Ever wondered how other parents — or even you, yourself, some days — get it all done? Shanna Strowbridge is an attorney and mother of two with a 40-minute commute. While work often spills over from the 8-to-5 into family time, she says that planning and routines help her enjoy her kids and her career.
How do you stay organized?
It’s being super diligent about being organized. On Sundays, as I am doing laundry, I also get all of the kids clothes ready for the week and get everything ready that they need for school. I have also have gotten into a routine of planning my meals. We have a set schedule, for instance every Monday is some sort of chicken dish or every Tuesday is hamburger. It just takes one more decision off of my mind so I can focus on work and then focus on kids and not be cleaning or organizing all the time. Also, keeping one central calendar or organizing management system is important for us.
How do you deal with work demands during family time?
If you have a Blackberry, it’s about knowing when you need to monitor it and when you need to be present with your kids and ignore it. I noticed probably about two years ago that I was taking care of my children but I wasn’t interacting with them. I was just trying to get everything done and making sure they were not in harm’s way. But I finally stopped and said I need to sit down and spend time with my kids and really be with them. When your kids want to share something with you they don’t just want you to be like "Yeah, hon," they want you to paint with them and actually get down on the floor and play with them.
Do you think we live in a professional society that is more demanding on home life?
I think we live in a world now where there are demands on your time all the time. We live in a society where we have enabled people to be demanding, because as soon as we get an e-mail we respond immediately.
Managing this schedule takes time and effort, and I guess everything does in life. It’s not even that I am super strict, but I am worlds less frazzled when I’ve taken a little bit of time to plan. Your main focus is your kids and your kids appreciate that you have to work, but you just need to take time and make sure as much as possible that you are really being with them.
Want to be featured in real parents?
We’re looking for real parents — parents who aren’t famous but perhaps should be, people from whom we could all learn a little something. Maybe they’ve faced a challenge or come up with a unique solution or are living their lives in a particularly inspiring way. If that’s you or someone you know, send an e-mail to tcornell@mnpubs.com.
