"It's awesome having Erin in class. She ALWAYS has a smile on her face, ALWAYS pushing herself in her workouts--thanks to the help of her little sidekick 4 year old. Erin sets such a positive example of a strong, healthy mom for her girls and the other moms in class. Way to go, Erin!!" -Kara, Fit4Mom Instructor

Who are the members of your family and where are you originally from?

My family includes my husband, Sam, and two daughters, Shoshana and Layla.

I am not really from anywhere. I grew up moving a lot. I was born in New York. After that I lived in Turkey, Virginia, Zimbabwe, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Egypt, where I graduated from high school. After that I moved back to the USA for college and have lived here ever since.

When was your first Fit4Mom class and what do you remember about it?

My first Fit4Mom class was a Fit4Baby class at Shannon's studio in Lorton in 2020. I was pregnant with Shoshana at the time. I really enjoyed the class and I was excited that I found a way to meet moms since I didn't know many yet. Unfortunately, Covid started shortly after and I wasn't able to attend an in person class for quite a while.

Where can we find you? What is your Fit4Mom routine these days?

Currently, my days revolve around my kids. You can usually find me somewhere in Woodbridge, running errands, taking my kids to activities, doing Fit4Mom classes, attending Villa activities, or at home trying to get my house under control.

This fall my Fit4Mom routine has been unpredictable. I try to make it to the Tuesday and Thursday S360 classes in Lorton and Stroller Strides on Friday in Woodbridge. I look forward to being able to attend class at Ikea again once my schedule clears up.

What is your current job? Or what did you do before staying at home (if you don’t currently work outside the home)?

I am a full time mom now. Before kids I worked as an assistant in a high school library in Fairfax County. I was also working on getting my Master's in Library Science. Once my kids are in elementary school my plan is to finish my degree and get a job as a public librarian.

What are 3 of your favorite things?

My three favorite things, besides my family, are traveling, reading and baked goods.

You are given 4 hours of FREE babysitting. What would you do?

I'm torn between going on a hike and reading my book in the woods by myself or going on a fun date with my husband including dinner and an escape room.

What has being a mom taught you?

Being a mom has taught me that I am not as introverted as I thought I was. Before kids I used to enjoy being at home alone. Now that I have kids I am constantly seeking ways to get out of the house and find other moms to spend time with.

What is your funniest or most embarrassing mommy moment so far?

What I find most embarrassing as a mom is when my kids refuse to cooperate and throw tantrums while in public. The most recent example that comes to mind is when one kid had swim lessons but refused to get in the water, while the other kid, who did not have a lesson, hated the idea of staying out of the water. I had two kids melting down and screaming. We ended up having to leave the pool.

Any words of wisdom for other moms?

The best advice I have for other moms is to find people to support you. Ask for help from family and friends, look online for mom groups, like Villa, that you can join, go to storytimes at the library or other child focused events to meet other moms, find places like PSVa that can help with mental health. Motherhood is so hard and you need people around you to support you.

What is your favorite thing about FIT4MOM? What would you tell someone thinking about joining?

My favorite thing about Fit4Mom is that it motivates me to exercise and allows me to exercise while taking care of my children. Without Fit4Mom I don't think I would be exercising at all which would be detrimental for my mental health.