Lucy Dawes
Vice Principal, Phoenix Academy
‘A full time Mum’- a phrase I personally find causes me upset. Some people throw around this phrase quite freely but to me it suggests that women, like me, who work full time are somehow a ‘part time Mum’, implying that we cannot give our all to our families and our professional commitments. Surely all mums are ‘full time’?
I am both a ‘full time Mum’ and a ‘full time Vice Principal’. I support not only my own three beautiful children as a single mother, but also all the wonderful pupils who attend our Academy.
I’m not going to pretend that this is an easy feat, that it doesn’t take Herculean strength and a logistical set up the Roman Army would envy, but the payoff far outweighs the challenge. It takes a huge amount of self-compassion, a gentleness to self to understand that ‘perfect’ does not exist but I am ‘enough’.
I take time to be present in all roles that I play and my capacity to care and commit is actually infinite. That taking time to reflect and be present in each aspect is hugely important. I hope that I can inspire others to see that you can have as much out of life as you want. That there are no limits when it comes to the balance between ‘home’ and ‘work’. That a deep understanding of how to be present and to cultivate positive thoughts will help you to focus your energy on what you can control and subsequently find mental and emotional stability despite life’s ups and downs. And yes, there will be days when the football boots will be forgotten by the front door and you will have to stay up past bedtime to meet a deadline, but that’s ok. Breathe and do your best… because you are enough.
