Mom to Ruby
Senior Account Manager
Length of Maternity Leave: 16-weeks
Childcare: Family
What did you struggle with most about returning to work after having your kids?
Missing my baby! But it was so comforting leaving Ruby with family members as our childcare. I am so fortunate to have such a strong support system returning to work from both mine and my husband’s families. Ruby gets to spend quality time with different family members that she (as well as them!) will cherish forever.
What do you find difficult about being a working parent?
There is never a moment that stops from the time your feet hit the floor in the morning until baby goes to bed at night. Wake up, get you and baby ready, drop off, go to work, pick baby up, go home, unpack, make dinner, bath time and clean up, bedtime, then me time! I think a woman’s skill set evolves and grows once she becomes a mom - you learn to multi-task so many things you never knew was humanly possible.
What do you enjoy about being a working parent?
I enjoy having the opportunity to take a break from mom-mode and step into my professional role as a working woman. It also gives Ruby the opportunity to be social without me in the room, which is a huge developmental opportunity for her. I get pictures and videos all day of her having fun with her sitters. Then when I walk in to pick up at the end of the day, it melts my heart to see her face light up to see me.
After being back at work for some time, have your views about career and family changed?
Of course! But I think every new mom will have that ah-ha moment when they return back to work and learn to form new bonds with other working moms. There are plenty of times I have wished I could be a stay at home mom, but I am so fortunate to work for a company who prides itself on personal life balance and family - something that is so important to career and family balanced lives.
Knowing what you know now, what’s one thing you wish you could go back in time and tell yourself as you were preparing to return to work or getting ramped up in your role?
Get ready to drink a lot of coffee and stock up on dry shampoo.
What did you choose for childcare, and how has it been for your family?
Family
Pros: Having the comfort of Ruby being with family and getting all day communication and updates of how her day is going! Both her and our family members cherish their time together.
Cons: We have 3-4 different people who watch her, so it makes for a slightly hectic schedule shuffling to different houses on different days, but we make it work! Everyone lives close and is flexible!
Working moms and stay at home moms both have a full-time schedule that is non-stop. It takes some time to get used to either role but you eventually get in your flow. Whether you're on conference calls and meetings or making calls to Santa all day, we kill it at the mom game.