For our International Women’s Day edition of Remarkable Women, we’re honoured to feature Candice Tanna—affectionately known as Candy. A mother of four and the heart behind @tanna__tribe, she shares her vibrant family life, faith, and creativity online. In this interview, Candice opens up about the beauty and challenges of motherhood, her approach to raising kind and confident children, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your family, your work, and what life looks like for you right now?
Candice: My name is Candy, and I’m a mum of four based in Queensland. My boys, Kyjuan (17) and Dai-Shaun (14), and my girls, Mahiya (8) and Zendaya (6), keep life busy but absolutely blessed! I’ve been a content creator for seven years now. What started as a platform to spam our family and friends with photos turned into the most incredible opportunity—I never could have dreamed that this would become my job. At one point, I was working three jobs with little kids, so even though life is busy now, it’s a different kind of busy, and I’m grateful.
Candice with her daughters, Zendaya (left) and Mahiya (right)
With four kids, we imagine your household is full of energy! What does a typical day look like for you?
Candice: A typical school day starts early and loud! I wake up before the kids to get breakfast and lunches ready. Once they’re off to school, I head straight to the gym—I've been making time for me after all these years and rarely skip my workouts. Afternoons are filled with the usual afternoon tea, homework and chill. Sports training a couple of times a week and we also go to church so we have a midweek meeting and also on a weekend.
Weekends are for family time—beach days and catch-ups with loved ones.
Mahiya (left) wears the Maja Swimsuit
Zendaya (right) wears the Lila Bikini (sold out)
Motherhood is a journey of constant evolution. What has surprised you most about this experience?
Candice: You aren’t wrong—it’s always changing! I suppose we didn't fully anticipate how busy it would be with the more kids we had. The jump from three to four kids really got me. It was a shock! But now that my girls are a little older, things are getting easier. The teenage years with my boys have been a breeze so far—they're both really good so no challenges there yet!
Zendaya wears the Mae Blouse
Many mothers in our community talk about the juggle of parenthood, work, and personal time. What are your non-negotiables when it comes to looking after yourself?
Candice: Always make time for yourself. If you're happy and in a good mental state it helps the whole family. It's hard when life is so busy but even if it's just half an hour to read a book or listen to music after the kids go to bed - it really is so important.
Family traditions often become the heart of childhood memories. Is there a special tradition in your family that means a lot to you?
Candice: Family dinners with our extended family and family holidays are really important to us. We make sure to take at least one holiday together each year, and our kids always talk about those memories. It’s something we’ll keep doing as they grow.
Your content beautifully captures the magic of everyday family life. What first inspired you to share your world online?
Candice: It really just happened naturally! Over time, I found such a supportive online community, which made me feel safe to be open and real about our lives. We don’t get much negativity, which I know isn’t always the case for everyone. Of course we still keep our location and parts of our life private—but overall, our community has played a huge factor in me feeling safe to show up and be transparent
Social media can be an amazing tool for connection, but it also requires boundaries. How do you navigate what to share and what to keep private?
Candice: Our kids’ safety is always our priority. We share most of our content on Instagram and TikTok, but my Facebook page is private—that’s where we keep our personal photos and moments just for family.
Zendaya wears the Pansy Shorts
What has been the most rewarding part of building Tanna Tribe? And on the flip side, what has been the most challenging?
Candice: The countless incredible opportunities from international travel, building friendships and being able to be relatable and help other people in our community to feel less alone with family life challenges. I’m a very creative person, so styling fashion and decorating our home also fills my cup. It's been so rewarding. Our kids love it too! And I love seeing them get out of their comfort zone.
Mahiya wears the Georgia Pantsuit
As for challenges, I wouldn’t say there’s been anything major. The trickiest part is probably fitting in campaign filming now that the kids are at school—afternoons and weekends can get really busy.
If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice before starting Tanna Tribe, what would it be?
Candice: Trust yourself. Every challenge helps you grow. Don’t be afraid—seize every opportunity!
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is Accelerate Action, encouraging us to push forward for gender equality. As a mother of both boys and girls, how do you approach raising them with an understanding of equality and respect?
Candice: Kindness conquers all. We always teach our kids to respect everyone. No matter who they meet, they should treat people with love and kindness.
What’s a conversation we should be having more often with young girls today?
Candice: To respect themselves. Never compare yourself to others. Be proud of even the smallest achievements. And most importantly, speak kindly to yourself.
Zendaya (left) wears the Mae Blouse and Pansy Shorts
Mahiya (right) wears the Georgia Pantsuit
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the strength of women everywhere. Is there a woman in your life who has especially inspired you?
Candice: My mum! She’s a single mum, a domestic violence survivor, and an absolute warrior. She has been through some of the most insane challenges, but she never became bitter. She’s selfless, and I just adore her.
Finally, if you could share one message with our community of mothers, what would it be?
Candice: Be gentle with the mother you are right now. She is working so hard to be the best she can be.
Candice’s story offers an honest and relatable perspective on motherhood, reminding us to extend kindness to ourselves and to nurture the same self-compassion in our children. We’re grateful to Candice for sharing her world with us.
Lastly, as we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we want to acknowledge the incredible women within our community—you are all truly remarkable. May we continue to play our part in accelerating action toward gender equality, for both our sons and our darling daughters.