Lynn Spiro

Who are you sister? Tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Lynn Spiro, I am the owner/founder of the website Better Ask Your Mom, and mother of the most wonderful 6 month old baby girl. Pre-baby I was working in Chicago as a child life specialist. I currently live in pure Michigan with my husband, daughter, 2 cats and 2 dogs. My super power is the ability to speak to children in a way that they can understand, no matter what the circumstance is (death, medical diagnosis, trauma, abuse etc.) or where they are currently at developmentally. I’ve lived and worked in three different countries, and in a different life I would have never stopped.

Let’s do some one word answers. Read, set, go:

Morning drink: Room temperature black coffee (Yay motherhood!)

Indulgence: Showering (Yay motherhood!)

Lusting after: A full night of sleep (Yay motherhood!)

Spirit animal: Jennifer Lawrence 

Head space: I want to do it all

Heart space: Slow down, you have time 

Bloom of choice: Gardenia

Turn on: A good sense of humor  

Go to gemstone: Diamond

Celebrity icon: Beyoncé 

Favorite compliment: “You are brilliant. I admire your brain.”

Word/theme of the year: Pick up the pieces, rise from the ashes

What does practicing joy mean to you? To me, practicing joy means being fully present and aware in joyful moments. It means slowing down to take thirty seconds to say to myself, “Remember this, take a mental snapshot.” As I get older, life seems to have somehow shifted from “play” to “fast forward”, so it’s important to me to stop and be present during those precious moments… Like when my baby is laughing, it’s a beautiful day outside, or when my husband and I actually have a rare moment alone.

Biggest life lesson you’ve learned lately: “Everything will be OK in the end. If it’s not OK, it’s not the end.” -John Lennon 

I’ve always loved this quote, but I have learned over the years (and once again in my most recent website venture) that you have to put in the work for this message to be true. 

What’s your definition of success? My definition of success varies greatly depending on what I’m focused on. 

 Success for my child: Is she happy and healthy? 

 Success for working with children and families in the hospital: Are they empowered by the knowledge and coping skills I’ve provided? 

 Success for my website: Do I have a blue “verified account” check mark next to my name on my social media accounts?

Name 3 things from your Life List that light you up:

 1. Writing and publishing children’s books

2. Designing and planting a backyard sized landscaped garden full of vegetables and fruit trees (complete with a tree house for the kiddos and a “she-shed” for me)

3. Showing my daughter the world one day

 What do you do when life gets messy? Focus. Evaluate. Act. Everything that isn’t essential falls away, and I become unequivocally focused on what needs to be accomplished (depending on the situation). 

3 songs:

“Lucky Man” by The Verve

“Wait for It” by Lin-Manuel Miranda

“Formation” by Beyoncé 

3 books:

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

The Wonderland Book by Kirsty Mitchell

King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey wood

3 Instagrams:

 @andreawalkermua

@Beyoncé

@thronesfacts

Book that made a difference: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. I read this book during a tumultuous time in my life, and it really helped me to refocus and shift a few things. I’ve been much happier ever since. 

Currently obsessed: Fresh figs are in season right now, so I’ve been making balsamic drizzled fig, arugula & pine nut salads non-stop.

Can’t live without: My husband, daughter, and Burt’s Bees Peppermint Chapstick 

How are you going to change the world? I hope my website, Better Ask Your Mom will provide a funny, safe, judgement free zone for parents and caregivers to submit questions about their children. I want to help people better understand their child(ren) by explaining developmental theory and valid, reliable research studies that may pertain to their question(s).

I currently have readers in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Nigeria, Mali, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ghana- but I am always looking to expand! 

Best piece of advice: “There is no such thing as failure. “Failure” is just that thing trying to move you in the right direction towards the path that you are supposed to be on.”

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