Brendan and Kirsten Sydow

Brendan is 11 years old and in Grade 6.  Kirsten is 8 years old and in Grade 2.  When their mother started her own business, Brendan was 9 and in Grade 3 and Kirsten was 6 and in Gr 0. 

How did it change your life when your mother started her own business?
When my Mom still had her previous job, she used to come home at midnight, and she left again at six a clock in the mornings.  So we never saw her.  She also worked over weekends. 
Brendan:  Once I was already asleep late at night.  I got up to go to the bathroom.  I got such a fright when  I saw her in the passage, I didn’t know who she was!  Since she has her own business we see her much more.  It is much nicer now.

What is is like, growing up with a mother who runs her own business?
It’s nice.  Sometimes she needs our help, like  to laminate stuff, or do filing.

Where does your father fit into it all – how involved is he in your life?
Dad picks us up from school, drives us around to school, watches our sport.  And he helps mom in the business.  He fixes things, like the printer.  We do lots of things together.  Mom and Dad don’t go away a lot.

Does your mother spend enough time with you? What does she do with you? 
Kirsten:  I do Scrapbooking with my mom.  She took me on a Scrapbooking course with her, it was somewhere near Nelspruit.
Brendan:  My mom usually comes to watch me play sport, when we play matches.  She also takes us to movies and to play mini-golf.

What kind of a mother is your mom – what is her style?
She spends lots of time with us.  She is not too strict – she doesn’t say NO to everything.  But she is not too sweet either!  She doesn’t spoil us.
Brendan:  Before, when she still had her previous job, when she came home she was just rushed and stressed.   She didn’t have time for us.  Now she has time for us.  She lets us into her office – only when she has clients, we can’t interrupt her.

What does your mother do that you don’t like? 
She puts chocolates in her office… then we are tempted! 

What advice do you have for Mompreneurs?
Always spend time with your children.
Don’t get too caught up in your work – they might scream in the corridor at night if they see you and don’t recognise you!