Mother Stories
At Home With L.A. Mama Blair Paysinger And Noggin
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Nicki Sebastian
Dec 20, 2021
With the gift-giving season and school break colliding, we couldn’t think of a better mama to introduce you to than Blair Paysinger. The Los Angeles-based mother of two is especially busy of late, helming Post 21, an online store (with a brand-new physical location) that specializes in a wide variety of covetable items for the whole family, all made by Black creators. In addition to running her bustling business, she’s also juggling mom duties for her 4-year-old daughter Cairo and 2-year-old son Madden! Which is where Noggin—maker of educational, guilt-free screen-time—comes in!
Backed by research and developed by early childhood experts, Noggin is an incredible resource for children in the 2-6 age range. The ad-free app—which can be used on your big-screen TV, tablet, or smartphone—features characters from kid-favorites like PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, Peppa Pig, Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, and more! Each program is brought to life through action-packed episodes, e-books, and educational games that support literacy and explore math, science, and creativity. (Read more about the brand’s unique Learning Approach!)
Find out more about Noggin in our slideshow below, while meeting Blair and her adorable preschool-aged duo.
This post is brought to you by Mother + Noggin.
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- Meet the beautiful family: Entrepreneur-mama Blair Paysinger, her daughter Cairo, and son Madden.
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- "Honestly, it's very simple—my second is potty training and I'm excited to never change a diaper again!"
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- "I'm most nervous about this post-Covid world we will be sending them into. That and global warming."
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- "I always new I'd be a mom at some point. I just didn't think I'd start a family in my 20's. I also grew up thinking all kids were unplanned and surprises. That wasn’t my experience. We knew exactly when we wanted to start, we did want them back-to-back, and thankfully had no complications."
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Blair and her kiddos check out the Noggin homepage, which can be easily navigated by kids solo or with an adult!
The homepage features dozens of familiar characters on the top carousel—Baby Shark, Blaze and the Monster Machines, JoJo & Gran Gran, Paddington, and on and on—which kids can scroll through.
In addition to beloved characters to select from, there are sections for different topics (Math, Science, Music), Spanish language programming, podcasts, and much more!
It all adds up to 1,000+ entertainment options and (literally) endless hours of learning opportunities.
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The overarching categories on the Noggin app are "Play," "Watch," and "Read."
In this case, Cairo and Madden chose to "Play" a fun winter-themed puzzle game featuring favorite Noggin characters. Once kids' complete each puzzle—aided by hints and encouragement—the scenes come to life!
In addition to being ad-free, all Noggin games are free of in-app purchases.
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- "My daughter, Cairo, is 4 and into all things girly and pink. She loves Skye from PAW Patrol on Noggin, pink nails, ballerinas, anything pink is for her! My son, Madden, is 2 and loves trucks and anything his sister tells him to like."
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Not just for the small screen, Noggin can be enjoyed on the big screen TV, too!
Just search for the Noggin app on any smart device that connects to the Apple Store, Google Play, Amazon, and Roku Players!
Those new to Noggin can try out the service for only $0.99 a month for the first three months!
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Kids can pick from their favorite Noggin shows (like PAW Patrol, shown here), as well as explore timely topics and seasonal learning specials, which are updated frequently.
Think holiday specials and deep dives on Women's History Month, Earth Day, and more!
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- "I grew up mostly in Los Angeles, and was raised by a single mother. I have an older brother and younger brother, and lots of boy cousins. We are all very close in age, so I was the only girl and also a mother figure to my younger brother, who is also autistic. We moved to San Diego for a few years because the schools there were better for my younger brother and that was a big culture shock coming for South Central LA."
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- "Playtime for me was whatever the boys were doing. I loved art, but also just wanted to be included, so basketball and whatever video game was being played was all I knew. I remember picking up a doll once and having no idea what to do with it, and also remember the boys letting me play games with them but disconnecting the controller. I didn't care it was disconnected, I was just happy to be hanging with them."
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- "My kids are right in the sweet spot for this type of app and the characters Noggin highlights are already the ones they love. So this has been a great way to get them away from those weird YouTube videos. Both kids loved Noggin as soon as we logged in!"
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- A beautiful tabletop display on top of an even more gorgeous piano.
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- "They both love the PAW Patrol games and puzzles. My daughter is actually playing with it now so that I can have a second to answer these questions!"
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- A peek inside of the kids' adorable and playful bedroom.
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- What kids' room couldn't use a giant ice-cream cone lamp?!
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- "The main thing that was instilled in me was to trust God, and I want to pass that onto my kids. I may not practice that the same way I was taught, and my kids will not practice the same way I do, and that is ok."
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- The kids' downstairs play room is made for romping around!
