Testimonials

Hear what clients and friends are saying about You Plus 2 & Beyond the Basics:

“Rachel’s “Beyond the Basics” workshops provided me with a sigh of relief!  Rachel breaks things down in a very relatable and user friendly way.  She uses examples of scenarios from the attendees as well as her own personal experience, this makes for a tactile and entertaining lecture.  I was able to leave each session and apply Rachel’s suggestions immediately with great success.  This series is a must for any parents of a toddler.  Best of all it left me with reassurance that I was already doing a great job, and doesn’t every parent need some kudos?!  The bonus was that I received concrete advice in tweaking things to benefit my daughter even more.  Thanks Rachel, you are a gem!”   -Terri (2-year old)

“We have put some of the learnings from your “Discipline & Boundary Setting” workshop into action. Not sure how the little guys are adjusting – certainly they seem to be doing ok – but from a totally selfish point of view I love it because it centers me and gives me a methodical way of dealing with them. So thank you thank you thank you.   –Ariella (3 year old twins)

“Above all, Rachel cares deeply about children’s emotional development. She truly helped me deal with my child’s frustrations and gave me a lot of perspective of what to expect from a 2-year old. I look forward to future workshops!”—Bianca(2 year old)

“Rachel provides the guidance, support, and most importantly the practical tools, tips and knowledge to help with coping and communicating with our little ones. I met her through her workshop series just before our second baby came along, and she helped us by giving us the ideas and words to manage our clever little toddler who has a natural knack to negotiate like the most feisty of lawyers! She is very insightful, and I have a great appreciation for her parenting technique which is harmonious and effective. I have recommended her workshops and webinars to many of my family and friends with little ones… she’s a great resource and a genuinely warm and helpful person!—Maya (2 year old)

“I was lucky enough to come across Rachel when I joined a “new mommies” group. I was becoming more dis-heartened and emotional over the trouble I was having meshing my boyfriends kids with our new baby, and all the communication that takes. Rachel explained some basic communication guide lines I should try along with how to implement a little structure as a family. I’m happy to report our communication has never been better and the kids took to our new ways better then I ever expected. Her advice worked like magic. Its an immeasurable difference from where I felt I was. I’d like to think it was simple, but without the “know how”, that Rachel has, I would have not been able to get over that hurdle by myself.”-ToniAnn (4 month old, 2 older step-children)

“I met Rachel at a luncheon event where she spoke about the transition to 2 kids and was incredibly impressed by her savvy and creativity. When I asked Rachel to meet with me one-on-one at my home, I was grateful for her positive and encouraging attitude; her endless ideas to how to approach challenges and her calming influence. She made me feel normal (when I was beating myself up) for struggling with this transition and was a sympathetic ear. Most importantly, after she left I felt like I had a plan on how to handle a variety of situations. Being a type-A working mom, it was just what I needed to feel more confident. I am much more prepared and knowledgeable after my time with her and most importantly, the tips, strategies and action plan will make me a better mom of two going forward. We’ve already made progress in just a few days! Rachel is very knowledgeable and professional and most importantly totally “gets it” as she is a busy mom of 2 herself. She is an incredible resource. I would highly recommend her!”-Nicole (2 year old, 5 week old.)

“In trying to prepare for the arrival of my second child, I was concerned about the best ways/methods of helping my daughter cope with a new sibling and no longer being an only child. In just 1 session, Rachel provided some much-needed information on how to try and prepare your current child on the pending arrival, how to best integrate the baby into your lives, as well as how to make time for yourself as a “new” mom again. I would highly recommend Rachel, and not only for 1-on-1 sessions, but for any “Moms of Multiple” groups looking for interesting and relevant speakers to help them on their journey with their children. – Stephanie (3 year old and one on way)”

“Rachel was a great person to meet with to get our life in order again! She had so many great ideas for how to organize our time better. When she left, I felt inspired to change and now a few weeks later, those changes are still in place. She also has great ideas for how to incorporate your friends into your plan so you can all do a better job and help each other out in the process!”-Debra (3.5 year old, 1 year old)

