Love Letter to Children of Work at Home Parents

I believe there is a silent revolution of work at home parents. Today, Monday Morning Marketer, is inspired by the children of these WAHPs, WAHMs, WAHDs. These children are living a life in uncharted territory, with our hope that it is a great life for them too. This Monday is my oldest daughter’s 7th birthday. My entrepreneurial journey really all started with her. In today’s blog, in my open letter to her and any other child of entrepreneurial at home parents, I am discussing this entrepreneurial life as I see it for a child. Look forward to your thoughts! Let me know if this resonates with you… I’ve written it as if it just might.

Dear Child,
Today is your 7th birthday. The day I discovered I was having you was the day I finally decided my traditional career was (thankfully) nearing it’s end. For all the great opportunities and learning I had, it had run its course. I didn’t yet know what path it would take, but I knew you deserved a mom who was making choices that would lead to greater happiness. I knew I couldn’t be a great parent unless I was trying to be a happy woman. I knew my core passion for my career would not leave me, but that I must find a new way to “work” that inspired me without limits.

By the time your sisters arrived, I moved from having a spark of entrepreneurial motivation at your birth into full fledged ‘break up’ from what was to what could be. And I knew you would all be part of my change as I finally lept from employee to entrepreneur. But what I didn’t know was that the change in me would be part of a silent revolution occuring today fed by many parents, moms in particular, carving out more self and societal permission to make the choices our parents never had. This change will be part of your legacy.

You, my child, are born to two entrepreneurial spirits. We are driven by unique ideas and opportunity. But we are also driven to be available for YOU. Our primary passion is for parenting. We have made choices that allow us to care for you in all the privileged hours of the day that we don’t share you with school, friends and the activities we willingly chauffeur you to.

You don’t know it any other way. You are unaware that other parents must or wish to make other choices. You, dear child, get to see your parents at work daily. Our work is not a mystery. It is a presence in our lives that never leaves. You know about dot coms, laptops, meetings, marketing, computer programming. You know some of our clients & champions by name and recognize them by their avatars on our screens. You know that when you ask about who I’m meeting for work, I will often begin my sentence with “I’m going to meet my friend…” You see a life where work and play often have few boundaries.

You, dear child, are influenced by parents who have no idea if the way we are living is the best way for you. We don’t know… but we believe it with all our hearts. You see, you are first generation of this particular entrepreneurial evolution.

Yet, there have always been entprepreneurs. Canada was founded on risk-takers making better lives for their families. We are a new kind of entrepreneur, rising from the sweat equity of our pioneering grandparents who fought for their food, land and rights. They, and our parents, have given us the privileges of a life that now frees us to fight for more than the basics. My generation wants happiness and fun… we want work to be a satisfying joy that also provides us more freedom to play. We want all of this for you too.

Dear child, you also see it’s not always easy. The ideal of fun, freedom and joy is somedays a bit out of reach yet. We do not always know what we are doing. Some days the risks feel greater than the reward. The world is not carved out to support our kind as it should… yet. You see your two parents living out loud with few barriers. Life, work, play, happy, sad all ebb and flow and overlap at a rapid pace. For better or worse. Mostly for better.

We are grateful for every extra minute this life has given us to be with you, and the flexibility to enjoy you as many ways we can while you will still allow it. The entrepreneurial life. It’s a tough one. But I wouldn’t do it any other way. Not right now. Maybe not ever.

With great love,
Your mompreneur and dadpreneur.