When you’re needed two places at once
Over at Cornered Office, Mir tells us about a classic working parent dilemma, she unexpectedly had to go get a child at school at the same time she was to begin an important conference call.
Fortunately, everything worked out well, but, I have been there when you are needed in two places at once, and, sometimes you have to come up with some creative solutions.
When my oldest child was very young, both my husband and I had one of those “must be there no matter what” days at work, and, the events in question were very close in time. As you might guess, our daughter woke up sick that day and couldn’t go to daycare.
Since she wasn’t feeling too badly, we all got in the car and went to my work. I did whatever it was that needed doing, and, my husband entertained her in the cafeteria.
Then, we got back in the car, and, went to his work and I entertained her while he gave his exams (he’s a teacher).
It turned out that another teacher had a sick kid at exams, so, I took both kids for a while, and, everyone was able to get their jobs done.
Ideal? No, but, in that situation, it was good enough, and, sometimes you just have to to what you have to do. Despite the stress of being needed by both your job and your kids, things usually turns out fine in the end.
