It’s time to focus on me

Iam a mother of six. My dad’s Rarotongan and my mum’s Nga¯ ti Porou. I’m 45, and have lived in Kaitaia for most of my life. I met my husband, who comes from Te Kao, when I was 17, and we have lived up here ever since. I love it.

The first time I came up here was for a holiday. My sister and brother-in-law lived in Mangamuka, and that’s when I met my husband and I didn’t go back.

I kind of wish I could turn back time, perhaps back before I had my kids. I would have had more of an opportunity to travel, or even change how some things ended up, although I’m really happy with the outcome.

Family life is really important to me — my children and my husband give me the inspiration to do a lot of the things I’m doing now. This is the reason I’m studying, to be a good role model for my kids and to show my husband that I am capable enough to achieve my goals. I’ve had my years of staying home and looking after our children, but now that they’re old enough, it’s my opportunity to go out and experience the things I couldn’t

when they were little.

Life experience has been my best life lesson.

Having my children is my favourite memory because they have made me the person that I am today. It’s given me the opportunity to bring them up the best way I possibly know. I was never taught how to be a parent, so it was more of an everyday life lesson as to how I’m going to deal with a lot of things that my children go through.

Whether they’re good or bad things, it’s like learning on the job. But it’s a good experience for me, because now I know exactly what my children are like. It’s the little things they do out of the ordinary that I notice.

My biggest challenge right now is coming to my business course, trying to turn up every day and trying to learn as much as I possibly can. I’ve got a goal that I want to achieve by the end, so it wasn’t just about finishing. I’m focused on trying to get work or rolling over to the next level to help me get closer to my goal.

It’s always going to be about my family; they’re my main support. They are there for me every day. I’m a real familyoriented person and because I’ve been around my kids since they were born, that has been my role, being an awesome mum. After focusing solely on my kids for 26 years, now it’s time to focus on me.