Anna Tucker is a mum of two – Sonny, 3 years and Chelsea, 3 months. She lives in Adelaide with her husband Andy and is the owner /founder of online lifestyle magazine, BeautyandLace.com.au.
Anna Tucker
C4K: What was your work background and how did you come up with the concept of BeautyandLace.com.au?
AT: I've always been interested in beauty products and have a Diploma in Beauty Therapy. The internet fascinated me so I decided to combine the two for a one stop, free resource for Aussie women. The online magazine has grown significantly and I am really proud of it.
C4K: What does your working week entail and how do you manage the children?
AT: My week is pretty hectic; there are not enough hours in the day! My husband is a big help and has a couple of days off during the week to help with Sonny. My son goes to child care twice a week, which gives me real work time. Chelsea is a really good baby and she is with me all the time as I am still breastfeeding and I can easily work with her here. To be honest I find having two children so much more work than one - at times I feel like the day is never going to end but then I sit back and look at my beautiful family and think about how lucky I am.
C4K: Was finding child care difficult for you and how did you end up getting the care you wanted (if you did)?
AT: Finding child care for Sonny wasn't difficult, although I really struggled emotionally with the decision. It got to a point where I couldn't manage it all so we went to a couple of local centres and chose one we liked. He loved it (and still does) and it is great for his social development. I never really enjoyed taking him to playgroup but childcare has given him some great little friends and he gets to experience different things he wouldn't otherwise. The only thing that I dislike about it is that he has picked up some bad habits, but that's kids for you!
C4K: What sort of child care do you have for them and how does it work for you?
AT: To begin with I was against the idea of using a child care centre, I wanted a smaller family day care setting. The child care centre is in a convenient location so I caved in and had a look, I was really impressed by the staff and the facilities - but the main thing is that my son likes going there. Now I think this kind of setting is a great base for when he does go to kindergarten and school. He is such an active little boy (like his dad) and he really needs to be able to spend a lot of time outside otherwise he goes a bit crazy - the facility is set up with a safe outdoor area so he can play in the sandpit, go on the play equipment - all the things that he loves to do. It does really wear him out though; I think if I sent him more often he would get a bit rundown.
C4K: Do you claim child care benefit or rebate and do you think that child care should be tax deductible and that all child care should be fair and on the same level in terms of rebate/benefit?
AT: We do claim a child care benefit/rebate, but I think all mothers deserve to have a bit of a break whether they are working or not so really child care should be available to all with some assistance because child care fees are so high. I also think child care workers deserve to be paid more, given the work they do. Especially if they're also expected to be qualified.
C4K: Do you think child care fees are too high for most working mums/families?
AT: Yes I think it can be really hard for working parents – especially when you factor in other costs associated with working such as petrol. When it's all added up sometimes it is hardly worth it for mothers to put their kids in childcare. Some women may like to go back to work part time when their babies are a bit bigger, it wouldn't always be a case of "have to work" but childcare is certainly a barrier.
C4K: I guess working for yourself means that Paid Maternity Leave wasn't exactly an "official" option, but did you take any time out when you had the kids?
AT: I worked really hard at the end of my pregnancy to make sure plenty of work was scheduled in. I also have a couple of really fantastic contributors who helped keep things going. I didn't take time off exactly, but I definitely did scale it back and mainly just stuck to answering emails for the first few weeks. Work is something that keeps me sane and keeps my brain active, so if anything was to go it was my housework - we now have a cleaner which has helped a lot!
C4K: What are the pros of working for yourself and running your own business with kids?
AT: I have time with my family and I don't have to worry about putting them into childcare until I am ready. I love that I have Chelsea with me all the time and I can work around her needs.
C4K: And what are the cons?
AT: Sometimes it can be hard to find time and it's always a balancing act! You could be in the middle of writing and you have to stop, because your baby starts crying. There is also very limited "me" time!
C4K: What's in store for you and BeautyandLace.com.au?
AT: I have big plans for Beauty and Lace, it's growing every month and we have so much fantastic content coming up. We have a new sampling program called Beauty Chick Chat and weekly discussions where readers can share their views for the chance to win a prize click here.
© 2011 - All rights reserved
Care For Kids Internet Services Pty Ltd
ABN 55 104 145 735
PO Box 543 Balmain NSW 2041
privacy policy contact us