Welcome to the March edition of the Working Mum Series – this one is a fantastic interview with Fay Hill. Fay co-owns two photography businesses that will make you 1: want to get married again (just for the photographs of course), and 2: put your children in for modelling. I’m seriously swooning all over her beautiful images. FayAndrea have been featured in lots of magazines including Vogue and Harpers Bazaar – how fabulous is that?!
Along with so many other working mums, especially those running their own businesses, Fay talks about how hard it can be to fit everything in. Whether it’s doing the ‘admin’ post bedtime, or catching up on emails as you go along, the struggle is real ladies and you’re not alone. It’s so important for us all to remember this and either ask for help, or take a little bit of time out every now and then.
I hope you all enjoy this interview as much as I have.
Lisa
xoxo
Website http://www.fayandrea.co.uk/fayandrea.html
Instagram @Fayandrea
Cityrunmum talks to Fay Hill from @FayAndrea and @FayAndreaweddings
1. Please introduce yourself – what is your job, how many children you have, where you are from etc
My name is Fay Hill. I co-own a wedding and children’s photography business called FayAndrea/ FayAndrea Weddings.
I have two beautiful little girlies- Havana Maggie, 2 and Harper Hope, 5 months. I was brought up in South-East London but moved in to Kent when I was 21 with my whirlwind love-affair, Callum… ten years later, and on our sixth year of marriage, I guess the whirlwind worked out?!
2. How many days/hours a week do you work?
I shoot up to three times per week. I work every evening covering the admin 21:00- 01:00.
3. Describe a typical working day in your household (i.e. morning routines with nursery/school drop offs to evening)
The Husband is up by 5:30 and out the door by 6am. I start my day as early as the babies decide to wake but by 8am carnage is usually well underway. We rarely stay home all day so we are normally out by 11:30/ Midday soft playing, strolling around the park, visiting Grandparents, play dates with our pals, that type of thing. Before the actual departure takes place however, I will feel like I have already done a day’s work with the amount involved in prepping two under two, running a house, and fulfilling priority work emails/ messages in between. I can never get any proper work done during the day with the babies there so I rely on daily lists to prioritise what I need to achieve that evening. I have no set routine until 16:30 when I start to prep for the evening wind-down. I tend to bath the babies early so they are fed and ready in PJs for Daddy coming home from work. When that doorbell rings at 18:15, we all breathe a sigh of relief! It’s just so nice to have Callum there to share the load with.
4. How do you balance working life with motherhood? And what/who do you rely on to make it work?
My babies are my priority and work will always come second to them. But I equally have to work every evening to ensure I can keep on top of the business, which allows me to spend the days being Mum. I rely heavily on my Husband at weekends to take care of the girls but I do not feel guilty for that- he’s their Dad and I love the bond he has with them. Then Nannies of the biological sense!! The best kind, right? Between my Mother-in-Law and parents, they are on-hand if/ when I need help during the week.
5. What is the best thing about being a working mum?
Work gives me the opportunity to be ‘Fay’, outside of my identities as a Wife and Mum. I get to utilise my brain and skills, which can sometimes feel lost in a sea of dirty nappies, bleaching floors and baby-puke-stained-clothes. The millennial generation is focused on judging success by material possessions so I think it’s pivotal for my girls to grow up seeing their parents working together to achieve goals, and not just assuming everything will be handed to them on a plate. I hope my girls embrace this fast-evolving movement of women that prove we can achieve success without relying solely on a man as the provider, but equally recognise the fundamentals of what drives us- love and passion- neither of which can be bought.
6. And the hardest?
Juggling it all, especially when I’m running on zero energy, looking like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, and full of guilt for all of the things I think I’m getting wrong, but never acknowledging the things I’m getting right.
7. How do you unwind? Balancing motherhood with work can be relentless so what do you do to relax when you’re not at work/with the kid(s)?
For every day simplicities, I love a film and a takeaway with my Husband, listening to music and a hot bath filled with Jo Malone oil surrounded by my favourite pamper products. For a more extravagant fix, shopping and holidays! They are my luxuries. Whether it be weekends away or jetting abroad, my Husband knows the key to my heart is in packing a bag (or four!) For all else, see the salon. Dreams can come true with the right pedicure and a blow-dry.
8. What is your proudest mum moment?
Sounds cliche, but every day I burst with pride over the littlest things like Harper eating her feet or Havana saying, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. But I guess the biggest moment was when I gave birth to Harper and Havana came to meet her at the hospital. From the second Havana laid eyes on her little sister she showed nothing but love and care for her, which considering she was not much more than a baby herself was just incredible. Every day I look at them together and I know we have given them both the best present; the gift of sisterhood.
9. Do you feel that motherhood has changed you, and if so, how? Yes. I’m so much more appreciative of time and far less tolerant of negative energy, and people that do not invest in me, like I have in them. For the latter, I’m never confrontational but I just find it easier to move on now. Motherhood reminds me every day that time is precious and the importance of breathing your babies and family in; to relish in the little moments. But equally, there are times when I just need a second to breathe, even if it’s to just have a hot bath uninterrupted. I realise I totally took spare time and those chilled moments with my Husband for granted before.
10. What do you feel are the biggest challenges facing working mums at the moment?
You’re permanently being judged as a Mum. Everyone has an opinion and finding the courage to ignore those voices is very hard. In terms of employment, I feel there’s little movement for working parents to help them financially with childcare or flexible working hours. It’s difficult to find the incentive to go back to work when childcare is ridiculously expensive and to be able to afford it, you need to find a job which pays well, and those jobs in turn involve long hours, commitment, and the sacrifice of spending time with your children.
11. What is your proudest work achievement?
As a photographer, seeing my work published is the biggest compliment. I’ve also grown up reading Harpers Bazaar, Vogue and Tatler so to be able to say, our photos have been featured in those magazines is pretty cool… But ultimately, to know Andrea and I are creating a successful, profitable business, alongside being present Mums and Wives is something to feel hugely proud of.
12. What does ‘flexible working’ mean to you’?
Working to suit my family’s needs. I dictate my diary and availability
13. What are your go to stores/websites/blogs for your working wardrobe, and what are your staple pieces as a working mum?
I’m a sucker for designer clothes but I refuse to pay full price for anything, especially as I run the risk daily of being puked or pooed on so I hit The Outnet, TK Maxx and eBay. My work is pretty active and I’m constantly on the floor trying to get the shot, therefore a smart-casual wardrobe is key!
Staple pieces for my current Winter wardrobe are:
Loafers, although most frequently, trainers
A great fit pair of jeans (I love Paige, Donna Ida and Levis) or leggings (just so comfortable)
Chinos (Uniqlo are fab for these)
A white shirt (currently lusting after my Jill Sander bargain from TK Maxx)
A baggy slogan tee (I rotate Zoe Karssen & Wildfox) with a vest underneath to cover any lumps and bumps
Ralph Lauren knits
Balmain blazer or Loro Piana coat for smartening everything up
Hermes belt (when the Husband hasn’t stolen it!)
I’ve always loved to wear a lot of jewellery and over the years my Husband has invested in some really lovely pieces for me and a watch. I wear them all every day, and am never without earrings- something my Mama always taught me.
14. Finally, what advice would you give to new working mums? I.e. those who are just going back to work from maternity leave, setting up their own businesses, or going for a new job?
Only invest your energy in to something you love, that way the struggle will be justified. Go with the flow and expect some days to feel like you’ve totally got this, and others total s*%t. But never quit, just hang on in there, because one day, before you know it, the peace and time you crave now will be there in abundance, and then you’ll miss these days of non-stop-craziness. Good luck, Mamas. You got this xx
