Meet the Mom – Erica Bethe Levin
Name: 
Erica Bethe Levin
Where did you grow up:
I was born on Long Island, but moved to Wellington, FL when I was a baby – before there was the mall, many office buildings or multiple Publixes!
Town you live in now:
After living in Chicago for almost 20 years, we are back raising our family in Wellington.
Why you love living there:
There is nothing like living five minutes down the road from your parents (especially as it pertains to childcare!). We absolutely love the sense of community that Wellington fosters, the year-round ability to be outside, swimming and playing sports, and the family friendly nature of the restaurants and parks, plus the activities the village plans for us. I think it’s a very telling sign that people I grew up with have either stayed in Wellington or moved back to raise their families.
Tell me about your kids:
Like any mom, I am pretty obsessed and totally in love with my kids. I have a six-year-old boy who is the kindest, most compassionate child I’ve ever met. He’s hilarious and a total showman. When we walk to school, he picks up garbage along the way because he wants to “keep the earth better than he found it.” My three-year-old daughter is feisty, fiery and defiant, which we know will serve her well in life (while sometimes making things difficult at home!). She is also a little comedian and the biggest lover of animals we’ve ever met.
Favorite things to do with the kids locally:
Would we even be Floridians if we didn’t say the beach? We’re also very impressed with the Wellington nature preserves – some so off-the-beaten-path, I didn’t even know about them growing up. We have a few favorite local restaurants we go to on a weekly (or almost weekly) basis, and are members at the Palm Beach Zoo and Mounts Botanical Gardens. We’re big brewery fans and enjoy many of the ones in WPB, Boynton and Delray. And during season, we enjoy watching the horses practice polo.
What’s your ‘day job’? How did you get started with it?
Call me crazy, but I am a serial entrepreneur. I launched my third start-up last year – an internationally-influenced baby food company called Globowl, where we introduce babies and toddlers to culture from around the world through food. My most ardent belief is that food is a universal unifier and can teach children curiosity, tolerance, acceptance and encourage them to be adventurous people and eaters. Starting at six-months-old, babies can enjoy our Pad Thai for Tots, Yaya’s Medi-Bowl, Baby Spice’s Bean Bowl and Veggie Tikka Masala. We help mitigate picky eating by introducing flavors, textures and spices from the very beginning, while also introducing allergens early in an effort to eliminate food allergies, a practice now recommended by the USDA and American Academy of Pediatrics. We’re creating the future of foodies of tomorrow!
What is your best parenting advice. Lay it on us.
Considering the fact that we’re all learning how to parent every single day, no matter how old our kids are, I would say what works best for us is letting our kids be kids and letting them be themselves. We are very, very open with our communication and encourage them to share their feelings. In doing so, our kids are extremely open with us (the way we want it!). We’re also all about encouraging the kids to run around outside, swim, garden, etc. and generally spending time in nature (not even realizing they’re exercising). And we read with them….a lot. But lest we forget, we also let them watch TV, eat chocolate and sometimes stay up too late.
What do you do for self care?
Not much these days as a full-time mom and full-time business owner, but IF I do, it’s generally yoga or a manicure. I’d like to start reading actual books, and not just scrolling through social or reading news on the phone. And I genuinely find watching family movies with my husband and kids to be so relaxing. Date night or double date nights are also necessary every once in a while.
Karaoke – what are you singing?
I’ve been singing “I Will Survive” as my karaoke song since high school.
Anything else you want to share?
Thank you for allowing me to share a bit about my family! I also hope that any moms reading this with kids ages six months to six years will try Globowl’s exciting new meals, available on our website and stores throughout the state next year. I’d love to hear any thoughts or feedback at erica@theglobowl.com.