How Being a Mom Makes You a Better Professional

"Becoming a parent can make you a better worker," New York Times writer Lisa Belkins said in a recent column.

I'd always heard that becoming a parent made MEN better workers. The common "wisdom" said fatherhood made men more stable and better motivated.

Women, the old prejudice held, would become unreliable once children arrived. Motherhood would bring distractions and increased sick days on account of small, runny noses at home.

My own experience has been mixed. In my early days of motherhood, I concluded that each sleep interruption meant a loss of 10 points from my IQ the next day. And small, runny noses, fevers and upset tummies did indeed take a toll on my work attendance.

At the same time, I began to discover professional advantages to being a parent. For example, I had a whole new way to connect with other parents and with children.

When preparing children's sermons for the various churches where I preached, I could tune in to preschoolers' joys, questions and fears in a new way. As a hospital chaplain, I better understood the anguish of dying parents who were leaving young children behind.

But you don't have to be working directly with children or parents to get a professional edge from parenting.

Good parenting helps you zero in on what's truly important. You become more skilled at setting priorities.

Parenting helps you develop patience and empathy, too. Learning to read your pre-verbal child's body language and vocal tone provides an excellent tool for sensing discomfort in colleagues or clients.

And, as you learn to nurture your children's skills, you can become better at supporting subordinates' and colleagues' skill development.

You may even become more efficient. In "The Working Mother's Guide to Life" (Three Rivers Press), Linda Mason quotes a financial planner named Lara:

"I now work much harder than most people, and I tend to make the most of the time I have. I am more efficient because I have to be. I get done in eight hours today what I used to do in twelve. Honestly."

Sometimes, the connections between parenting and your profession can bring a smile.

Ann Crittenden wrote "If You've Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything"(Gotham Books) after she noticed the similarity between advice books for moms and advice books for managers. Dealing with executives, co-workers or clients turns out to be pretty similar to dealing with toddlers or teenagers.

So. Growing into parenthood has given you more empathy, patience and efficiency, and you can better set priorities and help others grow.

Excellent qualities in any professional!

Why not take a moment today to appreciate the increased skill being a mom lets you bring to your profession? Then, step out with confidence and pride in who you have become.

(c) 2004 Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC

Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, specializes in helping women who are both professionals and parents to create balance. She offers teleclasses, workshops and individual and group coaching. Norma publishes "The Balance Point," a free e-zine, every other Friday. Visit http://www.NormaSchmidt.com

