Hello Kate, tell us about you. What do you do and how old are your children and what happens with your kids when you are at work?
I’m an American living in Poole with a 5 year old girl and 3 year old boy. When the kiddos are at school and nursery, I’m busy working two part-time jobs 1) Marketing manager for a renewable energy company called Rendesco and 2) Running my own art business called Sherwood Sea Glass Studio, making pictures from local sea glass. I started the latter less than a year ago during pandemic life.
1. ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE HOW BEING A WOMO MAKES YOU FEEL?
ALIVE. No time to sit, just time to run around and feel every emotion under the sun.
2. WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE HAD JUGGLING KIDS AND WORK
Sometimes I’ll need to answer a work call on a day off and my little boy will frequently shout in the background that he’s had a poo. I will then have to wipe said poo, whilst listening on the call and begging for my son to not speak.
3. WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD OFFER ANOTHER WOMO?
Please please please try and be proud of what you’re doing. Easier said than done. We can constantly slip into guilt-mode about whatever (house, kids, life stuff). But, in fact, we’re actually teaching them amazing lessons by working – how to be strong and resilient, how to support a family and how to achieve goals.
4. WHAT’S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SLEEP YOU’VE GONE TO WORK ON AND HOW DID YOU COPE?
In those early days of sleep training, probably a few hours. Coffee at the start and wine at the finish line helps get through the marathon.
5. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF AS A WOMO?
I didn’t realise how anxious I have become since having kids, which is a result of the pressure I placed on myself. I wanted to do everything so perfectly. I wanted to be the best employee, best mother, best wife with a perfect house and social life. I was (and still can be) my worst enemy.
6. IF YOU HAD A WORKING MOTHER’S ANTHEM OR MANTRA, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
GIRL, YOU ARE NEVER TRAPPED. YOU ARE IN CONTROL. There is always the opportunity to change something if you need to. Be-it our job, our schedule or mindset.
7. WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE TO COMBAT WOMO GUILT THE BEST?
Some trash tv bien sur! It’s probably one of the few consistencies between pre-kids and post-kids Kate.
8. WOULD YOU RATHER BE DEALING WITH A TANTRUM OR PRESENTING IN A BOARD MEETING?
Tantrum 100x over. You can always walk into another room.
9. IF YOU ASKED YOUR CHILDREN WHAT YOUR JOB IS, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?
My 5 year old says “You make people cosy” (Referring to the renewable heating company) and my 3 year old says “Seaglassing”
10. WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU WISH YOU’D KNOWN BEFORE YOU BECAME A WOMO?
That adding work doesn’t subtract the other life-stuff. For some reason I thought my work hours would just slip into my schedule – but, of course, someone still has to do the washing, buy the present for the upcoming party and renew the passports! It is a continuous lesson of scheduling, delegating, and prioritising.
11. TO DATE, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST WOMO ACHIEVEMENT?
Setting up the art business alongside the employed role felt incredible. Of course, there are many times in my marketing job where I feel accomplished after a big project. However, I am most proud of the self-reflection and recognition that something was missing in my life – and then doing something off the back of it, and making that a success. Something was missing for ME and this new venture feeds my creative soul.
12. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TEACH YOUR KIDS ABOUT WORKING MOTHERS?
Aside from the teachings I mentioned above, I really want to say to my children – Mummy is a person just like you. Yes, we have given you our hearts, but we have to keep our dreams. And being a working mother is just one way of doing that.
IG @sherwood_seaglass_studio