It’s been a difficult year, to say the least. With 112 million pledged acts of kindness, the turnout for #bekind21 was a mighty reminder of our collective strength and resolve to create a braver and kinder world for all in 2020 and beyond.
As we wrap up this year’s campaign and continue our commitment to kindness, we want to highlight some of the parents, doctors, community leaders, and caregiving + wellness experts who made time to share their inspiring insights, stories, and tips with our community throughout #bekind21.
We also want to thank you, our Bumkins family, for being a part of this beautiful campaign and joining us as we strengthen our promise of kindness to ourselves and others!
Search the hashtag #BeKind21 for inspiring stories, find your superpower, and check out highlights and conversations below!
How & Why it All Started with Maya of Born This Way Foundation
Mother of two and Born This Way Foundation Executive Director, Maya Enista Smith (@mayabtwf), candidly shared her experiences parenting with kindness, advice for those struggling right now, and the inception of #BeKind21 and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. All with the warmth and humility we can all aspire to during these difficult times.
You can see highlights from our discussion here and the full chat on IGTV.
Self-Care & Social Media with Jamie Grayson *Speaker/Baby Gear Expert/UOGG
We kicked off #BeKind21 with the fun-loving @thejamiegrayson and his tips for being kind to ourselves as we are spending a lot more time online. Jamie talked about ‘self-care social breaks, blue light glasses for better sleep, tips for curating a more positive IG feed, and pre-device morning rituals with music and coffee mugs that bring joy + more!
Need a reason to smile or some feel-good laughs and self-care tips? Check out our #BeKind21 kick-off chat on IG to learn more about the campaign and Jamie’s FB Live for specific self-care ideas where he reminds us, “Cookies are one of the highest forms of self-care.”
After Hours with Amanda
We had a blast chatting with @afterhourswithamanda, Tik Tok sensation and relatable mamma, as she shared “epiphanies as a human being raising tiny humans,” including feeling isolated as a parent, her 30-day sweatpant challenge, the “why game”, her love of Daniel Tiger and how she uses the faces of the pain scale to help littles and parents name their emotions.
Catch our full chat here.
Raising Triplets & Inclusive Kids with Courtney & Sabrina
Courtney and Sabrina of @mamas_triplet_love shared the joys and sorrows of their pregnancy journey, raising triplets during a pandemic, how they deal with those that sling hate on their social media, and the importance of exposing children to families that look different than their own.
Follow these mamas to get inspired by this beautiful family and watch the full chat here!
The Realities of Postpartum and Finding Refuge in Fantasy with New Mom Carolina Munhoz
Best-selling fantasy author, screenwriter, executive producer, self-described nerd, and new mama, @carolinamunhoz, shares her harrowing experience with hemorrhagic bleeding due to a retained placenta the weeks following her pregnancy and the extraordinary kindness of a neighbor who provided breastmilk for her newborn at 3 a.m. Plus, how she’s dealing with the trauma of that experience, and advice for moms experiencing postpartum issues.
She also shares how fantasy novels helped her survive being “goth” in a Catholic school and how she uses fairies and fantasy to help young adults cope with suicide and mental health issues in her award-winning work today!
Hear her incredible story and the full conversation here!
Grace and Self-Care with Mama Coach Carrie Bruno RN, IBCLC
The Mama Coach founder and registered nurse lactation consultant, Carrie Bruno, teaches us what it means to "fill your bucket,” how social media distorts motherhood, and why showers don't count as self-care.
Check out our full chat here and follow the @the.mama.coach for prenatal education, feeding support, sleep coaching, + more!
Dad Life, IVF Surrogacy & Breaking Down Stereotypes with McHusbands
We talk dad advice, parenting as a same-sex couple, and teaching kindness to littles with Erik and Adam of @McHusbands. The dads share the joys and realities of their IVF surrogacy journey and what it was like to finally meet their twin girls for the first time (grab the tissues and check that on their YouTube here). Plus, breaking down stereotypes and their response to criticisms about their ability to nurture their littles.
Be sure to catch the full conversation here!
Nutrition, Self-care and Modeling Kindness For Parents & Littles with Dr. Natasha Beck MPH, Psy.D
Dr. Organic Mommy returns to share more mental health and nutritional tips for littles & parents, how she dialogues with her son about racism, and how she’s coping with her recent diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia.
Check out our full chat here.
Setting Good Examples with Mom Bloggers Rissa Herzog + Hailee Easterling
Checkout our IGLive takeover featuring @hreasterling and @rissa.herzog to learn how kindness brought them together and real-life ideas, stories, and situations for setting good examples of kindness with your kids! Hear stories of how they’ve worked to introduce kindness to their littles in everyday situations — like how to kindly pet a dog or respond with understanding to other kids who aren’t being kind.
Teaching the Language of Kindness with Boy Mom and Former TV Anchor, Nadine Bubeck
Nadine Bubeck of @mamaandmyboys shares how she defines and rewards kindness in her home, including examples that earn her littles a star on their kindness chart. Her young sons even make a sweet appearance to share what kindness means to them!
Check out the full convo here!
Embracing Imbalance with Dr. Jill and SGT Paris of Max Mamas
Dr. Jill is a practicing mother and the founder of @max_mamas, a wellness boutique helping new and expecting mamas make healthier choices for their families. She joins us with her store co-pilot and Army mom, Sergeant Paris, to talk kindness. They share why parents should aim for the right hat each day over the mythical goal of balance, how they talk about themselves when their littles are listening, and more tips for parents!
Check out the full convo here.
Parent and Preschooler Yoga Class with Nicole Anne Yoga
Yoga And Holistic Practitioner, @NicoleAnneYoga took over our IG to share an engaging and little-friendly yoga class! Grab your little ones for a fun and relaxing family self-care session here!
Meditation and Restorative Yoga For Parents with Marlee
Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of self-care for parents. We invited RN and certified yoga instructor @marleelee to take over our IG to offer you a relaxing and restorative yoga class on demand.
Take time for yourself here!
Which conversations resonated most with you and what would you like to hear more about? Let us know in the comments and look out for more conversations with caregiving experts and educators to encourage, inspire, and educate our community!
