mom about town
BY MADISON VOORHIES PHOTO BY MORGAN WYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY Nicole Caridad Ralston, Ph.D., is a woman who wears many hats—and somehow makes it all look effortless. Originally from Florida, she and her husband, Michael, were so drawn to the magic of Nola that they made it their home in 2012. Now, as parents to two- year-old twins, life is a whirlwind of daycare drop-offs, delicious meals, outdoor festivals, and weekend adventures. Nicole is also a big advocate for open adoption, embracing a beautiful and meaningful relationship with her children’s birth family. With a passion for community, culture, and keeping life fun (even in the chaos of parenting twins), Nicole is the kind of mom who proves you really can have it all—if you’re willing to roll with the punches and enjoy the ride. NICOLE CARIDAD RALSTON, PH.D.
Husband: Michael Hellier Children: Alma and Luca, 2 Occupations: Founder & CEO of Caridad Consulting, Doula, Content Creator/Foodie (@EatenPathNola) Hobbies: Dining out, watching documentaries, and attending outdoor music festivals & events
WHAT IS YOUR DAY TYPICALLY LIKE?
ABOUT YOUR CAREERS? NICOLE: Being able to support people in being their happy, full selves, whether that’s in an organization I’m working with, a mom or a family that I’m serving [for] as a doula, or even a restaurant that’s needing some help and promotion in some way. WHAT ARE SOME JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A MOM? NICOLE: It’s funny because my parents always told this to me, but when you have kids, it’s almost like you’re seeing the world again through new eyes— everything is exciting! Mardi Gras is the most exciting thing to the kids, anything like a museum or looking at flowers… everything is so new and exciting to them. That brings a lot of joy. [Also,] we’re adopted parents—the twins were adopted at birth—and [another] thing that brings me joy is that we have a really healthy, open adoption relationship with their birth mom, which was incredibly important to me. I update her weekly
on how the kids are doing and share photos. She has a son she chose to parent, so the twins have a brother who visits them every couple of months. I have to really pinch myself often about how blessed we are to have such a healthy relationship with their biological family, not for me and my husband (that’s important too) but for the kids. Biology can’t be overruled. It means a lot, and for adoptees in particular, if they’re able to and if it’s a healthy situation, having connections to the biological family is important to adoptees’ development. Challenges: Parenting is exhausting. I always wanted twins, but I definitely underestimated having two kids of the same age at the same time, and how difficult that can be. But also, it’s so joyful. They really are best friends. [Another] challenge is scheduling. The operations of being a two-parent household that works, it’s like running a business. You shift to this space with your partner, where your partner is first in a romantic relationship, but you’re raising children together. The last thing I would say is just the stress and anxiety of wanting to raise
NICOLE: I don’t even set an alarm clock anymore because of how early my kids wake up; they’re usually up at 6:30. My day typically starts around then. I get them fed, hang out with them for a bit, [and] get them ready for daycare. Because I own my own business and I’m a consultant, my nine-to-five days can vary. It [can] be a variety of meetings or leading workshops or facilitations. I do travel for work [about] once a month. Towards the end of the day, after we pick up the kids, it could be a variety of things. If I have an Eaten Path event or invite, we sometimes go as a whole family. I might bring them to an event or restaurant. It could mean going for walks in our neighborhood. [But] usually, it’s dining out with the kids (or without the kids!) or a walk at night. [On] weekends, we’re usually out and about all day, like at a festival or an event or something with the kiddos. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST
14 APRIL 2025 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
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