Good Bones star Mina Starsiak has been celebrating tremendous success since her series first premiered on HGTV in 2016. But while the 31-year-old Indianapolis native has achieved incredible accomplishments within the realm of home renovation, her latest claim to fame is no doubt being a mother to 8-month-old son, Jack, with husband Stephen Hawk.
In an exclusive with PopCulture.com ahead of her first Mother’s Day next week, Starsiak opens up about her “very sweet, happy and goofy” baby boy, while weighing in on the mom shaming debate that has found its way to some of her posts, including a photo of Jack beside an iPhone and another with his older brother, canine, Frank.
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“To each their own,” Starsiak told PopCulture.com of the mom shamers seen on her social media. “If I took everything to heart that everyone said, I would be an emotional wreck all the time. There’s just not really room in my brain [for it].”
Starsiak, who is nothing but warm with a charmingly bubbly personality, goes on to add how she is well aware of what’s to be expected from the choice she made to make this part of her life public — especially after recent images of Jack sporting a helmet were posted, drawing in questions among fans. However, as the mom-of-one previously mentioned via numerous Instagram Stories, it’s nothing to worry about as Jack just has a flat head and the helmet doesn’t even bother him.
“I’ve put myself in a position where people can comment publicly,” she said. “You just take it for what it’s worth, and move on.”
While Starsiak is defiant with her perspective, she credits the “awesome response” from fans who continuously chime in with their positive remarks and good vibes.
“Overwhelmingly, people are awesome and positive and really appreciate that I don’t really have boundaries and I put it all out there,” she said. “People seem to like that it’s publicly being shown that a lot of other people have these issues, and it’s not just them.”
But if Jack’s growing appearance on social media is any inkling of what fans can expect from Season 4 of Good Bones, Starsiak reveals the tiny tot will be in a “handful” of episodes this season.
“[My husband and I] have got a pretty good child care routine. But if someone’s sick or someone’s on spring break, he’s just with me and he’s doing whatever we’re doing,” she laughed.
Starsiak credits her husband as being “awesome” and someone who really helps her create a balance on the work/life spectrum.
“I was actually joking yesterday because I was home and filming, and [Stephen] had Jack. When I’m home, he seems more stressed out with him than when I’m gone ’cause I do travel a lot, and he holds down the fort. [And] we’ve got three dogs [Sophie, Beatrice and Frank], one who’s a puppy Mastiff, and we’ve got Jack, and just all the things that come along with it — he’s amazing. But then, when I come home, he’s like, ‘Jack’s not happy, he wants mom,’” she laughed. “Like, ‘Okay. I know you can manage this because you do it,’ but he does a lot more of the house stuff.”
The Hoosier goes on to share how she is excited about her first Mother’s Day on May 12, but is still not sure what’s planned for her by Stephen and Jack.
“I don’t know,” she laughs. “Because we’re trying to plan around spending it with my mom [Karen], my step-mom, and my husband said, ‘We need to keep some time set aside for you.’ I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I get some time here too.’”
Starsiak tells PopCulture.com her husband hasn’t told her what is in store for the big day, only that “he has something planned for a couple of hours” for her with their son and dogs.
While fans can believe it will no doubt be something fun for the first time mom, Starsiak has had a whirlwind year with more headed her way this season. In addition to the upcoming fourth season of her series with mother, Karen Laine premiering May 14, she is also celebrating homecare and landscaping in a collaboration with Lowe’s this spring.
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“It’s like a sign of spring,” Starsiak told PopCulture.com of the easy, inexpensive DIYs she worked on, which ranged from building boxed planters to vibrant front porch refreshing that included her new favorite mulch. “In all the neighborhoods, and entry ways, it’s just like this is what you do. You put a fresh layer down, it’s a nice, clean slate, and it just feels good.”
Another thing that feels good for Starsiak is her upcoming project alongside fellow HGTV co-stars like, the Property Brothers and Jasmine Roth to renovate the Brady Bunch home in a Very Brady Reno premiering this September, which she is very excited about.
“I’ve been able to do so many cool things. The partnership with Lowe’s, a Brady project, I’ve met all the Brady Bunch kids [and] nope, never thought this would be happening,” she laughed.
Good Bones premieres Tuesday, May 14 at 9 p.m. on HGTV.
Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for more with Starsiak as we explore Good Bones‘ upcoming Season 4 and the anticipated A Very Brady Reno.
