Being a parent and self employed...my heroes! How do you do it?

[Guest Nuby]

........I have got a 7month old and as you know...there is an invisible string that we have attached at the hip.....How do you juggle running your business and family?

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

Very badly. I can't give 100% to either. School holidays are a nightmare but luckily I have a very good deputy and I am able to reduce my hours to the bare minimum. I go in from 7.15am-10am and leave my boys in bed. Luckily the eldest is 14 now and that really helps apart from the constant fighting between them all. The early start means I can set up for the day and brief the staff. I also do one full day per week. My deputy does the later starts so she is there for the close. I only live a couple of streets away and staff know they can always phone me with any queries. I have already popped back today to so a sign up and with some shopping they needed.I have also been back a couple of times for the last few weeks to check on rashes!!

In term time only do two long days and work 8.30am-4pm on others so I can drop the kids off at school and get home just after they get home. I must admit it was much harder when they were young and I had just opened as they spent all day every day at work with me. Jealousy was a real problem for them and sharing me was a real problem for them.

I do most of my shopping online now after the boys have gone to bed so that gives me more time on a weekend. Luckily I have a fantastic supportive husband without whom I could not manage. He helps at work when needed, driving the minibus when I was off for three months earlier this year and popping in to the setting every day to check on things for me. Without doubt it puts a massive strain on relationships as you can never switch off from work and if like me you take all your worries home it adds extra pressure. We have got the balance right now and I have learnt not to talk about work every evening - as did he when he first started off his business.

Good luck Nuby. make sure you get the balance right from the start and delegate when you can.