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As my two kids get older and begin to outgrow clothes, toys and other baby accessories, I struggle with trying to \u00a0fit\u00a0it all in boxes, rearrange spaces or figure out where to put it or whom to give it to. \u00a0I’m definitely running out of room.<\/p>\n
Shannon Richardson, assistant director of campus recreation and co-organizer of Oxford WeeCycle, \u00a0may have answered my prayers.<\/p>\n
Oxford WeeCycle is a seasonal children’s consignment sale held twice a year (fall and spring) at the Oxford Conference Center. \u00a0Anyone can register to sell their gently used clothing, toys, furniture and gear. \u00a0WeeCycle also has a\u00a0clothing tagging service for busy moms \u2013\u00a0just bring the freshly laundered clothing and they do the rest. \u00a0I’m in. \u00a0Richardson and her husband, Hunter, started Oxford WeeCycle in 2010 after the birth of their first child.<\/p>\n
Originally from Georgia, Richardson moved to Oxford in 2004 to take a position as the outdoor recreation coordinator for Ole Miss.\u00a0 She has since been promoted to assistant director of campus recreation and has a bachelor\u2019s degree in exercise science, a master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate in higher education administration.<\/p>\n
What prompted you to start Oxford WeeCycle? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When we were expecting our first child, my husband and I began to realize how expensive children\u2019s items can be, so we thought it would be great for the Oxford community to have a place where parents could buy and sell gently used clothing, gear, furniture and toys.\u00a0 So WeeCycle was born, and this coming February will be our 11th sale! We host the sale twice a year, spring and fall. We started with 30 consignors and have grown to over 100 and have had to cap it there for now.\u00a0 There have been many positives (helping our support our family while helping other families make money and save money) and there have been some challenges (managing growth and maintaining a good reputation by selling quality items).\u00a0 In the future, we may offer a third\u00a0sale, but that\u2019s down the road. Above all, we want to honor God with this venture by making the atmosphere at WeeCycle a fun and welcoming place where moms and dads can shop, volunteer, talk, laugh and share in the adventures of parenthood; our motto is that \u201cEveryone is welcome at WeeCycle!\u201d<\/p>\n What do you do at Ole Miss?<\/span><\/p>\n My duties include oversight of the outdoor recreation program, assessment for the department, marketing and staff development.\u00a0\u00a0 I have a bachelor\u2019s degree in exercise science, a master\u2019s degree in public administration and a Ph.D. in higher education administration. \u00a0I love working with students, employees and the community \u2013 our program helps people in the Ole Miss and Oxford community find their own niche in recreation.\u00a0 For many people, kayaking, rock climbing and backpacking are the best ways to stay physically fit while enjoying nature and the benefits of getting outside and away from the daily grind. Campus Recreation makes the outdoors accessible by offering programs for beginners through advanced skill levels and backgrounds.<\/p>\n What does your family do for child care\/daycare?<\/span><\/p>\n Our Emma is 4 and she attends the Preschool Language and\u00a0Literacy Program on campus.\u00a0 Our baby, Meg, is almost 18\u00a0months old and stays with her Mimi during the day.<\/p>\n What are some (educational and\/or fun) activities that are a must for your family? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We love spending as much time outdoors at the parks and\u00a0visiting the local farms and kid-friendly markets.<\/p>\n Favorite restaurant in Oxford for families?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Chick-fil-a is our favorite kid-friendly restaurant, and Ajax and Boure are our favorite places on the Square.\u00a0 We love Oxford, Ole Miss and our home church, Grace Bible. Faith and community are very important to us and we love spending time with our families and friends.<\/p>\n \u00a0As a mom, what are the positives about Oxford? \u00a0What are some of the challenges you face here as a working mom? \u00a0What are some opportunities that you see that Oxford could present to working moms? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are so many wonderful things about Oxford; it\u2019s a great town for families and the university provides a wide range of activities and cultural events to explore.\u00a0 There are so many great local artists and shops, and we like to shop<\/p>\n local whenever possible. I love the small-town feel, but it\u2019s close enough to Memphis and Tupelo for any necessary big-city shopping.\u00a0 Oxford offers many fun outlets for families, but I do wish there were more educational facilities closer to town like the Children\u2019s Museums of Memphis and Jackson.\u00a0 Also, I think it would be great if Oxford would be able to have a family recreation center with batting cages, putt-putt golf, splash park, etc. \u2013 active\u00a0things for kids and parents to do together. \u00a0We live in a world of ever-increasing technology, so we must be careful of falling victim to sedentary lifestyles and we must be intentional about being active with our kids to maintain good health well-being.<\/p>\n \u00a0Best advice you could give a working mom of Ole Miss?<\/span><\/p>\n For me, the definition \u201cworking mom\u201d applies to all moms; some work solely inside the home and some work both inside and outside. \u00a0For me, it\u2019s sometimes a struggle to balance working inside (wife and mom) with working outside (university and WeeCycle); but I think that organization and communication with your spouse are the two keys to keeping things working!\u00a0 I have a slightly neurotic obsession with planners, and my husband will probably tell you that I over-communicate; but in order for me to get it all done (with quality) I have to make sure I\u2019m budgeting my time well.\u00a0 So, I try not to engage with social media when I am spending time with my kids.\u00a0 I wait until after I go to bed.\u00a0 It\u2019s all about prioritizing and making sure the most important things are taken care of in a quality manner.\u00a0 You have to keep in mind that 10\u00a0years from now, you won\u2019t regret that you didn\u2019t check your email or Facebook more often.<\/p>\n For more information about Oxford WeeCycle, visit http:\/\/www.oxfordweecycle.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"