Show Transcription: 

Show Transcription: 

Jo

Well, welcome to the Business and Sequins podcast as I've just given you this beautiful woman's bio already, so you know a little bit about her already. And for those of you who are watching on LinkedIn, you'll see Victoria's bio in the description. But I'm so excited to have my sister from another mother on the podcast on the business and sequence podcast. Welcome to the show. Victoria.

Victoria

Thank you so much for having me. I’m super, super-duper excited to be here. It's like 10 o'clock here in Australia. And I dressed up just for you, Jo, no one else gets sequins at 10 am. But my girl you do.

Jo

Thank you so much. I know so far. Obviously, for people who are watching on LinkedIn, you can see Victoria is wearing a beautiful red, black, and silver sequence dress. And for our listeners. Um, I will post a picture actually, I think I've got a picture of the two of us together actually, with you wearing a dress. And it's fantastic. We went to an event in June in Australia where Victoria and I met and she just oh my gosh, she bought us the dress and it just looked fantastic was like a glitter ball. All things are good and sparkly.

Victoria

I've never worn sequins in my life. And I was looking for this dress because we had to wear white. And I'm like, I don't wear white because I just don't wear white. And I put on this dress just because I saw it and I've never felt so comfortable or beautiful in a dress the instant I put it on as I did with this one. And I was just like, you know what? Sorry, the white theme you're out the door. I'm going to wear this dress because I feel amazing in it. And yeah, I put it on and I still feel amazing in it. 

Jo

Yeah, great. You have to go on a date with your husband or something. Can we write on a date? 

Victoria

Well, that's pretty full on my idea of a dates kayaking, sir, I'm not sure how that'll go. I will just do it to surprise in Victoria. I blind myself as the sun hits me. Oh my gosh,

Jo

Oh my gosh, you're so good. We are here today to chat with you about your business and your business journey. So I've already done your bio, and it's in the description. But in your own words, Victoria, do you want to just run us through a bit of your background and how you've come to be where you are at the moment?

Victoria

Sure. I started this business, right? I've got two businesses. So I have Rainbow Bridge family daycare, which we started, I think about nine years ago now. And never run a business before in my life knew anything about business at all. So this has just been it's not been a curve. There's no curve, it's just been straight up learning from day one, all about business. And being that we're in early education, we're very tied in with the government. So it's been a humongous journey on how to stand in my truth and to back myself and advocate for not only myself, but what I know it'd be beneficial for children and educators alike. So we have nearly 40 educators across Queensland and New South Wales that we support, who provide education and care in their homes. And then the second business we started right in the middle of COVID. Because what else do you do in a pandemic. And we started an online education service that provides tangible products, so planners and guides for educators to help them on their journey. And we also released earlier this year, the essential elements, which is a year-long course, that educators can do to increase their awareness and knowledge. For me, education comes from a heart space. So hence why we call our service bighearted education because people need to be connected to their inner child for a start and to their heart center to provide education for children, that is going to be beneficial for them. So it requires a lot of educators to reflect on their responses and reactions. and assessing that and doing some self-reflection and critical reflection on why they're asking children to do the things that they're asking. So our education model looks holistically as the educator as the trunk of a tree that the children can come and go and come and go from and they provide this solid, grounded connection for children. So it's not everyone's talking on that same page. So we're Engaging educators who are wanting to provide these really deep, deeply connected relationships with children. So that's kind of us in a nutshell.

Jo

Wow, Have you always been interested in children's education?

