When my husband and I started considering having children, I wondered how it would fit into my career. I have my own business and that meant, for the most part, I wouldn’t be receiving any form of maternity leave for most of my income that comes from my clients.
That’s why I enjoyed reading Work Pause Thrive: How to Pause For Parenthood Without Killing Your Career by Lisen Stromberg. I received the book to review as part of my work with Clever. Throughout the book, Lisen brought up several great points. It’s scary to not only think about becoming a first-time parent, but adding the unknowns that sometimes come along with freelancing or having your own clients can make it even more stressful.
One of Lisen’s main points throughout the book that I really loved was how to use technology to make work easier as you become a parent. I feel that even though owning your own business may seem terrifying, it actually is setting you up for more flexibility, which is extremely valuable as your family grows. Technology allows many of us to work from any year, taken on several different jobs to create a schedule we want (Lisen specifically mentions the ‘gig economy’), and to create our own businesses out of our passions. For example, I love helping businesses become more visible online with digital marketing services like SEO and social media. So in 2011 I was able to venture off on my own to create my own work, business and schedule.
As you head into parenthood, consider your options for creating your own “Dream Schedule.” Does that look like a full-time work from home job? Or maybe just scaling back your hours so you only work when your kids are in school? Lucky for us, we live in a time of ever-growing options! I would strongly suggest looking at job sites like FlexJobs to find a job that is more flexible, if your isn’t hitting any of your “dream schedule” must-haves.
Don’t Wait
Another really good point Lisen brought up was that if you’re sure that you want kids, don’t wait until it’s too late. Many people (women, especially), wait to have kids until they feel more established in their career. While that can certainly be beneficial, there is a fine line between waiting too long and using your career as an excuse because you’re scared of the unknowns. A friend pointed out to me that the first 2-3 years of a child’s life is when they are usually the hardest. After they, they continue to get more communicative and independent, making life a little bit easier. While having a baby right now may seem overwhelming, consider that in the span of your life of 80-90 years, 2-5 years of having babies or toddlers (depending on how many you want), really isn’t that much.
A friend pointed out to me that the first 2-3 years of a child’s life is when they are usually the hardest. After they, they continue to get more communicative and independent, making life a little bit easier. While having a baby right now may seem overwhelming, consider that in the span of your life of 80-90 years, 2-5 years of having babies or toddlers (depending on how many you want), really isn’t that much.
Whether you’re planning on having a kid now or waiting a few more years, I’d recommend Lisen’s book. It is straightforward, interesting, and really easy to read. I liked its angle on how important women’s careers really are to them (and that’s OK!!) and how to plan for a family instead of doing it out of the blue.