It’s not whether you can juggle as a working parent; it’s what you’re juggling – and whether you can keep everything in the air.
We all talk about the juggle. When we visualize it, I’d bet the most common image is the one on the left – someone casually keeping five balls in the air.
It’s not easy. But they’re all the same shape, weight, density.
Same came be said for juggling bowling pins, or even flaming torches. Not easy at all but everything you’re juggling performs in the same way.
That’s not what it’s like to be a Lead Dad or a Working Mom today. What we’re juggling is a mix of all the different things in our life depending on the day, week or month.
Take a look at the image on the right. That’s a Lead Dad, and the things he’s juggling are all different – a ball, a flaming torch, a chainsaw, a bowling pin, a knife.
That’s what the juggle looks like for a Lead Dad or a Working Mom.
Conjuring up that traditional image of keeping all those balls in the air – it’s not just wrong; it does a disservice to what fully involved working parents are doing day in and day out.
The juggle we’re doing is more complicated and less predictable. Are we going to be able to catch the chain saw, which is heavier than the ball, while still making sure the flaming torch doesn’t burn us – or fall on the floor and set the carpet on fire? What happens if we throw the bowling pin too high, thinking it’s the knife? Can we afford to drop any of these? When can we stop?
I thought a lot about this last week, which could only be described as an absurd juggle.
Take last Wednesday. Our tech guy finally figured out why the WiFi doesn’t work inside my house. Then I jumped on the weekly Company of Dads meeting. After off to moderate a panel on parenthood choices 30 minutes away. (That was exhilarating.) Then back to pick up a kid from school. Tough conversation with my oldest daughter around why she has to drive her sister to school next year because we don’t have the bandwidth. I did get to spend time outside with our youngest. Quick dinner for all. Then off to a Dads Night Out at school. Came home and everyone was asleep – so there was time to work and send emails! Ball, pin, knife, one humming chainsaw around driving.
That’s just one day. You get the picture.
If you’re a working parent and can relate, how do you manage the real juggle of life?
