It’s tricky.
You’ve gotta make money. And take care of your children. And assuming you’re of a churchy disposition, make heaven with them too.
But you live in Lagos where the Devil has a formidable tool in the city’s unassailable traffic jams and many of your fellow drivers have sworn a pact with you-know-who to constitute a nuisance on the congested streets because life is short and why waste it being orderly.
So you wake up anywhere from an hour to three ahead and begin the journey from wilderness to paradise and from darkness to light, from the comfort of your home to the ambiguity of the office. And then you spend the next 8-12 hours peering over documents and computer screens trying to save the world in the course of putting food on the table for your family, immediate and as is usually the case, the extended one too. Monday-Friday, it’s a circle.
So one day, the universe decides not to observe this routine and you get home early just before sunset to see your children while they are still awake and thus begins the awkward task of bonding over previously uncharted territories. How do you ensure that this happens again, that you see your children frequently, despite your boggling work schedule?
- Plan to bring your child to work with you for a day during the next few months, if you work weekends.
- Involve your children in brainstorming sessions at home, rather than shutting them out
- Get off work early to attend Parent-Teacher meetings at your children’s school
- Tell your kids at every opportunity you get, about a memorable adventure you had as a child with your dad/mom or parent figure.
- Delegate and empower other employees with valuable responsibilities so you can sneak out time to call your children during work hours.
