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Beth Avant

Freelance Director at a PR Agency

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If you could afford to stay at home, would you still choose to work? Why?

Yes, I would do what I do now and work part time; I love the flexibility. I can’t just be home all day. I need to have something else.

Do you feel a lot of guilt as a professional mom?

When I worked full time I definitely felt guilty. Sometimes you end up bringing you child to school when you know he is not feeling great. But you have to bring him because you can’t stay at home. You feel guilty about it. Now I don’t feel as guilty. I do have the ability to call my own shots. I can keep my kid at home if I need to. Flexibility in my schedule definitely alleviated my feeling of guilt.

Any advice for fellow professional moms?

To be honest, if you feel overwhelmed, talk to your boss. After three months of full-time work after I had my son I was totally stressed out and overwhelmed. I sat down with my boss and told her I had to quit or change something. She was a woman, she didn’t have kids and I always viewed her as not the most understanding person. But she surprised me and said she didn’t want to lose me and wanted to know how she could keep me. I ended up working three days a week. On Mondays and Fridays I worked from home in the morning.

I couldn’t believe how much that helped and I still had pretty much a fulltime job, but it was so much easier. I did it for six months and then they wanted to promote me, so this flexible schedule didn’t last as long as I hoped. I took that promotion and worked four days a week. It was still good to have Fridays off. Then I got another promotion, where I had every other Friday off – that was harder to adjust to.

You never know what your boss will do for you - I was shocked at my boss’ reaction. Don’t underestimate your boss, you never know.

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4 comments so far...

  • Love your page Beth! Working full time and being a mom, keeping the house clean and paying the bills can all be so overwhelming. Did I mention work-out too? Sometimes I just want to collapse, and then I get so short tempered because all I want to do is play with my 6 yr old daughter. BUt overall I am so lucky to have a job, and to do what I love to do which is selling Real Estate. I realize as soon as I make an issue about somethingn then it has become an issue. I am learning to rise above and find solutions. Juggle away, but try to capture the moment and stop to smell the flowers. Love your blog sight! Charge!!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by mamasita on 19th August 2010

  • it's so good to hear how others do it day to day! thanks!

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Tiff on 1st May 2007

  • Great answers Beth!! You are juggling so well, I'm proud of you.

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by akalterego on 30th April 2007

  • I really like your advice about talking to your boss if feeling overwhelmed. I work in a completely male dominated industry and don't think my boss would ever be sympathetic to how I feel as a mom, but what you wrote really made me think that perhaps even he could surprise me...

    Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 30th April 2007

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