Hello, Super Parents!
Let me take you on a little adventure. I used to be the CEO of a company, where I was the top of the corporate ladder. I managed a teams, made big decisions, and kept everything running smoothly. I thought I was a pro at multitasking, delegating, and solving problems. But then, one day, I decided to take on a new, slightly different role — being a parent.
Imagine you’re stepping into a new job, but no one gives you a handbook. Heck, at my old job I wrote the handbooks! With parenting, there is not just one direct instruction manual, there are various handbooks with conflicting messages and parenting styles, and even if you implement something with textbook precision, each kid responds differently! Then add in the pressure of trying to break unhealthy generational patterns and lots of guilt that you aren’t doing enough on social media though. Instead of a coffee or lunch break, you get a small child who’s asking for a snack…a snack that I am in charge of ensuring is heathy, well balanced and bought from the grocery store…which I forgot… and now they are crying. Now they want chips in a blue bowl, but then they cry because they didn’t want the blue bowl. Where is this employee’s performance review? Oh wait… am I the employee now? My boss is a preschooler…
I thought managing people was hard. But at least in my old job, if someone needed help, they could just send me an email. If I needed help, I could delegate and people listened to me! At home? There are no emails. There are questions. Constant questions. Demands, really, like, “I want ice cream for breakfast?” (Spoiler alert: The answer is no. Now they are crying again). There is also not a lot of listening… but that is a topic for another day.
In my corporate world, I had a pretty awesome team. Everyone had their tasks, we worked together, and we communicated… mostly through emails. At home? My team consists of children under five, and the communication is, well, a little different and don’t even get me started on the negotiation tactics. I used to think my boardroom meetings were intense. Ha! They have nothing on trying to convince a three-year-old that you really can’t play with the electrical cords, or that it is time for bath and bed.
Unlike managing a business, there’s no clear “end of the day” here. Now, home is the work, and there’s no time clock to punch out. In the corporate world, I was used to getting things done and then enjoying a sense of accomplishment. I could cross things off a list and say, “Done for the day!” But as a parent? There’s always something to do. Laundry, dishes, snacks, cleaning up that mess, the endless cycle of getting kids dressed and ready… And every time you cross something off the list, someone adds a new task.
I used to think running a company was stressful. Now, I know that leading a team of tiny humans is like juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle. You might look like you’ve got it all under control… but inside, you’re definitely just trying not to drop anything!
I thought my corporate job was rewarding, but it was nothing compared to how rewarding parenting is. The rewards are endless. When you see your child implement something you taught them, or master a new skill…the hugs, the giggles, the tiny “I love yous” that make everything worth it.
To all the parents out there, you are the true CEOs. You run the show, make the big decisions, and keep everything (somewhat) under control. And to all the parents balancing work AND home life—you’re superheroes.
No matter how hard it gets, remember: you’re doing an amazing job, and there’s no manual for this role. But the love and laughter that come with it? That’s priceless. There is no amount of money or corporate title that can beat that feeling.
— A Fellow Parent (and Former Boss)