Balancing Work and Motherhood: How Do You Manage When Your Child Joins You at the Office?

Hello,

Could you please guide me on how to strike a balance between my professional and personal life? Do all working mothers face the same problem?

I am stuck with an issue that's between work and personal life.

I am an entrepreneur with a medium-scaled training firm offering various training solutions. I am married and have a 5-year-old daughter who normally stays with me during my entire office hours. She has an attendant to take care of and is very friendly with everyone in my office, but she keeps interrupting me multiple times. I am unable to focus and delegate, and I feel that my employees may also find it unprofessional. The attrition rate is quite high.

I have read a few inspiring articles on how women entrepreneurs and leading personalities have managed to strike a balance between work and life. I am unable to find a suitable daycare since it's a smaller city, and there is no one else to take care of my daughter. Do you think a child running around in the office premises is disturbing for both myself and outsiders?

I am sure this forum would be filled with women who have kids and yet manage work and grow. Could you please guide me on how to strike a balance between my professional and personal life? Do other working women face similar problems like mine, or have you been lucky enough to find a better way? Please share.

Hi dreamz,

You can have a creche at the office, which will benefit you and your colleagues. You can provide this facility free for all your employees. I think this will solve your problem. Indulge your daughter in artwork, video games, and a variety of games like word-building so that she learns and grows and does not disturb you and your employees too. You can then concentrate on your work.

Ajithaa

Hi Dreamz,

We do need to balance the two. I just want to draw your attention to the fact that a child goes through these growing stages only once, and we need to give them the attention they deserve. This helps in the long run. Once they cross the age of 10 or 11, our support is needed only emotionally. At that stage (turbulent teen and pre-teen), for the child to turn to you for emotional support, you need to plant the seed now. Your child needs a life of a CHILD...

Why not work from 9 - 1 and delegate your responsibilities? That works better, and after 1, you can continue to work for 2 or 3 hours but from home. The days you have full-day training programs are unavoidable, but try this.

I am a working mother, and this is how I handled it when my kids were young, and it has helped tremendously.

All the best,
Geetha

Hi,

I support the idea of having a crèche in the office. With this, you can have more female employees who can work with peace of mind. It's a good idea to adopt and see the results.

Sadhana

Hi,

Yes, I feel what Geeta has said makes sense. Since you are an entrepreneur, you are your own boss. You can limit your working hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours post-lunch. You can also get your staff organized in such a manner that the office work continues in your absence. Appoint someone who could act as a Manager and be responsible for the office in your absence.

Moreover, this is just a passing phase. If your kid is five, very soon she will start attending normal school. You can adjust your timing such that you can spend some quality time with her in the later part of the day.

Raga

Count your blessings; you are lucky to be creating your own routine. It sounds exciting to me as I speak. However, it will require a lot of self-discipline and prioritization around your work and your daughter. Having a crèche at the office and inviting your colleagues' kids may work well if you have an open and close-knit relationship with your team. Keeping a few hours or the latter half of the day totally dedicated to your child when she is back from school will keep her secure and content after having dedicated time from you. You may look at some dance or art classes available near your office and expose your child to them as she grows. This is exactly how I have planned my switch from a full-time job to becoming an entrepreneur.

Regards, Parul B Kapoor