I just put the baby down for a nap and am here to tell you how Dave and I both tackle being engaged parents and running successful six-figure businesses! Maybe you are pregnant and wondering “how am I going to do this?!” Maybe you are in the sleepless nights phase and just looking for a “me too!” Either way just as a disclaimer this is just the way we do it. I am not here to “momsplain”(look up mansplaining if you don’t know what I mean) something to you like you aren’t doing a good enough job because girl…if you even have the energy to read this, you are killing it! Being a mom is exhausting! Super rewarding! But definitely the hardest job there is! Add working in there too and it’s a lot to juggle! But you can do it! Here are some things we do to help balance it all out!

Divide and Conquer

I think the best thing we ever did was divvy up morning and night duties. Dave and I take turns getting up with Noah in the morning and being home at 5:30 to feed him dinner, play with him, and get him ready for bed. So one night Dave does those duties and then he wakes up with Noah the next morning and does our morning routine until our nanny comes. And then the next night/day is my turn.

It helps us schedule late meetings on the other days so our partner doesn’t feel like all the baby duties are getting put on them and it helps us make sure we get great one on one time with Noah! It also hypothetically (not that this always happens) lets us get in workouts, time with friends, and those kinds of things without feeling like we are burdening the other person.

Being Flexible

Being an entrepreneur means sometimes you have a lot of work and sometimes you have none! But things always come up last minute, on weekends, and on vacation. We have learned to try to give each other grace (And mainly I am looking at myself in that. Patience is a major place of personal growth for me) and try not to keep a tally. Dave’s business requires him to be much more on call than mine and springtime is the busiest time of year. During that time we have to adjust our schedules and I have to really be patient and keep in mind that this is when he makes most of his money.

Scheduling Non-Working Hours

Being your own boss sometimes also means being on call. You probably still have clients or you still have important deadlines to meet. Even if you aren’t your own boss I am sure you have work emails you bring home with you! But once the little one comes it takes a lot more intentional effort to not only be a good mom but a good spouse. We have set boundaries on answering phone calls, texts, and emails after hours and its been the best thing for our marriage and our family!

Now I know what you are thinking! “I am not there yet!” You feel like your business is still a baby and constantly needs you. Your clients need immediate assistance or they will disappear. But I am here to tell you. That is simply not true! People will respect you for it. If you set up proper expectations from the beginning on what hours you work and what kind of response times people should expect, your clients will not leave you. I promise!

Schedule a Date Night Once a Week

Its been so important for us to schedule a time once a week where we can reconnect, not discuss business (usually), and unwind. I know that not everyone is as fortunate as we are to have the support system to do this, but if you do. DO IT. It has done wonders for our marriage!

Childcare That Fits Our Needs

Make sure you do research as to the programs, babysitters, nannies, daycares, etc. that are out there. Think about the lifestyle you want, compare prices, and think about how that will affect your work schedule. Having a nanny was the best option for us because we like to travel so much. She does overnights and Noah already knows and loves her. I was worried about bringing someone in every now and then to do overnights which would make Noah feel abandoned and like he was left with a stranger. Again. Not momsplaining. This is just what works for us!