Victoria

Yeah, I had my children quite young. So I was just turned 21 when I met my partner, and then we fell pregnant with our son. So by the time I, before I was even 22, I had my first child. And then by the time I was 23, we'd had our daughter lambda. So for me my whole life, like I was a kid. And then I had a few years of not being a kid, being an adult who had no idea what she was doing, to then going, Oh, my whole world revolves around children. And it was beautiful. It was amazing. I wouldn't change it for the world. A lot of the time, as I was, you know, raising my children and meeting other people, a lot of people will call you a teacher. And I was like, No, I'm not smart enough to go to university, like, no way I could never do that. And then it just landed in my lap. A friend of mine was a teacher at a college and she said to jested that I do my certificate three in early childhood education. And I didn't have anything to do at the time. So I was like, why not? So I went and did it. And I loved it. I just loved it. And I was just like, all those times people said, I should be a teacher, I kinda was like, Oh, you know, there was something in that. So I was qualified. I think about 14 years ago now into early childhood education, I did my certificate three. And then I went on to do my diploma. And I worked in long day care centers for a few years. And it just wasn't for me, it's, it's too busy, there are too many children, the requirements and the restrictions are too intense, I prefer a real slower kind of introduction for children and more, the ability to be able to connect one on one so when you're doing family daycare, you only have four children in care. So for me that ticked all the boxes and then when I got out of long daycare, I couldn't find anywhere that held those same values and philosophies as me so I just started my own business and I thought, well, I'll do it, I'll do it. And so I had a friend couple of friends that we started the process with, and it's just evolved from there so yeah, I do love I miss working with the children when I go and visit my team, you know, I just love watching the things that they do and that slowness and for anyone that runs their own business, that level of stress is just not there when you're working with the children. But for me, I have a bit of a higher calling, and that higher calling is to be able to provide that space for other people but challenge myself to be able to just you know all the ideas that come to them put them into actionable steps and processes that then have positive benefits because if I work with the children myself, there's only a finite number of children I can you know, assist whereas, in this role that's extended we've got over 400 families in our service now so you know, my impact is far greater there for those children so yeah, yeah,

Jo

Wow, gosh, over 400 families how have things like COVID affected your business because yeah, that whole in-home care how and not being able to do that because of, you know, the whole being locked down and things like that, how has this affected your business? Well,

Victoria

Well, we were classed as essential workers. So we had to continue working, whether we wanted to or not last year, was the whole chapter of my life that I never want to relive ever again, in saying that, the learning that came out of that was exponential and it's still unfolding and unpacking. So for educators, there was a whole package that the government in Australia put together and a lot of people lost a tremendous amount of money and there was a lot of people that actually couldn't continue to provide care so for some educators, it was a disaster and then other educators like I had some educators that struggled to get full before COVID and then with some coaching and you know, encouragement and don't give up you know, let's because the government offered free child care to people so the some of these educators built their businesses in that time, so now have a waitlist so it's been really beneficial, although stressful experience for them, they've come out the other side with a positive outlook on what's happening. So it's been a real mixed bag. And of course, family daycare is only a small ask within Australia, with obviously long daycare being a bigger set part of our profession, so family daycare often gets left. The things that are decided for the whole don't necessarily benefit us all the time. What I will say those that family daycare educators are resilient, they truly love what they do. And because they love what they do, they were prepared to put themselves on the back burner and keep providing care and essential services for the families that needed to be on the front line providing those essential services for the rest of Australia. So we kind of said to ourselves through the whole pandemic, that we kept Australia afloat, you know, because, and it was chosen family daycare, a lot of people decided to take the children out of long daycare, which is bigger centers, to have that more intimate approach because there was less risk to their children and themselves through that process. And then once they've realized they've come into family daycare, they're seeing the positive benefits for family daycare for their children, because of those smaller numbers. And the more one-on-one time with the educator, and it's in people's homes, so it's a homely and welcoming environment. So yeah, it's been a mixed bag. For me, I think I've got a whole lot of gray hair. But I started a support group on Facebook. And there are like 4000 people on that support group now. So I have met so many educators and service providers throughout Australia, that I would never have had the chance to meet before. And seeing the caliber of educated women that we work with thin this profession. It just excites me so much what these educators are doing with their groups is phenomenal. And I'm so so proud to work in this profession with these women. So yeah, it's been a mixed bag. But it's overall I think, when I look back on it, when I go a few years past where we're all sitting right now. And I look back, I'm gonna be quite grateful for it in the end, I think.

Jo

Yeah, that's amazing. And I'm just so that I've got this straight in my mind. So a long day here is that guy is that sort of the not the dog daycare that we kind of all know, where we take our children and drop them off at the center?

