Key Takeaways
- Hayley Holt and her family are living with her parents on their farm after their plans to move back into their own home were delayed.
- Hayley has had a varied career, including being a professional snowboarder, dancer, and TV presenter, and is now exploring new opportunities.
- She has learned to appreciate the beauty of change and is focused on finding a job that works alongside motherhood.
- Hayley values the special bond between her children and their grandparents and is grateful for the support and love they receive.
- She is exploring new projects, including a podcast called It’s Totally Fine, where she discusses motherhood and finding joy in chaos.
Introduction to Hayley’s Life
Hayley Holt, a 45-year-old former TV presenter, and her family have been living with her parents on their farm for over a year. Despite initial plans to move back into their own home, life had other ideas, and they have found themselves embracing the unexpected turn of events. Hayley, her partner Josh, and their two boys, Raven and Kingston, have been enjoying the love and support of their extended family, and Hayley has been reflecting on the beauty of change and the importance of prioritizing family.
Hayley’s Career and Personal Life
Hayley has had a varied career, including being a professional snowboarder, dancer, and TV presenter. She has worked on several shows, including Dancing With The Stars, Breakfast, and The Crowd Goes Wild, and has even dabbled in politics as a Green Party candidate. After finishing up at TVNZ, Hayley felt excited about the future and was thrilled to land a job in sales with a fleet management company. However, she soon realized that juggling full-time work and a long commute with two young kids was tougher than expected, and she made the tough decision to walk away. Hayley’s partner, Josh, has since upped his work hours, and the family is staying on with Hayley’s parents until she finds a job that works alongside motherhood.
The Benefits of Intergenerational Living
Living with her parents has not always been easy, but Hayley is keenly aware of the special bond between her children and their grandparents. The boys adore their grandparents, and Hayley is grateful for the love and support they receive. She recalls a moment where Raven insisted on adding his grandparents’ names to a Christmas trinket he was making at daycare, and her parents were overjoyed. Hayley is also excited about watching her boys open their stockings on Christmas morning and joining the wider family at Josh’s sister’s home in Hatepe for a potluck lunch.
Christmas Plans and Family Traditions
This Christmas, Hayley, Josh, Raven, and Kingston will head to Taupō on December 23 for a week. The nearby community of Hatepe is an incredibly special place for Josh, who is of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāpuhi descent. Hayley has grown to love it too and reckons it’s incredibly special seeing their boys with all their aunts, uncles, and cousins. They will spend their days swimming, relaxing, and catching up, and Hayley is looking forward to watching her boys experience the magic of Christmas. She is also planning to bury the placentas of Raven and Kingston under the same tree at Hatepe where their big brother, Frankie, is buried. Frankie was stillborn in April 2020, and Hayley and Josh openly share their story with their boys, who know that Frankie is their guardian angel.
New Projects and Future Plans
Hayley is exploring new projects, including a podcast called It’s Totally Fine, where she discusses motherhood and finding joy in chaos. She is joined by Sharyn and Lana, and they are still finding their feet, but the podcast has been well-received, and they hope it will resonate with other women who are paddling furiously beneath the water to keep everything going. As for what comes next professionally, Hayley is open-minded and dreams of creating a communal living village or food forest on her parents’ land. She is also not ruling out another broadcasting role if the right opportunity arises. Whatever the future holds, Hayley knows that she has her family, and that’s all that matters.
Reflections on Life and Motherhood
After everything they’ve been through, Hayley says her relationship with Josh continues to grow stronger. Watching him with the boys teaches her so much about being present and not overthinking everything. Hayley has learned to appreciate the beauty of change and is focused on finding joy in the chaos of motherhood. She is grateful for the love and support of her family and knows that she doesn’t need a lot to be happy. As long as she has Josh and the boys, she’s good, and they’re so lucky to have each other.
