Taking the pressure off parents. Kerry’s tips

Surrey mums ask - how do we keep everyone happy?

Kerry Barnham has years of experience and great advice

Balance is a word that comes up in almost every conversation. Finding the balance and getting it right for your work and family can be diffi cult. My advice is always the same and that’s to manage everyone’s expectations including your own. No two families are the same however we all want to be a ‘super mum’ and balance too much, ultimately leading to the spinning plates falling down. Our advice is that prevention is better than the cure. It’s okay to ask for help and it’s fi ne to need some rest. The guilt we feel as mums for not being able to juggle working from home, running a busy household and keeping our children happy along with being a taxi driver and party planner, it’s no wonder we’re under so much pressure.

So what can we do?

1. Manage expectations of availability for clients, work and family. If you know you are going to have to spend the morning working tell your children, set them an activity and plan ahead for when you’re working from home.

2. Try to stop looking at what everyone else is doing and feeling bad that you aren’t doing the same.

3. Make a list of where you would like to go as a family and make time for the fun stuff. Use it as a reward for the kids and rest for you. an out-of-offi ce reply on to say that you will be checking emails at specifi c times and if it’s urgent, to message you. Stick to these times so that your day is structured.

5. Chances are you have friends in the same predicament. Set up a WhatsApp group where you can all communicate childcare requests for help.

6. If you need to be in an offi ce – Call Hummingbird Homestaff about fi nding the right nanny or housekeeper to support you, it’s okay to ask for some help!

Managing everyone’s expectations will go a long way in supporting a work life balance. Remember your circumstances are unique and you shouldn’t feel guilty you can’t do everything. After many years of experience, I know that having some part time help at home can make it a happier place.

PS Keep calm it will be summer soon! n

info@hummingbirdhomestaff.co.uk hummingbirdhomestaff.co.uk

Interior design with a sense of well-being, beauty, and sustainability at it’s core Interior design with a sense of well-being, Be-kin is a new kind of interior design fi rm. We weave beauty, and sustainability at it’s core. creati vity and innovati on into each space - nourishing mind, body, heart and soul, says award winning CEO Wren Loucks Be-kin is a new kind of interior design firm —we weave creativity a nd innovation into each space— nourishing mind, body heart and soul.

About

Feel inspired?

be-kin.com wren@be-kin.com

“Be-kin helped me unlock my passion for mid-century “Be-kin helped me unlock my passion for mid-century antiques and transformed my home into a space that antiques and transformed my home into a space that is supremely comfortable and matches my aesthetic is supremely comfortable and matches my aesthetic beautifully. I truly enjoyed the process of working with Wren beautifully. I truly enjoyed the process of working as my guide as we ideated. I’d happily recommend Wren with Wren as my guide as we ideated. I’d happily Loucks and Be-kin to anyone who wants to re-design their recommend Wren Loucks and Be-kin to anyone who wants to re-design their home.” home.” — Andrew Baca - Andrew Baca Approach

About

Be-kin is led by Wren Loucks, a curiously Approach As a be-kin client, you will learn how Be-kin is led by Wren Loucks, a curiously unconventional award-winning designer, with unconventional award-winning designer, with a unique background in architectural interior design, mental health advocacy, and access As a be-kin client, you will learn how spaces affect how you feel, so that we can collaboratively create spaces affect how you feel, so that we can collaboratively create interior environments aligned to your unique requirements. We love to a unique background in architectural interior consultancy. She braids her creative sensitives interior environments aligned to your unique dream up layouts that optimise your space, play design, mental health advocacy, and access requirements. We love to dream up layouts that of these experiences into her design process, to with different colour palettes until we land on consultancy. She braids her creative sensitives optimise your space, play with different colour compose spaces that provide a deeply integrated ones that you love, and discover materials from of these experiences into her design process, sense of well-being. palettes until we land on ones that you love, and ethical suppliers who work as harmoniously as to compose spaces that provide a deeply discover materials from ethical suppliers who work possible with the natural world. For us, beauty, integrated sense of well-being. Prior to founding be-kin, Wren worked at the renowned Studio Indigo, where she designed lavish and imaginative private homes, offi ces and restaurants. She also held the position as harmoniously as possible with the natural world. For us, beauty, sustainability, and well-being are intertwined. If you feel inspired, please have a peek on our website and drop us a note to say hi. n Prior to founding be-kin, Wren worked at the renowned Studio Indigo, where she designed lavish and imaginative private homes, offices and restaurants. She also held the position of Head of Design at Motionspot, where she worked with large global brands on inclusive design strategies. sustainability, and well-being are intertwined. If you feel inspired, please have a peak on our website and drop us a note to say hi. be-kin.com | wren@be-kin.com of Head of Design at Motionspot, where she worked with large global brands on inclusive design strategies. be-kin.com | wren@be-kin.com