Tory Johnson: Advice for Working Mom Guilt

ByABC News via logo
October 7, 2005, 2:05 PM

Oct. 10, 2005 -- -- Last night on ABC's hit show "Desperate Housewives," we watched as Lynette's new boss forced her to miss her son's first day of kindergarten. Every mother watching could relate to that heart-wrenching scene: the first day of class is a big deal, for parents and for kids.

As I write this, I'm on a business trip for a Women For Hire event in Chicago, which has taken me away from my 8-year-old twins, Jake and Emma, who are in the third grade at home in New York. Travel for work means I don't get to walk them to school, which is among our favorite morning routines. It also means I miss out on afternoon bake sales, art shows, soccer games and other fun moments.

Even though I've faced this ongoing dilemma for the last five years since preschool, I'm still not comfortable with it. Yet, like most working moms, I've figured out some smart alternatives and coping mechanisms that work well for us, and might inspire you too.

Incidentally, as today's working dads are more involved than ever before in their kids' schooling and extracurricular activities, this advice applies equally to them.

Develop a backup plan. Sometimes it's just not possible to attend a school function. I try other backup options to avoid missing my kids in action, but I'm a firm believer that no play or performance is worth risking your job over. One time when my daughter had a special play that conflicted with a long-standing work commitment, I asked her teacher to allow me to watch a dress rehearsal. That's the best of both worlds: I see her perform and I honor my professional commitments.

If you're unable to attend a school function, I suggest these simple solutions for keeping your kids content:

Talk to the teacher about attending a dress rehearsal instead of the official performance.
Ask a family member, friend or fellow class parent to videotape the performance for you. Make a special time at home to watch it with your child.
Encourage your child to re-create her part at home for you and offer to play along.
Engage your child in conversation by phone and in person about how it went, who said and did what, and provide an outlet to share his or her enthusiasm.
Schedule a time following the performance for the two of you to share a special activity. Whether it's visiting a bookstore and reading a favorite selection, playing in the park or chatting over ice cream, both of you will no doubt value each other's undivided attention and affection.
Find other times to be involved with the school, from helping in the classroom to going on field trips, that work well with your professional schedule.