By Katie Douglas

Let me just say it—being a mom of four and running a coffee shop is not for the faint of heart. Life is busy, loud, unpredictable… and absolutely beautiful. As the owner of Fika, my cozy little coffee haven, and a proud mom to four energetic, sporty kids (ages 6, 10, 12,and 15), I live every day on a careful blend of caffeine, calendars, and chaos.

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Mornings at Full Speed

Gone are the diaper days, but the hustle hasn’t slowed down. Now, instead of nap schedules, I’m juggling swim practices, football cleats, ballet buns, and gymnastics leotards—often all before 8 a.m.

Once the kids are off to school or training, I switch hats and head to Fika. The hum of the espresso machine and smell of freshly ground beans is its own kind of therapy. This little shop has become more than a business—it’s a second home, a dream brought to life.

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Fika: My Other Baby

Running Fika Coffee House is as demanding as it is rewarding. I manage staff, plan menus, run inventory, host community events, and yes—still find myself elbow-deep in spilled oat milk or a jammed grinder. But it’s mine. It’s the space I get to build, nurture, and pour myself into every day (literally and metaphorically).

And while it can be hard to divide my time between a bustling café and a busy household, I remind myself: this is the life I wanted—full, rich, and caffeinated.

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Mom Mode, Activated

Afternoons and evenings belong to the kids. Between ballet recitals, football matches, gymnastics meets, and swim galas, I’m in full-on support mode. My car feels like a locker room on wheels. Dinner is often eaten in shifts, homework gets done between training sessions, and I’ve become a professional at finding lost shin pads or ballet shoes in under 60 seconds.

It’s wild. It’s exhausting. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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What Balance Really Looks Like

Balance, in my world, isn’t about perfect schedules or a spotless house. It’s knowing when to lean in at the shop, and when to lean back at home. It’s skipping a late-night inventory check so I can watch my daughter land her gymnastics routine. It’s trusting my team at Fika so I can make it to the sidelines for my son’s match.

There are days I feel like I’m dropping the ball—and honestly, sometimes I do. But my kids don’t need a flawless mom. They need one who shows up, cheers loud, and keeps trying.

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My Go-To Sanity Savers:

• Batch cooking & car snacks (life-changing!)
• Colour-coded family calendar (non-negotiable)
• A solid team at Fika that I trust with my eyes closed
• “No phone” family time in the evenings
• And of course… lots and lots of coffee

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Closing Thoughts

To the moms out there balancing kids, careers, and everything in between: you are seen. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to not do it all. And it’s more than okay to ask for help.

I’ve learned that success isn’t just found in profit margins or parenting wins—it’s in the quiet pride of making it through another day, in the joy of seeing your kids thrive, and in those little peaceful moments over a cup of coffee at Fika.

So here’s to the chaos, the caffeine, and the beautiful in-between. You’ve got this. And when you don’t—there’s always coffee.