MetroMom Julia Pimsleur Levine
Founder of Little Pim, Mother of two, Documentary Film Maker and Professional Speaker


MM - How did your life change when you became a mom?

When I first became a mom I became much more focused about how I wanted to spend my time, at work and at home. Before having our first child, Emmett, I was very career driven, as a documentary filmmaker running my own company, Big Mouth Productions. I traveled a lot and worked crazy hours. But I always knew that when I had kids, I would want to be at home more often, so I made a career change in order to have more time and energy for my family- I became a nonprofit fundraiser. I loved being able to come home by 6:00, snuggle with my son and not have the worries of my own business on my mind... but although I enjoyed fundraising, I missed the creativity of filmmaking. I came up with the idea for Little Pim while on maternity leave and within a couple years I had my own business again! This time was different, though, because I built the company with a conscious intention about balancing work and family life. I now have two wonderful boys, Emmett 5, and Adrian, 19 months and am very happy with my work-life balance. At least about 80% of the time! The other 20% I am muttering that it can't be done, but then I get back on the horse and it's another day.  


MM - What has been your most memorable moment (s) as a mom?

One of my most memorable moments is when I had just given birth to Adrian and Darren, my husband, brought our "big boy" Emmett to meet his little brother. Seeing Emmett, who was three, marvel at this little baby and thinking about how he and his brother would hopefully be best pals for life, was incredibly joyous and moving. I also really loved the few days I spent there right after Adrian was born, when I felt like a protected cocoon with my sweet new baby. It was deep winter, the first big snow was falling, and I loved holding Adrian and watching the flakes fall.


MM - What has been the biggest challenge for you in motherhood?

The biggest challenge is trying to be many things to many people. Mother. Wife. Entrepreneur. Daughter. Friend. Boss. I am sure the moms in MM can relate! Now that we have two kids under 5, I have come to appreciate every day that no one in the family is sick, that we aren't trying to manage some new challenge we didn't anticipate, and that I can find a clean pair of black pants in my closet.

MM - What inspired you to start your own business - Little Pim?

When Emmett was born I wanted him to learn French, since I had always considered it one of my greatest joys in life to have been raised bilingual in French. I have dual citizenship, we have family in Paris, and I wanted Emmett to be able to appreciate and participate in another culture that means so much to me. I couldn't find an age-appropriate quality French program to use at home, to supplement his French classes and our French books and CDs. With my background as the daughter of language professor (my father was Dr. Paul Pimsleur, creator of the Pimsleur Method for teaching adults a foreign language), documentary filmmaker and now mother, I decided I wanted to create a new way of introducing young children to a second language. I spent two years creating our Entertainment Immersion(R) method, working with a leading neuroscientist, language educators and talented animators and producers. It's been so gratifying to grow the business and help other families add a second language to their home. Our DVDs are now available everywhere online, and carried in over 500 book and toy stores and 120 public libraries nationwide. We have seven languages available, and will have 10 by December '09 plus we have just released musical CDs and flash cards. Our mission at Little Pim is to make it easy, fun and accessible for young children everywhere to be introduced to a foreign language. Success to me is contributing to the next generation of children learning a second language and actually enjoying it.

How do you manage your work/life balance? Any advice for moms?

I try to not be too hard on myself, and have taken to saying "I am not Supermom" to remind myself that I am just one person (fortunately with a wonderful and supportive husband) trying to keep it all together. I try to treat my family and work life as a kind of ying and yang, not a tug of war. In my case, I do think I am a better mother because my work is creatively and intellectually satisfying. When I come home, I am ready to get down on the floor and play or toss a ball back and forth (then again some days I am ready to flop down on the couch and have a glass of wine!). My older son knows a lot about my work and has been part of Little Pim from the beginning. He seems to be proud of our series. He always tells people about Little Pim and recently told my husband "mom and I do Little Pim together" which really made me happy. He was the inspiration for creating the company, after all! My advice for moms is to be a little "selfish", for the good of your family. That may sound paradoxical, but it means find what you need to stay sane and make sure you actually DO it, don't just talk about it, or say you wish you could... take control. It could be a weekly 30-minute massage, date night with your husband, or a standing brunch date with a girlfriend. We give so much to our families, we have to find ways to replenish. So being a little "selfish" is actually being generous, in that you will have more to give your family if you are meeting at least some of your needs and desires outside the family.

MM - What types of activities do you like to do w/ your kids?

We like to read books, to crank up the music and dance around (right now, Milkshake and Mama Mia), to cook together, to sing French songs, to watch musicals like The King and I or Sound of Music, and to visit museums. One of my favorite things to do with my guys is to teach them about the world. Right now we're doing puzzle maps where the pieces are shaped like countries and it's fun to tell them about other countries their father and I have been to. Emmett is already very curious about travel and other countries.

MM - Do you have a motto you would like to share with other moms?

My motto - Give what you got, and that's already a lot. My advice is just try to enjoy where you are when you are there, whether it's at work, on a plane, or on the floor doing a puzzle with your child. Sometimes easier said than done. Try not to fall in the mommy trap of thinking you should be doing it differently or like someone else. Mothering is intensely personal and you have to find what works for you and don't apologize for it when you find it. It could be staying home, working three days a week or running a corporation. I believe in "a happy mother makes for happy children".

You can see more about Julia and Little Pim Products, including DVDs and Digital Downloads at LittlePim.com. You can also search for “Little Pim” in the iTunes App Store to find the iPhone apps Little Pim Word Bag and Little Pim Talking Coloring Book.