Biography
Tamara K. Anderson loves being a wife and mother. She and her husband Justin have four
children who are blessed and challenged by autism, ADHD, mental health challenges, and all
bring her great joy. Tamara is a speaker, award-winning author, podcaster, and musician whose
main focus is to inspire hope in Christ.
She loves reading, kitchen gadgets, power tools, gardening, zip-lining and hiking.
Tamara received her B.S. degree in Therapeutic Recreation and is a flexible creator. She
founded two regional choirs and an annual interfaith music event. Totaling 14+ moves in 6
states and 2 countries throughout her life, she now lives in Utah with her husband and family.
She is the author of Normal for Me, A Broken-Down Holiday, and her award-winning booklet,
The Mother’s Mite. Tamara hosts the podcast, Stories of Hope in Hard Times, which is in the top
5% of podcasts worldwide.
Watch Tamara’s three-minute speech on “What Being A Mother Means to Me.”
Parenting Philosophy
I believe there are at least four things every child needs: love, work, faith, and learning.
First, children need to know they are loved—no matter what. Love doesn’t change if they are
good, bad or make mistakes. Love is always the answer.
Second, children need to learn to work. Working side-by-side with a parent or sibling is a great
way to connect and learn the success and pride of a job well done. By achieving small successes
working and doing chores, they build confidence in themselves. This leads to working outside of
the home at jobs and working to benefit and serve others.
Third, teaching children faith in God is important. Learning who they are as children of God lays
a foundation of confidence to build on as they grow. Also, they learn they can turn to God and
He will help and support them whenever mom or dad aren’t there. Children who learn to keep
God’s laws also are more likely to be good citizens and love and respect people around them.
Fourth, I believe in teaching children to be life-long learners and reaching their best potential.
Each child learns in their own unique way which is “normal” for them. As a parent I’ve had to
learn how to best teach each of my children. Learning can happen at school, at home and
pursuing hobbies. Teaching children they can learn and become anything they dream of doing is
empowering.
Motherhood and Community
First, being the mother of children with unique needs. Two of my sons were diagnosed with
autism when I was a young mother. I knew I didn’t have the knowledge or skills to parent these
children, so I sought help from experts and God to solve the problems they each faced with
autism and later to help my children with mental health challenges. Years later I wrote my
journey from grief to peace with God’s help as well as a few of the many lessons I learned
mothering in my book, Normal for Me. I then started a book donation program to get my book
into the hands of struggling parents who most need hope.
Second, using music as a unifier of all faiths. When our family moved to Arkansas I was blessed
with a vision of a Christmas concert where choirs from different faiths would celebrate
together. This Nativity & Noel took time, work, and coordinating the involvement of hundreds
of people to establish an annual tradition of music and beautifully displayed nativities. When
our family moved to Texas I worked on the board of FaithsTogether, specifically helping with
the choir and faith presentations. This incredible group is comprised of Christians, Muslims,
Hindus, Jewish and other non-denominational faiths. I was co-director of my elementary school
children’s choir in Utah for three years. My children now share their musical talents in our
community.
Third, I began speaking and podcasting. Because I had lived so many years overwhelmed
juggling the demands of my children on the autism spectrum, I wanted to inspire others with
hope that they could endure any trial with God’s help. My podcast, Stories of Hope in Hard
Times, begins its fourth year of broadcasting January 2022. I love interviewing people with
different challenges ranging from physical ailments, mental illness, disabilities or personal
problems. I also love sharing personal stories and lessons learned, and have had my children
and husband participate as well. These stories inspire my listeners throughout the United States
and in 77 countries world-wide to keep going, not give up, and “hope on.”
A special comment about Tamara: Tamara was an initially overwhelmed but ultimately joyful mother as she learned that children’s challenges can become blessings and that every child needs four things: love, work, faith and learning. Those lessons have helped her to encourage others to “hope on”.