Alison Mitzner is a board certified pediatrician, a senior director of a large pharmaceutical company and a mom of two wonderful children. Her journey of being a parent exposed her to the stress and anxiety that often goes with parenting. This experience led her to dive into both medical and practical methods of balancing both career and motherhood. Since 2017, she has been sharing her parenting tips and knowledge with an online community that spans across several platforms. Now, she has written a best selling book, raises her two children, and is looking to help even more parents to overcome the difficulties of parenting. Her message is best captured by the title of her book, “Calm and Confident Parenting: How to Care for Yourself (and Your Kids) through Life’s Chaos.
Before becoming a mom, Dr. Alison had built a successful career in the field of medicine. “I had spent five years in private practice as a pediatrician. After that, I moved into the pharmaceutical world.” She had originally pursued a career in medicine because she has always wanted to help people. Pharmaceuticals seemed like the perfect way to accomplish that. “[Through pharma] I’ve been able to help millions on a global scale and that certainly has been quite fulfilling.” With nearly a decade of experience in the medical field, her life took a pleasant, yet difficult turn. “I got married and I got pregnant.” A testament to her willpower, she was able to juggle the stress of being a mom and working a full-time job, but it wasn’t without its struggles. “During my first pregnancy, I struggled with extreme headaches and couldn’t find any help while the underlying cause was being determined, until someone recommended acupuncture.” After trying several sessions, she found relief. Over the next few years, the western trained doctor began studying alternative methods for medicine. “I began to practice acupuncture, reflexology, and mindfulness (all in conjunction with western medicine). What I used to think was “Hocus Pocus” was actually helping me.”
As a result of her findings through studying eastern and western practices, Dr. Mitzner stumbled into another realization. “Most information for moms and dads to deal with the stress of parenting was often confusing and hard to digest.” That’s when she started her writing career. What started as a side hobby on a friend’s blog has turned into a worldwide community. Now as a best selling author, a contributor to many online magazines and a frequent guest on podcasts and TV media shows across the country, Dr. Alison Mitzner is quickly becoming a household name. Here are a few of her tips to parents trying to find calm in the chaos of life.
Exercise and Nutrition Is A Must
Whether staying fit through her pregnancy and post pregnancy, or competing in a nationwide Fit Doctor competition, Dr. Mitzner has always made fitness a part of her lifestyle. “Physical health is so important. Fitness is my mind, health, and sanity-saver.” Due to her love of fitness, she has dedicated a large amount of time to studying, learning, and teaching fitness throughout her life. While she has always been into fitness and sports, she shares getting fit is not as difficult as most people make it. “Most of the things I share with moms are easy, quick fitness routines and exercises.” Combining these exercises with a healthy and nutritious diet has helped moms across the country to stay in shape and feel much better as they move through their mom’s life.
Children Need Sleep Too!
Believe it or not, children can experience stress as well! Whether it’s a long day, constant movement or the side effects of adult stress, children can get stressed and just like adults – it can affect the quality and schedule of their sleep. The main troublemaker when dealing with sleep schedules are disruptors. “Disrupters are anything that affect your child’s sleep schedule.” This could be for example, a new addition to the house, a vacation, or a move. The trick? Set a routine, allow your child to feel safe, and encourage their self-soothing mechanisms. It’s important to remember that a successful bedtime routine starts well before it’s time to sleep.
You Are The Role Model (For Everything)
It’s easy to think that our kids will only model the good things we do and say. But of course, that’s simply not the case. That’s why it’s important to make sure that we are setting an example in every aspect of life. “This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, but your kids need to see you set the example – even if you mess up.” Telling your children “sorry,” “How are you,” or “it’s okay to fail” can go a long way in shaping them to be physically and emotionally strong as adults.
If you are looking for more practical tips for raising your children, Dr. Mitzner has an extensive list of resources on her website. Here you can learn more about taking care of your child’s health, finding balance in a busy life and more. You can also follow her for daily encouragement and tips on Instagram.