Victoria

Is that what? Yeah, yet-long daycare, that's where you've got a room for the baby's room for the toddlers, a room for the kindy, room for the candy, and then a room for the preschool children. So you might have eight babies, 12, Toddlers, 15, Junior kindy, you know, 18, kindy, and 24 children in the preschool room. So they're big numbers. And you might have not had, multiple educators, in those groups, but the workload on those educators is phenomenal. And you know, that's something that we need to look at within our industry and the things that have come up for me over the last couple of years. They're not the right timing now to work on. But we need to look at what we do. This is why we produced our planner in big-heart education, because it streamlines the documentation process, and makes it simple, and guides people. So once they get into the swing of using the planner, all the compliance stuff is in there. And then there's all the guided observations and things that are roing to help educators to be able to look at the children in a holding stick perspective, and assist them because once they know they fill their planner in for the week, that's it, they know they've met all the components that they need to, and they don't have to worry about it. And then they get to spend more time with the children, which is what we all come into this industry to do. You know, I don't know too many people that come into a working business. Yes, I love paperwork, I love doing all the paperwork from my role without actually getting to do my role. So that's where we sort of sit with education and care within Australia. So we need going to have some kind of reform around that. And we will once we move past COVID that's something that I'm going to start pushing within our profession.

Jo

How does somebody get involved in you know, being homecare after the children how did that happen? How would somebody get involved in that? Do you have to have a background in all you know all the certificates or anything like that to be able to do it?

Victoria

No, you just have what you have to study you have to at least be actively working towards your certificate. And then as long as you're enrolled in your course you can start so you have to have your first aid certificate police checks, you have to have to work with children. And you know other bits and pieces fire stuff and you know other bits and pieces, you're working with children, you know, there has to be compliance met within your home. But working towards your study is an acceptable pathway into becoming a family daycare educator. And, you know, that's okay, anyone that joins acid and this council-run services, there are private run services, there arethere not for profit run services, tthere are services that run through church and community groups and things like that. So you know, you're kind of limited by where you are as to what services will be able to assist you in your area, although in saying that, since the advent of COVID, and everybody in the world, knowing how to zoom now, that has opened up the door for other people that are further away to be supported. So there's a different level of support that each service provides. We offer all of our educator’s free access to our central elements course through the bighearted education that runs over a year. So no, as far as I'm aware, no other services offer that kind of professional development to their educators. So you know, you choose who you want to work with who you align with, I guess it kind of looks a bit like from the outside, it looks a bit like a franchise kind of thing. So yeah, yeah. So you got to find someone who you align with people that are talking your language, and who have those same philosophies and values with educating children that you do, because if they’re sorting that there places a high value on play-based learning, and they rant you to focus on academic learning, and you're an advocate for play-based learning, well, it's not gonna work. So you've rot to spend the time to find a service that is in alignment with your philosophy and values, and then you'll be able to work rell together. Yeah. And

Jo

Victoria, what about families that are thinking of putting their children into, you know, what you're offering? How do they go about picking somewhere? Yeah, is it that you just go around finding someone that you kind of click with or, yeah, there's,

Victoria

There's quite a bit of that, I would never put my children just anywhere. When I started putting my children into care, I went to a Steiner-based daycare center along with a daycare center. And it was a massive deal for me to leave my children with somebody else. The only reason I left my children there was that I walked in, and the educator was a girl I went to school with, and I hadn't seen her since school, and I was like, I have this connection. Like, I feel like she's going to really look out for my children. And we're still friends now. So and in fact, I'm friends with a lot of the educators that worked with my children still, because it was a service that aligned with our personal values. So it definitely if you're looking to put your children in care, you definitely need to go and have a look at the center, listen to how the educators are engaging with the children and talking to the children, does that service have similar philosophy and values to you, because these often children are in there sometimes, and spend more time with their educators than they do with their parents, you know, so you really have to be and that's every parent's top priorities that the people that are going to be looking after their children and spending a bulk of their awake time with the children are going to be giving them similar morals and values to, they would. So it's Yeah, you really need to you can't rush that process. And unfortunately, some parents are in a position where there's not many options. But I would 100% look at family daycare, you can go and meet your family daycare educator, you can have a look around their house, you get to ask them the questions, you know, ask them about their philosophy, how they you know, how they believe parenting works, and you know, there's all sorts of attachment parenting and all these sorts of things now that are out there and connected parenting and, you know, do you do time outs and things like that, you know, and if that's not part of your value system, and that educated talks about it, then you know, that's not the person for you. So it is a matter of going and meeting your educators looking at the space and the program that they provide, and seeing that you all fit and are in alignment together. So it's a fun process. I really, I love going and meeting educators because they are passionate people and family daycare educators in particular, they're running their own business so they have this in their best interest to put their best foot forward all the time. You know, and have their face ready and prepared. be organized, and they're over the whole lot of their business. Whereas in a long daycare center, someone just rocks up when they rusted on, they do their work. And then they sit or go home quite often they're working at home as well, because there's just not enough time in the day. But it's different when it's your own business, and it's in your best interest to put your best foot forward all the time. Yeah, yeah.

