If you give them colored markers, they will be surprised by the change of the color marks; then if you use these markers to draw simple lines (short, long, curve, wiggle, etc.), and at the same time make some sound effect to accompany certain lines, and exaggerate the drawing movement, you will be surprised at how quick the kids want to imitate everything you did! Later, you can try simple shapes like circles, big and small, along with the sound effects. When they make one, cheerfully add a line to it and say, “look, a lollipop!” or add more lines and say “a kitty cat!” These will surely get their attention and make them want to play more. You can quickly add two dots as eyes or a few lines to any shapes they draw and point out the creatures that both of you just created. Ask what they are making, listen to what they say and back up their stories. If your kids get frustrated because they can’t achieve what they want, you can help them to do it – by holding their hands to draw, making a dotted line for them to trace or even finish for them. Or, you can simply stop the activity and try to distract the kids to other things. The goal here is to create a pleasant, playful and encouraging environment so they will more likely to continue in a long run. The chances are they will become more independent as their fine motor skills develop.

You really don’t have to be an artist to be your children’s first art teacher, all you need to do is to follow the leads of your children, play with them with lines and shapes, and imagine whatever you want them to be. Frankly speaking, many young children really don’t care how well you can draw. Expressing ideas is more important than drawing well at this stage. So a parent’s job is to keep their interest, and the interest along is the drive to learn more, that’s when you might start to think about finding an art teacher to help them develop the drawing skills so they can express their ideas more efficiently.

Q: You are originally from China – will you be celebrating the New Year this upcoming week and what are your favorite New Years traditions?

I have four red Chinese lanterns in front of my studio on Race Street. I try to replace them with new ones around this time of the year so the bright color will delight the cold winter. Sometimes we would invite friends over to have a Chinese potluck. But every year I help to celebrate it by teaching an art lesson as a part of the Chinese New Year celebration at the Urbana Free Library. The event this year is on Saturday, Jan. 28. I am going to teach the kids to draw Chinese dragons since this is the year of dragon.

Do you know a Chambana mom or dad to know? We love nominations. 

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Trish Gulley
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Elizabeth Buckley
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Nadya Mason

Mindy Heaton works as a marketing guru by day, and Girl Scout mom by night. This Mahomet mom is a Troop Leader with 15 third-grade Brownies in her charge; a Manager for the Mahomet Area Service Team, a group that provides leadership for Mahomet Girl Scout Leaders and plans events; and a trainer for other troop leaders. She and her husband, Mike, are the parents of 8-year-old Natalie and 5-year-old Jacob.

See why we think Mindy Heaton is a Chambana mom to know – and don’t forget that Girl Scout cookie sales start today!

Troop leader Mindy Heaton and her favorite Girl Scout, Natalie. Photo provided

Q: How excited are you and your troop(s) for Cookie Season, and why?

Our troop is so excited to get out there, more so than in years past. Now that they are in third grade, they understand the rewards that they get from selling. The more cookies they sell, the more it not only directly benefits them through incentives, but, better yet, they now understand that the troop gets money from cookie sales…and money from cookie sales means field trips, money for service projects and supplies, fun t-shirts and more!

Q: How do cookie sales directly impact local troops and troop members?

Troop members each get $0.23 per box of cookies sold in Cookie Dough. Cookie Dough is a gift card for the girls to use at the Girl Scout Shop to buy fun things—in the past my daughter has been able to get jewelry, barrettes, apparel…and even Groovy Girl dolls. It’s a great shop! In addition to the Cookie Dough, girls can earn patches (EVERY Girl Scout loves patches!) and other incentives, such as free membership, gift cards, and even a laptop.

Troops each get $.50 per box of cookies sold. This is such an important fundraiser for every troop! As troop leaders, we try to keep our troop dues low in order to make Girl Scouts an accessible activity for all girls. These cookie sales have allowed our troop to keep our dues to under $15 each year…what other activity is that inexpensive? We have also been able to pay for some event fees, buy troop t-shirts, go on field trips to places like the Indianapolis Zoo, throw parties, and more. What people might not know is that service is a huge part of being a Girl Scout, so cookie sales also allow Girl Scout troops, including ours, to fund service projects.

One of the most positive impacts that our girls get through Cookie Sales is the chance to learn entrepreneurial skills. As a troop, the girls get to set cookie sale goals: how will we spend the money we earn? How many boxes should we sell? They also have to sell the cookies, deliver the cookies, communicate before and after the sales with their customers, and collect money. These are business skills that these girls will carry with them as they continue their education and eventually start their careers.

The Girl Scouts teach girls courage, confidence and character…effectively, as troop leaders, we are trying to help the girls develop leadership skills that they will carry with them throughout their lives…and we try to make it fun for them at the same time. I cannot state this enough. When you purchase Girl Scout cookies, you are not just buying cookies…you are directly benefiting and impacting a girl’s future.

Q: Why do you think the Girl Scouts have a such a strong presence in Central Illinois?

I think that parents recognize what a huge impact the Girl Scouts have on girls; that is certainly part of it. We also have great local Council staff here that does a fantastic job communicating with parents, schools, and the community at large about what is going on with the Girl Scouts…I am constantly impressed with what they do with their limited resources!

Q: Why did you decide to volunteer with Girl Scouts, and how do you find time to volunteer with everything else you’re doing (working full-time, traveling, etc.)?

I have always been an active volunteer, and I was looking for a new organization to volunteer with. This was when my daughter was in first grade. She joined a Daisy troop, and I was able to see, as a parent, what the troop leaders get to do as volunteers. I wanted in on the fun! So I first became a troop leader. I so deeply believed in the mission from the beginning that I wanted to get more involved. I then joined the Mahomet Area Service Team; as both a troop leader and as a marketing and events professional, that was a natural fit for me. I was then presented with the opportunity to be a trainer. I love the idea that by training a group of troop leaders, I’m benefiting possibly hundreds of girls. The reason I volunteer is to make a positive impact upon our community and the world—so how could I say no to that?

