Being a working mother is one of the hardest things a woman has to do: to choose how to divide her time between work commitments and spending enough time with the kids can be heart-breaking – no one wants to miss those special ‘first step’ moments, nor do they want to have a stagnant career. These 5 successful mothers have all found a balance that works for them and have spoken on how they make things work best for them. Some make sure they set some special time to spend with the kids such as a day out each week, while others fit their work around their kid’s timetable.
Denise Richards
Denise switches her phone off and spends the whole day with her kids: “I recently started turning my phone off once a week and just spend that day with my kids with no outside distractions. I actually didn’t realise how much I used my phone until I turned it off! It’s a fantastic change I made and being present with my girls is the best gift I could give them … I think my daughters have taught me one of my biggest lessons in that I need to really enjoy the moment. Before I had my girls, I was always focused on the future and what was next without really soaking in what was going on around me now. It’s a wonderful thing for me to get back to.”
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker finds balance by spending plenty of time at home between jobs: “We’ve had two occasions recently where both Matthew and I were working and it was so hard on the kids,” she shares. On the other hand, there are big chunks of time when we’re home a lot more than conventionally working parents. So you hope to make up for it. We love closing the door and having the only people in the house be our three children and us. It’s such a good feeling to know that we’re competent and capable and that it’s private.”
Michelle Williams
Michelle likes to work around her daughter’s school timetable: “Matilda is always with me. It’s a balance and a struggle and it’s something I’m asking more questions about. My goal is to work in the summer and give her the continuity of a school year. It’s a balance thing. There will be a period of time when it’s hanging in favour of my work and there will be another more meaningful period of time when the balance is hanging with my daughter Learning to live with that imbalance is difficult. And probably very difficult for her.”
Katie Holmes
Katie doesn’t separate her work and home-life: she brings her daughter Suri to the set because she likes that she is surrounded by talented people: “Because you have to. As an actress who is also a mother, you don’t have the luxury of drama. Being around this business, my daughter is exposed to people with incredible talent, people who are the best at what they do. People I only dreamed of getting to work with as a little girl.”
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer says that you have to put family before work: “I think you have to know what is most important to you. And I think you have to realise that as much as you put into work, you have to put into your relationship and your children – but more so. That is how you balance it. For me, my family is the most important thing and everything else comes after that. It is hard to do everything, but you just have to. You have to make that effort. I have put so much time into my career in the past, so much time trying to get ahead and all that. But you have to do as much and then more for your home life too.”
