Nikki Parkinson is a journalist cum blogger cum fashion and beauty stylist who lives with her husband and three children on the Sunshine Coast.
www.stylingyou.com.au
Nikki Parkinson
NP: I'm a married 40-something mum of two teens and a five-year-old. Just over two years ago I swapped a 20-year-journalism career for my own fashion styling and blogging business – www.stylingyou.com.au. My week is a mix of "mummy" days, client meetings and quality time on my laptop!
C4K: So what does stylingyou.com.au involve and how did you come up with the idea?
NP: I'm self-employed and work from home around my children. I came up with the idea of styling and blogging after being a fashion and beauty editor for 10 years. I'd been used to styling models and thought styling real people would be a lot more fun.
C4K: When did you go back to work after having your children?
NP: With my first, I was back to work part-time after three months; with my second, I was back part-time after four months and with my third, it was part-time after six months.
C4K: What were your main motivations to return to work and what was the hardest thing about it?
NP: The main motivation was financial and the most difficult thing was leaving each of my babies – I think that's pretty standard for most working mums!
C4K: Who looks after the children when you're working?
NP: My eldest two went to a council operated daycare centre three days a week; my youngest was with a family daycare, home-based operator until he was 3.5. At that age he went to a C&K daycare centre - a Queensland based child care and pre school service) and now he's at a C&K pre-prep centre (a five-day fortnight) before he goes to school next year.
C4K: what were you looking for in your child care arrangement?
NP: My main priorities are and have always been an overwhelming need for my children to be loved and cared for by their carer or carers. Now as my youngest is about to head to school, it's about the start of his education.
C4K: How did you find your child care and was it a difficult process?
NP: Personal referrals helped send me in the right direction and then I was lucky to secure places.
C4K: What would you do differently if you were looking for child care again?
NP: No, I made decision for each child that proved to be right for them and me at that time. I would do the same again.
C4K: What are the main benefits of your child care arrangement?
NP: I get to divide my week between being a mum and giving my youngest the opportunity to grow and learn with kids his own age.
C4K: We all know that child care workers hear the best stories, so what have your children said about you?
NP: Yes, it's what the kids tell their carers about your home life that tends to come out on the funny side. When my youngest was three he told his carer that his daddy went to the gym to get big muscles. She then asked if his mum went to the gym too. "No", he said. "She goes to the Wine Bar!"
Nikki Parkinson is Queensland based but as a virtual as well as real life stylist she has clients all over Australia. Check out her blog and more on www.stylingyou.com.au.
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