I don’t necessarily find time as much as I make time! I make the time because I know that I’m helping out such a great organization. There are times that I can’t do as much; this past fall I was constantly traveling for work. But that is why we need lots of volunteers! We have great co-leaders and parents in our troop; no one person is never expected to do it all by themselves. These other volunteers do so much when I’m traveling and am not available to help!

Q: Do you have any advice for parents who want to volunteer more but might be wary of the commitment involved?

You can be a troop leader, and that typically involves 1-2 troop meetings per month plus various trainings as well as any prep time/planning time that you want to put into the troop meetings. But, the fantastic thing about being a volunteer with the Girl Scouts is that the time commitment is what you want it to be! As a parent, offer to help with the troop (your daughter can even earn a patch for you helping!). The local Service Teams also need parents, troop leaders, retired teachers, Girl Scout alums, and anyone else who wants to help to volunteer to help with a variety of things: event planning, running stations at events, taking notes at meetings, serving as treasurer, helping at tables at school registrations and more. What I really like about the Service Teams is that they allow anyone to volunteer in any way that they’d like. Whatever you like to do, I’m sure the Service Teams can use your skills!

If anyone is interested in learning more about the Girl Scouts, contact our local Council office at 217-328-5112 or visit the website.

Do you know a Chambana mom or dad to know? We love nominations. 

Related posts:

1. Girl Scout Cookie Season Is Here!
2. The FatherLoad: Cub Scout Dad?
3. Girl Scouts Seeking ‘Women of Distinction’ Nominees

Andrea Aguiar is a member of a team of "rats" in the Champaign-Urbana Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker, which opens this week at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Andrea Aguiar may be a native of Brazil, but she has lived most of her adult life in Champaign-Urbana — and this week, makes her debut in a C-U holiday tradition. By day, the psychologist is a researcher on a teamout of the School of Veterinary Medicine that examines the effects of environmental chemicals on infants’ and adolescents’ learning, memory and attention. For the last several weeks, she has been a dancer by night, joining the cast of the Champaign Urbana Ballet production of the Nutcracker as a “rat.” She and her husband, who are very active in the local Jewish community, have two daughters, ages 7 and 4.

See why we think Andrea Aguiar is a Chambana mom to know.

Why did you decide to try out for the Nutcracker this year?

When I was born, my mother (an amateur ballerina) owned a dance school, so from the time I was 4 until age 18 (when she closed her school and opened a clothing factory!) I spent all of my time outside school at her dance studio doing ballet, modern dance, tap dance, and even some gymnastics.  My mother put out fairly big and elaborate performances for her dance school twice a year.  I was on stage a lot and I simply loved it. (My mom actually lived in mortal fear that I would become a dancer rather than take on a more sensible career.)  So, when my 7-year-old announced that she wanted to try out for the Nutcracker this year, and I found out CU Ballet casts moms and dads for some of the roles, I thought this would be a really unique experience to share with my daughter and a way to relive some of the magic of dance and stage performances I experienced in my youth.  Although I hadn’t danced in over 20 years, I think they spotted that I had some dance experience and could do some jumps, and I ended up being cast as a rat.  Since my daughter was cast as a mouse, we get to be in the same scene which makes this whole experience even more special.

What have you learned about yourself over the past few weeks of intense rehearsal?

Well, I should clarify that although the rehearsals for my part were pretty considerable (especially for a full-time working mother of two young children), what really made this experience intense was that I decided to resume ballet classes on top of the rehearsals.  And this is the biggest lesson about myself: the dance “bug” is still very strong within me, and the magic of dance and of being part of something beautiful and artistic on stage is simply exhilarating.  Yes, I have put a lot of time into dance these past months but what I get out in terms of emotional and physical wellbeing has helped me become so much more productive and creative at work, and a much happier, self-confident, and energized mom and wife.  Of course, I have also learned that there are limits: I’m not 20 anymore and my doctor informed me I have “a lot of mileage on my back” (arthritis, scoliosis, spondylosis: the works!).  So, I’ve been working with a physical therapist and learning how to adapt exercise and dance moves to preserve my back and be able to keep on dancing and kickboxing for hopefully many more years to come.

What has it been like to share this experience with your daughter?

This has been a real gift.  Besides making it possible for her to experience the magic and beauty of a dance production of such high caliber as the ones put out by CU Ballet, she is learning both on her own and by observing me at rehearsals about the value and importance of working hard to learn and master a skill, and that the result of all of this hard work can be extremely exhilarating.  She often asks me: is it hard to be a rat?, do you think I could ever learn to do this or that part?  These questions open room for us to talk about applying oneself (through real effort, dedication, and persistence) in order to learn new things.  My husband and I (as the psychologist parents) often tell our children that most things in life require a lot of work, and this hard work is often what makes the whole learning process truly rewarding, worthwhile, and yes, fun.  At our home, we try to emphasize the learning process and the effort behind it for our children, rather than the finished products.

Was the Nutcracker part of your family’s holiday traditions when you were growing up in Brazil?

Not really (perhaps partly because it’s summer in Brazil in December and the snow theme that I think is pretty strong in the Nutcracker just doesn’t go well with sun and beach themes – kind of like the Australian holidays, I would imagine).  But ballet/dance was a big tradition, and from the time I was 7, my mother would take me several times a year to the Opera House in Sao Paulo (with the big chandellier,the Renaissance murals on the ceiling, and the red velvet covered seats), the to see big-name ballet companies, like the Bolshoi, perform major ballets like Swan Lake and Giselle.  And I do remember very well, the first time I saw the complete Nutcracker ballet on TV with the incredible Mikhail Baryshnikov.  However, I have been taking my daughters to see CU Ballet Nutcracker every year, since the time my 7-year-old was just 18 months old: probably as a way to relive here in C-U the experience I had with my mom at Sao Paulo’s Opera House.

What current family tradition are you looking forward to this holiday season?

Time visiting with far away relatives.  Being at the beach (we are headed to Brasil) and swimming in the ocean this December.  Singing holiday songs (both the American songs as well as the Jewish Hanukah songs – my daughters love to belt out both of them).  And this year for the first time: being in the Nutcracker performance of CU Ballet rather than watching from the audience.

