Meet Tuyen Kamo | Fort Worth Mom of 6 & Lifestyle Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tuyen Kamo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tuyen, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
Validate their feelings and emotions. I was born in Vietnam, and growing up in a traditional Vietnamese household I was not allowed to express my emotions. My parents came from extreme poverty and war, so their thinking was, “if I feed you, clothe you, put a roof over your head, and take you to school that should be enough”. It wasn’t. I vividly remember having such “strong” emotions of anger or excitement and being called stupid or labeled a “bad kid” by my parents and their church friends. I told myself I would stop the cycle of abuse when I became a mother. I am more cognizant of how my kids feel or the emotions they exhibit. If they are exhibiting rude behavior or not being nice, I take the time to sit down and ask them why they are feeling that way. I let them know that it’s okay to feel mad or sad because everyone does it; even adults. We just have to find a way to express those emotions that does not end up hurting someone else physically or emotionally. It’s probably one of the hardest things I have had to learn to do since I was not brought up caring about emotions; but it is so rewarding to see your child be able to express themselves and having a close relationship with them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I started blogging I rarely saw any Asian American bloggers. I felt we were very underrepresented. I am proud to be a Vietnamese American blogger because that’s something you don’t see everyday. My skin is different, my hair is a different shade, my culture is different, the food that I cook for my family is different, and how I parent is different. I wanted to show a different type of blogger than what you are used to. I’m also a mom of 6, so that already sets me apart from a lot of other bloggers. People are always saying to me, “I don’t know how you do it with 6 kids” so blogging is a way of answering that question for people. I think a lot of people are fascinated by big families and genuinely surprised when they read my blog or view my instagram because they have a preconceived notion that it is 100% chaos when it’s not (don’t get me wrong; parenting always involves some amount of chaos!). I’m proud of my work ethic and balancing motherhood with blogging because it does not consume my day or take time away from my kids. It’s not always easy blogging because the market is saturated and not a lot of brands are culturally diverse so it’s hard to seek out sponsorships. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been turned down. I still persevere and continue because I have an audience that is genuinely curious about what my motherhood journey looks like or what products I recommend because they are new parents while I am seasoned. I’ve learned that it does not matter the number of followers you have as opposed to the quality of your content. I want the world to know that even though I may look different, I’m still a mom and I’m trying to raise my kids the best that I can just like they are. I want them to know that I will always be my authentic self and I will always be honest about reviews, products, or tips.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Fort Worth has so much to offer! I absolutely love this city!

I grew up in the Historic Fairmount neighborhood so I love visiting Magnolia near Southside. On Saturday mornings I love eating breakfast with fellow TCU fans at Paris Coffee Shop. Heim BBQ, Salsa Limon, The Bearded Lady, Spice, Fixture, and Shinjuku Station are great spots to eat. My husband’s friend opened Four Sisters Vietnamese Restaurant not too long ago and we love going there for a hot bowl of pho. Grab dessert at Melt Ice Creams. They have the most unique flavors and they only use quality ingredients so you don’t feel guilty for having a treat.

You cannot go to “Cowtown” without a stop at The Fort Worth Stockyards. There is a cattle drive everyday at 4pm. You feel like you’ve been teleported back to the western days in the wild west. While you’re there you have to eat at the outside patio of Joe T Garcia’s. Their enchiladas & fajitas are absolutely delicious and their margaritas definitely hit the spot. If you’re craving meat stop at Hunter Brother’s H3 Ranch, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, or Cattlemen’s Steak House.

Make sure to spend a day at The Shops at Clearfork. You can shop til you drop at Neiman Marcus, Burberry, or LV. You can grab a bite to eat at Malai Kitchen, Rise, B&B Butchers, Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar, Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizzeria, Press Cafe, or Fixe Southern House.

If you are looking for family friendly activities I recommend going to The Fort Worth Zoo. It’s been voted #1 zoo in the country for the past 2 years! Bring your swimsuit and visit their Splash Safari to cool down. Don’t forget to visit the African Savannah and buy some lettuce to feed the giraffes. Catch a ride on the Forest Park Miniature Train. It makes a stop at Trinity Park where you can take your kids to the Dream Park that has the coolest playground for all ages and abilities.

Visit one of the countless museums in the Cultural District. I love The Kimball Art Museum, The Modern Art Museum, and The Amon Carter Museum. The Fort Worth Museum of Science & History has a planetarium, an outdoor area to dig for dinosaur fossils, and the Omni Theater to watch IMAX movies.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband is my #1 supporter. I had talked about wanting to become a blogger for years and he finally told me at the beginning of 2020, “why don’t you just do it already?” I jumped right in with his help; even financially as I had stopped working in 2016. Sometimes I get these crazy content ideas and I’ll explain it to him and he looks as me like I’m losing my mind, but he still willingly helps out. I know he hates having to bend in awkward positions to get “the right shot” for me but he’s a trooper. I will go to him for advice when I have a company reach out to me and ask me to review a certain product. He is my partner in life and I want him to be comfortable with the decisions I make or products that I bring into our home.

Website: www.TuyenKamo.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/TuyenKamo

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TuyenKamo

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TuyenKamo2

Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/laidbacktuyen

Image Credits
Bora Bora Photo & Video Thierry Lyn Photography