Interview with Kaya Scott "Sassy Mama Dubai"
This week we meet the inspirational Kaya Scott!
Kaya Scott is the Co-founder and Editor of Sassy Mama Dubai, the ultimate destination for mums in Dubai and beyond! It provides daily inspiration and give you the lastest you need to know in parenting! UK born and bred Kaya Scott moved to Dubai nearly 5 years ago heavily pregnant in the middle of the summer heat! A mama of 3 lovely children, Kaya juggled babies with part-time work before joining the brilliant online magazine Sassy Mama Dubai, to combine a love of writing with wanting to uncover the best of the City!
1.How do you juggle with your full time job as an editor and your full time job as a mummy?
Hmmm - sometimes I'd say that I don't juggle it very well (the mummy guilt is always hanging over me!). I have tried to separate my 'mummy' and 'work' time very clearly. If I'm working then I make sure that I'm not in full view of the kids - who naturally want to jump all over me and can't understand why I won't play. And I'll devote specific time to being with them where I don't check my phone/emails or respond to calls. Or at least that's the plan!
2.What would be your best advice for a young mummy who just arrived in Dubai?
Other than to sign up to our Sassy Mama Dubai newsletters and check the site for everything from the best schools to where to play, shop, eat etc I would recommend looking into joining some of the amazing Facebook community pages - there's a real sense of sisterhood on some of those and plenty of other mums to ask advice from.
3.What do you love the most about being a mother?
I love that every day brings with it something different - whether they're reaching a new milestone or trying something for the first time. I love to see the world through their eyes - how their little minds process new information and the endless curiosity that makes childhood so magical. And of course I love the cuddles, the cute things they say, the pride I feel in everything they do and how much they make me laugh!
4.What's your ideal day with your family?
Huge family breakfast at home - everyone getting stuck into making pancakes together with the radio on and lots of silliness. Followed by a bike ride down to the beach, swim in the sea, some lunch at one of Dubai's family friendly cafes or a trip out to Desert Palm, a polo club in the desert that has the most amazing green open spaces where kids can ride ponies, run wild and just be kids.
5.Your best place to travel in the Middle East? Tips to travel with kids?
Oman is such a beautiful country and there are some fabulous kid-friendly places to stay - the Shangri La in Muscat has gorgeous facilities including beautiful beach pool and a splash park and kids club that'll keep them entertained and happy for hours. The Middle East is a warm and welcoming place when it comes to families - kids are welcomed everywhere - we have some really lovely hotels and resorts in Dubai that are perfect for family holidays - our recent find is the Anantara on the Palm Jumeirah where the children had a ball swimming in a huge lagoon, riding tuk-tuks, leaping about on the beach and generally being treated like royalty! And as for travelling with kids, I'd say that they will delight in the smallest trip so don't feel like you need to cross the world for your holiday. When they're young, treat them to little adventures close by - from camping to staycations. Avoid crazy long flights and having to cope with jet-lag if possible (not always if you're an expat who is travelling 'home' far away!). And if you do need to deal with flights then - if you don't have a teeny baby who can use the bassinet - choose seats close to the engine (will help kids sleep) or at the back of the plane where they aren't going to disturb anyone or be disturbed by passengers using the bathroom etc.
6.If you had to spend one week in Dubai...Could you give us some nice place to go with our kids?
So many I don't know where to start! Other than the beach I would say The Journey - the most amazing new kids play space dedicated to re-connecting children with nature - there are water features to splash in, wooden structures to climb and plenty of grassy space to run about in. No trip to Dubai would be complete without a visit to the biggest mall in the world - so an excursion to the Dubai Mall Aquarium is a must (go first thing in the morning to avoid queues). And if you're coming during the hotter months then a water park is always good and lots of fun for all ages - Wild Wadi at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or Aquaventure at Atlantis The Palm are both great and have splash areas for small kids and waterslides etc for the bigger ones (mamas included!).
7.What are your best things to cook for your children?
If I'm in a rush then a quick pasta with homemade tomato sauce and cheese - or homemade chicken nuggets or fish goujons (I use panko breadcrumbs which make them really crispy and yummy). But really our ultimate family favourite is a good old English roast (usually chicken) complete with roast potatoes, vegetables and a fruit crumble to finish. Yum!
8.Could you pick up your favourite Fancy Kids pieces?
Really difficult to narrow it down as I love everything on the site! The 'imps & elfs' slogan tees for the boys paired with house of jamie joggers - and for the girls the adorable 'rock the goat' cashmere poncho - totally divine - I want one myself!
Thank you Kaya!
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