By Jen Davis, Featured Writer for Rock My Photography and Owner of Photography by Jen Davis
When my daughter was born, my world got pretty small, pretty fast. I went from a world-traveling corporate nerd (with style, mind you…but I do have a degree in chemistry so nerd is kind of a given) to a stay at home mom with an infant. Don’t get me wrong, she was and still is the light of my life. Almost too much of my life. We went everywhere, camera in tow. I devoted every waking minute to her, and sometimes found time to clean the house and cook a meal or two. Though I’m sure my darling husband would raise an eyebrow {or two} to that. I pay no mind, his brows are always twitching for no apparent reason, at least, not apparent to moi.
Three years later, enter light of my life number 2, my son. By this time, I had a good routine going with darling daughter, and the little mister fit in nicely. But I was missing something. I had lost myself. After taking a few months to get my bearings, I decided to go official with my photography. I needed that little something extra. Something that was preciously mine. It was a huge bonus to me that my images were making my clients happy, because the whole process was making me ecstatic. I had purpose beyond wife, mother, grocery shopper, playground ref, and wine swigging reality TV watcher.
And then something unexpected happened. I had a realization. And when I tell you my realization…you are going to want to smack me upside the head. I can already hear you all, “why was this such a surprise? Don’t you know that time moves exponentially fast once you have kids? Don’t you know that time flies by even faster the more kids you have? Plus you are working? Geez woman, you are in a freaking WORMHOLE flying towards the future!!!”
Um, yes, I do realize this now. But in truth, I didn’t realize just how much ‘time’ I would spend thinking about time. No one told me the insane amount of time required in a day for setting up a business, marketing yourself, generating clients, shooting clients, editing the images, delivering the best possible product you can absolutely deliver…all the while maintaining the other roles of wife, mother, grocery shopper, playground ref, and wine swigging reality TV watcher….{hold on, I’m catching my breath}. It takes so much time!! And it is all important in some shape or form, to me, though the order might change on any given day.
One thing is constantly at the top though and that is my family. Because even though the photography is for me, it is also in a twisted way for them. Because they get a more sane and more centered wife & mommy. Not to mention some cool toys.
940 is the number of Saturdays that are present in a child’s life from the time they are born until they turn 18. And this number is likely less, because I’m not sure of any 15 year old that really wants to spend time with his or her parents. So subtract the number of Saturdays between 15 and 18 you are only left with 780 or so. And when you factor in other obligations that take away time spent with the kids, I’m sure you are down to 600 (told you… NERD). Suddenly my numbers are making my finale a little bit depressing. I want to end it on a high…
Use the time better. Prioritize better. Use organizational tools to help expedite things to don’t need to take so long. Don’t ever forget the camera…use what ya got mommas! Get a remote trigger and get in the damn picture. Take those photos that you pour over Pinterest to do with your clients (cute family feet, hands on top of each other, you know the ones I’m talking about) and do them for yourself. And let’s see them! Post them on the Colorvale Actions support group on Facebook. Let’s celebrate seizing these moments with our families. Our businesses are absolutely important. But don’t look back and wish you had done a better job with the work/life balance. Be present. I am making this promise to myself. Today.
940.
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LOVE the realization! Such a great article and so touching to us busy moms out here =)
Jen- I love this post. It is so true. I am constantly worried about “time”. I am a now a single Mom and my children split their time (and therefore their Sat’s ) with their Dad. You post seems very pertinent to my life. Make every min. count – for both yourself and your children.
WOW…940 – that sounds like the smallest number ever…now that I am done having my babies – and they are 9 and 13, this makes me SO sad. It’s tough to “do it all” and then do more…