Why Running Gymboree Play & Music is Easier Than Being a Mum

Posted: 21st June 2017

By Susannah Sloman

Susannah Sloman, Managing Director Gymboree Play & Music UK

Susannah Sloman, Managing Director of Gymboree Play & Music

I am Susannah, owner and Director of Gymboree Play & Music UK but far more importantly step-mum to Isaac, and Mum to Zach and Cameron. These 2 “Mum” roles are far more challenging and more important than my role as Director of Gymboree Play & Music UK. If you are a Mum, you don’t need any explanation as to why!

My journey to where I am now takes a long and twisted path. I found motherhood isolating, overwhelming and lonely. Nothing quite prepares you for the sleepless nights and the endless monotony of feeding, washing, pureeing and chat about babies. I loved my Zach to bits, but my brain was bored and I knew I wanted a mix of being a mum and working. My job at the time didn’t allow for flexible working and a chance conversation with a friend led to a revelation: you don’t have to be in your middle age to own a business! Not having come from a family where anyone owned their own business, this was a whole new world to me. Fast forward a year and I set up Gymboree Play & Music Surbiton and was flying. A full-time nanny for Zach, was slowly replaced by myself as my staff team grew and allowed by involvement in the business to become more balanced with my Mum role.

A few years later the opportunity to purchase Gymboree Play & Music UK came along and I jumped at the chance. 10 months later I became a single Mum with kids who were only 3 and 5 yrs at the time. I was overwhelmed with grief at the breakdown of my marriage and the enormity of running a business alone, that was bought with the intention of running it with my then husband. My team took over running Gymboree Play & Music for me and managed without me for months, while I struggled to pull myself together. My boys weren’t as patient as my team, and on day 2 of single parenting, my 5 year old asked me when I was going to stop crying. I told you being a Mum was more challenging!

Fast forward 5 years and my boys have adjusted to their new normal, and I have happily re-married. With no preparation, I suddenly had a teenage step son overnight. I might know oodles about children under 5 years but teenagers are still a mystery to me, and he’s not far off 20! My team understand my dual role, have bags of patience and wait for my responses to their question. My kids, despite the fact that I have told them I am on an important call and will be fully theirs in 10 minutes won’t wait. They interrupt my calls, appear on skype to say hi, and ask me really tricky questions just as I am trying to finish my final email of the day.

I love being Director of Gymboree Play & Music UK, and I love being a Mum too, but being a Mum is far more challenging and a far bigger responsibility. That’s because being a Mum is the most important job in the world.

This video sums it up perfectly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWcJZ210AaM&t=1s

franchising

Reviews

Both of my children (3.5 years and 11 months) go to Gymboree Play & Music and love it. My toddler goes to their drop-off Lego class which she raves about. It's very creative, working not only on Lego skills but also painting, drawing etc. My infant son loves his Gymboree Play & Music Crawlers class - particularly loves crawling all over their props, through the tunnels, etc. Great way to get the infant crawling over obstacles! Gymboree Play & Music is part of our weekly schedule for both kids and we look forward to participating every week. Invaluable!

Natalia, Hampstead

Gymboree Play & Music was a lovely and positive experience for my son Leo. We started when he was 9 months and he is now 3 years old, I wish we had started sooner.
He loves the songs (which is part of our daily singing at home), the freedom to explore and he was happy there. He looks forward to class every week and once class is over he will tell everyone about Gymbo and what he did.
For me, I liked that it taught him how to get down safely from a height, how to learn to use his body, and touching on different topics every 2 weeks. It gave me confidence in other environments to trust that he has the ability that he learned from Gymboree Play & Music and to trust him.

Sheena, Sevenoaks

I’ve been taking both my newborn and toddler to Gymboree Play & Music for a couple of months now and both boys are really loving the classes and open gym sessions. It’s a great way to meet other mums, entertain toddlers at witching hour(!) and get ideas for sensory play with babies. Sophie and Cat are fantastic and have so much energy and loads of different ideas for the classes, plus make sure the activities it’s help children meet their development milestones as well. Highly recommend this if you’re thinking about joining!! Thanks so much Sophie, Cat and the wider team :-)

Pippa, Tunbridge Wells