Why I Cry in Front of my Kids and You Should Too

Social Emotional Learning. You’ve probably heard of it. It’s a major buzzword these days and for good reason. SEL includes learning about our feelings: how to recognize them, how to manage them, and how to notice them in others. A hugely important social and life skill, SEL is finally being recognized and addressed in schools.

In our family, we’ve made sure it’s a big part of our home teaching as well. My kids watched Daniel Tiger, and we fill our bookshelves with books about naming and recognizing feelings.

We talk a great game.

“All feelings are normal. All feelings are human. And all feelings belong and can be worked with.”

But as an adult, I’ve found the hardest part is practicing what we preach. I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to bottle up all “bad” feelings–sadness, anger, embarrassment–until I can be alone.

Crying in the bathroom anyone?

It’s a natural instinct and not necessarily a bad one. Clearly, we don’t want all our anger exploding all over our children. But what if our kids could watch us work through some of these feelings, could actually see their grown-ups process . . . say . . . sadness?

When my daughter was just under two, I broke down crying in front of her one day. It wasn’t anything dramatic that caused it. I was just overwhelmed. She stood close to me, looked at the tears on my face, and said “mama sad.”

Read the rest in the original post here…

Maternity Leave – the web series

I had the pleasure of playing a high and mighty, highly ridiculous mom in the new digital series Maternity Leave. Created by Angel Laketa Moore (That Chick Angel TV), it’s a hilarious look at a new mom trying to get back into her acting career. (Yeah. I can relate.) In episode 2, I play one of the over-the-top mothers in her lactation support group, The Milky Moms. Check it out!

Make sure you don’t miss the bonus material from the episode as well, where all of us Milky Moms got to improvise. Watch the crazy come out! Look, if you leave the camera on me long enough, I’m gonna start singing!

One Funny Mother

Call it typecasting but this new mother got to play a new mother on a new digital series “Maternity Leave” written by Angel Laketa Moore. My character, an absurdly perfectionist mom is part of a breastfeeding support group full of misfits. I had a great time with the cast, working out my scripted comedy and improv chops. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Make it!

I’m currently being interviewed by a blog about strong women (more on that later!) and was asked how I found myself wearing so many hats (actor, writer, singer, sometimes director and producer). Aside from my creative family upbringing, upon moving to LA I discovered that everyone here was making things! I had ideas… and I had inspirational go-getters to shadow. So I dove in!

I’ve been looking at the amazing and amazingly large catalog from my sketch group onewordnocaps. We’re a bunch of actor/writer/director/producers who are constantly stretching our creative muscles and wearing multiple hats to make it all happen. Check out a few of my favorites (so far) that I’ve been involved in!

I’m back on ABC’s Speechless Weds Oct 18th!

This Wednesday October 18th at 7:30/8:30c, I’m back again on ABC’s Speechless as the English Teacher who is… um, not so good at her job. I’m excited and grateful to be recurring on this sweet, poignant and funny show.
For this episode, I had to do some physical comedy, a minor stunt, and learn a new skill! I can’t wait to see how it all turns out in the edit.
Check it out! And thank you for your continuing support!

onewordnocaps fundraising campaign

As you know, I work with a terrific sketch group onewordnocaps. We’re in the process of putting together Season 4 and really need some new equipment (lights, sound gear) to do so. So we shot a funny video to tell ya all about our needs. Because that’s what we do! Enjoy the video (warning; adorable guest stars ahead) and please consider donating!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/onewordnocaps-comedy-season-4-and-beyond/x/15867337#

Finalist in The Funny Women Fest video shorts competition!

On Wednesday I screened an episode of Katie-Do at the Funny Women Festival, an amazing festival put on by the sketch team Cake Batter to celebrate strong, hilarious women. The screening was a blast. It was so cool to hear people laughing (and screaming) in real time as they watched!

My category, video shorts, is a competition category and I am so pleased to announce that I’ve been advanced to the final round! The final screening and voting takes place 7-8pm this Saturday December 5th at The Del Close Theater in Hollywood. You can purchase tickets here. The final round is part audience vote, part judging panel so I’d love to see some friendly faces! Hope you can make it!

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Not every acting day is a good day

Some of you may know that I was fired from an acting gig when the theater managers found out I was pregnant. I’m very grateful to have been given a platform to tell my story. Please check out my article on the amazing blog, Some Lady Parts. Share it if it speaks to you. Hopefully we are approaching an era where things like this won’t happen to women and this can just be a history lesson.

http://someladyparts.com/post/133013438175/dont-call-me-a-liability