Rachel – Forrest Hill
“I sent a text message to my cousin about meeting up here for a play date for our little kids.
We both have one each; I’ve got a little boy and my cousin has a little girl. They were born just eight weeks apart, so we try and get together and let them play, to be with family. We take family quite seriously. We find it important to keep our families together. We’ve got family spread all over the country, but we try and keep in touch with the ones close by as much as possible. I think it helps you feel secure if you know your extended family and you can kind of see where you’re from, and you have support.
I hope my children will as well. I guess little things like organising events for families is good. I enjoy the activities at the libraries for the little ones and for older people. When my one was little I did go along to a lot of playgroups and coffee groups and things, and it was helpful to be around other mums at the same stage. Now he’s a little bit older I’ve sort of gone back to my own friends and family more. You sort of have to ask for things, I guess. You don’t always get given everything. So that’s probably something to keep in mind for young mums.”