Lara Worthington: The lesson she has learned about protecting her kids

MODEL and entrepreneur Lara Worthington tells how she copes with raising two young ones on the move and “the little things” that connect them to Australia.

Lara Worthington started her own cosmetics line “because I wanted to learn something I didn’t know”. (Pic: Stephen Ward)

MODEL and entrepreneur Lara Worthington tells how she copes with raising two young ones on the move and “the little things” that connect them to Australia.

Every time we open a magazine, there seems to be a snap of the Worthington family in a different location. Where are you right now?

At the moment? Hawaii.

Lara Worthington captioned this aquatic shot "30". (Picture: @laraworthington/Instagram)

Let’s get the mandatory work-life balance question out of the way: how do you manage being an entrepreneur, model, mother and serial globetrotter?

Part of it is trying to get advice from different women who seem to have a great work-life balance, and I think that I’m learning how to prioritise. It’s a challenge and something I’m continually working on, but I love being a working mum. A lot of the work is done at night while the kids are sleeping. I’ve just turned 30, so I’m definitely not ready to drop everything. I get so much fulfilment from working.

Most mothers say that going from one child to two is a huge change. How have you fared after your second?

It seemed like I was a first-time mum not so long ago. So going straight into another, two under two, was definitely a major leap.

“My husband’s first and last face mask. #bluelagooniceland #silica”. (Picture: Lara Worthington / Instagram)

What’s your number-one tip for maintaining your sanity?

I try not to Google too much as some of the [baby advice] can be really frightening. But I have [a website] I go to, and I read all the comments from other mums. I find solace in that. It makes me feel that I’m not alone. There are other mums out there going through the same thing.

With your schedule, it’s not like you can make it to mothers’ group every Monday to workshop sleep schedules and swap puree recipes.

I’d love to, but moving around is quite a challenge. But I’ve found a lot of support from friends with children, and I speak to my best friend in Australia, who also has two under two. And my mum and Sam’s [husband, actor Sam Worthington] mum have given me so much support.

Have you managed to trim your getting-ready routine to sub-five minutes, like the rest of us?

I definitely don’t have much time anymore, but I’m a uniform dresser. I wear variations of the same thing every day. That’s how I’ve always been.

You were recently in Sydney for the launch of Tiffany & Co.’s new HardWear collection. Have you added more jewellery to the uniform?

I have a Tiffany & Co. bracelet I wear every day, a necklace I wear as a bracelet and a few rings. I’m a huge fan of rose gold because I think it blends with the skin the easiest. I actually love wearing fine jewellery during the day, but [only] one or two statement pieces. I don’t think I’d wear everything at once!

You and Sam are notoriously private when it comes to the children. How do you achieve that, bearing in mind the level of press attention you both attract?

It’s definitely a choice. We love our privacy and, for our children, we decided early on to give them as much privacy as we could. Sometimes our reality is difficult for Rocket and Racer, but we try hard to protect them. That’s our main focus because [our sons] don’t have a choice. When they’re my age, what will they want to do? I don’t know, but I never want to embarrass them, or do things they wouldn’t like. So protecting them seems the best possible answer. And

I’ve learnt from past experience that once you put something out there on the internet, it’s there forever.

Even though the Worthington family is based mostly in New York, are the boys being brought up as little Australians?

They will always have a connection to Australia. It’s just the little things, like Vegemite, which I travel with anyway. Initially, I thought, “Oh, my god, I must have my first child in Australia.”

But in the end, they were both born in the US and so far, so good. I do love the diversity here. Rocket has friends from all different places, and I’m massive on that.

In between everything else, you manage to run The Base, your own cosmetics line. Were you always entrepreneurial — that little girl running the lemonade stand?

I actually started it because I wanted to learn something I didn’t know. It’s been super-exciting. I’m a very visual and creative person and passionate about make-up and beauty.

I’ve been lucky to be exposed to so many talented make-up artists from my modelling days; it’s an extension of that. I get inspired by so many things: the women I meet, the places I go. I’m constantly learning. I’ll be learning forever.

Lara Worthington is a friend of the Tiffany & Co. brand.