First things first, you can either call me Hsien (shen) or Lei (like the Hawaiian floral lei). I am a Chinese-American expat currently living in Vietnam with my husband and three-year-old son, but we’re moving on to London in January 2006!
Having the opportunity to write for eMothersOnline is extremely exciting for me. Since I became a mother, I’ve felt that mothers are often brushed off and not taken as seriously as they deserve. This applies to all mothers whether they are stay-at-home moms, work-at-home moms, work-out-of-home moms, or whatever other hyphenated permutation of mothers you can think of. While we will, of course, talk about our kids at eMothersOnline, we’ll be focusing more on YOU and US as individuals who deserve to be bolstered, appreciated, and encouraged. It’s not about being aggressive, but being assertive.
And what do I do aside from being a motherhood cheerleader? I’ve worked in the healthcare industry since I was in high school and have a PhD in genetic epidemiology (the study of the genetic causes and distribution of diseases in the population). Soon after becoming pregnant, I changed my career path and started working as a freelance consultant, science editor, and writer. Nowadays, I spend most of my time playing slave to my toddler and writing for a few other blogs: Cotton-Pickin’ Days - my personal blog, Children’s Books, Toys, and Things Blog, Genetics and Public Health Blog, and healthcare.wurk.net (a healthcare career advice blog). Hope you’ll come visit me at these places too!
Now here’s what I’ve got to say about these things if you aren’t wishing I’d wrap it up already:
1) What’s the best advice you received on motherhood?
Everyone makes mistakes. The difference is that good parents are always striving to do better whether it’s by reading more books, talking to more parents, or reading eMothersOnline!
2) What do you love best about a mother?
Being the center of someone else’s universe instead of only mine. Just kidding! But really, the feeling of having a purpose greater than just yourself is a tremendous life-motivating force to go out and make a difference.
3) Name one mommy-gadget/tool that you love.
The ring sling. Since we travel frequently and often to places where we rely on public transportation, I have never used a stroller. Slinging been great exercise for me and a source of comfort for my child. (We’re using a Kangaroo Korner solarveil ring sling in the photo above.)
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