Mom Club with Rachael Krupski
Rachael Krupski with her children and husband. (Photo courtesy of Rachael Krupski)
Earth-momma — that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Rachael Krupski, a North Fork native and mom of three. Her mindful connection to nature, passion for staying present, and love of the local land are things we can easily rally behind.
Join us as Rachael shares mothering on the North Fork in our monthly Mom Club, a Q&A with local North Fork moms.
We hope this series inspires you and helps to make motherhood less intimidating and more inclusive. And the best part is, there’s no dress code or any other code, for that matter. All are welcome to join Mom Club just as you are.
Q: Describe your parenting style in three words.
Rachael: Mindful, gentle, messy.
Q: What is your favorite thing about motherhood?
Rachael: My favorite thing about motherhood is getting to see the world through the eyes of a child again. They allow you to experience things with new eyes, and see the wonder and beauty around us we so often look past as adults. They’ve helped me reconnect and recognize the beauty and magic in nature, and have truly inspired me to slow down and be more present in my everyday life.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about motherhood?
Rachael: My least favorite thing about motherhood is how overstimulating it can be. As someone with ADHD, too many sounds and stimuli at once can really send me for a loop. As someone who has three children, I’m constantly overstimulated and it can be really hard to focus and remain the calm, gentle, and present parent I aim to be.
Q: What would you change anything about motherhood?
Rachael: I would love to remove societal pressure on moms to fit into a certain box. It’s as though society expects us to give birth and give up everything unique and interesting about us, stop dressing the way you like, give up your favorite hobbies, put on the mom uniform, and make your entire life about your kids. We see moms constantly shamed for wearing inappropriate clothes, leaving their children with a trusted adult to do something for themself, or taking time to invest in themselves and the things they love outside of motherhood. In a time when [concerning] maternal mental health is at an all-time high, it’s time we stop pressuring moms to be the perfect mom and allow them to be the mother that they were meant to be. After all, we tell our children never to stop being exactly who they are. How can we truly teach them to be their authentic selves if we are hiding who we truly are?
Q: Assuming you do, why do you think raising kids on the North Fork is unique?
Rachael: As someone who grew up here, and has watched a lot of things once unique about the North Fork begin to change, I can say the one constant is the connection to the land and the water. We are always taking the kids for hikes on our incredible town hiking trails, kayaking with them, and spending most summer days and nights at the beaches. As a farm family, our kids are also given a more hands-on opportunity to experience the rich agricultural history of the North Fork. Kids who grow up here have tractor day at school and will have had some kind of interaction, whether it be a field trip or a roadside stop, with one or more of the local farms. They have the unique opportunity to be close to and recognize exactly where their food is coming from, and that is so important these days.
Q: What role does nature play in raising your kids?
Rachael: If you know me, you know that I am a giant nature lover! If the energy is off in the home, you’ll catch me taking the kids outside to garden, to play in their mud kitchen, to frolic on the farm, or to hike in the woods. In this house, we believe we are part of nature, not just an observer, and that we should work with it instead of attempting to control it. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve definitely seen me and my girls dancing under a full moon a time or two. I hope by sharing these moments, and my own deep love for the natural world, that my children will grow up to be fierce advocates for the environment and protectors of nature.
Q: What's your favorite recent thing that you've done with your kids on the North Fork?
Rachael: Hiking our local trails is definitely my favorite thing we do this time of year. We just hiked the Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve and truly enjoyed the opportunity to observe the wetlands and the woods. The girls collected treasures, and we observed all sorts of animals and birds.
Q: What's your kids' favorite thing you've recently done together on the North Fork?
Rachael: They may be partial, but all the spooky things at Krupski Farms this time of year.
Q: What is one thing every kid should experience on the North Fork?
Rachael: The Greenport carousel. I remember riding it every Halloween as a kid, and now my children love it just as much as I did. (Editor’s note: The Greenport carousel is currently closed for repairs, we are hoping to see it reopen in the new year.)
Q: It’s said that motherhood lasts long after we're gone — that it's the values that live within our kids for their whole lives, too. What are some things that you hope your kids carry with you forever?
Rachael: I hope they carry with them the knowledge that this world needs exactly who they were born to be and to never change who they are to make anyone else more comfortable. I hope they carry their love and reverence of nature, and share it with as many people as they can. And I hope that they continue to carry the belief that we are all one people, and to always treat others and ourselves with gentleness and kindness.
Also in Mom Club:
Mom Club with Christina Liviakis Gianopulos