“Rachel made it very easy to meet. She understood that my only down-time was during my kids’ naps so she agreed to come to my office to meet. She was very thorough and made sure she was looking at my family/work situation from every angle. She had some very good ideas! I definitely felt inspired after our meeting. She would be great for any first time or second time mom to talk to.” -Stacey (3.5 year old and 6 month old)

“Rachel was such a great help. As a mom of two herself, she truly understands how challenging–and rewarding–it can be. When I reached out to her after I had my second son, she listened attentively as I shared my concerns and then came up with specific ways to address each of them. The tips she gave me for helping my older son adjust to having a baby brother were particularly helpful. Within days of implementing them, I saw a positive change in his behavior and his attitude. I would happily recommend her services to any mother of two.”-Jennifer (4 year old, 1 month old)

“Rachel is more than just another Mom who has advice. She has an extra special spark, glimmers of hope, credible ideas that maybe another friend who happens to have 2 kids may not offer. I enjoyed my session with her. You should call her…”-Valerie (3.5 year old, 20 month old)

“Manhattan is a challenging place to raise two children and a strong support system is important – Rachel has become part of mine. I have looked to her on many occasions for guidance on everything from breastfeeding to how to manage my childcare to general day-to-day struggles. Rachel’s ability to balance her children’s busy schedules, organize Mom’s groups/ playgroups, and still find time for herself is inspiring, and proof to any mother of two that it is possible! ” – Shoshannah (3.5 year old, 9 month old)

“It was really lovely spending time with you yesterday morning. SO EMPOWERING!!! : ) I am really impressed with your time management skills and I left the house today MUCH more optimistic that with some forward thinking and strategizing I can more efficiently carve out time for myself. As you suggested, I am aware of the learning curve, but I am now excited and READY for the challenge thanks to your wisdom and experience. So–THANK YOU. !!!!!”

And after our second meeting:
“Thank you for taking the time to listen to my time management concerns!! You have helped me clarify my childcare needs, you have offered time-saving tips, and you have helped to empower me. I am now able to better manage the job of mothering, and to still preserve time in my schedule for me. I would highly recommend You Plus Two to any of my friends!” – Wendy (3.5 year old, 4 month old)

“I love the concept of You Plus 2. I think it is a resource very much needed in a city full of 2nd time moms trying to adjust to the exponential stresses of a growing family. I never thought the addition of 1 sibling would be that much more exhausting and at times challenging. I met Rachel when both our older children were 6 months old at a Gymboree class. I was immediately drawn to Rachel as a person due to her warm, inviting, friendly and overall positive demeanor. Rachel is just one of those people who just “gets it” when it come parenting and life balance. She always seems to keep her cool but is also very real when it comes to expressing that times can be tough. I have had numerous run-ins with Rachel where she is pushing her son(s) in a stroller and says to me, “I’ve had ‘a morning’ – I just need to get out and breathe”. Rachel is not invincible to the crazy world of parenting 2 children, but she definitely finds healthy ways to deal with the harder times. Her positive attitude and interest in exchanging ideas on better ways to cope with the harder moments is refreshing, inspiring and always helpful.

Rachel is an extremely genuine, experienced and knowledgable voice of reason when it comes to providing advice and recommendations regarding finding a balance between caretaking for your children and also having “me” time. After talking to Rachel and comparing experiences as mothers of 2 children, I was able to see that even though I was parenting to the best of my ability, I was at times neglecting my own needs. Rachel inspired me to rejoin a gym (something I had sacrificed to be more present for my children). She gave me ideas on how I could better make use of my time and reinforced the importance of taking care of myself – doing things that make me happy and give me some personal time away of from the children. Since I joined the gym, I feel better physically and emotionally.

I think Rachel’s services are invaluable and hope they can help others just as they have helped me.” – Ayala (3.5 year old, 9 month old)

“Thanks for meeting with me today. On my way home, I found myself feeling more optimistic in general and more loving towards my kids – great outcomes from a one-hour conversation!! I really appreciate it.” – Julie (3 year old, 17 month old)

I’d love to hear from you and would appreciate any feedback or thoughts you have about our session(s). Please take a few minutes to email your testimonial to me at rachel@youplustwoparenting.com