If You Asked Me: Jackie

Motherhood in your 30s isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about doing what works for your family and letting the rest go. Jackie is a stay-at-home mom with a toddler, another baby on the way, and a life that’s more about rhythm than routine. She teaches Pure Barre, carves out time for herself where she can, and holds space for both chaos and calm. Her days are full, sometimes overwhelming, often sweet, and always meaningful.

Routines, Rest, and What Actually Works

Every morning starts the same: her daughter calling out, “Moooommmm, come get me!” Jackie gets Mara settled with applesauce and a show, brews her coffee, and starts breakfast. Their mornings are slow but steady including FaceTiming grandparents, eating together, and heading to school or the gym. That rhythm helps everything else fall into place.

She tries to plan one thing each day. Sometimes it’s the library, errands, or a walk through Target. It’s less about getting things done and more about keeping everyone grounded. Staying home all day usually leads to restlessness, for everyone.

At home, painting and play-doh help fill the slower moments. And when it comes to screen time? Jackie’s honest: “I prioritize my sanity. I don’t know how people do no screen time.”

Tricks and Treats

Jackie swears by snacks, not just for the kids, but for herself too. A well-timed snack, she says, can prevent a meltdown from just about anyone in the family.

When it comes to dinner, Jackie keeps it simple and silly. Chicken night means a performance at the table complete with flapping wings and laughter. When she’s too tired to think, spaghetti and meatballs are always a reliable fallback.

Her current favorite Amazon find is magnesium glycinate, a game changer during pregnancy for headaches and insomnia. And her unofficial mom uniform? Athletic dresses. They’re cool, comfy, and require zero thought when getting dressed.

Mental and Physical Health

Motherhood has taught Jackie just how much weight women carry, emotionally, mentally, and physically. The constant multitasking, the emotional weight of caring for little people, the lack of quiet… it adds up. Some days feel great. Others feel like survival mode. She’s come to accept that the highs and lows are normal — and that it’s okay not to feel joyful every single moment. It’s not always calm but there is connection and that matters more.

Pure Barre might seem like a side gig, but it takes real planning and presence. Instructors don’t just show up, they choreograph, cue, count, and coach through every movement. Jackie puts a lot into it, and it shows. She loves it!

Jackie usually preps the day before class — often choreographing during nap time and then spending another hour or two after bedtime to fully memorize the flow. She typically teaches two different class formats in one day, and never repeats the same sequence twice — something her clients really appreciate.

She likes to take the class herself, too, so she can feel what her clients are feeling. It helps her push them through the moments when most people want to give up. On class days, she reviews her notes again in the morning to go in feeling focused and ready.

Jackie’s been teaching since 2014, but it took years of practice to get to where she is now — confident in her cues, timing, and connection. Teaching looks effortless from the outside, but it’s built on hours of prep, presence, and patience.

Jackie reminds her clients of something she often needs to hear too:

“No one is paying attention to what you’re doing! Stay focused on yourself, your form, your strength, and you’ll get so much more out of your class. ”

After a c-section and now pregnant again, her body feels unfamiliar. The number on the scale might be the same, but everything fits differently. She knows many moms feel the same, even if it’s rarely talked about.

Letting Go and Leaning In

Letting go of expectations — for her home, her body, and her timeline — has become an essential part of Jackie’s motherhood story. “My parents made it look a lot easier,” she says. And maybe they did — but she also knows there’s not one “right” way to do this. she’s learned to stay grounded in what works for her family. Not caring what others think about being a stay at home mom vs working full time took some time to accept.

Leading With Playfulness and Patience

One of Jackie’s quiet superpowers is keeping things light even when life feels heavy. Whether it’s dancing in the kitchen, making crafts at the table, or turning dinner into a full-on show, she finds ways to infuse fun into the everyday.

But none of it is accidental. That playfulness is rooted in something deeper: her desire to lead with kindness, gentleness, and patience. Jackie knows kids learn less from what you say and more from how you live. And she hopes her daughter sees a mom who’s present, steady, and loving even on the hard days.

Jackie wants her kids to remember that she showed up, paid attention, laughed with them, and loved them well. She hopes they learn compassion and resilience from watching her navigate this season with honesty, and maybe even joy.

The days are long, but the years are already speeding by. “It’s so cliché,” she says tearing up, “but it’s so true.”

If you’re a mom reading this thinking, “Same,” Jackie would probably hand you a snack and say, “You’re doing great.”

No filters. No pressure. Just real life, one messy, meaningful day at a time.

Curious what it really takes to become a Pure Barre instructor or how Jackie fits it into her life? Drop your questions in the comments below.

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