A Devoted Mom of Eight Seeking to Hold It All Together

Meet a devoted mom of eight who seems to be everywhere in town at once, always cheering on her active brood in their many activities. Read on to find out why Coldstone Creamery and Cavalry Baptist Church are her two favorite Montclair hangouts, and her secret for holding it all together.  

SHE’S ALL THAT: Anika Taylor.

MOVED TO MONTCLAIR: Born and raised here.

KIDS: Eight.

Daughter, 22, lives in Alabama

Son, 19, lives in East Orange

Daughter, 16, Horizon High School (run by CPNJ/Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey for people with multiple disabilities)

Daughter, 13, 7th grade, Glenfield

Daughter, 11, 6th grade, Glenfield

Son, 10, 4th grade, Hillside

Daughter, 8, 2nd grade, Nishuane

Daughter, 4, pre-k at MCPK

PETS: Two cats.

WHY SHE’S ALL THAT: Anika Taylor seems never to miss an event.  She’s everywhere—soccer games, dance recitals, graduations, school plays, science fairs, class parties—all the time. She has eight kids, six live at home, and one is severely affected by cerebral palsy. Anika also works.  And she is a leader in her church. And whenever you see her, she always seems to be in a good mood. She’s all that. 

In her words. . .

WORK: I work four hours per day, basically from 10-2 while the kids are in school. We go to the New Cavalry Baptist Church, and our pastor is the head of the Life Education and Resource Network of Northeast New Jersey.  I work as the administrative assistant for that group, and also do other administrative work for the church. I probably work 80% for the Life Education and Resource Network and 20% for the church.

VOLUNTEER: I sing in the church choir, am one of the praise and worship leaders, and I teach Praise Dance to the 10-13 year olds. I also volunteer in the kids’ schools as I’m needed. We just had the school play at Nishuane, so I helped with costume design there. I volunteer at the book fairs, and things like that.

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES: The two oldest are out of the house, and my 16-year-old doesn’t walk or talk and is in a wheel chair, but I’m looking into the Ashley’s Soccer program for kids with special needs. She’s too old for the program as it is now, but I’m hoping maybe they’ll change the age limit so she can play. My 7th grader is in CI dance at Glenfield and she danced with Usaama African Dance Company, which will start back up in September.  She also dances with Premiere Dance Company two days a week.  My 6th grade daughter does travel soccer; she started that in 1st grade, so that’s two days of practice every week and games on Sunday.  She also plays basketball with the Montclair PAL team, that’s three practices and one game a week. She also volunteers at the Ashley’s soccer program that I’m trying to get my sixteen-year-old daughter into. My son is in Drums of Thunder at Hillside, which is a huge time commitment and involves a lot of travel out of town, and he also plays baseball. The two youngest girls dance at church. Actually, all the kids sing in the choir and dance at church in addition to everything else they do. They practice on Saturdays and perform on Sundays. 

WHAT GIVES: The laundry. My husband is my saving grace in that area. He does the washing and the drying and I put everything away. And besides the laundry? Being on time. We are notoriously five minutes late.

EXERCISE ROUTINE: I guess right now, that gives too. I did exercise, and I will begin again. I try to walk at the track at Glen Ridge. That is my place of peace. I try to walk there every other day, but it’s hard to get to.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: The schedule. Being on time.

WHAT YOU’RE READING: Right now I’m reading a book called Soon After by Sherryle Kiser Jackson. Before that I read Guilty of Love by Pat Simmons. I read a lot of Christian fiction.

BIGGEST HELPER: That’s a tie between my husband and my 7th and 6th graders. With my husband, we work as a team. It’s really like a “tag, you’re it” type of thing. He is my biggest supporter and helper. And both my 6th and 7th graders are always willing to step in and take over when things need to get done.

HOW YOU GET DINNER ON THE TABLE DURING THE WEEK: By the Grace of God. Really, as soon as I get them settled with homework I start to make it each day. We can have curry chicken, lasagna, baked ziti.  I think baked mac & cheese and bbq chicken might be the favorite.    

FAVORITE RESTAURANT FOR DELIVERY: The Grill Master, Portuguese food from Newark, and Papa John’s.

KIDS’ FAVORITE RESTAURANT: If you had to get a collective vote of everyone, it would probably be Southern Smokehouse in Linden, NJ.  That’s because it’s a buffet so everyone can get what he or she wants and they can all have ice cream.

FAVORITE NIGHT OUT WITHOUT KIDS: Probably going to the Cheesecake Factory. I love the dulce de leche cheesecake. 

BEST PLACE TO PICK UP KIDS’ BDAY GIFT: I’m addicted to Target. I can just pick up everything I need there.

PET PEEVE: When anybody walks around the house with his or her shoes on. It drives me insane.

FAVORITE MTC ACTIVITY/DESTINATION: Coldstone Creamery and church run neck and neck. One satisfies the soul and one satisfies the cravings.

WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT MONTCLAIR: The diversity and the schools.  I like the choice when it comes to the schools. I have two kids at Glenfield now, but when it’s time for my next to go, he may do better at Mt. Hebron. I’m not bound to sending any of them to one particular middle or elementary school. I like that whatever gifts my children have, there’s a school that can foster those talents and help them to achieve their full potential.

WHAT YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE: There’s a lot. One thing would definitely be the budget crisis in town now. We’re losing out, and it’s a big problem. Another thing would be the recession, period.

ADVICE FOR OTHER BUSY MOMS: Honestly, what works for me is prayer. That’s the only answer I can give. It gives me peace of mind and sense of direction.