Real Mom. Real Talk. Real Hustle

One of the best parts of writing about a local Mom each month is that I get to meet so many different Mamas. This month, it was all about Sabrina Boulais & what an absolute joy it has been getting to know her. Sabrina is a full time IT Program Manager for a telecommunications company. Grateful to have the flexibility to work from home, Sabrina can be fully present for her family as she needs.

A bonus? She is a part of her children’s PTA at their elementary school. Not only that, she has also taken on the role of President this year. “I truly enjoy being part of the community and helping the amazing teachers and staff that dedicate themselves to the success of our children everyday.” This write-up could not come at a more perfect moment as Charleston area kiddos head back to school this week (and some even last week).

With the school year now in full swing you can find Sabrina helping get her 3 children up, ready & out the door to catch the bus for school. This week was the first day for her kiddos & she shared the cutest video of her little one coming off the bus and you could feel the excitement coming off the screen.

Sabrina carves out time for herself once her children are at school with a workout including a run or walk with her dogs plus some strength training or yoga. Then it’s time to start working in her home office & await for her kids arrival home from school. Afternoons aren’t for the weak between homework, finishing up work, dinner and activities for her 3 kids.

Since the weeks are pretty full, the weekends are reserved for relaxation and laying low. It’s Sabrina’s time to enjoy a slower morning, maybe even get an extra hour of sleep. Coffee is an absolute must (same girl, same)!! Sabrina said it best: “The name of the game for our weekends is always relax. We do not fill them up with activities or events but rather focus on family time and fun together.” I love this and maybe I need to sometimes heed this advice and slow it down on the weekends too. One can hope.

As always, I asked Sabrina a few questions and cannot wait to share her responses with you:

What’s the best part about being a Mom?

The best part of being a mom for me is truly connecting with these little humans that think so highly of me and that I could do no wrong. No matter how badly I might think I’m failing from time to time, they always show me that they trust and value any feedback I have. Watching them go through each stage of life is such a blessing and helping them navigate the ups and downs is truly my calling.

& the hardest part?

The hardest part of being a Mom would be the expectations put on us (whether by others or by ourselves). I think the pressures we put on ourselves as Moms these days is unlike anything else in our lives. There’s so much information and knowledge available to us that we can’t help but wonder if we’re making the right decisions about everything. I’m constantly evaluating every decision and hoping it’s the right one while also knowing that I’m doing the best I can.

What is your proudest moment as a Mom?

One of my primary goals as a mom is making sure I’m raising good humans to help our society evolve and grow in positive ways. A key aspect of that is ensuring my kids understand how to behave in public and are respectful to adults and their peers regardless of whether they know them or not. I often receive positive feedback on the behavior of my kids and it truly honors me to know that they’re representing themselves in the best way and setting a good example for others.

When you get time to yourself, what do you like to do?

I like to workout – having a job where I sit at a desk all day, when I have some time to myself I like to move my body.

What advice would you give a new Mom?

Treasure those newborn days… they are tough but truly go by so quickly. Use your resources but trust your gut – if you think they need to go to the doctor, take them to the doctor. Always remind yourself that you’re only human and it’s ok to ask for help.

Tell us about something funny (and maybe relatable) that happened to you as a Mom.

I have strong genes in my family (thick brown hair and deep brown eyes – my parents and all of my siblings and I) while my husbands family all have different attributes (light brown hair, dark brown hair, blonde hair, hazel eyes, etc.) so I thought FOR SURE my kids would look like me… well my first son has light brown hair and hazel eyes, second son has light brown hair and brown eyes and my daughter (who I thought WITHOUT A DOUBT would have dark brown hair like me) has bright blonde hair and BLUE EYES!!! No matter how badly I was convinced my kids would carry my ‘strong’ genes… none of them have my dark brown hair and only one has brown eyes!

What are your 3 favorite local Instagram accounts to follow?

@chsworkingmoms (of course!), @dirtydiapersandmartinis, @littlesinthelowcountry

What is your favorite shop to go to or yourself? For the kiddos?

Myself – Modern Manor
Kids – Tweedle Beedle

What is your favorite restaurant to go to with the whole family?

HomeTeam.

& for date night?

We like to try new restaurants every time we go on a date night. There are SO many great options in the area and I don’t think we’ve ever been disappointed!

What is your favorite family event around Charleston?

It’s so hard to pick just one! We love all the festivals – strawberry festivals, fall festivals, Festival of Lights, etc.

Before ending the interview, I asked Sabrina if there was anything else that she would like to share with the people: “Even though I do not own my own business or need to promote myself in any way, I think it’s important that all Moms understand their importance in the lives of their families and the community.” One very important thing about this monthly features is that we feature all Moms – whether you own your own business, work in corporate, work part or full time, work from home, stay at home with the kiddos, Homeschool or a mix of everything. Every Mom is important, is valued and should be celebrated! Show Sabrina some love on Instagram this month for her feature!