We catch up with local radio host, Pippa Hudson, to find out what rules she lives by, and which ones she loves to break.
Radio host Pippa Hudson, 41, lives in Mowbray with her husband Alan, 46, and their two children Jenna, 13, and Nick, 10. She hosts the lunchtime show on 567 CapeTalk.
I’m learning the value of saying ‘no’. Being in the media industry, I could be at events, launches and talks every evening, but then I’d forget what my family looks like. I don’t think the balance of work and family will ever be even; it’s like what Oprah said, “You can have everything, just not at the same time.” Right now, my family is taking priority.
It’s easy to lose yourself when you have kids – I think that’s something all parents grapple with, isn’t it? After I had Jenna and Nick, I gave up my job in broadcasting to stay at home with them, which is something I’ll never regret, but I did get a bit lost in their lives and needs. Now that they’re older, I’ve been able to go back to radio and rediscover how much I love my job. I’ve finally found my career sweet-spot.
Has your adult child recently moved back in? Here are a few house rules to try:
Advice from a listener drew my own family closer together. We were doing a segment on tools to keep the family together, and a woman said that, in their family, they play a game at dinner to find out more about each other’s day. You take turns to say what made you sad, mad and glad and end up mentioning details you might otherwise have forgotten. We don’t quite make it every night, but definitely do it once a week, and it’s a wonderful way to keep track and stay connected.
Taking time to broaden your horizons could lead you down new paths you hadn’t considered. I was all set to become a doctor, but at the very last minute I dropped out to do a Bachelor of Arts degree, and some of my family were gobsmacked. I decided to rather pursue my dream of being a journalist and writing for a magazine one day. Things never quite work out the way you plan, and I happened to get a job at a radio station after I graduated, and that’s where I’ve stayed, happily, for over 15 years.
I nearly sprained my wrists trying to read the Game of Thrones books! I don’t get to read many books that aren’t related to interviews I’m doing, but I was determined to finish the series called A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s taken me a good few months, but I’ve finally reached the end of the story. I just hope I don’t get arthritis from holding those epic tomes!
Are you a Game of Thrones fan? Here are a few more ways to get your GoT fix:
I’ve been married for 17 years now and the secret to success is being true to yourself. Alan and I don’t live in each other’s pockets. While our family time is important to us, we do occasionally mange to do dinner for two. We’ve also been good at carving out separate me-time. He loves windsurfing, which is his activity, and I make time for friends and a cycle when I need quiet downtime. He knows when I want to talk and when to be quiet, and when there’s something big troubling me, there’s no one else I’d rather go to.
My kids drive the healthy eating campaign harder than I do. I like to break the food rules once in a while, and indulge in favourites like whisky, chocolate and cheese, but Jenna and Nick are quite a lot stricter than I am. It’s a complete role reversal because, for the first 10 years of their lives, they refused to eat vegetables!
Listen to Afternoons with Pippa every weekday from 1pm to 3pm on 567 CapeTalk
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