To celebrate this Mother’s Day, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Chontel Duncan for a one on one interview about her magical (and sometimes challenging) journey through motherhood and what it’s like raising a big family.
Chontel is a personal trainer, gym owner, fitness influencer and self-confessed overall fitness lover. Yet not only is she an incredibly driven businesswoman & influencer, she is also a loving & dedicated mother with family at the heart of all she does.
Together we touched on the joys of raising 5 kids under the age of 6, the struggles of balancing a busy career life with family and the importance of making the most of these precious moments while they’re here. We’ve been lucky enough to watch Chontel’s family grow over the years and most recently helped her celebrate the birth of her twins as she returned to Verve for a third time.
Tell us about yourself and your family?
We are a family of 7 – 4 boys and 1 girl all born within 6 years. We are an active family who get involved in all types of sports and exercise. We are loud, live a very busy life and love holidays at the beach.
What does motherhood mean to you?
It’s a privilege not a right & it’s an opportunity to be the pillar of happiness and hope.
What are the things that excite you most about motherhood?
Seeing sibling relationships develop, having control over providing a loving home and happy future for our children & filling our home with noise and laughter.
Motherhood is an ever-changing journey. What kind of mother do you see yourself developing into as the kids grow up?
Someone who is honest, understanding & accepting of their differences.
What is the best advice on motherhood you have ever received?
Never give up.
What is it like managing a day in the life of your family?
It’s chaos and exhausting, but my heart is always full.
We saw your recent stories detailing your challenging experience with the twins . . . How did you manage your time & family throughout the whole ordeal and do you have any advice for mums who may be going through something similar?
I barely survived, which is why my advice “never give up” is so important. Things will always work out.
Lastly, what does photography mean to you? In particular, what have your Verve photography experiences meant to you and your family?
We have had three shoots with Verve now and I am very passionate about capturing the family as it evolves and grows. It’s particularly important to me to have for our future as I want my children to be able to look back at the images when they’re older so they can experience the love and joy we all shared – even if they were too young to remember these years when they’re adults.
Particularly with the challenges we went through with the twins, this is a beautiful and important milestone for us as a family and signifies the beginning of our next chapter as a family of 7.
If you’d like to see more of Chontel, you can follow the adventures of the Duncan family @the.duncan.family_ or follow Chontel @chontelduncan.
To have your own incredible family experience with Verve, go to www.verveportraits.com.au/artwork/gift-voucher/ to book in now!
For more beautiful photography and real stories of life, family & relationships, join us at @verveportraits to never miss a thing!
