Ann V. Arthur, MD
Dr. Arthur is a mom of a nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son, a pediatric ophthalmologist in private practice at Park Slope Eye Care Associates in New York City, and a blogger at www.waterwinetravel.com.
How many children do you have? I have a nine-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son.
What’s your specialty? I’m a pediatric ophthalmologist.
What’s your favorite parenting tip? Understand that parenting is a process that you can not totally control. You have to be able to adapt to whatever comes your way. Just try to enjoy the experience!
What has surprised you most about parenting? How much fun I’m having.
How do you get your kids to eat healthy food? I’m still working on that one. We’ve belonged to a community-supported agriculture farm share since our kids were young. This gives them an idea of where our food comes from, and it also supports local farmers. This year we helped our kids plant a small vegetable garden. After “harvesting” their peppers, tomatos, and herbs, they enjoyed using them to prepare a meal.
My husband and I also are careful to set good examples, though that’s hard. But the truth is, little kids aren’t in the kitchen whipping up bad things to eat. Someone has to give it to them.
How do you work exercise into your family’s life? Even though we live in the big city, my kids are active. They love to go to parks, swim, and play tennis.
How do you recharge your batteries? Now that my kids are older, I’m able to travel more. I’m a passionate vacationer! I also enjoy sharing my travel experiences and tips on my blog: www.waterwinetravel.com. It helps me to connect with things that I enjoy. My kids are growing up so fast. Right now my life revolves around them, but I know at some point they’re going to go have their own, rich lives. And I need to still have a sense of who I am.