If you need a little inspiration to get yourself—and your kids—outside this summer, rejoicing in the many gifts of Mother Earth, look no further than today’s Mother Essentials list and the mama behind it. Emma Flanders is co-founder and CEO of HAWKs, a nature-based children’s school enrichment program and day camp on a mission to connect explorers ages 5-14 with the planet through experience and discovery. Mother to Abel (7) and Daisy (2), Emma was inspired to start HAWKs after witnessing the transformative impact that spending more time in nature had on her son during the pandemic. Based in Echo Park, Emma’s reverence for nature, unstructured play, and optimism (in the face of challenges) is evident in her Mother Essentials list below. Enjoy, and get outdoors!
Sustainable Snacking. “My kids and I are huge fans of Sun & Swell Snacks—they love the taste, and I love the brand’s commitment to organic, plant-based, local ingredients and 100% compostable packaging. Try the Real Food Bars in Apple Pie and the Trail Mix in West Coast Blend!” Apple Pie Real Food Bars, $22, Sun & Swell. West Coast Trail Mix, $15, Sun & Swell.
HAWKs. “I co-founded the year-round children’s enrichment and day camp program HAWKs (Hiking Adventure With Kids) in 2022 to connect children with our planet through experience and discovery. At HAWKs we provide opportunities for natural exploration and creativity, an opportunity for children to engage in imaginative play and discover new things in natural settings that stimulate their curiosity. Kids are spending so much less time outdoors and we are seeing the negative impacts on their mental health. I am working to change this. We all need to touch grass.” HawksLA.com.
Keen Sandals For Kids. “My kids are in Keen sandals all summer. They are perfect for hikes, double as water shoes, are machine washable, and come in a ton of cute color combos.” Seacamp II CNX Sandal, $60, Amazon and Keen.
Jelly Sandals For Me. “I am a sucker for nostalgia, which you’ll see in HAWKs branding, (I was inspired by outdoor brands of the 70s / 80s). So show me a jelly sandal and I’m sold. This summer, The Row’s Mara Flat checks every box for me.” The Row Mara Flat, $890, SSENSE.
Nocs Provisions Binoculars. “I typically avoid buying the ‘kids version’ of gear. I find the quality suboptimal, so wherever possible, I entrust kids with the real deal. Nocs Provisions are now binoculars of choice for me and my kids—we love their Standard Issue binoculars both at home and for all the explorers at HAWKs, for the quality, durability, and the fun color combos.” Waterproof Binoculars, $95, Nocs Provisions.
Cool Down Trick. “One of my favorite tricks for staying cool when spending time outdoors in the heat is to soak a bandana in cold water and tie it around your neck—you can extend your day and keep everyone having a good time.”
Chilling Out. “Whenever I have a real moment to decompress, I book a massage at The Now. The boutiques are an oasis of calm in the city and I loooove all the add-ons available, like Gua Sha, Cupping, and Heat Therapy.” TheNowMassage.com.
Patagonia Jackets. “Patagonia makes the perfect jacket for chilly California nights (for kids and adults). For kids, I buy a size up so they can wear it for 2+ years. I’m only on the 3rd jacket for my son who is almost 8, and I’ve saved his smaller sizes for my daughter who is now wearing them. It’s a pricier option, but I’d rather buy fewer, higher quality items and reduce my footprint wherever possible.” Kids’ Down Sweater, $113, Back Country and Patagonia.
The Anxious Generation. “Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation is an important read for all parents. He explores the causes of the rise in mental health disorders among young people, including anxiety and depression. He discusses the importance of play and independent exploration in child development. These themes are core to HAWKs’ programming, so I am thrilled with the widespread success of his book. Let it be a call to action this summer!” The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, $27.90, Bookshop and Amazon.
Song of the Summer. “I keep my playlists current…after Kendrick Lamar, Shaboozey has the song of the summer with A Bar Song (Tipsy). It’s chill yet upbeat, and I respect the sample of J-Kwon’s 2004 hit. I think it’s important to know what’s happening in the zeitgeist. You’ll never catch me out of touch, or lamenting over being old—my finger stays on the pulse. Not because I have any desire to cling to my youth, quite the opposite. Aging is a privilege—but young people are the future. I want to know what they’re up to.”
Skincare as Self Care. “My skincare routine is admittedly excessive. I recently lined it up to take a picture for some friends and I think I had 12 products. However, I look forward to the few extra minutes I spend every morning and evening layering product after product. Are the extra steps making a material difference? Who knows! It feels good and that is all that matters to me. My routine starts with a multitude of toners starting with HaruHaru’s Black Rice Toner. Pro tip: We all know to apply our skincare on our faces, necks, and décolletage, but I now take that 2 steps further and include the tops of my hands and forearms.” Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner For Sensitive Skin, $18.50, iHerb, Amazon, and HaruHaru.
