Whether you’re a dad, a stepdad, a dog dad; June 16th marks Father’s Day, so let’s hear it for the dads! Hairdressing is a career that requires a lot of hard graft, so trying to balance a job alongside your family can be a challenge. It seems like no parent has cracked the code on establishing a perfect work/life balance, but there are definitely little things that can help. To mark the occasion, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to chat with industry hairdressers about their own experiences in balancing fatherhood and work…
How do you balance work and fatherhood?
Rikki Tronson, from iSalon: “Balancing work and fatherhood is a constant challenge. With the demands of school, clubs, activities, and daily stressors, it’s difficult to get it perfectly right. I strive to divide my time between work and my children, and I make it a point to find some time for myself and my wife, which is often overlooked when you have kids.”
Brian ‘Leo’ Mccallum, from Roar Hair and Beauty: “I absolutely don’t! But I have the best dog walker ever and my husband and I are great at working as a team.”
Paul Watts, from JOICO said: “When it comes to work and seeing my daughter, it’s a case of bringing her into my world. I’m still working 7 days a week, but when I do have a day of meetings, I will make sure she’s by my side in-between to make sure I spend time with her. Tuesdays are my day with her, I’m documenting it on her YouTube channel “Watts Rosa Doing.”
Dan Spiller, from JOICO said: “I find that clients and the team are so understanding when it comes to booking yourself out to go to the important things – assemblies, sports days, parent’s evenings. This makes it easier; I think if you are a reliable stylist and are available for your clients the majority of the time, they’ll understand when you’re not available.”
Will Fleeson, from Rainbow Room International: “Make sure that there are segments of the week and specific days of the week that are completely dedicated to family time for example Sunday every week is 100% family time.”
Ashely Gamble, from Ashely Gamble Hair Salon: “Having an obsessive personality makes it hard to balance work and fatherhood. You work because you love your job and you want to create the best possible life for your children, so you work even harder. But if you work too hard, you don’ get to spend that quality time with your children. The difference now is that I choose what I do, so I push myself hard, but I select very careful what I put my time into.”
What’s your favourite thing to do with your children to relax?
Rikki Tronson: “I have a son and a daughter, and they have very different interests. Very stereotypically my son loves car racing and football, while my daughter enjoys shopping, makeup, and going to the park. Because of their varied interests, it can be difficult to find activities that we all enjoy together. However, we make it a priority to sit down for a meal together every evening and talk about our day. This shared time helps us stay connected despite our different interests.”
Brian ‘Leo’ Mccallum: “Me and Neo love going to the beach! Rain hail or shine it’s our favourite place to walk and of course, a cuddle on the couch with my big fluff ball is just the best!”
Paul Watts: “As a new father, we just make sure we are together as much as we can.”
Dan Spiller: “I love being a big kid with my boys! I have one who is a little skateboarder, so we go to the skatepark as often as possible. The other is learning to Drum which I love supporting him with. Both are things I did in my youth so really enjoy doing these with them in my downtime.”
Will Fleeson: “Me and the family love nothing more than a lovely wander around our local park or going on holiday together to wind down relax and connect as a family.”
Ashley Gamble: “I spend Sundays with my boys, and we take a moment to enjoy that quality time together.”
Advice for fathers juggling their work/life balance with young children?
Brian ‘Leo’ Mccallum: “Just like running a business, having a child, fur baby or human is always challenging but having people in your life who can help support is essential! No one gets life brownie points for doing everything on their own so ask for help when it’s possible. Of course, regardless of any stress… the unconditional love is the best.”
Rikki Tronson: “Fathers play a pivotal role in the upbringing of children, so always make time for your family. While work is important, most tasks can wait until tomorrow. For me family should always come first. Prioritise your children and your partner and remember to take care of your own mental health. Don’t forget to carve out moments for yourself to stay balanced and present.”
Will Fleeson: “My advice for people trying to juggle work with young families is that it is okay to love your family and love your work. Just make sure you manage your time so you can share yourself appropriately across both things.”
Paul Watts: “The advice I’d give is try to get your children to work with your life and not try and change too much. It gives them a lot of early experiences when they are coming along for the ride.”
Dan Spiller: “I love my job, but balancing work and personal life is a challenge. I feel it’s important for the children see me do something I enjoy and work hard at, so when the time comes for them to choose a career, they see I lead with example. I figure if we all sit down for a meal at least once a day, normally Breakfast, sometimes dinner, I get to hear what they have been up to and vice versa.”
Ashley Gamble: “Remember your children are only young once – I’ve been lucky because I’ve got 3 children, but I always prioritise them and given them the time, because work will always be there, but your children will grow up.”
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