Motherhood is arguably one of the world’s most demanding jobs. Across the globe, mothers work tirelessly to nurture, feed, heal, entertain, teach and inspire their children. Their list of duties is as diverse as it is endless. Pursuing a career—whether by choice or in order to provide their families with necessary financial support—adds a layer of complexity to an already challenging role.
Among these women are the mothers on Dart’s workforce who dedicate themselves to family and career, a balancing act that merits infinite praise.
Meet four of these Dart mothers, profiled below, who show up for work every day with focus, dedication and with the belief that, despite its many challenges, the job of Mom is the best job of all.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
Most days start at around 5am. I feed Aiden, make myself some ‘mom fuel’ (coffee) and get myself ready for the day. I walk into the office looking like I’m moving in with my purse, lunch bag, pumping supplies bag and laptop case.
At work no two days are ever the same. I’m the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Mark VanDevelde, so my role keeps me on my toes and I do everything from calendar management to travel planning.
Before I know it, 5pm comes along and I head home where I’m greeted by two very happy doggies. I immediately go looking for some snuggles with my little man (Aiden) and my big man (Lynden, hubby). The evenings fly by with dog walking, dinner, clean-up, story time, bath time. Once we get Aiden to bed we’re usually pretty zonked and head straight to bed.
How are you managing the work-life balance?
This is fairly new to me, but I must say I feel very fortunate to be working for Dart and I’m grateful to have been afforded the flexibility to work remotely for a small portion of my work week, when necessary. It’s also very convenient and comforting to have access to a private room for pumping during my workday. My day usually whizzes by in a blur of calendar updates, project or travel planning and managing hundreds of emails. Thankfully, I have a great team of coworkers with whom laughs are often shared, so all this makes it easier to leave Aiden during the day.
Also, I love working at Camana Bay where it’s easy to pop out to grab lunch. Aiden is registered to go to Starfish Village when he’s old enough so he’ll be within walking distance, which is a huge bonus.
What do you do for fun?
Believe it or not, I love organising stuff and always have some ongoing projects at home to stay organised. I also love reading, long walks and doing crafts. As a new mom I don’t have much time to myself so a lot of time is spent doing boring stuff like laundry. I really cherish family time, whether it’s the three of us sitting on the floor playing games or going out for gelato then strolling across The Rise at Camana Bay. And every so often, I enjoy unwinding with a sunset happy hour.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
In the mornings, my helper arrives to watch Logan and I walk Gianna to school before driving in to work. Fortunately, Dart has offered me the option to start and end my day later and that flexibility is a huge help. I enjoy my job and my work family so my day tends to fly by. During my lunch break, I often drive to town to check in on the small retail shop that my sister and I co-own. After work, I sometimes volunteer with Kiwanis and Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS).
Tell us more about how you manage motherhood, a full-time job, a side-business and volunteer work.
My life is busy, but I enjoy the challenge of maintaining harmony with all the moving parts. I’m also passionate about these things and that helps me stay motivated. One of my hobbies is making natural products and experimenting with essential oils, so I partnered with my sister to open ‘Goodness’, a store that promotes cleaner living through use of sustainable products and locally crafted goods. Thankfully I have help at home and a supportive family and this helps with all the juggling. For example, I’m a BBBS ‘Big Sister’ and my daughter Gianna gets along well with my ‘Little Sister’ so we all spend quality time together on weekends. Gianna is also very hands on and nurturing with Logan and I call her “mother hen”. Also, Dart is very flexible with my schedule when I need personal time and that has such a positive impact on how I handle it all.
What do you do for fun?
I recently jumped in Batabano, which is probably one of the most fun things to do! I also love to read, read, read – there are tons of books in my house and thankfully this has had an impact on Gianna who also loves to read. A moment of pride for me is when I find her curled up with a book, reading just for fun.
What was it like to transition from stay-at-home mom to working mom?
I stayed home for seven years after Molly was born and I feel very fortunate I could do so by choice. I observed my mom do the same and I have tremendous respect for stay-at-home mothers. After Jack was born, I was ready to re-enter the workforce and Dart has been the ideal place for this transition. Despite the busy nature of my PR role, I’m able to leave work to tend to family duties such as picking up the kids from school every day or taking them to the dentist. It’s important to me that I’m able to attend all their events such as Christmas Concerts or Sports Days – and with three kids, that can be three in a single week! I appreciate this flexibility and am grateful to my Dart colleagues for their excellent support.
How have your kids handled the transition?
My girls say that it’s annoying since I’m usually running late for everything! Sounds about right since they got used to having me home for so long. However, I’m happy that they also understand that I choose to work. I believe it’s our job as parents to raise them to lead their own lives and it’s so important to teach them that a woman can do anything a man can do.
How do you handle the perpetual ‘on-call’ nature of a PR job?
With a laptop and daily walks with my dog! The laptop comes in handy in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed and I can get work done without interruption. And taking the dog for a walk is a great way to achieve mental clarity, which helps me tackle any challenge head-on. Of course, I must mention that I have an excellent partner in my husband, Al. He works long hours and travels often, but he’s a huge help and always on standby to drop what he’s doing when I have competing priorities.
What do you do for fun?
There’s not a lot of time in my week for me-time, but I read every single night without fail … even if it’s one page before falling asleep.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
Weekday mornings start at 5:30am, but every day is a work day for me since, in addition to my full-time job, I’m currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying at University College of Estate Management. During the week, we have an early breakfast before heading out from Pease Bay to Camana Bay. After work, we tackle the dinner-homework-bedtime routine. Then I stay up studying for at least an hour or two before bed. On weekends, we take some time to do something fun with the kids, such as a nice breakfast outing on Sunday mornings. Then I spend most of my free time studying, usually at the library on weekends.
How do you handle it all?
My husband Ravi, who also works at Dart, plays a true partnership role at home which is a huge help. Our daughter Maya is very busy with swimming, dance class, birthday parties and play dates, so we have to be very organised with our time. I find preparation is crucial, for example, we take the time to plan ahead and prepare our meal menus for the week every Sunday.
How do you manage the age gap between Jahru and Maya?
Thankfully, their age gap doesn’t pose much stress. Jahru is 16 and quite self-sufficient. He gets himself ready and catches the bus to school every day, which is helpful. He studies a lot and is aspiring to become an aeronautical engineer. Maya is at a fun age now—she has a huge imagination and is always keeping herself busy with painting and dancing.
What do you do for fun?
I love family outings such as going out to eat or watching a movie at Camana Bay.
