Karen ~ " I'm 45 (but 6 months younger than Caroline!). I'm married to Colin and we have 3 children Ursula 13, Hugo 11 and Guy 4. Colin and I started life together in South London, moving to Stevenage in Hertfordshire before settling in deepest East Wiltshire. I've been helping care for children since the age of eleven when my much younger sister was born. After A-levels I had a very happy time working as a live-in nanny to Amy and Beth (then aged 7 & 5 - they are now both mums themselves!) before I went to a polytechnic and took an HND in business studies. I have been working in marketing, PR and management consultancy for 18 years. I've also been a primary school Governor for 14 years. I chose to continue to work after the children were born, working full time after Ursula came along and then for 3 days a week once Hugo was born. Just as life was calming down for us all, and at the age of nearly 41, I had a precious third child, Guy, and so I've now spent thirty years caring for children.

"I feel I've been pretty lucky in my life and I have mostly had a good time whatever I have been doing. I was incredibly fortunate and enjoyed the transition from career woman to working mum, and I have always been so grateful for this. I wanted to do something to help other people enjoy parenthood as much as I do. I've coped with the ups and downs of family life by seeking and taking lots of advice and by reading heaps of books about childcare (some helped many didn't)! It was great when I realised I could use the skills and tactics I learnt at work to organise my home life and manage my children. One of the people I've learnt a lot from is Caroline, even with 5 children she still manages to have a lot of fun and enjoy life - whilst getting them all to the right schools at the right time, in clean uniform, and having done all their homework. I hope families can use Parenting Café to provide ideas to help them enjoy family life as much as possible - the time with our children passes so quickly!"

Caroline ~ "I'm also 45, and married to Simon, together we have 5 children, Bart 18, Josh 17, Millie 15, Annie 14 and Patrick 11. I grew up in Essex, lived in France and London before settling in Wiltshire 17 years ago. I trained as a nurse immediately after leaving school, moving to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children to specialise in nursing sick children - which I loved. After Simon and I married and moved to Wiltshire, I was lucky enough to work as Occupational Health Nurse at the famous Norlands Nursery Nurse training school, but when Bart was born I decided to give up my career to become a full time mother. When I wasn't breeding, breast feeding and generally keeping up with cooking, cleaning and the washing, etc. I was involved with helping at playgroup and school and on local committees. I've organised annual charity fund raising events for many years - including helping raise the money to build a children's playground in our village. In 2003 I joined and completed a "return to practice course" with a view to resuming my nursing career ~ but family life and a busy husband meant that in 2006 I decided to retire from both Parenting Cafe and nursing.

"I have no regrets about staying at home with my children and feel extremely grateful for having had the privilege to do so. I've had a wonderful time and I can now look back and smile at the both the good and bad moments! When the children were small (at one point I had four children under 5 years old) I would discuss my parenting worries and concerns with my close friends and ironically have never read a parenting book! Like most parents I have always believed in showing my children heaps of love, and Simon and I believe in being firm and consistent with our children about their behaviour - otherwise I have just followed my instincts and hoped for the best. As it's been such fun bringing up my children I felt I would like to share some of the things I have learnt along the way about how to enjoy family life. Although staying at home has worked for me and my family, I have always appreciated this is not the choice for everyone. Karen is an example of someone who has continued working and combined her successful career with raising 3 children in a happy environment. She's now running Parenting Cafe, but I remain on hand to help out when needed and enjoy keeping up with how the web site is developing".