UK-born Emma and her family have settled in the Shire where she now juggles the responsibilities of motherhood with her two paid roles as a recruiter by day and a nutritionist by night.
Where and how long have you lived in the Sutherland Shire and what do you love about it?
I have lived in Oyster Bay for 18 months. We came from Randwick and felt like strangers there but in the Shire we are part of a community, I love how welcoming everyone is.
Tell us about yourself and your family:
Me, my husband Stephen and my 9-year-old daughter Hanna. We moved here from the UK in 2016 and we couldn’t be happier we made the move. Hanna now has an Aussie accent although my northern British accent is sticking around. My husband is a gardener, although currently stranded in the UK and unable to get back due to COVID, he has been gone for 8 weeks and we have no idea when he will be home, his flight has been cancelled twice so far. I am a recruiter of nurses and also have my own nutrition business Whole Health with Emma. Hanna is a singer, dancer, actress, drama queen, iPad expert and all-round diva!
What does a typical day look like for you?
My day starts early, between 5-5.30am. I do a 10-15 minute yoga stretch, make a coffee and do Whole Health with Emma work before Hanna wakes. I drop Hanna off at before-school care for 7.30am then get a workout in- Either a run or strength training session depending on how much time I have.
Then I’ll begin my day job and work from home, which I love. I work until 5pm, get Hanna from after-school care or a playdate. Then we’ll make dinner and argue about what to watch on Netflix. She usually gets her own way. Hanna goes to bed at 8pm and then I work a bit more then go to bed at 9pm myself.
Weekends are much more fun. We are active and always thinking of new things to do. We love Climbfit in Kirrawee, Flip Out in Caringbah, roller-skating in Cronulla, bike rides and I drag Hanna out for walks (which she hates!)
Favourite park and why:
Oatley Park. Hanna loves the massive slide and there are lots of places to walk.
Favourite thing to do with your bubs/kiddies and why:
Roller skate. I used to do it as a teenager, then a few years ago I bought some skates again and I love it. Hanna has some too and we go skating all the time.
Favourite kid-friendly cafe and why:
We love Black Olive in Kirawee, we go all the time. There isn’t much for the kids to do but we all love the food and coffee.
Favourite restaurant or favourite night-spot and why:
Rocksalt in Jannali. It never disappoints and it’s BYO!
Favourite wet weather location:
Climb Fit or my sofa with Netflix!
What do you like to do when you have time to yourself:
I walk a lot and listen to podcasts or audiobooks.
Work or SAHM (Stay at Home Mum):
Work, probably too much. Although since COVID and working from home I have a really good work-life balance. I never want to go back to the full-time office environment. I really hope this changes the way we work.
Motherly advice on how to stay sane:
Take breaks without feeling guilty. I’m still working on this too but we need our own time. Oh and lots of deep breaths.
Funny mum moment:
Oh there have been many. I would say they’re more embarrassing than funny. Once when Hanna was 4 years old we were on a plane and there was a man just being friendly. He didn’t have great teeth and Hanna said to him, excuse me but why are your teeth all black! I just totally pretended I didn’t hear what she said. Mortified!!
What is your guilty pleasure?
I’m a huge chocolate fan and I can’t walk past Donut King without buying one.
What makes you lose your shit?
Hanna not listening to me. Having to repeat myself 5 times before, the fifth time I usually have to shout and then she listens!
What’s something not many people know about you?
I used to be an air hostess. I hated it, I still hate getting on a plane because I hate the smell of the food cooking and the toilets.
What’s the best product/service you can recommend since becoming a mum? (for baby/kids or you)
Ipad… Actually no I shouldn’t say that. A nutribullet – perfect to get sneaky fruit and veg into Hanna as she is a fussy eater.
What’s your “can’t live without” beauty product?
My retinol. My carmex lip balm. My eyecream.
How have you changed since becoming a mum?
So much. It’s crazy how selfish I was before becoming a mum and how being responsible for another human makes you realise that. I am much more determined now but so much more emotional, I cry all the time, even at adverts on the tele!
What is the greatest challenge you have faced since becoming a mum?
Finding a balance is tough. Guilt is another. Guilt for working full-time mainly. Realising that I am not the perfect mum and to just be the mum I am, and not worry about comparing to other mums.
Anything else you would like to share with us?
I am a huge believer that basic lifestyle choices make a huge difference to our health mentally and physically and that moderation finds balance. This is why I studied to become a Nutritionist and set up Whole Health with Emma. I don’t believe we need to have extremes and I practice what I preach. I want to cut through all the crap and teach people that there are ways to stay fit and healthy that don’t involve completely restricting the things we love.
Would you like to share your local #mumlife with us like Emma has?
If you would like to feature as our next ‘Local Mum’ we would love to hear from you! Please tell us about yourself here.
