Caitlin Crosby, Founder and CEO of The Giving Keys and single mom of two gives us a peak behind the curtain of passion on the other side of burnout.
What keeps your plate full these days?
Running The Giving Keys and constantly trying to create inspiring products and content to help and inspire people. And being a single mamma of two, ages 6 and 3, keeps the plate pretty full! I had a nanny when they were younger, but they are now in pre-school and Kindergarten.
Do you work because you want to or need to?
I used to do it because I wanted to, then I got really burnt out and resentful of it. Resentful of it taking time and energy away from my kids…but, I’ve fallen back in love with it.
What does your day to day look like?
Everyday is all over the place, but always filled with cooking, cleaning, trying to get my daughter’s tangles out of her hair, the kids’ homework and sports /activities…all while sneaking work emails to keep the colony alive after 14 years!
How does being a working mom impact your kids — either positively or negatively?
I wish I could say positively, but I feel like it’s been negative. I need to work on being more present with them, but it feels impossible to squeeze in all the work when they’re at school. I need to come up with a better schedule and work boundaries so I have less overlap time.
What holds the biggest tension in trying to manage everything?
Mom guilt and worry about how they will turn out. I get super emo and sometimes fear when I see them struggle with something, or look at my marriage separation status.
What’s one resource that would make your life easier?
Longer school hours, a housekeeper everyday, a therapist every other day (haha!), and a partner that brought in money to lessen the stress load on me. I think these things would help me have more margin /patience /energy to be a better mamma.
How does being a mom change the way you lead?
I’ve had to learn self control on how I speak because they remember everything and feel everything. Trying to lead by example in both places.
How would you encourage other working moms who are overwhelmed?
Give yourself grace and sometimes that means feeding them breakfast or dinner in the bath (which I have done multiple times!).
I’d say for the working moms who have husbands / partners, to appreciate their partners more. Because when you don’t have that anymore, I think you appreciate what they contributed and you feel that missing piece. So… appreciate the ways they contribute.
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