Time for Tea (and Me). “I have tea time every day around 3pm. This is a sacred ritual where I drink Yorkshire Gold with milk and sugar out of my Peter Shire mug. Teatime is a carryover from my childhood, when my mom, sister, and I would have tea and cinnamon toast after school. (There I go again with the nostalgia—I am noticing a pattern!) However, I think these little rituals are so important, especially in uncertain times, it helps to feel some sense of control by imposing a bit of order in the chaos, whether illusory or not.” Peter Shire Mug, $88, Gravel + Gold. Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Gold, $9.99, Amazon.
Stargazing. “For me, there is nothing more awe-inspiring and humbling than staring into space, and I look forward to the Perseid meteor shower that happens every summer when Earth passes through a cloud of debris left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Stargazing has the same mental health benefits as any nature-based activity, it’s a wonderful stress reliever. The Perseid shower doesn’t require a telescope or any gear, so it’s an accessible activity for the whole family. This year, the Perseids are expected to peak between August 11 and 12. A great excuse to get out deep in the desert to the darkest skies and stay up late.”
Victory Garden. “Like everyone else, I started a garden in March 2020. However, the squirrels got to everything but the jalapeños before I could. Enter the lovely team at Victory Garden who build beautiful planters with critter covers. This summer I have tomatillos, haricot vert, peppers galore (shishito, mini bell, jalapeños), tomatoes, and endless herbs. I try to cook seasonally as much as possible, and gardening is not only a stress reliever and chance to soak up some vitamin D, but is an excellent opportunity for kids to get their hands and feet in the dirt and learn that food doesn’t originate at a grocery store.” VictoriaGardenLA.com.
Mysha. “Knowledge is power, and there is no better wealth of information shared than in Mysha, an incredible community for moms. There are hyper local groups for get togethers, as well as national groups where I see moms get help on the most obscure or niche asks. Dentist on the East Side of L.A.? Sitter in Copenhagen? Someone has got you! I love that this group focuses on women as individuals, vs. solely our role as mothers. Through motherhood, it has always been important to me to maintain my own identity, and not lose myself in the difficult early years of parenting—and, being honest, making new friends as an adult can be challenging, and I often find for introverts like myself, this type of forcing function can be immensely helpful to facilitating connection.” MyshaPods.com.
Parks Project x Anyone. “Parks Project has the best collabs. I loved the recent partnership with Friends of the L.A. River (FoLAR), and I’ve never seen a better looking dry bag. I will be stashing snacks in this while meandering down the Truckee this summer. When my kids are older, we’ll tackle more than a Class I. Aside from dope designs, Parks Project is making a difference with their commitment to funding, volunteering, and advocating for habitat restoration projects.” LA River Toadally Dry Bag, $48, Parks Project.
Places to Go, People to See. “The L.A. Times just published 101 Best West Coast Experiences. I love a good guide, and this one is fantastic. Tons of inspiration for family-friendly exploration and adventure up and down the coast.” 101 Best West Coast Experiences, $10, L.A. Times.
S’mores, But Make it Gourmet. “There is nothing like a good s’more, and 1927 S’mores Company makes the best S’mores kits, I am not exaggerating. They’re compact, so they are perfect to take camping. They’re a splurge for sure, but I’d rather buy something and use it all than end up with a half empty box of graham crackers and bag of stale marshmallows.” S’mores Kit, $27, 1927 S’mores Company.
Eternal Eunshine of the Spotted Mind. “My life has been punctuated by profound grief and loss. Losing a lifelong friend in a car accident at 19, my mom after a 10-year battle with breast cancer in my 20s, and most recently, my sister—my only sibling—after a harrowing hospitalization. I have a lot to be sad about, a lot I could fear. However, with my front-row seat to pain and suffering, experiencing some of life’s most difficult moments at an early age—I remain optimistic about life and about the future. I’d say this is in light of my pain vs. in spite of it. Through my grief I have been uplifted and shepherded through by those around me, helping to shape this perspective (shout out my girlfriends!). It is this unbridled optimism that gets me through the days, believing at the core, people are good, life is good, and hopeful that we still have the opportunity to be impactful and make the world a better place.”
For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features on the mamas behind MAJO IDEAS, APRIL SHOWERS of Afro Unicorn, crafty mamas ERIN BOYLE AND ROSE PEARLMAN, writers CLEO WADE and ALEX ELLE, comedian JENNY SLATE, poet MAGGIE SMITH, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream co-founder LAURA O’NEILL, author and doula BRANDI SELLERZ-JACKSON, designer CLARE VIVIER, Miles & Milan founder SHENNEL FULLER, GRACE NA of Pistola, the designers behind MILK TEETH, photographer NICKI SEBASTIAN, Duster co-founder MELISSA MAGSAYSAY, Herman Miller creative director KELSEY KEITH, chef VALERIE GORDON, artist ERIN JANG, and Chicago party mom KRISTEN KAZA.
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