🎉 SPECIAL PROMO 🎉 Enjoy 10% OFF all children’s titles by Ames Chen at https://graceworks.com.sg/store/ for the entire month of May 2025! Just use code “MAKEITWORK” at checkout.
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She didn’t set out to be a children’s author. She just wanted to survive motherhood.
After being told she might never conceive, Ames Chen’s entry into motherhood was already complicated. A difficult pregnancy followed. Isolation crept in. So she started writing letters—first, just to her daughter. What started as a private act of reflection became the early beginnings of writing for thousands of other children.
Today, Ames is a mother of three and the author of over 10 children’s books—many of which explore themes of social inclusion, empathy, and the stories we often overlook. (Fun fact: several are personal favorites in my own home!)
A true multi-hyphenate, Ames is also a communications trainer for youth, and member of a church missions team.
Ames, who is also my childhood friend, shares a deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to mother with purpose—and live with conviction.
In this episode, we talk about:
🌱 Why writing through pain can unlock your purpose
📚 How real conversations with migrant workers shaped a children’s book series that’s now read in schools
🌍 What happens when your kids witness humanitarian work firsthand
🛠️ The small, old-school parenting hacks that build real independence
💬 How her family lives by the motto: “Live simply to love generously.”
While many of us talk about juggling the different parts of life, Ames’s story is about convergence—how she brings together her work, her faith, and her family in intentional, deeply connected ways.
Why not also consider supporting Ames’ then 8 year old Mya’s work “The Runaway Dream” , an e-book about “her beloved refugees” after visiting a refugee centre. All proceeds go towards the centre. More here -
Connect with Ames:
📧 Email: ameschenjie@gmail.com
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameschen/
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Chapters
00:45 Intro to Make It Work
00:59 Intro to Ames Chen: She Never Thought To Write Books. She Was Just Trying To Breathe.
01:55 “I Was Alone and Overwhelmed”: The Hardest Part of Motherhood
03:20 Parenting Hacks That Actually Build Independence
05:50 Mother. Author. Trainer. Missions Worker.
10:39 The Journey of Becoming an Author
14:41 When Kids See the Invisible: The Birth of One of Us
15:02 Mya's (Amy's Daughter) Quest
16:39 Why Teaching Empathy Starts with a Dishcloth and a Dustpan
18:59 When Kids Witness Humanitarian Work Firsthand
22:19 The Annual Family Tradition That’s Not About Holidays
23:06 How to Raise Children Who Love Generously
25:06 Are Today’s Youth Lost… or Just Misunderstood?
27:10 This Is What I Want My Kids To Learn From Me
29:12 The Final Word—and a Gift for Families Who Read Together
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