I was flipping through the February issue of Today’s Chicago Woman (now I know why they give it out for free) last week while waiting for my car at the valet at work (yes, we have valet and yes, it’s cheaper than the parking garage) and came across a rather interesting profile of a working mom. The magazine, which focuses on professional women in the Chicago area, conducted an interview with Emily Barr, president/ general manager of ABC 7 Chicago.  (If you’re interested, the February issue also profiled Chicago’s 25 Most Wanted Men! WOO WOO!)
Barr (mom of 2 daughters) was asked if she could give some advice to other moms of the world (after, of course, answering the working mom question du jour, How do you balance it all? You’d think the media could get a *little* more creative, but alas, no.).  Anyway, I could really relate to part of her answer:
You can’t be 100 percent great at everything, so if you’re going to work really hard at work and you’re going to try hard to raise your children properly, then there’s something that’s gotta give.
Yay! Someone agrees that we can’t be great at everything (unlike our friend Jenny Garner) and doesn’t sugar coat it. What particularly struck me, however, was the last part of her quote that said “something’s gotta give.”Â
The more I settle into working motherhood, the more I realize that other things in my life are giving. In fact, I’m starting to feel just like the tree in the fabled children’s book, The Giving Tree. Like how the tree gave up its apples so that the boy could make money, I’m totally slowly giving up shopping so I can afford my lovely nanny. The tree cut its branches off so the boy could build a house. I cut my hair to save time on my morning getting-ready routine. I’m giving up a lot to be a working mom, and that’s cool. I just need to start keeping track of it before I look like some sort of Macy’s catalog reject (sorry, still missing Marshall Field’s here).
So that’s why I’m starting my own “Giving Tree” (if you care, I AM a fan of the book).  Yesterday I gave up my health. I’m fully coming down with a cold, but I still went to work. I should have been napping. But something’s gotta give.
Are you a giving tree? What did you give up today?
Tags: Chicago, work-life balance, working mom
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Today I took my daughter to the pediatrician because *I* feel so bad. I figure if she gets well soon, I will too!
“Yesterday I gave up my health. I’m fully coming down with a cold, but I still went to work. I should have been napping. But something’s gotta give.”
Ahhh, isn’t it so true… we take sick day off when our kids come down with cold, but go to work with
I have given up shopping and monthly hair appointments to send my daughter to the most amazing private school.The cost? 16,900 a year.(this is elementary school!)Not including lunch,after-school care,lessons and the birthday parties that seem to occur twice a month.
Wow, that’s a lot to give up. My husband put the kibosh on private school. Guess we’ll be testing the public school waters or it’s to the burbs for us!
Wow, I have given up so much, I can’t remember. My children are almost all grown. (all girls) My oldest daughter is 25, 18 and 11. I am nothing of what I was or hoped to be. But I decided this year it was time to get back to me. And if there is anyone out there who’s knows what that is – I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.
I work from home on Fridays. Between doing real work and hanging out with my daughter, I gave up trying to get out of my pj’s today and into real clothes. But hey, I’m still working and being a mom. I’m just not a fashionista.
That’s ok! Fridays are sweats days for me too. As long as you don’t wear it to the office, I think you’re cool