We ask each Woman to Watch to write about what's on her mind. Here is what Carol had to say...
Managing Organized Chaos
Life is short. Each phase of our life contains different opportunities and challenges. The phase I’m in right now is certainly hectic and the pace sometimes faster than I’d like, but I still wouldn’t change a thing. I am blessed by a wonderful family, a terrific career and a company that supports and promotes women. My company has given me the opportunity to grow with them and still keep my family a priority.
My children appreciate the fact that I work for Cargill because it is an extension of who I am. I know I am a better person because I get to learn and stretch myself at work and I believe in what I do for Cargill. That work ethic extends itself to my family.
My schedule and pace can be daunting at times, especially when I have tight deadlines at work, cookies to bake for school, ballgames to attend, practices to get to and from, dinner to prepare, laundry to finish, and a household to clean. My husband helps out when he can, but the majority of the time his work takes him to many meetings in the evenings, so that leaves the bulk of the activities to me. However, when I travel for work, Tim rearranges his schedule to make sure everything gets done. And yes, there are no nannies at this household!
I expect my children to share in the workload at home. Each child knows they have to help out or we simply couldn’t function as a large family. Being organized and planning ahead is part of what keeps me sane with the hectic pace of our lives. Our family also believes in giving back to the community and we volunteer in the community when we can.
The key message I tell myself is that life is about choices. I choose to live in today, prepare for tomorrow and show my children that you don’t have to put dreams aside if you have a big family. I’m living proof that women can have a successful career and a large family. You simply have to learn how to manage the complexities of a busy schedule and not take yourself too seriously!
Here’s a snapshot of my typical day(4-5 times a week):
4:30 a.m. Get out of bed!
4:45 a.m. Run 3-5 miles. This is the only alone time I get each day to reflect, pray, and mentally organize my day.
5:30 a.m. Jump in the shower and get ready for work
6:00 a.m. Wake up the kids.
6:15 a.m. Drop off my teenager at school for his weightlifting and conditioning.
6:25 a.m. Drop my youngest two girls off at daycare. Lots of hugs and kisses before I say goodbye.
6:30 a.m. Park the van at the local bike trail and bike into work.
6:50 a.m. Arrive at work. Get started immediately, full day of projects, negotiations, meetings and conference calls.
4:20 p.m. Leave work, hop back on bike, pick up van.
4:40 p.m. Pick up girls from daycare.
4:50 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Execute a very full evening routine. I drive, drop off, pick up, and watch (when I’m lucky) the activities of five different children who are involved in activities ranging from track to baseball to soccer to dance. If I gave you the minute by minute details of this part of my day, you probably wouldn’t believe me. Trust me, there’s never a dull moment.
7:15 p.m. Head home long enough to get dinner ready for the kids who are home from their activities, get the little ones into pajamas, read a book and remind them they need to be in bed by 8:00 p.m.
7:45 p.m. Head back out to pick up my son from his soccer practice and then FINALLY head home for good!
8:15 p.m. Arrive home, eat a quick dinner. Get things ready for my two youngest kids for the next day. Get my biking gear and clothes ready for work next day also. 4:30 a.m. sure does come early!
9:00 p.m. Make sure the older kids finish their homework and get ready for bed myself unless there are deadlines that need to be finished at work.
Sure, we have occasional mishaps in the schedule and meltdowns from the kids. We are not perfect. We are just like other families – only bigger.
Join the discussion
Are you exhausted or inspired by Carol’s schedule? Maybe a little bit of both. Tell us your experiences as a working mom with a big family, or let us know what it was like being a child from a big family with a working mom. Share your stories with us and read Susan’s blog about what inspires her most about Carol.
