Anna Scullie and Eddie Betts have been each other’s rocks through club trades, interstate moves, four kids (Lewis, Billy and twin girls Alice and Maggie), and their respective start-up businesses. Anna is the cofounder of our very own Frankly Eco, a natural, plant-based skincare brand and Eddie has a children’s book series, Eddie’s Lil’ Homies, which educates kids on acceptance and equality. As well as being an AFL superstar, Eddie is an Indigenous activist, currently focused on connecting his club, Carlton, with the Aboriginal community in Victoria. He’s spoken out about racism in the AFL and in his role as a mentor for young Indigenous players.

With Father’s Day this weekend, we checked in with Anna and Eddie for a snapshot of parenting in 2020. Anna, who is currently pregnant with their fifth child, is in Melbourne managing lockdown with the kids, all without Eddie, who is in Queensland playing AFL. Here she talks homeschooling, hopes for the future, and why COVID-19 is a feminist issue.

How, and where, are you?

“We’re located in Melbourne, running Frankly Eco from home. I have my seven-year-old, five-year-old and two-year-old twins here with me. My seven-year-old is doing homeschooling, which I really suck at. I get really frustrated and have learnt I’m not the best teacher! Eddie is playing AFL in Queensland. He left for four weeks, eight weeks ago and potentially has another sveen weeks to go on the road. Our life is completely different to pre-pandemic, which I assume is the case for most people. We both feel sad about it but we also support each other. At times I can become quite resentful because I feel that COVID is a massive feminist issue. Most of the extra roles, I’ve had to pick up, and a lot of other women have picked up. It can be seen in the employment figures that more women than men are losing their jobs.”

What are your plans for Father’s Day?

“Eddie would most like to be spending it with his kids, because he’s not going to be with them. But I’ll make sure I send some Haigh's chocolate almonds up to him. We don’t really do much for Father’s or Mother's Day, we tend to take it easy.”

Hopes for 2021?

“Personally, I want to keep growing in my leadership and be in a place where we can generate more jobs for women, and ensure our business serves a purpose. We’re also really passionate about making sure the Black Lives Matter movement continues, and that it goes beyond something that was trendy for a couple of weeks. We want people in Australia and around the world to authentically include diversity within their businesses and make sure we can all work together to create an anti-racist world where we all decolonize our minds and we’re able to see the impact of racism and discrimination.”

Read about other parenting stories like Heidi Moustafa's here and an especially 2020 story here.