One of the things we love about Montclair is how we celebrate people pursuing their passions in ways that may be unconventional elsewhere. Take Alma Schneider for example. She has turned her lifelong dream of having her own band, her passion for cooking, her desire to help others, and her ability to tolerate chaos into multiple successful endeavors that are fulfilling to her and that benefit our community at large.

WHY SHE’S ALL THAT: Alma Schneider is raising four children, running a  business, playing in a band, and managing, and participating in multiple community service pursuits simultaneously. She could be All That just for the sheer amount of balls she keeps in the air and how much good she accomplishes, but really, we think she’s All That because not only does she keep the balls up, but also because she keeps her feet on the ground and is honest about what she could do better and why she does what she does.  

Find out more about Alma:

MOVED TO MONTCLAIR:

In 2002 from Manhattan where I grew up and thought I would never leave. I loved Montclair instantly and have never looked back!

KIDS:

A 4-year-old daughter at MMO, 6-year-old son in kindergarten at Nishuane, 8-year-old son in 2nd grade at Nishuane, 10-year-old daughter in 5th grade at Hillside. And we just got a dog.

WORK:

 I’m a licensed clinical social worker but everything I do now has been shifted to cooking. I help people identify and deal with their psychological and practical obstacles to cooking through individual sessions and group work. I’m basically a life coach in the kitchen. I help people to cook healthier food on a consistent basis to provide meals for themselves and their families to nurture their families and save money. I work on issues surrounding food and cooking. I also have a blog: www.takebackthekitchen.com. I’m doing a series now called Celebrity Home Chefs. We make you a celebrity chef in your home with your own recipe. And I write for other blogs on food and cooking. 

I’m also working with production company on a possible television show.  Soon, I’m going to be on the show Moms Versus Masters on www.kitchendaily.com. 

WHAT ELSE:

I also do a lot of things that I don’t get paid for, because I’m passionate about them and because they help people. I’m a singer and I play guitar and six years ago I started Parents Who Rock, www.parentswhorock.com, a nonprofit association that puts together concerts and other fundraisers to benefit local charities.

When my third child was born, he had a lot of special needs and was on a feeding tube so we were stuck in the house. I was terrified that having a child with so many special needs would keep us all in the house all the time. I didn’t want that for me or for my family. I had no idea Parents Who Rock would turn into such a big thing but from that very first concert, everyone involved has had such a joyful experience. Bands have been formed. Parents get excited. My kids are involved. It’s so positive—you’re raising money, you have people performing who are in their 40s and thought they’d never have the opportunity again, and lots of other volunteers are all working in their ways. It’s just so amazing and so positive. 

I’m also the Health and Wellness Liaison at Hillside School and on the Health and Wellness committee at Nishuane, and I host a support group for parents of kids with special needs on Friday mornings. I do a lot, but I’m passionate about it all—no one should resent volunteering. There are so many things to help with, just pick the ones you feel good about. I’m also used to chaos and multi-tasking. I’m programmed for it, but not everyone is. 

If people are interested in any of this—getting help in the kitchen, performing or volunteering with Parents Who Rock, helping with Health & Wellness, or joining the special needs support group, please get in touch at alma@takebackthekitchen.com

KIDS ACTIVITIES:

Because I have four kids with vastly different interests and because I hate driving them all over, they don’t do things that require a lot of driving on my part. They all go to Hebrew School.  My eldest pursues her talent in art at school and at home, and she takes guitar but the teacher comes here. My second grader has a standing twice-weekly play date, and we carpool to get them to and from lacrosse and basketball. Both my boys participate in the after school Explorers program at Nishuane because we can walk there. My kindergartner takes a class at Lotus Yoga for kids with special needs. And my youngest takes advantage of the flexible aftercare at MMO. 

Having grown up as one of seven children in a small apartment, I’m always conscious of trying to spend quality time with each child. We didn’t have a lot of money and didn’t do activities and it was always very chaotic and crowded. So we have a schedule of activities where I get pockets of time with each child. When one is out at a play date or an activity, I can spend more time with the others.

HOW IT ALL GETS DONE:

My computer is almost always on; it’s hard to quantify how many hours a day I spend “working.” I’m always drafting and editing the blog, communicating with people who want to hire me for a session; organizing events for Parents Who Rock, working with my own band, cooking something, helping a kid or two with something. I’m not very good at compartmentalizing. It’s an ongoing struggle.    

HOBBIES: 

I love to cook. I love teaching cooking. I could spend all day cooking. And one of my favorite things in the world is to perform. I am so thrilled that at age 42 I have my own band! I also love to read.

WHAT GIVES:

How long a list do you want? My room is usually covered in clean laundry that never seems to get put away; I’m a clean person but not a neat person. Our house is messy. There’s a lot that gives. Should I go on? 

