Sarah Kwon knows from personal experience how much work goes into taking care of young kids, after almost nine years working in various roles at Bright Horizons, one of the leading early childhood education providers in the United States.
Kwon’s experience has served her well now that she has two young kids of her own, with the second born just this April, kickstarting a new period of exploration for her family that she’s excited to navigate.
Kwon is now the Division Marketing Manager at Bright Horizons and lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband, James, and their two sons, Shane (2) and Noah (4 months).
What’s it like having a newborn at home?
I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s been a good kind of crazy. Some days are definitely hard, but most days are good, and it’s just trying to find a balance of being a good mom as well as trying to figure out who I am now, too, because I feel like that has shifted a lot since I had kids. It’s almost like I’m trying to figure out how to be a mom and figuring out being this new version of myself. [We’re] just trying to find a new rhythm and routine as well, which has been important for us.
Your kids are both going to be at Bright Horizons—how has that been beneficial for you?
I end maternity leave in less than two weeks, and I’m feeling a little anxious because I’m going to miss spending that quality time with my newborn, but I trust the teachers at Bright Horizons… When we leave our children in the cares of another person’s hands all day, we want to make sure that they’re safe and in a happy and nurturing environment.
And that’s what [Shane’s] classroom is. His teachers, really all of them, truly go above and beyond for all the babies there… that really helps me when I know that my children are taken care of and loved in a warm and nurturing place while I’m working. It helps me be a better version of myself, too, because you know that saying that it takes a village to raise a child? They are my village.
What’s it like having your kids taken care of at the place you work?
I used to be a teacher at Bright Horizons, and then I kind of moved up the ladder. I went on to [become] an assistant director and then a center director. And because I know the ins and outs of our programs and our really strict policies and procedures that we put in place [within] our programs, it gives me that peace of mind, knowing that our children are really taken care of, have the highest quality of care and education, as we don’t cut corners.
How has your experience at Bright Horizons helped you as a parent?
I would not be the parent I am today if it weren’t for the experience of being a teacher and even just working at the center in the different roles. The most important lesson that I learned was that children thrive off structure and routine, and I’ve seen it firsthand as a teacher in a classroom and now as a parent. As adults, it helps us feel better prepared when we know what’s going on for the rest of the day. And it’s the same thing for children when they can anticipate and kind of have a flow and a structure of what their day is going to look like. And so, I set that in place with our home as well.
Family Favorites
Entertainment: “Blippi” (YouTube Channel)
Meal: Salmon rice bowl
Family Activity: Building [with LEGO]
Restaurant: Red Robin
Social Activity: Birthday parties