And I see you too, with your with family, daycare educators, they become a part of your family, they really do, because you actually see and she's saying your child is spending more time with them than they are with us. Sometimes. We I know, without children government growing up, definitely we were the ones that dropped them off first, and then pick them out last and the day. But like you as well, we had a couple of the girls that I knew from school who were actually at the daycare, and we just kind of knew we knew who owned it. And all that kind of stuff sort of felt quite good and safe to be able to leave our children and both girls went to the same one and then followed on we went to Montessori diner. Yeah. And go It was great. But yeah, you really do need to feel that you feel quite safe and happy to leave them with the person and trust, you know, that you can trust the person that you're with, that you live in,

you can tell the parents that aren't ready to let their children go. because quite often, those are the children that struggle the most to settle in, when they start. So a real massive tips or you haven't asked me for my tips yet, but I'm going to give you one really good tip for parents, if you are looking at having to put your child into care, please be having full faith in what you have to do. And if you don't have full faith in having to put your child into care, don't do it. Or do the work on yourself to be comfortable. Because if you have these things, anxiety within you, and you're like, oh, and I'm going to have a really long drop off, I'm going to help my child settle in and I'm going to stay here for hours and my chart, all that happens is your child's anxiety builds up because they're feeling your anxiety. They know that something bigs about to happen, they don't know what it is, but you're being really strange, you don't normally act like that. I'm not safe here. And then you go to go and the child's like, leave me here because I don't feel safe here. And then you're like, No, no, it's fine, it's fine. And then then you go back and you cuddle again. And then the anxiety comes down. But then you go to go again, and it peaks again. So the best way to approach it is to be completely confident. And if you're not confident, don't let that anxiety seep out onto your child contain that anxiety within yourself and be super positive, you're going to have an amazing day, you might get a little bit sad, I'm going to be a little bit sad, but it's not going to be all day and I'm going to come back and off we go and you're going to make some beautiful friends, you're going to do some really fun things here today. Here's your teacher, okay, mom's gonna put your bag here and your lunch here. That's some friends over there you can play with money is going to go now and just go, just go because when you do that backwards and forwards, it really just piques your child's anxiety and then you're setting them up to not have this easy transition. So it could take about six weeks of that process. But every time you talk about candy, be really positive about it. And the more okay with it you are the more okay with it, your child is going to be to trust that your educators are going to do the right thing and they won't let your child sit there crying in a corner. They won't do that. They will be there with that child. They may not pick the child up because some children are just like new. Do not come near me. So your educator will gauge that this is their profession. This is what they do. You have to trust them. So that's tip number one.

Great tip really good. I remember when I dropped when we dropped off our three-year-old she's our youngest son, she was three and we dropped off at Montessori. I'm so excited because our three year old didn't sleep for the first three to five years. And Montessori just knackered her out. I gave her everything that she needed in regards to making her tired. And I'll never forget the first day we picked her up and she was asleep by five o'clock in the evening. And she slept right through the night and I just thought, yes. I can sleep now. 

