As my two kids get older and begin to outgrow clothes, toys and other baby accessories, I struggle with trying to fit it all in boxes, rearrange spaces or figure out where to put it or whom to give it to. I’m definitely running out of room.
Shannon Richardson, assistant director of campus recreation and co-organizer of Oxford WeeCycle, may have answered my prayers.
Oxford WeeCycle is a seasonal children’s consignment sale held twice a year (fall and spring) at the Oxford Conference Center. Anyone can register to sell their gently used clothing, toys, furniture and gear. WeeCycle also has a clothing tagging service for busy moms – just bring the freshly laundered clothing and they do the rest. I’m in. Richardson and her husband, Hunter, started Oxford WeeCycle in 2010 after the birth of their first child.
Originally from Georgia, Richardson moved to Oxford in 2004 to take a position as the outdoor recreation coordinator for Ole Miss. She has since been promoted to assistant director of campus recreation and has a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, a master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate in higher education administration.
What prompted you to start Oxford WeeCycle?
When we were expecting our first child, my husband and I began to realize how expensive children’s 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. 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. 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). In the future, we may offer a third sale, but that’s 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 “Everyone is welcome at WeeCycle!”
What do you do at Ole Miss?
My duties include oversight of the outdoor recreation program, assessment for the department, marketing and staff development. I have a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, a master’s degree in public administration and a Ph.D. in higher education administration. I love working with students, employees and the community – our program helps people in the Ole Miss and Oxford community find their own niche in recreation. 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.
What does your family do for child care/daycare?
Our Emma is 4 and she attends the Preschool Language and Literacy Program on campus. Our baby, Meg, is almost 18 months old and stays with her Mimi during the day.
What are some (educational and/or fun) activities that are a must for your family?
We love spending as much time outdoors at the parks and visiting the local farms and kid-friendly markets.
Favorite restaurant in Oxford for families?
Chick-fil-a is our favorite kid-friendly restaurant, and Ajax and Boure are our favorite places on the Square. 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.
As a mom, what are the positives about Oxford? What are some of the challenges you face here as a working mom? What are some opportunities that you see that Oxford could present to working moms?
There are so many wonderful things about Oxford; it’s a great town for families and the university provides a wide range of activities and cultural events to explore. There are so many great local artists and shops, and we like to shop
local whenever possible. I love the small-town feel, but it’s close enough to Memphis and Tupelo for any necessary big-city shopping. Oxford offers many fun outlets for families, but I do wish there were more educational facilities closer to town like the Children’s Museums of Memphis and Jackson. 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. – active things for kids and parents to do together. We 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.
Best advice you could give a working mom of Ole Miss?
For me, the definition “working mom” applies to all moms; some work solely inside the home and some work both inside and outside. For me, it’s 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! 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’m budgeting my time well. So, I try not to engage with social media when I am spending time with my kids. I wait until after I go to bed. It’s all about prioritizing and making sure the most important things are taken care of in a quality manner. You have to keep in mind that 10 years from now, you won’t regret that you didn’t check your email or Facebook more often.
For more information about Oxford WeeCycle, visit http://www.oxfordweecycle.com.