I know that you love the arts – what are your family’s favorite arts activities in Central Illinois?

My husband and I love to see plays at the theater.  This year we began taking both of our daugthers to see all kinds of musical productions here in town from Mahomet-Seymour High School production of Fiddler on the Roof to CUTC’s West Side Story.  They loved seeing these musicals.  We enjoy clay and art lessons (and summer camps) with Lori Caterini at Class Act; my children have enjoyed art lessons and camp with Pam Seby at Champaign Park District, Art Smart program.  We like Fairytale and Creative Movement classes and camps with Donna Warwick (at various locations in town), drawing lessons with Hua Nian at her home studio in Urbana.  We have attended quite a few lovely music performances and story time events at the Urbana Free Library.  We have also enjoyed musical events, and music and art lessons and camps at CU4-A or Community Center for the Arts in Urbana.  And I am now waiting until they are a couple years older to take them to Bloomington-Normal, Shakespeare Festival, during the summer to watch a children’s abridged version of a Shakespeare play on the lawn of the gorgeous mansion where the Festival is located.

Do you know a Chambana mom or dad to know? We love nominations.

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Leslie Liautaud
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Elizabeth Buckley
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Hua Nian

See why we think Leslie Liautaud -- playwright and mom of three -- is a Chambana mom to know. Photo provided

Dancer, playwright, actress, choreographer — Leslie Liautaud is a woman of many talents who has dedicated her life to the arts for more than 25 years.  Last year her one-act play “The Mansion” debuted at Parkland College, with Leslie in the director’s chair as well. When she’s not acting or writing, Leslie also enjoys participating in various philanthropic work with her husband, Jimmy, founder of Jimmy John’s. The couple lives in Champaign with their three children: 17-year-old Spencer, 12-year-old Lucy and 11-year-old Fred.

See why we think Leslie is a Chambana mom to know.  

Q: You are an accomplished playwright. How did you get into theater?

My first experience on the stage was when I was 5. My mother was an actress and I got the part of the “Little Girl” in Annie Get Your Gun, which she was also in. I remember being so nervous because I had to count (and remember) how many times someone said “Get out of here kid!”, the fourth time being my cue to run off stage. But the first time I heard the audience respond and I got a laugh…it was all over. No more anxiety, I was hooked. I was very fortunate to train with some wonderful coaches and because they gave me LOTS of rope to stretch and try different aspects of theatre and dance, I discovered that what I truly loved was the creating. I moved from dancing in a ballet company to choreographer and from actor to writer. And again, it was just luck that the people around me nurtured that passion and gave me the chance to prove myself.

Q: What does it mean to be married to a local celebrity?

That’s so funny to me…because to me, he’s Jimmy. He’s my best friend, my husband and the father of my children. We’re fortunate that we’re both extremely independent people…that might be one difference in having a recognizable spouse, you can’t be too clingy or insecure. If I was too needy, the attention he gets would be a negative. I think we can both agree that the best thing that comes out of it all is that when we feel the passion to bring attention to a cause or a non-profit, Jimmy’s face, contacts or “voice” can get the message out there much more quickly. Believe me, I use him with wild abandon when we’re trying to help a particular organization! There has been no greater gift to come out of the company’s success than to have the public attention and means to help others in a significant way.

Q: Your family is in the food business, so I have to ask — what’s your favorite local restaurant and why (besides your own, of course :-)

Wow, that’s a tough one. I think because we’re in the food business it’s difficult to say “This is my favorite.” I see the great things (and not so great things) the local restaurants are doing…whether it’s the service, the management, the concept or the actual food. I can say some of my favorite restauranteurs are Tifani Moot and Carlos Nieto, Thad Morrow and Ray Timpone.
Q: Since it’s almost Halloween time – do you have any favorite special Halloween memories of your kids?

MY favorite question!!! My youngest, Fred, when he was about 5 decided to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. He insisted on getting dressed a about 7:30 a.m. Halloween morning. As the day progressed, he began to get too warm, too itchy, too tight, etc. During the course of the day, he started taking pieces of his costume off one by one. By the time trick-or-treating rolled around, all he had left was the last piece of his costume. The first neighbor we went to made a funny face and asked me, off to the side, what Fred was that year. I replied to her he’s “A chubby little boy in a green unitard.”

Q: Has your strong background in the arts influenced how you parent? If so, how?

I think the biggest thing art has given me, that I try to pass on to my kids and how I live my life with them is the message that they are “OK” Whoever they are, whatever their passion…as long as they are kind to others and kind to themselves…then they are OK. It’s hard to put on costumes and play on stage for a living and then go judge how other people live their life. I want them to feel the same way. That they can follow any path and as long as they try not to hurt themselves or others on that journey, then they should go take that journey with joy. Art taught me not to be afraid. I want my kids to be fearless.

Q: What is your biggest parenting challenge right now?

Ugh. What ISN’T a challenge right now?! No, seriously, I think the biggest challenge is my own mindset. There is a definite switch from when your kids are small to when they become pre-teens/teens. In the beginning, it’s all about the physical. Feeding them, dressing them, carrying them…basically making sure all their basic needs are met. And then suddenly, it morphs into all mental. Checking out their moods to help them the best you can as a parent, watching for signs of distress, explaining sex and sexuality with their changes, helping them deal with social situations, biting my tongue and letting them fall down (physically and mentally)… I swear, it’s ten times more fatiguing than changing diapers. But the reward as a parent grows, as well.

Do you know a Chambana mom we should profile? We love nominations! Send them to us. 

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Andrea Aguiar
2. Chambana Dad to Know: Garrett Anderson
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Anne Dill

Editor’s Note: Thursday, Sept. 29 is Anne Dill’s last day as the co-anchor of WCIA3′s Morning Show, and in honor of her departure we’re reposting this as a special Thursday Chambana Mom To Know. Anne assures us that she will still be very visible in the community and that she’s moving on to an exciting new position. We can’t wait to hear what she does next! Please join us in wishing her well in her next endeavor. 