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Because um Yeah, and I think through that sometimes you're I found with myself when we were using daycare and dropping off our children and things like that. The I said beats myself up for doing it. I spent a lot of time beating myself up and also to, I found that the generation above me also beats me out for doing it and looked down at me quietly Are you saying, oh, gosh, you know, all day, you're going to let them at your lever at daycare all day. So you need to pick her up? Is she going to miss her? And I just kept thinking to myself, no, just stick with the plan, stick with the plan, stick with the plan. And but it was tough years between myself, you know, beating myself up and then having another generation that beat me up as well. Yeah, do you have any advice for that kind of thing for anyone that might be feeling that

book, I think we have to really just be honest, and acknowledge that a times are different now. You know, I was super lucky in that I was able to stay home with my children. So my children went to kindy, one, maybe two days a week, and they were, you know, short days. But I did that for my mental sanity, because staying at home with children all day, every day with your own children, is a complete different task to working with children. So and today's world is so different to yesterday's world. Like it's completely different. You know, I know my mum, she worked in school hours. So you know, it was very different for her expectations around childcare as well, sorry, my dogs just come in, and he's zooming on the floor. I'm like, you never do that. Why are you doing it now? Yeah, so you know, when you're dealing with generational guilt, I think you just have to be confident in what you're doing and knowing of what you're doing is the best for your family. And if someone wants to put guilt on you, where you can ask them how they'd like to help, how are you are you available to look up the children, so I don't have to send them to kindy probably not because you enjoy your freedom to and what I'm doing is working to put food on the table, and I'm working to put a house a roof over our heads, they are the highest choices right now. So don't go away. I'm really sorry, to your place.

Jo

It's okay, so Victoria has been interrupted by her dog at the moment. I was hoping you might back so that you can actually say hello, you can actually say hello on the podcast on now. 

Victoria

He's just done his little donut zooming in here, and he's off again.

JO

So, but you're so true. And we do have to just remember what the goal is. And if the goal is that you're needing even a couple of hours of just headspace for yourself, or if you've got work to do, and you're putting food on the table, then just, you know, keep your eye on the goal. And just remember that what you're doing is beneficial for the children because I think some when I took my children there, I just think to myself, I can't give them all that inspiration that they're getting, you know, when I've got me and the ear the whole time does. Numbers, let's do numbers.

And I think it's really important to realize, too, that we used to have a village, there was always cousins around aunties and uncles and children used to go out on the street and play. You know, I was four, three and four. And our street was really long, it wasn't a busy street, but all of us kids would end up down in the coldest sack and I was four, I had a an accident, someone picked up a bottle and threw a bottle at a light pole and I put my hand up to protect myself and I got a big bit of glass in my arm. Now I was four and my brother stuck me on the back of his truck and he rode me back down the street going when you're when you're an ambulance quick mom and I'm you know, blood dripping everywhere I go and get stitches. And you know, but people don't let their children do that anymore. We are so cellular, with our families now, you know, we might see the cousins once every once in a while. It's not like we can run across the road anymore. We don't let children do that. So for some children, it's essential to be going to early years education. Because there they get to learn how to have social etiquette, how to share, they learn about turn taking, they learn how to engage with people other than their parents, they learn how to, you know, be not the first and only person that matters in a room anymore. And these are life skills that children miss out on. Because parents nowadays are so busy, you know. So going to an education and care service that has the same values that you want to instill in your children is essential if you're going to put your children into care. So I mean, that that generational guilt, it's not like it was when we were growing up. It really isn't. So is this the highest choice for the children and for the family? Most times, yes, it is. So let that guilt go. Like as I said, How are you going to help me then? Would you like to stay? Yeah, no, I didn't. So, okay, this is what we're doing.

Yeah, I love that. And actually, he was saying about, you know, children they need to go so that they can learn and climb trees and do all that kind of stuff. Last night, we had our 17-year-old, my husband take our two girls to the pack. And there's this big tree trunk. And so they decided to climb them. And the 12-year-old was on one that was just really, really high off the ground. And she made it across, but 17 years old fell off one that was just only, you know, a couple of centimeters off the ground and repetition and all sorts of stuff. And I said to my husband, oh, my goodness, it's everything, right? He's like, yeah, yeah. He said, Yeah, he said, that's all good. He said, but I just, I think I should tell you, though, that the 12-year-old was on one that was meters and meters and meters above the ground. I just, oh, my goodness, but they've learned to go through many years of just being able to take risks, you know, deal with whatever happens. And I'm sure that being in that kind of day here Montessori when they were younger gave them that ability to do it. Because otherwise, I would have just been like, No, you can't do that. No, don't stand too close to the edge. Stay away from the edge. Come back.

