Baby to Work

Throughout the years, I've always heard people talking about taking their child/children to work. I also remember going to work with my dad - we would hang out in his office and play with the trinkets on his desk or go visit various workers at their offices or go walk around the plastic factory or the feed mill on our own little self-guided tours.

I have always been fascinated by this. By the ability of taking your child to work and actually being able to do work and it being ok... not feeling like you are breaking the rules and are going to get in trouble. Grant it, "times were different then", work wasn't so rigid and corporate and it wasn't forced to fit inside a perfect box like it is forced now. Back then people were trying to figure out how to balance life and they weren't tied to so many restrictions as we are today.

Today, they tell you to leave home at home and work at work. But in reality that is quite impossible - at least in our fields that are so intense. When I am at work I think about home things like the grocery list and Baby's next doctor appointment and how soon he will be walking. When I am home I think about work things like event orders that are pending client signature and parking chasers I need to order.  

I recently took a job that allows for room to breathe and space for home things and work things to all thrive in the same space. It is so refreshing to work in an environment that realizes home exists and that we need to make room for it. An environment that provides flexibility to be a mom and an event manager, all at the same time.

Today, I got to bring my baby to work. I had a high profile wedding that I had planned - one of my first events that I had my hands on from the very beginning since starting this new job. Because things at Norm's work are still not settled, he wasn't able to stay with Benjamin. So I spoke with my friend/boss and asked if I could bring baby. She said of course. So I did. And it was fantastic.

There were times when I put him on my hip as I went from bar to bar making sure they had the correct margarita recipe for the event. Other times I set him to hold on to the ceremony chairs and let a co-worker watch him as I showed the load-in area to the wedding coordinator. Other times he crawled about the banquet floor. Other times he sat on a chair on the terrace as he ate his snack. And everywhere he went, he stole everyone's heart. Nobody was bothered by him. Nobody was mean about it.

Some folks out there will disagree with this, others won't understand it and others will be able to relate. Everyone's life is laid out differently... All I know is that this works for us. Having this flexibility and acceptance allows for balance between mom/wife Fern and event manager Fern. And that has a high value.

Benjamin is helping keep an eye on a group of 50 prom kids walking through the wedding reception... making sure no fights breakout between the wedding coordinator and the crazy parents:

Tired baby and tired mama heading home: