To celebrate the debut of The Everything Else Tote, created with Dusen Dusen, we’re launching Parenting &—a Q&A series spotlighting the incredible person behind the parent, in all their multitudes. Because adding ‘parent’ to the bio doesn’t shrink who you are—it multiplies it.
And the “&”? That’s where it gets good.
Meet Lauren Badenhoop: full-time single mom &…content creator, second-degree black belt, fashion enthusiast, wellness lover, surfer, traveler—amongst other things.
What’s a part of you that didn’t disappear when you became a parent—but got even louder?
My confidence in myself and my style. Motherhood didn’t mute it—it magnified it. When my body started changing during my pregnancy, I struggled with knowing what to wear. Clothes I used to wear didn’t fit or really make sense for my growing body, so I decided to just go for it and wear whatever the heck I wanted. Growing a baby is such a sacred experience, and I wanted to just be present and have as much fun as I could. That kick started a new found joy for getting dressed each day. I want my son to see that owning your personal style and what makes your heart sing can never go out of style.
What do you hope your child will say about you one day—when you’re not in the room?
“My mom really loved me for me.” No conditions, no expectations. Just full, wholehearted l-o-v-e: LOVE. I still think about the level of love my mom showed me — patient, compassionate, unconditional, and endless — and use it as my benchmark for how to love him (not that it’s hard, he’s got my whole heart!). I hope one day he feels so wholly loved that he chooses to love like that and beyond.
What’s something small you do every day that feels like resistance, or care, or both?
Getting dressed for myself—intentionally, even if it’s just for a coffee run or a quick trip to the playground—is one of my quiet daily rituals that feels like both care and resistance. It’s not about dressing up for anyone else, but about honoring how I feel, claiming a little joy, and showing up in my own skin with intention. Some days it’s jeans and a tee, others it’s lots of layering, textures, and playfulness—but either way, it’s a small way I remind myself: I matter, too. It’s an act of self-celebration that shifts my energy, even on the most chaotic days.
Keep up with Lauren at @badenhoop + grab this summer’s IT bag—The Everything Else Tote—available 6/24 on the Little Spoon Merch Store.
