FASHION

It is the ultimate juggling act; the pressure on working mothers and
fathers with full-time careers and young children leads to a constantly
racing heart, all-consuming guilt and a certainty that you’ve become
inadequate at home and at work when things go slightly wrong. So the
key is to place some logical strategies as pillars into your daily life to keep
the walls from caving in.
Being a great mom isn’t
about making every meal
or doing every load of
laundry. It’s also about
being a strong female role
model for your children;
the two are strongly interweaved.
An essential part
of being a great mom is
pursuing your own passions
and being an interesting,
dynamic, growing person
that your children have as
an example.
‘Honestly my work-life balance needs some improvement’ Neesha
confesses. There is no quality weekday family evening time, as I am
working solidly to build my young business. I am blessed with a husband
that fully supports and understands this critical stage. I do force myself
to take some downtime when I have been multi-tasking all day however
and I do not work on Sundays (at all). This is strictly family time. I cook and
spend time with my loved ones’ Neesha explains.
and daughter (feeding, bathing, playing, stories). It’s just manageable
really. I have a lot of motivation as my patients offer me many kind words
and letters and of course the support I receive around me from my
partner, family and friends’.
Being a great mom isn’t about making every meal or doing every load of
laundry. It’s also about being a strong female role model for your children;
the two are strongly interweaved. An essential part of being a great mom
is pursuing your own passions and being an interesting, dynamic, growing
person that your children have as an example. You want to raise strong
individuals and they need to see that in their adult figures every day of
their lives.
Alice continues, ‘even after the most hectic and stressful day at work, the
duties don’t stop. There is no law that says that you have to make all your
meals from scratch, clean your own house from top-to-bottom every
week. I make lists about what needs to be done and cut corners on things
that really don’t matter, so I have more time to spend with my family. They
are my priority and I always make time for them. I know my career and
my studies are important too and hopefully one day my daughter will be
proud of her hard working mum’.
No matter how great your job, your boss, your partner and your kids may
be, it’s your number one job to take care of yourself. This is one job you
simply can’t delegate. Without your own health you are no service to
your family or your job so make sure you are ticking those boxes in diet,
exercise, check-ups and some personal hobbies (for your own mental
growth and happiness).
PARENTING
Alice Mancienne, 25 years, Staff Nurse at The Seychelles Hospital and
studying an Advanced Diploma in Midwifery at NIHSS, remembers her first
day back at work after having her daughter. ‘I fought back tears and kept
calling home to check up on her every second, it felt awful, even though
I knew she was in good hands with my grandmother. The only thing that
kept me going was picturing that little face when she would see me again.
This kept me sane and motivated’.
Alice always wanted to be a mother and always wanted to be a nurse,
a job she loves. ‘I am living my dream, I know this, but every day is not
picture perfect. I work shifts and my day includes dressing wounds,
preparing patients for operation, admission, withdrawing blood, doctor’s
rounds, administering medication, providing support and giving
reassurance. Then it’s time to go home and I do some laundry, cleaning,
preparing meals, feeding the dogs and spending time with my partner
While interviewing and talking to many working mums the one ultimate
secret that is constant in the working mums power kit is to always keep
your sense of humour. When dirty nappies fall at your feet, the babies are
screaming in the bath and you know dinner is about to burn, humour is
the ultimate weapon against the craziness around you, and the one thing
that will keep you sane.
Nathalie Hodgson is a writer, mother, PR & Marketing
consultant, Doterra essential oils consultant and yoga
instructor, juggling this whilst raising two kids, running
her own business and enjoying the most of life.
MARCH 2015 | POTPOURRI 40