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<\/a><\/p>\nShawna Gould loves what she does. It\u2019s something many women are struggling with during the pandemic, but a virus isn\u2019t going to stop her from giving every member of her community the confidence they need to tackle the toughest job of them all \u2014 motherhood.<\/p>\n
Shawna manages The Real Housewives of CNY, a private Facebook group that has become a network of support for more than 600 stay-at-home moms in the area. Since starting the group two years ago, Shawna has organized every playdate, designed every graphic and moderated every post on the site. She couldn\u2019t feel more fulfilled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really love being a stay-at-home mom,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is the hardest job you\u2019ll ever love. There\u2019s so many rewards that come from it. I obviously don\u2019t get paid to do what I do, but I put a lot of time and effort into [this group], and I have found that I receive more joy out of that than any job I ever had a paycheck.\u201d<\/p>\n
The stay-at-home model was a lifestyle choice for Shawna and her family. Her husband is a general contractor and owner of Go-Pro Contracting of CNY. They live in Liverpool with their two children, three-year-old Luca and two-year-old Josephina.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen my husband and I met, we had decided this would be what we wanted for our future,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was just a part of our plan from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
After creating RHCNY, Shawna realized a lot of mothers didn\u2019t follow the stay-at-home model by choice like herself. Many took up the responsibility due to expensive daycare costs or other financial issues. Providing those women with support and advice was Shawna\u2019s main goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gets a little bit bit dark for some of them, and they need someone that has been in their shoes and who knows how it is,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to vent to someone who has never really experienced the lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the pandemic, Shawna had scheduled many group play dates, library visits and mom\u2019s-night-out events in hopes of raising awareness for her cause, but those were eventually canceled. Engaging activities for both children and adults \u2014 home playdates, library visits, bounce houses and playgrounds \u2014 weren\u2019t options anymore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have the resources we used to have before the pandemic,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of those things helped our day function with ease, and now we had to learn to take all of those tools and make them appear out of what we had at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Shawna didn\u2019t give up. With so many women being forced into the stay-at-home model because of the pandemic, she knew now was the perfect time to provide even more support to her Facebook community. So whether it is sharing educational arts-and-crafts projects, going live with virtual story-times or hosting at-home dance parties with her kids, Shawna is committed to doing whatever she can.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where I saw the opportunity for growth, because the stay-at-home moms that I have found during the pandemic have said they enjoy the group and hope we can get together and meet one day because they\u2019re looking for in-person connections as well,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to find your tribe and know who your village is, because we all need people to lean on always.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shawna said the difference between stay-at-home moms before and after the pandemic is usually one thing \u2014 experience. A new stay-at-home parent during this time struggles with multiple responsibilities suddenly and all at once, when other moms started social distancing long before there was a virus to worry about.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, people are kind of getting a taste of what it\u2019s like to be with your kids all day. That\u2019s just part of our lifestyle,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat they\u2019re looking for when they come to our groups is conversation and a distraction from everyday life.\u201d<\/p>\n
And in addition to taking care of the kids, Shawna said the best way to support a new stay-at-home mom is also about teaching her to take care of herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really all about the mental support,\u201d she said. \u201cAs long as we can keep mom taking care of mom, she can keep taking care of the kids the best way she can. It all comes back to mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shawna loves to teach her children about nature, like planting seeds with them in their home garden. Up-cycling is also one of her favorite ways to spend time with her kids, especially through DIY projects. She\u2019s created paper flowers out of cupcake liners, sewed dresses out of pillowcases and even transformed a used shelving unit into a make-believe medical cart for any child\u2019s inner doctor, veterinarian or zoo keeper. Her other Facebook group, Inside the Hives of CNY, is dedicated to other DIY home and garden projects for those who love crafting and creating as much as she does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just like to make something beautiful out of nothing, so we\u2019re constantly repurposing anything around the house,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Shawna had plans for fundraising to hopefully turn the group into a non-profit. The pandemic has put that on hold, but the dream is still strong. Shawna said the non-profit would support stay-at-home moms, provide outlets for meeting new people in the area and banish stereotypes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a stereotype for a stay-at-home mom that we\u2019re all rich or married to doctors or lawyers that can supply this wealthy quality of life, but the reality is, most families in CNY that are living on one income are not living this lavish lifestyle,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Until she is again allowed to pursue the non-profit, she\u2019ll continue to use her at-home parenting skills to be a voice for all the moms who might need a little extra help this summer, one Facebook post at a time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really think our area could benefit from reaching out to these moms who [need] someone to ask them how their day is, let them know how good they\u2019re doing, that they are enough and that they\u2019re each just so uniquely designed for their specific family,\u201d she said. \u201cWe each do it differently. We can relate, but the way our families and our dynamics are different from each other is unique. It\u2019s a whole different world when you\u2019re a stay-at-home mom.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Shawna Gould\u2019s Real Housewives of CNY provides care and support for stay-at-home moms By Emma Vallelunga Photos by Alice G. Patterson Shawna Gould loves what she does. It\u2019s something many women are struggling with during the pandemic, but a virus isn\u2019t going to stop her from giving every member of her community the confidence they…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2920,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[1131,1129,1130],"class_list":["post-2919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-real-housewives-of-cny","tag-shawna-gould","tag-stay-at-home-moms"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Shawna-Gould-web-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1798&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1658,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1658","url_meta":{"origin":2919,"position":0},"title":"Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY","author":"Staff","date":"March 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Keeping Families Close in Syracuse\u00a0 Story and photos submitted by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York operates the CNY Ronald McDonald House 24 hours a day, year-round, for families whose children are seriously ill and receiving treatment at Syracuse-area hospitals\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Causes"","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Steed-Family-01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Steed-Family-01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Steed-Family-01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Steed-Family-01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Steed-Family-01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2588,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2588","url_meta":{"origin":2919,"position":1},"title":"CNY Diaper Bank announces opportunities to help keep local babies dry, clean and healthy during \u201cDiaper Need Awareness Week\u201d","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"September 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0CNY Diaper Bank, a local nonprofit that collects diapers for families in need, encourages community members to participate in its activities in honor of National Diaper Need Awareness Week Sept. 23-29. The week was created in 2012 by the\u00a0National Diaper Bank Network\u00a0to raise awareness and mobilize efforts to end local\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Causes"","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/diapers-2.jpg?fit=522%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":616,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=616","url_meta":{"origin":2919,"position":2},"title":"Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY","author":"Staff","date":"March 30, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Through a Mother's Eyes Photography and story provided by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York operates the CNY Ronald McDonald House 24 hours a day, year-round, for families whose children are hospitalized with serious illnesses or injuries. 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CNY Works is a not for profit (501 (c)(3)) corporation and serves as the Onondaga County Workforce Development Board (OCWDB). CNY Works\u2019 mission is to develop, attract, maintain and retain a workforce that will support economic prosperity for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Causes"","block_context":{"text":"Causes","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=104"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Lenore-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Lenore-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Lenore-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Lenore-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Lenore-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C811&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2389,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2389","url_meta":{"origin":2919,"position":5},"title":"For a Good Cause: CNY Diaper Bank’s Michela Hugo","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"May 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Tell me about yourself. I\u2019m a former elementary school teacher. I became a stay-at-home-mom to my three children, Natalie, 15, Bradley, 12 and Genevieve, 5. My husband, Aaron Hugo, is a partner at Pinckney-Hugo Group. 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<\/a><\/p>\n