“I’d rather put my child to bed than the umpteenth premiere”

Photography: Nine IJff

“’You have to be able to manage yourself later.’ My parents never used to say it often enough. They divorced when I was little, so I lived with my mom a lot of the time. She had a full-time office job and liked her job, but it wasn’t her dream job. We didn’t have it very wide either. That’s why I thought as a child: I don’t just want to be independent when I grow up, but also have fun in what I do – and my mother encouraged that enormously.

Own boss

As your own boss, work and private life often overlap. Yet I can combine it well, largely thanks to my husband. Mila goes to childcare three days a week, the other days Gregor and I are also free and we do fun things, but it sometimes happens that I still have to work. Gregor is always there, so nice. He really is the great strength behind our family.

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Priorities

Since motherhood I do realize that time is a precious thing. That’s why I handle my agenda differently, more consciously. Before I had a child, I regularly went to events, sometimes also abroad, and I was often away from home. Now my daughter is my number one priority. I’d rather put her to bed myself at night than go to the umpteenth premiere.

“The pace is slower and I like it”

I have also become much more critical in accepting campaigns and I say ‘no’ more often. On the days that I’m with Mila, I simply don’t get to work either. And to be honest, I would rather read a book with her than answer my email. The pace is slower and I’m fine with it.

I do crawl behind my laptop more often in the evening. Sleep has therefore become a thing, because I am an evening person and I really want to relax after work. As a result, I put on another movie at eleven o’clock and go to bed around two o’clock. Not very handy if your child then wakes up at six o’clock – and you yourself have to shoot a video that morning with bags down to your knees.

Independence

The arrival of Mila has given me a great sense of responsibility. It’s my job to lead by example, to teach her to fend for herself. I’m already trying to do that. It’s in the little things, you know. For example, we were out for dinner recently and Mila brought her empty bottle of apple juice to the bar by herself. She came back beaming. Yes, it was just a simple bottle of apple juice, but it symbolized something bigger, namely showing independence and initiative. You understand: I was very proud.”

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