Entrepreneurship AND Kids?
The role of being a parent is multi-faceted and involves many convolutions. When a Mom or Dad is an entrepreneur as well, it gets even more complicated. When both Mom and Dad have their own businesses… phew!
As we all know, the journey of a Parentpreneur is not always an easy road.
In this post, we will be sharing a few tips with you that can make life a little less stressful on you.
Want to have some fun with this?
Enter the Pretty and Punk Podcast
I recently came across The Pretty and Punk Podcast and I’m hooked!
Parentpreneurs iLdiko Ferenczi and Dan Caldwell tackle the topic of entrepreneurship and kids in a fun way as a couple.
What makes this podcast particularly awesome is the couple’s playful banter with each other “on-air” and that every now and then you hear a baby crying in the background. Does it get more authentic than that?
Oh, and both Mom and Dad were successful entrepreneurs with businesses of their own before they set up Pretty and Punk.
Dan co-founded global clothing brand, TapouT. iLdiko founded Canada’s first woman-owned architectural concrete company.
And they interview some of the most successful entrepreneurs around, who are also juggling kids, relationships and running their own businesses.
Have a listen and you’ll gain valuable insight on how these master parentpreneurs are able to do and have it all without having a complete meltdown.
Pop over to Spotify or Apple Podcasts to get your fix.
And… I promised you some instant relief, so here are 4 ways to overcome the obstacles of raising kids while running your own business.
1. Juggling Work and Parenthood
Moms and Dads are superheroes, not just to their kids, but for real. They have multiple roles they fulfil at home: being a caring spouse, raising kids, doing chores, being a nurse, the list goes on.
If parents are running their own business from home, it becomes more stressful to find that perfect balance between home life and work life.
There really is no choosing between the two.
On the one side, you have your kids who require constant care and attention and on the other side, you have the business you’ve built from the ground up.
It helps to work out a solid routine and stick to it or try to at least as much as possible.
2. Engaging with Your Children
It is essential to give your child the care and attention they need but to also make them understand that you have ambitions and dreams as well. The right way to do so is to allow them to experience some of the areas in your work life. Tell them about what you do and why it is important to you. Engage with them by having conversations.
Tell them when you are happy or stressed about work-related issues.
Explain to them why you cannot always spend as much time with them as you would like to.
It helps to have a life partner that shares your passion and commitment towards work, and who supports you in the decisions you make that impacts family life. Being a parent and entrepreneur involves dedication, time management, and self-care.
3. Passion is Everything
The responsibility of balancing parenting and entrepreneurship becomes a lot easier if you are truly passionate about what you do. You should not only do it out of necessity, it must be a life choice.
Whether you are a man or a woman, to survive you must be exceptional in what you do.
A common mistake however that many people make is not keeping their sanity in one piece. Amidst the pressures of running a business while being a parent, you are bound to lose your marbles at some point and feel as if you have lost your individuality in the process.
When this happens… breathe deep. And consider whether you’re still following your passion and if not, figure out how you’re going to rekindle it.
4. Remain Calm and Enjoy the Ride
I know it is difficult not to think about work. Parents are constantly thinking about the office and their children. There is just no way that you can refrain from thinking about either because both play a significant role in your life.
You do not have to stop, because we know that both require your full attention.
With family life, there will be many times that your motherly or fatherly instinct will override the entrepreneur in you, or vice versa. The key is to accept the things you do not have control over and just tackle any issue as it arises.
And simply do the best that you can (without beating yourself up or laying guilt trips on yourself or your partner).
How are you acing entrepreneurship and kids?
For more tips delivered with a sense of humour and class, visit: https://prettyandpunk.com/