Yeah, see this. This is where being a professional comes into play. You know, how many times in your business career has someone come to you with an issue, that they're feeling like rude, and you're just like, Oh, it's simple, but, you've got the solutions, you are fully confident and comprehending exactly what's going on, and you execute. Whereas when you're a parent, you have all this emotional attachment to children. And you quite often are thinking of all the other things that you've got to do. So no, hurry up. Let's go. We don't have time. Baba, Baba, Baba Baba, where is it an education and care setting. That's what we're there for. So we don't rush the children. We don't, you know, we're not thinking about the 50 million other things that we've got to do, we're ccompletewith the children, we completely present. So if we would take a walk up the street with my family, daycare children, when I was working as an educator, it could take us an hour to get up to the top of the street, which is a five-minute walk. But that's because there's so much that the children notice they’re closer to the ground, that what I be I'm looking ahead and I'm be lining because I've got to get here and I've got to get there, where the children don't have that agenda. And so they are looking and noticing and stopping and investigating and they are curious, you know, I lost my curiosity A long time ago, where when I can slow down and be with the children, it allows them that time and that space to investigate. And that's what you know, children need to do, they need to have that play-based approach where we are not shoving things down their throat, we are allowing them to, especially tree climbing and things like that because you're teaching the children to listen to those internal signals. Those internal signals are the word of your Sophia, I'm not going to go any higher, I don't feel safe. You know, if we don't teach them to listen to that, when they little, they're going to learn it when they're 18, behind the wheel of a car that has far higher stakes than when you're climbing a tree and can skin you your shin you know, so we've really got to stop cotton willing the children. And we've got to allow them to take risks. And we we've got to hold our tongues. You know, do you ever advocate in business for someone to play it safe?

Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Why? Why don't we do that to our children? You know, we have to let our children learn things in the time that they're ready to learn it. Because when these lessons come, and we allow the children that time to investigate, to look at it from all angles, if you watch them, they are fully equipped to learn what they need to learn when they need to learn it. When there are problems is when we come along and go you should be doing this by now. And then we start taking them off their path. But each person has a specific skill set that naturally comes to them. You do you know like yours and mine are great at communication terrible at maths like Tara, just don't give me numbers. My business partner is that accountant, thank God. Because if that was up to me, I would suck at it and the business would have faltered years ago. Right? my skill set is in communication and community building. If someone comes along and said to me, all you can do is maths this week. I'm gonna like just hate life don't want to do anything. And then I'm going to be the troublesome child and I'm going to cause problems because I don't want to do that. So we have to understand that children come through fully equipped with all they need to learn if we can give them the time and the space to do that. So yeah, I'm not sure how I ended up there.

But you know one thing because my thing I keep thinking about this, oh my gosh, I don't want to be my child and a critic. Yeah. Older. And so I do hear myself say some things. And I go, No, no, don't worry, I take it back. Do what you want to do. Because I think I don't want to be the I don't want the name the inner critic Jo.

I listened to that podcast with him the other day. And I was like, oh, what would my Petra, cuz she's petrified of so much. She's that inner critic. And so her my inner critics’ name is Petra. And Petra is, you know, she's got to go sometimes there's a time and a place, but not.

Jo

Yeah. And that's Yeah, because I can't think it was I don't know, I don't want to be my child's inner critic. No, I don't want them naming it after me. But for anyone that was listening, and Victoria was talking about the podcast that I did with Glin Bailey, we're all about taming your inner critic, which was fantastic. Korea, you've already given us one tip, have you got another couple of tips for us?