Meet Anne Dill. You know her as the friendly face you see bright and early co-anchoring the WCIA3 Morning Show. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Anne received her degree in broadcast journalism from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

When she’s not working or being a mom to her boys, Anne likes to clear her head by running. She also loves to help out her community, and is an active volunteer with Junior League.  Anne lives in Champaign with her husband, two sons, Charlie and Joshua and cocker spaniel, Augie.

See why we think Anne is a Chambana mom to know.

Q: What have you learned about parenting from your mom?

A: Putting your kids before yourself.  My mom was the selfless cheerleader for all of our events, activities and school projects.  She threw herself into her involvement whether it was president of the PTA, room mother, troop leader or biggest fan on the bleachers.  It made my sister and I know we were loved and encouraged even if we didn’t make that 3-point basket, sing the best, or win the game.

Q: What do your children do when they see you on television?

A: Charlie has been pretty aware of it for the past year and a half.  To him, it’s normal for a parent to work on TV.  We were watching the evening news one time when my morning show promo came on.  I said to him, “Look who’s on TV”, he looked up and exclaimed “Rob!!” (Collins, her morning show co-anchor).  I guess he put me in my place!

Q: What do you like/dislike most about your job?

Most people will think this is weird, but I love my hours!  I don’t mind being at work by 4 a.m. because it gives me the flexibility to work full time and still be home in the afternoon with my boys.  Then we just go to bed at the same time at night! I dislike all the negative news as much as the viewers dislike hearing it.  At WCIA, we really try to focus a lot on the good things happening in our community.  But you would be amazed at how many opportunities I offer people to promote good things that they don’t want to take us up on!  We’re at the mercy of them wanting to appear on camera, so if you wonder why we don’t cover something, it’s not necessarily because we didn’t want to.

Q: What is the biggest challenge you face as a working mom?

A: Time.  Finding the time to do it all.  I have a hard time saying no and I know that will get harder as my kids get older and have school commitments as well.

Q: What is the best thing about raising a family in Champaign-Urbana?

A: The opportunities this community offers.  There are so many great things to do with kids from sports, to music, to art, to outdoor recreation at little or no cost.  If you don’t like it here you’re probably not seeking out the things to do.

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1. Chambana Mom to Know: Nadya Mason
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Mezzo-soprano, Elizabeth Buckley, wears many hats. She is the Director of Music at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Urbana, an arts advocate and fundraiser, recording artist, educator, conductor, and organist who loves to cook big meals for family and friends. Buckely, who calls herself “a Midwestern girl at heart” has sung all over the world and has recorded her own albums. Her most recent CD, “Must the Winter Come So Soon?” will be available on iTunes in October. Buckley, who received her doctorate in vocal performance from the University of Illinois, is also proud mom of 5-year-old Elise and 4-year-old Ronan. The family lives in Champaign.

Elizabeth Buckley and her daughter, Elise, on her graduation day from the U of I. (Family photo)

Q: How did you discover your love for singing — and your talent?

As for my true début into singing, it began in fifth grade.  I had a small solo in a musical number, and after belting out a few lines, it was declared that I could sing.  Many solos at church followed with leads in high school musicals, a vocal scholarship at Capital University Music Conservatory, a Masters in vocal performance from the University of Illinois, and the eventual completion of my DMA in vocal performance from the U of I.

Q: You are passionate about further strengthening the local arts scene in Champaign-Urbana. What do you envision?

So, at this point in life I feel called by a mission to go beyond simply singing, and the following vision is what I would like to share with as many people as possible.  I feel called to reach out in a role of advocacy and outreach for education and the arts.  I have experienced the transforming, inclusive, and healing ability of music where differences melt away as we come together through song, art, dance, poetry, and free expression.  I also am expressly interested in the unification of the human experience brought out through the arts and the unique ability of human beings to create and improvise.  These are the very attributes and skills that I believe we must now cull out of people, our educational system, and our educators as we prepare our students for the coming world, and we provide nourishment for their creative souls.

Q: Tell us about your vision for an arts incubator.
In our community of Champaign-Urbana, I also see amazing potential for an arts incubator culture where we wed technology, innovation, science, and the arts together in a culture of innovation and creation.  I would love to see a community performing arts facility for our local artists and students that compliments and feeds our nationally recognized Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Krannert Art Museum.  I also would love to see the Champaign-Urbana community awarded an Our Town Grant from the National Endowment of the Arts that would seed funding for the myriad of projects our community needs to unify our best qualities of art and innovation.

Q: Have you found the community supportive of  your efforts? 

Fortunately, in my quest to find others who feel the same, I have found overwhelming support.  So many passionate and extremely bright and involved people in our C-U community are ready for great unification in our arts and technology scene.  We are the Silicon Prairie, blessed with several great music festivals, a major film festival, home to one of the best research universities, an award-winning community college and parks districts, and our gallery scene and flourishing slow food movement is amazing.  We simply need to now fully own it, promote it, and grow it with our children, educators, community leaders, citizens, and businesses leaders in a collaborative mission.

Q: Why do you think this can happen here?

All one has to do is travel outside of C-U, which I have done frequently for performances and auditions, and it becomes obvious that our community is extremely special.  Personally, I have chosen to live here and raise my family because I believe in this community and I know that the very best is yet to come.  More than ever I am excited to see where we go with these initiatives and I hope that we can collaborate in new and inventive ways with the myriad of wonderful organizations and people that live here, and truly make this community a wonderful place to live and raise children with a national presence.  The will and passion are here amongst our people.

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Andrea Aguiar
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Leslie Liautaud
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Nadya Mason

Working parents have many titles outside of “Mom” and “Dad.” And our fields and areas of expertise can usually be succinctly described to others. Human resources. Reporter. Administrative assistant.

But what if your work involved “how electrons behave in low-dimensional, correlated materials, where enhanced interactions are expected to give novel results,” particularly, “the effect of reduced dimensionality and correlations on electron coherence”?

University of Illinois assistant professor Nadya Mason wears many hats, but mom to Hazel, 3, and Marlow, 6, is on the top of the list. Credit: Nadya Mason

This week’s Chambana Mom to Know, Nadya Mason, knows exactly what that all means.

