Interview with Jacinda Ardern

Bookseller Chloe had the chance to ask the woman herself, New Zealand's former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, some uplifting questions that delve into motherhood, hope and living in the USA to celebrate the release of her memoir, A Different Kind of Power.

Read: A Different Kind of Power.

1.What does a day in the life of Jacinda Ardern look like?

Very normal! Helping get Neve off to school, if I’m organised, a short stop at the campus gym and then into the office. If I don’t have a class or forum I am popping into then I’ll be on Zoom working on projects, from the Earthshot prize through to the Christchurch Call to action on ending violent extremism online.

2.How do you set yourself up for a day of writing?

I wrote the majority of the book in the evenings. I was a bit of a procrastinator, so it was only when there was nothing else to be done for the day that I would properly stop and write. I would write sitting awkwardly on the bed which is probably why my knees hurt going up stairs now (either that, or thats just what happens in your mid 40s!)

3.What are you reading right now?

I just finished Melinda French Gates book, The Next Day, which is a beautiful book. Before that, I listened to the audio version of the Bee Sting, which was phenomenal!

4.What was the most rewarding, and the most challenging, chapter to write in A Different Kind of Power and why?

There were chapters that were hard, but you would expect to be difficult, like those that covered March 15 and Covid. But I found writing about my faith one of the most challenging sections. I think perhaps because it was something I hadn’t revisited for so long?

5.What’s giving you hope at the moment?

Being around such incredible young people, who still hold so much optimism and hope that the world can be better.

6. Being a new mum is hard let alone being Prime Minister at the same time. As I write these questions to you my husband is trying to tell me about a drill-piece he’s bought and my toddler is asking me if he can watch SpongeBob Squarepants while asking for a snack plate. How did you assuage the usual new-mum feelings of guilt, exhaustion, and wondering if you’re doing it all ‘right’?

I didn’t! I never ever found a remedy to mum guilt, and I never stopped feeling like at any given time I was letting someone down. But that in itself was a lesson. I was running a country and still always felt the draw to be more present for my family. That tells me that there is no getting rid of mum guilt, perhaps we all just need to figure out how to give ourselves a bit more grace when we try to manage it?

7.What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever received and who was it from?

There has been so much advice! And I have hung onto so much of it. Most of the ones I find myself falling back on though, usually came from my father.

8.What do you do when you’re able to carve out even a small snippet of time to be alone and just be Jacinda?

Honestly? I watch Law and Order. Sad but true. Thankfully it’s unlikely I’ll ever run out of episodes to watch - both because those quiet moments are rare, and because it has to be one of the longest running shows ever!

9.Can you give us your top three highlights from living in America?

Time with family

Perspective

The convenience of overnight mail order deliveries

10. On top of A Different Kind of Power, you’ve got a children’s book coming out. Tell us about that story and where the idea came from?

Parents read A LOT of children’s books. And they cover so much ground, but I noticed there wasn''t anything really that told the story of working parents. I really do credit my daughter for this book though, a lot of it is based on things she said to me when I was PM (and she didn't know that was what I did!)

11.You’ve already achieved an astonishing amount in your lifetime, what do you hope the next ten years holds both in your career and personal life?

I have never been one for a five year plan. Or to say “I want to achieve x or y.” I have always just been driven by the idea of being useful. So that’s what I hope for, to keep being useful and to enjoy life as a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend along the way.