Since my first child was born, I was a “work at home” Mom. What that meant for me was that I didn’t TRULY “fit” anywhere!! The female executive looked at me as another Mary Kay representative. The “stay at home” crowd looked at me as less than fully committed to my children. (To set the record straight, I have never sold makeup and my commitment to my children is sacrificial, steadfast, and defines me as a mother.)
So, there I was – right smack dab in the middle of the “Mommy Wars” debate. Not clearly on one side or the other, and criticized by both. However, one comment I have heard many times from successful women is this, “Working Makes Me a Better Mom”.
I am not sure why this comment stuck out in my mind, but as I venture out of my “entrepreneurial circle” and begin to coach women executives, I have heard it more and more. For the purpose of conversation, let’s accept that working DOES, in fact, make you a better Mom. If so, is the opposite also true?
Does being a Mom make you a better executive or entrepreneur? I have to say that I believe it does. Being a mother has stretched me, challenged me, and “grown” me in a way that even my $50K per year coach can not. As a mother and as a professional, I pursue excellence.
So, what do YOU think? Please, share your thoughts about how being a Mom has positively impacted your career or business! To US!
I agree with you Michelle! I am a “new” mom with a 4 month old, and I am learning how to balance working from home with “motherhood” 🙂 I really think that doing both has made me enjoy the parts that I love of each much more. I also have learned how to guard my time MUCH better and to prioritize…..not necessarily multi-task (frankly, doing this stresses me out b/c I feel unfocused) but prioritize. These lessons have vastly helped me in my work.
Personally, I am very thankful that I have had the opportunity to do both! I am blessed 🙂
I absolutely believe that being a mom positively impacted my business. In fact – I doubt I would be doing what I now love, if it wasn’t for being a mom! I became a freelance writer when my son was born, almost 6 years ago, in order to be home with him and still earn a much-needed income.
Six years later, my decision is still the best one I’ve made for our family. Being a parent is the most challenging thing any of us will do – making any obstacles faced in business seem tiny in comparison!
I do think being a mom has prepared me better to be a business owner. Where else can you learn to serve the needs of your clients better? As a mom, you serve your children and attend to their needs. The focus is not on you, it’s on them. I think that we need to carry this attitude to our businesses and to those we serve in our business.