This week’s Meet a Mom feature is Stacey Corvalan, Community Coordinator of Piper Preschool. Piper Preschool opened their campus in Manhattan Beach last year, adding to their other four campuses throughout LA and Orange County. Stacey is a South Bay mom of two and is connected to the community thanks to her job at Piper and the years she spent prior connecting with other families starting when her kids were in preschool.
Read more about this the special mom’s favorite local spots and what she loves to do in the South Bay, her daily routine, how she juggles work and motherhood, and more!
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have two great kids. My son Ben is 14 and a freshman in high school. I’m not sure when that happened, but so far so good. My daughter Cece is 11 going on 24.
What are your favorite local things to do with your kids?
We love a beach day. Whatever the season or the weather, we can always gather a group to spend a day on the sand. I also love going to all the local South Bay events like the Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks, the MB Pier Lighting, Fiesta Hermosa, and Hometown Fair. My kids are usually either volunteering or walking around with their friends now that they are a little older, but I still love to go with them to see what they are up to when they are out in the wild.
What do you like about living in the South Bay and why did you decide to raise your family here?
My husband lived in the South Bay when we met and he always wanted to come back. It took some convincing, but the same reason I was unsure about moving here is the same reason I love it now: the small-town feeling. The South Bay bubble is such a tight knit community that I always feel like there are people looking out for us. In fact, I even convinced my kids that if they get into any trouble when they are out and about, I will hear about it from people I know.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Personally, I made some great friends when my son was in preschool and elementary school. Without those people as a support system, I wouldn’t have been able to navigate life as a mom. Professionally, I handle Community Outreach for Piper Preschool, so my job literally requires me to navigate the ins-and-outs of the South Bay community. My unofficial title, “Queen Beach” says it all.
How do you juggle work and motherhood?
When I was considering taking a job after many years as a stay at home Mom, I wanted to make sure that I could still put my family first. I’m so grateful that my job at Piper has allowed me to do that. It’s such a caring environment for both students and staff. They understand that for me to be my best, I have to feel like my family is taken care of.
What does a typical weekday look like for you?
Wake up, see my son off to surf or football practice, work out or meditate, coax my daughter out of bed to eat breakfast and get her to school, walk the dog and head to Piper (sometimes with the dog). After I’m done at work, it’s time for elementary pick-up and then running around to my daughter’s activities. Then I cook dinner, get everyone to bed (including my husband), and finally enjoy some quiet time watching TV on the couch.
What is the best piece of advice you can offer another mom?
Give yourself some grace. You are a person too! Moms need to be a little bit of everything: teachers, chefs, nurses, therapists, cheerleaders, personal assistants, chauffeurs, and so much more. Whether you’re working for your family at home or going to a job somewhere else, your job as a Mom doesn’t change. As someone who just went back to a job outside my home after 14 years “mom-ing”, I worry about spending less time with my kids. I just try to be present and focused when we are together. I know that those are the times they will remember.
How do you give back to the community?
My family and I are a part of a nonprofit organization called Culture Club South Bay. Culture Club hosts free beach camps to unite kids from different communities by celebrating diversity and creating inclusion. My husband runs the surf program and my son is a surf coach, I teach yoga and mindfulness, and my daughter joins the activities as a camper. It helps to give our kids a sense of the world outside their own and we love being involved in it.
Let’s Talk Local! What is your favorite:
Family Restaurant: Din Tai Fung in Del Amo Fashion Center
Date Night Restaurant: Jame Enoteca in El Segundo
Brunch Spot: Un Caffe Altamura in Downtown Manhattan Beach
Shop: Gum Tree
Workout: I LOVE yoga. My favorite class disbanded during the pandemic, so I’m looking for my new favorite teacher.
For more information on Piper Preschool’s Manhattan Beach campus, please visit us here. Beach Cities Moms can apply to Piper Preschool for FREE ($150 value) using this link.
