Real Mum Interview with Hairpolitan’s Wambui JL
Wambui JL is a Creativepreneur. A quick online search on her reveals, “Wambui has had natural hair for close to 15 years now and has experimented with various types of hairstyles and looks. Having her hair natural has inspired her to look into living healthy in other aspects of her life from food, medicines, fitness and how she takes care of her family.”
In this e-interview she answers our quick fire questions on all things motherhood and life.
Which three things would you like the MumsVillage audience to know about you?
- I am an ambivert,
- In the next 5 years, I am working towards getting a full sleeve tattoo on my right arm.
- I don’t regret anything in my life.
What is your occupation?I am a graphic designer by profession and right now I am a Creativepreneur running my own company called Idea Agency. We’ve just launched Kenya’s 1st Natural hair & living online magazine called Hairpolitan and have many other ideas in the pipeline.
We like Numbers :
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?We have 3 sons. Tayo age 5, Deji age 3 and Kitto 9 months.
How many diapers do you think you’ve changed? Probably close to 10,000 disposable diapers in the last 5 years. I can safely estimate because I only use them at night and during outings, the rest of the time I use reusable cloth nappies (Bambino Mio).
How many selfies do you take in a week? Depends on my mood. I can go without taking one in months to taking 5 a day depending on how cute I look and how awesome I am feeling.
How many videos of your kids do you take in a week? Again depends on interesting-child-activity vs. the proximity to my phone. Most times I record in my heart and mind.
Now on to Other Fun Questions
How did becoming a Mum change your personality?
I don’t think much changed to be honest. It perhaps brought out sides of my personality that didn’t have time to be showcased.
How do you play (or try to) with your kids? We crack knock knock jokes and sing to currentsong on YouTube.
What was the most memorable thing about being a new Mother in Nairobi?
I fondly remember going out to the likes of Blankets & Wine and Safari Rally with our 1st born and exposing him to the outdoor world. That was hectic but so much fun!
What do you think is the most inaccurate thing about how movies portray childbirth? That you’ll be able to remember how to breathe like you were taught in Lamaze class (if you even attended one).
Share something your children have recently done or said to make you laugh?Almost everything that comes out of their mouths but sadly mommy brain won’t let me recall right now.
How did you choose your kid(s)’ name (s) and what do they mean?
My husband was very clear that he didn’t want our children to have non-African names, so that was a good place to start. Then after 2 years of living in Nigeria we fell in love with their names especially Yoruba names.
Tayo is short for Olutayo (from Oluwatayo), which roughly means God is enough for my joy. Deji is short for Ayodeji, which means my joy is doubled; and Kitto(from Kito) is from the Swahili word for precious jewel.
Share your tips with others:
What are the top 3 kids places for fun in your neighborhood? Outside, outside and right outside our doorstep. The kids in our apartment block love going outside to play that they even pull each other out of their homes; and it’s free!
Which activities do you regularly engage in for recreation with your family? Right now with the infant we’ve slowed down on recreation activities but we’re outdoors type of people.
Your Nostalgia of the Past and Hopes for the Future:
In what way do you hope the work place will be different for your kids?
That it will be a space where they can express their true passion freely.
Do you think your job will exist when your kids are your age (why or why not)? I am a Creativepreneur I believe there will be more of that in the future. Right now it’s just only beginning to emerge.
What is the one thing or experience you never had that you want for your kids?Traveling extensively in my 20s. I traveled but I could have gone to more places, if money and time allowed.
And on the flipside, what is the one thing or experience you wish your child could have from your childhood that they can’t? To be raised without TV, Video games, electronic gadgets. Growing up we only had our imagination, bodies and time to play with.
What is one thing you miss about your life before your kids? Random road trips and sleeping in on weekends. Now I am like “Weekends? What are those?”
What is the most annoying interview question you’ve been asked that you’re glad we didn’t? Where do I see myself in 5 years?
Being an entrepreneur probably keeps you quite busy. How did you make sure it did not take away too much of your attention from the rest of your family?
Right now I work from home so the struggle is finding solid blocks of time to work. But when I had an office I made sure I left at 3pm so that I was home in time for the kids to be waking up from their naps, to do homework, cook, bath, eat and get ready for bed.I would then work after they are tucked in bed.
In what ways is your parenting style similar to your Mother? In what ways is it different?My mother was very firm, there was no room for unnecessary discussions when it came to the rules and requirements of living in her house, in that way we’re similar. We’re different in that I am raising boys (she raised only girls).
In terms of parenting style I leave some things up to their father while Mum was a single Mum therefore the burden of parenting was 100% on her shoulders.
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