💎 #12: Career Mom Challenges

One thing about me…I’m going to be open and transparent. I believe in sharing the REAL, and that it is okay to vulnerable. I am a proud mama who works in sports, and I pride myself on being able to integrate my two worlds. I did research on this through both my masters and doctoral programs, and through my own personal application, I know that work and family do not have to reside in two separate spheres. For some – they prefer the separation. For me – I enjoy intertwining the two.

For the first time in my career, I couldn’t fully immerse my boys into my job because of Covid. When you work in a high profile sport and try to do everything correctly so that you aren’t the one to bring the entire organization down (yes I know that is a bit drab, but honestly it’s how I felt at times), you try to ensure that you are always doing your part to be safe and virus free.

My oldest son ONLY knows a life in athletics. He was at his first track meet at 3 weeks old, he’s been to practices, games, study hall, career programming…you know it. He has grown up with my student-athletes and he has a host of big brothers and sisters to show for it. This year has been different in that, we didn’t have fans for half the season and I couldn’t bring him to practices, so it made for a very sudden change in lifestyle. When I could however, you best believe we took full advantage. When your mom works for an NBA tram, that means you get to stay up pass bed time to watch the games on TV, or as a bonus, go to games on a school night AND have seats in prime time fist bumping real estate. Oh, and Extra popcorn, cookies, and soda.

I also travel quite a bit…okay let’s be real, I’m gone A LOT. After sitting at home for almost 18 months and getting to spend the first 12 months of my youngest son’s life at home with him almost full time, this part was the biggest challenge. I’ve never felt like I was sucking at being a mom until this year. Talk about a gut check, and a heart check. Thank God for my therapist, my husband, and my mama. This was a new season for me (no pun intended) and I’ve had to give myself all the grace. Grace to not feel guilty for not making it home for bedtime. Grace for taking naps midday so I could functionally make it through these split shift type days. Grace for not knowing where anything is in my kitchen because I hadn’t cooked in weeks and thankful for my mama holding it down. Thankful for the bus drop offs when I can’t make it home in time for the car rider line. It didn’t take me long to realize I had to be intentional with the time I do get with the boys…all of them – my partner included.

I wasn’t always perfect this season…in fact I was less than, more often than not. What I do know is that I have one heck of a DREAM TEAM holding me down and always cheering for me from the sidelines (or the couch). Our life is sometimes a walking circus, but it’s ours and in my opinion we rival an intricate Cirque de Soleil! This season we learned, we lived, and we survived. I’ve never put limits on myself, and I’ll continue to find ways to redefine my role as a really dope Boss mama!

-Dr. LCJ