11 Questions with… Katrina Turnbull. @ouicestchic #bdk11Qs
17 Aug 2020
Welcome to “11 Questions with…”. This edition’s guest is Katrina Turnbull.
Enjoy!
11 Questions with… Katrina Turnbull
1. Elevator pitch… tell us about yourself.
I’m a media personality and fashion television host. I have my own TV show on Bell Fibe called Capital Style Files. But my niche is bringing the art of Parisian chic living to busy yet fashion-conscious moms. I present segments on TV and also create content through my blog and social media accounts.
2. Your partner… tell us about them.
I’m a very happy and hardworking single mom. The best advice I was given when going through divorce was that I will come out stronger in end. It’s true. I’m not on the other side yet, but already I’m a better mom, friend, and business person having gone through divorce.
3. Your kids… tell us about them.
I have two beautiful little boys. They have very different personalities but are inseparable. I was totally surprised by how much energy toddlers can have, so I’m on the go with them from morning to night.
4. Do you have any family traditions?
My whole family is from England, so I find myself naturally incorporating a lot of traditional English dishes in my cooking. I love the comfort foods of beans on toast, bacon sandwiches, and meat pies and I share those with my sons.
5. What have been your biggest challenges as a parent?
My biggest challenge as a parent has been working to communicate with my kids in ways that individually suit their needs. It’s funny how you can raise two kids in the exact same environment and have them turn out so differently. My older son needs to be heard before I can ask him to do something, or else it’s a meltdown. My younger guy is always moving, so I need to redirect him with a physically stimulating activity.
6. If you could pick any career in the world for yourself, what would it be, and why?
I would say I’m living my dream career. Working in the fashion and beauty industry, I’ve been able to appear on television, in magazines, and attend amazing exclusive events all for sharing my creative ideas with the world. I love feeling professionally fulfilled and having a career that allows me to spend more time with my kids.
7. Growing up, who inspired you the most?
Growing up, I was inspired by my grandmother. She was incredibly hardworking since she was a kid. She always told me that I could achieve anything I wanted in life provided I was willing to work hard enough for it.
8. How do you balance work life and family life?
I make my kids the focus and schedule everything else around them. Part of what I share with moms on Ouicestchic.com is how to shorten your beauty, meal-prep, and workout routines so you can spend more time on things that matter to you. Having a consistent schedule helps things stay on track and I’m all about prepping the night before. I prep my outfits, my kids morning supplies, and meals the night before to really start the day off on the right foot. For work, sometimes I’ll send some emails in the early morning before my kids wake up. And I definitely get some work done in the evenings after they go to bed. It’s all about being productive and doing as much as you can. For myself, I’ve found that by scheduling my workouts in the morning right after I drop my kids at school allows me to make exercise a priority and sets the tone for the rest of a productive day.
9. What advice would your “current self” give to your “just about to have my first child” self?
Oh man, I would probably just remind myself that motherhood is a hard job and to try not to take on too much in the first few months. Enjoy cuddling in bed with your baby, watching Netflix, and eating your favourite comfort foods. I wish I hadn’t worried so much about losing the baby weight so quickly. With my first son it took 6 months to lose 50 lbs, with my second it was almost two years! Looking back, I was way too hard on myself when I could have been enjoying those early stages with my baby.
10. Has there been a piece of advice you were given about parenting that really stuck with you?
It would be that 80% is good enough. It’s a reminder that parents don’t have to be perfect. We are all just trying our best to love our children and take care of them. If you’ve managed to feed your kids, brush their teeth and put them to bed, but your house is a disaster, you’re still a good parent! In parenting, rarely do all the pieces align perfectly at the same time. It’s supposed to be like that. Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve bought grocery store cookies for the school bake sale rather than making them from scratch. You’re still a good mom!
11. What advice would you give to new parents?
Be prepared to sleep only an hour a night for the first month (if not few months) with your newborn. I wish my friends would have been more honest with me about how hard the first six months can be. I’m used to having a routine and schedule, which all went out the window when I had babies. It’s only temporary, and every year this whole parenting things gets a bit easier.
Get social with Katrina Turnbull!
Be sure to follow Katrina on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Stay tuned for our next “11 Questions with…” feature.
Thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Big Daddy
“11 Questions with…” is an on-going feature. I will be interviewing parents with the same 11 questions, who like me, live in the digital world. The goal is to examine different perspectives, advice, challenges, and experiences from how people parent their children, and live a successful work / life / online balance.
There will be no specific frequency for this feature. It will be on-going, and filed under the “Lifestyle” tab, then “11 Questions with…” subtab, so it is easy to find.
With all the challenges of parenting these days, we could all use stories from fellow parents, who may have already gone through a similar experience, or were offered advice that you could use.
If you would like to be interviewed for an upcoming edition, please contact me at craig@bigdaddykreativ.ca.
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. He likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and Travel Media Association of Canada. If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
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