Let’s chat about Blended Family…

On this weeks Bizzimumzi podcast I dive into conversation with Salma Shah, Senior Advisor at Portland Communications. She shares the ups and downs of juggling parenthood with her full-time work and we go further into conversation about blended families and understand how to navigate this for our children. As Salma shares, “My children are not some sort of neat little fit. We are British, Indian and Pakistani.” Salma speaks candidly about how her daughter, who is 5, is already asking all the questions about different skin colour and why everyone isn’t treated equally.

I love my blended family (American, British & Indian) but also know it will have its own challenges in the future. Adiya will come with all the questions and we will simply teach & nuturer her to lead with love but also not make her blind to the ignorance and hate that exists in the world. As much as we want to bubble wrap her from all the negativity, we know that is not the proper ground work we need to do as parents. We will do our absolute best to educate her, share our experiences and make her aware of everything out there.

I hope you enjoy this candid Bizzimumzi chat this week. For anyone with little ones… I hope you have the conversations. There is no “too young” for this type of conversation and we never want to be “too late” to have it either.

Pictured is my dear Adiya and Lord Ganesha at an Indian restaurant in Uganda, Africa. Adiya loved the little fountain and all the added flowers for Ganesha. She recognises this god as we have Ganesha all over the house. Actually, in every single room.

Ganesha offers prosperity and success to all who invoke him. As Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles, he’s the first to call on before the undertaking of a new task or business. His large head personifies knowledge and intelligence. Ganesha’s small eyes represent keen, precise observation.

As Adiya is blended with rich Indian roots, I can’t wait to take her to India and show her where Rikki and I got married and all the rich history and influence India offers.

Please check out the latest Bizzimumzi episode with Salma Shah where we dive into discussion about navigating our children through a not so kind world.

Salma Shah is a Partner and Senior Adviser at Portland, the communications and public affairs company. Previously, Salma was Special Adviser to the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, from 2018-19. She was responsible for strategy and communication across the Department. She served in the UK government from May 2014, in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). Prior to this Salma was a journalist at the BBC, producing the Today programme on Radio 4.