I only have one child (so far), but most of the time I feel like I have two – and no, I’m not talking about my husband! I’m talking about my business, Thibodeaux School of Music, which is coming up on its 2nd birthday in a few months. So now, with a 14-month old son and an almost 2 year old business, you can imagine I stay pretty busy.
Both of my babies are growing, too. And it’s my job to make sure we all make it through these growing pains not only alive, but thriving and happy.
First let’s talk about the real child, Sebastien. He’s a pretty typical toddler. Constantly on the move since he learned to walk a couple months ago, exploring and getting into everything, and beginning to test his boundaries. Add to that his limited vocabulary and the frustration that comes with not being able to communicate effectively (I was pretty lazy with sign language and now I’m kicking myself for it), and we’re definitely dealing with some growing pains with him. But with my background in early childhood development, I know that he is going through normal toddler stuff, and if I can be patient and help him through, we’ll all be much happier for it.
In a lot of ways, I feel like the business is a toddler as well. It’s definitely growing and finding its place in the world, but sometimes I’m just not sure where exactly that place is. We have a few different directions that we could head in, and I know that no matter where I choose to steer this ship, I’ll always wonder if I made the right decision. Sounds a lot like parenting, huh? Well, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short time as a parent, it’s that you can’t second guess yourself. You follow your instincts, weigh the options, make a decision, and follow through. And I’m trying to adopt that same mentality when it comes to my business baby.
So, how do I balance having these two babies that both require so much time and energy? Well, the truth is I take it day by day. I thank my lucky stars that I have an amazing husband who plays music at night and can stay home with Sebastien during the day. But I always wish I had more time at home. And I always wish I had more time to devote to growing the business. But there’s only 24 hours in the day, and you have to sleep at some point, so the thing that I’ve found to be most helpful is to figure out a “schedule” (I use that term very loosely, since I’m always changing it). And when I’m working I focus completely on work, and when I’m at home I focus completely on my family. My husband and I work together to make sure that I am not distracted when I need to work, and I try very hard not to check emails on my phone while I’m bathing Sebastien before bedtime.
It is difficult now, but I know that once both of these babies have grown up a little bit, my load will lighten. And for now I’m trying to enjoy the chaos and realize that these days won’t last forever and I’m sure I will look back on them fondly!