Home
>
Parenting
>
How Being a Mom Makes You a Better Professional

How Being a Mom Makes You a Better Professional

"Becoming a parent can make you a better worker," New York Times writer Lisa Belkins said in a recent column.

I'd always heard that becoming a parent made MEN better workers. The common "wisdom" said fatherhood made men more stable and better motivated.

Women, the old prejudice held, would become unreliable once children arrived. Motherhood would bring distractions and increased sick days on account of small, runny noses at home.

My own experience has been mixed. In my early days of motherhood, I concluded that each sleep interruption meant a loss of 10 points from my IQ the next day. And small, runny noses, fevers and upset tummies did indeed take a toll on my work attendance.

At the same time, I began to discover professional advantages to being a parent. For example, I had a whole new way to connect with other parents and with children.

When preparing children's sermons for the various churches where I preached, I could tune in to preschoolers' joys, questions and fears in a new way. As a hospital chaplain, I better understood the anguish of dying parents who were leaving young children behind.

But you don't have to be working directly with children or parents to get a professional edge from parenting.

Good parenting helps you zero in on what's truly important. You become more skilled at setting priorities.

Parenting helps you develop patience and empathy, too. Learning to read your pre-verbal child's body language and vocal tone provides an excellent tool for sensing discomfort in colleagues or clients.

And, as you learn to nurture your children's skills, you can become better at supporting subordinates' and colleagues' skill development.

You may even become more efficient. In "The Working Mother's Guide to Life" (Three Rivers Press), Linda Mason quotes a financial planner named Lara:

"I now work much harder than most people, and I tend to make the most of the time I have. I am more efficient because I have to be. I get done in eight hours today what I used to do in twelve. Honestly."

Sometimes, the connections between parenting and your profession can bring a smile.

Ann Crittenden wrote "If You've Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything"(Gotham Books) after she noticed the similarity between advice books for moms and advice books for managers. Dealing with executives, co-workers or clients turns out to be pretty similar to dealing with toddlers or teenagers.

So. Growing into parenthood has given you more empathy, patience and efficiency, and you can better set priorities and help others grow.

Excellent qualities in any professional!

Why not take a moment today to appreciate the increased skill being a mom lets you bring to your profession? Then, step out with confidence and pride in who you have become.

Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, specializes in helping women who are both professionals and parents to create balance. She offers teleclasses, workshops and individual and group coaching. Norma publishes "The Balance Point," a free e-zine, every other Friday. Visit http://www.normaschmidt.com

taxi to O'Hare Belle Rive .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Toll road text scam: Fake messages claim unpaid fees, seek payment via fraudulent links. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this scam is becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says these steps ensure that your friends and family get to the exact moment you want them to see. Try it out and streamline your sharing experience.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers tips on how to protect your identity: Be vigilant, monitor accounts, use smart security, know theft response.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says cybercriminals are exploiting iMessage phishing protection, tricking users to reactivate links.

It's hard to imagine life without in-flight Wi-Fi these days – but sky-high web surfing comes with its own set of privacy concerns. Here's how to protect yourself.

Over 400,000 cases of credit card fraud were reported in 2024 to the Federal Trade Commission. The CyberGuy explains how to protect against becoming another victim.

A nondescript metal box transforms into a fully functional electric motorcycle that blurs the line between vehicle and urban infrastructure.

Many apps unrelated to location still ask users for tracking permission, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit seeking to end this alleged practice by Allstate.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Melody, the artificial intelligence-powered robot, is life-sized and represents a move toward creating robots that resemble people in appearance and interaction.

Here are five easy smartphone rules from the National Security Agency that you can follow to better protect your mobile device from hackers and scammers.

A U.S. robotics company has developed "Jennie," a robotic pet powered by artificial intelligence that's designed to comfort those facing mental health challenges.

Healthcare records for more than 184 million Americans were breached in 2024, but you can take steps to minimize that risk. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

The Skyrider X1 from Rictor claims to be the "first amphibious flying passenger motorcycle," and it combines land and air travel in one sleek design.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Home inventory and restoration apps help itemize and track every item in your home in the event you have to make an insurance claim after a natural disaster.

The White House launched a new cybersecurity safety label, the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, intended to help consumers make informed decisions on smart device safety.

Today's tech can help make life so much easier — if you know how to use it. Here are a few tips on the quickest and best ways to make your phone, laptop and other devices work for you.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers Windows 11 restart fixes: Update drivers, run system scans and check hardware.

Sony and Honda's Afeela 1 EV launches with advanced tech and entertainment for $89,900. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives his takeaways.

With limited hard drive space, tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers these tips for storing large video files and photos.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the $236,000 Yangwang U9 electric hypercar boasts 1,287 horsepower and can jump obstacles.

Flip phones are harder to block spam calls from, but it's not impossible. Kurt the "CyberGuy" explains how to stop incoming robocalls on your flip phone.

With so many notifications buzzing our phones these days, it's tough to distinguish between legitimate messages and possible scams. Kurt the CyberGuy helps unravel the mystery.

Scammers have a new trick where they pretend to be job recruiters to plant malicious apps on your devices. It all starts with a deceptive email.