We are so grateful to Sue Villarini, CRNP for sharing her experience as a working mom and grandmom. She is a great inspiration, and shows us how to manage a career in healthcare over many years while still raising kids and being there for grandkids too. Please enjoy her pearls and wisdom!
Thanks Sue!!
As a working mom for the past 45 years, I’d like to share a few lessons learned in this great balancing act!
REACH OUT and ask for help! So much scary and negative press out there today that young parents are reluctant to ask for help. This leaves them isolated and overwhelmed. When my kids were little we moved into our new home and after a chance meeting while walking my dog, I met my new neighbor. We soon negotiated a shared before and after school child care schedule, bonded and formed a lifelong friendship! This may be a unique scenario, and there may need to be more vetting of potential helpers today, but I have found that friends, neighbors and family members are
happy to help out, if asked!
Some potential ideas for networking:
~Use social media with local “neighborhood” or “meet up” apps to connect with other parents.
~Reinvent the “progressive dinner” of the 1990’s! it was a great way to meet neighbors, make new friends, and exchange kid watching ideas.
~Volunteer for home room duties, field trips, sports and club activities and make connections with other parents.
And don’t forget why your kids are here! It’s easy in the hustle and bustle of this juggling act to forget about our partners!
Set up “date nights” a few times throughout the year and plan ahead by “swapping time” with friends or other parents to save on babysitting costs.
And most importantly, be easy on yourself! Look at the “long game” not each day’s ups and downs. Being present and consistent is most important! Kids love just playing a board game or going for a car ride, on a hike, or getting ice cream with their families as much as an expensive cruise!
Time flies! Say I love you and take a minute to enjoy each day. And before you know it, you will be looking at retirement and planning how to help YOUR kids with THEIR kids! Like me!
