More busy women...(there's a lot of us about!)
Juggling mothers
IT may well be an over used phrase, but so many women are now doing it that juggling home and work lives is not unusual any more.
These days, there are few mothers who turn up at the school gate who haven’t just rushed from work to be there, and more of us than ever are asking for flexible working hours, and term time contracts so that we all try and be an effective employee and a great parent.
So…how do we do it then? We asked a few Oxfordshire mothers who all hold down jobs, to give us the low down on juggling. Can we really have it all?
Jude Barber from Chesterton is 43 and has three children. Twins Sophia and Sacha, who are now 21 and living their own lives, and Joey, her ten-year-old son with her new partner, Andy.
Jude works as a fitness instructor every week day evening from 6pm till 9pm, and her daytime work varies, from teaching swimming lessons and aerobics to massaging and some personal training.
Her schedule is punishing and includes up to 18 classes a week. Four of those classes are children’s swimming lessons, but she also teaches swimming to people who have been referred by their GP, and private swimming lessons as well.
On top of this, Jude has clients booked in for massages at least three to four times a week. She is self-employed and works at Bicester and Ploughley sports centre.
Jude said: “Joey will often fit in around me and my classes. For example he goes swimming a lot of the time by himself or will have his own swimming lessons.
As Andy’s job is also quite varied, they’ll be times when he can work from home all day but some weeks he won’t get back to really late in the evening, we have to be flexible, and Joey will sometimes have to come with me to come with me.
“It helps that he has such a laid back nature, but he has also been bought up to know that it’s the way it is and has learnt to accept that sometimes he may be waiting around.
“For example, if Andy is back late back from work Joey has to come with me to my two classes. He sits and does his homework during the first and then joins in the fitness ball class and helps all the old ladies when they fell of their balls!”
Jude added that her biggest challenge is being a domestic goddess as well as a fitness guru. She said: “The hardest thing is keeping on top of the housework rather than caring for Joey, as he really is very easy and good at fitting around my life and work.
“My job is definitely good for fitting in around a family and I think it’s great as Joey has learnt to have a really good attitude about sport and fitness. I do get very tired, but I am always back at three to pick Joey up from school and give him his dinner.
“It would be nice to put him to bed although I never have as that’s the ways it’s always been and that’s the way it was when the girls were younger. It’s quite nice actually not having to do the whole bed time thing. With the girls it was a lot harder as there was too of them, and I relied a lot on babysitter when the girls were younger.
“I never felt guilty about my job as I have always been in and out of the house and much prefer it that way compared to a nine to five job. I do get very tired, though as my work is so physical and energetic.”
Gillian Gibbons helps to run Venus Media. A company that offers PR and media training to small businesses, in particular those run by women who are juggling their work/life balance constantly. In June her company will be launching a new magazine aimed at women in business.
Gillian, 42, lives in Waterperry, Oxfordshire is married to Allen and has two children James, ten and Emma five. She said: “It is one big juggling act! I work basically full time hours but have to organize my work around the children. This means working until about 3pm and then starting again once they are in bed.
“Client meetings and media training sessions happen in the middle of the day, but if necessary I have to call in help from good friends to collect the children.
“Having successful home and work lives is possible, but you have to be organized and prepared to make sacrifices in other areas. For example, having time for yourself is really important-particularly if you run your own business. I enjoy keeping fit, but can’t physically fit in a gym session or run everyday so have to make the most of it when I can.”
Helen Taylor, 43, lives in Middle Barton and has two children Ella, 11 and Georgia who is nearly 15. She is a single parent and works as a physiotherapist. She said: “Some of my work is NHS based and the rest is private, and I do have a treatment room in my house so I can see patients there while the girls are around.
“They have got used to patients coming to the house and they understand that they have to be quiet and keep out of the way while I am in the middle of treatments.
“A lot of my work takes me away from home though, so I work it around school hours. Evenings and weekends are spent catching up with the dreaded paperwork and other admin! My top tip would be to get help in the house with things like cleaning and ironing, it really makes a huge difference! And also, get organized. Keep your diary up to date so you have a proper schedule. It sounds dull but it is essential to alleviate stress!”
Alexandra Burns, 33, runs the specialist photographic studio For Your Eyes Only Portraits TM. She specializes in taking contemporary, boudoir portraits of women and lives in Stadhampton. Alex is married to Jonathan and they have two children Oliver and Arabella.
Alex said: “My business in based in Lane End near High Wycombe, so I have to have properly organized childcare in place all the time. I try to spend as much time as I can with my children, and have built my business around them really to make sure that happens.
“My tip would be to get good people on board who you can rely on to help you, and who you can trust. If your children are happy then you won’t be stressed and you can concentrate properly on your work and running your business.
“I try not to work when I am with my children-it just gets too stressful!”
Jude Barber, Personal Trainer and fitness instructor can be contacted on 07855 947004
Gillian Gibbons of Venus Media can be contacted on 07795 342804 email gillian@venusmedia.co.uk www.wychwoodcommunications.com
Helen Taylor, Physiotherapist can be contacted on 01869 340960
Alex Burns, Photographer and owner of For Your Eyes Only Portraits TM can be contacted on 07774 936576 www.foryoureyesonly.me.uk
