By Shannon Seibert
Prize-winning Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi has established herself as a well-rounded business woman and is now championing the art of parenthood. A mother to two daughters, Keara, 10, and Emma, 8, she marvels at the pleasant surprises of being a parent. She recently caught up with Celebrity Baby Scoop to talk about The Always Dream Foundation and her experiences being a mom.
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CBS: The Always Dream Foundation has been effective in helping kids to look beyond their circumstances and embrace their dreams. How many kids have you helped so far?
KY: “Wow. I have no idea. We’re in our 18th year of existence. I don’t know if I can even guess how many kids have been helped over the past 18 years. I know our current reading program is finishing its second year, and we are in 12 schools and affecting about 1,200 kids. That is just the schools we’ve been in over the past three years.”
CBS: Do you have any new programs for the summer?
KY: “We have our 2nd Annual Children’s Literacy Festival coming up in on May 17th in San Jose called Kristi Yamaguchi’s Reading Adventures at Happy Hallow. We will bring in some guest authors to read, some local celebrities, and the popular Disney Jr. group Choo Choo Soul will be a part of our entertainment as well. That’s our immediate one, and then we have our Annual Gala that helps raise funds for our literacy efforts.”
CBS: How much influence did your mom have on the kind of mom you have become?
KY: “Very much. She has always been my ultimate role model. She was an amazing mom and had time for all of us, my siblings and me. She sacrificed a lot and did a lot. I definitely admire the way she raised us, and I’m looking forward to following her footsteps.”
CBS: How has motherhood changed you?
KY: “I think I’ve become more tentative to dangers in life as far as taking care of myself — because I might get sick, and who would take care of my kids? Obviously, looking after them and thinking of all of the things moms want to do to keep their kids safe, busy, task-happy, and active too.”
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CBS: What experiences have surprised you the most?
KY: “I guess how proud you can be as a parent when your child accomplishes something or when I see my two daughters interacting with each other. Seeing the affection they have for each other is so heartwarming. I never thought I could feel so emotional about seeing that sibling love.”
For the rest of the interview, visit www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2014/05/09/kristin-yamaguchi-ultimate!
