That got me thinking. Even though I possess a whole load of skills which are obviously perfect for teaching - having been a teacher for several years - being a mommy has enhanced my skill set in a whole new way. Here are some of the requirements on a recent form I looked at (but didn't decide to fill in), and how my new mommy skills might help me out...
Enthusiasm and energy //
I can always summon the energy to get out of bed, even after wrestling with a 3 hour long screaming match between 1am and 4am. Furthermore, after such an event, I find myself able to be enthusiastic about being handed the same item for the 17th time in a row, or having to shout 'PEEKABOO!' for the 100th time in a row. Moreover, in order to avoid dealing with the 15th tantrum of the day, I continually find myself able to push my own emotions aside to be enthusiastic about singing 'There's a hole in the bottom of the sea', complete with actions, until such a tantrum is diverted.
Flexibility //
During a typical day, I demonstrate my ability to be flexible by making spur of the moments decisions based solely on the mood of a toddler. Despite spending time putting carefully laid plans in to place the day before, I am easily able to throw these out the window and create a whole new set of activities for the day, should said toddler prove to be in an exceptionally bad, exceptionally good, or exceptionally blasé mood, or should the weather suddenly change. Similarly, working with my current 'colleague' requires me to be flexible enough to climb out of the shower - hair unrinsed - should she decide to wake from her nap early, repack her snacks three times depending on what she has decided not to eat that particular day, or abandon all chance of a successfully cooked meal when she decides she must receive milk at that exact moment in time.
Willingness to accept challenge //
I have a child.
Excellent oral communication skills //
Unfortunately, my current colleague has a grasp understanding of the English language, and as such I have carefully honed my skills over the last 13 months in order to ensure that I am clear and concise in all my oral communication, at all times. It would be true to say, however, that this had led to the majority of my communication ending up as short, concise sentences such as "No! That's dirty!" or "Stop! You'll be electrocuted!", as this is all my co-worker currently understands. I do, however, find backing up my oral communication with sign language - such as a waggling finger, or a full body dive to pull her finger out of a socket - to be an extremely effective, and much underused, communication method.
Ability to multi-task and delegate //
My ability to multi-task has vastly improved since becoming a mother. A few examples;
- I can cook a meal to meet the nutritional requirements of both a grown man and a 1 year old, whilst holding that 1 year old in my arms, folding laundry, and picking up toys.
- I am able to change a nappy whilst pushing away a dog, procuring more wipes, passing my child a variety of distraction devices, picking up dropped distraction devices, and texting my husband an SOS
- While driving is generally considered to be a task which requires undivided attention, I am able to negotiate city streets whilst singing "Row, row, row your boat", passing snacks backwards to my toddler, picking up toys which she hurls at me, and swear at other road users.
In terms of delegation, I find it incredibly easy to forget all about household chores during the day when my toddler demands my attention half way through the hoovering, and then guilt my husband in to completing these tasks on his return home from work.
Time management//
I consider time management to be one of my strongest skills. For example, in a typical day I am able to organize my time to ensure if I need to arrive at a baby class at 11am, I am able to fit in a nap, snack, free play, time to get dressed, time for house hold chores, time to travel to destination, and time for tantrums in order to make sure we arrive at our destination in a timely fashion. My time management does waiver in the early evenings, when the work which needs done does seem to far outstrip the number of hours until bedtime, however, I pride myself on always being able to fit in every chore, completed to the highest possible standard (if judged by the toddler).
Working with others - interpersonal skills //
I have great experience interacting with a cross-section of the community, from those who are keen to tell you how you are doing everything wrongly, to those who tell you you know nothing because you only have one child, and from those who ask when you will stop breastfeeding your child, to those who try to get a little too friendly. In order to avoid creating conflict, and in order to allow everyone's opinions to be heard, respected and valued, I have carefully honed my ability to smile, say nothing, and back away slowly. This is a skill which I believe will carry me far, as it allows me to interact with anyone within a work setting in - what they believe is - a largely positive way, and creates an atmosphere in which physical violence to be kept to a minimum.
Working with others - Meeting and working with others who hold the same position as yourself //
Over the last 13 months, I have found it absolutely imperative to meet with my peers several times a week, in order to allow myself every opportunity to reap the benefits of their experience - which always seems to vastly outstrip my own. I find these meetings are crucial in ensuring I am at the top of my game, allowing me to measure myself and my colleague against the progress of others to ensure that any issues are clearly highlighted, ready to trouble shoot these during the next week. Peer support is also a fantastic way to raise morale among myself and others, and I believe it is vital to the well-being of all. Generally, I have found that these meetings work best when fueled by tea and biscuits, as these appear to stimulate productivity.
Despite the huge number of, genuine, skills we all develop as mummies, I sadly can't imagine that most employers would actually see these sorts of things as valuable. What do you think your top skill is as a mummy?