Last Updated on September 6, 2024
Motherhood is a joy, but for most women, it is also a challenge especially in this century of career women who have to juggle high-flying jobs and families at the same time ¾ no mean feat if you ask me.
The problems are so numerous that people sometimes decide to throw up their hands, admit defeat and either sacrifice their jobs or their families. In truth, every woman can have both, especially if she has an understanding partner or a support system.
The world is increasing tilting in favour of working mums what with day-care centres turning up everywhere and corporations absorbing the idea of having day-care centres within the corporate building.
So to be a mother and entrepreneur, here are a few ideas:
Lay off the guilt:
You didn’t stop being a person simply because you popped out a kid or more. You still have goals, you still need personal satisfaction, and yes dear, you still have the right to dream. Besides if you were not working, how would your kids get by with day to day feeding, living expenses, and even college? So the first step in being a mum and a successful career woman is; lay off the guilt!
Learn to be picky:
As a mum, you have to be a bit more responsible. You can’t take a job to go traipsing into a part of the world that may be unsafe for your kid, nor should you accept jobs that consume all your time, leave you drained, and yet, leave you with virtually empty pockets.
Align your priorities:
You need to decide what’s important sometimes. Occasionally, you may have to take a little work home to avoid working late so you can tuck your child in. It may seem like an unnecessary sacrifice but when you consider how fast your kids grow, you may want to do this every now and then. Conversely, expect that the time will come when you may have to miss your kids’ fourth day of kindergarten in order to attend an important merger discussion. Like I said; priorities!
Pick organizations that take motherhood into consideration:
Some corporate organizations are so kid-friendly that they are every mother’s dream. As an entrepreneur, especially if you own your own business, you could strive to make the environment such that parents can see their kids occasionally in the playpen, so long as it does not cause a ruckus and disrupt the corporate atmosphere.
Build a support system:
As much as it chafes against your pride to admit you need help, you do need help, and there is nothing wrong with admitting that. You could ask say your mum or dad to watch your kids for a bit if they live close; you could insist that your spouse or partner helps if you have one, or you could get the help of a trustworthy babysitter. And by all means, try to live in a friendly neighborhood and not one where no one knows their neighbors because believe it or not, it helps.
Whoever told you that a woman cannot handle the corporate ladder and still train her kinds in the way they should go, is either somewhat addled, or definitely uninformed.