#Mumchat - Mum of 2 & Mint Market Founder Sally Maddison gives her mum lowdown

NAME: Sally Maddison

AGE: 44

NATIONALITY: British

LOCATION: Dubai

NUMBER OF YEARS BEING A MUM: 7

TELL US ABOUT YOUR KIDS: We’ve got Rosie (7) and George (5). Rosie is a carbon copy of me in every way, the good bits and the bad! She’s fun, energetic, confident, forgetful, creative, loves to make a mess (but not tidy up), and somehow always has an injury when there’s work to be done. She’s beautiful inside and out, affectionate, and absolutely adores animals. George, on the other hand, has the most unbelievable memory. He’s memorised the 14 times table already! He’s very intelligent (I honestly don’t know where that comes from), stubborn, and determined. He always wants things his way but is incredibly focused and won’t quit, unlike his sister. He’s still super cute too, with the longest eyelashes.

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @mintmarket.ae

SHORT SUMMARY ABOUT YOU SO WE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU.

I’m Sally, Founder of MINT Market, a purpose-led marketplace that champions small businesses in the UAE through joyful pop-up events and our newly launched online store. I’ve spent over 20 years in marketing and events, working with brands like Audi, adidas, and Sony PlayStation before taking the leap into entrepreneurship. At heart though, I’m a mum first. Life is busy, messy, and beautiful, and I try every day to balance building a business with raising my two little ones.

What’s one thing you wish you’d known before becoming a parent?

That no matter how much you plan or prepare, kids will do things their own way, in their own time. You can read every book and ask all the advice, but nothing quite prepares you for the fact that you just have to trust your instincts and let go of perfection.

What’s something you swore you’d never do as a parent—but do now?

Bribe them with sweets or iPads to get through tricky situations! I used to swear I’d never be “that mum,” but sometimes survival mode kicks in and you just need a moment of peace.

What was the BEST piece of parenting advice you’ve received?

I’ve not really received much advice, but my top tips for a happy home are to make 'boring' jobs fun, such as the PJ race before bed, and definitely stick to a routine. Normally if there’s a meltdown, it’s either because they are tired or hungry. Fix those first! Also, if they are crying, just cuddle them. Don’t try to have a conversation as they are not listening. Talk to them once they have calmed down. It’s all about fixing the energy.

Share with us your biggest “parenting fail”—we promise no judgement here!

George asked me the other day about 'bad words' and wanted to know if there was a bad word for every letter in the alphabet. “Let’s start at A,” he said and without thinking, I shouted 'ASSHOLE!' OMG, I’d just taught my 5-year-old a bad word. Idiot!

How do you balance life?

It’s not really about balance, it’s more about constant juggling and knowing when to put one ball down. I try to carve out sacred family moments (like dinner at the table every night), protect time for myself (my morning workout), and then pour my energy into MINT Market during the work windows I have, trying to squeeze in drop-off and pick-up with the crazy traffic. Some days I feel like I’m smashing it, other days I’m just winging it. And that’s okay.

One parenting hack you’d like to share with us.

Keep a “car kit,”a bag in the car stocked with snacks, spare clothes, wipes, and small toys. It has saved me countless meltdowns and messes.

What do you hope your kids say about you when they’re older?

That she was a great mum, she always tried her best, worked blooming hard, and we always had fun as a family.

3 words that describe #MumLife to you

Messy, Endless love, Worth it