Balancing Work and a Sick Baby

I’m pretty lucky when it comes to the job department.  My agency I work for is very understanding when it comes to employees dealing with family obligations and emergencies.  This is extremely important to me as being the wife of a weatherman doesn’t allow for flexibility with schedules very often.  When the weather is crazy, or no one else is around to work, sometimes there’s no way to get out of work, even for a family situation.

Even though my company is very family centered, the work I do is very time sensitive.  Certain times of the year it is also hard for me to take time off.  Things had worked out without any problems until this fall.

Anderson had just started going to daycare.  About a month into our daycare experience she came home with a temperature.  Then later that night I noticed little red marks on certain parts of her body.  After doing some research online we figured out she had hand, foot and mouth disease, which was later confirmed when we also learned another kid at daycare had gone home the day before with the same illness. 

 

On a normal work day I would have been able to stay home and take care of our baby; however a very important state meeting was taking place.  JC and I had been asked to speak at this meeting on media and prevention.  It was even a paid gig (for JC).  There was no way to get out of the work commitment without making a very bad impression with colleagues.  Plus I had been preparing for the presentation for a month now.  Did I want to squander a career opportunity?

Thankfully, we were able to find a compromise called Mimi, who came to watch Anderson for a few hours during our speaking engagement. 

Before this Fall I had never had to make a choice between family and work.  Of course as a mother I wanted to be with my daughter.  I will always put her before anything or anyone else.  But as a professional, who’s worked hard to advance in my career field, I didn’t want to give up on the opportunity to present at a state-wide conference.    

Working mothers and parents in general, truly have such a balancing act to conquer between work and family.  Our hearts tell us to do one thing for our families, but our minds know what we have to do to provide for our family, and fulfill our career ambitions. 

Finding the balance between focusing on my career and being a Mommy is something I’m not sure I will ever find.  I just try to cherish moments at home with my daughter, and enjoy the high points in my career, like being honored to present at a state-wide conference with my husband.