Mom Talk with Eileen Hays
Mom Talk with Eileen Hays
Eileen Hayes grew up between London and the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to New York to pursue interests in photography and fashion. She began her career at W Magazine assisting Fashion Director Alex White and later became assistant to fashion editor George Cortina. In 2016, Eileen moved permanently to Los Angeles to work at goop as the Fashion and Market Editor. Currently, Eileen lives in Malibu with her husband and 2 year old son, Jack.
We caught up with the busy mom to get an inside glimpse into her life at home…
How do you find balance?
For me, finding balance as a new mother is a constant and ever-evolving challenge. The transition from working full time to being a stay-at-home mom was especially hard, especially in this strange time of COVID. I have found the most important tool to be prioritizing me-time in nature. I feel very fortunate to live near the ocean and mountains — even if it’s only a quick 30 minute hike or dip in the ocean, I can approach the challenges at home from a much more centered and present place.
How to you practice self-care?
Keeping up with my yoga and breathwork practices has become paramount this year. I also do my best to prioritize simple sustainable rituals like drinking a glass of lemon water in the morning, quick dry brush before the shower, using clean beauty products, and taking weekend naps which I find to be very mentally and physically healing. In my opinion, the occasional glass (or 2 or 3) of natural wine also counts as self-care.
Tell us about your child’s name… any special meaning?
I have a lot of iterations of the name Jack in my life. My grandfather and father’s name is John (Jack by friends and family), my younger brother Johnny, and of course, my husband Jon (also know as Jonathan or Jonny). It seemed almost too obvious to go with it, but we ended up waiting until the very last minute to hand in the paperwork at the hospital. We still need to decide on his middle name!
What excites you most about motherhood?
Hands down, it’s watching Jack learn about the world around him — and also learning alongside him. I’ve found so much satisfaction watching him take in new information with such curiosity and excitement. From turning lights on and off to naming different types of construction trucks and birds (things I’m now learning about as well). We do daily watercoloring and, even if it only lasts 10 minutes, it’s been a great way to engage together. Observing as he connects the dots between the paint colors and the things around him, like his favorite shoes or foods, blows my mind.
Are there any parenting books you’re currently reading?
Oh Crap! Potty Training is on my nightstand at the moment, but I have a stack of books that I regularly reference. All were recommended to me by a few of my mom friend gurus (whom I am so grateful for). Baby Knows Best by Deborah Carlisle Solomon, No Bad Kids by Janet Lansbury, The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson, and The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davis are my faves.
What are you eating these days?
Like most, I have been spending loads of time in the kitchen, but with Jack around anything too complicated is complicated. I admire the moms out there who are making epic meals and sourdough, but homemade nutmilk is about as fancy as we get. We aim for a plant-based diet and my new go-to is Amy Chaplin’s Whole Food Cooking Everyday. She offers base recipes with spin offs that allows freedom to play with additions and flavors. I especially love making the sauces and dressings which are a great way to add quick nutritional goodness to literally anything (steamed veggies, quesadillas, pasta, etc.) Jack is also obsessed with the blender right now, so it’s a win-win meal prep.
What is your go-to meal for your children?
I love making a big batch of lentil or veggie curry on Sunday evening using whatever we have in the fridge. Jack is starting to warm to different Indian spices and a large yogurt topper doesn’t hurt. It’s easy to freeze, debatably better the next day, and delicious to serve up different ways like a fried egg or alongside cheesy toast.
What’s your all-time favorite recipe?
My husband’s Shakshuka is my absolute favorite. He puts a California twist on it adding seasonal veggies and topping it with loads of fresh greens. It’s a bit time consuming as he is very precise about the process so we like to save it for special occasions (every single one, actually).