October 6, 2014 4:12 pm Meet Suzanne Wind, Award Winning Author of The SMART Playbook
What do you love to do with your children? How old are they? And what is your greatest wish for them?
I have three children ages 12, 10 and 4. I love preparing a meal with my children – especially when we go all out and cook a feast and bake lots of desserts. The meal always feels much more special when everyone has participated. I also enjoy a family dance party!
My greatest wish is that my kids grow up to be confident and caring individuals, and that they follow their dreams and stay committed. I also want them to live everyday by the golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.’
When and where are you the happiest?
I am always very happy when I go on vacation with my family. I love to unplug and embark on new adventures – especially to a tropical island.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
That’s a hard question because I have so many places that I would like to explore! If I can only mention one place, I would have to say Europe on the Mediterranean. I love the charm, beauty, history, culture and food of all the European cities.
Who has had the biggest influence upon you? And what quality do you most admire in a mother?
My family has had the greatest influence upon me. My grandparents taught me the value of hard work and living life with grace and character. My parents taught me to be committed and solution-oriented. They all taught me to always live life with character, integrity, empathy and confidence!
I admire a mother’s patience and commitment to her family.
What do you like to do for fun?
I love to travel to new places. There are so many amazing new places to discover. If only I had the time and money to see everything with my family!
What is one of your favorite books? Movies?
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. In the words of Mr. Fulghum: “I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.” A great book with a wonderful message!
I’m going to sound about hundred years old, but one of my favorite movies is ‘The Sound of Music’ – there’s sadness, happiness, drama, romance and more.
What do you feel is one of your strongest qualities?
I am very organized and a great multi-tasker, as an author, mom and entrepreneur. My life is an organized, chaotic, circus act – juggling multiple tasks, activities, events and deadlines. Multi-tasking helped me when I wrote my book.
The SMART Playbook gives kids a fun and engaging format to decode the unwritten rules of social grace for a modern world. Every child needs to understand as he/she gets older, social skills and manners are the keys to having great friends, gaining respect from adults and growing self-confidence. My mission with The SMART Playbook is to help kids gain confidence, character, integrity and empathy in face-to-face situations and technology usage. I am proud that this book is helping children around the world understand and use these important life skills! And I am honored and humbled to be recognized with seven awards for my work. I enjoyed writing it.
What is your favorite type of food and what do you love to cook?
I love Italian food! My favorite thing to make is any dessert! I especially like to bake traditional Swedish treats for the holidays (My family is from Sweden).
What is your favorite time of the day and why?
I am a night owl! The evening is my downtime when the chaos of three kids and daily interruptions have come to an end. It is that time of day when all is quiet and I can relax with a glass of wine. Time to finally catch up and think clearly.
Where is your favorite place to Party with Moms and what’s your favorite drink?
I always enjoy Barcelona. My favorite drink is a Kir Royale – there’s nothing like a little crème de cassis and bubbly to celebrate life!
Suzanne Wind is the award winning author of the educational children’s book- The SMART Playbook: Game-changing life skills for a modern world. Her work has been featured on WCBS radio and FOX Good Day NY. She lives in CT with her husband and three kids.
