Lessons Learned

My contract role has come to an end and I’ve learned so much about myself throughout the process. I felt it only appropriate to share here, since it’s been such a big part of my life for the past few months.

1) I don’t think I’m meant to be a stay at home mom. Being home with Theo for the first 17 months of his life was an absolute gift, and something I wouldn’t trade for literally anything. But if I’m being completely honest, I found myself much more satisfied working. It makes our time together just that much more special, also.

2) I can do hard things. I jumped into a role at a company that had about 30 employees. By the time my contract ended, the company had 600 employees. I was working 80+ hours a week, leading a customer service team – a functional area in which I had no prior experience.

3) I can be a great mom and have a career. You can do both. It’s possible! It wouldn’t be possible for me without an incredibly supportive partner, and childcare. We are so lucky to be able to have childcare for Theo in our home, so I can still see him throughout the day. He’s still nursing occasionally so it’s nice to have him home for that. And nothing makes me happier than seeing him walk up to me at my desk, smiling and wanting some mama cuddles.

4) It is almost impossible to work from home without childcare. Shoutout to all of the working moms who have done this throughout the pandemic. I had a number of days working from home, with no childcare. And those days were tough. Theo watched a little more TV than usual, and ate snacks all day. And I got my job done. But it was really hard.

Although my contract is over, I’m seeking my next work adventure! I hope to continue posting on my blog because this has been such an amazing outlet for me.