Former WRAL reporter Tara Lynn amps up Go Ask Mom role

While she has contributed to Go Ask Mom in the past, Tara is now joining us a weekly contributor!

Get to know Tara in this Q&A below:

My husband and I have three cute kiddos, two girls and a boy! The girls are seven and four years old and our sweet little man (for whom we have to do more baby proofing than the others) will be two in November. Everybody's favorite family member though is our 13-year-old rescue beagle/lab mix Baxter. His name and our son's now are interchangeable, as are words like crib/crate or pediatrician/vet's office.

Oooooo. If anything, I'm an over-analytical mom. I'm constantly asking myself (aka judging myself) if I'm doing this parenting right. My main goal as a mom is to make sure my children know they are loved and have a happy and safe home. I expect them to be kind to themselves and others and encourage them to always look for ways to show kindness. We have rules and ask the kids to follow them. When they don't, they lose out on opportunities like a treat after dinner or extra playtime or they have to sit in their room for a little while. I try to balance giving them age-appropriate responsibilities, but also know that some nights call for extra dance party time vs cleaning up the toys that were all just dumped out. Besides, I can do that way faster than they can. Being a news reporter for 15+ years, I have seen the worst case scenarios become some parents' nightmares. At times, it makes me want to overprotect them. But, I have to remind myself not to parent from a place of fear, but of love, trust and vulnerability. I know God gave me these amazing children and I trust Him to guide me through this wild adventure.

Whenever my kids say "I love you" or want to snuggle with me or specifically ask to spend time together. I know the teenage years are coming. I hope we can build a solid foundation now that encourages my kids to still want to spend family time together when they are older.

By far, the biggest challenge I have faced is living with and through depression. I went through a very dark time before we had kids. I lost my faith in some ways wondering what purpose life on earth actually served. This dark time gave me one obsession: the transformative power of love. Love has shaped every part of my life. From being loved by others, to loving others to not loving myself. That love is what allowed me to hold on and fight through to keep waking up each day. My battle drives me to make sure YOU know that you are not alone and that you matter. Our minds can often play tricks on us. One thing I love about being a photographer, is capturing authentic moments for families so they always have proof of their love and connection.

I plan to bring an authentic voice to parenthood. There is a certain level of vulnerability that comes with putting my thoughts out into the world. My goal is to be honest, encouraging and balance the privacy of my own kids. I can't wait to share monthly columns on the little lessons life keeps teaching me, exploring new places with the family, offering photography tips to capture your pet and kids, and shine a light on the great small businesses we have here in the Triangle.