Outsource Parenting - Part 1

My life as working mother is no easy task. And as such, I try to seek out encouragers, wise council and women to sharpen me. I decided to attend a Working Mother's seminar hosted by Mommy Track'd - an online Working Mom resource center. There were some great resources presented, yummy cupcakes, and the best swag-bag I've ever had (blue-tooth, Peet's Coffee, a flash drive, candy, bottles (don't need those), and gift certificates to all sorts of cool things).

One of the speakers mentioned that there were times she felt so unbalanced trying to manage work/home/parenting/marriage/etc that she wallowed in the fact that somehow she had outsourced her parenting. Her nanny had the life she wanted. It took that realization to get her back involved, connected to her child. I don't have a nanny, I'm working 4 days a week instead of 5, and my schedule is a bit flexible, but I can relate. It's a tremendous balancing act that I personally could not do without prayer.

Here are some of the bits of Mom-wisdom from the ladies on the panel - all CEO's or executives from well known companies such as Lucas Films, Gap Inc., BabyCenter.com, and Sephora.

• You must have community/family support.
• Be able to say when "enough is enough".
• The view will change every 6 months as your kids grow, life changes, we learn - be prepared for it.
• Delegate at work. You don't have to prove yourself by taking on too much.
• Don't confuse activity with results at work or at home.
• Kids are your first priority when you get home at the end of the day.
• Be authentic. If you're not a stay-at-home mom, be truthful about who you are. Don't pretend you don't have kids to demonstrate how committed you are at work.
• Have clear limits. Consistent limits allows everyone to know what to expect from you. For example, leave everyday from work at the same time.
• Listen to your kids. Hold family meetings to solve family problems. For instance, how do we make sure we all get out the door on time in the morning?"
• Appreciate and pay attention to your spouse.

• Plan at work. Plan at home. Combine the two.

Even implementing each and every advice that the panel could come up with wouldn't make me a better Working Mom. I have to know who I am, who my family is, what we value, and build a foundation from there. I've got to trust God has a plan for me. But, they are nice reminders!

I have so much more to say on this topic... so look for Part 2.