Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
How do I balance three kids, a husband that is FIFO from NZ to Australia and making the products? I will say it’s not easy but I have the help and support of family and friends who are amazing and I could not get this off the ground without their help.
Having school aged kids gives me that valuable time to hand make the dough in my quiet room dedicated to Pokepoke Scented Modelling Dough.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Challenges are getting the right scent (it took a little bit to find the right edible scented products), the right edible colour and finding hypoallergenic products as well.
It was also challenging to find the right consistency after using a lot of oils in the dough. So I made a lot of dough and had the kids be my testers until I achieved the right feel, smell and colour.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Pros are the great feedback about the products when out selling at markets and seeing the responses from the children is priceless, especially when they find the right scented dough that appeals to them the most. Same with the adults’ responses and smiles and a lot of giggles as they remember their childhood and play dough.
Another pro is when you have special needs children getting excited about the smells and feel of the dough, and knowing that it helps a child who is needing something to calm and relax them. As I use natural scented oils, I find the children navigate to their favorite scent that has this effect.
A con for me is having to balance work and family time and making sure that the business does not take away my time with the kids and my husband when he is home. Family has always come first for me.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I want to get more scented dough out to the people of NZ so they can create, educate, relax and soothe themselves, and not just children but adults too – maybe an adult version that’s therapeutic.
Visit the Pokepoke Scented Modelling Dough website to view their full range of products and follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram. You can also email Teena directly.
