Side-Hustle Series: Interview with @Modernmomprobs

I am enjoying interviewing professionals and mom bosses about their line of work or their side hustles. Today I am sharing an interview with Tara Clark, founder of the popular motherhood Instagram account @Modernmomprobs.

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1. Tell us about yourself and your parenting humor Instagram account @Modernmomprobs.

I got my start in social media while working at Nickelodeon, where I oversaw the social media accounts for Nick Jr. and [email protected] While I was a stay-at-home mom in 2017, I created the Instagram account @modernmomprobs as a way to connect with other mothers and have a creative outlet to make jokes about motherhood. Although the tone of the account is light-hearted and humorous, it also is uplifting and normalizes the tough conversations surrounding modern motherhood.

What started out as a creative outlet turned into a full-time career, including my writing a parenting book which launches in April. It’s called Modern Mom Probs: A Survival Guide for 21st Century Moms.

I’m the mother to a delightful, spirited eight-year-old boy, and we live just outside of New York City.

2. What inspired you to launch your book, Modern Mom Probs: A Survival Guide for 21st Century Moms.?

My close friend and illustrator Mary suggested that we should create a more permanent version of our work in case the Instagram platform ever disappeared. So I began thinking of writing an informational book with 99 problems but motherhood isn’t one. Poof! The book idea was born!

“Modern Mom Probs: A Survival Guide for 21st Century Mothers” is the analog version of my Instagram account. It features the same uplifting, humorous tone…with less scrolling, no battery life, and no Wi-Fi needed.

3. How does @Modernmomprobs help fellow moms struggling with the mental load of motherhood?

Modern Mom Probs helps mothers struggling with the mental load of motherhood by calling attention to the issue. One of my philosophies is naming a problem is the first step in solving a problem. Having said that, I offer specific tips on how to ease the load, such as asking our partners for help, opening our partners’ eyes to seeing what needs to be done around the house, and changing the dynamic of household manager (you) vs. underling (partner). Communication is key to spreading the love when it comes to household responsibilities.

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4. Share with us your take on Pandemic Parenting, and what you’ve learned over this past year.

Pandemic parenting has certainly been a unique experience for most people and most of all for working mothers. Working mothers are caught between trying to be attentive parents, effective employees, innovative business owners, and household managers. It’s an unsustainable system for many.

Over the course of the year, I’ve learned how important it is to sometimes let things go. Things that aren’t filling our cup. It’s crucial to understand our limitations of time, bandwidth, and interest. Say “no” when you need to! Our mental health is more important than that PTO meeting or added-at-the-last-minute Zoom work call.

5. What are some of your favorite topics you’ve discussed as a podcast guest?

Usually on podcasts, people interview me about motherhood, naturally. But every once in a while, there is a podcast that stands out. The wonderful Fancy Free podcast asked me several rapid-fire questions, which I adored. My favorite question was “which song lyric do you always get wrong?” I shared the story about how the LMFAO song “Party Rock Anthem” has a line that says, “No lead in our zeppelin.” I always thought it said, “no Lennon or Zeppelin.” My husband corrected
me on it and questioned why they would take such a hard stance against classic rock music, mainly John Lennon or Led Zeppelin. I figured it’s a party song, so they wouldn’t be bothered with rock music. We always had a good laugh about that.

As far as motherhood topics, I think it’s important to talk about pregnancy loss, infertility, maternal mental health, the mental load of motherhood, the myth of work-life balance, and positive parenting.

6. What do you love about running your business?

There may be too many things to name. I’ll stick with the top three:
1.) I get to work from home or virtually from anywhere that has an internet connection. Beach day, anyone?!
2.) I love working with such a wonderful community of funny, creative women who have something to say.
3.) I love the creative aspect of what I do. I love creating content that resonates with people as well as sharing content created by my talented friends.

7. What were some challenges you ran into when starting your business?

Sometimes, one of the things I still struggle with is a concern about an oversaturated market. When I first started my Instagram account, @modernmomprobs was one of the very few motherhood accounts. Now there are thousands upon thousands. But the fact of the matter is that there’s enough sunshine to go around for everyone. Keep in mind, one
person’s shine doesn’t diminish your own so be true to yourself and shine on!

8. Any advice you want to give fellow moms?

My advice is you can’t be everything to everyone all of the time. No one can. Sometimes self-care looks like saying “no” to certain things. The things that don’t recharge your batteries. Self-care may look like removing things from your to-do list in order to preserve your mental well-being.