Behind the Scenes:
My dear friend, Jessica Spencer-Gardner has not been in my life for very long, but she has made a big impact on me. Our daughters were in preschool together and we come to find out she played basketball at ORU which I grew up nearby in Tulsa, OK and I also played basketball. In the same conversation, I discover she is from Kansa City and that is where my mom was born and raised. Then finally, I learn that she teaches classes at the Y where we go regularly, and let’s just say, if you see Jess then you would believe in whatever work out classes she is a part of because she is so wonderfully fit.
I start taking her classes and was instantly in awe of her. I have taught classes, I have taken a ton of classes and no one even gets close to Jess. How was she so different? Why was she so good? Why did I love this class that absolutely kills me week after week? Well, my curious self couldn’t hold back so over the course of about 6 months I ask her all these questions and many more.
Jess was so much better than anyone else I had ever seen because she worked harder than anyone I had ever seen. She preps, studies, practices, and has a passion for impacting people’s lives through her work. She is a Les Mills instructor which she is so proud of and she continues to climb the ranks and add certifications.
So after months of becoming friends with Jess, learning from her, hearing more about her family and her siblings, I realized her mom is exactly the type of mom I want to interview for this podcast. I am looking for exceptional people…that is Jess, who love their momma…that is Jess, and who are willing to share their journey…that is Jess & her incredible mom, Julie Boan!
Insights from Julie Boan
A mother to five exceptional children, Julie shared so many insightful tidbits that any parent could immediately put into action today.
Julie is crazy for her kids and her positive, humble demeanor gave us a glimpse into how she ran her household and possibly why she has raised children who are all thriving in adulthood and still very close to one another.
Julie, who is now a family counselor, discussed how there was no yelling in her home and that she & her husband Matt leaned towards love & logic as a parenting style. It was evident that Julie enjoyed her children when they were young and still to this day she is her kids’ biggest fan.
She wanted her children to remain friends for life and she made that idea central to her family life which paid off greatly as their family remains close today even though they are in different phases of life and not all in the same city.
Julie wished she would have had more one on one time with her children and has a genius suggestion for parents to make that happen for themselves. She suggests giving each child 30 minutes once a week to pick any activity that he/she will get to do one on one with mom or dad. This approach allows the one on one time manageable for the parent to follow through with and still gives that special one on one time with the child. Since my conversation with Julie, I have actually put this into play at our house and it is WONDERFUL! I highly recommend it and appreciate Julie’s tip!
She also shared the fact that for every one negative comment coming from a parent to their child there needs to be five positive comments to balance the negative talk. That changes the way one would think about negative messages being sent to their child.
Julie’s parenting motto of “It’s never too late” inspires us parents to do our best with the next moments. It doesn’t matter how old your child is, it’s always the right time to do your best as their parent. Julie is an all-star momma which a big, happy family that brings light to all those around them!
