Many had quit high-profile jobs to start home-based businesses so they could spend more time with their kids. Some have those kids in care so they can work in their home-based business.
I learned a lot at the Melbourne AusMumpreneur Conference this week.
And I thought a lot during the three-hour drive home when it finished.
I registered to hear the speakers and their topics, the event was close by and Anthony was available to have the girls. But I won’t lie; the following equation crossed my mind:
3 hours there
+ 9 hours at the conference
3 hours home
= 15 hours to myself
On the way home I turned the radio off and thought about all the mothers I met; our different ideas of success and happiness; our different personalities, motivations and needs.
And then I had a revelation.
It was a little bit of you don’t know what you don’t know (like when you announce you’ve broken up with your boyfriend because he’s a loser and everyone says, ‘We told you so.’ They knew, but you had to realise it yourself).
But more than that it was a (gentle) slap in the face. By my values.
That morning I’d left our family and looked forward to hearing about how to boost sales and get my business front and centre.
Driving home I realised the only thing I want front and centre is our kids and the only thing I want to boost is how much time I give them.
Everything will stay exactly as it is and has been.
The Bear & The Whale will continue to offer high quality, different, wearable kids’ clothing and unique gifts for babies. That’s your end.
For me, it will continue to be a creative outlet for research, design, sewing, photography and writing. What more could I want from it right now and why would I want to outsource any of those?
What’s your outlet?
Writing by Larissa Patton 
Good on you Larissa…I am so glad you had that revelation on the way home…partly because you agree with me!!! Haha…But, mainly because, you would miss those two little girls of yours, and you never get that time back…your time is coming, sooner than you realise now…but then you can set those bigger goals…you go girl…you are doing so well!
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Thanks Bev! As it is, I sew at night when they’ve gone to bed, clocking on at 7.30 and going through til midnight. I don’t know what made me think I could do any more than that (each night of the week). I realised that I’m in a perfect position with family and business right where I am. Good revelation. Love to you all x
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A little reality check every know and then is just what we need to set us down the right path and remind us what is most important. Enjoy the time you get, I’m extremely envious. Only 6 months to spend with my ‘boys’ before I go back to work. But, what has to be done, has to be done…we just need to make the moments we do have with them even more precious and memorable!
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How lovely that you can now say ‘my boys’! Well done to you both. And yes, I’m sure if we reminded ourselves more often about how precious each moment is, we’d be in a lot better mood a lot more of the time! Thank you,
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Beautifully put Larissa 🙂 Your post really resonated for me in terms of mama-ness as well. I think our businesses can have more energy poured into them as our children grow- the time when children are little is so precious. My children are across quite an age span and I know firsthand how fast it whizzes by. I love that you actively seek to align your business and life with your values- well done you!
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Thanks Josephine! Go you getting yours up and running, as you’d be extra busy with all sorts of activities given the ages of your little ones. Thanks for stopping by!
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