Hello and welcome to episode 12! This week I am talking with Kim Nothdruft. Kim has 5 children, her oldest has a very rare genetic disorder and requires help with nearly all daily activities. I have been following her life (online) for awhile now and I am excited we got into some real talk this week. 

Kim focuses on using laughter as a coping mechanism in her life. She shares that her parenting philosophy is to take what she does well and run with it. Parents can’t ever be perfect, but we can take the skills that we have and thrive with those. 

Kim and I both agree that it’s so important in life to take responsibility for how we show up and how that impacts everyone around us. Positivity (usually) attracts positivity . As moms with chaotic lives, we can see the benefits of bringing the right attitude to the table. Kim says when she’s struggling or having a hard day, if she can just lay down and have a moment to stop, she can often change her mindset. 

Kim amplifies her belief that all moms have this special inner strength, the strength to do hard things and push through hard situations with their children. She wants moms to know that they can and would be able to be strong, if they had to. She also shares how she put on a strong face and and actfor years, but looking back she thinks she was actually really hurting. She explains that it took her reflecting on how sad she was and that she may always be hurting because of her daughter’s condition and diagnosis. However, when she could accept and acknowledge this, she could finally be her strongest. 

Finally we talk about how we try to keep an open mind and an open heart about other struggles moms are going through. This ties back to my previous episode about pain comparison. Kim says she can tap in and feel compassion for others, even if their problems seem “less” than what she’s gone through. 

Who is Kim Nothdruft:

Kim is a wife and mama to 5 kids, her oldest suffers from a rare genetic disorder, she also juggles her other kids as graceful as a giraffe on skates. 

You can follow her or reach out via her Instagram: @calm_amongst_chaos