Writing a Children's Book While Raising Two Kids in NYC with Jenn Cruzado

This episode is for every mom who’s ever had an idea and thought, “When would I even have time to do that?”This week on Mom Brain, Big City, I’m joined by Jenn Cruzado — mom of two, full-time educator, and now children’s book author.We talk about what it actually looks like to write a book while raising kids, working full-time, and navigating the chaos of everyday life. Jenn shares how the idea for her book Coco! Cherry! Mango! came to life, what surprised her about the self-publishing process, and how motherhood shaped both her creativity and her perspective.We also get into something I didn’t expect to hit so hard — the stories we tell (and don’t tell) about New York City. From Harlem to Washington Heights, Jenn talks about why it matters to show kids that these neighborhoods are still vibrant, creative, and full of life today — even if that’s not always what they see.In this episode, we talk about:Writing a book while raising two kidsFinding time for creativity as a working momThe realities of self-publishingMotherhood and identityThe importance of representation in children’s booksWhy you should explore your own city moreIf you’ve ever felt like your ideas had to take a backseat to everything else — this one’s for you. You can follow Jenn's work on Instagram @authorjenncruzado, and you can find her book in your local bookstores and libraries!