Saadia Esmail

Saadia is a mom of two and co-founder of zCush infant support mat

How did you come up with the idea for your product? When I had my daughter, my in-laws visited us from abroad and brought a mat in which to place and hold her more comfortably. After searching here for similar products and not able to find any, my friend and I worked on a mat adapted for families here.

How many children do you have and what age groups? I have two children, my daughter, 4, and my son, 2.

What’s your favorite parenting tip? Have fun with your kids. Discipline them when need be but let them live freely and learn how to live life through them positively.

What has surprised you most about parenting? I’ve always been very particular about being organized, but with two little kids, it’s amazing how often I find myself totally disheveled, both physically and mentally, and it doesn’t bother me at all anymore!

How do you get your kids to eat healthy food? I’m lucky in that my daughter will pick lettuce and carrots over cookies and chocolate! So I don’t have to do much to encourage her to eat healthy, in fact, I do the opposite since she takes after her father and is quite lean and tall. My son, on the other hand, loves to eat only chocolate and nuts. I’m going to give him some time to realize there is much more out there!

How do you work exercise into your family’s life? What exercise???  Actually, I try and make it a point to take them outside, weather permitting, and I’ve enrolled my son in a sports class for toddlers. I take them to the gym when I go to exercise so they are exposed to the idea.

How do you recharge your batteries? I go into my bedroom, take a deep breath, and read a book or call a friend for a few minutes.