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did from all the rules and things that went right.
I hope I’m somebody they want to be friends with and somebody who adds value to their life. I hope I was a good mom. I hope I am. But more than anything, I hope their bills are low and their lives are full. I hope they never feel like they had to be me or that I tried to create them into anything other than who they were meant to be and whatever their purpose in life is. WHAT PARENTING ADVICE HAVE YOU RECEIVED THAT HAS STUCK WITH YOU? WHITNEY: Remember that your kid is just a smaller human. They're human just like you. My friend told me that once. She said, “She’s just a human,” and I was like, “What?” And then it clicked. I realized I was devaluing her by thinking, “She’s just my kid.” But she’s not just my kid. She’s a tiny human. Rapid-Fire Questions Favorite spot for date night… Elsie’s. One word that best describes your family… mismatched. Favorite food… mashed potatoes or my mom’s crawfish pies. Favorite movie… A Love Song for Bobby Long . Any hidden talents… No, I put my talents out there. I need the validation.
I grew up in a privileged home, but there was addiction from her second hus- band. I remember him coming into the house, and I had a little brother who was nine years younger than me. She looked at me as a grown teenager and said, “I just need you to focus on making this,” and it was a paper rainbow. It " I realized I was devaluing her by thinking, “She’s just my kid.” But she’s not just my kid. She’s a tiny human. didn’t mean a lot to me then, but looking back, she made sure I had something to focus on and that I was safe so she could go check on my little brother and be that mom. She had this grace about her when things went wrong. We’ve gotten out of the habit of offering ourselves grace as parents. When I think back to my mom, I see all the times she offered herself grace. I learned more from that and how I should treat myself than I ever
WHAT IS ONE FAMILY TRADITION YOU HOPE YOUR CHILDREN CARRY ON? WHITNEY: I hope the Christmas tree always stays a hodgepodge of ornaments. I hope it looks like a crazy mess of memories from all the years before. Christmas tree decorating is my favorite because you pull out an ornament and say, “Oh, remember when?” It becomes more about the life than just the 25 days.
WHEN YOUR CHILDREN LOOK BACK, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THEY’LL SAY ABOUT THE KIND OF MOM YOU ARE?
WHITNEY: I hope they realize that I’m not trying to be their friend right now. I’m trying to raise somebody I want to be friends with when they’re 30. When they look back at the things I’ve built, I hope it means something to them. I hope they’re like, “Man, I’m really proud of that.” But I don’t need them to carry it on. If they carry on generosity, great, but I hope they recognize that I was never trying to make them mini-mes.
BRPARENTS.COM | NOVEMBER 2026
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