Business, kids, and Family Life: When Life Throws You Off Track Before 9am.

How many of us start the day with a plan?

• A list.

• A schedule.

• A mission.

You’ve got that important meeting at 10, emails to answer, maybe an invoice or two to chase up, and if you’re lucky, you might just squeeze in a coffee that isn’t cold.

But then, it happens.

“Mam, I don’t feel well.”Or, “Dad, my tummy hurts.”

And just like that, your brain does a somersault. You look at them, their little pale face, warm forehead, and suddenly your business brain goes quiet. Parenthood takes over in full force.

You go straight into diagnostic mode –

“Are they really unwell? Is this just tiredness? Maybe it’s nothing? Maybe it’s something?” And yes, we all do it… the Calpol comes out. The modern-day magic potion we hope will save the day (and let’s be honest, our schedule).

And while you’re hoping it kicks in, your inner monologue is racing:

• Should I send them?

• Will they be OK once they’re up and moving?

• I’ve already moved this meeting once… I can’t cancel again. But what if they’re really ill?

• What if the school calls me in an hour?

• What will people think if I’m not there?

• What kind of parent am I if I send them?

• What kind of business owner am I if I don’t show up?

Sound familiar?

Let’s be real, juggling business and family life is a constant dance, and most of the time it feels like you’re out of step.

You’re not alone in that torn gut feeling, that pull between wanting to give your all to your family, but also knowing your business, your dreams, your commitments matter too.

Here’s the thing: there’s no perfect answer.

Sometimes you’ll cancel the meeting, and sometimes you’ll send them to school with fingers crossed that it’s just a wobble and they’ll be fine.

Sometimes you’ll feel guilty either way.

And that’s OK.

We need to give ourselves a bit more grace. Because being both a parent and a business owner is no small feat. It’s messy. It’s unpredictable. It’s full of curveballs and compromise.

But it’s also full of strength. The kind of strength that comes from loving fiercely and showing up,  even when it’s hard.

So if today’s one of those days, take a breath. You’re doing your best. And that’s enough.

But here’s where the business spin comes in,  running a business means learning to adapt, even when life throws chaos at you.

I’ve learned something important: your business doesn’t need you to be perfect, it needs you to be consistent, flexible, and honest with yourself.

Maybe today’s not the day everything gets ticked off, but maybe you delegate that one task, or you set clearer boundaries with clients about your availability. Maybe you start building in buffer time in your week for moments like this, because they will happen.

The beauty of running your own business is that it’s yours. You get to shape it around your life, not the other way around.

And on the days where it feels like you’re holding it all together with coffee and sheer willpower, remember this, you’re building something amazing, both at home and in business. Not in spite of the challenges, but because of them.

So here’s to the parents growing businesses while raising tiny humans,  messy mornings and all.

You’ve got this.