Rachel Chinsethagid: Amazing Mom Winner

Last year, we invited readers to nominate an amazing mom to be featured in TulsaKids and on our cover. We loved reading the nominations last year, so we put out a call again this year – and you delivered! Over 100 of you took the time to write about an amazing mom in your life. The entries reflected the strength, compassion, resilience and, above all, love that moms give to those around them every day,

Choosing one mom is nearly impossible, but this year we chose Rachel Chinsethagid, nominated by her sister-in-law, Candice Chinsethagid.

Candice wrote, “Not only is Rachel a great mom to her two children and auntie to her nieces and nephews, but she also plays work mom to hundreds of kiddos every day serving as principal of Bixby North Elementary School. Her passion for children’s education, health and safety goes beyond her own home and extends to every child she encounters…. She advocates for her kids, her students and her teachers, leading them to a place of accountability and success.”

A Mom and Educator

“The best thing about being a mom is getting to pour so much love and opportunity into two little kids, and then watch them flourish and grow on their own,” Rachel says about being mom to Cooper, age 2, and Charlotte, who is in prekindergarten at Rachel’s school. She describes letting her children be independent, while also letting them know that they have a safe place with her and her husband. That knowledge informs the way she does her job.

As a teacher for 12 years and an elementary school principal for two years, Rachel says that being a mom has helped her have a better understanding and empathy for her students’ lives at school and at home.

“I’m able to support parents and students with a little bit more understanding, and I see the social/emotional development through my own kids,” she says. “I feel I can relate and understand parents and kids in a better way.”

Rachel says she knows that each child in her school comes to her with different life experiences, some with trauma and significant hardships that impact their experience at school.

“Our staff wants to help integrate kids into school so that they feel safe,” she says. “That’s our biggest priority – being able to meet every kid where they are and give them what they need. I’m fortunate to work with educators who want to do that.”

Giving Back

One priority of school and home involves caring for others. With her busy life, Rachel admits she doesn’t have much time for the outside philanthropic work that she had been doing pre-kids. She now brings that giving spirit into her home and school. As a school principal, Rachel  involves the children in bringing donations for the Bixby Outreach Center, including helping provide food for families during the summer months. As a classroom teacher, her class planted trees in Jenks for Up With Trees.

“I loop my personal life and my school life in giving to others in need,” Rachel says. “My mom always took me to volunteer, so that’s where my love for serving others started. And I try to include my kids in serving and supporting the community. It makes me proud to see Charlotte wanting to help others.”

Photo by Makenzie Howard Photography

Finding a Work/Life Balance

Like many moms, Rachel has had to find ways to balance family life and a demanding job, admitting that finding time for herself is difficult.

“It has been a journey,” she says. “It’s taken years. Being a good mom does not mean being a perfect mom. I’m still working on that. I think sometimes because of social media, you assume that other people’s lives are perfect and easy. It used to make me feel guilty when people said, ‘Enjoy this time while they’re little.’”

Rachel says she has learned to set boundaries and to ask for help. “When you’re a teacher, that’s hard to do. I really try not to check my email until my kids go to bed, and I encourage my staff as well. Your family comes first. It’s too hard and too important of a job to try to do it all by yourself.”

Rachel knows she can rely on her in-laws, her husband and her “great friends” to support her when she needs help. At work, she credits Superintendent Rob Miller and Associate Superintendent Lydia Wilson for reminding her that she is on track, which, in turn, enables her to better support her staff.

She recently has also carved out some time early in the morning to go to the gym. Taking that time for herself makes her calmer, she says.

While Rachel is certainly a busy working mom, she finds time to have fun with her family.

“We love to play outside,” she says. “We have a little bit of land, and we love to go on nature walks. My husband made trails through the wooded area. We eat dinner outside on picnic tables. We want our kids to enjoy the outdoors, so being outside on our land is our favorite thing. Watching your kids have space to run and play is such a simple, but heartwarming, experience. My husband and I will look at each other and think, ‘We are so blessed.’”

Encouraging Other Moms

Rachel shared some final words for other moms as she reflected on being chosen an “Amazing Mom.”

“There are thousands of incredible mothers in this area,” she says. “I encourage moms to rely on the people around you. What we pour into our kids can set them up for a life of success. That’s a big role and it can be an overwhelming role, but we can do it together. My biggest thing is that I want moms to know that you’re not in it alone. We’re all in this together. You don’t need to be a perfect mom to be a great mom. Moms are doing an amazing job!”

 Betty Casey is the associate publisher and editor in chief of TulsaKids Magazine. She has been with TulsaKids over 20 years.