She may have made a name for herself as a businesswoman and beauty pageant titleholder, but nowadays Megan Bobbert is best known as mom. And a busy one at that.
Besides being a dynamic leader in her field as an image consultant and owner of the first colour-coordinated clothing range in the country, Megan Bobbert, neé Coleman, is the ultimate multitasker, juggling work and family responsibilities with grace and finesse … and the very rare dishevelled moment!
So how does she do it all? Megan’s motto is to accept that the best we can do is be perfectly imperfect and embrace this notion. And if all else fails, hugs and kisses usually win the battle.
Megan says she always dreamed of being a mom, and that motherhood has surpassed her wildest dreams, but never in a million years did she imagine how difficult the working mom life juggle would be.
“I often dreamed of how it would look on paper and it’s crazy how different the real version is, but I am so grateful for my life, my husband, Craig, my kids, Mackenzi and Harvey, and our wonderful life,” says Megan, who divides her time between home in Simbithi Eco Estate, her office in Ballito, and Kloof where Image Insured, the business she co-owns with her mom Fay, is based.
With their successful styling consultancy it’s difficult to believe that the former Miss South Africa and her mom were once total tomboys who never imagined themselves in this line of work.
“We honestly didn’t feel like the ‘pretty girls’ growing up. That’s probably why we’re so passionate about helping others feel confident in their own skin.”
Their business centres around colour and figure analysis to help clients understand which shades and styles bring out their best features.
“Most of us dress by guesswork, but once you know your seasonal palette and body shape, everything from shopping to getting dressed becomes easier and a lot more fun.”
With in-person and online consults, Megan says their clothing range, called Seasons, is designed with real women in mind.
“Sometimes just one small change, like wearing the right colour, can completely shift how you feel about yourself. It’s also important to remember that it’s not about trends or perfection, but about finding your confidence again,” says Megan.
In between orchestrating life-changing makeovers and keeping their beautiful clothing range up to date, Megan is no stranger to juggling what she calls absolute chaos.
“There’s no other way to describe it other than feeling like a headless chicken running from pillar to post, all day long. I’m sure all other moms will agree, whether you are a working or a stay-at-home mom, every day feels like a circus! Thank goodness my husband does the school drop-offs and my amazing nanny, Mandisa, who I would not be able to live without, arrives at 7.30am. Trying to get yourself, a three-year-old, and a one-year-old ready for a day sometimes feels like trying to pin jelly to a wall.”
Although Megan’s parenting journey started later in life than she originally thought, she has no qualms with this as it gave her the opportunity to really live life before starting a family.
“Yup, I’m turning 40 this year! I was hoping to inherit the anti-aging genes from my mama, but then I realised I don’t quite follow her health regime the way I should, so I’m probably not going to look as good as her when I reach 68.”
Megan says that the demands of motherhood don’t always allow for her to attend crazy ab classes at the gym and drink fresh veggie juice, made from scratch, three times a week quite like her mom does.
“Being a mom is the most wonderful, exhausting, exhilarating blessing. There are moments you feel you just can’t carry on, and then there are moments when your child does something so adorable it makes up for all the sleepless nights, and anxiety,” says Megan, who readily admits it is not always easy to be present amidst the pandemonium.
“But, I am so grateful that I have been able to become a mom because I know so many friends who have not been able to, and I never want to take it for granted.”
Much like Megan, Mackenzi is feisty but funny, and sensitive and caring. Harvey on the other hand is a little more chilled.
“He loves a hug, and a bite out of my neck, and he doesn’t cry when he gets his vaccinations, but take away a toy he is playing with – most often the broom or vacuum cleaner – and he lets it rip,” says Megan, sharing candidly that the only way to handle super tough days is to count the minutes until bedtime and cling on for dear life.
“That and prayer. My mom is a prayer warrior, and we’ve had a few scary moments along this parenthood journey already, so it is our staple, especially when our kids are sick or facing a certain challenge.”
On meals and moments that really matter, Megan says Craig is an undercover superhero.
“He gets home in time to help put Mackenzi to bed while I tend to Harvey, because trying to get them both to sleep on my own is near impossible.
“And I can’t say a lot of cooking goes on in our house. There is just not enough time after work to cook for them from scratch and I really like to make sure they eat healthy food so that on weekends I don’t feel guilty when they consume too much sugar and virtually no vegetables,” says Megan, adding that she bulk cooks for the kids every second Sunday and stores it in the freezer to make weekday mealtimes easier.
“I cook up a huge pot of veggies – onion, herbs, garlic, carrots, spinach, butternut, sweet potato, broccoli, baby marrows, veggie stock, and lentils – for about 45mins – then blend, allow to cool, and freeze in little containers for both of them. Most nights Mackenzi has veggies with a different protein that I quickly cook in the air fryer – pork sausages, chicken strips, fish fingers, mince, and Harvey, whose on a mix of pureed and finger food, gets to play around with bits of avo, cucumber and fruit while I shove spoonfuls of blended nutrition into his mouth! It works a charm.”
As a couple, Megan and Craig are all for quick and easy but healthy meals, and here they play tag team.
“Who gets to play chef for the evening depends on who leaves their respective kid’s bedroom first after bedtime duties! I have to admit though, Craig is the Jamie Oliver in our home. He makes a killer lamb shank in the slow cooker and has perfected a fillet on the gas braai. Our absolute best is ordering in sushi when the house is quiet, which we enjoy over a glass of wine on the couch.”
