I'm now a mother of two children still in diapers. And I am a Drupal professional. Finding a balance between work and family feels something like walking a tight-rope, where one mis-step will be catastrophic (with large budgets and my professional reputation on the line on one side, and the literal survival of my children -- or at least their long-term mental wellbeing -- on the line on the other).
As the mother (who nurses and is the primary caregiver for my children), and as a Project Manager who always has to remain two steps ahead of my teams in order to keep projects from falling behind, this struggle is especially acute. It is, however, a reality on many levels for a lot of members of our community. The world benefits when parents are part of the workforce, but it is extremely challenging for us to find the right way to be our best in both places.
This session is meant to be a panel discussion to help
- new parents navigating work/family life
- soon to be parents who intend to continue working
- Drupal business owners hoping to retain team members transitioning into family life
It is possible to do both. It is awesome to be able to do both. But it is not easy, and should not be attempted in a vacuum.
Another important note: this description talks about parenthood, but the session is really about being a caregiver and a professional, which is not limited to parenthood and children.
Topics we will cover:
- Please speak to your specific challenges.
- How have you made your situation work? What sacrifices have you had to make in order to make your situation work?
- Are there some systemic changes that you think Drupal organizations in general might implement in order to improve work-family balance for their employees?
- How do you make the case for those changes? Why is it worth their while?
- (if time) Are there specific roles that you feel lend themselves more readily to primary care-givers?
Confirmed panelists:
- AmyJune Hineline
- Oliver Seldman
- Steve Rifkin
- Rain Michaels
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Comments
volkswagenchick replied on Permalink
Target audience
Thanks for putting this panel together...will make a nice conversation.
Your intended audience
- new parents navigating work/family life
- soon to be parents who intend to continue working
- Drupal business owners hoping to retain team members transitioning into family life
I find it just as difficult to find balance as my kids are now teenagers as I did when they were babies and toddlers.
rainbreaw replied on Permalink
Good point! I crafted this
Good point! I crafted this idea based on my own experiences, and I don't have teens yet ;) And a big part of me was hoping it would get easier, lol. Are you planning to be at camp?
volkswagenchick replied on Permalink
Camp attendance?
I have been giving it some thought. I will just be getting back from vacation that Wednesday and have to coordinate my schedule. I work with Hook 42 so I have some wiggle room as far as being able to work remote!
aimeerae replied on Permalink
This sounds great!
As a Drupal shop owner and a new mom, it is super hard to find the balance. I couldn't have done it without the extended tribe at Hook 42 and the Drupal community and my family.
I'd love to join the panel, but I have a baby and my work travel has changed quite a bit.
We also find it a challenge for parents / caregivers are returning back into the workforce. So many are talented but may need adjusted full-time schedules as they return to work. Hook 42 actively promotes and supports our team to choose hours and schedules that work best for their work-family balance.
rainbreaw replied on Permalink
Thanks for the comment. I'm
Thanks for the comment. I'm sorry you won't be able to attend, but would love to know more about the ways that Hook 42 successfully supports your team in this area. If you have a moment and are able to hit me up on Drupal slack, I'm at @rain. Congratulations on the baby :)
rainbreaw replied on Permalink
Notes from the session
rainbreaw replied on Permalink
The screencast link for the