COLUMN: Balancing work and motherhood is always a juggling act

With Mother's Day just a few days away, I felt that this would be a good time to address a subject a lot of people ask me about. How do I balance being a mum and a PR account manager?

Well I am a Libran so I like balance, however this is a juggling act that sometimes can feel like I am far from winning. There have been occasions when I find myself frantically Googling fruit costumes in my lunch hour as I missed the school bag note or I need to take a work call while in a packed play centre and feel pulled in two directions, but there is time for both if you can make it work. I am very lucky that I never had to put my children in paid for childcare and both sets of grandparents volunteered to provide it when I returned to work. This makes the whole process of being a working mum easier, knowing they spend quality time with their grandchildren whilst I am busy in the office. Actress Nicole Kidman was recently quoted saying that women make better mothers if they return to work or they risk ‘living vicariously’ through their children. I don’t agree that working mums are better than stay-at-home mums, indeed all mums are equal and we shouldn’t compare ourselves, however personally I do feel I am fulfilled being a working mum.

I really enjoy my job and the variety it brings. I worked hard to succeed before I had children and I returned to work with the same ambitious attitude.

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I relish doing a great job for my clients or winning new business. I enjoy having a lunch hour, warm cups of tea and talking to my work colleagues about last night’s TV. I like being at work – and that is ok to say. My children come first and always will, ultimately they know I love them more than anything but they also understand that mummy works. I am incredibly proud of my working mum title and I feel I am instilling a positive work ethic into my children. I made a promise to myself that I will never miss a sports day, Christmas play or key milestones and I am lucky I work for a fantastic company that lets me keep that.

Of course there have been times when my children are ill and I have had a guilt ridden drive to work knowing I would prefer to be looking after them but this is all just part of the juggling act. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual and we are all winging it on a daily basis.

So this Sunday will I be sat with my feet up being pampered by my two little darlings? Not a chance!

It is my son’s birthday the following day so I will be hosting a family tea party. The irony is that even on Mother’s Day there is always a job to be done...