Mom’s Choice Awards is excited to announce another post in our interview series where we chat with the inventors, designers, publishers, and others behind some of our favorite family-friendly products.
Hello, Mom’s Choice readers! We have another interesting interview for you today– we were lucky enough to get some time with Julie Igel, author of the Mom’s Choice Award-winning children’s book My Socks. My Socks is a fun story that brings awareness to sensory issues and offers ways for parents and caretakers to listen to children with sensory challenges and value their individual traits. If you have a child who hates to wear socks, this is the book for you! We were honored and entertained to be able to hear a little bit about Julie Igel and how her story My Socks came to be. Keep reading to see the full interview published below!
MCA: Hi Julie, thank you for joining us! Books are a wonderful tool for parents and caretakers to use for children who experience sensory challenges. My Socks is one of those books that is not only a great way for parents to explain sensory challenges to their children but also allows children dealing with sensory issues to connect and to not feel so alone. I’d like to first start the interview by finding out a little bit about yourself!
Julie Igel, Author of the MCA Award-Winning Book, “My Socks”
Julie: I am a Mother of 3 grown daughters, wife, and soon-to-be grandmother for the first time. I am also a Certified Classical Homeopath and have been using homeopathy for 30+ years. I have a private practice in San Diego, California. My passions are holistic health, gardening, spending time with my husband and daughters, and traveling. We love to camp and spend time at the beach as well.
I came to homeopathy when my children were small due to the many health issues one of them had. Homeopathy changed our lives and when my girls were all in school, I decided to become a homeopath myself. It is one of my greatest honors to help people create a more holistic lifestyle and find their way to true health.
MCA: That sounds very rewarding! What lead you on your path to becoming an author and to writing your first children’s book, My Socks?
Julie: What inspired me to become a writer was basically being a mom of 3 young daughters; so many funny stories to share as well as things I hope will help other young moms and dads to navigate their way through motherhood/parenthood. My oldest daughter also experienced some sensory issues and being that I am now a homeopath I work with children that have similar issues. This was my inspiration to write My Socks with the hope of being able to show parents and children they are not alone, as well as wanting to bring a little smile and laughter to the challenge of parenting in this day and age.
Julie Igel with her daughter Nichole.
MCA: What has the response been like to My Socks from its readers?
Julie: The response I am getting so far with my book, is that people are feeling a personal connection with the story since many children have issues with socks and other items of clothing. It’s not necessarily just for children with sensory issues–this story is for everyone. Children as well as parents are loving the story and the colorful illustrations that bring the story and emotion to life.
MCA: If you could ensure readers of your book walk away with one main lesson, what would it be?
Julie: The main lesson I would like readers to take away from my story is that there are always solutions and that in the end, being able to smile, laugh, and find joy in our imperfections is really all that matters.
MCA: What a wonderful lesson to leave us with! Thank you again for joining us, Julie, we hope to see a lot more from you soon!
You can learn more about Julie Igel and her award-winning book, My Socks by visiting her MCA Shop pages.
