My daughter’s last day of school was June 9th…and she doesn’t go back to school until September 10th. That’s 12 full weeks of summer vacation. I would be lying if I said that the thought of that back in June didnt both make me really happy and gave me major anxiety at the same time. I was excited at the thought of three full months of summer, but I still have two businesses to run. How was I going to manage that while being “Camp Mom” to a 7-year-old?
We decided not to put her in camp for the summer, with the exception of two weeks that she did with her best friend. Some people say I’m crazy, some people say its great, and some people say that she needs to be in camp for structure and to be with other kids. . First let me say, I am absolutely NOT against camp. And if I was still working my corporate job, she would have to be in camp all summer. It’s an entirely different reason. You see, I worked long hours, travelled for business, and really didn’t get to have a summer for 6 summers since she was born. The reason why I made the life change that I did and decided to start my own home business, and then this blog, was to be able to work from home. To have the flexibility that I never had before. To be able to build a business my way. To show my daughter that life and work didn’t have to look a certain way. That you really could create a life by design
All good, right? Yes, it is. Except , as previously mentioned, I have two businesses to run. It’s definitely been a work/life challenge. I’ve tried to set a schedule where I work in the morning before we leave for the day. Once we get home, I tell her that she needs to play on her own for an hour so that I can work if I need to-doesn’t always work out the way I plan. As I am sitting here writing this I’ve counted 12 “Momma’s?” so far, 4 trips out to the living room to show me a rainbow loom bracelet, an animal drawing, and various other things, 2 requests for me to come to her room for her to “show me something”, another trip out to the living room to tell me she rearranged her desk, and a request if We could go to Target to buy her a garbage pail for her room-now. Wait, make that 13 “Momma’s” Sigh…the reality is that it I definitely get frustrated and lose my patience at times. But, the other reality is that I am very aware that one day I will be missing all of this attention and time she wants to spend with me (13-year-old girl anyone??). I love being able to spend this time with her.
So, I figure out a way to do what I need to do…if I have a business meeting I get a babysitter. If I need to take a call in the middle of our day, I do. If I need to, I get back on the computer at night after bedtime. But, it’s all worth it. It isn’t perfect, it isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth it. Isn’t time, flexibility, life/work balance what we all want? I am extremely grateful to have found it.
Would love to hear what you think!