Sep 23 2008
Professionalism Amid the Legos
My living room floor looks like a very small, very colorful city exploded all over it. Mini-figure body parts lay still amid the remains of garages, spaceships, and strange robots. It’s hard to tell who was the attacker and who was the defender.
What I do know is that, for the last half hour, my sons left me blissfully alone while I hurried to finish three articles before they needed me again. I did have to put up with loud explosions, crashing noises, and a running commentary about… something.
A work at home mom’s secret weapon is selective listening. If I let every make-believe speech enter my brain, I would never get anything done.
I struggled for a long time with the concept of being a professional. To me, a professional was a person in a suit with a briefcase and an ulcer. I work at home full time, and make a living at it. I’m not an amateur in the home business realm, so I must be a professional.
Another explosion sounds from the living room, and my younger son lets out a cry of distress. His brother has just attacked his Lego house with an alien ship.
Feverishly typing the last line of my current article, I get up from my desk chair, the invisible robe of professionalism slipping away with ease. By the time I reach the next room, I am all parent, and ready for the federation counterstrike against the encroaching hoard from Mars.
Juggling parenting and professionalism requires practice, dedication, and a healthy dose of craziness.
One Response to “Professionalism Amid the Legos”
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Replace the boys and legos with girls and Barbie dolls, and this sounds like a typical day at my house! Being a work-at-home parent definitely requires juggling skills but it’s a challenge I’m willing to take.