Every day, parents across South Carolina work to improve the lives of their families, neighbors and communities. One of those parents is Kat Carrig.
Kat is a mom of three children: Tad, 15, Ian, 13, and Henry, 10. She lives in Travelers Rest and works for Pendleton Place as the program manager at Smith House, a licensed foster care group home. Pendleton Place is a supporting partner to the South Carolina Family Resource Center (FRC) Network.
Before her work with Pendleton Place, she was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.
Kat recently shared about her parenting journey and how her experience as a mom has shaped her professional career.
What parenting advice would you give your younger self?
There is no amount of planning you can do to prepare yourself for being a parent. So, learning how to flow through it is the only way. You’re not going to be an expert. During my pregnancies and while my kids were little, I tried to read every book there was and join mom groups because I constantly doubted my parenting. It wasn’t until later that I realized I wasn’t going to be an expert at it. I learned to flow with it.
How has working in foster care helped you as a parent?
When I first started at Smith House, the work I was doing was like I was at home. I made breakfast, made sure the youth were appropriately dressed for school, got them to school and went to buy groceries. Then after work, I got home and did the same things again, but my kids just expected it. At Smith House, they were so appreciative of those things, as if it was not expected. It created a thankfulness in me that I found a job that lets me use those “mom” skills. It helped me recognize what is missing in the world and I see a lot of single moms out there that do not have the resources they need to give their children the same thing. As I’ve progressed into my new role as program manager, I don’t get to play the “mom” role anymore, but I get to advocate for them, which means more to me.
What’s your favorite game or activity to play with your children?
Our favorite activities, still, are sensory play: sand, flour, clay, putty, colored rice, making slime and crystals. And the youth at Smith House love it just as much.
Children’s Trust convenes the S.C. Family Resource Center Network for its members that serve families across South Carolina. Family resource centers are community-based places where families can access support services and information, such as parenting classes, job training, mental health and family counseling, childcare, job training and more. Learn more about family resource centers.
