Please introduce yourself: Name, what do you do & how many children you have.
I’m Sue Atkins a parenting author, broadcaster , consultant, coach and Mum to 2 grown up kids.
How do you manage to juggle work and life balance as a mother?
My children are all grown up now – but I used to be a Deputy Head teacher when they were young but I always made time for ‘Me Time’ from a hot bath with scented candles to a meal out with a friend every month. It’s really important to recharge your own batteries first or you are constantly ‘running on empty’ & that’s exhausting.
What top tips would you give to any working mum?
Find time for yourself, find time for your partner and delegate – children thrive on doing little chores and it helps build their capability, independence and belonging to a family team. Oh also, ditch the GUILT !
What do you love most about London? Do you have a favourite spot with your children?
I adore London as Samuel Johnson said ‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.’ I love it’s cafés, art galleries, fascinating buildings, musical events, theatre & I love its vibrancy one of my favourite things is strolling along by the river near the South Bank.
How do you define quality ‘me-time’?
Time to myself, to unwind, reconnect, relax, rest and recuperate & to have fun doing something I enjoy.
I’m a mum and….
I’m a Mum – what’s your Super Power?
What is your favourite & least favourite thing about parenthood?
Favourite thing – chatting, laughing and eating with my kids.
Least favourite – watching them make mistakes.
Tell us something people don’t know about you.
I had a fear of falling so after doing my training in NLP with Paul McKenna I did a sky dive for charity and parachuted out of a plane at 12,500 ft!
Given we are all about embracing Motherhood, what advice would you give a first time Mum?
Relax, trust YOUR intuition, do it YOUR way and enjoy these special magical moments that fly by tooooo quickly. Stop trying to be a perfect Mum – just be a real one. Ask for help and let the housework wait.
Finally, what do you love most about Kensington Mums?
The way it connects Mums and inspires them.
