Embracing the Moments: “I will protect her forever.”

February 3, 2012 · Filed under Domestic Diva, Life, Motherhood, Work-at-Home

I was a little crazy thinking I could run a business with my monkey munchkins still hanging around me most of the day every day. Now that I have clients (yay! I have clients! That’s plural folks… more than one), there is pressure for me to actually produce the top quality work I promise to people. So I am  s-t-r-e-c-h-e-d between the time  needed to produce, to maintain new business relationships, and to recruit new business. My kids don’t care.

For them, the only thing that has changed is that mommy spends more time in the office. I try to remember that when they interrupt a client phone call because they need help strapping on bike helmets. When they shout “Mommy!” every five to seven minutes (trust me… it is that often… I’ve timed it) for help with anything from opening a granola bar; finding a missing piece to a favorite toy;  needing a drink of water; tattling on the other sibling; cleaning a toushie, I try to remember they don’t know anything about deadlines or 24-chapter books that need content editing.

Sure, in moments of sheer frustration I’ve tried explaining it to them: “Please for the love of everything that is good in this world, mommy needs to work because this has to be done by  Monday and I’m only on chapter three. Just give me one uninterrupted hour, please I am begging you!” The response is a blank stare and a sheepish “Please will you help me, Mama?”

Of course I do. I take a deep breath and put down my pencil (okay…total disclosure… I tensely lay it down or I may even give it a frustrated toss) and I help them. This week I’ve been reflecting on the balance of work-at-home-motherhood… wondering if I made a mistake while at the same time being so in love with my new work. Ultimately my kids are still number one, beyond just their immediate needs of snacks and bike helmets. I am trying to be intentional about embracing moments with them.

Sean came to me the other day,  looked up at me with his round hazel eyes and tousled blond hair and asked, “Mom? Will you play basketball with me?” I couldn’t resist, but I also knew I had to make headway with my client’s project. So I compromised. I set the timer for one hour “Let me get as much as I can done in this next hour and then we’ll play.” It was a deal. So I wiggled my way through the hour up and down and up and down, tending to needs in between editing sentences. At the end of the hour I closed the book and played with my kids. We had the best two hours laughing and playing and talking. I lost two hours of work time, but gained two incredible hours with my children.

Today I took them to the park. During our walk Sean and I had the best conversation. At almost six years old, the kid has uncanny life insight. As he pushed his sister in the stroller he said, “Mom. God made me the big brother and Haley the little sister so I can take care of her. I will protect her forever. Even when she is sick, I will take care of her.” Wow! Had I not taken the time away from my work to intentionally embrace my kids, I never would have had this opportunity to hear what my son has been pondering… about his life… what God’s purpose is for him. Wow!

The lesson for me is to not worry about the deadlines, not worry about the constant interruptions, and not worry about the business. Those things are not nearly as important as taking the time to embrace my kids. The sacrifices for the business “stuff” will have to come from somewhere else. I should worry when I’m missing out on profound moments with my kids… moments that matter in both their lives and mine.