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Business
The life of a working mum during the global pandemic
By Christina Marie Giuffré, Volunteer Comms Manager, Girls in Tech Gibraltar
Whether you’re already a parent, or planning to have children, the current climate for working parents continues to change dramatically, especially in light of the global pandemic.
Although the pandemic has affected us all, there are statistics demonstrating the disproportionate impact on women. The BBC’s ‘How Covid-19 is Changing Women’s Lives’ discusses the increased likelihood of British mothers becoming unemployed, due to a higher representation of women in the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, such as hospitality, leisure, retail and tourism. Not to mention the challenges placed on all parents in supervising their children attending online classes, while trying to work from home (in roles where this is possible).
Celine Courcy, Product Manager at Lottoland, describes her experience and learnings as a working mum and what it has been like during the global pandemic:
“I live in Spain and work in Gibraltar. At 41 years of age, I had my first and only child, while growing my career in Product Management. I’m so proud of our boy; at only 4 years old, he’s kind, smart and has a great sense of humour. Being a parent has challenges but it’s wonderful, especially the unconditional love and cuddles!
As a working parent, I’ve learned not to let work take over my life completely and to care less about the stuff that doesn’t really matter. If (like me), you’re not the ‘9 to 5 type’, you’ll learn to get your work done regardless of the hours but realise you need to focus more on the quality of your work, rather than quantity. It’s important to prioritise ruthlessly, delegate more and accept help when it is offered but also not be afraid to ask.
It was tough during the lockdown in juggling work and time with our son. I’m lucky my colleagues and my employer are flexible and supportive. At the beginning of lockdown, we had no childcare support (for obvious reasons), which was really tough, especially without a support network in Spain, as our families are located in other countries. Our son’s grandparents often visited from the UK before the pandemic but have been unable to see him for some time.
A typical day
During lockdown, a typical day would look like this for me: 6-7am Wake up, prepare breakfast and feed the cats and dogs. Plan my day and check messages, while the little one is eating. 9.30am Attend stand up with the team at work.
10-2pm Support my son with school homework and online classes. 2-7pm Work, work work! My son will be with my partner (after lockdown more support was available at this time).
7pm Dinner, bath and bed for my son. 8pm Dinner for my parter and I. 9-11pm Work, work, work!
The hardest thing for me when we were stuck at home was the concern that our son was spending too much time in front of screens, including classwork. I also found it challenging not getting any time for myself. I can’t imagine how hard it must be as a single parent during these times.”
In addition to Celine’s story, it was insightful to hear the experiences of Amy, a single mum based in Gibraltar, who decided to give up her successful career in the financial sector to become a full-time mum and prioritise ‘being there’ for her two young children. Although she was lucky to have help
from her parents, the decision still didn’t come easily and without mixed feelings.
I personally relocated to Gibraltar with my husband less than 12 months ago and I can understand it’s not easy for anyone during this time; especially without an established community of family and friends.
Amidst challenging times
Whether you are a full-time parent or balancing work and parenting, there is no right or wrong choice. It’s about deciding what’s right for you and your family, and ultimately accepting that you’re doing the best you can.
Although we’re still amidst challenging times, it’s inspiring to hear heart-warming stories of kindness and coming together to champion us and our future generations. The emergence of a new culture that embraces and supports flexible and remote work, will offer us more opportunities than ever!
Girls in Tech Gibraltar support inclusivity, promote gender equality and work towards positively impacting the accessibility, presence and support for women in our community. We encourage anyone of any gender to share their ideas, connect with us and attend our free events.
www.gibraltar.girlsintech.org
22 Gibraltar International
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