Interview with 2009 Honoree- Vanessa Van Petten

I had the pleasure of interviewing a friend and colleague of mine, Vanessa Van Petten, about her Mom's Choice Founder's Award for her book- You're Grounded. I first learned about Vanessa through a social networking web site- SelfGrowth.com and immediately connected with her mission and ideals. Her book- You're Grounded, caught my eye, because as an intuitive mother of four children, this young woman was speaking my language and doesn't yet have kids of her own.

Vanessa lives in Los Angeles and has an incredible background working with tweens and teens from a very raw or what she likes to call a "radical" approach to what parenting looks like to many of these young people. I dug a little deeper to learn more about Vanessa's personal background and here's what she had to say!

Tara: Tell me about your family.

Vanessa: My parents are divorced. I was raised in one Jewish household as an only child and one Christian household as one of four with one step brother and two half sisters! Complicated, right?!

Tara: LOL. Vanessa you have such a great personality and are such a real person, I can only laugh when I go back and read some of our interview together..

So share with us what the real inspiration for your book was?

Vanessa: I was so tired of fighting with my parents and I knew other teens must be going through what I was going through. I wanted to let them know they were not alone and there were things they can do to shift the patterns with their parents. I also wanted to give parents some insight into the teen mind and why we do what we do so they don't feel so alone either.

Tara: Great insight from such a young person. Now there's a real story to how you came to write this book.

Can you share your story with our readers?

Vanessa: I was grounded and very, very angry at my parents. I could not talk on the phone, be on the internet, --nothing! Luckily I decided to put practical application to my anger and my lack of freedom.

Tara: What a great way to manage your anger and something I am sure you have shared with the many young people you mentor today.

Did you have an aha moment; was it inspired by something you were doing or someplace you were visiting; a person in your life?

Vanessa: My aha moment was when I was in China, talking to Chinese teen rappers about why their rap music was so angry. I was writing my thesis on Underground Chinese Hip Hop and Urban Youth and expected them to say they were upset with the government and repression, instead they told me—“we are mad at our parents.” I thought that it was the universe’s way of telling me I was supposed to help teens everywhere.

Tara: What a great aha moment! Not only because you thought to ask the question, but you took the message and acknowledged it as a way you could serve young people through your own experiences.

Who would you say is your greatest source of support; why?

Vanessa: Scott Edwards is my boyfriend, my best friend, my internet guy, my reality check and my rock. I am so grateful to him for all of his help. He has been with me since I decided to publish my book!

Tara: Any other thoughts you would share with people reading your story?

Vanessa: Dream really big, work really hard and you will get there.

Tara: What has it meant to you personally or to the success of your product to have been honored with a Mom’s Choice Award?

Vanessa: It is such an honor! I love moms and it is so nice to have mom’s love what I do. The Mom’s Choice Awards are such a great brand and stamp of approval, I am so grateful to them and to Tara Paterson, the real force behind the Awards!

Tara: You are the power behind your award. Your work speaks for itself and is the reason I recognized your book for such an award. I am so impressed by your tenacity and confidence in your mission. I know with people like you in the world, our children will have great role models and to me that means more than anything!

What are your future plans; what’s next for you as an author/ writer?

Vanessa: Professional blogger? I am working on lots of projects; as I say we have lots in the oven. I am working on several more webinars now so I can bring my "in person" work to people all over the world in easier formats.

Tara: Ah yes, check out Vaness and my webinar- Radical Parenting Using Intuition!!

Anything you would like to add?

Vanessa: I am so grateful to all of our readers and to the Mom’s Choice Awards, I am a true believer in heart resonance and think that the more people who are doing good things, the more joy there is.

Thank you Vanessa, I believe that too!!