We sat down with our incredible founder Helen, who also happens to be a mum! We chatted to her about what she's proudest of in her motherhood journey, advice for new mums, her idea of a perfect Mother's Day gift, what loved ones can do to support the mums in their life and what has been difficult about raising her children during a pandemic!
What are you proudest of in your motherhood journey?
I think every mother should feel proud for bringing new life into the world... It's one of the hardest jobs out there but I wouldn't change it, and for me the journey to get there made it even more precious... I don't think I can put my finger on one moment where I feel most proud - I just feel proud to have gotten to this point in the journey and I am trying to cherish this current phase. The younger years were tough and now my husband is part of the team at home and at work which is great.
What advice would you give to new mums?
To make time for yourself, and don't be scared to ask for help where and when you need it. Being a mum is one of the hardest jobs and if we don't look after ourselves it can impact our mental wellbeing. We all need help from time to time - not being too cliche... “you can't take care of anyone else unless you first take care of yourself.”
What’s your idea of a perfect Mother's Day gift?
My children are little, so I love a homemade gift or a handmade card with a 'mummy' picture (normally looking a little dishevelled!) But like most mums with children ages 7 and 5 the 'Mother's Day' memo doesn't last long and before long the demands of motherhood creep in... with that in mind a nice meal or a 'ticket' to take a moment out another time is always nice... Normally Dad get's involved at this point!
What can loved ones do to support their friends or family who are mums?
Quite frankly mums can feel a bit cranky from time to time - whether it's lack of sleep, hormones or trying to juggle everything it can be hard to know how to offer help. Sometimes loved ones can feel underappreciated when they do offer an olive branch or advice... whether it be husband, parents or in-laws I would recommend letting the mums in your life know how well they are doing... Everyone feels imposter syndrome and modern-day mums have advice coming at them thick and fast especially with social media - just letting them know they are doing a great job and keeping the advice to a minimum could be the best way to boost a mum friend. Genuine offers of childcare is always great but also if you're close family some of the practical stuff (like cleaning and cooking) can be a wonderful way to offer support. And if you’re not local why not send a care package.
What has been difficult about raising children during a pandemic?
Well, I think many parents have found the pandemic a really testing time especially on their own mental wellbeing but also importantly children's wellbeing... Each lockdown, each child, and each age range has brought about its different challenges. I think one of the biggest challenges as a parent is dealing with parent-guilt, and the expectations to continue educating your children at home heightened this for me... I didn't feel qualified and found it almost impossible to fit this in alongside other work and domestic commitments. On the other hand, all social pressure was removed so I felt good about the time I spent with my children. After a time because my children were small, I did choose to focus on their wellbeing and the fun stuff vs. schoolwork... hopefully this won’t have impacted them too much as a result.
A big thank you to Helen for taking part in this interview.
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