-
![B: Mía Del Pinal Sparks waves her hands to help the nail polish dry, which she painted while feeding the neighbor's daughter, Hollis, breakfast. Mía always knew she wanted to be a mom. When she had her first daughter at the start of the pandemic, she comm]()
Mía Del Pinal Sparks waves her hands to help the nail polish dry, which she painted while feeding the neighbor's daughter, Hollis, breakfast.
-
Mía Del Pinal Sparks is a stay-at-home-mom and has chosen to be home with her kids since she spend much of her childhood separated from her own mother.
Mía grew up in Guatemala. When she was one, her mother left her in the care of her grandmother while taking her two older daughters to the United States. Mía didn’t reunite with them until she was 12.
“I had a great grandmother,” Mía says. “In some ways, I had a better upbringing than my sisters, who were with a single mom working two jobs. But I always had this sense that I wasn’t chosen. I want my kids to feel securely attached to me.”
According to Forbes, if stay-at-home moms were paid for their work, their monthly income could be valued at around $5,200. A figure that adds up to nearly a million dollars over 20 years. As much as she loves being with her kids, Mía sometimes struggles with feeling that she loses her sense of self into motherhood and burnout. To cope, she weaves mindfulness into her daily life like taking her shoes off to ground herself in the park, doing red light therapy at night, and jumping into cold showers when frustration builds.
Motherhood has also changed how she sees her own mother’s choices. “This is really the American dream, you come here and you make every generation better. I’m a product of my mother’s sacrifices, and I look at my kids now and they’re going to this extremely privileged school that is so supportive and wonderful and has all these resources. They have a mother who’s at home and I hope I’ve paved the way for a new way of parenting,” Mía says.
This story was made for the Hearst National Photojournalism Championship. The assignment was to make a story about family in four days in the San Francisco Bay Area. I met Mía while talking to different families in the park and she graciously invited me into her home the next day to share her story.
-
![B: Mía works with her two-year-old, Martín "Tiggi" Tigre Romero Del Pinal Sparks to get changed and leave for the morning with the help of her mom, Ana Elis Del Pinal. Mía's mom comes once a week to spend time with her grandchildren.]()
Mía works with her two-year-old, Martín "Tiggi" Tigre Romero Del Pinal Sparks to get changed and leave for the morning with the help of her mom, Ana Elis Del Pinal. Mía's mom comes once a week to spend time with her grandchildren.
-
![]()
Throughout the day Mía takes a break to hit a flavored vape, always out of sight of her children. She says it hasn't affected her ability to run or bike so it's a vice she's willing to accept.
-
![]()
Mía uses a leaf blower to clean up her lawn while Tiggi plays in the backyard.
-
![Mía hugs Tiggi after a small fall in the park. She is always ready to scoop up her kids at a moments notice to comfort them and tell them how much she loves them. She also practices affirmations with her kids daily and emphasizes autonomy and choice.]()
Mía hugs Tiggi after a small fall in the park. She is always ready to scoop up her kids at a moments notice to comfort them and tell them how much she loves them. She also practices affirmations with her kids daily and emphasizes autonomy and choice.
-
![B: Mía goes grocery shopping with Tiggi while her mom stays at the park watching the neighbor's daughter, Hollis, who is staying with them for the day while Hollis' parents are at work. Mía runs errands throughout the day to keep the household running. Sh]()
Mía goes grocery shopping with Tiggi while her mom stays at the park watching the neighbor's daughter, Hollis, who is staying with them for the day while Hollis' parents are at work. Mía runs errands throughout the day to keep the household running. She juggles school meetings, errands, playtime, naps, pickups, dinner, dog walks, cleaning, and more. She often feels she can never get everything done.
-
![B: Mía reads a story to Tiggi and her four-year-old Rafaela "Raffi" Mariposa Shae Del Pinal Sparks while they eat dinner. Mía doesn't eat dinner until she puts the kids down for bed. She said her list of priorities is always the kids, then the dog Noodles]()
Mía reads a story to Tiggi and her four-year-old Rafaela "Raffi" Mariposa Shae Del Pinal Sparks while they eat dinner. Mía doesn't eat dinner until she puts the kids down for bed. She said her list of priorities is always the kids, then the dog Noodles, and then herself.
-
![]()
Mía's daughter Raffi hugs her in-between playing.
-
![B: Mía collects vintage jackets and boots, and said since becoming a mother she has had less opportunities to wear them. As she puts her kids needs first, sometimes her own get set to the side. Wearing pieces from her collection helps her maintain her own]()
Mía collects vintage jackets and boots, and said since becoming a mother she has had less opportunities to wear them. As she puts her kids needs first, sometimes her own get set to the side. Wearing pieces from her collection helps her maintain her own sense of identity while also being a mother.
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
-
Share