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- "I'd say my parenting style is considerate. I spoke with a mom friend early on and a takeaway was that it works better speaking to kids in a way that they best respond to. Instead of our initial reaction to just speak to them in a way that comes easiest to us, or in the way we were spoken to as children. That has been a game changer for me and forces me to pause and think before each time I say something to them, and I'm very thankful for that."
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- "I'd say my husband is similar, but doesn’t have as much patience as I do. Thankfully he has seen the difference in our daughter's behavior when we speak to her this way and is conscious of taking that pause as well."
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- "We limit screen-time, but know it is a handy go-to. My daughter knows she can only watch an iPad when I am detangling her hair. And my son mostly gets to watch when we are at a restaurant. I love that Noggin has made educational options with the characters my kids love!"
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"Raising both a boy and girl has been great, and I'm thankful now to have come from a household of both. My husband came from a house of just boys and there are obvious differences."
"When I first got pregnant, I felt I had 'boy mom' vibes because sports were always more my thing. And the moment I was told I was having a girl, my first thought was 'great, more hair to detangle.' But I immediately changed my tune and have totally embraced all the glitter and dolls and magic."
"Once I was ready for a second, I realized I love the bond between sisters, but honestly was going to be happy either way. We only wanted two children and gender were never a factor for us."
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- A beautiful built-in bar with a vibrant backsplash.
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- We're loving this bold (and handy) chalkboard-painted wall opposite the family's cozy breakfast nook.
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"My daughter's name is Cairo Alaïa. My mom told me Cairo was supposed to be my name, and at the last minute she changed her mind. She said when she was in the hospital ready to deliver she got a call from her sister who said Cairo wasn’t a name you’d see on an executive's door. So I always knew that would be my daughter's name if I ever had one. I love that that story is such a sign of the times."
"My son's name is Madden Creux (pronounced Crew). Madden is the name my husband always saw as a cute name. So when we first started dating, both names were just always the two we would throw around. And we loved Creux spelled the New Orleans way because that is where both of our families are from."
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- A little holiday spirit tucked into the neutral surroundings.
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- "Once I found out I was having a daughter, I knew I didn't want her to just see me being a mom, I wanted her to watch me build. I was raised by a single mother and I wanted her to know and see that women can do it all. I was also taught to intentionally support my community and I wanted to figure out how to do that with the current landscape. When I was young we did that by finding Black doctors and going to local shops. But now we shop online and I wanted to build the place I wanted to shop, a place that shows Black people are not monolithic."
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- A sweet helping hand.
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- "I studied advertising at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. From there I moved to New York, and Miami with my then-boyfriend (now husband) and watched him chase his dream playing football. I was doing freelance graphic design and trying to figure out how to get my footing while dealing with his unpredictable schedule. I never saw myself as an entrepreneur, but I do think my background in art helps give me a different perspective on the things I'm doing now."
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- "I try and only work while the kids are at school, so 9 to 3. That has been stretched a bit right now during the holidays unfortunately."
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- "Silence is honestly the best creative practice for me. I don't like to be influenced by anything else around me until after I've come up with my initial idea."
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- "Becoming a mother is what started my career. Before my kids, I had no motivation to find my passion. It has also tremendously impacted my creativity, because I just have less time. But it has taught me to find creativity in all things and not just the traditional ways. For instance, I now see cooking as a way to express my creativity and not just dinner."
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- "Because of our new brick-and-mortar location, we have been able to start producing our own products. So, I'd say those are what I'm most excited about right now. It feels like the brand I've created has started coming full circle, allowing me to really express my creativity."
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"My mom deserves all the credit in my story. She raised three kids, one with autism, as a single mother in LA. All while holding a demanding corporate job. She showed me what hard work and sacrifice looked like for a woman. She put me through college and supported my art dreams."
"When I had a daughter, I was blessed to be able to stay at home and love on her daily, but I knew that I had to show her that same hard work. While I was pregnant with my second child, my mom brought the idea of Post 21 to me. She wanted to create a beautiful place to shop Black, and she wanted me to run with it. I haven't looked back, and wouldn’t have been able to do this with anyone else."
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- "I wouldn’t say I have a routine just yet, but I am very conscious about prioritizing my self-care and feel no mom guilt in doing so. Whether that's a run, a manicure, or a night out with my girls, I'm going to schedule it and know I'm fully supported in doing so."
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- The sweetest little face.
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- "Just start. I think imposter syndrome was the biggest thing holding me back in the beginning. But on New Year's Eve 2021, I realized nobody knows what they’re doing, we're all figuring it out every day, and that has given me so much confidence."
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- "I'd say patience is what I've learned. I previously only thought about patience with people, but now have learned that it has to be in all areas."
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To keep following along with Blair, her family, and her business, be sure to follow @blairpysngr and @post21shop on Instagram, and shop her line at post21shop.com.
To check out Noggin for only $0.99 a month for the first three months (or gift Noggin to a friend!), head over to Noggin.com and fill your winter break with hours of fun and learning!
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