A village shows up for Zoe Alexander and daughter Alana
‘I wouldn’t say I have the secret formula for that. I think parenting is an individual process, because what works for me and my family may not work for everyone else. However, my secret weapon is my village.’
ZOE ALEXANDER has always loved helping others, especially children. At one point in her life, she was told that there was a slim chance she would be able to have children. This revelation was a bit disappointing for her, but she still believed that one day it would be possible.
“I had been told that the likelihood of pregnancy for me would be small to non-existent. So I was surprised, to say the least, when I found out I was pregnant,” Alexander said.
Most of the time, the experience of motherhood is not good or bad, it’s both good and bad. Alexander said every aspect of her life changed when she became a mother. “Your life revolves around this tiny human that is completely dependent on you. You kind of become a hybrid version of yourself and the baby. Everything requires a plan and a backup plan, and a backup to that backup plan,” she said.
Alexander is the client relationship executive team lead at the Guardsman Group. She attended Johnson and Wales University in North Miami, Florida. There she received her Associate Degree in hotel management and a Bachelor of Science Degree in hospitality management.
Being a mother and balancing her career, she says, has been tricky, but she has taken the journey in stride. Alexander is the mother of a six-year-old daughter, Alana, but she also considers her niece and the children of some of her friends as her own.
PARENTING IS AN INDIVIDUAL PROCESS
“I wouldn’t say I have the secret formula for that. I think parenting is an individual process, because what works for me and my family may not work for everyone else. However, my secret weapon is my village,” she said.
“My daughter and I are surrounded by an amazing group of people who love us unconditionally and are always there for us. Daddy, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and I even have some very special co-workers that make life significantly easier. I know many of my friends and family who are mothers, including myself, sometimes feel defeated when we ask for help. However, sometimes it is necessary to keep your sanity, to have time to be an individual,” Alexander added.
NURTURE, PROTECT, GUIDE
As a parent, you give your children a good start in life; you nurture, protect and guide them. Parenting is a process that prepares your child for independence. Alexander’s first special memory of her daughter was when she first heard her heartbeat.
“My little jelly bean became all too real in that moment. I think I felt every emotion at once. It was so overwhelming and beautiful. I can safely say that I felt true happiness in that moment. Another true happiness moment was the day she was born. I am sure the hospital is still mortified, but my village had showed up and celebrated her birth from the early morning till late in the evening,” she said.
Alexander’s ultimate goal for her daughter is for her to be happy. “I want her to be strong and independent, and never lose sight of her individuality and her beautiful soul,” she said.