It is no exaggeration to say that Myriam Sandler saved me and my sanity through the early months of quarantine, when mini was out of school and we only ventured out of our apartment to walk the dog and stretch our legs for an hour or so in Central Park. If you don’t know Myriam, she is the creative and loving spirit behind Mother Could, a resource for parents seeking at-home activities and sensory play ideas for their children.
Though I wish I were, I am not “a Pinterest mom.” I often come up short in the at-home activity area of parenting. Myriam has provided me with dozens of (approachable! doable! practical!) ideas for projects and at-home play that mini loves, most of which call for materials I already have on hand–she is brilliant at recycling common household items and transforming them into tools for play (who knew babies liked putting things into and pulling things out of empty tissue boxes?!) In short, her ideas sustained us through the darkest days of quarantine, and continue to enthusiastically punctuate our weekends at home together. (And I shared many of them in the roundup here.)
Myriam is a genius not only because she provides countless tutorials on how to entertain your children with wholesome (often self-directed, sensory-focused) activities and play, but because she is down-to-earth and reassuring to us parents in the process. She is one of the warmest and most encouraging souls I’ve crossed paths with on the Internet, and if you follow her on Instagram, you will immediately understand why. (And why she has nearly 500,000 followers!) She is deeply empathetic, non-judgmental, and light-hearted in every thing she does, and that ethos has led Mothercould to become (in her words) “a global community of parents and educators connected by their desire to positively affect the development of children.”
Today, I am honored to introduce you to Myriam (or invite you to get to know her better). Myriam was born in Venezuela and raised in Miami, FL. Prior to founding MotherCould, Myriam worked for The Salvation Army homeless shelter of Miami, in the women and children’s division, where she assisted families as they navigated out of homelessness. She now runs her incredible business while raising two precious daughters in Florida. Below, her answers to my Woman of Substance Questionnaire:
Your favorite qualities in a woman.
Empathy and loyalty. As a mother and head of household, I find those qualities to be the most meaningful to me. The ability to understand others who are living a different experience is a powerful tool for growth and connection. Fierce loyalty and commitment to family and friends is one of the most attractive qualities in a woman.
Your favorite heroine. There are so many powerful female icons that I look up to, but recently I have been most inspired by the community of women that follow my content and I have the honor of connecting with on a day to day basis. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned and grown from incredible individuals that inspire me.
Your main fault.I tend to over-analyze, which engenders doubt and unnecessary stress in certain situations.
Your greatest strength. Creativity and the ability to turn ordinary items into useful tools for fun and learning.
Your idea of happiness. True happiness comes from self acceptance and the compilation of small moments of joy.
Your idea of misery. Solitude. I need my family and friends to feel like myself.
Currently at the top of your shopping lust list. The upcoming iPhone. Everything I do on Mothercould is done on my iPhone so I cant wait for the next upgrade.
Desert island beauty product. Mascara. Makes me look and feel alive!
Last thing you bought. New face creams. Trying to up my beauty regime game.
I feel most empowered wearing…Athletic wear. It’s become my go-to uniform of choice and there is no way to beat the comfort will running around with the kids.
Favorite Magpie post. Slow burn toys. The focus on open-ended toys that spark imagination resonates with me and fits the content that I like to see and share.
P.S. Adorable and affordable clothing finds for little girls and little boys.
P.P.S. Musings on mom guilt.
P.P.P.S. There’s still time to make Halloween 2020 special. Some Magpie favorites still deliverable by Halloween are this mini waffle maker (creates pumpkin or skull shaped waffles — mini is obsessed with these!) and Halloween pajamas (now marked down to 40% off).