Meet Ana: With a Heart Full of Warmth, Inspiring Kindness in the Class

“More than teaching math or other subjects, we teach kids how to face different challenges in their lives.”

 

To honor moms around the world, we interviewed Ana, a preschool teacher, a mother of two, and someone who pours her heart into everything she does. Being a mom and a teacher is not easy, but she makes it look effortless. Whether she is helping young students navigate their first challenges or guiding her own children through life’s ups and downs, she is on a mission to raise kind and warm-hearted children. 

In our conversation, Ana opens up about her experience balancing motherhood and teaching, and shares how small comforts like her heated jacket can make a big difference. Sometimes, it’s those little details that turn tough days into something better, and her jacket adds a touch of warmth to her everyday life.

Keep reading to learn more about Ana’s inspiring story. 

Q: Tell us about yourself

My name is Ana Maria. I’m a preschool teacher at an all-boys school in Colombia, and I’m a contained teacher, which means I teach multiple subjects including English, Math, Science, Research and basically I help my students with everything they need. On the personal side, I’ve been married for 10 years, and my husband and I have two wonderful kids: Jeronimo, who is 6 and attends the school where I teach, and Federico, who is 4. 

Q: For how long have you been a teacher?

I’ve been a teacher for twelve years.

Q: What do you love most about it? 

I love spending time with the kids and seeing how much they learn and improve during the school year. It’s amazing to see them become more independent with our help. And more than teaching them math or any other subject, we teach them how to face life’s challenges. 

Q: What’s the most rewarding part of being a teacher and a mom?

Honestly, it’s very similar in both roles. We want to prepare them for life, to be independent and to be able to do things by themselves. When you see them making their own decisions, thinking about others, taking care of everyone around them and themselves, you feel really proud and it’s really rewarding. It feels like you’re doing something right. 

Q: How do you teach them that? Can you give us an example?

Every day at school presents opportunities where maybe they argue with a friend, need help solving a problem, or feel left out. For example, if one of them wants a toy and their friend won’t share, or they’re feeling lonely, we give them tools to face those situations and find different ways to solve them. We teach them how to use their voices, express themselves, and treat others with kindness and empathy, while also learning to be just as kind to themselves. 

Q: What’s your biggest challenge as a teacher? 

I think my biggest challenge is working with families. Nowadays, some parents avoid setting limits. They think saying “no” will make their kids unhappy. But what they don’t know is that actually their kids need those limits and need to learn that they can’t always get what they want right away, and that they have to work for certain things. 

When we’re trying to teach kids how to be independent, how to solve problems, and how to deal with frustration, it’s not easy, especially when parents say, “Just give them what they want. I just want them to be happy.” It can make working with them challenging at times.  

Q: What would be your advice to those parents? 

Let your kids solve their own problems. I would say, let them feel frustrated. Say “no”. Let them cry, get bored, or feel sad, and teach them how to deal with those emotions. Feeling that way is not bad;  they just need to learn how to deal with it. 

Q: How do you balance the two roles, especially during the busy school year? 

It’s not easy and it’s exhausting sometimes. My students are really demanding and at home it’s pretty demanding too, but I think the way to balance everything is making time for myself. I love exercising and dancing. I take boxing classes twice a week, and one functional training class a week. At home, sometimes I play some music and dance by myself. 

Q: What advice would you give to other moms who are also educators?

Make time for yourself. I learned this a little later than I would have liked. Being a mom is a 24/7 job and sometimes when you’re not with your kids, you feel guilty. Then you go to work and feel guilty there too. And when you come home, you feel guilty because you’re tired from work and sometimes not as patient with your own kids as you are with your students. So what has helped me improve my relationship with my kids is making time for myself. 

Q: What does Mother’s Day mean to you? 

It’s a special day to celebrate my kids. Being a mom is the most important role I’ve ever had and Mother’s Day is not only an opportunity to feel their love, but also a chance to remind them that they are one of the greatest gifts I have in my life. 

Q: Is there any message that you’d like to share with other hardworking moms and teachers?

It can feel overwhelming at times, and you might think you won’t make it through. But if you take things one step at a time, you’ll be able to accomplish more than you imagined.

Q: What first made you interested in heated clothes? 

Where I live, it gets really cold in the mornings and I really hate being cold! So when I heard that there was a jacket that could keep me warm and help regulate my body temperature, I was immediately interested.

Every February, I go on a school camping trip to a really cold place. We spend the entire night outside, so I usually suffer through it. So when I found that there was something that could help me stay warm and comfortable, it definitely caught my attention.

Q: How was your experience using it?

This year was so much better. In past years I was always freezing, and it made me feel grumpy and exhausted. But this year it was actually much better. Even though it was cold, I stayed warm. Having my back warm made a huge difference. The night even felt shorter this time! 

Q: Which item do you own?

I own the Women’s Dual-Control Heated Jacket in purple. I love it. And my husband owns the Men’s Dual-Control Heated Jacket. My sister-in-law also owns a Heated Parka and a Heated Down Vest. Pretty much everyone in the family owns a heated apparel item!

Q: When do you wear it? 

I wear it during the morning commute, at school during recess, and even during family time. Whenever it’s really cold or rainy, I use it. 

Q: What’s your favorite feature?

The heated pockets! My hands usually get super cold, and when they’re cold, the rest of my body feels cold too. I love being able to warm up my hands; it helps keep my body at a comfortable temperature. 

Q: How has your heated jacket improved your day to day life? 

It rains a lot here too, so it helps me because I stay dry. When I’m on duty during recess, the jacket helps me stay warm while everyone else is freezing. Everyone sees me and they say, “That’s amazing! We’re freezing and you look so comfortable with your jacket!”

Doing what I do isn’t always easy, but having something that makes me feel comfortable really helps. I believe that there are small things we can do each day to make our days special and a little better. When the weather is challenging, those little details really matter. They can turn a tough situation into something more manageable. My jacket has become one of those special things: something simple that helps turn my day around.

 

Celebrating the Moms who Inspire Kindness

Ana reminds us that being a mom and teaching both require endless love, patience, and strength. This Mother’s Day, we celebrate moms like Ana, who lead with warmth, nurture with heart, and inspire kindness wherever they go. And if something as simple as a heated jacket can help make their days a little easier, we’re proud to be a part of that journey.