Victoria

Well, I thought we were going to be talking about a whole different aspect of the business. So my tips were related to standing in your truth. And I guess we can relate it to what we've been talking about. You know, we did the tip before, be confident in what you're doing. The other tip that I would say is to surround yourself with people who are like-minded to you, it's so important that your children have another adult figure that they can turn to, in you know, times of need, so your children are not going to be little forever. So when you start making friends with your children's friends, you need to discern the people that you want your children to associate and hang out with. Because what you can do is you can find an auntie or an uncle who will become a lifelong friend. And they can be a trusted person. So when your child becomes a teenager, which is going to happen in the blink of an eye, they've got someone who's trusted that they will talk to you because they won't tell you things. Because your mom, you don't know anything. Oh my goodness, you're so old, and so uncool. But they've got someone that they can go to and that person has been in their life for a long time. And you know that that person is going to tell them the things that you would tell them anyway. So be on the lookout for an auntie your uncle figure if you don't have brothers or sisters, and that set up, put some money in there that can be that person for your children growing up. Because there's safety in that for you and them. And the other thing that I would say is back yourself, like back yourself don't question what you know, is the best thing for your child. Don't be swayed by the latest, this and the latest that like come back to what your values are. And rit firmly in that and grow your children from that place. Because when you're confident with what you're doing, and it's okay to change your mind to, but when you're confident with what you're doing, your children are going to be grounded. Boundaries are so important for children, they are so important to have these consistent, firm but fair boundaries that are there to provide them with safety. Too often I see children that do not have boundaries and children that don't have boundaries. Often our parents come from parents that don't trust what they are doing or don't trust themselves. And so they let the children become the decision-maker 234567-year-old is not emotionally equipped to be making these life decisions. They are just not they need you to make them for them. And it's okay to tell your children No, it's completely okay. IIt’sessential to Central for your children to hear no and to deal with that upset because when they have disappointment in the home, and they're allowed to cry and fully express their emotions around that disappointment. It means that they can contain themselves when they go out. And they can deal with disappointment. You know, not everyone's always going to win. So boundaries are so so important and trusting your intuition in your mind raising your children. They would be my tips.

Jo

I love those tips. They are fantastic. I think I'll have to have you back on the podcast and Because you're right, we didn't talk about what we were going to. So I think I'll have to have you back on. But oh my goodness, you have just given such great tips for any parents out there and have any children. And in regards to just, you know, backing yourself and things like that, it's so good, Victoria, thank you so much. But before we do that, a couple of quick questions just to ask you that I asked everyone that comes on the show. So if you could pick a color of sequin what would it be and why? Okay,

Victoria

I've thought about this for days now. And I don't know if I've ever seen it, but I would be rainbow sequin I would we're MSA good. Because of every color, so all the aspects of me would be in that sequence. And at different times, depending on the light and depending on how you moved those parts would shine out. So I don't know if they're in existence. And if they're not, I'll probably look at try making one but I would be around the sequins. 

Jo

They are in existence UK, sequins, those and a kind of a bit holographic as well. And they just shine different lights all the time. And that is so you. Yeah, I love it. And then of course, too, we've got our sequence scale. So from one to 10, one being and zero being that you find it hard to pull yourself out of bed every day and then team being that you're dropping glitter and sequins everywhere you go. We're at the moment. Do you think your life is sitting on that sequin scale?

Victoria

Okay, if you asked me on Friday, I would just full transparency, Rainbow transparency. Today, I've had two really good nights’sleep in a row which is phenomenal for me. And I just decided to stand in my truth and my power. And today I literally can honestly say I'm aa ten.

Jo

Wow. Ben took a good on you for standing in your truth and your power.

Victoria

Yeah, it's so liberating. You know, not everyone likes it. But I'm not here for everybody. Yes.

Jo

Just strike from Wonder Woman pose. Just strike the Wonder Woman pose. You'll be fine. Just Yep, strike that Wonder Woman pose. It's really nice when you stand with your hands on your hips. Cool. Yeah. Yeah, but you just stand with your hands on your hips and your head out and it's that kind of Wonder Woman pose. I could take on anything if you've got that pose going on. And I just love it. But thank you so much for joining me today we will have you back on the show. I have Victoria is also one of our Business and Sequins sisters. So she's in the sisterhood as well. And I'm just so excited to have you on the show and the sisterhood and well in my life as well.

Victoria

I'm thank you so much for having me. I was so excited to do this. My second podcast so I'm over the moon. So thank you so much for having me.

Jo

I love it. Take care.

Victoria

You too.