This could easily turn into a blog about a lot of things. I’ve never written one before and that in itself has potential to be a subject all of its own – but I’ll resist (self discipline being sorely needed right now) and keep to my brief: I’m currently trying to set up a business. My husband keeps telling me to drop the ‘trying’ and say that ‘I AM setting up a business’. He’s right, of course. However having left the work place almost 4 years ago, when we started a family, I have noticed that my confidence has soared in some respects but plummeted in others. I am so proud of my children (the eldest is now 3 ½ and the youngest 1 ½) for weathering their first years seemingly unscathed. I am proud also of myself and my husband for having, just about, survived the maelstrom of parenting so far. Outside of my role as a mum, though, I feel on much more wobbly ground.
I am incredibly lucky that it has been possible for me to be at home full time for the children all this while. However, as my youngest is gearing up to start nursery in 6 months and my eldest is a year off from reception, I’ve started to think about what that means for me. I’ve toyed with many variations on the returning to work theme but have shied away from making them a reality. I know that the longer I leave it the more adept I will become at dissuading myself. So, after long discussions with my husband, we decided that opening up a business in a field that I know and am comfortable in would play to my strengths and re-ignite forgotten ones. The business in question is a baby retail shop.
I’ve been researching this on and off for a few months now and, following a visit to a trade show, kick-started a number of different plans of action. Unfortunately, and much to my frustration, they’ve been lying in ‘to do’ piles on the study floor pretty much since that first excited flurry. I’ve found that the spells when the children are napping, or are in bed and my brain has got a few whirrs left in its cogs, are so brief that it’s been difficult to get any momentum. With great reluctance I therefore agreed with my husband that we should look into some part-time help.
There followed an incredible whirlwind of events: an ad placed on Gumtree generated 200+ replies in just one weekend. By the Tuesday we had finished our interviews and by Wednesday, a wonderful Australian girl had moved in with us. I didn’t know if I was coming or going and had to keep excusing myself as I was constantly on the brink of tears. This was so incredibly different from everything that I thought we had planned. To be fair, and in a less emotional state of mind, what we had planned still holds and this situation is just whilst our lovely Australian girl finds a place of her own. In the meantime, I can’t deny that it’s of enormous benefit to the children that they can get used to her constantly yet gradually and now, nearly two weeks later, I’ve been able to sit down at the computer, uninterrupted, for the longest time that I can remember. On which note, I had probably better do some work…
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I fully appreciate your 'to do' piles etc. I have them going back years. Unfortunately I have found that mother has affected my memory - so I forget where they are. I, like you, am trying to set a business going - its hard to keep the momentum going. Good luck with the business.
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