What are you up to at the moment?
I’m working on the launch of my nail product line which goes into Boots stores next month.

How do you make it work?
With great difficulty. I always want to hang out with [my son] Roman so I try to have him in the house while I work and frankly, it’s no fun. But then when I drop him off at childcare that’s no fun either. We usually dedicate Wednesdays to some fun activity like a museum, and on Fridays we go to the local park.

Thursdays I work so he either has a movie marathon or he likes gardening. Or he goes to my aunt’s house as she home-schools her kids. I get up 6am every day to do emails before he wakes up at 8am so then I don’t have to be on the phone as much during the day. It’s never easy managing it all but I love the flexibility of being able to choose to spend time with him when I want.

How has your life changed since having your boy?
Massively. It’s completely different. Not so much my style or my leisure time, those changes have come naturally through me getting older. It’s more mentally. I think of him constantly and factor him into all my actions. Like I don’t do as many risky or dangerous things – I used to be quite spontaneous – and now I think everything through because I can’t even imagine if something happened to me.

What is family time to you?
Galleries and museums are our fave. I’ve been taking him since birth. Even just walking into a huge cavernous space I notice a change in his mood, and it also means we both get to enjoy something together as opposed to taking him to a purely child-centric activity. Taking him to the Lichtenstein show was entertaining for both of us: he saw Mickey, I saw art. We also go to the cinema a lot.

And when you’re off duty?
As above, with added shopping!

What’s the greatest thing about having kids, and the biggest challenge?
Watching their brains figure things out. Having someone love you and validate the purpose of your existence. The challenge? Maintaining a career.

What are the most important life-lessons you want to hand down to your son?
I want him to be a good citizen, a well rounded human being – just enough of a mix of geeky and popular. I want him to be considerate of other people and the world, and above all I want him to be happy. I’m constantly trying to get him to understand how much more pleasurable it is to be happy than angry. He’s an amazing child and I already feel privileged to know him.

What does being a mum mean to you?
It means always putting my son first, while still retaining my own identity and my own pleasures. It means sharing the joys and meaning of the world with him. I have this little human being who is relying on me for love, entertainment and education.

What tunes would you pass down as your Inheritance Tracks?
His Dad and I play him a wide selection. He loves Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, The Breeders’ Cannonball and Beyonce’ Countdown. And the B52s !

This interview was originally published on 1 September 2014

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