Sallie Rodd has two daughters: Ashlin 4½ and Olive 2½ and is married to Matthew. The family live in Concord West in Sydney.
Sallie runs Cheeki Events, an event business that designs individual events for companies who want to include or target children and families. She runs the business with her good friend and business partner, Hannah Morris.
Sallie Rodd
C4K: We love the name of your business! Tell us a bit about Cheeki Events and how you came up with the concept.
SR: Cheeki Events began as a passing thought between myself and one of my closest girlfriends while we were planning our children's birthday parties. We are passionate about really engaging the children and coming up with a concept that is both unique and meets the objective of our clients.
I remembered watching every four year old stop and listen to Hannah at her daughter's birthday party earlier in the year and I knew immediately that together we have something very unique to offer.
Initially it was a "what if" idea on the side to our regular jobs – I have been an events manager for ten years and Hannah has been a pre-school teacher for 16.
I recently took a career break to look after my two year old who suffers from complex partial seizures, a mild form of epilepsy, and when I have the time I work on developing Cheeki Events with Hannah. We're very excited about the future.
C4K: So what does your daily routine entail and how do you stay organised?
SR: The mornings are the most difficult. When I'm working I wake at 5.30am to ensure I am ready at 6.30am before I wake the girls. The following hour is hectic getting the basics done in order to get to day care on time. Who knew 4 and half year olds could be so fussy about what they wear! Being away from the home brings a different stress, however once I walk through the door at day care the stresses of work disappear and I am a mum again. I like my kids in bed by 7pm, so we have an hour to eat, bath and get to bed and I'm very big on organised meals!
C4K: When did you go back to work after having your children?
SR:Before I decided to take a career break, I went back to work when each of the girls was 11 months old.
C4K: What were your main motivations to return to work and what was the hardest thing about it?
SR:Having a career and having choices were the main motivators for me. Leaving Ashlin was very hard, as she was my first and I thoroughly enjoyed watching this tiny little person we had created grow and develop. Oh what time wasters babies are! I really missed her when I first went back.
In terms of worries, initially I was worried that I had forgotten how to be a valuable member of the workforce! But I soon got back into the swing of things and began to really enjoy the travel component of my events work. I loved room service when I was interstate, because it was the only time I was ever on my own without being exhausted!
I returned to work 4 days a week. I didn't want to work full time and I felt 4 days would give me more career options than just 3.
C4K: Who looks after the children when you're working?
SR: My children attend a not-for-profit day care centre from 7.45am until 5.30pm.
C4K: What were you looking for in your child care arrangement for the girls?
SR:Initially we were impressed by state of the art facilities and multi-lingual learning and so we sent Ashlin to a small private centre. However it was quite a stale environment and at 14 months they were trying to push her into the 2-3yr old room.
At 23 months we moved her to a centre that felt more like home. Her carers cared about me as well as her. Ashlin found the move difficult and I often left upset and they would come after me to make sure I was ok and assure me she was fine. It took 12 months for me to realise they even had a TV tucked away for extended rainy days.
C4K: What are the main benefits of your child care arrangement?
SR:I know my girls could not be in better hands. Day care is close to home and teachers give me daily feedback on what they have been up to. I have also developed some close friendships with some of the other parents.
Structured learning and group time help them to be more school ready and also teaches them how to stop and listen, and play with other children. Although I must admit kids learn very quickly that day care rules and mummy rules are different and play up accordingly.
C4K: You mentioned that Olive had a seizure condition, how have you and your child care service handled this aspect of her care?
SR: Olive developed epilepsy - partial complex seizures earlier this year while I was travelling with work. It's mainly staring episodes that last from 1-7min. Within the following week I missed a call from day care only to get a message that she was in an ambulance and on her way to the hospital. My heart sank in that moment as it all became very real. I knew her teacher would be with her, but to find the child care director at the hospital as well really showed me how much they cared. I was concerned about the amount of time Olive's needs took her teachers away from the other children, and was delighted when the director informed me that with a note from her doctor they could get funding for an additional carer.
In the following months Olive (and I) had a lot of time off as she caught many viruses over the winter months and her seizures increased. It became evident that I needed to remove her from day care for a little while and give her body a rest. Her friends and teachers miss her, but she will return for a couple of days each week in the New Year.
I am currently looking after Olive full time and Ashlin remains in care 2 days per week, which has given me the opportunity to spend time growing and developing Cheeki Events.
C4K: Have you any amusing or heart-warming child care anecdotes?
SR: Children pick up all our little mannerisms and clichés we use to get the message through. A few months after Olive started at day care and was always tired and hungry when we got home, I sat her in her highchair while I was warming the dinner. Olive was whinging and crying like any other 13month old would at 6pm. Then I heard Ashlin say to her in the clearest of voices: "Olive, you can cry or you can eat your dinner. What is your choice?" This had come straight from day care and it gave me quite a giggle. I only wish she understood the meaning of what she was saying...
Sallie and Hannah recently designed and managed the launch event for The Love You Book. For information on Cheeki Events email sallie@cheekievents.com.au or hannah@cheekievents.com.au.
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