Kira Oldham-Curtis

This business owner and mom of two doesn’t take the little things for granted…especially sleep.

Profession: Owner of PlaySpace Cafe

Community: South Eugene

Partner: Lee Blachly, co-owner

of PlaySpace Cafe

Children: Orion, age 7 & Raya, age 4

Photos: Fremouw Photography

Family comes first.

All families are unique. Tell us about yours.

I grew up in Eugene and then went to Pennsylvania for college. Upon graduating, I returned to Eugene where I later met my husband Lee at work. We have been married just over nine years and have two kids, Orion and Raya. We have a handful of fish and enjoy our neighbors’ cats and Nana’s dog without the full responsibility. We are extremely lucky that all of the grandparents live in Eugene.

Every family has its own traditions, rituals or inside jokes. What are some of yours? Birthday breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes, picking apples in the fall and matching PJs on Christmas morning.

When did you know you wanted to be a mom? I’ve always known I wanted to be a mom. When I was kid, I played with dolls and stuffed animals, and they were all my “kids.” I remember lining them all up and reading books to them.

Tell us about one of your proudest mom moments. When I see my kids playing nicely together or with other kids. I love that they initiate playing with others and make new friends.

What is something you swore you would never do before kids that you now do (skip showers, go to a drive through coffee in your pjs, etc.)? Bribery. I never thought I would succumb to using it, but sometimes it’s the only way. Or that I would ever threaten that Santa is watching…in March.

In what way are your children like you? How are they different? My daughter Raya is independent and fearless. I have heard many stories from family and friends about how I would “hold my own hand” to cross the street and would climb on top of the highest monkey bars at her age. When I see her do these things, I know it’s a reflection of what my parents went through. My son Orion is empathetic and can read books or play quietly with his toys for hours. One of the first movies he watched, we cried together.

You know you’re a mom when you hear yourself say… “Can you please stop stepping on my toes?” It doesn’t matter where we are or how much space there is around me, they are forever finding my feet.

What are you enjoying the most about parenting right now? I really enjoy the car rides on the way to and from their different sports and activities. We have great conversations and sometimes we just rock out to music. Now that my oldest is doing team sports, being a part of a team from the parent standpoint is a lot of fun. I always enjoy the cuddles and bedtime stories because I know it won’t last forever.

No one works harder than mom.

We know that being a mom is a full-time job. How do you balance (or not) motherhood, activities, work, volunteering, household responsibilities, and life in general? What sometimes falls through the cracks? I try my best to do a little of everything, everyday. But some days I just have to buckle down and pour myself into one thing or the other, and the laundry might pile up. What falls through the cracks first is taking time for myself. But if the house is running smoothly, business is taken care of and my kids are doing all they can, then that is enough for me.

What have you learned professionally that has helped you as a mom? All of my work history has been with children and that helped me learn the importance of patience, perspective and being able to adapt. I also have a better idea about different stages kids go through and strategies to use in different circumstances. Prior to opening PlaySpace, I was the Head Girls Team Coach/Program Director at the National Academy of Gymnastics for over 10 years.

I coached athletes from age 6 through high school and some continued through college. Let’s just say that I know what’s coming down the line with my daughter!

Tell us about a recent achievement you’re proud of, or a personal passion or talent. I was inducted into the Division III National Collegiate Gymnastics Association and Ursinus College (my alma mater) Hall of Fame.

I competed all four years in college and was a three-time National Champion, 13-time NCGA All-American and Academic All-American.

If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy.

Tell us about your upbringing. How did it shape the mother you are today? I grew up in a very supportive, open and loving family. My dad was a clinical psychologist and my mother taught counseling and human services at U of O and LCC. They raised me to be independent, to try new things and to ask questions. I have fond memories of our family dinners (even if it was at 8 p.m. at night because of sports) and having deep conversations about all aspects of life. They would tell me “there’s no such thing as a bad question.” I appreciate the open communication that I had from a young age and hope to carry this on with my children. Although I am an only child, I spent lots of time with my cousins growing up and am still very close with them today. I was adopted at birth and am fortunate to have a lifelong relationship with my birth family. I try to instill the importance of family with my kids and want them to have a connection with all different parts of their big family.

What do you think is the most important life skill or value your parents taught you? The importance of family, honesty and saving.

When was the last time you did something for the first time? This August our family went on

our first flight (vacation) since we opened PlaySpace Cafe two and a half years ago. Of course the day we left was when heavy smoke rolled into town. My husband had to call me to leave the building because the flight would leave without us! We are thankful to have a great team who reassured me and kept everything running smoothly during our absence.

What is the quality you like most about yourself? My ability to visualize a concept or idea and plan how to accomplish it. This could be anything from planning a trip, making a charcuterie board or renovating a tattoo parlor into PlaySpace Cafe!

What’s your superpower? My ability to write to-do lists, on paper, and actually check them off.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, in which event would you win a gold medal? Couponing. I love finding coupons, discounts and deals.

Name one thing that is part of your daily routine that you just can’t live without. Sleep. I will take as much as I can possibly get. For me, there’s no such thing as too much sleep. I think back to before kids and realize that I took naps and sleeping in for granted. I had no idea what being tired really meant until kids.

It’s Saturday afternoon and you suddenly find yourself at home alone for a few hours (we know,

it never happens). What do you do? I’d like to think that I would binge watch a show, take a nap

or roam TJ Maxx but I think I would actually just get work done so that when the family returns I have more time with them, or have time to watch something with my husband after the kids go to bed. What is your least/most favorite household chore?

I enjoy the race to try to get all of the laundry done. Putting away folded laundry is the hardest part for me though.

Listen to mom.

Is motherhood what you expected? What surprised you the most? Yes, it has been everything that I expected and more. The unconditional love is more than words can express, the new baby smell is sweeter than anything and the number of pictures that I take is more than my phone has space for.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from another mom? “When in doubt, just throw it out.” I tried cleaning/saving onesies that had massive blowouts and the amount of time and water spent on cleaning them, for them to still be stained, just wasn’t worth it. Most of the time it would happen when we weren’t at home (of course), so then there was the added bonus of carefully transporting it back home.

What advice would you give your younger mom self? What do you wish you knew then that you know now? You don’t always have to be a “super mom.” Accept the help and meals when they’re offered, especially with a newborn. It’s okay if they don’t fold laundry or load the dishwasher the exact same way as you, let it go and be thankful.

What message would you like to share with other moms? Remember to tell it like it is. Being a parent is hard. The hours can go by slowly but the years go by quickly. When your child is throwing a fit over something you can’t control (like the weather), asking you “why” for hours on end or waking up at all hours of the night, remember that this too will pass. Enjoy those little moments (even if at the time you want to cry) because before you know it you’ll be saying remember when. You got this, mom!