Hello Helen, tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do, and who looks after your children when you are working?
I am a freelance nutritionist, registered with the Association for Nutrition. My company is FadFree Nutrition. I provide fad-free, scientifically backed nutritional advice, within the constraints of real life. As well as working with one-to-one clients, I am a motivational speaker, giving talks for corporate audiences, as well as charitable organisations such as cancer centres, and running my own workshops on different nutritional topics.
My kids are 17, 15, 13 and 11 (3 girls and the youngest is a boy). Since the pandemic I have moved all my appointments and talks on line. The kids can be at home while I’m working, I have to put a big sign on my office door when I’m presenting which says saying ‘do not come in!’ It doesn’t always work!
1. ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE HOW BEING A WOMO MAKES YOU FEEL?
Proud
2. WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD JUGGLING KIDS AND WORK?
I have to nip out on several ballet runs every afternoon, between meetings, presentations and doing CPD. I have been known to get so absorbed in my work I have forgotten to pick up one of the girls (and on the odd occasion other people’s children, yikes!). The girls have no mobile reception in the little village where the ballet school is, so they’ve had some long waits at times! Thankfully other mums have kept an eye on them until I remembered to show up. I’d like to say this was an isolated incident, but it wasn’t!
3. WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD OFFER ANOTHER WOMO?
Think about your priorities and where you want to focus your time and energy. You won’t be able to do everything “properly”.
4. WHAT’S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SLEEP YOU’VE GONE TO WORK ON, AND HOW DID YOU COPE?
I had less than two hours sleep last week after hosting the year 6 leavers’ party. The kids didn’t settle down until 4.30am! This amount of sleep was a regular occurrence for a decade when the kids were younger but at the time I was a full time mum. I’m not used to it any more! I drank Yorkshire tea and snacked all day to get through it.
5. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF AS A WOMO?
I find it difficult to accept that I can’t do everything perfectly. There are only so many hours in the day and it isn’t possible to run the family and run a business both with 100% focus.
6. IF YOU HAD A WORKING MOTHER’S ANTHEM OR MANTRA, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
You don’t need to be good, you just need to be good enough.
7. WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE TO COMBAT WOMO GUILT THE BEST?
Beer. But I don’t feel guilty! 8. Would you rather be dealing with a tantrum or presenting in a board meeting? Definitely the board meeting.
8. WOULD YOU PREFER TO BE DEALING WITH A TANTRUM OR PRESENTING IN A BOARD MEETING?
Definitely the board meeting!
9. IF YOU ASKED YOUR CHILDREN WHAT YOUR JOB IS, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?
First child: Nowhere to be found since passing her driving test.
Second child: Mum helps people eat healthier.
Third child: yeah that.
Fourth child: yeah that.
10. WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN BEFORE YOU BECAME A WOMO?
That having teenagers is actually more demanding than having toddlers. I expected to have more time to throw at my career but it’s not been the case. Teenagers need their mums more than ever.
11. TO DATE, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST WOMO ACHIEVEMENT?
Keeping everyone happy.
12. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT WORKING MOTHERS?
I want them to know that it’s never too late to be who you want to be. After a corporate career that I wasn’t passionate about , and many happy years as a full time mum, I wanted to show the kids that you are in control of the professional path you want to follow. I re-trained as a nutritionist, by doing a masters degree when the kids were little, just after I had recovered from breast cancer surgery. I showed them that anything is possible if you step outside of your comfort zone and go for it!
IG: @fadfreenutrition