The Family Assistant turns three! One big downside: my three sons no longer know what I look like.

The Family Assistant turns three!

One big downside: my three sons no longer know what I look like.

We were off to a flying start straight away. Even though corona had just broken out, which was a lot to swallow for everyone…. because who had seen that coming? But it also gave us an extra drive to support families precisely in that difficult time with one of our fantastic professionals. The ones who keep going, who can do it all, truly invaluable.

What started for me personally as a dream: being captain of my own ship, and above all doing business and working with people in a way that feels right to me. A warm, professional embrace. And of course with an enormous drive to make it a success! The goal: to give as many families as possible a stress free (family) life combined with a career. Because oh, dear people, how passionate I am about that; it is SO wonderful to have a career of your own alongside a beautiful family. Truly achievable, if you arrange your life so that you can also breathe now and then. A week in Ibiza with friends, a good workout and above all doing whatever makes you really happy.

Working 60 hours a week and running our family, I know better than anyone how important it is to have everything at home running like clockwork. How valuable it is to have a steady presence who senses what your family needs and acts on it. (All credit to my mums, my husband and everyone who supports us.)

I am a much more fun and energetic person when I get to work full time on something amazing. It gives me energy, it keeps my brain busy and brings new challenges all the time. Including challenges I used to avoid because of my insecurity (yes people, believe it or not… I feel insecure sometimes too). Of course, that is not an option when you run a business, so I had to face them. By now it has become a sport, and I no longer avoid them but dive right in. If I fall, so be it! Just do it. And if you’re scared? Then just do it scared!

One big downside of running this business: my three sons no longer know what I look like.

Just kidding!

My work truly makes me a much more fun mother. And my boys? They really do not miss out on anything. After all, they also have a father (who runs our family with me just as well, and in his own slightly different way). At weekends I am there with full focus: I stand on the sidelines at football, sit in the bath with the youngest and 5 bath bombs, and we eat cheese straws, pizza and everything else all mixed up on the sofa.

I think that is the secret: not being only half present because the other half of my brain is on the household. What if that is not properly arranged? Or there is still all sorts of organising to be done? Then you lack focus and everything feels not quite right. Do you know that feeling of only being able to give 70% to everything? That is exactly what I refuse to do. A very conscious choice to truly focus on everything I do. That means things that matter less, or that give me less energy, are simply thrown overboard, just like that. After all, people, you have to compromise somewhere. You simply cannot excel at everything.

Is it a matter of trial and error? Constantly! Because running a business also simply means working incredibly hard, falling down, dealing with disappointments and now and then losing a lot of money. Because you do not always make the right choices, but also tears and sleepless nights of worrying.

The past three years have flown by. What a learning experience! And what an amazing team we have created. To all the Nannies and Family Assistants, thank you for your tireless dedication to all our families! Keep it up! And never forget the details! Hugely grateful and proud that everyone is so committed. In the new year we hope to continue with the same passion, personal touch and the highest level of service. Annnd with lots of bath bombs, pizzas, unlimited cuddles and endless laughing and dancing together.