Potomac Local Parent of the Month: Jennifer

Editors note: Potomac Local Parents is a monthly column that looks at life through the eyes of real parents. Do you know of a parent we should feature? Send us their contact information and we’ll contact them.

This month, we interview Jennifer.

How many children do you have and what are their ages?
Twins Josh and Will, 17, and Anderson 11.

Describe your career in a nutshell.
Investment banker turned consultant turned entrepreneur turned corporate leader. Most of my career transitions didn’t make a ton of sense at the time, but each was a very important step on my journey. Lesson here? It’s never as big of a deal as you think it is at the time. And even the really hard transitions make sense in the bigger picture. Let’s face it: you’re going to work for a long time. You can learn something from each role.

What passion project are you pursuing on your four-month sabbatical?
I’m writing a book! I truly believe that if you have kids and you work outside the home, there is no work-life balance; it’s a circus. But YOU can be the Ringmaster and decide what goes in each ring and where and when the spotlight shines. This will be a very practical guide to getting proposals in on time AND dinner on the table every night. You can follow along at jenniferfolsom.net or on Facebook at The Ringmaster Project.

What are your top three tips for balancing motherhood with a demanding career?
1. Build your village. It doesn’t appear out of nowhere, it takes work, but you need to find your people. The coworker who will cover your pitch when your son is sick. Or the neighbor that will meet your kid at the bus stop when the metro is delayed. You can’t- and shouldn’t- do this alone.
2. Maximize face time. When you’re at the office, BE at the office. Lay off the daycare cams, and give uninterrupted focus to your staff, clients, coworkers, and bosses. Likewise, when you’re at home, be at home. Check your phone at the door. I am the WORST, admittedly, but try to leave my phone in my work bag until after bedtime.
3. Put yourself first. Spend your own money if need be on the professional certification you want and need. Put exercise on your calendar every single day. Meditate on your metro commute. Skip Friday soccer practice (who scheduled that, anyway?) so you can have a drink with your girlfriends. Whatever fills your cup up, do that.

What do you do in your downtime?
It’s pretty boring, but at this age boring is awesome! I do the basics: reading, listening to music, working in my garden. When possible, I’m out on my paddleboard on the bay or hiking with girlfriends or going for a family bike ride.

What’s your favorite book?
How can you pick just one? I usually have one non-fiction, one fiction and one audiobook going at any time. Recently the protagonist in two of my books had the same name, and it was really confusing! I was that weirdo on the metro saying aloud to myself, “wait, Olivia did WHAT?” I keep an ongoing list of book recommendations on the Workflowy app with the name of the recommender so I can call for a book chat when I’m done. Book club just doesn’t fit into my life right now.

What’s your favorite vacation spot?
We rent a beach shack on the bay, and it’s only 45 minutes away, making quick overnight and even day trips possible with the Folsom Five going in different directions every day. The boys can be feral there, and I can sit in one spot in front of a beach bonfire with a good book and cold LeCroix. Or something stronger!

What is your favorite thing to do with your kids?
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. One of my older boys is taking a Gourmet Foods class, and he loves to bring home what he’s learned, and my youngest makes everything from his own salad dressing to guacamole. With food-driven boys, the kitchen really is the heart of our home, and I try really hard not to sweat the giant mess they make in there. I’ll miss it when they’re gone, right?

How do you handle things at work when unexpected things pop up with children, like multiple rounds of illness or snow days?
Remember that village? It’s about social capital, both at work and at home. You cover for your colleague when her dog needs to go the emergency vet, she will cover for you when you have the third snow day in a row for less than an inch of the white stuff. Proactively offer to help friends and neighbors with your kids so you can make that “help” call guilt-free when you need it. The second that 2-hour delay text comes across my phone, if I can swing it, I send an alert to my pals, “I’m home tomorrow morning, send me your kids if you need to get to work.” No one is keeping score, and it all works out.