I received an unexpected gift today: an extra-long stretch of time to work on my business uninterrupted. I was able to follow up on networking connections and research blog ideas for a couple of clients. I even had time to ghostwrite a blog post.
The source of this gift? Instead of the usual 2- to 3-hour toddler nap break I get every afternoon, my daughter was so sick with a cold and fever that she slept for 5 straight hours.
There’s a word for what I feel right now: grateful. As the old SNL Harvey Fierstein-type character used to say, is that so wrong?
Building a business while raising a family involves tradeoffs and shifting priorities on a daily basis. I wield this double-edged mommy sword to ward off exhaustion, apathy, and guilt wherever possible. One side is sharpened by the needs of my child, the other by the needs of my business. It cuts both ways: either neglect one to save the other, or risk losing them both. Today, just this once, I think both were saved.
Yes, I am worried about my daughter’s health and on guard for signs of worsening symptoms that might necessitate a trip to the urgent care. But I’m also relieved that her body kicked into hyper-sleep mode to help her recover–which coincidentally helped me get more work done. Two problems solved with one mother of a nap.
As for the mommy sword, it’s resting comfortably tonight, safely locked away in a toddler-proof sheath.
