~by Haley Lynn Gray~
One of the big boulders in my life is the fact that I have four young children. They are my pride and joy.
They are also a royal pain in the butt sometimes. Last night at dinner, my 12 year old daughter finished off her cheese sauce, and was licking it out of the cup. I gave her a look, and she put the cup down, and stuck her finger in it, and licked her finger. So, my husband looked at her, and told her to use utensils. My darling child then picked up her straw, and sucked the last of the cheese sauce down. I was a bit astonished at her creativity, and blatant defiance. So I told her that while I admired her creativity, and wasn’t going to punish her that one time, because I had to respect her, the next time she did something like that, she’s cleaning the attic out.
It is a constant challenge getting kids where they need to go, when they need to go. They ask to participate in an activity, then they whine when they actually have to go do it. It is draining to deal with the daily drudge of the day to day childcare activities, homework, packing lunches, keeping the house sane, and more. It is a challenge to be a parent. Being a working mom adds an entire dimension of difficulty to the equation. When you’re a working mom, you have to balance the needs of a boss, and a work schedule with your family’s schedule. Everyone is pulling on you at the same time. Frankly, some days it feels like being drawn and quartered.
As a working mom of small children, I think that I am a role model for my children, as well as the others that I work with. I realize that I am also a role model to other women I work with, and showing them that it is possible to successfully balance family and career, and maybe make the world a little bit brighter while I’m doing it.
I won’t lie, and tell you that it’s easy. It isn’t. Plenty of people are watching me constantly, just waiting for a single stumble, so that they can call me on it. That is how our culture still works- women especially throwing each other under the bus just for run. Men who think that a woman’s place is barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Know that you’re not alone. There are plenty of us out there, and we will be stronger if we all decide to support one another – or at least not engage in petty jealousies.
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Meet the Author: Haley Lynn Gray
Haley helps female entrepreneurs create a strategy plan for their businesses – so they can make enough money to spend quality time with their family, pay for their children’s dance lessons, pay bills – and not worry about where the next client is coming from.
Haley is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Leadership Girl. She helps other entrepreneurs build their businesses by sharing the benefits of her business education and experience through Business Coaching.
Whether you want to get a new business off the ground or expand an existing business, Haley can assist you.
Connect with Haley:
- Work with Haley: https://leadershipgirl.com/work-with-haley/
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Leadershipgirl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygray
