Parent TV founder opens up about motherhood and chasing a dream

This mother of three believes mums are the authors of their own lives and shouldn’t abandon their dreams in raising their children. Here’s her story and tips for staying true to yourself.

Parent TV founder Samantha Jockel shares tips in the lead-up to International Women’s Day. Photo: Dominika Lis

SAMANTHA Jockel believes mums are the authors of their own lives and it’s important they don’t abandon their hopes and dreams in raising their children.

We chatted with the Clontarf mother-of-three and entrepreneur in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on March 8 about the challenges and opportunities facing women in 2019.

Samantha says busyness and a natural instinct to put your children first, can make it easy to forget the other things in your life that bring you joy.

“We can get caught up in our kids’ lives and forget about ourselves. Kids need to see their mums living their own lives and their own dreams,” she explains.

“It makes us more fulfilled and better mums.”

Samantha lives by this philosophy and has channelled her passion and energy into creating an online streaming service, called Parent TV.

It provides access to expert parenting advice on a range of topics covering children of all ages.

“One of the biggest (problems) is busyness. People just feeling there’s not enough time in the day and they’re feeling overwhelmed,” Samantha explains.

“Mums are spending two to three times more time with their kids than our stay-at-home mums did … but we have this feeling that we’re not. It’s not true.”

She says the focus has shifted from home management done by “housewives” to children — instead of sending the kids off to play with the neighbours, mothers are spending more time with them.

“We are facing challenges that no parents in the past have had to face but I think there are some things we are not getting right. It’s nobody’s fault.”

Parent TV founder Samantha Jockel with her family at their Clontarf home. Photo: Dominika Lis

So, with a background in social work, small business and social enterprise, she found a way to provide credible advice in a format which was easy for busy parents to consume.

Information is presented in short videos which she says is more appealing than spending 10-15 minutes reading a blog.

Subscribers pay to access the content, so there is no advertising on the site, no vested interests and no annoying pop-ups.

The initiative won the Innovate Moreton Bay Successful Start-Up Award at the Moreton Bay Region Business Excellence and Innovation Awards in November.

It now has 3000 subscribers, plus 20 schools, 35 childcare centres and an additional 20 childcare centres in the US. A foster care network in Texas has even signed up.

“It’s not about telling people their parenting is wrong. Really small things can make a big difference for the parent and the kid,” Samantha explains.

“People will parent how they want to parent but they often want to check in.

“I see Parent TV as a check-in with some of those thoughts — is that normal? Is there something we need to look at?”

Parent TV founder Samantha Jockel. Photo: Dominika Lis

Samantha says there are many parallels to running a business and parenting.

“Time can be challenging in some ways … I think people are saying that without even running a start-up — just life in general,” she explains.

“It’s important to think of the bigger picture stuff while doing the day-to-day.

“Be conscious of carving out really specific time to look at how you’re spending your time, and make decisions about that.

“We have become so consumed by things that fill the microspaces we used to have, leaving little time to think.”

But there are endless opportunities for women in 2019 and this fills Samantha with excitement about the future for her two daughters.

“We can, in some ways, do whatever we want,” she says. “I personally have never felt I can’t do something because I’m female. It’s never defined how I think about what I can do in life.

“Everything I’ve done … no one has handed me, I’ve just gone after it. I’ve done it local, in Redcliffe, having three children, because I have access to this thing called the internet. It’s a massive leveller.

“Opportunities are whatever you want them to be, if you’re brave enough to give it a go.”

Parent TV founder Samantha Jockel. Photo: Dominika Lis

sam’s tips for mums

1. No matter what, always tell your kids you love them and accept them for who they are, and tell them every day

2. Prioritise the things in your life that bring you joy

3. Carve out an hour a week where you commit to sitting and thinking about your week and how you’re planning to spend your time

4. Remember the average mum spends three times more time with their children than generations past. You are doing enough, remember that

5. Remember to play with your kids and just enjoy that moment. That’s part of the adventure