I have the opportunity and challenge of working from home. I started working remotely years ago when I was single, living in New York City, and actively pursuing a singing career. Now, some years later—after (mostly) exchanging my singing (for now) to be mom to three little girls, ages 4.5, 3, and 8 months—I use the kitchen table, the couch, and the nursery room floor as extensions of my office.
Recently we asked readers to submit photos of themselves balancing work and family. One afternoon I was working through these submissions, selecting those to send off to our layout department for inclusion in this issue. I had to have them submitted by a 4 p.m. deadline. I got the baby down for a nap and let my older two girls have their daily “TV time.” I settled into work on the photos, but before long the baby started crying. Already? I had hoped for a longer nap! But, alas, I needed to stop what I was doing to change her, feed her, and set her up with some toys. By then it was time to turn the TV off and get the older girls playing upstairs.
Phew! Everyone was settled once again, and I resumed my work sorting the photos, my deadline even closer now. I managed to get another good chunk done before the baby got fussy. Another quick break to help her, and then I turned back to my e-mails. Not five minutes later I heard my three-year-old call from upstairs, “Mom, I went potty!” Good for her, I thought. Until she added, “On the stool!” I left my laptop and raced up the stairs to assess and clean up the situation.
My attempt to balance my own work and family while editing photos of others doing the same was laughable. And in the midst of the mess, the irony was not lost on me.
The responsibilities of children and family life are just that—responsibilities! They require time, commitment, dedication, and significant sacrifice. And when our careers require the same, but with more tangible and seemingly significant expectations (like looming deadlines), juggling and prioritizing it all can often feel utterly overwhelming.
So, why do we do it?
Soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird and bass-baritone Matthew Burns, featured in this month’s cover story (p. 12), do it because they can’t imagine their lives any other way. The couple and their two children are currently living on the road from gig to gig because it gives them more family time—something they place significant value on.
The same goes for baritone Corey Crider (p. 22), who says not having children just wasn’t an option. He and his wife, Michelle, also take their four children on the road with them. Crider says coming home to his family keeps him grounded, centered, and less insecure (as singers can be prone to feel).
Christi Amonson sums it up best in her column featuring advice from graduates on what singers need in order to succeed (p. 8). Included on that list? Friends, family, and significant others. As Amonson says, these loving relationships help singers be resilient in the face of a very competitive career.
If you’re still feeling unsure or alone in your sacrifice, read Peter Thoresen’s article about the lasting impact music can have on the cognitive development of children (p. 22). And then take in the photos of fellow singers juggling personal lives and singing careers
(p. 36).
And now excuse me while I go change a diaper and make peanut butter sandwiches before sending this off to the printer.
