Some mornings begin with school lunches, emails and getting the kids out the door. Others begin with a medical emergency. For Dayna Fallon, caring for her husband through complex health issues has meant learning to navigate both, often at the same time.
As a working mother of three, a writer, performer and carer, Dayna has spent years juggling competing responsibilities while trying to keep life moving forward. Those experiences have become the inspiration for her debut solo theatre show, The Manager Is Me.
Between raising three children, managing work and caring for her husband, Dayna has become used to plans changing without warning.
Some days are routine. Others require her to think quickly, adapt and keep moving forward while making sure her family feels safe.
One memory in particular became the starting point for her latest creative work.
"I wrote this because I've made my children laugh to cover the sound of my husband's seizures," she says.
"I've lived the truth of 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry' and I started wondering how many women are doing that kind of emotional labour in silence."
Humour has helped Dayna and her family through difficult moments, but she knows firsthand how important it is for families to have somewhere to turn when challenges arise.
"I don't know what we would do without the support that we've had as a family," she says. "We would fall through the cracks. We absolutely would."
Dayna believes the contribution of carers is often underestimated, despite the vital role they play in the lives of the people around them.
"The least we can do to acknowledge all of the unpaid labour of love that carers provide is to give them the bare minimum support," she says.
Writing has long been part of Dayna's life.
As she reflected on her own experiences, she found herself returning to moments that were difficult, absurd and, at times, unexpectedly funny.
Those experiences eventually became The Manager Is Me, a one-woman show that blends comedy, spoken word and theatre.
"It's a one-hour, no-prisoners, one-woman show," Dayna says. "It's got a blend of spoken word in there. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry."
At its heart is a woman trying to navigate family life while everything seems to need her attention at once.
Although inspired by her own experiences, Dayna hopes the story resonates with anyone who has ever felt stretched in too many directions.
"If you're a mother, a carer, or anyone who's nearly had a mental breakdown before 9 am, you should absolutely come along."
Dayna is passionate about ensuring carers are included in conversations about the services and policies that affect their lives.
She believes sharing personal experiences helps decision-makers better understand what families are navigating every day.
"It's so important that carers are honest about what they're carrying and honest about what they can't carry," she says.
She also encourages carers to share their experiences with local MPs.
"MPs need to recognise that this is an important group in our community and an important group in our society."
The contribution carers make extends far beyond individual households, she says.
"The ripple effect of who they look after, and what would happen if they didn't do that, would be really catastrophic."
Her message is simple:
"Please look after our carers, please speak to your local MP and please ask for help."
As National Carers Week approaches, Dayna hopes carers take a moment to acknowledge everything they do and remember they don't have to do it alone.
"Wearing the badge of carer is a badge of honour," she says.
One of the biggest lessons she has learnt is that accepting help is not a sign of failure.
"I think when I had my first child, I thought I could do it all. You can't."
Instead, she encourages carers to say yes when support is offered.
"It's OK to ask for help. Say yes. Say yes to the lasagna, say yes to going out with your friends and refilling your cup."
She also encourages people providing unpaid support to connect with services, community events and opportunities designed for carers.
"Don't shy away from the label of carer and take advantage of all the support that's on offer for you."
By sharing her story, Dayna hopes other carers recognise something familiar in her experience, whether it's the juggling act, the exhaustion, or the need to laugh when everything feels a little too much.
Dayna's debut solo theatre work, The Manager Is Me, will be performed during National Carers Week as part of Melbourne Fringe.
Drawing on her own experiences, The Manager Is Me is a funny, honest and deeply personal reflection on family life, caring, resilience and finding humour when things don't go to plan.
Help others understand the real impact of care for unpaid carers. Whether you’re a primary, secondary, former or young carer, your story matters - and we want to hear it!
