IAHL Blog

This week's post is from IAHL Board member Gretchen Duhaime

Part of being "holistic" for me is not fracturing myself into separate personas for "work" and "personal." I'm a work-at-home mom (WAHM) so I spend most of my working hours with my children nearby. I saw something recently commenting that WAHMs might not be taken seriously in their businesses because many perceive "professionalism" to be in conflict with "mother." That is, if I am caring for a child I can't also produce good work product.

I began wondering what is it about mothering (distinct from motherhood) that might make me less effective in my job? My first thought was all the distractions children bring. I am typing this with a 7-week old infant in my lap and a 22-month old playing nearby, so apparently I am still able to string together coherent thoughts.

If distractions aren't detracting from my work, what else might cause people to label WAHMs as unprofessional? I came back to my meaning of holistic - of being a whole, integrated person. Is it possible that we are so accustomed to separating work from "life" (in some sort of "balance") that the possibility of blending the two is inconceivable?

What do you think? What has your experience been either as a parent or someone who works with parents?