Mason, who earned her degrees from Harvard and Stanford universities, is an assistant professor in the University of Illinois Physics Department. She’s also raising daughters Marlow, 6, and Hazel, 3, with her husband, Dillon. Balancing motherhood and work is a constant goal for Mason, who strives to keep her priorities in mind at all times.

As an African-American woman in a field dominated by men, Mason has traveled a highly visible path to her career, and has stepped forward as an advocate and guiding light for others who choose to work in the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She has spoken at events across the country, to audiences diverse in background and age, in an effort to focus attention on the subject.

See why we think Nadya Mason is a Chambana Mom to Know.

Q: Wow! Is there even away to describe what you do to the non-scientists in our audience?
Sure! In my research group, we study the electronic properties of very, very small materials. How small? Down to a billionth of a meter (1 nanometer), or 1/100,000th the diameter of a human hair! Materials at this scale are interesting because the electrons behave differently than they do in the large-scale electrical wires; in fact, the electronic behavior can be dominated by quantum mechanics, much like single atoms. The electrons can also interact more strongly with each other, leading to “correlated” behavior you’d never see in larger structures. An example of a material we study is graphene, which is a sheet of carbon that is 1 atom thick. We study all of these things at very low temperatures, down to 10 thousandth of a degree above absolute zero (10 milliKelvin), because otherwise the quantum mechanical properties might be swamped by thermal properties.

Q: What made science appealing to you? How did you become interested in physics specifically, and what made you then choose it as a career path?
I always liked math and science. I was the sort of kid who did math word problems for fun. In high school, I had a sense that I wanted to do math or science, but wasn’t sure of the field. I was fortunate to have had many science internships starting in high school, including one summer doing biochemistry at a local university and another doing geophysics at a local company. From these experiences I realized that I loved experimental science, but that I did not want to do biochemistry or geophysics. Sometimes it’s as important to gain experience to figure out what you don’t want to do, as it is to figure out what you do want to do. I took many science classes early on in college, and realized that what I loved in all these classes were the physics-based explanations: for some reason, physics was able to fundamentally explain the world in a way that I wanted to understand it. In terms of choosing physics as a career path, I was again influenced by summer internships. I was able to realize that 1) I was most interested in condensed matter physics (the physics of “stuff,” like the fundamental electronics of materials), and 2) that it was possible to have a good career as a scientist. I liked working in the lab, and saw opportunities where I could do it full time. I also didn’t make these realizations in a vacuum; my parents were very supportive, and I had very encouraging mentors along the way.

Q: Background information on you reveals that you were once an Olympic-bound gymnast! How did you step away from that arena and dive into physics? Or did the passions coincide?
It’s funny, everyone seems to find out about my secret life as an athlete. I guess with the Internet, nothing’s really secret anymore. Yes, I spent most of my childhood — from ages 7-16 — doing gymnastics at a high level, i.e., training 25-35 hours per week. I made the Junior National Team when I was 13, and was ranked 27th in the country when I was 15. Unfortunately, that was the Olympic year, and only the top 20 made the Olympic Trials, so I didn’t make it. At that point I had the choice of whether to continue in the sport and train for the next Olympics, or else to stop and focus on other things. I chose the latter. I don’t think that gymnastics and academics coincided. Unfortunately, they were more antithetical, in that competitive sports at that level (and at that young age) takes a unique single-mindedness, to the exclusion of most other thoughts and interests. Perhaps the personality traits that were enforced in gymnastics — determination, hard work, willingness to sacrifice for a goal — have also been a great benefit in academia, particularly in a hard science. After I stopped gymnastics, I ran track in high-school and college, and took up modern dance in graduate school and as a postdoc. Expressing yourself with your body is so different from academic research that it’s a great complement to it.

Q: The sciences are seen as areas dominated by white men, and you are an outspoken proponent for including minorities of all kinds in science, technology, engineering and math fields. What barriers have you found or do you find for minorities in the scientific community? Knowing the road you have traveled, what advice can you give women or minorities beginning a similar path now?
I do feel strongly that there should be opportunities for people of all backgrounds in STEM fields. I worry that some of those currently under-represented are not choosing STEM for what I consider the wrong reasons: that they don’t see role models so they assume the field is not an option for them, that they have a poor math/science background and find it too difficult, that they are simply unaware of the available opportunities. If we lose people for reasons such as this, we are doing a disservice to the community, and are losing the chance to attract a larger pool of great minds to STEM. As for my own experiences, I feel very fortunate to have had a series of great mentors, supporters, and peers. I think one of the largest barriers for underrepresented people in the field is managing expectations, your own and those of others. As a minority, you stand out. People might expect you to fail; then, if you have a setback, you might get overly discouraged. If you succeed, you might worry about maintaining your success. Anyone who has ever been the only woman in a large room of men can probably understand how draining it can be to be in this situation almost all the time. So, the advice I give to minorities in STEM fields is, 1) Don’t worry about the opinions of others, good or bad. Focus on your work. At the end of the day, STEM work is quantitative and will stand on its own, 2) Find mentors and peers with whom you can relax, and who will support you through good and bad, 3) Focus on the end goal. That could be the fun of doing the work, the promise of a satisfying job, or just finishing the Ph.D.

Q: You have two young daughters. In what ways do you encourage scientific exploration in your house? What suggestions do you have to get other children interested in science?
I hope my girls grow up to love science! I strongly encourage inquiry in my house. This is something I stole from a story I read about [physicist] Richard Feynman: His father used to go for long walks with him in the woods, and instead of stating the names of the trees, birds, etc., he would point out features and ask Richard what he thought. “How do you think that hole got in that tree?” “Why do you think that squirrel ran away with that nut?” Giving kids answers doesn’t matter nearly as much as teaching them to be curious, to ask good questions. To me, the systematic asking of questions is the basis of science. So, we try to give our kids lots of opportunities to explore the world, by wandering through prairies, collecting things in our yard, looking through microscopes, reading books, even YouTube videos of weird animals.

