I recently had the opportunity to chat with mom, actress, author and podcaster Anna Faris who recently teamed up with Clorox to support teachers and to promote clean spaces for learning. Faris who is candid about not being the most naturally organized person, stressed the importance of having uncluttered and organized spaces for learning and creativity now that she is a mom. In addition to having a genuine love of the Clorox brand, Faris chose to partner with the brand due to their partnership with DonorsChoose.org, a charity that helps to support teachers in America. Clorox is donating a $150,000 towards this effort to help teachers with school supplies for their classrooms and to help educators to fund special projects for their students.
Faris, chatted exclusively with Moms.com about why she was eager to raise awareness about these initiatives and how her 7-year old son Jack inspires her to stay organized. Faris states, “As a parent I want to set my child up for success in every way possible, and that includes a clean space where he can create. Whether I’m cleaning up after finger painting or wiping down the counter tops before doing homework, Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are an essential part of the Back-to-School routine.”
Are you naturally an organized person?
I am not naturally an organized person. You should see my closet. However, when it comes to Jack I have a stronger sense of organization, because he now has homework and kids his age need organization and structure to better learn and create. I am trying harder to keep order for him. I’m trying to help him establish putting the pencils in the pencil box. I am helping him to put the Legos in different containers in special areas. I’m trying to create really clean and organized working spaces, because if there’s a ton of stuff all over the place; I think that reflects on his brain and my brain too.
The plight of teachers within the classroom setting is oftentimes undermined. Can you tell us why this brand and partnership are so special?
I love that Clorox is donating $150,000 to Donorschoose.org to help provide clean, creative work spaces for students across America and donors. DonorsChoose.org is just a fantastic organization and it allows teachers to submit projects and fulfill needs for the classroom and Clorox’s donation is helping make more of these opportunities possible. I have three family members that are educators. It’s really important to me that other people understand how resources get very stretched and how limited resources are for teachers.
How has the organization needed in motherhood, changed or re-confirmed your perception of teachers, if at all?
I always have had great feedback and compassion for teachers. I love that you asked this question, because I truly admire and respect the amount of: compassion, kindness, intelligence, generosity–and all around routines of teachers. They are so organized. I am just in awe. My son is in the first grade. His teachers have always been amazing. I was constantly like, “How are you guys doing this? Having, you know, 30 6-year olds in a classroom setting. It’s a job that I admire so much.
There is a current notion of ‘Having It All’, the need for work-life balance and the ‘Snap-Back’ ideology after pregnancy and honestly mom are entirely too hard on themselves after motherhood. What are some positive mantras and practices that you do to stay uplifted and motivated?
“Back-to-School” season is here and Moms.com recently had the opportunity to chat with mom, actress, author and podcaster Anna Faris who recently teamed up with Clorox to support teachers and to promote clean spaces for learning. Faris who is candid about not being the most naturally organized person, stressed the importance of having uncluttered and organized spaces for learning and creativity now that she is a mom. In addition to having a genuine love of the Clorox brand, Faris chose to partner with the brand due to their partnership with DonorsChoose.org, a charity that helps to support teachers in America. Clorox is donating a $150,000 towards this effort to help teachers with school supplies for their classrooms and to help educators to fund special projects for their students.
Faris, chatted exclusively with Moms.com about why she was eager to raise awareness about these initiatives and how her 7-year old son Jack inspires her to stay organized.
Faris states, “As a parent I want to set my child up for success in every way possible, and that includes a clean space where he can create. Whether I’m cleaning up after finger painting or wiping down the counter tops before doing homework, Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are an essential part of the Back-to-School routine.”
Are you naturally an organized person?
I am not naturally an organized person. You should see my closet. However, when it comes to Jack I have a stronger sense of organization, because he now has homework and kids his age need organization and structure to better learn and create. I am trying harder to keep order for him. I’m trying to help him establish putting the pencils in the pencil box. I am helping him to put the Legos in different containers in special areas. I’m trying to create really clean and organized working spaces, because if there’s a ton of stuff all over the place; I think that reflects on his brain and my brain too.
The plight of teachers within the classroom setting is oftentimes undermined. Can you tell us why this brand and partnership are so special?
I love that Clorox is donating $150,000 to Donorschoose.org to help provide clean, creative work spaces for students across America and donors. DonorsChoose.org is just a fantastic organization and it allows teachers to submit projects and fulfill needs for the classroom and Clorox’s donation is helping make more of these opportunities possible. I have three family members that are educators. It’s really important to me that other people understand how resources get very stretched and how limited resources are for teachers.
How has the organization needed in motherhood, changed or re-confirmed your perception of teachers, if at all?I always have had great feedback and compassion for teachers. I love that you asked this question, because I truly admire and respect the amount of: compassion, kindness, intelligence, generosity–and all around routines of teachers. They are so organized. I am just in awe. My son is in the first grade. His teachers have always been amazing. I was constantly like, “How are you guys doing this? Having, you know, 30 6-year olds in a classroom setting. It’s a job that I admire so much.
There is a current notion of ‘Having It All’, the need for work-life balance and the ‘Snap-Back’ ideology after pregnancy and honestly mom are entirely too hard on themselves after motherhood. What are some positive mantras and practices that you do to stay uplifted and motivated?
I love that you asked that question, because I can totally relate to it. The biggest thing for me is being honest with myself, and acknowledging that I have mom guilt sometimes. The biggest thing for me has been mom guilt. I often feel like intrinsically guilty when I have to multitask on other things. Like right now, Jack is in the other room watching a video. It’s that constant thing of guilt that moms have. I think as a society we as women put too much pressure on ourselves like, did I breastfeed long enough? Did I buy the right diaper?
I think that talking to other moms is so important. Even if it’s simple communication like, “Are you experiencing this?” It can be very imprisoning feeling guilt often, but I think that realizing that so many other moms feel the same way and are not passing judgment is comforting. I truly think that when you become a mom that your brain changes, and sometimes you just need that reinforcement. It’s good to check in with other moms and be encouraged to embrace the fact that everything is not always perfect.
On the CBS show Mom, you play Christie and she’s appealing because she is imperfect and does not let dysfunction break her. In the context of notions of perfectionism, what would you say to other moms to encourage them?
Oh, man. I wish I was qualified to give advice, but honestly my advice would be to find a community of women and mothers that you trust. Sometimes, it’s good to have a safety net for just day to day things. Like just today, it was hard to just go to the grocery store. When you find people that won’t pass judgement on you and who will just be there, cling to them. Find them, and appreciate them.
This article was written and original published by Lynnette on Moms.com on August 27, 2019.
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