SubscribeI’ve been absent from my blog for several weeks! Earlier this spring I was offered a wonderful opportunity to be the business and operations manager (part-time) of the childcare center that my two younger children attend. I’ve long been very fond of the school and had been working with the founder and manager as a parent volunteer. This opportunity would enable me to have an even greater impact on the non-profit school and be in the presence of and have access to my kids, even while working.
It would also create another stream of income while providing a whopping discount on full-time child care for two kids. I’m entrepreneur with two active ventures (Apply Within and The Enterprising Moms) and a mom who chose to develop a portfolio career with multiple streams of income as a way of achieving better work-life integration. Because I made these decisions, in part, to have more time with the kids, I initially struggled with decision to enroll them in childcare full-time.
Finding the ideal childcare situation is one of the greater challenges that working parents face. I’m fortunate to have a place where I’m thrilled to send my kids and one that’s so philosophically aligned that I’d consider working there as well. This made considering full-time enrollment a bit easier. As a pondered my options, I realized that in this situation, full-time care is just that — an option. It’s there if I need it. I can use it or not depending on my work flow — the ultimate in childcare flexibility.
This flexibility would also give me some space to focus increased attention on my other ventures. It would enable me to have more dedicated time with the kids and with work while being fully present for each. It would also provide a more consistent rich, stimulating and educational environment for my kids. And so, I took the plunge!
It’s been a couple of months since I started and there have been some challenges, which is why I’ve been away. As with any transition, there’s a learning curve and lots of adjustments to make in many areas of our lives. New schedules and routines; new time constraints and logistics to consider. The dinner time crunch has been exactly that. I’m still working on figuring out that piece!
So that’s where I’ve been. I’m still fully dedicated to Apply Within and The Enterprising Moms and look forward to continued growth both businesses. This new opportunity has just added an additional dimension to my career and I’m honing some key skills that are useful in all arenas.
I haven’t quite worked out the right mix of work and play just yet, but the picture is getting clearer each day. Being highly flexible and adaptable is key in navigating this transition as things evolve.
Stay tuned …