Summary: <br> AT Moms have a lot to deal with. Being mom at home and "mom" at work, breastfeeding in a football locker room at halftime...I mean come on.<br> <br> <br> <br> Cari Wood, Valerie Moody, and Kelly Salter join share some of their stories to encourage and lift you up as an AT Mom.<br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://sportsmedicinebroadcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AT-Moms.png"></a><br> <br> <br> <br> Val, what is your family makeup?<br> <br> <br> <br> University of Montana Director of our program<br> <br> <br> <br> AT Journey Colorado, Nebraska, Colorado, Florida back to Nebraska<br> <br> <br> <br> Met husband in high school but actually met when she was back in Nebraska<br> <br> <br> <br> Cari?<br> <br> <br> <br> 22 year old and 19 year old<br> <br> <br> <br> Married 23 years<br> <br> <br> <br> Kelly?<br> <br> <br> <br> Born and raised in Michigan<br> <br> <br> <br> Husband was a coach at her first job<br> <br> <br> <br> 23 years this summer<br> <br> <br> <br> 21 and 20 year old sons<br> <br> <br> <br> Tell some stories of raising kids as an AT mom?<br> <br> <br> <br> Kelly - we now sleep with a phone on for our kids...but it can not be me as I get messages from former kids at all hours.<br> <br> <br> <br> I was able to provide AT care to my kids in little league.<br> <br> <br> <br> As the only AT at my school, I have to care for my kids. It takes practice and objectivity.<br> <br> <br> <br> Cari - former athlete called her after a varsity football game and they had been having fun.<br> <br> <br> <br> I love they feel safe to call me<br> <br> <br> <br> A friend fell off the golf cart and broke her 5th metatarsal but Cari made her play through it.<br> <br> <br> <br> It is hard to evaluate your own kid.<br> <br> <br> <br> My son was a wrestler but my contract did not cover the road trips. So I had to sit in the stands and sit and watch, but I can never really turn that off.<br> <br> <br> <br> Val - when my kids are playing I have the other AT doing the evaluation. It gives me a layer of separation.<br> <br> <br> <br> “Will there ever be a game where I am just mom, not the AT?”<br> <br> <br> <br> What are some of the best moments?<br> <br> <br> <br> Cari - raising the kids in the high school and having them be included with the teams. Allowing the high school kids to guide and instruct them.<br> <br> <br> <br> Realizing I had to lay down the law with the boys trying to date my daughter.<br> <br> <br> <br> Kelly - getting to see role models and how the teams can be like family.<br> <br> <br> <br> Now my boys are returning the mentor favors.<br> <br> <br> <br> Keeping my kids involved in what I do and allowing them to be pediatric patients and part of my regular routine<br> <br> <br> <br> How do you handle the dating scene?<br> <br> <br> <br> It was great for me but tough for the kids. I always knew everything.<br> <br> <br> <br> It is a double-edged sword. There was much more benefit than difficulty.<br> <br> <br> <br> Being relationship-driven has always been important to me so it caused some issues as I wanted to be friends with others.<br> <br> <br> <br> Am I an imposter?<br> <br> <br> <br> Val - It is easy for us to fall into that trap with social media.<br> <br> <br> <br> I try to surround myself with good role models that I can reach out to.<br> <br> <br> <br> I intentionally connected with another faculty member who is in a similar situation.<br> <br> <br> <br> Cari - I missed a lot of competitions because I had to work, my husband did a lot of the nighttime routines.<br> <br> <br> <br> Kelly - It is hard to be vulnerable,
