Meet the Mom – Bridie

Name:  Bridie Cobbs

Where did you grow up: Vero Beach, FL

Town you live in now: Palm Beach Gardens

Why you love living there: This area is such a fantastic place to raise a family.  We have great weather for swimming and outdoor sports all year long, wonderful schools and endless after school activities to choose from!  We also have so many great places to eat.

Tell me about your kids: I have three girls, ages 12, 8 and 5.  They each have different strengths and challenges and it has been a marvel to watch them grow from babies into amazing little people with such distinct personalities.

Favorite things to do with the family locally: We love going to the beach, particularly on Singer Island where we can snorkel the reef just offshore. My kids also love Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, Loggerhead Marine Life Sanctuary and Bedner’s Farm. We also like hiking though the preserve near our house on Prosperity Farms Road.

Best family restaurant:  Saito’s Japanese Steakhouse is always a family favorite as is Cheeseburgers and More.  We recently went to Pho and Hot Pot in Lake Park and tried the hot pot which was fun.  Another cool place with great desserts is The Grilled Cheese Gallery in Northwood. My oldest daughter loves RH.

Ideal family vacation spot and why:  We go to Frankfort, Michigan most summers.  The mild weather makes it a perfect spot to retreat to.  We stay in a family cottage that was built by my great grandfather 90 years ago.  Frankfort is near Sleeping Bear Dunes which is a beautiful national park.  This past summer we visited Montana and Yellowstone Park which were amazing! We also love visiting my dad and step-mom in northern Maine. I like family vacations that get kids out and running around in the fresh air. 

What’s your ‘day job’?  My day job for the last few years has been stay-at-home mom.  Prior to that I worked as an attorney, then did mental health advocacy work.  Aside from working on my book series this past year, I recently joined Illustrated Properties as a Realtor in the Jupiter East Office.

What is something that makes your life easier/better/more fun?  Having someone help with laundry makes my life easier. Also having a mini- van. Why can’t any other big car come with retractable doors??? I know my middle schooler won’t tolerate it much longer, so I fear I may have to get rid of it soon…

Who inspires you and why?  Everyday people who choose the jobs or volunteer opportunities that they do because they want to help make other people’s lives better.  My grandmother is one of those people. She turns 90 this year but as an 80-year-old widow she took in a 16-year-old foster child.  She had been mentoring him and when he got into some legal trouble he needed a place to live. He lived with her until he went to college. She taught me you are never too old to change someone’s life, make the world a better place, or try something new.

What did you wish you knew but no one told you about being a parent? That there are no right or wrong answers to parenting.  Every child is unique, and you should honor those differences when you make decisions for them.  You know them best and you are their best advocate.