The Mommy & Me phenomenon really started to take off after Nurik became a mother herself: She and her husband, Marc, adopted Kacey as an infant nearly 12 years ago, during Nurik's ultimately successful battle with breast cancer. "Becoming a parent has been the most incredible experience of my life," the Plantation resident declares. "I've always been involved in parenting clinically, but when I personally became a parent... when they put Kacey into my arms, I really got it."
When Cindy is asked whether she has to restrain her professional impulses while parenting Kacey, both mother and daughter giggle. "Sometimes I do need to step back and not play that role," says Nurik, who has a doctorate in early-childhood development and is also a licensed marriage and family therapist. "Here at home, I'm not Dr. Cindy; I'm Mommy Cindy." Still, being an educator is part of being a parent. "Some parents tend not to want to touch that [aspect of parenting] with a ten-foot pole," she says. "There needs to be a balance. I try to keep those lines between doctor, parent, and friend, but sometimes I catch myself crossing them -- or she'll let me know."
Kacey says she enjoys helping her mom out with the entrepreneurial side of her professional life. "I help her do art projects; I help her with the lyrics of the songs," she offers.
"[Kacey] is a great mother's helper," Cindy gushes. "She's the 'Me' in 'Mommy & Me'!"
As far as Kacey is concerned, she has gotten the best end of that deal. "My mom has taught me to be myself," she says. "And when kids pressure you to do things, don't get upset about it."
After a pause, Cindy declares, "You know, that was never something I would have thought she would have said." She chuckles. "They always surprise you."