Q: The position of assistant professor is not one without stress. There’s teaching, research, grants, and everything in between. How do you balance your commitment to your job and your commitment to your family?
Argh, it’s impossible! I just do the best I can. I try to be hyper-organized, so that I can maintain strict family time between 5 p.m. and when the kids go to bed. For example, on Sundays I shop and prepare meals for the entire week. I schedule everything, even laundry. I prep for classes late at night. I also try to keep my priorities in mind at all times. I can’t push myself so much that I get sick, or that I neglect my family. If something gets dropped at home or at work, then I just live with it. I can only do my best. If the time ever comes when I feel that I can’t do my job or balance my life properly, then I will have to find a new job, or re-adjust my commitments.

Q: Finally, as a former gymnast, active mommy of two and accomplished physicist, how awesome are your cartwheels?
Ha! They’re still pretty good! In fact, if pushed, I could probably still do a no-handed cartwheel — but then I’d be sore for the next three days.

Do you want to nominate a Chambana Mom or Dad to know? Contact us.

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Elizabeth Buckley
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Andrea Aguiar
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Trish Gulley

by Amy L. Hatch

Jarrod and Jessie with their daughter, Cadence. Photo provided.

In 2001, Jarrod and Jessie Scheunemann began a tradition of visiting at least one National Park a year, and out of this tradition grew their first children’s book, “Adventures with Ranger Roy: Acadia National Park.

The Scheunemanns have together visited more 46 parks within the United States and a handful in Canada. With their book — which they plan to be the first in a series — they hope to inspire families to enjoy, appreciate and be motivated to protect and preserve what they call “these sacred places.” The couple lives in Champaign with their daughter, Cadence, and are the co-owners of Jessie Marie Studio.

Find out why we think Jarrod and Jessie Scheunemann are a Chambana Mom And Dad To Know!

Chambanamoms: First of all, congratulations on publishing your book, “Adventures with Ranger Roy: Acadia National Park. How did you come up with the concept?

Jessie: Jarrod and I have a habit of conjuring up plans or projects when we are traveling. I was in the middle of my pregnancy and we went out to Colorado for our babymoon. While visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park, we started talking about making children’s books about the National Parks.

Kids books suddenly stuck out to us now that we were going to be parents. We visit at least one national park per year, and. overzealous person I am, I figured we could easily make one each year about the park we had gone to. In July of 2009, when Cadence was 6 months old, we traveled out to Acadia National Park for that year’s trip. I got the idea of doing papercut illustrations from different scenes in the Baby Einstein videos that Cadence was getting excited about. When we arrived home I began researching papercut illustrating.

Jarrod: After traveling to some of the national parks, I began to dream about living in one. The easiest way to do this would be to become a Park Ranger. Even though we live far away from most national parks, writing this book and blogging on our new social media sites has made me feel like a park ranger in a small way. My dad’s name is Roy and we thought his name went well with the Ranger title. We even decided to use his likeness to model our character after. It has been fun to read with our daughter and most of the stories rhyme, so I decided to follow that pattern as well.

Chambanamoms: Why is it so crucial for kids to be educated about the natural beauty of the United States?

Jarrod: Our society today is so hyper-connected and our children are no exception. There is a great need for us to have breaks and disconnect. These beautiful places in our communities and nation provide an opportunity to contemplate life and spirituality, relax, restore and center ourselves. If our children are not educated about these beautiful places and our parks go into disrepair, then I’d hate to see how our children’s quality of life will diminish when they are older.

Jessie: I find it extremely important to get your children outside. They need to experience sun, rain, rocks, sand, water and clouds. I have personally found my time in the national parks very educational. You can learn about the local wildlife, terrain, plants & more. I never walk away from a National Park without new knowledge and I want to give that opportunity to Cadence, as well.

Chambanamoms: You’ve visited 46 national parks — we didn’t even know there were that many! Tell us how this tradition got started in your family, and tell us about the first park you visited together.

Jarrod: The National Park Service calls the places they have jurisdiction over by the fancy title of “unit.” There are actually 395 units in the National Park Service.  The Martin Luther King Jr.  Memorial just opened this summer in Washington D.C. as the newest addition. My family made the token trip out west when I was young to see Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands. When I started dating Jessie, I got bit by the travel bug because her family visited the National Parks so often. In 2001, we visited Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. The rest is history.

Chambanamoms: We know you have a daughter, Cadence. Have you been traveling with her since she was very young? Do you have any tips for families who might want to make a trip to one of our national parks? We all know road trips with little ones have their own challenges.

Jarrod: We have been living in Champaign for about five years now. Most of our family lives over four hours away, so Cadence has been traveling since she was 3 months old. As you alluded to, it hasn’t always been easy. We felt that having a parent ride in backseat was always helpful. We have a master packing list of all the things we need to take with us. We also have a travel bin that is loaded with toys, books and coloring supplies. We have tried to not encourage videos for the car rides but sometimes you just can’t avoid it. We always try to plan driving around nap schedules. One of our latest fun tricks is to stop at hotels to use their first floor bathrooms when available. They are a much cleaner and a larger alternative to rest area and gas station bathrooms.

Chambanamoms: Do you camp when you visit the parks? Why or why not?

Jessie: Jarrod and I love camping. It is less expensive, trailheads are close by, campfires are included to make great food — and you are guaranteed fresh nighttime air for sleeping. Cadence, on the other hand, hates it. I shouldn’t say hates it, she just hasn’t figured out how to stay in her sleeping bag — so 30-degree nighttime temps keep not only her but mommy and daddy awake as well. And overtired parents don’t enjoy their vacation as much as well rested ones. We are hoping as she grows older she will join us in our love for camping. We’d love to hear any camping with kids tips your readers have to share!

Chambanamoms: We know you self-published. That has a deceptively simple sound to it, but we know it isn’t easy. Can you what the process was like?

Jessie: I actually wrote a blog post about this very topic once our book was published. You can read it here. The process was much more back and forth than I expected. Much of this has to do with me being a perfectionist. We went through lulu.com to do the initial publishing. Lulu prints each book on demand — which means when you order one from them, they print and send it to you. One cool part about having our book on their site is you can read the whole book online by hitting preview under the photo of the cover.

