
I recently was blessed to have my fifth...yes #5...grandchild, and somehow it seems like a major milestone. I have two biological sons (and 3 grown step children) and each produced two amazing children. And, that seemed to model my own life -- having two children. But, when my son, Rich, and wife, Lisa, had Griffin 8 weeks ago, that changed. I can't explain why, but having a fifth grandchild is making me rethink my work and life choices. I've always worked, even when my children were small, and loved it ...and I still do. In some ways being a working grandmother is the best of all worlds. I pride myself on working toward the goal of feeling effective in my personal life and my career -- a daily challenge. I don't live close enough to see my children and grandchildren more that once a month, if that. I know that's been hard for both sets of parents, as they don't have family close by to help with their busy lives. It's always been very important to me to make sure I'm part of my grandchildren's lives, but Griffin's arrival has made it seem even more significant. It's not a question of not working, of becoming a 'stay at home' grandma. It's more a question or re-evaluating how and where I spend my time, and exploring ways to re-organize work and life so I can have more face time with my grandchildren, their parents, and my stepchldren. I don't have all the ansers yet, but I'm working on it. Are you dealing with similar work-life challenges?
Comments
Stay At Home Grandma??
I think you raised an interesting point in your blog. As a mom - I am so grateful for the 5 months a year that my mom is available for "back up." (she's in Florida the other 7 months). Do you think with times getting tougher...more grandparents are going to be "on duty?"
Grandma's on the move
I think it's a toss up. Many grandmas, like me, are working full time and can't easily be available to help out in the 'traditional' ways we tend to think of. Even my friends who no longer have jobs outside the home - the stay at home grandmas - who might like to be more accessible, don't necessary live close enough to their grandchildren to do so. But, many have created creative ways to stay involved in their grandchidren's lives. The fact is there is no model or set path, and are many choices for grandparents. It speaks to the diversity in how we live and work today. It comes down to individual choice, not tradtion.
I'd love to hear how other grandparents feel about their work-life choices and how they manage it all at this stage in life.
Karol Rose, FlexPaths Chief Knowledge Officer