Of parenting and pearls of wisdom, Megan says one thing she’s really tried to be conscious of is viewing the tantrums and meltdowns through the kids’ eyes rather than her own so that it gives her perspective on how to discipline them.
“I have certainly not got this parenting thing down at all, but I have noticed that many times a hiding or threat of one can make a bad situation worse. Sometimes a hug in the moment of a meltdown helps to regulate emotions rather than heighten them. I also haven’t prioritised self-care over the last year because I’ve been in survival mode with a tiny tot and a toddler, but I finally feel like I am coming out of the woods and I am able to start doing some of the things that I enjoy again.”
With Mother’s Day around the corner, Megan says the day offers a chance to honour all kinds of moms, not just biological ones.
“My lovely mom-in-law lives in Johannesburg, so unfortunately, we don’t often get to spend Mother’s Day with her, but we are lucky enough to have my mom living close by, so we’ll have her and my dad over for lunch so we can celebrate together,” says Megan, who will never say no to a special spoil to mark the occasion.
“My absolute best is full body massage. Honestly though, I am sure I speak for most moms out there that the ultimate gift on Mother’s Day would be a day on our own – without the responsibilities and mother-load that we carry every day.”
MEAL TIME WITH MEGAN
“I’ve recently discovered a quick and easy chicken recipe on Pinterest which I make for the whole family. I have just added some veggies to make it a bit healthier.”
What to do …
Coat chicken pieces in dried herbs, smoked paprika, salt and olive oil, then fry up and set aside. In the same pan, fry an onion, garlic and ginger for one minute. Add veggie stock to deglaze the pan and simmer for another minute. Add finely chopped carrots and half a tin of chickpeas. Add a tin of coconut milk, a small tin of tomato paste and some salt to taste. Simmer and allow to thicken for another few minutes. Add the chicken and serve on a bed of rice.
MEGAN’S TOP FIVE TIPS ON JUGGLING TODDLERS
Here are my top tongue-in-cheek tips for juggling toddlers, because let’s be honest, nothing actually works!”
Treat your toddler like a ticking bomb that you are carefully trying to diffuse – any sudden movements, show of fear or anxiety will set them off.
Embrace the chaos. Trying to keep a clean house is a futile exercise and making sure their toys are kept in their correct locations is near impossible, so rather just give up on keeping everything orderly.
A quiet toddler is a dangerous toddler. Don’t drop your guard and think you are getting five minutes of peace and quiet. They are 100 percent drawing on your walls with permanent marker or rubbing playdoh into the carpet.
Whatever you do, DO NOT let them nap after 2pm. If you do, even if it is for 10 minutes – they will not go to sleep until after 9pm. But if they don’t nap at all, bedtime will also be hell. And if they do nap between 12 and 2pm they will most likely still wake up in a bad mood. Godspeed.
Sharing is caring, except if you are a toddler with a younger sibling. Then sharing is not possible and trying to enforce this will end in tears.
Good luck out there, moms!
HOW TO DRESS AS A MILLENNIAL MOM
I’m not sure how other millennial moms out there feel, but since having kids I feel like I have completely lost track of what is in fashion. You’d think as an image consultant I’d have this particular area of my life sorted, but I don’t! So if you are also out there wondering how to make baggy jeans work when you still feel more comfy in your skinny jeans – then you’re not alone! But I personally think we should boycott this new fashion and bring back skinny jeans.
Here are my tips as a floundering mom of two (who should have it more together than she does)
Wear what you feel comfortable in instead of following fashion religiously. Sometimes our desperate attempt to keep up with the latest fashions can actually make us feel more frumpy than ever! My recommendation is to add pieces of the latest fashion to your existing style rather than trying to do it from head to toe and ending up looking like a fruit cake. For example, add the chunky shoe but not necessarily the oversized jeans and shirt at the same time.
Make sure the fashion you are choosing still works for your body type (that’s where a figure analysis with us is so helpful). If it’s in fashion but makes you look out of proportion – it’s not worth it! Fashion in moderation is key. For example, baggy jeans can make your legs look shorter so unless you have really long legs it might be better to go for mom jeans that are still loose but taper at the ankle to give you some extra leg length. Chunky sandals and sneakers can cut off leg length as well so not a good idea if you have short legs or carry weight on your legs. It is then better to opt for a neat sneaker or sandal.
Neutral tones are very in fashion, but you have to pick the correct neutrals for your skin tone otherwise you run the risk of looking even more tired than you are (and we know you’re already tired as a mom). Creams, tans and browns are great neutrals for warm undertone skins, and whites, greys and denims are great neutrals for cool undertone skins.
Dress according to your clothing personality. If you are a bold, dramatic personality type you are never going to feel comfortable in the classic linen neutrals that are all in fashion. You will feel boring, so stick with bold prints because you will carry it off even if it is not in fashion.
The internet is there to help us moms who are living under a rock and don’t have time to wander the shops at leisure to see what’s in fashion, so use it to your advantage. I follow loads of accounts that I identify with in terms of age and styling – so find your Insta crew and draw inspiration from there. PS I love @loverlygrey – she’s a mom of two who shares outfit inspo every day.
If you don’t know your season or undertone, book a colour analysis with Megan and Fay at Image Insured.
Details: 031 764 1039 or info@imageinsured.co.za
PHOTO CREDITS/ TAG: Tantalising Twins Content Creators, Amy 082 494 8887, Meg 082 494 8888, tantalisingtwins@gmail.com
