There are so many fabulous bloggers out there, and we want to highlight them on Cityline.ca. We’ll be profiling different lifestyle bloggers from month to month — they might write about food, fashion, beauty, décor, parenting, entertaining, gardening, you get the idea! For October 2015, we’re putting the spotlight on mommy blog Baby & Life. Run by Yashy Murphy, her goal is to show her readers how they can “maintain the pre-baby life, post-baby” as she travels and eats her away around the world with her two small children in tow. Here’s our Q&A with Yashy:
When did you start Baby and Life? What was your inspiration for starting the blog?
Baby & Life was born in November 2011. I was at home with a 2 week old and was bored! We decided to travel the following month and we were already out at restaurants and pubs with a newborn and so I decided to write about our adventures and how we were introducing the newest family member to our lifestyle.
We love how you show your readers how you can “maintain the pre-baby life, post-baby”. Why is this an important focus for you with your blog?
Thank you! Everyone told us our life would change and that we wouldn’t be able to travel, dine and hang out with our friends once the little one came along. I was DETERMINED to prove them wrong because I knew my husband and I travelled and dined out at nice restaurants as kids. I decided to share HOW we were living in downtown Toronto with a baby. I want other urban couples to realize that life doesn’t end once they have a child. You can maintain your pre-baby lifestyle post baby IF you WANT to.
What top 3 tips can you give to our readers who might be struggling to maintain a balance in their life with young kids?
- JUST do it! Don’t worry too much about what can go wrong or who will say what.
- Don’t be afraid to engage in social experiments. Take the kid to a pub if that’s what you want to do!
- Build a supportive network. Whether it be family or friends, surround yourself with people who want to see you maintain your current lifestyle.
You’ve travelled to over 33 cities in 8 countries since you’ve had your first child, and now you even travel with two! Do you have any advice or tricks of the trade on travelling with young children?
Every flight and car ride is different. Some days we luck out and some days we don’t. However, we still ensure we expose the kids to new ideas, experiences and people. The more they travel, the more they WANT to travel. The key to travel with young kids is going prepared with toys, snacks and a good attitude. Go with an agenda but be flexible to change the plan.
What do you hope readers get from visiting your blog?
That you can still live the life you dreamed of when you first became a couple…even with kids along for the ride.
Tell us about a post that you’re particularly proud of and want to share with Cityline.ca readers.
My post on screaming kids in restaurants is one of my favourites because a restaurant we had dined at during our travels were apparently banning kids (according to a reader who left a comment on our original review). Through the powers of social media, I reached out to the owner and soon realized that things weren’t as it seemed. This post was my way of not only sharing tips for restaurant behavior, but also as a way of thanking the chefs who welcome families with well-behaved young kids.
What’s your top advice for other bloggers?
Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions. Watch out for self-censorship – don’t be afraid to hit publish. Most of all, don’t stop writing. It’s easy to lose your writing mojo, so ensure you maintain a frequent schedule.
What are some other blogs you love reading?
I have a couple that inspire me, make me laugh and totally fuel my wanderlust. Here’s some favourites: Casey Palmer, Globetrotting Mama & Solo Mom Takes Flight.
We want to hear from you! Do you know a blogger we should feature on Cityline.ca? Maybe it’s you! Email us at submissions@cityline.ca and include “Cityline Featured Blogger” in the subject line. And don’t forget to include a link to the blog! Look forward to hearing from you!