Father and Business Owner.....

Other titles for this blog post could have been...........

Hot Hatch to Roof Box, Beach Bod to Dad Bod.

When you're expecting a new addition to the family, you get advice from the elders that surround you. "Make the most of it, they don't stay babies for long" Life does move so much faster when you have children and I think that's due to not having a god damn minute. My two are now 6 and 3 with Andys little girl now 10.

Finding the work-life balance is a difficult tightrope to walk, there is no set rule for what works and every week there has to be a little give and take from both. Every other week there is a parents evening, sports day or assembly to attend. Add to that the numerous after-hours activities S&B get invited to.

Nobody warns you just how hard it is, both are equally difficult. Being a business owner provides/demands flexibility, out of hours thinking becomes a hobby and headaches are a by-product. However the satisfaction outways all of this. 

With a business and children both in their infancy at the same time, sacrifices have to be made from your former ways to give your children as much time as you can and your business the best chance to survive especially in the current tough retail times. If our business(baby) doesn't perform it's on mine and Andys shoulders. The biggest drive to perform is to continue to provide for our families like anybody else out there holding down a job with a family. Number 1, put food on the table as the cliche goes.

So the noisey Clio Sport had to go. the early morning gym sessions were replaced by bottle feeds and with retail demanding a Saturday opening, Saturday football had to take a back seat. These may come across as negatives but I wouldn't change it one bit, this is just my honest view on the dad/work life.

A business owner can still be their child's best friend, climbing frame, tickle champion, worm hunter, bedtime cuddler and fun maker. Although shopping can be less fun with daddy, I have to feel the garment, check the price and then where it was made.

Tonight I believe I will be picking Blackberries with my girls, hunting for worms and playing sleepy crocodile on the trampoline. Hopefully, it will tire them out as much as me.