You are a woman of many parts and passions. Tell us about yourself and what makes you tick.
Ah, indeed I wear many hats, from working in policy and strategy, to writing books for children, coaching working mums and being a wife and mother! It does get busier, but my passion to help people be their best in every aspect of their lives keeps me going.
Despite your busy schedule, you’ve embraced several other projects like coaching busy mums and promoting childhood literacy. What made you take on these additional activities, and how do you manage it all?
Again, it’s the passion! When you find purpose, you will find it easy to pursue those things that you’re passionate about. As a working mum, I always told myself that, surely, motherhood should not stop me from accomplishing my purpose and being fulfilled as an individual. Motherhood is a blessing and should make me better, and that led me to learning more about parenting and teaching others what I learnt. This has led to my Butterfly Mentoring and Coaching initiative, which is a transformational programme I created for working mums, especially those who are at a crossroads or just overwhelmed with the different aspects of their lives.
What makes parenting in the 21st century more complicated than it was in the past?
The internet! Children today are digital natives and are basically growing up with all this technology at their fingertips, which can be a good thing or a terrible thing! There is so much distracting them, and their parents are busier than ever. There has also been a distancing of sorts in the extended family unit; so many of these children are being raised without the consistent presence and support of grandparents and other relatives.
How can parents equip themselves for raising children in these unique times?
Parents need to be more intentional than ever before, and actively seek out the knowledge and skills needed to guide these young people. As 21st century parents, we can’t afford to be passive. I hold annual parenting conferences where I and a bunch of other parenting experts teach different aspects of parenting. I often speak on work-life integration, which is important for every working parent. There are also sessions for raising boys, raising girls, dealing with trauma and so much more. I also encourage parents to read up and get all the information they can via courses, classes and communities, like the tips I share via youtube, Instagram and twitter, and parenting community I have built on Whatsapp. In that group, we share real parenting advice and help one another become better.
Why is reading so important for children, and how can parents encourage their children to read more books?
Ah, books are so magical! Honestly, two of the greatest things in the world for me are pictures and books! We learn so much from reading, and children can benefit immensely from immersing themselves in literature. They can travel across distant lands, become more knowledgeable and improve academically. It also helps improve their outcomes for success in life, so if you can get a child to fall in love with reading it will open up their minds in more ways than one. One of the best ways to encourage our children to read is to become readers ourselves, as children tend to emulate what they see their parents doing. We can also incorporate reading into daily activities and routines, like morning devotions or bedtime stories.
When you’re not working on one of your initiatives, what do you do to relax and unwind?
My happy place is gisting with family or just chilling over good food.
You can follow Chioma on @chiomahmomah on Instagram and youtube