BIGGEST HELPERS:

My husband is incredibly helpful and supportive. I couldn’t do everything I do without him. My blog wouldn’t even exist without his tech support.  My friends also help me so much. It’s important to ask for help. I try to make a point of reciprocating—not necessarily in exactly the same way but if someone drives my kids somewhere, I’ll have their kids here another day. 

PET PEEVE:

Getting four kids into the car is one thing I really can’t stand. I just hate it. Another thing is matching socks. Really, I think it’s ridiculous that socks have to match. Why? If they’re basically the same it’s good enough for me.   

WORK OUT:

I try to work out three times per week. Often times I don’t make it, but I do try. It’s another struggle. This week I haven’t gone at all. This morning I had my sneakers on, but I had to wait for the roofer so I didn’t get to go. I had thyroid cancer, and I have high cholesterol and I’m not into how I’m looking as I’m aging, so working out is something I can do to stay healthy. I can’t fix everything, but maybe I can at least make my biceps a little tighter! I’m trying. 

WHAT YOU DO REALLY WELL:

Multi-tasking is something I do really well. To me, it comes naturally to do a lot of things at once, but things do suffer. I’m not perfect. It’s also my biggest challenge NOT to multi-task so much! (see below)

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:

Balance. I’m always dealing with how much we’re supposed to be doing at home—I’ve just come to the conclusion that I’m always going to feel guilty. I want to be able to feel more present at home. I don’t feel like I do that enough. I’m there, but I’m a compulsive multi-tasker. I feel like I’m on the computer all day and all night. It’s always on—it’s a slippery slope because of the laptop. It’s addicting. I can’t not look at it.

BEST WEEKNIGHT DINNER STRATEGY:

I have a weekly menu. We eat the same thing on the same day Monday-Friday every week.  We listed the foods everyone likes and put together the weekly menu. Monday is always breakfast for dinner—eggs, turkey bacon, whole wheat toast. Sometimes we’ll make breakfast pizza where we put eggs, turkey bacon, and cheese on pizza dough. It’s not really that different, but the kids go crazy for it. People have to make their own menus and deal with their own family, but a weekly menu alleviates so much stress on everyone’s part. The kids thrive on the structure, everyone has agreed on the selections, and the adult doesn’t have the stress of figuring out menus or doing anything last minute. 

WHAT TO DO WITH PICKY EATERS:

Plan an easy, balanced back up meal that doesn’t involve more cooking.  My kindergartener’s back up is apple, peanut butter, and broccoli. 

FAVORITE RESTAURANT TO ORDER IN FROM:

Mesob and Brookside Thai.

FAVORITE NIGHT OUT W/ KIDS:

Tinga

FAVORITE NIGHT OUT W/ ADULTS:

We love CulinAriane. It’s really amazing.  And sushi from Aozora.

BEST VACATION:

We rent a house in Narragansett, Rhode Island.     

BEST KID’S BDAY GIFT:

I usually get subscriptions to CHOPCHOP, a great kids’ cooking magazine—www.chopchopmag.com. Or I’ll go to Aunt Jean’s Toys and Treats; I love how much she does for the community. Or I’ll get a gift certificate to Watchung booksellers. 

FAVORITE MTC CLOTHING STORE FOR YOU:

Blackbird Lane on Glen Ridge Avenue is my absolute favorite store. And of course Tory Jane’s.

FAVORITE MTC ACTIVITY:

We like to go to Edgemont Park. We’re so proud that Parents Who Rock helped to raise the money to build it. My kids helped with all those events and they feel really proud that they were part of the process to build the park. We also love yard sales. 

WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT MONTCLAIR:

I love the diversity and I love running into everyone I know at Whole Foods. I also love the special needs community; it’s very tight and supportive; thank god it’s here for me and my friends.   

WHAT YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE:

I wish people didn’t see differences—it sounds so corny I can barely stand saying it but it’s true. “Why can’t we all just get along?”

UPCOMING EVENTS:  

January 29, 7 p.m. 2nd Annual Concert for Haiti at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 67 Church Street. A night of performances and bake sale; Take Back the Kitchen is sponsoring the bake sale.    

February 5, 8 p.m.: Judeo/Espanol concert and tapas buffet at B’nai Keshet.  For reservations call B’nai Keshet: 973-746-4889; Alma is coordinating the buffet.    

April 30: Parents Who Rock and the Disability Committee will have a "Move-A-Thon" at Edgemont Park to raise disability awareness and funds for disability awareness materials such as books and curriculum for all the schools.

Beginning of June (TBD), Parents Who Rock event to benefit The Link Charter School in Newark, Big Brothers Big Sisters-Newark/Montclair, and

Lotus in Action Montclair and Newark. Stay tuned for details!