Wendy Hood
opted out of
the corporate
grind, got her
black belt and
now teaches
martial arts.
t ime
of
their
lives
Kids heading into
adolescence means
you finally have some
spare hours to focus
on, well, you. Meet five
moms who grabbed
the chance to reinvent
themselves, a little or a
lot. Skydiving, anyone?
BY ELLEN PARLAPIANO
THE EARLY YEARS OF PARENTING have an intensity that many moms can
only describe as bittersweet. Little ones, though adorable, are so dependent
and devoted that your needs almost invariably end up on the back burner.
But then, almost as if in slow motion, your kids start to get lives of their own.
“Realizing that your children are finally becoming more independent is thrilling,” says
Nancy D. O’Reilly, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist in Springfield, Missouri, and founder of
the online resource WomenSpeak.com. “And at that point, you’ve got the smarts and
confidence to transform your life, so going for it makes perfect sense.”
Get inspired by five cool mothers who took the plunge—one literally!
