3 More Weeks

There’s 3 weeks of summer left, meaning we are at the tail end of the kids’ summer vacation and in 3 weeks I will be able to go to work without 3 children with me. Yes, it truly is a privilege to have a job where this is possible, to combine work and family, yet, I’m getting to the point when I am longing for someone else spending time with them, you know, school and teachers.

We’ve had a great summer. Not complaining here. I have spent countless hours by the pool and in the pool with my cell phone in my other hand, answering emails, making phone calls and responding to the endless: “Mom, look at me! Mom, look at me do a summersault in the water, look at me! Mom, mom, mon…” We’ve had weeks of lazy mornings where they are lazy and I’m sitting by my desk to get stuff done before the pool. We are all tanned, we’ve all had fun.

And on the other hand, they have spent hours at my office, in the computer room on their iPads while I sit at meetings, teach at trainings or talk with our office staff creating marketing pieces. We’ve had days like Tuesday when I clap my hands to hurry them up as we are transitioning from my office to the pool and then after swimming lessons back to the office, and the errands for my client event, and quick lunch before Mia’s hair appointment. Then back to the office after which picking up helium for balloons from way too far at least in rush hour traffic. Hurry up guys! We’re already late! Talk about a fun summer – not.

Yesterday I took them to the movies in between pushing a listing out, having contracts signed and working on marketing pieces. They were watching the new Christopher Robin. I was half watching, half sending emails left and right. And the, then comes the part in the movie where Christopher Robin just works and shushes Winnie the Pooh to play his game of naming things more quietly because his work… I lift my face from the iPhone, turn my head and see three pairs of eyes staring at me. In the darkness of the movie theatre I whisper back at them: “Am I like this? I’m so sorry.” I put the phone away and remember that no one will die if I concentrate on the movie for 90 minutes.

3 more weeks of summer. Three more weeks of combining work with motherhood. Today at the pool, I will stick my phone in the bag and return your emails and calls after 2 PM.

Working with mom all summer...