I had two phone calls on Thursday which are easy enough to handle when the baby is nursing, asleep, or distracted by play. But I also had a lunch meeting and a professional networking reception. I was out all day Friday to serve as a judge for a university science fair. For all the out-of-the-house business to attend to, the baby was my companion.
Meetings with children lovers such as my lunch meeting on Thursday are relaxing and anxiety-free. She even held the baby a little while I ate – eating with both hands! It’s freeing to feel that I can be both my professional and my maternal self without being judged. I like knowing that although the person I was meeting with may judge me differently after lunch with my baby, they won’t judge me negatively because of it.
Networking meetings are a little more risky. Some, even most people in attendance may be just fine with the presence of a child. Some may think it unprofessional and bad judgment. I just don’t know who and how many will think negatively. Do I care? Mostly, no. But I’ll never know if I’ve lost a business opportunity because I brought my baby.
Bring the baby as my science fair co-judge was a necessity, but it was also calculated. Students tend to be very anxious when being judged, but a judge holding a baby isn’t nearly as intimidating. One student loved the baby so much that she asked to hold her twice. Students, being young themselves, don’t seem to mind the presence of a child in their midst.
The difficulty being a first-time WAHM is not knowing where the line is between okay and not okay to bring my baby. I know that I haven’t crossed it yet, but I also know it exists somewhere. Perhaps I’ll someday cross it by accident, and then I’ll know.
Earlier this year, I left my baby with my husband when I attended a local two-day workshop. In retrospect, I could have taken her with me. A baby in the audience wouldn’t have been a big deal. I was asked to give a short, impromptu speech while there, and even then I could have held my baby while speaking or passed her to someone to temporarily hold.
Earlier this year, I attended an out-of-town legislative advocacy effort., leaving the baby with my husband for 36 hours. I don’t think it would have been feasible or appropriate to bring the baby with me as I rushed from legislator office to office with limited time to discuss my industry before the next meeting. A baby would have been a distraction that would have slowed us down and taken away from the business conversation.
I don’t know the best way to proceed sometimes, but the important thing is that I proceed. And now, another business phone call while my baby naps on my lap.
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| My co-judge at the science fair, half in the wrap. |
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