Curious as to what a typical day for busy parents Ben and Jessica Mulroney looks like? Now you can follow along as they share the first year of milestones and special moments with newborn baby girl Ivy, who joined twin siblings Brian and John in June.
Photo courtesy of JJ Thompson
Ben is the host of etalk, an entertainment show on CTV, and Jessica is a fashion and style expert. The busy couple are eager to share their new experiences with Ivy to Canadian parents, so they have teamed up with Pampers and will be posting their digital diary on mypampersjourney.ca.
“There are plenty of ways to get it wrong, but I think I've learned how to diaper right and with Pampers, it's not very hard at all,” says Ben.
So far the Mulroneys have shared tips on 3 a.m. feedings, tucking in twin toddlers, and advice for working parents. Having the opportunity to record Ivy’s first months has also given Ben and Jessica the chance to relive the memories they shared when Brian and John were newborns.
“We were so busy and overwhelmed with the twins that we didn’t get the chance to write everything down,” says Jessica. “What’s nice about this journey with Ivy is that we’re taking time to jot things down, so we’re also remembering where the boys were at that age. In a way we get to cherish and chronicle each of their first years.”
Jessica recalls that reading other people’s parenting stories shortly after the birth of Brian and John was an honest learning experience. She hopes that she and Ben can do the same for new moms and dads with their digital diary.
“I loved reading the not-so-sugar-coated stories from frustrated parents speaking out, and I think that as parents it's important to be honest about your experiences,” says Jessica. “Ben and I take it seriously; it's not all fun and games or candies and rainbows, so being able to share that is very important to me.”
For many parents, the Mulroneys included, a typical day starts by getting the kids up, fed, dressed and ready for school. Then dinnertime rolls around and it’s all about bath time, reading stories and getting ready for bed. In addition to caring for Ivy and teaching sons Brian and John about potty training, Ben and Jessica are also extremely hard-working individuals with challenging and exciting careers.
As anchor of etalk, Ben highlights the latest in movie news and does time on the red carpet meeting Hollywood’s biggest stars. Jessica recently took a position managing PR and social media for the soon-to-be unveiled (and first) Kleinfeld bridal boutique in Canada, as part of the Hudson’s Bay.
Long hours and hectic schedules can make life difficult at times – especially with three children under the age of four at home.
Balancing a busy family life with active careers isn’t impossible to manage, the Mulroneys say, as long as parents can juggle their time and priorities.
“Every day could bring a different responsibility, and you have to be willing to really be flexible and realize maybe you'll miss going to the hockey game with your friends tonight,” says Ben. “The trade-off is I get to spend the night at home with my kids and that's a wonderful thing, so it's about keeping it all in perspective.”
Jessica adds that working and focusing on careers makes them appreciate the time they spend at home with their children even more. This is real quality time, says Jessica – not time worrying about diaper disasters. And at the end of the day with the kids tucked in bed, they can focus on each other.
