MOM NEXT DOOR

BY EMILY DREZ PHOTO BY LAUREN ASHTON LIGHTS DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY

OCCUPATION: Founder and CEO of Impact Charter School HUSBAND: Eric Scott CHILD: Courtney, 20 HOBBIES: yoga, cooking, traveling, and community service with Kappa Alpha Sorority

CHAKESHA Scott can tell you everything there is to know about hard work. She balanced motherhood as a graduate student and obtained a Master’s degree when her daughter, Courtney, was young. Now, she is the founder and CEO of Impact Charter School, and she is also an awesome mom dedicated to working hard for her family and her community. As a parent and a leader, Chakesha understands the importance of trying your best and providing others with the resources they need to succeed. You can also find her doing yoga every day to boost her mindfulness and keep her health in check while she maintains her busy lifestyle.

CHAKESHA: I wake up and do about 15-20 minutes of yoga, stretching, and prayer. Then, I shower, make myself coffee and breakfast, check my emails, review my to-do lists, and update my calendars. After that, I head to school and work nonstop. Every day is pretty different as far as business. Normally when I get to work, I’m there until 6:30-7 at night, but if it’s a day where I am overseeing a sports event, I might not get home until 9:30-10. When I do get home, my husband and I will have dinner, and I will ride the Peloton or my bike for 30 minutes to destress and relax.

CHAKESHA: I’ve always wanted a daughter, and mine is very smart and very fun. I did have her young; I just turned 40, so it’s been interesting having her at such a young age and watching her grow and have different interests. Her personality has really blossomed over time. I’ve always pushed her to find her true passion. One challenge is how fast she grew up and became independent when she left for college. I had to adjust to her depending on herself day to day. Another challenge has been about balance because I am very busy; even when she was growing up, I had to figure out how to balance everything because I was completing my Master’s degree. My husband has played a huge role in all that, which I’m very grateful for.

CHAKESHA: Loving and nurturing, but firm. I try to be consistent with my expectations. I do set high expectations, and I do try to inspect what I expect, but I do have a soft spot. Parenthood tests your strengths, weaknesses, and perseverance, but when you give it your all, there’s going to be a day where you see that it all stuck.

CHAKESHA: We love to travel, so we try to experience different places and activities that we cannot do at home. We always celebrate holidays and birthdays, and at least once a month we try to do something fun like a festival.

CHAKESHA: Understanding the blessings of being a mom. I’m honored that God chose me to be a mother. Motherhood means I get to mold, impact, and influence the life of something that is a part of me and leave a legacy of my values and beliefs. It’s also knowing that I have this mini me who loves and admires me for who I am with no judgment.

CHAKESHA: No matter how hard you try or how smart you think you may be, no one can do it all, and no one can do it all perfectly. All you can do is your best and just believe that God will fill in the rest. When you do your best, you’ve made so much of an impact on your child’s life that will always be bigger than what you think. Parenthood tests your strengths, weaknesses, and perseverance, but when you give it your all, there’s going to be a day where you see that it all stuck. Strive to be a great parent even when you don’t even think you’re doing a good job because you will always see the fruits of your labor.

CHAKESHA: I hope that my daughter will acquire the same skills I acquired at a young age. I have taught her morals, values, and to expect that whatever she puts out there will come back full circle. I would like to continue to teach her life skills like financial literacy and the value of hard work, consistency, and perseverance.

CHAKESHA: Working at a school has taught me that everybody does it differently. We have over 400 students, so I meet a lot of parents and families, and what I notice about all parents is that they all have good intentions for their kids. Whatever their conditions and situations are varies. Therefore, it’s impossible for everybody to do parenting the same. What I’ve learned about parenting and supporting other parents is that we have to do the best with what we have.

CHAKESHA: My biggest challenge was keeping my daughter focused. She’s a 2020 graduate from high school, so she hasn’t had a regular school year since she’s been in college. I’ve been trying to keep her focused and keep her mental health strong.

CHAKESHA: To know that there is no manual to parenting. When you do your best, and when you think your kids aren’t retaining anything, know that they are. Don’t give up, and don’t get frustrated. Reach out for help when you run into challenges. Don’t walk away or give up on your kid. You need to communicate and be open with your children. Keep them inspired and engaged, keep their mind stimulated, and take advantage of any family outing opportunities that come up. Kids don’t remember the gifts you buy them, but they do remember family experiences. ■

my cell phone.

eggs and almond milk.

creme brulee.

chargrilled oysters.

Starbucks white chocolate mocha with skim milk.

yoga.

old pictures and old home videos.