As we celebrated Mother’s Day on 11
th May, Telum Media spoke to three working mums from Kicker Communications, each at a different stage of motherhood. They shared how their parenting journeys have shaped their careers and the soft skills they've gained through motherhood that are now translating into the workplace.
How has your current stage of motherhood - whether parenting a newborn, a primary school-aged child, or a teenager - influenced your daily work routine, mindset, or broader career goals?
Laura Blue, Business Director
When I re-entered the workforce with my seven-month-old, it was a strange mix of feeling exhausted and energised. I found my role's most straightforward tasks felt twice as hard (thanks to hourly wake-ups!) but at the same time, I enjoyed doing these tasks so much more because my brain was once again being stimulated.
Now that my son is nine months old and his sleep routine is gradually improving, these same tasks are becoming less tiresome, and I've realised how important being cognitively challenged is for my general wellbeing.
This makes me show up better at work and at home. I’ve never felt more motivated in my day-to-day role. As such, becoming a mum has further fuelled my fire to reach my career goals.
Rochelle Cervantes, Associate Director
Having a primary school-aged son has significantly changed and challenged my daily routine. My days now revolve around school runs, extracurricular activities, and everything in between, which has made me more organised and efficient with my time.
I've had to get creative in managing both work and my family, and this has actually improved my multitasking skills! I've become more patient, flexible, and open to finding creative solutions to challenges, both at home and at work. I've also found that I am now much more focused and clear about what is important to me.
Lisa Creffield, Head of Content
When I first had my daughter, managing commuting, working hours and drop off / pick-up from daycare was a big driver in eventually going freelance and WFH. It was manageable, but it was stressful and involved a lot of wasted time. Switching to a flexible work-from-anywhere schedule was ideal.
Having worked as a journalist and TV reporter, I was already used to being in the field / out-of-office, and often working solo on stories, so it was an easy adjustment. Flexibility is vital these days for all workers, not just parents.
One of the interesting things about parenting a teenager is that you do get to hear about the media they're consuming and various social trends, before they get picked up by mainstream media. For anyone working in the media, marketing or communications-related spheres, this can be invaluable.
Motherhood can teach soft skills like negotiation, conflict management, and empathy - skills not always taught in the workplace. What have you learned through parenting that you now find invaluable in your professional life?
Laura Blue
It's always easier to manage work priorities when you have more time available. Before becoming a mum, I had the option of working more or later to get things done on the days when everything happened at once.
This is much harder to do with a baby, so I have learned to be much more deliberate and disciplined with my prioritisation. This has made me a more effective operator (at home and at work) and enables me to extract the maximum value from each hour of the day.
Rochelle Cervantes
My son has truly changed me. I've become a pro at negotiating, whether it's over screen time, having sweets or finding a way to juggle all my work and family priorities. I've also learned how to stay calm and find solutions that work for everyone, even when things get a bit sticky.
Additionally, the patience and resilience I've developed through parenting him have helped me address challenges with a new mindset, enabling me to embrace whatever comes my way with a smile.
Lisa Creffield
I came to parenting in my mid-thirties, so I have already had to develop most workplace skills, although they weren't formally taught then and often aren't now. I think major life events like parenthood and bereavement - which I experienced before having a child, with the premature loss of a parent - do reset your perspective.
Career is no longer "life or death" but it becomes important in a different way. You need to provide for your family, and you also want to set an example to your child of why education and hard work are important, but also about setting boundaries.
I would also note that these qualities aren't unique to parents - some of the best, most supportive managers and empathetic colleagues I've had have not had children themselves.
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