Tracey Spicer is one of Australia's best known journalists and presenters and can be seen regularly on Sky News Australia and heard on radio station 2UE. She is also a columnist with the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the punch.com.au website, and regular contributor to Holidays with Kids, Travel & Living, Spa Life, Sunday Telegraph, House & Garden, Go Camping and WeightWatchers' magazine.
Tracey is also an ambassador for a number of non-governmental organizations, including ActonAid, World Vision, WWF, the Queensland University of Technology's Learning Potential Fund and the Penguin Foundation. She is also Patron of the NSW Cancer Council, the newborn care unit at the Royal Hospital for Women and the National Premmie Foundation well as currently being the face of natural skincare brand, Lapurete.
Tracey is mum to son, Taj, 6 and daughter, Grace 5 and lives in Sydney with her cameraman husband, Jason.
She has just returned from a trip to Uganda with ActionAid to report on women's rights and food security.
Tracey Spicer
C4K: Most of us mortals would look at the list of things you do and wonder how on earth you manage! You must have a crazy and unpredictable schedule, so how do you manage them with child care and parenting?
TS: Before I had kids, I thought everyone else had it all sorted, whether it was using formal child care, relatives, or their partner. Now, I know that we all just stumble through as best we can! Our schedule is insane. Fortunately, Jason is extremely hands-on. He is able to change his roster at work if I need to do a shift at SKY or 2UE. I always bring the kids on my travel writing assignments. And the newspaper columns can be written on the home computer while the kids play in the background. Occasionally, we use a nanny – probably about once a month, when our schedules clash. Jason's Mum is wonderful, but she works full-time so we only use her infrequently. There's a lot of juggling kids between cars by the side of the road on the drive between home and the city!
C4K: What sort of child care do you have?
TS: Initially, we tried to get the kids into formal child care, but there simply weren't enough places. Also, the hours are very restrictive. I do shift work, so a 9-to-5 centre is no good. We then tried a nanny at home, but it became too expensive. Child care is a huge problem in this country.
C4K: Grace is off to school in the new year isn't she? How do you feel about your baby being in big school and is she excited?
TS: I am so excited about my little one going to big school! She is at pre-school now, so it won't be a dramatic change. She is so ready for it. I tell you – she's five going on 35. That little beast runs the house!
C4K: Do you think that there's enough support out there for working mums?
TS: Absolutely not. The government should be giving tax breaks to companies that build child care centres on the premises. And there's discrimination against women who work part-time, or from home. The perception is that you're not really serious about your career. I'd like to see more support for both men and women to work flexible hours.
C4K: Do you think child care is too expensive or do we need to get real with the cost of quality care?
TS: Tricky question. I think it is very expensive in Australia, but we all want the best care possible for our kids. This is why I agree with the federal government's push for better child-to-carer ratios. International studies show that better childcare leads to better outcomes for adults. And that's good for the entire community.
C4K: You mentioned you had a nanny but it got too expensive. Nannies currently don't have the same status as child care centres and other "approved care" in terms of the tax rebate, but they're often working mums' only solutions. Should they have the same status and do you think all child care should be tax deductible or is that taking things too far?
TS: I am so glad you brought this up! Yes, all forms of child care should be approved for the rebate. If you have more than one child, it's actually cheaper to have a nanny. And it takes the pressure off child care centres, so any help with making nannies more affordable is essential.
C4K: Apparently Australians are getting more and more time poor, do you feel like that and how do you maintain your composure or are you often running around like a headless chicken?!
TS: Some weeks I'm a headless chook, others I'm like a Buddha, ha ha! I think it depends on the hormones, to tell you the truth. In the past few years, I've learned to moderate my activities with the kids. Instead of trying to do a dozen different things on the weekend, we'll go to the park, or the beach, or do the weeding. Funnily enough, those daggy days are the kids' favourites.
C4K: What are your top tips for successful juggling?
TS: Try not to feel guilty about making time for yourself. Happy mum, happy kids I reckon.
C4K: What 3 things could you not do without as a working mum?
TS: Tupperware (for frozen meals), generous friends (the kids live in hand-me-downs) and a hubby who would breastfeed if he could!!!!
C4K: Do you have any new year's resolutions?
TS: To extend my alcohol-free days from three to five a week. It'll be tough!
C4K: Will you stick to it?!
TS: Erm, probably not….
For more information on Tracey, head to Spicer Communications and to see her Action Aid report click here
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