This is How One Astoria Mom Helps Empower Working Moms

Andrea Abraham, the Queens mom behind @astoriainheels, on balancing a career with motherhood, parenting in a pandemic, and why she loves Astoria.

By Andrea Abraham June 19, 2020

Andrea Abraham, founder of the popular blog and Instagram, @astoriainheels, is one of those moms who seems able to do it all. She’s a corporate working mom of two little girls, a 3-year-old and an 18-month-old, who lives with her husband in Astoria.

“Living in Astoria allows me to have a backyard space where we enjoy spending time as a family. We barbecue, host parties (pre-quarantine), and have movie nights,” she says.

Her blog, where she shares her own experiences, plus tips from experts, helps diverse working moms navigate their life while thriving in their corporate career—all while also being stylish. As she puts it: “So many women struggle with trying to balance both career and family and it’s important to tell moms that you are no less of a career woman for putting your family first. You can still excel in your career while raising kids.”

Why should you follow @astoriainheels? Andrea understands that many women are working hard to manage both their working lives and their home lives.

Instagram | @astoriainheels

Blog | astoriainheels.com

What is a typical day for you?

A typical day used to be me getting the girls ready in the morning for my husband to take them to his parents and then I would commute to Midtown for work. I usually would get home around 7pm and either get dinner together or order food for us. My husband would arrive home with the girls by 7:30pm and we would hang out and play with them for an hour or more in the living room before putting them to bed. Afterwards, I’d sit on the couch watching TV for some alone time before heading to bed myself and do it all over again.

Now, with the current pandemic, I am home with my girls. My husband heads into work and I get up with the girls around 8:45am. I get their breakfast ready and log into work. I then go back and forth between my computer screen and the living room to make sure my girls are okay playing with their toys. I try to switch between toys and learning apps on the iPad during the day, which we refer to as “school time."

Now, it’s a matter of making sure they are doing fine, making sure they are fed, and delivering on items at work on a timely basis. My husband gets home around 5pm. He gives them a bath and I get them dressed for bed. We FaceTime with my parents at 7pm every night and then it’s bedtime for the kids. Afterward, I do a bit more work on the computer, either for my blog or for the office, and stay up late either working or watching TV because now I have a hard time falling asleep.

What do you love most about Astoria, Queens?

I love it because it is still a family-based neighborhood. The families that are here have been here for years and they have watched Astoria grow. I love how diverse it remains and you can always find various cultural events to attend in the warmer months. The food in Queens is amazing with every different kind of cuisine you can imagine. Also, you get more space for your buck!

What’s the best parenting advice you ever received?

I have never been a morning person so the best parenting advice I ever received was to train my kids to sleep in. I got them to fall back asleep when they would wake up too early in the morning. Now they do not wake up until after 8am or even 9am sometimes. We never have to worry about waking up and starting our day on the weekends at 5am!

Which famous parent would you like to have dinner with and why?

I would like to have dinner with Michelle Obama. She raised two young girls of color in the spotlight of the world and I would like to know how she managed doing it. I want to know her take on how to raise young women to be on the right path and grounded.

How did you get involved in blogging about parenting?

I originally began blogging about fashion but as my life evolved, so did my blog. I realized how important it was for me to share my experiences as a working mom and what I learned along the way. Being a mom who felt passionate about her career as well guided me to help other moms deal with both career and parenting.

What do you think is a parent’s hardest job?

I believe the hardest job as a parent is finding the right balance of trying to protect your children while allowing them to be the person they are meant to be. I know I cannot shelter them from everything, and they have to go out there and learn things for themselves. It’s hard for me to learn to step back and let them grow on their own.