Summer Reflections: Finding Meaning in the Chaos of Work and Parenting
Summer has a way of amplifying everything: sunlight, noise, expectations, and for working parents, the daily juggle between our professional and personal lives. As someone who works from home while raising children, I feel this tension acutely every June and July when school is out and my home office becomes a shared space with little feet, loud noises, frequent snack negotiations, and Lego pieces scattered everywhere on the floor.
There’s a certain rhythm to the workday during the school year that many working parents rely on. We cherish those uninterrupted hours to think, build, and create. But summer breaks that rhythm in both beautiful and chaotic ways. Suddenly, virtual meetings overlap with adjudicating sibling disputes. Important emails and proposals are drafted in between requests for snacks and more snacks. Focus becomes something we have to fight for, leading to exhaustion.
I’ll be honest: I’ve had my moments this summer already. Raised voices, short responses, and a few too many “If you don’t turn that down, I’m turning the TV off!” ultimatums. The pressure to maintain productivity while being present for our children is real and relentless. Like many parents, I sometimes find myself wondering if I’m failing at both.
A Small Moment with a Big Reminder
But then, some moments stop you in your tracks and offer a reset.
The other morning, as I sat down at my desk, still carrying the weight of a particularly rough start to the day, I opened my glasses case and found something unexpected: a small, bright orange puzzle piece. My son had placed it there, a quiet act of connection with no explanation, just this tiny, intentional surprise.
It made me pause, and I remembered a quote by C.S. Lewis that I’ve long loved but too often forget in the rush:
“Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work. In the end, the legacy that matters won't be what you built in the world. It will be who you raised and whether they felt safe, seen, and loved in your presence."
Thinking of that quote again was like a gentle recalibration of my perspective. The puzzle piece wasn’t just a sweet gesture. It was a reminder of what truly matters.
The Legacy We’re Building
Yes, the juggle is real. The missed deadlines, the guilt, the second-guessing; it’s all part of the territory when you're both building a business and raising a family. But so is the joy. So is the legacy we’re shaping, not just in our impactful work, but in the relationships we nurture with our children during these formative years.
Our work is important. The impact we create, the clients and causes we serve, and the strategies we develop matter. But equally important, and perhaps even more enduring, is the love we pour into our kids. It’s not an either/or equation. It’s both, and navigating that duality with grace and self-compassion is the real work.
A Note to Fellow Working Parents
To all the parents and caregivers navigating the summer season while juggling careers: you’re not alone.
Your frustration is valid. Your exhaustion is real, but so is your dedication and your love for your children. And so are the moments, big and small, that will linger long after the summer and this season of life is over.
As we move through the rest of the summer, I’m holding onto the truth that the “important work” isn’t always on my screen. Sometimes, it’s a puzzle piece tucked into a glasses case. Sometimes, it’s choosing presence over productivity.
May we all find those little reminders when we need them most.