Being a parent is fantastic until it isn’t.
My boy has been sick with pneumonia for the past week and a half.
The meds are working, and he’s making a slow recovery. However, he will probably be off school next week as well.
This newsletter was going to be about WordPress development theme stacks, but I ran out of the limited time i’ve been able to grasp at the computer.
Instead, I’m reminded of a book one of my friends self-published last year. Kate Toon’s Six Figures in School Hours (my affiliate link).
I’ve skimmed through it on Audible at 2x speed (as usual), and parts resonated with me about this week.
Especially balancing work-life with parental duties. Double-especially so when they are ill.
My Typical Weekday Routine
My working hours are normally Mon-Fri, 9:30 am until 2:30 pm.
Mornings are filled with emptying the cat litter tray, fashioning breakfasts, making up the packed lunch box and packing the schoolbag with the necessary “items” for the school day.
• Monday is school library books with the home reading log, piano lesson books and swimming kit for after-school lessons.
• Tuesday and Thursday are OT homework, sports stuff and karate kit for after school and leaving early to drop Mum off at the train station.
• Wednesday is a “normal” school day.
• Friday is pancake breakfast and a special treat lunch box.
After doing some household chores, I can start work at 9:30 a.m. and power through until 2 p.m., when it’s time to wind down. I write down the three top objectives for the next day, do a bit of dinner prep, and then head off for the school pickup, after-school lessons and family time.
That’s on a good day.
The past week and a half have had “not” good days.
Runs to the doctor and waits for 45 minutes for a 5-minute examination. X-ray imaging, blood work, nose swabs, and being a house nurse for a very sick little boy and everything you can imagine that comes with (a bottle of anti-bac surface spray and paper towels at hand.)
This isn’t me complaining, though. I love being a parent, and I certainly don’t begrudge cleaning up all the piles of stuff that you can imagine being associated with a very sick kid.
Work-Parent Balance
When your kids or any family member is sick, being self-employed and a parent can seem like an impossible combination.
I’m glad I have a lean business and am on good terms with my clients. It gives me flexibility when 💩 happens, literally.
I prioritise the absolute key business obligations I need to meet for that day (client retainers mostly) and push everything else down the pecking order.
I’m open and honest with my clients, letting them know the situation and that communications will be sporadic for the next few weeks. Thankfully, most are parents who understand.
I’ll take a hit on sales and marketing this month, which means fewer incoming leads and fewer sales (income), but that’s part of being a solopreneur and parent with a young family.
Fingers crossed, I’ll be back on track for the next newsletter about WordPress development theme stacks.
Until next time, keep thriving!
Wil.
