You're being true to yourself and setting an awesome example for your kids along the way.
By Nicole Rodrigues, Working Mother
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Our kids learn valuable lessons when they see us succeed.
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By Nicole Rodrigues, Working Mother
I don’t have to tell you that being a mom is hard work. You already know that. You also know having a successful career can be just as hard—often harder.
So
for those of us trying to kick ass to combine the two most important
aspects of our lives, let me be one of the many who should be telling
you I’m proud of you.
For new moms
who are just starting off on your journey into motherhood and/or career
building, you better believe it’s one of the most difficult things
you’ll do. I had my daughter just weeks after graduating from college. I
had barely begun my work life, and I was already a parent. Instead of
seeing my situation as a setback or obstacle, I dove straight into my
career to prove to myself and my daughter that no goal is out of reach.
I’m proud to say I’ve been balancing career and motherhood
for almost 16 years. I’m now the CEO of one of the top 50 PR agencies
in Los Angeles, and there’s not a single thing I would change.
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too often, I’ve encountered other working moms who tell me they feel
guilty for being successful at work. They say they feel like they should
be spending that time at home with their kids. They admit to passing on
amazing opportunities for their career because it would require more
time traveling, away from home and their kids.
Though I do agree that
quality time with your kids is important, it’s equally important to feel
fulfilled in whatever your life’s purpose is. Don’t dads get to do
that? We should have the same opportunity, while still being the loving
and nurturing mothers/wives our family needs—because we’re women, and we
can balance it all. It’s our gift.
Carve very specific time out for your kids.
From vacations to mini dates, plan specific dates and times to spend
together. When you’re not present, technology can be there to help:
iPhone users can take advantage of FaceTime. If not, simple phone calls
can do the trick. When you make the effort to carve out minutes or hours
in your day, your kids will appreciate it.
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I have regular phone dates
with my daughter, we go on mother/daughter vacations and we hit
Disneyland as often as we can. It’s our thing! I also text her daily and
send her silly Bitmojis or jokes on Snapchat to let her know I’m
thinking of her and want to brighten her day. Just like you would and
should in a relationship with a spouse or partner, when you care for
someone you find a way to let them know. Do the same for your kids.
What
I hope you’ll take from all of this is a certain level of confidence.
Know that it’s OK to be successful, chase your career goals and follow
your passions in life. Don’t let anyone, especially other moms, tell you
otherwise.
It’s happened to me and I’ve never listened to them. I’ve
listened to my heart, my gut and my kid—which is what you should do too.
Know that when you’re reaching goals and showing your kids love at the
same time, you’re passing along an invaluable lesson to your children,
which will ensure their life is filled with a similar sense of purpose,
drive and accomplishment.
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