Dear fellow parents: Stay the course!
At approximately 9:25pm yesterday, I happily announced “I am done!” Our 8 year old, ever so precise, asked whether I was done with a particular project or completely finished with work for the night. I told him that I was closing shop until the morning.
His next words took me by surprise. He said “Thank you so much and great job!” I thanked him and asked why he was thanking me. He then told me that he is grateful that I work hard “to earn money for us.” I don’t know why it still surprises me when our children express deep thoughts. They do it often, but I somehow never see it coming. His words made me stop to think of what he will remember from this time in his life.
He’s always been curious about the professional and personal projects that my Husband and I take on. However, he and his siblings are now seeing it all from the front raw of our home. They overhear our meetings, know our colleagues by name, title, and even by assignment sometimes. Has our new work arrangement made them realize just what it takes for us to put a roof over our heads and food on our table? Will it affect what they choose to do professionally when they grow up?
It is certainly interesting to see how intertwined all aspects of our family life have become. The mixture of activities and events that is now our reality is something we have longed to achieve. When we daydreamed about it, we did not realize how much more deeply our children would come to know our professional lives.
The conversation we had last night, like many others before, reminded me why I keep pushing boundaries. I know the many things that I am not very good at doing (hello math). I also know the things that I will take on any day. Taking care of the needs of our crew is one of them. I do it with joy even when it means staying up for hours to finish a proposal that is due the next day. It means everything to know that, even at their young age, they recognize that I working hard for them. It fuels me to take on the next day.
So, dear fellow parents, stay strong! We can do this. Hopefully, my little cheerleaders will continue to remind me. And I hope yours do, too. Whether you are homeschooling or supervising e-learning, stay encouraged. The personal projects that you want to do will eventually find themselves in the « completed » folder. The work assignments that have piled up will get done. Your children appreciate your strength even if they are not able to express it. Your commitment to their wellbeing - and your own - is commendable.
