Here at The Bedford Mom we believe that moms deserve to be recognized and celebrated! This month we are so excited to feature Jen McDaid, a mom with such a fascinating life story having lived all over the world ranging from Japan to New Zealand. Read all about her below!
Tell us about yourself!
I am a lifelong learner, a traveler, a dancer, a runner, a reader, a scuba diver, a wife and a mother. Before I married my husband, I moved internationally 6 times and after I married him, we had the opportunity to live in Japan where he was stationed with the US Navy. It’s been some time since I managed a dive, but I do regularly compete as a West Coast Swing dancer. And while I am still recovering from a stress fracture I suffered in a half marathon last fall, I’m back up to running 5+ miles every other day. Which… probably doesn’t sound like fun for most people, but I really do enjoy it.
Tell us about your work!
As a passionate life-long learner, I’ve had a bunch of interesting jobs over the years. I worked as a diving instructor and underwater videographer on the Great Barrier Reef, picked fruit as a migrant worker in New Zealand, drove city buses in western Massachusetts, and most recently I spent close to a decade working remotely for a major software company. We had some childcare issues when I went back to work after having our son, and I decided to retire earlier than planned from the software space. While I do miss the all-expenses-paid international travel (I used to speak at conferences) and the associated hotel points, it has really allowed me to focus on raising our son and taking care of myself and my family. I honestly thought it would drive me insane to not work, but I’m really enjoying it.
What are your favorite local restaurants?
Difficult to choose! I really like The Foundry, and LaBelle has the best Creme Brûlée. We love that Copper Door has military appreciation Tuesdays. Instead of cake for my son’s birthday, we got some of those magnificent NH Donut Company creations. And we actually had our wedding reception dinner at BVI.
What is your favorite way to practice self-care?
I believe the concept of self-care has been sort of warped through commercialization. For me, self-care is literally taking care of myself. I make sure I prioritize sleep (and yes, that can be difficult with a toddler!), healthy eating, healthy movement like running and lifting, keeping my spaces clean (again, a toddler can make that hard!) and making time for the things that refill me like dancing, socializing, and learning new things.
What brought you to Bedford?
My husband was stationed nearby at the Navy recruiting center. We moved here from Japan in 2018, and when we looked at houses and neighborhoods in the area, Bedford felt like the right choice for us.
What is your favorite thing about Bedford?
Probably the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill! I love being so close that I can swing by for even 15-20 minutes sometimes if that’s all my son has in him. More often though, I’m dragging him off after 2 hours because he’s getting cold and we need to make dinner.
What are your favorite local spots in town?
The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill definitely makes it. In the summer, we spend a fair amount of time on the Pulpit Rock trails as a family. I also really like to leave the house for a weekend long run and when I run out of steam I call my husband to pick me up at Flight Coffee. So I top off my run with a (decaf, whole milk) latte and a muffin. Sometimes I’ll do Lighthouse Local after, but the run over there isn’t as nice. They have delicious pastries that help make up for it though!
What is your best piece of advice for moms who are new in town?
Join The Bedford Mom’s Group! It’s a great way to learn about kid-friendly happenings and meet other Moms.
What is your best piece of advice for expecting moms or new moms?
Baby sign language! Babies can communicate so much earlier with it and it saves a lot of unnecessary frustration and tears for everyone!