After displaying our book during the Boneyard Art Festival this past April I started doing research to get it printed locally. Because we purchased our own ISBN number instead of using one from lulu.com we can take and print our book ourselves.

Premier Print Group here in Champaign printed 100 copies for us at low price; therefore, we will be passing that savings onto our customers. The new books are $9.99 and they are printed on environmentally friendly paper. We are excited to match the message of the book with the materials it is made of.

Chambanamoms: Jarrod, you wrote the text for this book and Jessie is the illustrator. What was it like for the two of you to work together? Did you ever had differences of opinion, and how did you work them out?

Jarrod: Working with Jessie is pretty easy since she is so talented. She made my words come to life. The only real difference we had was whether or not to call each set of pages a “spread” or a “layout.” I still call it by the incorrect design term to get her riled up!

Jessie: Ah, thanks, Jarrod. It does help that we are both really good at critiquing each other’s work and not taking it personally. I thought I was done with the last spread of the book that shows a map of Acadia National Park. Jarrod looked at it and gave me a look. I knew he didn’t like it. We talked about what was and was not working, and then I went back to the cutting board. Now, it is the illustration I hear the most compliments on.

Chambanamoms: What’s the next book in your series?

Jarrod: I think it is going to be titled “Adventures with Ranger Roy: Yellowstone National Park Waterfalls.” Yellowstone is so big that we will do a series on its different features. Most people know about Old Faithful but not many know that are at least 300 waterfalls in the park!

To find out more about the Scheunemann’s next book, the national parks or what they are up to, visit their Facebook page or blog.

The Scheunemanns have a special offer for chambanamoms.com readers. If you like their Facebook page, post on their wall that you heard about it from chambanamoms.com. You’ll be entered to win a copy of their book!

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Elizabeth Buckley
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Trish Gulley

Trish Gulley gets to shop for a living! Well, sort of. Find out what this week's Chambana mom to know does in the fashion industry.

Trish Gulley is a Peoria native who never imagined she would return to central Illinois to raise her kids. She and her husband Josh lived in New Mexico, Indiana, and Colorado before he was hired as an associate professor in psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois. Trish works in the children’s fashion industry (more on that below!) They have three children, 12-year-old Olivia, 8-year-old Ethan, and 5-year-old Elliot; the family resides in Champaign.

See why we think Trish Gulley is a Chambana mom to know.

Q: You sent your youngest child to kindergarten a few weeks ago, and your oldest is now in middle school. How does it feel?
I often feel conflicted.  You nurture your little ones to be independent and go off to school, and when they do you are sad.  Then, your oldest is in middle school, almost as tall as you are, and wearing a larger size shoe – it makes you feel old.  Sad and old is not a great combination.  But, when they come home excited about their day and all they are learning and experiencing, it makes it all worth it.

Q: You have a really neat job. Please describe what you do.
I do love my job!  I am a sales director for Goldbug, a Denver-based children’s accessories company.  I have been with Goldbug for just over 10 years and I work with a talented team to design, produce, and sell children’s socks, shoes, hats, swimwear and other accessories to retailers worldwide.  Goldbug designs and manufactures product for store brands (for example, Sonoma and Jumping Beans at Kohl’s, Circo at Target) and national brands (for example, Carter’s, OshKosh, Disney, and Eddie Bauer). I work primarily with the buyers at Kohl’s, so if you have ever bought a pair of Sonoma socks, a Jumping Beans summer hat, or a pair of Carter’s shoes for your child at any Kohl’s store in the nation, you have purchased one of the products that my team and I placed in the store.  My family and I really appreciate that I am able to work from home most days.  I travel about once a month – to NYC for buyer meetings, Kohl’s headquarters outside of Milwaukee, and Goldbug’s home office in Denver.

Q: Does that mean your kids are the best dressed kids in town?

The Lion Slippers.

They definitely have lots of socks!  But, unfortunately, they have outgrown most of the other products we produce.  To clear out my sample closet, I’ve been known to bring bags of socks to a meeting or book club and let my friends “have at them” for their kids.  Elliot, my 5-year-old, is in love with a pair of lion slippers that made their way home a couple of years ago.  He loves them so much that he wears them even in the summertime!

Q: Do you have any sneak peeks into fashion trends for kids for the upcoming year?
For fall, dots and stripes are still big along with monkey and frog characters.  Look for Fair Isle patterns on tights and socks along with argyle.  We are working the spring 2012 lines now and the newest looks will be tribal prints in deep, bold colors and black and white ink graphics.  It looks like ruffles for girls will be back in a big way and 80′s neon is going to be even stronger.

Q: You travel a bit for work. What have you learned over the years to make the separation easier for your family and do you have any tips for other parents who travel for work?
Any time one parent is out of town it seems there is juggling of some sort to be done (childcare, activities, etc).  It does get easier as your kids get older.  I have learned to stress less before leaving town.  I use to worry about what my husband would feed the kids or how far behind on laundry I’d be when I returned.  So, I’d run to the grocery store or do extra laundry before leaving.  I have learned to let that kind of stress go.  My husband does just fine with meals and if there isn’t anything in the house to eat, he goes to the grocery store or takes the kids out.  And, I’ve found when I leave the laundry, he’ll do it.  I’m normally only gone a night or two at a time and I’ve come to appreciate the dinners out, the quiet of a hotel room, and uninterrupted conversation with co-workers.  My husband gets extra time with the kids and has a better appreciation for what I do for the family.

Q: What has been your most special family memory from this summer?
My favorite family memory from this summer has to be the last night of our June trip to my parent’s house in North Carolina.  My sister and her family from Denver were visiting too and adults and kids were all gathered in the family room for “awards night”.  The awards night tradition started a couple of years ago during another family reunion in NC when my parents had some left over medals lying around and my husband picked them up and started handing them out to the kids.  The awards were a celebration of something they had done that week.  For example, Elliot once got an award for swimming under water for the first time, Ethan got one for his daring ride on the inner tube behind grandpa’s boat, and Olivia was awarded for helping her younger cousin in the pool.  Each time a kid’s name was called, everyone would cheer as the honoree walked up to accept their medal around their neck.  It may sound a bit corny, but the kids really anticipated this part of the week and they grinned from ear to ear waiting for their name to be called.  So this year, on the last night, following Josh’s presentation of the medals, the kids spontaneously took off their medals and started handing them back out to the adults.  Each adult’s name was called and something the kids appreciated that week was celebrated – for example, Uncle Dave for taking us on golf cart rides, Granny for cooking great dinners, and Grandpa for driving the boat and taking them fishing.  It was a really unexpected and sweet moment where the kids expressed their gratitude in the kind of overt way that kids don’t often do.