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:50:53 GMT World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says - MarketWatch BBC News World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says MarketWatch - 2 hours ago By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Financial policymakers from 180 nations around the world are united in their resolve to tackle the financial crisis, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, head of the International Monetary Fund's policy committee, ... G7 nations face going cap in hand to China guardian.co.uk Finance officials comments at IMF meetings Reuters AFP - BBC News - Bloomberg - New York Times all 579 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:23:46 GMT Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details - New York Times Telegraph.co.uk Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details New York Times - 3 hours ago The bailout plan gives Henry M. Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, three broad choices in buying assets. By ALAN S. BLINDER THE House of Representatives was against the bailout bill before it was for it. US firms up plan to buy into banks to stem crisis Reuters Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg Los Angeles Times - Washington Post - The Miami Herald - International Herald Tribune all 2,358 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:39:07 GMT GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain - New York Times Voice of America GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain New York Times - 1 hour ago By ADAM NAGOURNEY and ELISABETH BUMILLER Republican leaders across the country said Saturday that they were worried that Senator John McCain was heading for defeat unless he brought stability to his presidential candidacy and settled on a clear message ... Antiwar Protestor Disrupts McCain Iowa Rally Washington Post Obama needs 75 percent turnout in Philadelphia, says Rendell CNN Political Ticker The Weekly Standard - Summit Daily News - USA Today - WNCT all 1,087 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:23:47 GMT Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut - New York Times Boston Globe Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut New York Times - 5 hours ago In Hartford, Crystal Pretzman of Willimantic, Conn., celebrated the State Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Video: Connecticut Court Allows Gay Marriage AssociatedPress Marriage ruling not the end of debate in Conn. The Associated Press Newsday - Washington Post - Reuters - NECN all 1,711 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:13:08 GMT Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young - International Herald Tribune Times Online Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young International Herald Tribune - 10 hours ago AP HELSINKI, Finland: Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari said Saturday that finding jobs for more than 1 billion young people in the Middle East and Asia will be a major challenge to peacebuilding in the next decade. Video: Ex-Finland President Wins Nobel Peace Prize AssociatedPress Nobel Finn Wall Street Journal Voice of America - Times Online - Burlington Hawk Eye all 1,453 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:12:07 GMT US space tourist set for blast-off - Reuters Canada.com US space tourist set for blast-off Reuters - 40 minutes ago By Maria Golovnina BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - US video game magnate Richard Garriott will blast off into space aboard a Russian spaceship on Sunday watched by his father, a NASA astronaut who went into space at the height of the Cold War. US space tourist set for launch BBC News Russian space chief reassures US partners The Associated Press Times Online - USA Today - Spaceflight Now - RedOrbit all 287 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:50 GMT YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads - Afterdawn.com Vancouver Sun YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads Afterdawn.com - 2 hours ago Google has announced that it will begin offering full-length TV episodes through its YouTube platform beginning this week, thanks to a content deal with CBS. YouTube to Offer TV Shows With Ads Strewn Through New York Times YouTube beams up Star Trek for long-form video, prominent new ads CNET News Wall Street Journal - eFluxMedia - Silicon Alley Insider - Bizjournals.com all 109 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:13:12 GMT RSS Software Increased Web Site Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

For School Success, Dont Coddle Your Kids

Parents want their children to succeed in school. However, sometimes... Read More

Personal Responsibility: What It Means and Whose Job is It?

"How many times do I have to tell you to... Read More

Mutants or Clones?

In a single dose of children's television, I was bombarded... Read More

Violence in Media

In the news, we hear and see an increasing number... Read More

Keep the Little Ones Safe, Follow Pool Safety Guidelines

Pool safety should be on the minds of every parent... Read More

How Do You Find the Best Car Seat to Protect Your Child

Choosing a good car seat for your child's protection is... Read More

Keeping the Stress out of Single Parenting

Researched through personal experience!Budget Your Money. Even if you are... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Late vs. Too Late, and 5 More Sure Fire Tips

Late vs. Too LateEvery now and then, I'll hear a... Read More

Getting through the School Daze

It's back to school time again. Does the thought of... Read More

What is Incest?

Incest is sexual activity, ranging from fondling to intercourse, between... Read More

Frequently Asked Questions About Reading To Your Child

Are you worried about your child's reading habits? Perhaps you... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: 4 Traps to Avoid

4 traps to avoidTrap 1 - Parents need to realize... Read More

The Most Powerful Question a Parent Can Ask?

The question I have for you drives right to the... Read More

Road Trip with Kids

Boredom, limited space and overflowing energy are a source of... Read More

MORAL ARMORS Irrational Parenting, Part II

Handing Down Malignancy.Children may begin bright and eager to face... Read More

Girls Gone Mild

Voices!So many voices crying out for adherence and so many... Read More

ADHD: Dialogue with a Non-Believer, Part Four

Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More

The Different Types, or Styles, of ADHD

Research literature, recent books, and common sense, all point to... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: What Teens Say About Parents

What's hard for teenagersHaving people who don't understand you trying... Read More

Theres a Lollipop on Your Bottom (and Other Terms of Endearment)

"I took care of Callie," my three-year-old announced.Callie had been... Read More

Labeling is Disabling: Achieving Congruent Communication

A small town, somewhere in the world, was managed by... Read More

More Water, Not Less, Will Help End Bedwetting

Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are... Read More

Calming Tips for Hyperactive Children

Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please just... Read More

Handling Failure -- Teaching Kids How to Profit From It

There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at... Read More

How to Silence Your Childs Inner Critic

Children do what feels good to them and follow their... Read More