Do you want to nominate a Chambana mom or dad to know? Contact us.

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom to Know: Andrea Aguiar
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Elizabeth Buckley

See why we think Nicole O'Dell is a Chambana mom to know. Photo provided

Nicole O’Dell is an author of young adult novels as well as a radio host with a show aimed toward teen girls. In the next 14 months, she has 11 books coming out! In her not-so-free time, she is a mom of six that range in age from 2 to 19. One of her major goals is to have her set of toddler triplets potty trained sometime in 2011.  You can find her radio show, Teen Talk Radio, at www.choicesradio.com. You can find her books and her blog at www.nicoleodell.com.

See why we think Nicole O’Dell is a Chambana Mom to Know — and enter to win a signed copy of one of her young adult books below!

Q: How about telling us a little about your kids?

Ah, my favorite topic. I’m a slobbery mom. I just love to kiss on my kiddos—the backs of their necks. Their sweet little feet—well, until they turn three. My son Erik is 19, and, believe me, I have nothing to do with his feet. His are clad in military boots as he is off serving his country in the Air Force. Natalie is 13 and Emily is 10. We’re doing a neat book together called Girl Talk, based on an advice column we have on my blog. Readers write in, and my girls and I answer their questions. Next year, those questions and answers will come out in a book called Girl Talk which releases in February 2012.

I also have a set of almost-3-year-old triplets. Oh, my goodness…those babies are a piece of heaven right here on earth. Logan, Megan, and Ryleigh. Ahhh. You’re making me want to go wake them up for some cuddles.

Q: You are a writer, an advice-giver, and a radio host. Why do you focus on teen girls?

Honestly, it’s as difficult as it is rewarding. It’s heartbreaking sometimes, and exhausting a lot of the time. I often ask myself if I’m too old or too out of touch to reach or entertain teens. But then I get a letter or an email from someone who was touched by something I did or said. I’m reminded in those moments that God has called me to reach out to teens, probably because those were the years of my deepest personal spiritual battle.

In my teens, I was pulled hard to many extremes. . .physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My struggles, my failures, my pain–those things drive me to want more for today’s teens. I want to spare them from some of the heartache I endured and help them tackle the temptations and peer pressures head on. They’re the future.

Q: I read that you particularly try to help relationships between teen girls and their mothers – why and how do you do this?

Nicole O'Dell's six children include two teenagers, a tween and triplet toddlers.

The why is easy. It’s because that relationship was the most difficult one for me to figure out in my own teen years. My Mom operated with my best interests at heart, and she was motivated by love, but I challenged everything she said and everything she did. We struggled for years. I want to help other moms and daughters work through pride that leads to assumptions, and uncover the motivations that lie propel words and actions.

The only way to really achieve that is through communication.  So I work hard to help foster different methods of openness and provide resources to achieve that. For example, I have a new series that begins its release in May 2012 with the first two of at least six books, Hot Buttons: Dating and Hot Buttons: Internet. The Hot Buttons series through Kregel Publications will help parents have difficult conversations about real-life issues to prepare their teens to handle the peer pressure long before it actually hits. Each book provides tips and scripts to work through the topic.

I’m big on the idea of pre-empting tough choices with preparation. That’s why I wrote my Scenarios for Girls series with alternate endings. By letting the reader make the choices for the main character, she’s able to take ownership for her decision as she lives it out through the story. In some small way, it gives her the chance to try out her choices before she has to do it in real life. Parents have used these as a companion tool for those early teen and tween conversations.

Q: You describe yourself as a Christian writer – how does your faith factor into your work?

My faith identifies God as a central force in the workings of the family unit. I believe faith plays a big part in raising kids into great people, and I’ve seen firsthand how hurting families and broken relationships are repaired and restored through faith and prayer. It would be impossible for me to craft my message or affect any sort of real change in my readers or listeners if I left the faith element out because it wouldn’t be true to what I believe—to what I know to be true in my life and have seen in countless others.

Q: How do you balance your writing/radio/advice life with being a mom to six?

I’m definitely a working mom in a very busy household—which often means a retreat to Panera for some quiet. It’s not always easy, but my husband and I have committed to making sure I have certain hours to write or do other writing-related work. We try very hard to protect those hours. It doesn’t always work, and family comes first no matter what, but we do our best. So far, so good.

Q: I have one toddler — and I can’t imagine having three at the same time. How do you stay sane as the mom of triplet two-year-olds?

When I had my first child at 20, I couldn’t have handled triplets! When I had Natalie at 25 and Emily at 28, I don’t believe I would have been equipped for it either. But now, at 38, with three babysitters at my disposal (totally kidding) I believe that I’ve seen enough of life and how fast it moves, that I’m able to slow down and enjoy each moment for what it is. Sure, some of the days are long and challenging, but those tiny arms around my neck 1000 times a day soothe away the stress. Sure, I don’t have a lot of relaxing “me” time, but there will be time for that later. This is a season in life, and I know from experience that it passes so quickly.

Nicole has been kind enough to offer one lucky chambanamoms.com reader a signed copy of Swept Away, a Young Adult book in her Scenarios for Girls series.

Here’s how you can enter: leave a comment telling us the best book you’ve read this summer (or whenever .

All entries are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2; one comment per person.  Winner will be selected at random by random.org and notified by Tuesday, Aug. 3.

Do you know of a Chambana mom or dad to know? Nominate her or him by contacting us!

Related posts:

1. Chambana Mom And Dad To Know: Jessie and Jarrod Scheunemann
2. Chambana Mom to Know: Nadya Mason
3. Chambana Mom to Know: Hua Nian